Of Her Portrait
Xcherrytoes
Chapter I: A Window
The place where she grew up should never be compared to the beautiful Uchiha mansion that she would soon arrive in. Not because she grew in the country side, the more primitive area of Konoha, but because no man made architecture, no matter how awe-striking it may ever be, can compare to the natural and vivid colors of her home. Her father was a humble man who grew wheat and rye and sold it off to the town. But for the sake of his own passion and love, he also grew a massive field of sunflowers. The sunflowers would grow yearly into an eye filling color, unified as they all leaned the same way when the breeze picked up. Almost like a yellow ocean.
As a child she would stand in the sunflower field for hours during the summer, when the tall flowers would blossom into their ripest yellow-orange color. She would walk through the tall leafy jungles, for she was too short to reach the flowers themselves. Her hands would graze through all the leaves. She was all too familiar with the way the air smelled in the field, she knew each and every way in the thick field that would lead her home. It was her home. But now as a young woman, at the age of 17, she stood there one last time. Her eyes shut, her long flamingo pink hair tossed in the breeze, she stood there one last time because she knew she would never see her home again.
"Saki-chan…" her mother calls from a few distances away.
She opens her eyes so slowly, like her lids were too heavy to show her green world of iris.
"Don't you want to speak to your father one last time before you go?"
"… hai." Her voice was all too light.
Her father had gone blind not too long ago. It wasn't unexpected, his sight had worsened each year, yet he stubbornly refused to be examined by a doctor, stubborn-ness which he passed off to his daughter. Which is why it leaves her in this current state. There was a carriage outside waiting for her, to bring her to the Uchiha mansion and to work as one of the two maids there.
"Dad." She says as she reaches over to touch his hand. Reassuring him that she was there, listening.
"Listen Sakura, I wish things didn't turn out this way. You belong here, not out there."
"I know dad…"
"But I want you to remember something, promise me you'll do as I say."
"I will, what is it that you wish?"
"You are a maid. Nothing more. Do not try to be something that you're not. Promise me that."
He looked lost in his own words as his eyes looked far into the distance, no where near Sakura.
She caresses his hand. "Hai."
He lets out an airy chuckle.
"I must go now. The carriage has been waiting for me." she said as she stood up and dusted up her pale kimono.
"Wait. Take this. It'll probably be the only thing that'll remind you how your home looks like." He says as he grabbed her hand and slipped a photo in. The only photo of her they had, well, the only photo they ever had. Photographic pictures were expensive. It was not too long ago, she was sixteen as she stood in the sunflower field, and the photographer seemed to catch her picture at the perfect time as the camera clicked with an explosive flash and a small amount of smoke produced by it on the side. Her photo came out beautiful; her pink tresses whirled by a soft breeze as she stood at the left side of the photography, dozens of flowers by her side and behind. That day she slipped out of her original kimono attire and wore a white summer dress. It made her, along with her hair stand out in the picture, the dress drifted towards the same way as the flowers.
"Thank you…"
The ride to my new residence was not too long. My luggage, not too big either. I never possessed much belongings anyway. The house was beautiful, in everyway. The wide flat residence stretch over a long chain of hills easily spotted from the village below. The large diverse levels of grass land in their front court yard was decorated by cherry blossom trees, Coy- ponds with small bridges and wind chimes hung through out the many open corridors accompanied by delicate rice paper doors what slid quietly. I stepped out with my things as I was escorted by the designator to the main entrance.
"Now, mister Uchiha is a very solitary man. Don't find yourself startled when you see that you cannot easily please him." He said as we walked along a road made of rocks that stretched to the door.
"You do exactly what you're told. And do not disturb him while he is painting."
I didn't say a word, I didn't feel like it. I just nodded and listened to his every warning, but at the moment, I was more interested in the house itself.
"You'll live with the other maid, Hinata. She is responsible of informing you how the house is run. I wish you luck." He tips his fedora hat like a true gentleman. I return with a low bow.
"Thank you." I utter out quietly. I turned and stepped inside.
The house was relatively dark and quiet. I admired how clean and polished the woods were. I could hear murmurs from other rooms, in different locations of the house.
"Sakura-san" came a fragile voice. I turned my head swiftly to see a just as fragile girl in dark hair.
"I have been waiting for you. Please, let me introduce you to the Uchiha home." she said she started touring me around the house.
