So…this is my first time writing for Ninja Love. I adore the game and just fell in love with Hanzo's story even though it was such a short chapter. T_T

Anyway, so this is just an idea that hit me so I'll be uploading more chapters based on how well this first chapter is received. And I've modified the nature of the princess slightly here because I don't like the idea of her just being protected while the men do the work. Her name is the same one I've used in the game.'

Ninja love ID- DABQNFM9Ga. Do add me!

On with the story! Reviews are highly appreciated!
_

Hanzo stared blankly at me as we sat down on separate futons. Making our way back to Iga after Nobunaga's defeat was anything short of relieving. There were still a few tribes and monasteries that supported his reign and were not happy with the ninjas' victory. On our way back we had been ambushed by a mountain tribe and by the time we had fought them off the sun had already sunk behind the mountain. Hanzo looked over at me and gave a weary smile. My eyes travelled to the spot covered in makeshift bandages. Crimson spots of dried blood caked the cloth and my stomach lurched as I remembered the details of how it had happened.

Flashback:

The uncivilized band of men stank of sweat and old sake. Their beards were grown long and trailed down halfway across their bare chests, matted and unkempt. Their teeth were like small yellow corn kernels in their mouth. The weapons the tribe had used were of a peculiar invention. The arrows looked ordinary but when one of them had penetrated Hanzo's armor I realized they were anything but. Hanzo had been too busy cutting them down to bother removing the arrow that had lodged itself deep into his shoulder. The blades slashed and clanged against one another, the resonance of steel on steel still ringing in my ears. The rocky slope had been showered in blood that glistened like a demon's frightening skin in the moonlight.

Wearily, I let my guard down and lowered my katana. Though I had been training with it for over a year the weight of it was still tiresome and my muscles ached and begged for the weapon to be put back into its sheath.

"Hanzo san!" The beautiful man that had trained and protected me looked unsteady on his feet as he sheathed his weapon. He turned around at the sound of my voice.

"Amaya Hime…" His face was streaked with sweat and he was panting from the battle. I quickly went to him. The slate grey eyes closed for a brief moment and he gripped my hand.

"Hanzo san, that arrow must be hurting you. Shouldn't we get it out?" I asked as he sat down on a large boulder. He winced slightly as he moved but apart from that showed no sign of pain. He was so strong and it was against ninja principles to admit to pain; I knew he would never voice it out loud.

"It is rather bothersome," he said after a few seconds of silence. "I'd get it out myself but I can't seem to get a good grip on it." He tried to reach for it with his other hand.

"I'll get it." I walked behind him, knelt on the boulder and grasped the arrow firmly in both hands. "Ready?" I asked.

"Just pull it out in one go."

I gave a swift strong pull and the arrow steadily made its way out from Hanzo's shoulder. I didn't know if he was holding in his pain but Hanzo didn't make a single sound. In admiration, I got ready to pull out the tip.

"Ouch!" I cried as I succeeded in pulling out the arrow. I had grasped the neck of the object at the spot just slightly above the tip and a burning sensation ran through my fingers causing me to drop the arrow.

"What happened? Did you prick yourself?" Hanzo turned to look at me and closed his eyes in delayed pain as he did so, gripping his shoulder with his hands.

My breathing turned shallow and I checked my hands. The fingertips had callused and turned into an ugly warty patch where they had gripped the arrow. I swallowed nervously at the sight. I knew what this was. I had read about it but this was the first time I had ever come across it in real life. These mountains were home to a particular scorpion. People referred to it as the 'Death Dart'. It was rumored to be longer than a grown man's palm and its deadly stinger contained enough poison to kill 35 adult men. I recognized the symptoms from the drawings in the book. Skin contact caused swelling and sometimes in severe cases, pus-filled boils. Injection into the body was enough to cause fever, delirium, and then death unless treated. Tribesmen hunted the scorpion for its stinger and smeared it onto the tips of their arrows, instantly making them a 100 times more deadly.

