~Okoku Kronikuru~

Chapter Two: Floating

Over the course of the next few days, Tenten rarely saw Neji. Occasionally, the two would exchange hastened greetings in the hallways, before Neji quickly strode away. She would listen as his cloak making silky rustling sounds until they soon ceased.

Tenten was use to the overbearing schedules of monarchy. The paperwork, the dreary, hours-long studies under strict instructors, the etiquette, rules and policies… For half a moment, she was sure the upper corners of her lips crinkled up slightly, at the warm memories stirring up in her heart… before her eyes caught the sight of the darkened scars in the palm of her hand.

She realized that she could never relive the memories for a second more.

That evening, just when she was about to change out of her elaborate new dress, garnished with precious stones and material, when someone rapped at her door. Startled, her hand immediately flew away from the gilt buttons that she soon to unclasp. Slightly suspicious at who would be intruding at this hour, she walked towards the door hesitantly, suddenly stopping foremost it. An electrical sensation sneaked up her spine, making her shiver. It was that fear again. That grim premonition of nothing she could take into account. Her heart thudded violently inside the cage of her chest, and she could hear the pulsing of blood pound in her ears. Tenten's hand shook as it neared the sculpted doorknob, paralyzed. She had no idea why her body was reacting this way.

She felt the fear spiral out of sanity and she screamed, but all that came out was a hoarse, throaty squeak. A blinding, white pain slammed into her head.

Why was she lying on the floor all of a sudden? It's getting so much more difficult to breath.

Something warm trickled down from her brow, beside her eye, a crimson flowing ribbon. To her horror, it was blood as she picked up the scent of warm copper wafting from her face. She cried out for help, but nothing came out. Then, as her vision slowly faded away into shadowy fuzz, she saw the door open…

"Lady Tenten?"

Then the darkness enveloped her.

When she finally woke up, she was in her new bed, surrounded by down quilts and rich covers. She was startled at how much her head hurt. It was a thudding, heavy sort of pain, weighing down on her, crushing her nerves. She sat up despite it, and was immediately ushered down by an attendant whom she remembered from her arrival at the palace. The girl was fair-skinned, with azure-blue eyes and shiny golden hair that was gathered into a massive, mid-back pony-tail.

She couldn't recall her name.

"Milady, I beg your pardon. Please do not move so much, your wounds will reopen!"

The attendant minded; her voice steady. Tenten squinted at her, she couldn't tell if there actually was a fuzzy outline surrounding the girl, or it was just brought on by the waves of nausea.

"Wh-at happ-ned-d…?"

She managed to wheeze out in broken coughs. The maid smiled, "You fainted and your head nearly cracked."

She said it with such ebullience, almost as if one would say "You win!"

Tenten narrowed her eyes, that slowly going in and out of target again, "Who-'re you?"

"Yamanaka, Ino. At Your Majesty's service. I will be your personal attendant."

She saluted, curtsying.

"Lady Kin sent me after you fainted when she knocked on your door. Apparently, His Majesty, Hiashi summoned you. But then you passed out and hit your head really hard."

Kin, huh.

The outbreak of fear tingled over her body again as she broke into cold sweat. Something cold and sharp settled into her heart. For a moment, she knew she was an inch close to remembering who she was. Then it quickly receded into blank nothingness.

"You're Majesty, are you alright?"

She heard Ino ask, but her senses were no longer stable, they seemed to be flowing in a thick, bumpy liquid.

"Spare us!"

A scream sprang out somewhere. Tenten looked about in shock. The sounds emitted not from anywhere, but had seemed to spring forth from her own body. The voice sounded so familiar, yet she couldn't fully grasp whose it was.

She grabbed Ino's arm and pulled her down, "D-id you h-hear that?"

She yelled frantically, her eyes feverish and searching. Ino yelped from the pull, then stammered, "N-no Your Majesty, I heard no scream!"

Tenten released the girl's arm, her heart pounding harder than ever. She was sure she heard a scream. Maybe she really was delirious, she needed some rest. Yes that was it, rest. Perhaps she was no longer sound any more.

