Chapter Text
(Morning - Zen and Shirayuki's Bedchamber)
Morning sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting soft golden light across the royal bedchamber.
Zen Wisteria, Second Prince of Clarines, stirred slowly from sleep. He smiled before even opening his eyes. The familiar warmth beside him told him everything he needed to know. His arm still rested protectively around his wife. "Shirayuki," he murmured, pulling her just a little closer.
"I've been awake for a while," Princess Shirayuki Wisteria replied softly.
Zen opened his eyes to find her already watching him, her lips curved into the gentle smile he never grew tired of seeing. "Good morning."
"Good morning."
He leaned over and kissed her slowly, savoring the quiet moment before either of them had to think about duties, meetings, or responsibilities. When they finally pulled apart, he rested his forehead against hers. "How are you feeling?"
She smiled knowingly. "You're going to ask me that every morning, aren't you?"
"Every morning."
"And probably several times throughout the day."
"Without question."
A quiet laugh escaped her. "I'm feeling much better today."
"No nausea?"
"Not yet."
Zen let out a small sigh of relief before sliding his hand carefully over her abdomen. "And our little one?"
"The court physician examined me yesterday."
He looked up at her with curiosity. "Everything is progressing exactly as it should." The words settled warmly inside him, their child. Even after several days, it still didn't quite feel real. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss against the front of her nightdress. "I still can't believe we're going to be parents."
Shirayuki ran her fingers through his hair. "I know."
"I've imagined this moment more times than I can count."
She blinked. "You have?"
Zen laughed quietly. "I've had months to think about it."
"Months?"
"I started imagining it shortly after we were married."
She covered her mouth to hide another smile. "You planned that far ahead?"
"I married you planning to spend the rest of my life with you." His smile softened. "Having children with you was never a question of if."
Emotion flickered across her face. She reached up and rested her hand against his cheek. "I love you."
"I love you too."
They stayed that way for another long moment, saying nothing.
Outside, the castle had already begun to wake. Somewhere in the distance servants moved through the halls, birds sang from the palace gardens, and the fountains below their window continued their familiar melody.
Inside the room, however, the world felt wonderfully still.
Zen brushed a loose strand of red hair behind Shirayuki's ear. "Have you thought about names?"
She laughed. "We still have time to think about names, Zen."
"So?"
"So I'm trying to get through the first trimester before deciding what to call our child."
"I suppose that's fair." He looked thoughtful. "But I reserve the right to make suggestions."
"I expected nothing less."
Another comfortable silence settled between them.
Zen looked at her again, unable to hide the smile on his face. "Our family."
Shirayuki nodded. "Our family."
For just a little while longer, neither of them spoke.
Neither of them knew that the peaceful morning they were sharing was about to become the beginning of something neither could have imagined.
A firm knock echoed through the room.
Zen closed his eyes. "...Ignore it."
Shirayuki smiled. "I don't think that's going to work."
Another knock followed. "Prince Zen?" Mitsuhide called through the door.
Zen buried his face against Shirayuki's shoulder. "Tell him I'm dead."
"I don't think he'd believe me."
"I could be very convincing."
She laughed, the sound bright enough to make him smile despite himself. "Mitsuhide has known you too long."
A third knock came, slightly more insistent this time. "Prince Zen," Kiki's calm voice joined in. "It's important."
Zen let out a long sigh. "They used the word 'important,'" he muttered. "That usually means I'm about to have a very bad morning."
Shirayuki gently squeezed his hand. "You should probably hear them out."
"I was planning to spend the morning with my wife."
"I'll still be here afterward."
"You promise?"
She leaned over and kissed him. "I promise."
Zen smiled against her lips before reluctantly sitting up. As soon as his feet touched the floor, he reached for the robe hanging beside the bed. Before putting it on, however, he picked up Shirayuki's robe instead.
She smiled. "You always think of me first."
"I always will."
He slipped the robe gently around her shoulders, waiting until she had both arms through the sleeves before tying the sash loosely at her waist. "Any dizziness?"
She paused for a moment. "A little."
Without hesitation, Zen offered his arm.
She accepted it with an appreciative smile. "The physician said to take things slowly."
"Then we'll take them slowly."
Zen crossed the room. He rested one hand on the door but didn't open it immediately.
He looked back at Shirayuki. "Ready?"
She nodded. "Ready."
Zen opened the door just enough to look outside.
Mitsuhide and Kiki stood waiting exactly where he expected.
Both straightened.
"Good morning, Prince Zen," Kiki greeted.
"It was," Zen replied dryly.
Mitsuhide blinked. "...Should I come back later?"
"No." Zen stepped into the doorway, keeping the bedchamber behind him.
"What is it?"
Mitsuhide exchanged a glance with Kiki. Neither seemed eager to be the one to say it.
Finally, Kiki spoke. "We have an unexpected visitor."
Zen frowned. "Who?"
"Prince Raji."
The warmth of the morning vanished almost instantly.
"...Raji?" Zen repeated.
Kiki nodded. "He arrived without sending notice."
Zen rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Of course he did."
"He insisted on seeing you immediately," Mitsuhide added. "And when we explained that you weren't receiving visitors..."
"...He attempted to find your bedchamber himself."
Zen stared. "He what?"
"We intercepted him," Kiki answered calmly. "Obi is keeping him occupied."