"The residence doesn't hold much people just Master Uchiha, his betrothed madam Karin, and her sister Ino. Mister Uchiha does not like to be bothered, so we are only to meet his needs when requested. We especially avoid him when he is within his painting periods. Most of our requests come to the ladies of the house. We wake at 6 to prepare breakfast, then we are to clean the house, on Wednesdays we must tame the garden, and we prepare dinner at 7. There isn't much, but the house is so grand, it usually takes up most of our time to finish our chores." we walked further within the house. The corridors were becoming harder to memorize and darker, until we had reached the end where it seemed the sunlight was beaming through. The birds chirping could be heard from a far distance, and also a light water running somewhere. I had reached my hand out to further slide the door open but Hinata reached to halt.
"Please! That is Master Uchiha's art studio. We are never to enter unless given permission."
"Oh, I apologize." I say in surprise.
After the walk around the entire house we had returned to the maid's room. I studied where I would be living. It was nice, neat, and warm. I loved it. A small bed for me on one side of the room and another for Hinata on the other, and one dim lamp in the corner of the room.
"You are required to wear this as your uniform and this when you sleep." Hinata handed me a neatly folded kimono, specialized for working attires and a very flow-y delicate champagne pink kimono. The uniform was not as horrendous as she expected. It was crème beige white with a neat blue fold which framed the neck, sleeves and the bottom of the dress. The obi was a matching blue color. My fingers traced and felt the smooth fabric. Then I began to wonder.
"Hinata-san, what does Mister Uchiha exactly paint?" I asked a little embarrassed.
"What he paints?" she doesn't seem to understand.
"Well, it must be some exquisite paintings for him to lavish in a life style such as this."
"My, Sakura-san, have you ever not heard of the name Sasuke Uchiha?"
I lightly shake my head no.
"Sasuke Uchiha paints for the royalties of course. He is the finest painter in his whole country. His work can bring emotions into your heart that you've never even felt before. The royal families pay him a fortune just for one mural."
"Oh I see…" Must be some paintings.
"He is quite a strange man. He doesn't seem to care about the money at all. He usually rejects most families to be painted. It was mentioned by Lady Ino that he only paints what he finds worthy and beautiful for. The royal families offer more money, just for that."
Maybe one day when I get to clean his room, I can see some of his work. How beautiful could a painting get?
"Please hurry and change, they will be expecting us soon. I have already prepared dinner for tonight, but I must introduce you to the household."
Could it be that they don't even enjoy each others company? Mother once told me, when the man you love touches you, your skin should burn from such passion. But these two, they seem like cousins more than fiancés. Actually, it seems more one way; Lady Karin seems to pour him with attention, why he actually looks a little annoyed. The other woman, the one with pale blonde hair and sharp blue eyes that you can spot miles away, seems more mature than Lady Karin. I find it very amusing as I peak through the slit of the doors.
"Come Sakura." Hinata ushers me to the dinning room.
We sat on our knees, legs bent and our hands neatly placed over our lap. She delicately slid the door wide.
"Master Uchiha, Lady Karin, Lady Ino, this is the new maid that you have hired; Sakura."
I keep my head low.
It stays uncomfortably quite so I pick my head up to wonder what's wrong.
I can finally see all their faces clearly. Lady Karin looks down at me with her dead taunting eyes, it makes me more uncomfortable. Master Uchiha surprises me with his beauty. Never have I seen a man with such features combined together to create such a perfect face. His dark hair messy and stern jaws locked tight. His Dark and cold eyes stare at me endlessly. I continue wonder what's wrong even more.
"Welcome Sakura-san, I am Ino." She says as she politely places her chopsticks down.
"She looks so untamed, like a child…" I hear Karin whisper to her fiancé. Compared to her, I probably am I child, I'm only seventeen. I feel my body reject this place already. Not only is it her rude comment, but the way he looks at me, it feels like a thousand pounds are crashing on my shoulder, such pressure. And yet he still stares at me, never taking a break to even blink his eyes. My head is pounding with questions.
"Sakura, you have the name of such art." Lady Ino comments.
"Thank you madam." I keep my head lower, a little embarrassed.
"Please, you two eat dinner as well."
We both stood up, bowed and exit the room. Suddenly I felt so much lighter away from his eyes.
"Sakura." Someone shakes me gently.
"Sakura, please wake up, we must start our chores."
I groan and rub my eyes.
"hai." I quietly say as I got dressed.
Today I was required to clean the floors of the third estate on the east side of the house, organize the scrolls in the library, and to my surprise, clean mister Uchiha's art studio. I was so eager to get into that room. I wanted to see that man's world.
