...
Loud footsteps echoed on the grand palace, as feet paced hurriedly across the marbled floor. Breathing heavily, a dark haired woman rushed, clutching a green bottle with all her might. She ran hastily, luckily not tripping over her dark yukata as her legs trembled by her distress. The golden light of the candles along the crimson walls, guided the anxious woman, in the otherwise pitch black darkness.
Not a sound could be heard apart from her hollow footsteps and heavy breathing, but she was almost sure anyone could hear the pounding of her heart. But there was not a soul in the grand hall. After what seemed an eternity, the breathless woman stood before the large doors of the Royal Chamber, tightening her hold on the mysterious bottle. She pushed them open slowly, as if dreading to enter.
"Hurry Shizune. There is no time" she heard the troubled voice of her Lady. Shizune rushed forward in the grand room, almost dropping the bottle when handing it to the trembling hand of her mentor. She glanced at the blonde woman, noticing the ever rare fear in her face. Closing her brown eyes momentarily, Shizune opened them to stare at the figure laying in the wide bed.
Skin sallow and damp by perspiration, lips dry and an almost purple tint, pink hair messily sticking to a pale, wet forehead. And her eyes. Shizune could only stare wide eyed at the look on the woman's face. Her otherwise emerald eyes, dull and unfocused, moving from the hand of the blonde woman holding her dainty one to the wide red doors of the grand room. Those pools of green focused momentarily on her and Shizune could only gasp as she lowered herself shakily on the ground, next to the bed.
"My Lady-" she managed to squeak, before the harsh voice of Tsunade interrupted her.
"Shizune. Quiet. Help me"
She tried to calm her breathing and prayed for the shaking of her hands to stop as she held the golden spoon, while her Lady poured the brown liquid of the green bottle in it. After not one drop was left in the bottle, her mentor slowly pressed the spoon on the chapped lips of the ill woman. With difficulty, she seemed to swallow the foul smelling liquid. Tsunade handed the spoon to Shizune, who placed it hastily on the table next to the bed. Shizune wet a cloth in a bucket of icy water and handed it to her Lady, who put it carefully on the damp forehead of the young woman.
The two women worked silently, as if in a trance. Wetting clothes and placing them on the burning skin of the pink haired woman, they waited. And hoped. When finally, emerald eyes closed slowly and fine eyebrows unfurrowed, Shizune could breathe freely again.
"She will be fine, Shizune. She is a stubborn one" Tsunade whispered with a smile. The first to grace her face in the long nights she had passed in this room.
"Kami. We are saved" Shizune felt lightheaded as she looked at the sleeping woman before her. The young woman slept soundlessly, the first time she had closed her bright eyes ever since she was bedridden. Yes, the woman sure was stubborn, Shizune thought as she also felt much needed sleep creep in.
Finally all seemed well. The Empress would live.
...
"But, Your Majesty, you ought to rest" Shizune called tensely.
"Where is he?" Called a hoarse voice.
"Sakura" Tsunade could not help the harshness of her tone. "Do you not understand the danger of your illness?"
"Do you not understand the danger of war?" Emerald eyes looked evenly at her golden ones and Tsunade could only stay silent. She gazed at the dark under-eyes and ghostly skin and could almost see the horrendous weight placed upon the delicate shoulders. The weight of an empire. Green eyes regarded her tensely and Tsunade almost wanted to chuckle at the hard-headedness of the young woman, if not for her worry. But she understood. Better than most.
"Do not strain yourself. Much depends on you, Sakura" Tsunade moved to grasp the hand of the rising Empress. She tightened her hold when she felt the trembling of her body.
The blonde motioned to Shizune to hand her the pale robe that she clutched in her hands. She was surprised, but thankful the Empress let her fasten the belt of the robe. Once more, the two women regarded each other. For once, Tsunade felt a rush of emotion. She had not felt such worry and fear since his passing. But this time, somewhere, something had heard her silent prayers. For Sakura lived.
"Tsunade, thank you." The Empress said. She, then, looked over at Shizune. "I owe you my life"
A sharp knock had the women tense.
"At last. Enter" Sakura called, breathing once and squaring out her shoulders.
"Your Majesty" a figure came crouching down in a low bow, before the women. "My Lady" he breathed, nodding to Tsunade. "There is a letter."
"It's from the left border"
...