"Impossible," Izana stood at the doorway of the medical room.

All the patients were resting with bandages around their waist. Some still had trouble sitting up but the peaceful look on their faces was enough evidence to show that they were healed. Others were sitting up and laughing and the scene itself almost sent Izana into tears.

"Where are the pharmacists?" he questioned to a nearby officer.

"They're in the resting room," he answered.

Izana made haste to the resting room to see Oz, Shirayuki, Garrack, and Ryuu. Once he got there, he opened the door and only silence awaited him. A dim lamp light flickered in the room but the only ones there were Garrack and Ryuu who were sleeping soundly. No doubt that working three days and three nights had taken a toll on them. For them to keep sewing with no mistakes was amazing enough.

Are they still in the operating room? he thought to himself.

His cape swayed behind him as he closed the resting room's door and made way to the operating room. Sure enough, the bright lamp light in the operating room was still on and two silhouettes were at the sink outside of it. Izana looked to the side and saw five large black bags. He opened it and as he had confirmed, they were the scalpels that they had disposed of after they were no longer clean and sharp. Izana covered his nose and mouth and quickly looked away. He slid open the door and the two figures turned around.

"Your Majesty," Shirayuki blankly said.

Her eyes were strained but even so, she still had the energy to give a quick bow and stand. However, something told him that she wasn't the least bit tired. Oz broke him away from his thoughts as his deep and calm voice greeted Izana.

"What makes His Majesty come here so late at night?" he questioned. "Is there something you'd like to ask?"

Izana nodded his head. "Did you two treat all those patients in just three days and three nights?"

Oz mused to himself. "What if we did?"

Izana widened his eyes in surprise. "How?"

Oz turned away from him and let Shirayuki do the answering. "We're doctors after all."

Shirayuki, too, turned away from Izana for she had other things to take care of. The two's surgical gowns were covered in blood from head to toe and the baskets of worm eggs sat to the side.

"Aren't the two of you tired?" Izana asked.

Shirayuki chuckled to herself a little. "I kind of am but at the same time not. I'm not sure how you describe it but, I still have the energy to do something."

Izana furrowed his eyebrows. 

"It's true," Oz looked at him from the corner of his eyes, an amused look on his face. "We're not tired at all."

True to his words, Oz didn't look a bit disheveled. His eyes were still clear like the blue sky and there was no sign of fatigue anywhere on his face. Izana didn't want to believe it but it was true. Seeing these two after the feat that they had done, Izana couldn't help but think to himself that these two were otherworldly beings. 

Shirayuki picked up the baskets and smiled softly at Izana, fatigue finally beginning to show in those emerald eyes of hers.

"If you will excuse me, Your Majesty Izana," she bowed. "I have to dispose of these." 

Shirayuki took two baskets of worm eggs and began making her way outside where a large bonfire was blazing. Izana motioned for the nearby officers who had been helping to carry the patients in and out of the operating room to help with the worm eggs as well. Izana and Oz were left alone and the two men looked at one another. 

"Would you mind telling me now?" Izana looked at the man before him; the man shrouded in mysteriousness.

Oz remained silent and turned to stare back at him. 

Meanwhile~

Shirayuki was now outside, the blazing fire illuminating her face and casting shadows behind her. She threw the baskets into the fire where it burned the basket and the worm eggs inside it to nothing but ashes. She watched it disappear and was glad that it was finally over. The last of the baskets were disposed of and as she stood there, watching the flame rise and the wood crackle, she felt a cloth be draped over her shoulders.

"It's finally over, isn't it?" he murmured.

"Ah," she pulled it closer to her. "Everything's finally over."

He smiled and pulled her closer to him. "You aren't tired, Miss? You've been working non-stop these past three days."

"The same thing could be said to you, Obi," she chuckled lightly. "Thanks for your hard work in helping out in the kitchen."

"It was nothing," he gave her a thumbs-up.

"You're a really bad liar," she turned to him.

Shirayuki held out a hand and reached out to gently touch his cheek. Obi closed his eyes and appreciated the warmth and gentleness that she caressed him by. Honestly, he couldn't hide anything from her. She could see the bags underneath his eyes and the strained look in his eyes. She then reached out to touch his hand and could see that it was all wrinkled and battered. He entwined his fingers with hers and firmly held it. She glanced up at him and into his eyes; his smile was what she had wanted to see the most.

"Good work, Miss," he embraced her and whispered into her ear.

"Mm," she nodded her head. "Obi, too."

The two stood before the bonfire, their eyes reflecting the light. During the surgery, there were failures as well and Shirayuki was pressed with guilt after not being able to save them. But, she knew that everyone else felt the same way. After seeing Obi, she could finally breathe easy. His golden orbs were soothing and firm, telling her that everything was finally over and there was no need to antagonize anymore. She held onto him with a soft smile on her face. 

"Stay with me, Obi," she said, watching the sunrise.

Obi glanced at her and grinned, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "That goes without saying, Miss."

He turned to her and bent down, caressing one of her cheeks with his hand. He closed in and placed his forehead against hers; his warmth comforting the chill of Shirayuki's skin. He smiled softly at her and peered into her emerald green eyes.