I had got off lucky, but horror flooded me as I realized how long the arrow had been lodged into Hanzo's shoulder. How on earth had he endured that pain? It was enough to make anyone cry but Hanzo had sat silently throughout the whole ordeal. I sprang to my feet and rushed over to him.

"Hanzo san? Are you sure you're all right?" His handsome face turned upwards and he gave a smile that clearly looked pained.

"I should be asking you that Amaya Hime."

"Doesn't it hurt, your shoulder?" I asked again and I went to his side to examine the wound. I could see the tear of skin and a patch of flesh had exposed itself at the point where the arrow had struck him.

"It's nothing but a scratch. Don't fret over me. This ninja is made of tougher stuff than what he looks." He gave a reassuring smile that did nothing to erase my worry. I wished he would just admit to the pain! A deadly poison of God knew what concentration had just been injected into him, straight into his muscle! I slowly extended my palms towards him so that he could see the damage. His eyes widened in shock at the sight. Gently he took my hands and examined them and ran a gloved thumb over them.

"How did this happen?"

"When I was pulling out the arrow. Hanzo san," I looked up at him and tried not to tear up. "The arrow was coated with poison. I think it's from the Death Dart."

Hanzo's eyes widened ever so slightly but apart from that he gave no indication of shock. He knew what the implications were now.

"A Death Dart huh?" He gripped his shoulder again. "And here I was thinking it was just another arrow."

"Hanzo san, do you feel any numbness or itchiness at the place?"

Hanzo experimentally moved the damaged shoulder. His eyes closed as he did so and I felt a lump form in my throat as I saw the effort it was taking him to not react to the pain.

"It's itching," he admitted after a gap. "It's a normal thing that happens when you pull out an arrow."

"We've got to get to shelter. Now. I need to tend to this wound before your shoulder starts to fester."

"Don't worry too much Hime-san. I've had much more severe injuries before than just an arrow wound. Please don't upset yourself. It's Hime-san's responsibility to always smile and comfort her people."

"Hime-san. Hmph. I was a simple priestess once upon a time. I'd never been raised to bear the title 'Hime'. I didn't even know anything about being a ninja until a year ago. I couldn't even defend you now Hanzo san." I felt tears prick my eyes and willfully refused to let them fall. It was all my fault. Hanzo had been attacked because he had been escorting me back to Iga. They came in hope of capturing me. Hanzo had been struck with a Death Dart because of me.

Hanzo laid a broad hand over my head and patted lightly. "Please Hime. It distresses me to see you upset. You look better when you smile." He gently grasped my chin and forced me to look at him.

"And it was never your responsibility to defend me. I'm a Hattori ninja. It would have been shameful if I had let a woman, the Kunosoki Hime no less, to endanger her life in protecting me."

"Hanzo san…" I resisted the urge to hug him. Hanzo looked up at the already dark sky.

"There is a small settlement here that belongs to the Hattori clan. We can find a place to rest there. Come, we'll leave immediately. It's not safe to linger in this part of the mountains any longer."

He got up and his face set into determination. The small bit of tenderness he had shown me vanished as his features turned professional and slightly scary. Everyone always said Hanzo was scary to look at. There was something in his handsome features that commanded respect and authority from everyone. With the exception of Saizo san, Kotaro San, Sasuke san and Goemon san I had rarely seen anyone else joking around with him. Strict orders once made were followed rigorously. I got to my feet. This was no time to be weak. My body still hurt from the fight and I could feel the weight of the scabbard cutting into my shoulder but Hanzo needed immediate first-aid.

"Let's go."

End of flashback

Most of the lamps in the village had been extinguished by the time we reached. Hanzo had confidently walked through and paused at a small hut before knocking. The door opened only slightly and the first thing I saw was the glint of a blade.

