The Hunt:
Prologue: first glimpse
Witch's spawn- that's what that man with brother called her.
'Maybe she really was one', he thought glumly as the carriage made its way back to the Castle, the sight of her being dragged away in haste by the woman in dark green robes and flaxen hair dimming in the distance.
He had been struck dumb at first glimpse - a lone little, red-cloaked figure, the ends trailing on the whitewhite snow, about 20 paces ahead of him the other side of the street – unusual pink hair dancing in the flurries as she hopped around gazing upwards, catching snowflakes on her tongue.
When she turned around abruptly, spotting him with her clear green eyes, he had felt strange –
..he went over it again, as he sat quietly across his brother in the warm carriage heading home. ..
/
She had an unsettling gaze.
- he was rooted to his spot, powerless to move until she smiled wide, and beckoned him to join her little game. ..
… and he shifted sharply away so he could only see her from the corner of his eye.
When she bounced over to him so there were about five paces of the cobbled stone street between them, and asked again, if he'd like to come over to her side and play with her, his face felt oddly warm.
He spoke rapidly, 'I can't leave my spot. My brother told me not to wander off and get lost.'
'Besides,' he shrugged one little shoulder carelessly, ' I'd rather spar than catch snowflakes on my tongue any day,' he added snobbily, folding his arms on his chest in defiance, cross at himself because he did want to go, even if he really didn't care to catch snowflakes on his tongue.
He just wanted brother to finish his meeting so they could go home and spar. He did not care about unusual-looking, beguiling little girls with pretty green eyes and bouncing pink tresses.
'Oh, I see..' she scrunched up her little nose and thought for a bit, finger on her cheek , then came up brightly with, 'lets team up!'
'what…? I just said-'
'You don't have to move! You can use your sword! You like to spar, right? You stay on your side and take care of the bad snowflakes there, with your sword, and I'll stay here and use my tongue to take care of my side. '
''You'll use your tongue, and I'll use my sword to catch bad snowflakes on either side of the street?' he repeated slowly with one little, raised eyebrow.
She nodded vigorously.
'That's stupid', he stated bluntly.
'Fine, I'll use my fists then. I'm pretty good with my fists anyway', she said, placing little hands huffily on her waist.
'That's not the point. .its still stupid.'
'You won't do it?' she implored. Impossibly-difficult-to-say-no-to-eyes flashed his way, utter delight and excitement reflecting in it.
He fought the spell of desire to comply and said firmly,
'No.'
'No?'
'No.'
'Really really no?'
'Really really no.'
'I'll put a curse on you if you don't!' She pouted, then smiled mischievously, the promise of a threat shining in her strange apple green eyes.
'I don't care, do your worst', he taunted daringly.
'I'll make you fall in love with a forehead monster', she threatened, narrowing her eyes, and pointing to her big little forehead.
He stuck his tongue out.
She stuck her tongue out too, but then, she smiled brilliantly at him, 'it didn't work. That trick always works with the kids around here! No one will play with me unless I say I'll curse them. I never do though. We're having so much fun by the end of it they usually forget. I'm so glad you're not afraid of me!'
'Why should I be afraid of a little midget?'
She stuck her tongue out again, 'I'm not a midget. If I'm one, you're one too. You're only a few inches taller than me! '
He shrugged, and called her a 'Midget' again.
'How old are you?' she asked, blowing a stray hair out of her face.
'Older than you…'
'Tell me!' she demanded.
'Five,' he gave in, 'You?'
'I'm four!'
'I told you. I am older.'
'Only by a year… Are you here to stay?'
'Visit. I came with my brother on an errand for Father, to make sure he comes home after to play- I mean, spar with me'.
'Oh, that's too bad. I was hoping you were here to stay. ' she sounded really disappointed, so he added, trying to sound grand, 'I might come by to visit again. My brother runs lots of important errands for father that make him travel to this part of the town a lot.'
She brightened up then.
'That's great!' she burst out, ' I really really like you! I was afraid I won't get to see you again! ...'
'…You're so cute, and even if you act all huffy, you're nice, and you're not afraid of me at all, and your fun to tease, and ..'
He turned red and looked away as she rambled on.
'And, ah… -', she stopped midway, 'you haven't told me your name yet, what's your name?-mine is-'
'You little witch spawn, stay away from him - ' a man roughly intervened, emerging suddenly from the cottage behind and stomping heavily to them.
He placed himself directly in front of the startled boy, and demanded, 'What do you want with him, little witch?'
'I- nothing, I just wanted to play with him', her green eyes colored with hurt and frustration, little hands bunching up into fists.
'well, you can't have him, find yourself another toy', the man said, making him angry.
'Oy, old man, don't decide for me! I'll play with her, if I want to!' the boy interrupted angrily, tugging at the sleeve of the huge man before him.
'You don't know her, boy, she's bad news, I don't know how she does it, but she gets all the kids in the town to play with her, gets em to disrespect their elders, and –
Like he cared about any of that. 'I don't care about that. You can't order-'
'She's nothing but trouble- look at her strange hair and eyes- she's a menace- she'll turn you –'
'OY, you big oaf!-' an angry female voice cut in, marching up to them and grabbing the massive man's neck shirt in a choke-hold.