"That goes without saying."

He leaned in and planted a kiss on her soft lips. Shirayuki widened her eyes in surprise but soon softened them, closing them in acceptance. A soft blush made its way to her cheeks as she clutched onto Obi, his presence the only thing that was keeping her standing. How sweet his lips felt on hers and she couldn't help but think what life would be without him.

I really do love him, she thought. 

In the Meeting Room~

"You sure are a persistent King, Your Majesty Izana," Oz chuckled to himself.

"Why thank you for the compliment," Izana smiled. "It's what I'm good at actually."

Oz laughed and sat in his chair, drinking the tea that was offered to him. He had changed back into his normal noble attire with his furry cloak around him. His blonde braided hair hung by his side again and his white gloves were back on his hands again. He smiled soothingly at the aroma of the tea before setting it back down on its dishware. 

"My answer is fate? Do you still not believe it?" 

"Only an idiot would believe that it was fate that brought you here to Sereg, to Shirayuki," Izana crossed his arms. "I intend to know your very intention of coming here, Oz Bezarford."

"Are you going to order me to?" he tilted his head, a mocking smile on his face.

"Who knows?" Izana said, equally sinister.

The two men stared at one another, a long moment of silence passing between them. Oz picked up his tea and sipped it again, a pleasant smile on his face. He set the cup back down and looked up at the platinum blonde King. 

"You're right about one thing," Oz mused. "It wasn't fate that brought me here but rather it was my decision alone that brought me here."

"So you admit it."

"A while ago, I had lost my way and was wondering what I should do with my life. For me, I only have these skills of mine but I had no intention of working for the nobility nor the royals. So, I traveled through the countries just aiding the poor," Oz said, looking outside. "But, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do and before I knew it, I had come to Sereg. At that time, I had unconsciously led myself to Sereg, not knowing why I was there until I came upon Shirayuki."

Izana furrowed his eyebrows. "What you're trying to say is..."

Oz turned around, his eyes firm. "The reason why I came here is to take Shirayuki back with me. Back to the place where she truly belongs."

"What do you mean?" he raised an eyebrow.

"I'm taking Shirayuki away," he said, looking out the window and spotting Shirayuki smiling happily with Obi, hand in hand. "She doesn't belong here with you guys for the place she truly belongs to is the Kingdom of Edith."

The Kingdom of Edith, a prosperous and blessed country full of abundant resources and riches. It was a kingdom shrouded in mystery and few even knew that it existed. According to legend, they raised people with talents and freed them once they were old enough. However, what caught Izana's eye about this kingdom was that despite its small population, its people were immortals. Until today, he thought that it was all but a myth but seeing Oz in front of him, he confirmed that it wasn't. His beauty was unmatched, the skills that he possessed were unrivaled, and after all that he had done, he wasn't the least bit fatigued. But, despite everything, Izana's mind was preoccupied with what he had said before regarding Shirayuki.

"What makes you say that you can take her just like that?" 

"I can take her however I want," Oz replied. "She's mine."

"She's a Royal Court Pharmacist that currently resides in my kingdom," Izana smirked. "I won't let you take her so easily."

Oz glared at him. "Before she's a resident in your kingdom, she's a citizen of the Kingdom of Edith."

At that, Izana widened his eyes.

"And most of all, she's the one deemed to be my future wife."

Everything went silent as of that moment. Izana couldn't believe what he had just heard. Seeing the look in Oz's eyes, he knew at once that the man wasn't joking. The man, who appeared at least twenty-six years old, was an Immortal from the Kingdom of Edith and Shirayuki, was his future wife. 

"Shirayuki's mother was an Immortal from the Kingdom of Edith but during her journeying, she married a human. Even if she was born to an Immortal and a human, Shirayuki's still considered an Immortal because of the blood that flows through her veins. As long as you have the Immortal blood, you're deemed an Immortal, after all."

"And how is she your wife?"

Oz smiled, a tender look in his eyes as he remembered that moment. "When we were little back in Tanbarun, I made a promise to her to marry her once she turns sixteen. That was the promise we made back when we were children and I intend on fulfilling it. This world doesn't suit her."

His lips formed itself into a straight line as he stared at the man.

"How will you take her away? She has Obi."

"He's just a mere knight to the princess," Oz looked at his cup of tea. "He has to let go of this fleeting dream sooner or later."

"Shirayuki's not going to agree," Izana raised his voice.

"Then I'll make her agree."

"What you're doing is -!"

"Foolish? I know very well. But I intend to bring her back with me no matter what."

"Oz Bezarford. How do you intend to accomplish that?" 

He chuckled amusingly to himself. "Shirayuki values that person's life the most so I'll make it so that she can't refuse me."

"You don't plan o-!"

"You can't stop me, Your Majesty Izana," Oz stood up and exited the room, giving him a stern look. "And don't you even dare of stopping me. You wouldn't want to be involved in a war with the Kingdom of Edith, now do you?"

