Chapter 2
'I find these walls to be a prison'- Tristan, Tristan & Isolde
The pain faded languidly as Tayuya's eyes fluttered and her consciousness rose from the ocean of exhaustion that weighed down on her.
Her brown eyes opened and she took in her unfamiliar surroundings warily. She was in a luxurious yet simple room. It wasn't overly extravagant like Orochimaru's quarters; the walls were bone white and simple with few decorations, there were plain wooden shelves adorned with weapons and scrolls, and the plain bed she was sleeping on was soft and smooth.
Tayuya tried to sit up but the pain returned full force and left her gasping, hunched over. It was like the effects of the curse mark running through her body all over again. She was almost glad to see that the one constant in her life hadn't left her. Pain was always on her side. She struggled out of the bed feeling the pain, now ignored, distantly.
It just proved she was among the living.
Kimimaro glanced briefly at the ascetic surroundings. He didn't enjoy returning here. He felt like a child again; weak, small, frail. Imprisoned by endless white walls…
Small cautious footsteps reached his hearing, the slap of feet on wood incessant.
"Fucking labyrinth! Where's the goddamn exit?" Tayuya's abrasive tone and vile language was strangely reassuring; at least it distracted him from dark thoughts.
He turned towards the door just as it was rocked from its hinges by Tayuya. One eyebrow raised marginally before the gravity of his glance turned towards the intruder.
She flushed and felt like an impudent child again, for an unexplained reason which only raised her hackles and brought her anger to the forefront.
Tayuya fancied that she could see mocking in his eyes. Coming from Kimimaro, it was unacceptable, he had no right to judge her!
Life had been returned, but it remained the same. Kimmaro remained an unopened keg which contents had been obscured, and Tayuya, volatile, bloodthirsty and shrouded in the chaos that imploded all around her.