"Woah there Yamamoto san. It's me, Hanzo." Cautiously, Hanzo took a step away from the door. He had shifted his scabbard to his other shoulder during the journey and it was all I could do to not look at the wound. He hadn't complained about it at all but my eyes could already see the effects of the poison. Hanzo's shoulder had swollen from the journey. I was almost sure he had developed a fever but since I hadn't been able to touch him the whole while I couldn't confirm it. The door of the hut opened ever so slightly to reveal a woman in her late 60's. She didn't lower her weapon and with her other hand she held up a lantern to see our faces.

"Oh." Her face relaxed once she saw Hanzo. "Can't be too careful here. What are you doing, Hanzo, creeping around at this time of night? With a woman no less!" she turned to look at me, her sharp gaze sweeping me from head to toe. I noticed that she hadn't added any formal suffixes to his name, implying she was someone close to Hanzo. Who was this woman?

"Always good to see you too Yamamoto san," Hanzo replied politely and the two hugged one another. I stood slightly away not knowing what to say.

"We were ambushed while trying to get back to Iga," he explained quickly. "So we came here."

"Ah yes, I did hear. Is it true then? Nobunaga is dead?" The woman pushed slightly silvered strands of hair away from her face.

"It is. I was entrusted with escorting the Kunosoki Hime back to Iga."

"The Kunosoki Hime…?" Yamamoto looked at me in disbelief. I didn't blame her. I was a young woman with my kataginu dirty and covered in mud, sweat and blood. My face was flushed, with my hair coming out of it's bun. It had been almost three days since I had a bath. Kunosoki Hime my foot, I probably looked like a washed up, ragged little boy disguised in a ninja's clothing.

"Yes. The Kunosoki Hime." Repeated Hanzo with a small bite of impatience. At his tone, Yamamoto immediately realized the gravity of the situation.

"I'm so sorry Hime-sama. Please forgive me," the aged woman said, sinking into a deep bow. I flushed at her gesture.

"Please Yamamoto san! It's perfectly fine! You don't have to be so formal!"

Still looking shocked, the woman looked at Hanzo. "What is it you need Hanzo? I could wake up the chief in charge of the food supply hut. There might be something left…I have some onigiri remaining from dinner if you want them…"

"Onigiri would be fine. And we are in need of a place to stay. We would be indebted to you if you dod us this service." Hanzo bowed to her.

"Raise your head Hanzo. I'll not have any of this nonsense from you! There's a hut out back which should suit your purposes. My son uses it to practice his archery but he's out with some of the elders to gather supplies from the neighboring village. Feel free to stay there. "

"Gomenesai Yamamoto san."

"You go in and get settled I'll give you that onigiri."

"Pardon me Yamamoto san," I interjected. "But is there an apothecary here?"

"There is but it won't be open till sunrise Hime-sama. Why, what do you need?"

I looked at Hanzo who sighed and turned around to show the damage to the woman. "I had a bit of an accident."

The old woman recoiled at the sight of the wound. "That looks pretty nasty Hanzo."

"I think the dart was coated with-" I began.

"It was just a normal arrow Hime-san." Hanzo gave me a look clearly telling me it was better to keep quiet. I swallowed my words and obeyed. Kunosoki Hime or not, no one denies Hanzo when he spoke in that scary manner.

"I have some basic herbs with me. You can look and see if that's of any use to you. I'll drop a word to Nishi chan, she's the one who runs the apothecary, in the morning if that's all right."

"Sounds good," I agreed and I slipped off my sandals before walking into the hut. Yamamoto lit another lantern and gave it to me. She pointed to a large shelf at the back of the hut.

"That's all I've got. Go and take a look."

I walked over to the shelf and began shuffling through the jars. Faded labels were stuck onto them with wax.

"Opium," I said to myself and took the jar off the shelf. "Aloe Vera, Cayenne, Elderberry, Turmeric, tea leaves." I pulled them methodically off the shelf.

I stood up and tucked the small jars away into the pockets of my hakama. When I made my way back outside Yamamoto was holding a small stack of linen.

