Decided to write a short little thing for Shirayuki and Zen :)

Rumors

Clarines was fortunate enough to have agreeable weather, but today was exceptionally warm. The sun was bright, and not a cloud was in the sky. It wasn't hot enough to be an issue, but it was warm enough to be an annoyance. To take their minds off of the sweat forming under their coats, the guards to the castle gates liked to gossip about the rumors being passed around.

Many of the rumors were false. After all, it was hard to believe that Kiki could actually have a lover. There was also cruel slander like the court pharmacist Ryuu deliberately poisoning his patients. But there were some rumors that were difficult to dismiss, especially when the second prince hung around the red-haired woman so often.

The guard taking the next shift tapped his shoulder. Turning to the guard, Jirou bowed politely and excused himself. Technically he was done for the day, but he felt restless. Jirou was thankful for every peaceful day at the castle, but he couldn't help but wish for something to occur to ease his occasional boredom. Usually, it was practicing his swordsmanship, which was exactly what he was going to do.

The familiar sounds of practice swords and battle cries greeted Jirou's ears as he stepped into the training area. Like him, many other guards were here to relieve their boredom and restlessness. Once he'd found a sparring partner, he immersed himself into the match. The match ended with his loss, but he didn't mind. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, he walked to the side to take a rest.

"You're quite good."

In the midst of drinking water, Jirou nearly choked as he realized who was addressing him. He scrambled to his feet, bowing hastily.

"Good afternoon, Prince Zen, Mr. Mitsuhide!" he greeted. "Thank you very much for your praise!"

The second prince Zen stood in front of him along with one of his aides, Mitsuhide Lowen. Both were outfitted in the soldier's standard training gear. It wasn't unusual to find the second prince in the training area, but it was Jirou's first time actually seeing him there.

"You really are an excellent swordsman," the prince continued. "I wonder if you could be a good match for Mitsuhide?"

Jirou blushed, embarrassed by the high praise. It was a well-known fact that Mitsuhide was a highly skilled swordsmen. There were few that matched his abilities. Mitsuhide smiled at him.

"I wouldn't mind sparring with Jirou," Mitsuhide said. "Would it be okay to have a match, Prince Zen?"

Jirou couldn't believe his ears. One of the best swordsmen in the castle wanted to spar with him? The second prince even complimented his skills!

"Of course!" Zen agreed heartily. "I'm curious to see if Mitsuhide will finally lose."

Mitsuhide sighed, but a grin made its way onto his face.

"What do you say to a match?" Mitsuhide asked.

"It'd be an honor to spar with you, Mr. Mitsuhide," Jirou replied.

Jirou sighed as he changed out of his training gear. Though he'd known Mitsuhide was an amazing swordsmen, he hadn't expected to lose so quickly. He was proud of the fact that he'd managed to get at least one proper hit in the spar. Because of the impromptu spar with Mitsuhide, they ended up staying in the training area for most of the afternoon. The changing room was near empty by the time Jirou had entered. The room was lined with practice equipment on the sides of the room, and there were shelves in the middle to store personal belongings while the soldiers were training outside.

"Say, Zen. Are you going to see Shirayuki today?"

It was Mitsuhide, on the other side of the shelf. Jirou was surprised to hear the loyal aide address the prince so casually. They must have thought they were alone. Jirou bit his lip, wondering if he should leave quickly or stay quietly.

"…How did you know?"

Jirou heard Mitsuhide laugh and Prince Zen grumble. Could Shirayuki be the red-haired woman who was rumored to be engaged to the prince?

"You finished all your work early today, and you're leaving the training area earlier than usual," Mitsuhide replied.

"Okay, yes, I'm visiting her after she finishes her work at the pharmacy," Zen sighed. "I wanted to talk more about the rumor that stupid prince started."

Stupid prince? Jirou was surprised. Prince Zen was nothing but polite and welcoming to everyone around him. He definitely felt he was not supposed to hear any of this, but he couldn't help but want to know more about the prince he served.

"You mean the one about Shirayuki and you being engaged?"

"Yes, that one. That Raji panicked and said it in front of everyone, including my brother."

Prince Zen made a disgruntled noise and stepped toward the exit. Jirou hurriedly moved back so he would not be seen. He was so close to finding out the truth about the rumor, so he didn't want to be found out yet.

"Well, he's not completely wrong, right?" Mitsuhide asked. "You do plan on proposing to her?"

"You…" the prince trailed off and sighed. "How long have you known?"

"For a while. I have been your aide for six years. It wouldn't be right if I couldn't tell what your intentions were after all this time together," Mitsuhide answered cheerfully.

"Ugh, you…!"

Mitsuhide laughed as he followed an embarrassed Zen out of the changing room. Meanwhile, Jirou leaned against the wall in shock. He definitely was not meant to hear that. Well, if the prince liked this woman so much, he supposed he'd find out eventually. But now, he was curious. He wanted to meet this Shirayuki and find out why his prince fell in love with her.

Well, that can wait for another time.

Thank you for reading!