Izana gripped the arms of his chair and gritted his teeth. He wanted to do something but he couldn't. He wasn't willing to put his country in line just for one girl. His citizens had suffered enough from this epidemic already. He walked over to the window and glanced down, his eyes filled with sorrow and anger. What was he thinking? It wasn't befitting of him to get worked up over a single girl. He just wished that Shirayuki would be able to escape Oz's grasp and hoped that she wouldn't trust him too much.

In the Hallway~

Shirayuki's knees had given out and she fell asleep deep in Obi's arms while the two were still out before the bonfire. Obi smiled, glad that he had a reason to carry her in his arms again. He picked her up and looked affectionately down at her while he carried her back to the resting room where Garrack and Ryuu were currently residing in. He gently carried her, making sure not to wake her up to any sudden movements.

"Did she fall asleep?" a voice appeared from up front.

Obi glanced up and knitted his eyebrows together once he saw the person. 

"Oz Bezarford-dono," he said.

Obi didn't like him. He wasn't the type to unnecessarily hate someone but when it came to this blonde man before him, his gut instinct told him not to trust this person. His eyes were clear and bright but there was a deceiving look in them. Not to mention, the way he looked at Shirayuki was beyond that of a friend. Obi didn't know what Oz's plan was but all he knew was that he should avoid him as much as possible. 

"She's sleeping quite soundly, isn't she?" 

"Yes, she is," Obi moved away from Oz's outstretched hand. "So I would like it very much if you don't touch her and wake her up."

Oz stared at Obi and returned his hand back to his side. "Do you like her?"

Obi scoffed at his question and his face turned serious. "That goes without saying."

"You're quite confident," Oz walked to him and patted him on the shoulder. "But I really wonder if you can keep her in your arms for long."

"What do you m-!" 

Obi turned around only to see that Oz had completely vanished. His presence was nowhere to be felt and Obi furrowed his eyebrows together. He clenched his teeth and held Shirayuki firmly in his arms. He glanced at her peaceful sleeping face and his lips curled up into a pleasant smile. He wasn't going to let anything happen to her. Not as long as he was by her side. 

In the Resting Room~

The sun was high up in the sky but there was no sign of movement from any of the four people that lay sleeping in th resting room. They were all still fast asleep and no one bothered to wake them up for they knew how tired they were from working three days. Anyone would be tired. They continued sleeping until the next morning, not waking up to the slightest noise.

Obi sat against the wall, dozing off to the calming silence of the library. Shirayuki laid next to him on the floor, her head facing Obi's thigh while one of her hands were clutching onto his shirt. The two had blankets over them for fear of catching a cold; something that no pharmacists and knights wanted considering their line of work. Ryuu slept underneath a table that was close to where Obi and Shirayuki were sleeping. Garrack slept on the couch, passed out with a blanket over her. 

The door creaked open slightly, revealing a tall lean figure with long blonde braided hair. Oz made way to Shirayuki and looked over at Obi, who was still asleep. As a former assassin, he should've been up and awake at an approaching presence but with Shirayuki by his side, his awareness and defense fell. 

Shirayuki turned a bit as she felt a gentle finger graze her cheek. Her eyes slowly opened and widened in surprise at the man before her.

"O-!" 

Oz put a finger to his lips and looked around the room. Shirayuki saw that everyone was still sleeping and nodded her head in understanding. She softly climbed out from her blanket and saw that Obi was still sleeping; a scene that she rarely had the chance to see. She wore a loving gaze as she looked at him before walking silently out the room with Oz.

"Oz, is there something that you needed?" Shirayuki stretched, stifling a yawn.

He chuckled to himself. "Just wanted to wake you up for some food. You slept a whole day you know."

"I did?!" Shirayuki widened her eyes in surprise. 

Oz nodded his head. Her reactions never tired him.

"You should've woken me up earlier, then," Shirayuki pouted. 

"But you were fast asleep," he mused to himself. "You passed out like a log. It was to the point where you started drooling."

Shirayuki's face blushed a beet red as she went to remove the remaining drool off of her mouth. She didn't believe that she had drooled but considering the deep sleep that she was in, she might have. Obi often commented on her sleeping habits but always laughed and deemed it cute. But for her, it was an embarrassment. She wouldn't know what to do if Obi had seen it first. 

"I'm kidding, Shirayuki," Oz laughed.

Shirayuki stopped what she was doing and elbowed him hard in the gut. He dropped to the floor, holding his stomach.

"That was not a joking matter," she said, annoyed.

"Your punches are still as strong as always," he groaned on the floor. "Still as merciless as ever, too."

She turned around and flashed him a bright smile. "Thanks for the compliment!"

Seeing her with that expression, Oz, too, couldn't help but smile to herself. Her smile hadn't changed the slightest bit and he couldn't help but wonder if she would ever change. 

It'd be nice if she never changes, he said.

He got up from the floor and caught up to her pace as the two made their way to the canteen where Shirayuki was hurrying to get food to satisfy her growing hunger. He watched her bright apple red hair flow behind her as her fur-clad cape bounced up with each walk. 

"Shirayuki," he called out to her.

"Yes?" she turned around, a quizzical smile on her face.

"Let's go back."