The sciatic nerve is the widest, largest and longest single nerve in the human body. Sciatica( pain along the sciatic never) can cause numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness. It begins in the lower back and runs through the buttock and down the lower limb going from the top of the leg to the foot on the posterior aspect.

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Chapter 51: Fallen Angel

Shirayuki's eyes were forced to shut, grit her teeth so hard and try to control the sounds of her pain inside her. Her legs hurt so much. Her body hurt so much. The bruises, scrapes and cuts, all of it hurt her. Not that she didn't want to open her eyes to see what her husband was doing to her, but opening her eyes, for her, would make it hurt more than it's supposed to.

Zen tried his best to do it softly and gently, but with Shirayuki not being able to control her movements due to her pain was making it harder for him to do it softly and gently.

This happened every other day. Every single other day. Zen would always volunteer to carefully spread the ointment, try to massage and stretch her legs, but her legs being touched always made her cry.

She had bruises, cut and scrapes all over from her knee to her ankle, but her sciatic nerve was worsening it.

The pain felt like sharp-toothed creature was eating her raw from the inside, and her wounded legs felt like searing; extremely scorching and intense.

She grunted so loudly when Zen intentionally used his hands around Shirayuki's shin, making her feel more pain especially with quick movements of her fibula and tibia bone crashing together. She had no choice, but to absorb the trauma and swallow the pain.

Finally, the pain started to pull back like the sea wave going out. Shirayuki started to take deep breaths, happy that it was done. The pains were retreating, but the tingling, pain numbness and Zen's arms could still be felt.

"All done," Zen said with a small smile on his face. But his wife wasn't. Yes, she was happy that the pain was retreating, but her inside was already crying for the next two days' pain.

Zen took out his handkerchief and gave it to Shirayuki, who used it to clean her sweaty, crying face. Her face was slightly red, and so were her eyes. He didn't wait before he slept beside Shirayuki. 

"How are you feeling?" Zen asked as he made himself comfortable in lying on his side beside Shirayuki. His hand in motion, straightening Shirayuki's hair.

"I can feel the sciatica, my legs are aching; I can't move it, it's too numb and weak. It's like my fibula and tibia want to fall out of the shin. Too much pain in my back and hips. My body is hurting."

Zen listened. He was very familiar with this sentence, just with a change of words. He comforted her. She was stiff. She couldn't move her body especially her lower body. And this always happens whenever the ointment is applied; she becomes paralyzed.

"Sorry I can't turn you over." Zen comforted as he kissed Shirayuki's scalp. He could, but he wouldn't. It would help ease her the pains in her waist and hips, and mostly her sciatica aches, but it wouldn't help her unhealed lower limb, which is the first priority. He kept on kissing her scalp till her breath was resuming to its standards.

"It's operating," Shirayuki muttered, raised her chin higher and smiled at Zen. She was tiring. The ointment, like it's supposed to, is working. Half of the ointment's substances sucks energy from her body to make her sleep so that she can rest and make the other half work peacefully without interruptions. "I will see you tomorrow."

Zen got up from the bed. "I will be here six a.m. sharp."

Shirayuki couldn't help, but laugh out weakly at her spouse's intense sentence with an empty meaning. "You always exaggerate that."

Zen shrugged and neared Shirayuki. "At least, I still say it," He mumbled softly and didn't hesitate to kiss Shirayuki despite her eyes closed from her slumber.

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"What are you doing?"

Alyne's breath gasped like the air surrounding her vanished, with her eyes slightly widened. She wasn't expecting Shirayuki to be awake by now.

"Nothing."

Shirayuki's eyes wandered slowly up and down at Alyne with her drowsy eyes. She raised her upper body up, feeling the burns from her lower limb due to Zen's intense spread over legs.

"And that pillow holding you?"

It was evident Alyne was trying to hide the pillow behind her with her looking very sweaty with surprise.

