Over the next few weeks whenever Sari served him his tea Gaara would look up from his work and thank her politely. It wasn't much of an improvement but it made all the difference to Sari that he at least acknowledged her existence and appreciated what she was doing.

One particular night Gaara sat at his desk, working as usual, except tonight he was finding it hard to concentrate. He would be focusing on his paperwork one minute then catch himself staring into space the next. For no reason at all her face would pop into his head. Particularly that irritating smile she did that made her chocolate brown eyes sparkle and seemed to drive all logical thought away.

Frustrated, Gaara sighed and rubbed the back of his neck tiredly. Normally he was one hundred percent focused on the task before him but he had been very busy lately working on an important trade deal with a neighbouring village. The stress must be affecting his mind he reasoned.

Finally admitting defeat Gaara gave up and went downstairs. It was late and everyone should have been in bed but he heard raucous laughter coming from one of the sitting rooms.

Going to investigate Gaara realised it was Sari and Yashamaru talking. Inching closer to the open door he eavesdropped on their conversation.

Sari was talking animatedly obviously telling some story. Yashamaru laughed again. "And then what happened?"

"Well my mother catches me and asks me what I'm doing. So I reply completely innocently 'Just washing the cat.'"

Yashamaru exploded into laughter nearly spilling his cup of sake. "You didn't!"

"I did." Sari nodded almost apologetically "I was a bit of a wilful child growing up, drove my father to distraction. He used to say id never find myself a decent husband if I kept acting like a wild animal rather than a proper lady." She sighed "I guess he was right." She looked away seemingly lost in a moment of regret.

Yashamaru decided to change the subject. "So how did you end up here?"

"Well my mother died when I was young so it was just my father and I. After several bad harvests we couldn't afford to feed ourselves and things were desperate. When the merchants came looking for young girls I knew he was going to sell me, it had always been just a matter of time. They wanted brides to take to the cities across the sea."

Yashamaru frowned "Brides?"

"Yes that's the lie they tell the families but I wasn't fooled. They don't keep brides in cages." She spoke casually but Yashamaru could hear a hard edge of emotion in her voice.

"They dragged us out on a platform, stark naked, to be 'inspected' and bid on. Sold off one by one like livestock. Kankuro-sama bought me and here I am." Yashamaru looked similarly disturbed and disgusted (by her story)

"That's horrible." He said quietly suddenly feeling awkward in the obvious affluence of his surroundings "You poor thing."

"Don't feel sorry for me, I'm one of the lucky ones!" Sari insisted adamantly.

"Lucky? How?"

"I didn't get attacked by the sailors, catch a disease or starve to death on the ship and get thrown overboard." Said Sari counting off the reasons on her fingers. "I didn't get sold to a workhouse or a brothel. I have food, clean clothes and a roof over my head). I am incredibly lucky."

Yashamaru looked at her in surprise but Sari's gaze drifted to the floor. "It's my friends I worry about now." She said quietly. "Who knows what their lives are like now?"

Out in the hallway Gaara silently slipped away from the door and back upstairs before he was discovered. Sari's tragic story had caught him by surprise, he felt stupid for not wondering where she had come from before and it had never occurred to him to ask. Its not as if she appeared in his house by magic.

Realising he knew nothing about her at all, even her last name, Gaara made a mental note to ask her next time they spoke. Build up a repertoire of some sort. Might as well now she was going to be staying here.

He was mildly impressed by her stoicism and how she didn't let her grim past affect her seemingly overwhelming positive outlook on life.

Keen to distract herself Sari changed the topic. "So what's Gaara's story? Why is he the way he is?" she asked curiously.

Yashamaru leaned back in his chair looking thoughtful. "Well long story short, Gaara's mother, my sister, died giving birth to him. His father, the former Kazekage, didn't want anything to do with him so he was raised by me away from his brother and sister. Its only recently that they've developed a relationship.

Gaara grew up with an incredible drive/thirst to prove himself to everyone. He fought tooth and nail to get where he is; sacrificing friends, family, everything. When his father died he went up against Kankuro for the position of Kazekage and ultimately won out. Kankuro's a little too lazy to be Kazekage while Gaara works tirelessly and runs Suna very well."

Sari nodded "Well that explains a lot."

"What do you mean?"

"I could see the very first time I met Gaara-sama that he was guarded. Something about the way he stood, the way he spoke, even the way he looked at you. He's built a wall around himself to keep everyone else away."

"So you think you've got Gaara all figured out do you? Asked Yashamaru, amused.

"No, no I would never assume anything like that. It's just a feeling I got from him. We all build walls of some sort to protect ourselves from getting hurt."

Yashamaru nodded, impressed by her insight. Could this brash, straight-talking girl be the one to break down Gaara's walls? He wondered.

"So what about his...reputation?" Interrupted Sari deciding to get right to the point.

Yashamaru waved his hand dismissively. "Everybody in the village seems to be afraid of Gaara, they think he's some kind of tyrant. But they're all completely misguided by silly rumours. Gaara's just a big softie once you get to know him."

Sari nodded saying nothing. She was disinclined to believe the older mans words. There was nothing soft about the way that severe gaze locked on to you, pinning you down and stripping away any resistance or protest you formerly had. Bending you to his will with just a single threatening look? Normal men don't have that capability.

Sari wondered if it was love or ignorance that allowed Yashamaru this overly rosy view of his nephew. Or more likely a mix of both.