Teach Me How To Live -~Zen Wistaria x Reader~-

Again..?

Your POV

The next whole week absolutely sucked to live through. That man had already left and was accused of poisoning me but there was no proof of it. As the week continued though, each day I was poisoned.. Literally, each day. It wasn't even consistent with which meals either. Sometimes Id pass out right at breakfast! The castle staff was all so worried. The nice ladies making my meals even apologized and said they didn't know what was happening. Obi ended up making something for me with the food they had. It was something like a sandwich and tea but I still got poisoned and it wasnt from the tea. We determined that everything in the kitchen had probably been poisoned in some way so they trashed everything. All spices, meals, fruits, vegetables, and drinks. The same day we had the town people bring in more food just so we could have dinner. They were very nice and were worried after hearing about the poisonings so they helped us out. The bad part is that is wasnt just me getting poisoned. They got all of my siblings in one day right at the beginning. After that, it wss just me.
7 days passed by and thankfully no sign of Zen, Shirayuki, Mitsuhide or Kiki. The food was back to normal and I was recovering from the amount of poison I consumed over the week. I was feeling pretty weak and didn't have a strong stomach after that. A few more days passed and I was finally better. I was allowed back outside too. So, I began thinking of what to make Zen for his ring. I have no idea what it should look like at all but I thought maybe it could match his sword or the little blue flowers we have on ours.

"A ring.." i muttered in thought as i stared down at my paper. Theres tons of designs on them but I dont feel confident I could do some of them. At least not well enough..
"Princess, you dont happen to be focusing over your future husband again now, do you?.." Juniper asked while shelving books for me.
"Wh-What? No, not at all!-.." i said as i covered my paper with books.
"Y/n, I dont recall hearing about any visitors today.." Leon said as he looked behind me at out the window.
"Thats Clarines.." Obi muttered and looked almost scared.
"The threat my not be gone.. Maybe you should stay with shirayuki at her grandmothers house till they have to leave. She'd be safe there for sure" i smiled as i stood up from my chair. I was really hoping they wouldn't come so soon.. I figured Zen might come after all but theres two carriages so shirayuki must be in one of them.
"Youre right.. I dont want her to get sick here.." Obi muttered and looked down as we all began our walk to the front gate.
"Dont worry, Obi, shes in good hands if you can be with her." Leon said with a smile and patted his shoulder.
"I dont have anything against you two but I still don't trust anyone here" Obi sighed.
"Trust comes with time and we're willing to wait. We will prove our loyalty to the princess somehow" Juniper smiled as the 3 walked a little behind me.
"And I've been feeling better now too" i smiled and looked back to them.
"Yeah but you said it yourself, everyone is coming after you now that youre away from Alfin!" Obi shouted with worry.
"Worry about Shirayuki from now on. She needs your protection now more than ever" i giggled to him.
"Yeah but.." he muttered.
"Oh and I brought the tailor back. He was supposed to come later today but I didnt know the other were coming to visit" i said as we opened the doors and finally met sunlight. On the inside I was beaming with joy to see Zen again. I havent gotten last months letters yet and I've been waiting anxiously for them.
I first noticed Shirayuki's belly..
I gasped at the sight of her belly, it had grown so much! Obi froze and stood in shock. Leon patted his shoulder and smiled at his reaction to seeing shirayuki like this.
"Go see him already.." Juniper whispered to me while no one was looking.
I tapped my toes inside my shoes as I watched them walk up all those stairs to us. I could barely hold in my excitement.
"Y/n.. You can't tell us to go back if you're in trouble.." Zen told me at the last stair as I smiled away. "Come here" he chuckled and opened his arms for me. I ran and gave him my best hug.
"I missed you.." i whispered to him as we hugged.
"I missed you too.. what happened before we got here?.." He asked as we held each other tight and didnt dare to let go.
"Its a lot and ill tell you soon im just-.. i really am happy you came.." i said as i gripped him tight.
"Me too.." he said as he let out a long breath and relaxed in my arms.
"Its always nice seeing these reunions" Mitsuhide said with a smile behind us.
"Youre lucky you get to work with each other everyday" i said with a short laugh.
"Thats true.." Kiki smiled up at Mitsuhide making him blush. Theyre still going strong i see.
"Obi, dont cry.." Shirayuki gigged as they hugged.
"He found out by accident the other day. He read the notes Zen sent me while I was working" i said with a smile as i looked over to Obi and Shirayuki.
"Working?" Juniper asked herself with a little grin.
"What were you really doing?" Mitsuhide asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Studying.." i muttered and looked away.
"She fell asleep at her desk" Leon shouted out.
"Hey!.." i whispered with a little glare while Zen chuckled and kept his hold on me.
"Are you working too hard again then?" He asked happily and looked in my eyes.
