The Laundry Princess

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Once Upon a Time...

The blonde girl gasped, grabbing the side of the cabbage cart when an specifically annoying bump caused her to nearly go flying.

"Oi, are you blind! There was a hole in the ground," Ino shouted at the grizzly cart driver, while pushing her damp bangs away from her face.

The old man with thinning, white hair jolted the rickety cart to a stop and turned around with an irritated expression, "Shut'up and stop complaining, or get yourself another ride."

The blonde girl apologized reluctantly causing the old man to sniff in satisfaction. He let out a low whistle and ordered his donkeys to return to their grueling task of pulling the heavy cabbage cart.

"It's only gonna get worse from here," the old man said, "The more north we go the more bumpy it gets. Especially since winter jus ended, we hadn't got a chance to clean the roads yet all the pebbles'n grime, and the rotting animals and..."

Ino let out a breathe as the old man continued to talk, "Stupid commoners."

It was gray and cloudy outside, a light drizzle of rain was falling from the sky, but the sharp cold of winter had faded. Ino grimaced, wiping her face with the side of her cloak. She was filthy, her hair, her skin, her clothes. Never in her life had she expected to be here of all places.

"Ow!" Ino exclaimed, as cabbage kindly bumped into her back. She frowned, and rubbed the sore area.

The blonde glanced at her companion, who had refused to speak ever since they left had the palace. Ino could tell Sakura was mad and guilty, but there was nothing they could do now but go North.

The blonde leaned into her friend, "Sakura, please," she said in a whisper, so that the old man couldn't hear.

The pink haired girl turned sharply to look at Ino, the hood over her head barely allowed the blonde to make out striking green eyes.

"I know," Sakura said in a harsh whisper, "I know its important that I live, but it's hard for me, Ino. It's hard to abandon everyone I love."

The pink haired girl looked down at the moving road, her voice no longer a whisper, "I feel useless."

"Well, I can tell you a few things about feeling useless miss," said the cabbage cart driver from up front, "Once there was a storm and all my cabbages went'a rolling down the hill..."

Ino rolled her eyes at the man's talking, and leaned in to whisper to Sakura again, "We just need to follow Kakashi's plan, everything will be alright. We'll be home before we know it."

Sakura looked at her friend, and smiled, "I hope so."

"Besides," the blonde said, flipping her long hair back, a sly smile graced her face, "I heard the prince was quite the looker."

The cabbage man piped up again, "Good ruler, but he's the biggest bastard I ever known."

Ino laughed, "Say, tell me more about the palace."

Sakura glanced at the blonde, who shrugged in return, "It wouldn't hurt to more about where we're going," Ino told the pink haired girl.

"Well," the cart driver spoke, one hand scratching his rough beard, "the palace is big for sure, quite a lonely place too, I hear. Not many people around since the massacre. Prince Sasuke barely comes, only to check up on the land or parties with the lords here. It's probably hard for him since his parents died in these halls."

The cabbage man pulled the reigns and instructed the donkeys to turn left, "Yep, it's quiet there for sure."

Ino smiled and looked at Sakura, "That's good, we like quiet." Quite and unnoticed was the best way to stay safe.

The old man nodded, "Ya, it's nice. Sometimes when I'm travelin at night, its real silent and..."

The blonde spoke up, interrupting the monologue, "How much longer till we reach the palace?"

"Not too long miss, bout an hour, you workin there?"

"Yes, we're maids," Ino said rehearsing their fake story, "We have a cousin that works there, and she was able to provide us with jobs."

"Awful proper you two are for a couple a maids," he said whistling at his animals to pick the speed, "Not to worry though miss, everyone's got their story."

Prologue done! Chapters in the future will be longer. Can anyone guess where the cabbage guy character was inspired from?