Still bothered, she said to Ino, "Please leave me alone for a while."

Nodding Ino retreated hurriedly, visibly shaken as she gave a bow, gone before Tenten could utter anything else.

Slipping back into the clouds of soft blankets, Tenten shut her eyes. A few moments later, she was surprised they had opened again, staring aimlessly at the gold-embossed wallpaper of her room. Something was keeping her awake; it made her anxious about a certain thing that was lodged tightly and fuzzy-lined in her recollection. Pain flushed over her head as she scooted to sit up. Now without Ino, her room, even as the brilliant sunshine splashed onto her covered shaping of her legs, seemed to float in an eerie sort of revelation. Her mind was troubled about the voice. Had it really happened? The memory now seemed distant and blurry, it felt surreal.

Her eyelids felt heavy, her mind played a faraway lullaby that she couldn't remember the lyrics of. She shut her eyes again.

"Please!"

The voice was quieter this time, but the desperation threaded in the sound was just as forceful.

She couldn't move.

Whether she was already dreaming or awake, a tear slipped down the bandages on her cheek. She recognized the voice after so long, ashamed she hadn't earlier. She felt her pillow grow warm and moist.

It was her own mother. Screaming for mercy a few moments before the sword descended.

It was in the evening when she finally awoke. The sky outside had was layered with seductive hues of dark purple, rose and red. The shimmering faint outline of the silver moon glimmered in the shadowy clouds. The princess felt a rush of relief as the painful throbbing of her head disappeared when she moved about and pulled lose her bandages. A fat candle's light, carved by dripping wax, flickered in the obscure room, radiating warm comfort. A note was placed on the nightstand, calligraphed by fine writing.

Princess,

His Majesty has summoned you. Please ring the bell when you are ready to go. I will escort you to the meeting chambers.

-Ino. Y

Tenten could see that a long black gown of satin hung in the semi-open closet. When she walked nearer to it, she could see the luminescent luster of the pearls, and the diligent, almost-invisible needlework of the seamstress. Vermillion silk roses were sewn from the waist, scattering mid-calf of the dress. Tenten wondered who had possessed such talent in the entire kingdom to tailor such a dress.

Pulling the nightgown over her head, she slipped carefully in the gown, cool against her warm skin. It fit perfectly, as if it was designed just for her.

The material bonded snugly against her waist, and fell in a curve that crested to her feet. She spun around. Even in her own kingdom, such finesse was never pampered on her.

A blunt blow of sadness washed over her.

She slowly walked towards the copper bell, resting near the marble vanity table. The bell gave a sharp twinkle ring. A few seconds afterwards, Ino walked in.

"I see Your Majesty has seen the dress already. Does it fit?"

"Yes."

Ino nodded, and walked into her closet, emerging with a pair of black heels and flats. With one pair in each hand she asked,

"Which one do you prefer, Princess?"

"Flats please."

She wobbled in heels. Ino nodded, and walked back in closet. Tenten could hear her fumbling for something.

"Princess! Are you wearing the corset?"

She asked, her voice muffled.

"No."

She answered, her hands involuntarily running down her waist, curved tightly by the dress.

"Really?"

Ino asked incredulously. "I thought you were…but then I found this one in the closet! This is a first!"

She giggled. It was only when she smiled; Tenten could really see the young girl inside of her. When she looked again, she did not see a person there to serve her, to await her or to help her. She saw a free, lovely girl. She felt humiliated that she had forgotten maids and servants had a will and life, succumbing to the riches of her lifestyle.

She had to bite back the urge to smile with her. She was grieving after all.

"Your waist is so thin! I'm envious!"

Ino complained, touching her own slim middle. Tenten blushed and curtsied, "Thank you."

After a while, Tenten asked pivoting back and forth, eyeing the ingenious craftsmanship.

"Who made my dress?"

Ino looked up from rearranging Tenten's silk blankets and pillows.

"It's beautiful isn't it? Lady Hinata crafted it."

Ino said. Hinata. Hinata. She knew she had heard the name drift around the castle, transporting on airy rumors and talk.

