Yay, my first Itachi fic! Gunna rate it M for violence and future romance. Thanks for reading :D R&R xxxxx

Master and student walked side by side, a morbid silence hung in the air. Fresh blood drenched the student's cloak, slowly seeping through the flimsy material to her cold skin. She kept her eyes on the village just ahead, focusing on returning home would prevent her mind from wandering into painful territory. Thinking about those she had slain barely an hour ago would do more harm than good, after all it was just a mission like any other, the people were targets, nothing more.

The two shinobi on watch at the front gates into Konoha nodded at Shimura Danzo, a well respected village elder, ignoring the smaller figure by his side, in his shadow where she belonged.

After three exaughsting days on the road the young kunoichi was silently praying to be dismissed, her chakra levels were dangerously low and her eyelids were drooping in anticipation of a restful sleep but Danzo showed no signs of ending the evenings work.

Root headquarters was deserted, with their leader away the specially selected shinobi were assigned to regular missions by the village leader, the Hokage. Village missions tended to be slightly easier and a normally masked Root member could go undisguised as a normal Konoha shinobi.

"Kuro sent me a message yesterday, he will be here shortly with something to report." The kunoichi lit the candles that lined the old stone walls one by one until a faint glow filled the lifeless halls, breathing a little warmth into the hidden building.

She held her hands up to one of the flames, it licked hungrily at her fingers but cold had become numbness, she felt nothing.

"You continue to excel far beyond my expectations." Danzo's praise echoed across the room, a rare display of kindness. She in turn bowed her head graciously and replied through gritted teeth, " Thank you, Danzo-sama."

Behind her mask hid a twisted smirk,his words were almost amusing- he had never allowed weakness. The scars, burns and fresh wounds were proof of that, all inflicted by Danzo himself, she'd had no choice but to flourish.

The faintest patter of padded feet alerted the kunoichi to a comrade's presence long before he attempted to strike her from behind. Her image faded into his fist, much to his surprise and her true form reappeared pressing a kunai into his neck, only when blood began to trickle down the blade did she relax, his greeting was becoming very annoying.

"One day I won't take it easy on you 'cos you're a girl." Kuro scoffed ruffling her hair through the hood of her cloak, he was the longest serving member of Root, thought to be the strongest until the new girl and evolved from a petrified child into a terrifying warrior.

"Enough nonsense. Kill each other on your own time! What was so important, Kuro?" Danzo snapped at the pointless rivalry in front of him.

"Well, just as you predicted, the animosity over the Uchiha's promotion is escalating and from one individual especially."

"And?"

"Sandaime wants the Princess to join a mission now for thay reason alone."

At the mention of the Hokage the kunoichi's temper flared up,

"Why me?!"

Danzo frowned sternly at the young woman, disappointed that she had let her emotions run so freely.

"Kumi!" his bark forced her back into submission, he was aware that she needed to rest but this mission was very important, if something was to happen to the prodigy from the Uchiha clan no doubt war would break out. Since being promoted to an Anbu captain the older serving members hoping for the advancement had been plotting against him led by a particularly bitter man called Eiichiro, one way or the other Kumi would have to resolve it before the mission was over.

"Think about it, idiot. What other member of Root would talk first kill second? Sandaime knew you would try to handle this sensitively." she relented, he was right...apart from calling her an idiot. Anyway it's not like her opinion mattered anyway, anyone who threatened the peace in Konoha had to be dealt with. Root's soul purpose was to keep the village safe just like the other Konoha shinobi, the only difference between them was the extreme measures Danzowould take to assure the safety of the village, no matter how many had to die for that to happen.

The urgent mission request had arrived in the late afternoon, bandits had occupied the main bridge leading into the the centre of fire country, mainly used by traders and were demanding a hefty toll which was effecting business. They had already killed two people that had refused to pay and seriously wounded sever others, authorities wanted them gone immediately. Knowing of the growing hostilities within his own Anbu the Hokage made the controversial decision to send Uchiha Itachi and the source of the problem, Eiichiro on the mission accompanied by the only member of Root he could trust.

Kuro gave a quick briefing on the way to Konoha HQ, including the names of her comrades for the evening. Kumi said little in reply, she knew of Eiichiro already they had been on several missions together. A nice enough man in his late thirties, if a little too arrogant. She sincerely hoped that her 'sensitivity' would prevent any more bloodshed than necessary.

"You know why no one in Root likes you?" Kuro had no malice in his words as he spoke at all, just speaking as though he was relaying information which is why it caught Kumi off guard.

"Enlighten me." she sighed, slowing her pace to match his.

"Why is it that you got to keep your name when the rest of us had to forget ours or were never even told it?" Yes it was unfair but it hadn't been her choice, nothing so far in her life had been. Kuro flung his muscly arm around her shoulder,wweighing her down to a gradual halt just outside the headquarters. He pointed his gloved finger up at the highest window, the only one still in use at such a late hour, where the Hokage was waiting.

"Because...you're the Princess, rigjt?" he sniggered sarcastically.