"I've settled up Hanzo out back. And you make sure to treat him properly. I've never seen a wound like that in real life. I pray to God everyday my son doesn't come back with one. And also, that boy is as stubborn as a mule. He won't particularly enjoy sitting idle while you dress up his wounds but I think it's time he started listening to someone else apart from his Ninjutsu principles." She handed me the stack.

"Feel free to call on me anytime. Don't hesitate."

"I won't. Thank you very much Yamamoto san. " I bowed to her and made my way back to the hut. Hanzo was already munching on an onigiri when I stepped in.

"Forgive me Hime. I started without you."

I slid the door shut and sat down near him. "It's fine. You must be hungry after everything that happened. "

With a sigh Hanzo gripped and massaged his shoulder. With a wince, he continued to eat. I resolved my mind and looked at him directly in the face.

"Hanzo san." He looked at me.

"Yes?"

"That wound needs to be tended to. You might not be worried but I am. Death Dart poison is very lethal. Once it starts to fester it'll be very difficult to treat, and I don't want you in that much of pain. So please. Let me tend to it now. It's already been a long time since that arrow got embedded into you. "

Hanzo looked at me for a very long time before making a face. "It hasn't been bothering me Hime-san. I feel perfectly normal. All I need is a good night's rest. I'll be as fit as a leopard by tomorrow."

I forced my features into a stern expression. "As an order from the Kunosoki Hime, Amaya Kurosaki, I command that you, Hanzo Hattori san get an immediate treatment for the mortal wound in your shoulder." I fixed my eyes onto him and refused to break eye contact. For a moment Hanzo simply looked stunned. He was the one normally giving out authoritative commands. From the beginning I had never been a rebellious princess and listened to Hanzo's instructions without doubt. Now here I was, a young woman whose head just barely made it to Hanzo's chest. Hanzo Hattori, the eldest ninja of the clan, and rightful heir to the Hattori line was being commanded around by a woman who had just reached her twenties. It sounded so funny that my stern settings almost broke but I kept it there and glared at him.

With a grimace he looked away then stuffed the rest of the rice ball into his mouth. "That's a first," he muttered and he turned away so that his back faced me. I pulled out the jars.

"Hanzo san, you need to remove your kimono…" I said suddenly turning shy as I realized what I had said. Hanzo threw me a look over his shoulder. I busied myself with the jars to hide my blush.

"Amaya Hime, have you actually ever seen a man without any clothes?" he asked as he undid the obi and carefully began sliding off the layers. He didn't pull them off completely and retied them with the obi securely near his waist.

"I have!" I said defensively as I began crushing the opium seeds in a small wooden cup that had been brought in with the onigiri along with a small pitcher of water. I kept my eyes determinedly trained towards the floor.

"Really?" His question seemed to taunt me lightly.

"Yes. When I was being escorted by Saizo san. He used to sleep shirtless. And I've seen men wandering around with their deep-necked kimonos in the summer. I know how men look."

Hanzo's deep laughter filled the room like warm sweet tea. I flushed deeper and threw my head up. "What?" I asked irritably.

"Nothing," Hanzo said, still laughing as he sat back down. "It's just that Hime-san is so young. What you are describing to me cannot qualify as having 'seen a man' Hime-san."

I grit my teeth and moistened a small piece of cloth and wrung it out. I pressed this onto the crushed opium and glanced over at Hanzo. I was very glad his back was facing me because my blush was very high at this point. Hanzo had a beautiful broad back but there were numerous scars scattered across it and his arms. Some of them crisscrossed over one another, others were isolated and trailed away farther down to where the kimono blocked my view. All marks of previous battles and glory scars which he wore proudly. Somehow, they added to the beauty of his anatomy, each one having a story, a memory, and each a reminder of how Hanzo had triumphed and lived while crushing his enemies with his sickles and swords. I wondered how many people had seen him like this. So exposed and vulnerable. It felt like Hanzo was sharing a naughty secret with me. I wondered if he was as scarred on his front too. All the marks made him so beautiful; except for the ugly one he had acquired tonight.