"She's the King's firstborn daughter."

Ino replied, Tenten's expression must have been predictable. "Then why refer to her as lady? Is she not monarchy as well?"

Tenten inquired. Ino's smiling façade flickered into bitterness, her words, interlaced with anger, as she replied, "She was exiled from the Royal Family. Just because she was too kind. She aided an innocent 'traitor' escape. Hiashi exiled her afterwards. She works as a seamstress now, and she was a close friend of mine...the only one I had."

Tenten noticed that Ino did not add "His Majesty" in front of the King's name. Though she dared not to correct her.

In a flash, the resentment disappeared from her face, replaced with her normal happy demeanor.

"Let's go, Princess, His Majesty had waited all day."

The two walked silently across the numerous corridors and hallways. The vast structure of the building, decorated with furniture of immense wealth seemed unimaginable. Gold statues stood around every turn, condescending portraits of monarchs that once were, everything, seemed as if it had been touched by Midas.

Never had she seen such a brilliant fantasy materialize before her eyes.

Ino stopped. In front of them was a dead end. Torches that lined up across the hallway quivered, casting strange shadows on the gray brick wall surrounding them. Ino, then swiftly made a few hand signs. Tenten had seen the ninjas in her own village perform them too. It always fascinated her how the simple weaving of their fingers could do something so powerful.

Staring intently, Tenten watched as Ino then said to the wall, her palm pointing at the dead end,

"Open!"

She yelled. The heavy looking wall shifted slightly, sending growling rumbles echoing throughout the hallway. The fire was now dancing wildly.

Slowly, the wall slid open roughly, imitating the sound of two fighting dragons. Inside, Tenten could see that there was another closed entrance a few strides away. Orange light bordered the shape of the almond door, and low voices could be heard from within.

"This is as far as I can go, Princess, His Majesty is inside."

Tenten felt a falter of disappointment when she found out Ino could not accompany her. Disheartened, she slowly approached the door. When soldier opened it, Tenten glanced back. Just as the brick wall was shutting, she could see the friendly silhouette of Ino waving.

The wall hid her figure, as the heated debate came into coherent hearing range.

"Hiashi-dono! Consider the problems! She's the princess of the Land of Acacia! It would be a scandal to adopt her as your own!"

An infuriated voice protested.

"You're Majesty, why was she the only one kept alive in her whole country? You realize that Otogakure troops kill and conquer with no mercy! Why. Is. She. Alive?"

A female voice reasoned. Tenten could hear mumbles of agreement rippling through the mass.

"She could be an enemy! We don't know! Her land is in ruins and adopting her would benefit us nothing!-

"Silence!"

Immediately, the room fell hushed. "Enough." The voice said more softly, broken with emotion.

Tenten recognized the voice as the King's.

She meekly bowed her head low as she entered the room, assemblage with whom she presumed to be Feudal Lords and advisors of the King. Their stern gazes traveled with her, making her cheeks flush warm. Their words had left a deep scar on her heart.

"Your Majesty."

She said, curtsying low, biting back the stings of tears. "You have summoned me."

The uncomfortable atmosphere in the room felt unbearable to her. She could almost taste the thoughts of each of the nobles, and she wanted to cry. Every one of them conveyed the same cold message. "Get out of our land."

Hiashi walked over to her, and lifted her up with his hand, studying her for a moment. As his hand made contact with hers, she immediately felt at ease. A few incoherent whispers floated across the crowd.

You look like your mother.

The sentence shot into her head. The King's lips did not move, yet somehow the words jumped into her head, vividly and clear. Surprised, Tenten looked at the King, who strikingly resembled the Prince. A small smile played on his lips, and his eyes emitted a comforting sort of warmth.

Don't listen to them. They're dried-up prunes awaiting death anyways.

Tenten was confident that this was no trick. It was the King, transferring her message. Stifling a smile, Tenten bowed again.

"Now," the King stated, authority returning to his voice, "We will begin the discussion."

Tenten sat down in the plush, cushioned chair that was directed to her by the door guard. The officials next to her kept staring unnervingly, almost challenging her thoughts. ..