Hinata wasn't lying, the house was so grand, and it was so much to cover. My hands felt raw and turned burning red after the two hours of scrubbing the floor, I felt knots in parts of my back that I didn't even know existed. There wasn't much to organize in the library; it seemed hardly anyone came there. I just dusted up the place. The library was a nice place to be. It was remote from the house itself, located in another shrine off the side of a large coy-pond. I could see the whole view of the garden from the library. I rushed back to the main house and quickly walked down the halls to his art studio. And soon there it was, at the end of that dark hallway where the sun seemed to seep through just the tiniest bit. I felt nervous approaching it. I squeeze the cleaning rag in my hands, twisting it, kind of like the knot in my stomach. I slid the door so quietly and slowly, the sun bursts into my face. The room itself was built none like other. Well, it more like a patio than a room. His room must have been the whole back of the house. The north wall of his room wasn't a wall at all, it was open to the world, not even doors. You were able to see gray -blue mountains far off in the distance, the beautiful garden, which I had to take care of tomorrow, and all the decorations. This must have been where he retrieved his inspirations.
I walked around a bit, admiring his room. It wasn't neat; I would actually feel wrong if the room was neat. It was a room of an artist. There was dozens of paintings, and canvas's pilled up against each others leaning on the walls, all covered by drapes to hide it from the sun. Off to the left side of a room, looked like a mad scientist's corner. There stood a table full of glass beakers, rocks, and utensils full of different colors, all of which I had never seen before. It seemed to me that this was where he made the actual paint itself. On the opposite corner stood a lonely dirty stool, covered in drools of aged paint, and an equally dirty canvas supporter in front of it. To know that this was where master Uchiha spent days and months in, I was astounded by the beauty and the history that the room held.
I started working quickly, remembering exactly what Hinata said- leave everything in their exact place, master Uchiha will know when even a single paper has been moved. I gently worked around all the items, careful to never touch them, then I mopped out the paint splattered floor. After the last corner was finished, I got up and spoiled myself with the view from his room once more. I was a tad bit envious; I wished I was granted such a window. I stood there, right in the middle and looked far into the distance. I must have stood there for a long time, I felt the back of my knees begin to tingle, and then I suddenly heard the door slide open. It must have been master Uchiha, no body else was allowed in here. I quickly drop to the floor in panic and shape myself into a respectful bow, my head hung low. I felt my heart race, I don't know why. I was granted permission here, I knew I had every right to be here, but I felt scared. I could see his feet and black suit pants walk towards me and then stop right in front of my face.
"Pardon me sire, I was told to clean your room, I meant not to disturb." I apologize anyway, because that's what a good maid does.
He just stood there, for god knows how long. My neck began to ach.
"Get up." He says in a low husky voice. I quietly and slowly rise up to my feet. I feel so uncomfortable. I hadn't realized how close to me he stood until I actually got up. I still kept my head low.
No disrespect, no disrespect I though to myself, my family relies on my pay.
"Pick your head up." He orders. I obey.
"Your eyes too, show me your eyes." What is it that he wants with me? I hesitate as I quickly look up at him and then look down just as fast, but broke out of it to do as I was told. I looked dead into his eyes. He observed me so carefully, I felt bad for his paintings, how many glares they must have been under.
"Where did you come upon such eyes?" he asked.
"… My mother gave them to me." I reply meekly.
"And your hair?" I saw from the corner of my eye, his hand twitch for a second. Does he want to touch my hair?
"My mother as well, sire."
"hn." What was that? A grunt?
"Are you finished?"
I nod.
"Then leave."
I feel my face freeze in the sudden hostility. I backed up, bowed and did what I was told.
Walking down the dark halls, I thought about what kind of a man he was. He was hard, stern, and unpredictable. His eyes could do so much in one stare. Yet, I could not get his voice, his glare, and his smell out of my senses. I felt trapped under his nonexistent presence.
He was a man to be afraid of.
A lot of things to mention about this particular story. It is none like I have ever written before. As a student, I'm very passionate about culture and history of the world, and to sophistication I tried to bring in realistic historical settings and contexts to the plot. For you "history nerds" such as I, this would take place around the Meji-restoration about 1860- 1920, or maybe even a little before that. But of course, Tsunade would run this place, not Meji. *wink. I highly suggest looking at pictures from the Memoirs of a Geisha for better understanding. The last thing I want to do is confuse the readers in this story because the setting is critical to the plot.
This story was created and thought about coming from many different inspirations. I was actually unsure of uploading this because of the complexity and my lack of experience as a writer. But I was shocked to see that something like this wasn't made a story of, so I had to do it.
So,
Reviews are always nice darlings. And just for this particular story, questions are highly welcomed!