In the time we had neglected it, the wound site had purpled around the area where the arrow had lodged itself. Dried blood was caked around the site and the muscles were swollen and looked tender and delicate. I picked up the opium cloth and the cup and a fresh piece of cloth and knelt behind him. I dipped the fresh cloth into the bowl and gently began washing the wound, using some of the tea leaf juice as I did so. Hanzo didn't even flinch as I worked. Under the cloth, I could feel Hanzo's skin, warm and smooth.

"Hanzo san? Do you have a fever?" I asked tentatively as I pressed the ground turmeric softly around the wound.

"It's bad enough to have the Hime treat me like a small child, now you want me to have a fever as well? Hanzo quipped without turning back.

Geez! This man was so stubborn. "You just seemed a little warm, so I asked…" I broke an aloe vera leaf and ran the sticky juice from inside around the wound. Without asking I brought a free hand around his head and put it on his forehead. As I had guessed, a slight fever had set in and his skin was hot under my hand.

"You do." I concluded and pressed the opium cloth directly into the exposed flesh. Hanzo hissed at the sudden sting but didn't do anything else.

"I do what?" he asked.

"You have a fever. " Trying not to sound worried I secured the cloth into place and began to neatly dress the wound. Hanzo was silent for a while then he hung his head.

"Hanzo san what's the matter?" I asked as I looked at his form.

"Forgive me Amaya Hime," he said softly. "This is very petty, for a ninja to fall ill during a mission as important as this."

"Hanzo san…" Deeply touched I simply stared at him. "It's not anything shameful or something to be dreadful of. You did this to protect me. You took that arrow while guarding me. You are so brave Hanzo san. Please stop feeling the way that you do."

He glanced at me over his shoulder. "Hime-sama is too kind." He began to replace his clothing but I stopped him.

"Aloe vera is good for the swelling Hanzo san. Would you let me rub some into your shoulder?"

Hanzo partially turned to look at me then with a sigh he laid down on his front on one of the futons. I handed him the cup now filled with water mixed with more opium seeds and crushed elderberry. "This will remove the poison of it has spread over to any other parts of the body. Please drink it."

Hanzo wordlessly took the cup and emptied it in one gulp. I settled next to him, broke a few more aloe vera leaves and slowly began massaging it into the swollen shoulder.

"You pamper me Amaya Hime. If another ninja ever saw me like this, I could lose my title."

"Just consider it as thanks for all the times you saved my life." I continued to rub his shoulder. "Who is Yamamoto san anyway?" I asked him.

A soft smile played on Hanzo's lips. "She was something of a nanny to me when I was younger."

Eh? My hand stopped in the middle of their work. "A nanny?" I asked him.

"Hmm. My father was always busy, training new recruits and tackling missions. My mother had fragile health so someone had to take care of me. Yamamoto san was still very young then."

"Oh. I see." Several moments of silence passed between us and I continued to massage his shoulder. When my hands tired and softly called his name. Hanzo made no reply.

I bent to check him and saw that he had fallen asleep, his wisps of blue hair gently falling across his face. His features looked so soft in his sleep and it was impossible to think that this was the same strict man who commanded a ninja military.

My heartbeat quickened as I pushed a few strands of hair away from his face. Such a handsome ninja. He was much older than Saizo and the others. Everyone said that Hanzo had dedicated his whole life to learning Ninjutso and had rarely given attention to anything else. And his experience with women was zero. Sasuke used to often joke that if Hanzo's father ever found him a bride and got them married, Hanzo would spend the whole wedding night doing target practice while his wife laid alone in bed. Goemon had joked saying he would 'take care' of her if anything of the sort happened.

"Sleep well Hanzo san," I whispered and covered him with the blanket.