"I felt it, Alyne, you didn't have to lie. You were just trying to annihilate me with that pillow," Shirayuki, doubtless of still being tired because of the topical medication, was looking sternly at her maid.

"No! I wouldn't do something like that! I was just adjusting it properly." Shirayuki could feel sweat beading on her forehead.

"Alyne, give it up already, it's too obvious."

She dropped it on the floor, feeling defeated. She tried to swallow and talk at the same time but ended up gulping. "I then give up."

Shirayuki's stomach suddenly felt heavy. She didn't expect Alyne to do something like this. She was just threatening her because her instincts were leading her, but Alyne admitted it. She was really trying to kill her.

The pain shot up her arm like fire. She winced. It exploded in her head, making her feel sudden dizziness. The pain was like her arm been replaced with ice and electricity wired straight into her spine. "Why?"

She bowed her head, letting her hair screen her face. She turned away in an attempt to hide her betrayal from Shirayuki, but her eyes glistened with the pain of her disloyalty.

"Why" Alyne's eyes abruptly caught Shirayuki's eyes that were of betrayal. She lips pressed tight, eyes focusing on the woman sitting on the bed. Then she smiled. A forced smile made out of nothing, humiliation. "Because I have to."

Shirayuki's legs no longer hurt that much, it was her heart. She trusted Alyne out of her other maids that now, she is thwarted at herself.

"But you know something, my dearest princess" Alyne took a step forward with a grin on her face. "If you wouldn't mind, I would like to continue my task."

"What?!" Her voice was barely audible.

Alyne pulled Shirayuki back firmly by grabbing her by the neck and nape. Her hands were grasping Shirayuki at her throat, leaving her without air.

Shirayuki tried clawing her fingers at her hand, but her heart, once quickly beating, is already now slowing in tempo. She feels slipping away. She tries to pry Alyne's fingers away, but she is slowly losing consciousness. She was screaming silently, gasping for breath; only ragged gasps were escaping. She officially lost it when Alyne used her knees on her. Her legs were shaking uncontrollably. It was hurting her.

Alyne's grip was too strong to wriggle out of.  Her lungs started to ache and her eyes were bulging.  She sank to the bed, kicking her legs and audibly screaming her best out of her lungs.

Alyne's eyes burned with emptiness, desperation, and anger.

The edge of Shirayuki's vision went dark. She believed she was going to die after all. She couldn't move, no matter how had she had struggled. Her face and throat had an immense pressure. Her mind grew dim.

Alyne was filled with trepidation. Her heart was thumping so loud that she was sure the non-living things around her could hear it. In front of her was Shirayuki who lied there helpless - dead. Her imagination was running wild, with rough curls tumbling angrily, pounding her heart heavily.

It was easy. Easier than she had expected. Easier than she had in her imaginations. The pillow didn't work. But her own hands work. She was proud of herself.

Alyne took Shirayuki by her bruised legs and dragged her from her bed. She made sure Shirayuki's head wouldn't hit the ground as she was not ready to clean up blood. She pushed the deceased body of Shirayuki under the bed. Space was small for Shirayuki's body to fit, but she tried her best.

She was relieved. After weeks of doubts about challenging herself of her death, she finally did it, and she was satisfied with herself. She was celebrating in her mind when a knock suddenly froze her mind with answerable answers.

It was Mitsuhide holding a lamp with his right hand and the other clutching his sword

"Alyne?" Mitsuhide looked at Alyne with surprised eyes. "What are you doing at this time of the evening?"

The beads of sweat were returning to her face as she gently closed the door behind her. "I had not seen the princess since afternoon, so I wanted to make sure everything was properly settled."

He looked dissatisfied and little skeptical as he knows that by this time, she is not supposed to be. "Okay. But in any case, Prince Zen sent me to check on Shirayuki."

Alyne cussed at herself. She realized she was not supposed to open the door, Mitsuhide would've still proceeded to the room and she would've hidden. And this - preventing Mitsuhide - wouldn't have happened.

