Needless to say, it was a matter of hours before the storm had begun to calm just enough for Saki to deem it safe to escort Shirayuki back to Wistal, and by that point Saki felt like her patience was about worn to nothing. Never had Saki been made to realize just how out of touch she was with having to be in the same room as another person for hours at a time, let alone how prickly her personality really was.

Unfortunately, while Shirayuki was content to her own thoughts for a large portion of time, that didn't mean it wasn't already quite awkward for Saki, who's sanctuary of a home was currently contested. The woman, during the worst of what appeared to be boredom and curiosity, took to asking Saki questions about what seemed like varying things of nonsensical origin, though the interest the woman took in Saki felt like perhaps, nonsensical was not the case.

The questions were things like, why did she live all the way out here in the forest, and why was Saki's house so empty when furniture could be easily acquired. The woman had even, out of sheer curiosity, asked if the table and chairs were made by a child, or a previous tenant.

And for Saki, all she could do was wave off the questions with dismissive half-truths while being quite aware of her sharp tongue itching to quip instead.

By the end of a five hour stay, the most Saki had ascertained was that Shirayuki was a curious woman who had a tendency to be very open with things, which was quite a difference from Saki, who was aloof when it came to personal questions, and just asked what was needed, nothing more.

Either which way, as Saki dropped her lone hide overcoat to Shirayuki to use for the journey back to Wistal, she couldn't be more relieved. Entertaining another human was not one of Saki's favourite pass times, and it certainly wasn't something that came naturally to her, either.

However, it looked like Shirayuki had earned something of some description from the stay, though Saki was too overwhelmed with the woman's constant presence over the past five hours to really want to even know what was going through the woman's head.

The winds outside had calmed down to a small otherworldly groan as it blew through the remarkably more bare branches of Saki's great oak tree, bringing the woman to let out a relieved sigh as she unhooked the shutters from the front of the smithy to allow Shirayuki to step out into the grounds ahead.

The river had risen a few inches, though little more, and the several mead barrels Saki set out in the front were half-filled with rainwater. Her gaze shifted towards the skies, which were a lighter grey this time, though blacker clouds were over on the horizon.

So she had maybe an hour to get Shirayuki to one of the gates into Wistal, before the weather would probably worsen, two if she was lucky.

Saki let out a breath as she stepped out after Shirayuki, and pulled the shutters mostly closed to keep the animals hiding inside at least a little more comfortable.

Though it was as Saki gazed down at the rushing waters of the river that she noticed something a little disconcerting.

The stepping stones she had painstakingly put in the river had all been moved through the rushing of the water from upstream, and they'd disappeared into the deeper parts of the river.

And her makeshift bridge got blown away from the beginning.

'That certainly is a lot of water coming downstream.' Shirayuki surmised with a curious tone, all the while she looked around at the rising waters that surrounded Saki's house. 'You don't think your home will become inundated with water, do y--'

A startled gasp escaped Shirayuki as Saki walked up behind her and lifted her up over one shoulder without warning, though the latter just shook her head in minor exasperation.

'Tuck your legs up so they don't get wet.' Saki commented as she just walked along towards where the stepping stones used to be.

'Wh-what--?!' Saki heard the redhead gasp out, however she paid no heed to the woman in the least as she began to wade through the water.

The sensations of icy-cold waters soaked Saki's clothes as she walked, rising right up to her navel as she carried Shirayuki through, until finally, they were on the other side.

'You didn't need to do that!' Shirayuki practically gasped out as soon as she was set back on her own two feet, though Saki merely shrugged past the redhead to lead the way back to Wistal.

The journey was spent in silence speckled with small moments of Shirayuki pausing on the way to acquire plants and herbs she spotted along the trail, and after a much longer time than Saki had expected, they were gazing up at the southern gate into Wistal. It wasn't a particularly hard call to say that she was relieved, though oddly enough, Shirayuki looked to be struck with a mixture of relief and disappointment.

The guards were struggling to keep their torches lit with futility, and as Saki tugged the thick black scarf she wore higher to cover the lower part of her face a little better, she cast a small glance back at Shirayuki. It looked like the hide coat was keeping the woman dry, at least, though the chill that came with the wind didn't fail to seep deep into ones bones.

'Oh! Miss Shirayuki!' Came the sounds of a voice calling out over the storm-wrecked air, bringing the aforementioned woman to lift her gaze up in response. 'You there! Go let the other know that the Second Prince's Friend has returned!'

'Eh?' Shirayuki seemed rather perplexed by the voices of guards talking about her, bringing Saki to cast a sidewards glance back at the woman once more. 'Oh, I think I worried them...'

At the sounds of multiple pairs of feet scrambling to movement, Saki's gaze shifted over towards the gate where two guards were running over with spears held at the ready, and she had the painfully familiar thought that these spears were going to be directed at her once again.

'Halt! Do not move!' The guards commanded as soon as Saki had shifted to leave, earning not only another confused squeak from Shirayuki, but a weary sigh from Saki as she raised her hands up in a show of surrender. 'Who are you?! Were you the one responsible for Miss Shirayuki's absence?!'

