Chapter 1
In the light of the rising dawn a shadow stole across the snow covered grounds of the palace. With their cloaks hood pulled tightly around their face, concealing it from view they moved fast and silently. They left no trace to indicate that they had been there, you would almost believe they had been a ghost if it had not been for the steam rising about their face like dragons breath as they breathed harshly. The shadow had a destination and nothing was stopping them from getting there.
A dark haired man rolled over in bed and sighed heavily at the sound of his brother banging on the door. The man buried his head under the pillow and tried to ignore both his brothers loud banging and shouting and the tears streaming down his face. He was too proud to admit that he was in pain, too proud to admit that this is the hardest day of the year and far too proud to admit that he misses them...especially her. 'Leave me alone' he thought desperately 'tomorrow, tomorrow I will be back to normal but today, please just leave me alone!' He burrowed down in his bed as the sorrow overtook him and the last thing he saw before the darkness consumed him was his brothers anxious face as he burst through the door.
The shadow collapsed with a thud by the edge of the shimmering lake. They had reached their destination. A sudden gust of wind blew the hood from their face revealing a head of hair so blonde that in the light of the rising sun in looks pure white. The hair blows in the wind then settles to reveal that it is spiky and falls to the beginning of their back. A tiny hand as pale as the snow that surrounds the shadow reaches out and wipes snow from a stone in the ground in front of them. "Hello brother, it's that time of the year again. I miss you aniki...so so much. Happy birthday my most precious friend. Say hello to big sister for me too, it's been so much longer since I saw her. Rest in peace dearest brother I wish that we could be together again today, but just like last year I'm afraid it isn't possible. I love you aniki." They whispered as they began to sob.
The man opened his eyes slowly to see his brothers enraged and anxious face. Once his brother saw that he was awake, he pulled back his hand and punch the man in the face. "You asshole! Stop wallowing in self pity! We get it, you miss them, but your not the only one! How do you think I feel? How do you think mother and father feel? Hell how do you think their other friends feel? Stop being so bloody selfish! I get it OK! He's DEAD! She's GONE! Little brother only a miracle will ever mean that the king will allow her to come back. Brother I say this for your own health, it's time to let go." He snarled angrily and then trailed off sadly at the end. The man stared speechless at his brother and then raised his hand slowly to point at the open doorway. "Leave. I will not listen to this anymore. I love her, she will come back. I know it! I will wait for her, so back off!" He said calmly, masking his sheer rage behind a cold facade. His brother looked at him for a moment longer before sighing and leaving. The man rolled over once again and stared out of his window at the rising sun.
The shadow rose from their knees and turned their face towards the sun. The light made their face shine and the tears dripping down their face seem like crystal drops. They pulled a bright orange bandana from the pocket of their cloak and held it to their face as they sobbed. As they took in the woodsy smell of the bandana that never seemed to go away, flashes of memories crossed their mind. They saw an eight and a half year old blonde boy carrying a three and a half year old blonde girl across an old bridge in the middle of summer. They saw cherry blossoms blooming as the same blonde girl sat with the blonde boy and a dark haired boy underneath a cherry blossom tree. Finally they saw the blonde girl and dark haired boy holding hands as they cried in harmony...the blonde boy was nowhere to be seen.
The young man was lost in a haze of memories. Thousands of good and bad times passed through his head as he weeped. He remembered the day he had met his most precious person and his best friend. He remembered the day he had lost them both. The man who was a shadow of everything he once was, remembered every moment in between with perfect clarity. The broken mans pain swallowed him whole once again. He would only be like this on one day each year, but that was enough. He was always waiting, waiting for her...his miracle.
As the shadow turned and walked away just as silently as they had come, the sun illuminated the words written on the stone. Naruto Kazahana, the prince of the snow country lies here by the forever lake. A beloved son, friend and brother. May the will of fire forever be with you.
As the sun rose higher and higher in the sky, the man whispered a silent prayer. "Rest in peace my best friend. Naruto, I hope you're watching out for your sister. Lord knows she needs it. I need her Naruto. Please, find a way to send her back to me. I beg you."