"Now, Kibishi, you may speak."

The King said, nodding at a wrinkled female, her cold eyes filled with knowledge.

"Your Majesty, if I am not wrong, it was five days ago that the Princess had experienced such a tragedy"-her voice fell into a disgusting sludge of mock sympathy-"that would forever change her life. But I really want to understand, why she is alive. Why did Orochimaru spare her?"

Kibishi asked, glaring at nobody in particular. The King gave a nod, "I believe the Princess can help you answer that one, will you, Princess?"

He asked, gesturing gracefully towards Tenten. Feeling nervous, Tenten spoke, her voice wavering.

"Otogakure invaded my country. They slayed whomever would protect the Royal Family. By then, most civilians had deserted us, and our top fighters were killed. They slayed my family,"-she paused; the tears had involuntarily budded across the rim of her eyes-"I think I must have fainted by then, because when I awoke, I found my parents lying in blood. I buried them behind the castle, along with most of the citizens I could find. The invasion troops had left, with most of the valued items and scrolls from the Royal Treasury. They burned down everything reminiscent of the past."

Tenten recalled.

She remembered shoveling and lifting the dirt frantically, her tears splashing onto ground, piling the earth on top of the bodies. Her mind had told her to bury everything. To bury the abstract truth. To bury her pain. And so she did. It was late when she finished. There was a crater in the earth behind the massive pile of dirt that covered the mangled and mulitated corpses. She remembered flinging herself on that cold mound as she wept herself to sleep. She remembered missing her mother so badly, and couldn't grasp that everyone was gone forever. This was a foreign affairs trip her parents would never come back from. The next morning, she woke up, her clothes stained with blood, grass and dirt. She had managed to walk back into the palace, mop up the puddles of semi-dried blood, get changed and bandage up her blisters from the night before, all done in a senseless rapture. Then after a gap of waning emptiness in time, the King had arrived.

The nobles murmured amongst themselves, their voices somehow differed from before. The King nodded his appreciation towards her claim.

"Thank you, princess. Any more discussions or opinions?"

A somber air fell over the crowd. No one could utter another word. The arduous tragedy of Tenten's story put them all to silence. Kishibi was now eyeing the crystal glass of water in front of her intently, her pale face rather blotchy with patches of red. Her expression was deeply troubled, but sincere. Hiashi seemed content.

"Are there any more disagreements among custody?"

Hiashi questioned. Several lords and ladies stirred in their seats, some coughed into balled fists, and others cast darting looks towards the princess. But no one broke the silence.

"Meeting disbanded. Tomorrow the paperwork shall be done; the Princess shall be taken care of by us."

Hiashi confirmed, his eyes resting on the Princess, shrouded in a veil of sorrow, narrowed.

When she made it back to her room, Ino was there, smiling in greeting.

"How was it, Milady?"

Tenten sighed and rubbed her temples. She was feeling fatigue crawling up her body again. The large oak grandfather cloak's ornate hands pointed at forty minutes past eleven o'clock. It would be midnight soon. She wondered how Ino found the strength to smile at such an hour.

"It was fine. I think the King wants to raise me."

She replied, as Ino began to help her untie her dress. A shadow flashed over Ino's features.

He cares for you so much because-

Ino silenced her thoughts. She knew it would cause trouble if she would accidentally leak again. What was in the past should stay buried, and what has happened should remain hidden for as long as it could.

"Hey, I realize this is going to sound absurd…" Tenten asked thoughtfully, eyes narrowed, "but..does the King have…um…telepathy?"

Her words lingered in the air, almost dense enough to be swallowed. Ino burst into merry laughter. Tenten felt a sinking disappointment in her heart. She had imagined those words again?

"I see the King is quite fond of you, for him to use that special ability of his! He rarely speaks in that way to anyone."

Ino exclaimed. Tenten let a momentary lapse of relief flow over her building curiosity.

"Rumors say that he had to train years to perfect that telepathy…He was in the elite class of ANBU, you know, they need such skills to communicate in order for a successful mission!"