Zen let out another sigh. "So Obi is the only thing standing between Raji and complete diplomatic disaster."
"At the moment," Mitsuhide admitted, "yes."
Zen looked back toward Shirayuki. "I suddenly have a very bad feeling about this."
Zen stepped back into the bedchamber and quietly closed the door.
Shirayuki could tell from the look on his face that whatever was waiting outside wasn't routine. "Prince Raji?" she asked.
Zen nodded. "He arrived without notice."
She blinked. "That's... unusual."
"For anyone else, yes."
A small smile tugged at her lips. "For Prince Raji..."
"...It's Tuesday," Zen finished.
Despite the tension, she laughed.
"He tried to find our bedchamber."
Her smile disappeared. "He what?"
"Mitsuhide and Kiki stopped him before he could."
"And Obi?"
"Keeping him occupied."
Shirayuki let out a quiet sigh. "Poor Obi."
"He'll survive."
"Prince Raji might not if he keeps testing your patience."
Zen couldn't argue with that. He walked over and picked up his formal clothes while Shirayuki gathered her Court Herbalist uniform.
As they dressed, neither spoke for several moments.
Finally, Shirayuki broke the silence. "What do you think brought him all the way from Tanbarun?"
Zen fastened the last clasp on his jacket. "I honestly don't know."
"He wouldn't leave his kingdom without a reason."
"No."
"And he certainly wouldn't arrive without sending word."
Zen frowned. "That's the part bothering me." He looked toward the window. "Even Raji understands basic diplomacy."
"So something made him forget it."
"Exactly."
Shirayuki adjusted the sash around her uniform before smoothing the front of it. "Do you think something happened in Tanbarun?"
"I hope so."
She looked at him in surprise. "You hope so?"
"If it didn't..." He met her eyes. "...then whatever brought him here is probably worse."
The room grew quiet again.
Zen crossed the room and opened the door.
Mitsuhide and Kiki were still waiting.
"They're in your office," Kiki reported.
"Everyone?"
Mitsuhide nodded. "Prince Raji insisted on waiting there."
Zen sighed. "At least he picked the right room this time."
Mitsuhide coughed into his fist, unsuccessfully hiding a grin.
Together, the four of them walked through the castle corridors.
When they reached Zen's office, Obi stood outside the door with his arms folded. The moment he saw them, relief crossed his face. "I was beginning to think you'd abandoned me."
"I considered it," Zen admitted.
Obi chuckled. "He's been asking the same question every two minutes."
"What question?" Shirayuki asked.
Obi looked between the prince and princess before answering. "He wants to know why the two of you kept the pregnancy a secret.”
Zen slowly turned toward Shirayuki. She stared back at him, equally stunned.
Neither of them had spoken of it nor had anyone they trusted.
Zen's expression hardened. "...How does Prince Raji know you're pregnant?"
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Obi quietly opened the office door. "Perhaps," he said, "we should ask him."
Zen nodded once as he took Shirayuki's hand and squeezed lightly in reassurance. Together they entered.
Prince Raji was already pacing the room, occasionally stopping to inspect whatever object happened to catch his attention before Obi gently redirected him away from it.
The moment he saw Zen and Shirayuki, his face brightened. "There you are!"
Zen closed the door behind them. "You've been looking for us."
"Of course I have." Raji crossed the room without hesitation before stopping a respectful distance from Shirayuki. "Congratulations."
Silence settled over the office.
Raji blinked. "...Was that not the correct response?"
Zen studied him carefully. "Congratulations for what?"
Raji looked between the two of them. "The baby."
No one moved. No one even seemed to breathe.
Mitsuhide slowly looked toward Kiki.
Kiki's expression remained composed, though the slight narrowing of her eyes betrayed that she was thinking the same thing everyone else was.
Raji frowned. "...Did I say something wrong?"
Zen finally spoke. "Who told you Shirayuki is pregnant?"
Raji looked genuinely confused. "I assumed you knew."
"We do know," Zen answered evenly. "What we don't know..." His voice became noticeably firmer. "...is how you know."
Only then did Raji realize something was wrong. "I heard it before I left Tanbarun."
"You heard it..." Shirayuki repeated quietly. "...In Tanbarun?"
Raji nodded. "There were servants talking about it."
Zen's eyes narrowed. "Clarines servants?"
"I don't know."
"Merchants?"
"I don't know."
"Nobles?"
"I don't know." Raji rubbed the back of his neck. "I wasn't paying attention to who said it."
Mitsuhide let out a slow breath. "So the rumor had already spread."
"It wasn't presented as a rumor," Raji replied. "Everyone spoke as though it were common knowledge."
The room became deathly quiet.
Zen's mind raced. Only a handful of people knew. Mitsuhide. Kiki. Obi. Ryuu. Garack. His brother, Izana. His sister-in-law, Haki. The court physician. Every one of them had earned his complete trust.
Shirayuki reached over and quietly took his hand to gentle squeeze it. She could feel the tension building inside him.
Zen gave her hand a gentle squeeze in response before looking back at Raji. "When exactly did you hear this?"
Raji thought for a moment. "Three days ago."
Three days. Zen's heart sank. That was the same day the court physician had confirmed Shirayuki's pregnancy.
Someone had learned about it almost immediately. Someone had carried that information beyond the palace.
And somehow, it had reached another kingdom before they had even considered making an official announcement.