'Well... technically speaking, I can't actually deny that.' Saki muttered beneath her breath with a sigh.

'What are you doing?!' Shirayuki demanded in horror as one of the guards stopped in front of Saki and brandished his spear towards her, while the other was quick to usher the said redhead away from Saki.

'Come inside, Miss Shirayuki! You're safe now!' The guard "reassured" Shirayuki as Saki was held at spear-point.

'What on earth are you talking about?!' Shirayuki demanded as she pulled herself away from the second guard to pry the other's spear away from Saki's throat. 'What danger was I in beyond pneumonia?!'

The two guards seemed rather flabbergasted by the redhead's actions and gaped openly at her.

'Weren't you abducted this morning?' One guard asked.

'What?! I was not abducted! I just went for a walk on my own!' Shirayuki responded as she finally got the guard to lower his spear. 'Miss Akazawa let me take shelter in her house from the storm and escorted me here to make sure I got here safely! She is not a kidnapper!'

'This suspiciously-dressed foreigner? But you can barely see her face!' The guard further away questioned in disbelief. 'I'm sorry, Miss Shirayuki, but she is clearly the type who you should be concerned about.'

'Do I have to walk around in my work clothes on a day off just to avoid this pointless drivel?!' Saki questioned sourly.

'What the?! That voice--'

'I guarantee that this woman is no danger!' Shirayuki spoke sternly, cutting the stunned guard off within an instance. 'So please just back off and don't threaten her again!'

The two guards cast each other an uncertain glance before they stepped aside to do as Shirayuki had demanded.

Not a moment too soon, if Saki had to be blunt about it.

A relieved breath escaped Saki as she let her arms drop limply to her sides, all the while Shirayuki looked positively disappointed with the situation just past.

'I take it you've been abducted before.' Saki muttered as she watched the guards return to their stations. 'Considering that they jumped to that assumption just over a five hour absence, I mean. It's not new.'

'...Well, I can't actually deny that.' Shirayuki responded with a hesitant smile. 'And you often receive responses like that from guards on sight, I take it?'

'More than I like to admit.' Saki agreed wryly.

Both women cast each other a long look for a moment, before they both let out a weary sigh each.

'Oh! Young Miss!' Echoed a voice from overhead, earning a squeak from Shirayuki in immediate response. However Saki's expression soured just a little as she spotted the woman's usual companion sliding down the side of the city wall.

It was that suspicious man...

'I'll be taking my leave, now.' Saki spoke up quickly as she turned on her heel, earning a rather confused look from Shirayuki in response.

'Oh, I see.' The woman spoke, though her tone showed her obvious confusion. 'Thank you for your help today.'

A dismissive wave was all Saki gave in response as she decided to make as quick an exit as she could.

Of course, that was easier said than done.

'Hmm? Oh, were you with the Maid today?' Came that man's questioning voice, loud enough for Saki to hear over the sound of her boots splashing in puddles of water underfoot.

Whatever Shirayuki said in response was far too soft for the scowling woman to hear, but the sound of approaching footsteps were not lost through on her.

And unfortunately, Saki already knew who it was jogging after her retreating form without even turning to look.

'Go away.' Saki shot back over her shoulder.

'That's quite harsh, Miss Maid.' The man Saki vaguely guessed to be called "Obi" spoke with a small chuckle. 'I haven't even said anything, yet.'

'I don't care.'

'The Young Miss asked me to give this back to you.' He remarked.

And in spite of herself, Saki stopped to turn her head towards the irritation following her.

As she had expected, the suspicious man looked rather amused as he stopped just within arms reach, holding out what Saki immediately recognized to be her hide coat she'd passed to Shirayuki.

So with nothing more than a darkening frown, Saki lifted the coat from Obi's outstretched hand and continued on her way.

'That's it? I don't even get a "thank you"?' She heard the man question in disbelief as he seemed to continue along after her.

'Thanks. Now go away!' Saki shot back over her shoulder, in spite of herself.

She wasn't on duty right now. She really didn't need to deal with this right now.

Besides, she was starting to freeze in her mostly-drenched state.

'So, Miss Maid? Or perhaps I should call you something else.' Obi continued as he picked up the pace and stepped in front of her, halting her in her motions to make a quick retreat with little effort. 'I've got something I want to ask you. Why exactly do the townsfolk call you an Omen?'

Saki's gaze narrowed quite considerably upon the man with the almost sly glint in his eye.

'What's it to you?'She questioned bitterly.

'Nothing in particular, I was just curious.' He remarked dismissively, though Saki knew better than to just wave that off as fact. 'Just being referred to as that for no particular reason is rather odd, wouldn't you say?'

For no reason, huh?

Saki felt a bitter laugh almost slip out as she shifted her weight onto her back foot carefully.

'Since you seem to get along so well with the townsfolk, why don't you ask them?' Saki dismissed as she shoved past Obi without so much as a glance back. 'I'm sure they'd be more than happy to tell you all about it.'

And with that she was gone, with an ever-present scowl written across the visible parts of her face.

--=[Submitted 24th April 2018]=--