Ino continued, beaming with subdued pride at her knowledge.

The ANBU or the mere mention of them would raise praises, even in her own village. So enigmatic, fierce, and strong, they attacked mercilessly, with painted masks of beasts to hide their identities. She remembered having caught a shadowy glimpse of three members, leaping over the large Acacia forests, seemingly flying over each trunk, skimming the leaves.

In a second, they were gone, leaving only the crispy rustling of leaves as they rained down from above.

"The ANBU, huh."

Tenten sighed in awe, looking out the window reflecting back the glow from her own figure. For a moment, the line between imagination and reality stretched. She could see clearly, washed over by silver moonlight, darting shadows jumping high over the treetops, the moon silhouetting their body. In a second, they disappeared. Her heart hardened when a thought slipped into her praise, as she realized…

those were the very same ANBU who had pledged to help protect her country.

The next morning, she found another note, written on thick parchment, in different writing from the one last night, written in a broad, curved-thick print that most high-classed gentleman had. Picking it up groggily, Tenten read,

Princess, I was informed that you have not had a proper tour of the Palace grounds. Please meet me in the garden after you've had breakfast. I will be showing you around.

N. Hyuuga

Tenten read the note over again. And again. On the fourth time she read it, she was certain that this was more of a demand than an invitation.

Heaving herself out of her warm bed, she winced as her bare feet touched the cold, white marble.

How many days had it been since she was orphaned? She couldn't even remember.

Were her loved one's lives really so insignificant to her? Here she was, living in luxury, while they lay cold in the leaden ground, surrounded by the remnants of death and bones.

Bursting through the door with a golden washbasin, Ino greeted, "Bonne Matin, Your Highness! That's how you say "good morning" in French-oh…"

Upon seeing the fresh sadness mirrored in the Princess's eyes, Ino felt her heart recoil. She found herself mesmerized with fear at the pain that seemed to vibrate everywhere.

Momentarily stunned, she found herself at a loss for words.

It was only afterwards, when her throat seemed less rough, when her brain registered through her entire list of vocabulary, she spoke, her eyes still focused on the Princess.

"Are you okay, Highness?"

The Princess gave her a sad-happy smile, bandaging the broken pieces of herself together.

"I'm fine. Please pick out a gown for me. The Prince will be showing me around the estate today."

Ino smiled, swallowing back her earnest concerns.

"Of course! Will it be satin, silk, mesh, velvet or cloth?"

In the morning, the whole Palace was alive. In the corridors, servants bustled around, carrying trays decked with delicacies, piles of marked books and folders, and chatting lively with other servers, their animated conversations made the otherwise steely air light.

The gray stone steps leading out towards the renowned garden glimmered in the sunlight, the round beads of dew scattered on the blades of grass and leaves shone like unearthly jewels. Seasonal flowers bloomed vibrantly, their petals fresh with popping color. She could see a few gardeners hunching over some bushes, pruning them carefully, their straw hats blocking their face from view.

From here, just down the gently, emerald-green slope, the lake glistened; white on cerulean. Surrounding the lake were vast forests of oak, bearing resemblance to the woods of Acacia trees in her own land, stretching over the rolling hills and into the sky.

In the middle of it, stood the Prince. His gold-threaded attire shining brightly, standing posed and firm.

She couldn't hold back the thought, floating into her mind.

He's really good-looking.

She knew the simple thought of it was wrong, but her heart spoke louder than the nagging voice in her head.

He walked over to her, bowing and kissing her hand.

"Welcome, Princess. I trust you've had a pleasant time?"

Tenten lit a fake smile onto her face, and replied, "Very pleasant." Neji gave a slight closing of his pale eyes. Human nature was too easy for him to read.

Liar.

"Well, I trust that Yamanaka-san has showed you the majority of the castle. In the rooms she hasn't shown you…well they're off limits, for now."

Tenten nodded. She understood the hidden meaning in his words. It meant that the rooms were off limits to outsiders such as her. She didn't know why it hurt the way he said it.

The Prince gave a small cough.

"Well, just down the hill, is the Hitomi Lake."