"I haven't really done much for the past week an a half actually" i said with a little smile before hugging him again. All this time I really just wanted him to hold me..
"We're glad you're okay though. We got worried when we got word from that messager a while ago" shirayuki said as she held Obi who was still crying like a baby.
"Im alright, it wasn't that bad and we fixed the problem we think" i said with a smile.
"You think?.." Kiki asked nervously.
"Theres a lot to talk about.." Leon told them.
"We see that" Mitsuhide chuckled and looked at my new attendants.
"O-Oh, im sorry i forgot to introduce you. Everyone, this is Juniper and Leon. Juniper and Leon, this is Prince Zen, Mitsuhide, Kiki, and Shirayuki" i said as i went around the circle.
"Nice to meet you" juniper and leon bowed at the same time and said the same thing. Mitsuhide looked like he felt their pain for a second.
"Did Obi find them?" Zen asked and couldnt help but smile at Obi who was still crying in Shirayuki's arms.
"Yes, highness, and trained since last month by him personally" Juniper said and acted proper and stuff.
"What do you think of them, Obi?" Zen asked but it was useless. "Ill ask again later" he sighed and shook his head.
"Lets go inside then. We can talk about things there" i said smiling as i took Zen's hand. Theres no need to hide it anymore. Now i can hold his hand all i want without a worry or care.
"Obi, are you okay?.." shirayuki asked him with a soft giggle as he wiped his eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me before I left?.." he muttered to her.
"Because Y/n needed you more for a while" she answered happily.
"Yeah, clearly" Mitsuhide chuckled as i walked us in a private room and shut the door.
"It wasnt that bad, i only had a couple knives thrown at me" i said with a little grin knowing it'd scare Zen.
"Where?" Zen asked quickly as we all sat down around the couches in the room.
"I took a break for a day and went outside to read and as soon as Obi left I had 2 knives thrown at me but i wasn't hurt. Those three went and caught the guy who threw them but we dont have any information from him" i said as i looked at shirayukis belly. I still cant believe shes pregnant. I never thought any of us would have kids so soon. I still feel so little on the inside.
"That day was the one day you let yourself have off.." Obi sighed and shook his head.
"Ive had a over a week off now though.." i smiled and looked down at my lap.
"Yeah but that day-" Obi continued but i stopped him and shook my head.
"Its alright.." i said with a little smile before feeling a soft squeeze on my hand from Zen. I guess this made me realize that it really has been past a year since ive been with everyone now. It feels like we've been through everything together though.. I suppose we just had a busy year. I hope we always stay together like this..
"Did this long break have to do with the threat?.." Shirayuki asked me as she sat with her hand comforting her belly.
"Yes, unfortunately.." i said as i thought back to what happened. My memory is blurry from everything. I cant remember much. "I dont really remember much of it though" i said softly.
"What?.." Mitsuhide asked in shock and worry.
"Over the course of a week and a day, the princess had been poisoned 8 times. One each day." Leon explained slowly. I could see Zen out of the corner of my eyes looking more than worried and his grip on my hand keeps getting tighter.
"We had an antidote every time it happened. Prince Raji, princess Rona, and prince Eugena all experienced the same poison but it only happened once to them. Princess Y/n has just begun to get back in her feet after what happened" Juniper explained to them.
"Obi, how were they able to get so close to her?" Zen asked with a confused and angry look.
"It was the food supply to the royal family, everything was poisoned somehow. We got rid of all the food and drinks in the castle earlier. There hasn't been another incident" Obi explained with his head lowered.
"Then why did it only happen to her? Why weren't the others poisoned as well?" Zen asked with rage in his tone and leaned closer.
"We don't know either, highness. None of the castle staff were doing it on purpose from what we could tell.." Leon explained with a lowered head.
"I see.." Zen muttered in thought and had become confused with worry.
"Shirayuki, it might be best if you stayed with your grandparents while you stay here. I dont want you possibly getting poisoned as well" i said with a small smile. Obi grew more worried now.
"But what if something happens here? It seems like whoever it is was only targeting you" she said filled with worry.
"Please dont worry about me, im alright. In the meantime, Obi, I believe the tailor is here to see you" i said with a smile as i looked at the clock on the wall.
"Right now?.." Obi grumbled.
"Shirayuki, maybe now we can show her your dress" kiki suggested with a smile.
"O-Oh! A-Are we really doing the wedding now with all this happening?" She stuttered and looked around with a little blush.
"It might be safer back in Clarines. Theres been a lot of people lurking around here lately. They've even gotten past all the guards. Even the towns people.." i said as i lowered my head and thought hard about this. I need to train the guards myself. They arent well enough trained to even keep out the towns people!
"But you won't be there.." Shirayuki muttered and looked so sad.
"The only way to have it here safely is to put you in a private room.. I dont want to do that.." I said as i bit my lip.