He took a step forward, trying to let Alyne move so he can enter.

So much was running through her head. Shirayuki's body was well hidden, but her heart was now in her throat; feeling every single beat. "The Princess is sleeping, presumably form taking the ointment treatment. And-"

"Yes, I know that." Mitsuhide didn't let Alyne speak for a second before he entered the carefully making sure he wouldn't wake Shirayuki up.

Alyne instantly closed the door behind her. This was her chance. Not to run away, but to hide somewhere away from this.

And then, right then she saw Obi leaning on the pillars smiling widely at her. She couldn't but smile back. She's never felt her palm so wet before. She didn't realize Obi was here while talking to Mitsuhide. She decided to see if she could excuse herself and use the other route, only to find two guards, opposite each other, standing there, looking at her like she was a pitiful woman that she was.

She couldn't escape now. she would be stopped by the three men if she tries walking away. She will only be set loose if Mitsuhide confirms so.

Alyne walked up to Obi trying to ease her way over Obi. "Why are those guards here? I have never seen them before."

Obi shrugged. "I honestly do not know. Mitsuhide insisted taking them along."

"Alyne!" Mitsuhide's powerful manly voice was heard through the thick door.

Inside her body, she was shaking uncontrollably, copiously sweating, sudden lack of oxygen. She realized how her walk was jerky. But she still had held her face strong. There was one excuse so far she could give to Mitsuhide and she was ready for any questions Mitsuhide shoots at her. She would answer firmly. If she plays confident, she will be let go.

Alyne confidently opened the door, ready to give any answers that would save her. And just like before, her lungs were in need of air.

"What?!" Her voice was so shaky, disbelieving what she was seeing. "You-"

"Thought I was dead? Really? Alyne, my dearest, what type of a princess do you see me as?"

There she sat. Looking like nothing happened. Not smiling. Not looking betrayed. No pains surfaced on her face. She was sitting down, her green eyes looking deep into Alyne's hazel eyes.

A feeling of disorientation, dizziness, euphoria was hitting Alyne like never before. She was now done for. She paced over to where she had hidden the body. It wasn't there. It was real. The woman in front of her. She then saw Mitsuhide lighting lights, making her see Shirayuki even more different.

She stood up from the chair and walked over to Alyne in a normal pace, slightly limbing. She thought Shirayuki couldn't walk, especially today, because she's supposed to be weak today. Her green eyes still did not leave Alyne's hazel eyes. They stared deep.

"I must be honest with you, Alyne, I'm really disappointed in you. I trusted you most, and you disappointed me most. Even to the point of killing me just to achieve something you've been doubting yourself on. Pathetic."

Alyne's brows raised, astounded. She thought she was going to get away and hide, but now here she was. This was the woman in less than minutes ago she was strangling.

The noise behind made her turn with anticipation to know what was going on. Her eyes wandered, finding Obi looking at her like she's a criminal. Then the two guards followed holding a rope.

They didn't hesitate and started tying Alyne's hands behind her.

"You guilty of conspiring to assassinate Her Royal Highness, Princess Shirayuki. Got any last words?"

She didn't have any. She was out and shot of words. Everything happened fast.

Shirayuki watched as her first lady-in-waiting was being dragged with effort out of the room.

She was sad. She really liked Alyne. Her beautiful hazel eyes made her very beautiful. But she used herself to be a puppet. In the end, Shirayuki had to play along with this all.

"Are you sure you're really alright?" Mitsuhide asked, interrupting Shirayuki's mind.

"Yes, of course. Feeling a bit weak from not breathing a while and from the ointment from earlier, but clearly, I'm fine," Shirayuki responded, "I will go see Zen now before he realizes."

"Before that, His Majesty would like to see you privately."

She wasn't surprised he wants to see. She, herself, even wanted to see him for a short discussion.