"It's a pretty name…Hitomi."

Tenten said.

Neji looked about uncomfortably, his eyes bitter. "It is a pretty name."

He echoed, his voice sounding tighter than before. He turned around, his back towards her.

Taking note of his discomfort, she quickly pointed at the forest encircling the lake,

"What trees do you have?"

"Generally 'Genus Quercus', some 'Aceraceae'…I think."

He teased, mood lightened, knowing that his vast vocabulary of scientific terms probably outstripped her's by far.

Tenten looked at him, astonished…then angry. Regaining her buried wit, she said,

"If you haven't noticed, Neji, I'm not half as smart as you are."

The Prince's eyes glinted amusedly.

"You should refer to me as 'Your Majesty', Princess, and it means 'oaks' and 'maple'."

He then snorted under his breath, almost inaudibly, "Genius."

"What was that-

She bit her tongue, letting the pain control herself. For a minute there, her impulsive temper had surfaced. She could almost hear her tutors exclaim in frustrated, shrill voices, "Act like a lady!"

She found herself missing the most hated of her instructors badly.

"Sorry, Your Majesty. I beg your pardon."

Tenten apologized, her face pink, curtsying. The amusement plastered on Neji's face almost made her want relapse and say something cheeky back to him.

"Let's make a deal Nine-Nine, or whatever your name was. I'll refer to you as your un-suffixed name, and you have the honor of calling me, Neji. It's an embarrassment to refer to someone like you as 'Her Highness', after all. "

"IT'S T-E-N-T-E-N. And I should be the one complaining!"

She yelled, before covering her mouth. It was getting hard to suppress her personality that she was cursed with from birth. Neji smirked in a mocking manner. Tenten wondered, furious, how he could radiate such mature charm and strength yet still could act like such a bother.

"Ooh, look, it's Princess-y and Neji-the-Slave!"

The two turned around to see Hanabi bound over the field, waving her hands wildly. Her once pretty peach wraparound dress was ripped and stained with dirt, and her fancy hairdo was falling and lopsided, with a bow hanging off of a thin strand of messy hair.

Chasing after her, several desperate waiting-maids, fumbling in their long, hooped skirts, tripping in their heels, and attempting to persuade Hanabi all at the same time, "Majesty, please come back!"

"NEVER!"

She yelled back, before turning to the Prince, "See you Slave, I gotta go!"

As if sparked by fire, Hanabi raced away, before disappearing from sight altogether. The ladies sighed, on the brink of tears, defeated as they walked back into the castle, their attire now as messy as Hanabi's.

"She's a feisty one."

Neji said, shaking his head, "You haven't seen her when she consumes too many sweets."

Tenten couldn't help but smile, even if it was ephemeral.

Standing side-by-side, they strolled along the riverbank, chatting in chastened voices. From a close view, the blue lake seemed to carry fragments of green, unique and unlike any other body of water Tenten had ever viewed...

The path, speckled with smooth pebbles, sank and shifted under their each step. It was calm and serene. The morning fog had mostly faded from the lake top, leaving an arabesque view as the rays of golden-white sunshine fell in on the water, descending deep below. The gentle, redolent of nature embraced them, caressing them with the breeze.

Bubbles emerged in zig-zag lines, from the silver-scaled fishes that swam in swarms, darting from side to side at the slightest movements of the water.

And then, from the lush, deep-green forests, shot out two kunai.

The birds scattered from within the deep trees, calling in startled warning. The tranquility was shattered as a scream pierced through the air. The crimson pattern of blood splashed onto the earth.

A/N: Ooh, cliffhanger! Well, seems like a lot of mysteries so far! Review! I am taking ideas for other pairings you would like me to add in this story! Oh, and if you haven't noticed there are a lot of unanswered questions…if you want to find out the answers, keep in touch! And honestly, thank you all so much. I value your encouragements! Your encouragement makes my day. I know some of my friends have hundreds of reviews, but for me, just knowing somebody out there CARES and LIKES my story and is willing to write feedback…that's enough for me to continue .

~Hanaka Kaneda