"We'll talk about it later.." Obi said with a small smile as he looked to shirayuki. She nodded and smiled.
"Y/n, how have you been dealing with the stress of things?.." Kiki asked worriedly.
"Dealing with things?" I asked as i looked up in surprise. How have I been doing with that? Reading? Being outside- no, I haven't been for a while.. "I-I uh, well, writting letters helps" i stuttered and smiled awkwardly. "I feel better after writting about things so.." I trailed off.
"Its something.." Zen chuckled and smiled so kindly at me.
"Yeah.." i smiled a bit bigger after seeing him. Im so glad he's here.. "O-Oh, I sent my letters a little while ago but I have more now" i said as i thought about them.. and the bad one. I was so scared the day I wrote that to him. "Oh but I sort of skipped a few days by accident.." i muttered and lowered my head again. I was blacked out a few days last week because of the poisonings..
"Thats a surprise" Mitsuhide chuckled at the thought.
"She was poisoned closer to night time when she normally writers. She doesn't have much memory of last week.." Juniper explained to them so I didnt have to.
"I see.." Zen muttered and looked sadder again.
"Obi, the tailor is still waiting in the same room as before.." i told him as i looked up with a little smile.
"Alright.." He sighed and stood up.
"Shirayuki has been waiting for you to see her dress" Kiki smiled and nodded to shirayuki.
"Id love to see it" i said as i slowly stood up with Zen's hand still in mine.
"I want to see Obi's suit, personally" Mitsuhide chuckled as everyone stood.
"Will you go too?.." i asked Zen with a small smile.
"I dont know, I didnt get to see her dress either. Only Mitsuhide and Kiki got the chance" he said as he looked up with a smile.
"Why?" I giggled as i asked.
"Someone was busy talking with Lord Haruka" Shirayuki said as she rolled her eyes.
"Oh, I see" i giggled looking back to Zen. "And Obi," i called and got his attention, "youre already really late" i told him with a crooked grin.
"Aright.." He sighed and nodded, "ill see you soon" he told shirayuki before kissing her cheek which made her blush a bit.
"Juniper, would you like to come with the girls while Leon stays with Obi?" I asked smiling.
"Yes, highness" she nodded happily.
We split ways soon after. Zen stayed with me, kiki, Shirayuki and Juniper while Obi, Mitsuhide and Leon went somewhere else.
"Shirayuki, I still cant believe your pregnant" i said with a delighted sigh.
"Neither can i" she giggled in response as we entered the room she would be staying in if she stayed here. "Ill go change in the bathroom" she said as she slowly found her dress wrapped up in a black bag.
"She picked something to accommodate to her bump so its very flowy" Kiki said after Shirayuki was in the bathroom.
"I wish i was there with you, sorry I couldnt" i gave an apologetic smile.
"I hope we can be here for your dress too. You have to find another one after what Rue did" Kiki said as the four of us sat down on the edge of Shirayukis bed.
"I still cant believe that guy ruined your dress before trying to do something much worse.." Zen grumbled beside me.
"What happened to it, if you dont mind" Juniper asked quietly.
"Well, he covered it in inc then tore it to shreds" Kiki explained while i awkwardly laughed about it.
"Oh.. Why in the world would someone do that if they were going to kill you anyway?.." She asked in shock and looked over to me.
"Your guess is as good as ours.." Zen pouted and crossed his arms.
"You never even saw the dress so I dont know why you're so mad" i giggled and poked Zen's side.
"Because it was important to you and we worked so hard to keep it hidden! Now you have to go out again and hope to find something the same.." he sighed and still looked mad and sad.
"I wonder if theres a way to send sample dresses to the castle before they leave.." Juniper thought to herself.
"Its okay, I think for now we should focus on Shirayuki and Obi" i said smiling.
"Hey! I cant button it up all the way.." Shirayuki shouted at the door.
"Ill go" kiki said as she stood up and went to help.
"Did you really plan their whole wedding?.." Zen asked me quietly.
"Believe it or not, planning and entire wedding is easier than designing a wedding ring" i told him with a short laugh.
"You looked at such a loss the other day" Juniper giggled to me while I pouted.
"Its harder than you think.." i grumbled.
"Dont worry, you have time still" Zen chuckled, "until everything in tanbarun and Clarines calms down, we cant do anything but visit" he told me with an apologetic smile.
"I know.." i said as i looked down at my free hand in my lap.
"We're ready now" Kiki said as shirayuki walked out in his beautiful flowy gown covered in lace and tulle.
"Shirayuki, its beautiful!" I shouted as i stood up.
"Isn't it?" She asked looking down at herself.
"Obi would be happy to see this" Zen chuckled as i gently pulled out the tulle to show how wide the dress is.
"I think so too" Juniper smiled.