"W-Witch- D-doctor, l-let me go or I'll t-tell the authorities o-on you! " he choked out.
"You won't, you spineless lump. I am the town's resident, 'evil', 'immortal' witch doctor after all. You need my medical remedies, though you like call it black magic."
"Y-you can't blame us. You look the same you did fifty years ago even though you're seventy something, a-and your potions are strangely effective, when the normal male doctor's remedies fail, a-and you're stronger than any man, something's not right when a women's better at something than a man, a-and that little girl- she was normal before you spilled your black magic on her, you're teaching her your evil ways, - .
"Shut Up" she bit out and proceeded to shake him vigorously, until he did, lifting him a few inches off the floor before dumping him in the snow like he didn't weigh much.
The boy was stunned. The man was huge, more than twice the size of the lady. What was with that superhuman strength?'
'Say anything about her or Come near her again and I'll do more than that', she threatened darkly at the lump in the snow, then turned abruptly on him.
She bent forward, her heavy bosom uncomfortably few inches away from him, and hands on her waist, so she was at the same level as the boy, she snarled at him, 'If you ever bully her again I'll turn you into a slug'
'Aunt Tsunade! Don't scare him away! He didn't do any-'
'Shut up, girl, I'm in a bad mood right now and this boy will bear the brunt of it. So tell me, boy, which is it? Stay and become our pet slug, or bolt to a safe distance and never look her way again'
The boy glared right back, despite feeling disadvantaged after that display of strength, and hearing strange things about her.
'I don't care. Do your worst.'
He added bravely, rolling his eyes and pointing at the pink-haired green-eyed imp standing behind the woman, 'She tried 'cursing' me already and it didn't work. So you might as well try your luck too. She's obviously hasn't learnt how to do it properly yet. ?'
'hmmm.. ?', amber eyes shifting to the crest on his sword narrowed, murmuring, '..an Uchiha…', She languidly straightened, ignoring him and in three controlled movements, reached for the back of the girl's red robe and casually began walking away, pulling her along.
'Whaa-Wait, Tsunade-sama, we're not done yet, we were having a nice conversation before you interrupted us. I still want to –'
'We're leaving.'
'But-'
'No buts, we're leaving.'
He was puzzled as the lady dragged the reluctant girl away.
Looking for some kind of an excuse to stall them,
'I thought you were going to turn me into a slug. Neither of you can actually curse people, can you?' he baited.
'You'll never know, will you, boy?' she replied in a sing-song voice, clamping a strong hand on the girl's mouth, effectively stemming her protests, and added,
'It'll be to everyone's best interests if you never speak of her in the place you're going back to, boy.'
'What do you mean? I-'
, 'It is best you forget that you ever met her,' she interjected harshly
'Why should I –'
'Just remember this - if you value her safety, you will never speak of her or me to anyone ever,' she cut in darkly, then ruining the effect, finished in an annoying sing-song voice and a general bow in his direction, 'Goodbye, little Uchiha. If fortune shines on us, we will never meet again,' towing the girl away, at the same time, and keeping her from uttering a squeak.
He didn't understand.
She had taken one look at his royal insignia and become wary.
She had guessed he was an Uchiha.
He doubted she was aware he was the lesser known, second son of Fugaku Uchiha, Emperor of Leaf, and the little town that was their home.
Many Uchiha's resided at the Royal Court, though there were none as young as him. Common civilians were not aware of such details- she probably thought he was a playmate of the Emperor's sons, one among many Uchiha kids.
What danger could she foresee for them in the Royal Court? His father was a good Emperor and his reign was peaceful wasn't it? What was the lady afraid of?
Had they done something that would anger Father? Were those things the man said about them true?
He didn't think they were bad people. Father and the Uchiha's weren't the bad ones either, he knew that for sure.
If he were to say something about them, they would be treated fairly, right?
Should he really not report them?…
"Sasuke, you're unusually subdued. Are you mad I took too long?"
Itachi's inquiry bought Sasuke's mind back to the present, and he suddenly scowled. It was all his brother's fault he was feeling out of sorts right now.
"Of course I am, brother. You told me you would be done in a couple of minutes!"
'Sorry, Sasuke. ", he said, poking his forehead from across," the errand took much longer than expected. And you know how Father gets if I don't do as he says."
"Ahh. ..I know… still-"
"Tell you what. I'll teach you how to shoot some arrows this time to make up for it!"
"But what about-"
"-at six consecutive spots all at the same time, How about it? You game?"
Sasuke brightened up immediately, face glowing with a five year old's excitement,
"You bet I am! You better keep your word this time brother. I won't let you off so easily next time!"
"Yes, Yes, I know!"
His final stray thoughts of the girl before he pushed her to the back of his mind were that he hadn't even gotten her name. Probably for the best, since he wasn't supposed to speak of her anyway.
It did occur to him later that if he reported her, he might see her again.
… He decided not to. For some reason, he believed that lady. His world was a danger to her.
What if the little girl was punished or worse, thrown into the dungeon for the crimes of her family or because of something to do with that lady?
He wouldn't report her.
He might see her again if he went back to visit. Maybe.
He might be a little disappointed if he never got to see those evergreen eyes and impish smile again.