Sakura eyed the group's hideout with a raised eyebrow.
Walking down the uneven steps, she felt the temperature drop, sending a shiver down her spine. The nearly underground cavern was vast, and she could see the dark entrances of individual tunnels leading to Gods-knew-where. The were big holes in the rock of the ceiling, bathing the interior in light, allowing her to take it all in.
The hideout resembled a village more than the headquarters of a rebel group. Hearths burned brightly in every corner, warming the cavern's chilly air, and there were pots hanging above some of them. She could see all kinds of kitchen utensils stacked on wooden tables and chairs, and even washing lines hanging between rocks. A small stream emptied its waters in a well to her right, filling the wide space with the tranquil sound of running water.
Feeling eyes on her, she raised her gaze and looked around. There were people looking down at them, scrutinizing the new arrivals. The alcoves in the moss-covered walls had been turned into makeshift houses with bedding made of burlap and straw. Men and women and children stared at them and it made her wonder what had driven them to go into hiding like this.
How long have they been living like this? And more importantly, why?
These people didn't look like rebels, they didn't look like warriors. What kind of a threat could a bunch of villagers ever be to a King? None of them belonged in a place like this. Children weren't supposed to be raised like this.
She watched a little boy emerge from behind his mother's skirts and run to Rubio, who scooped him up.
"Hey Georgie. You been a good lad for your ma and sisters?"
Sakura smiled at the way the boy nodded enthusiastically before jumping down from Rubio's arms and running to his mother. Her mind flew back to the days when she was but a mere child, and beside herself with excitement to start the Academy. She was so eager to grow up back then. Now, there was nothing she wouldn't give to be able to relive those days of innocent naivety.
"Nice place you got here," Arthur said from beside her. "You trying to set up your own little Kingdom?"
In any other case, she would have snorted at those words, but the gravity of Bedivere's expression stopped her. She furrowed her brow, a strange feeling settling in her gut. Oh boy…
"I'm interested in the one Kingdom we already have. And you should be too."
She observed Arthur as he took a good look at the people around him. They were waiting for him to say something, it was obvious, and she could easily imagine what they wanted to hear. She doubted Arthur would comply so easily, and if she wanted to be frank, she wouldn't have either, had she been in his place.
"Oh, I see what you're doing here." the blonde man said with a chuckle. "You're trying to get me to fight." He glanced at their faces. "But you are mistaken. I haven't been in a fight in a really long time. I'm good at talking though, I'd be happy to talk."
Bill snorted. "Talking doesn't win wars."
"Guess what, I don't win wars either, fellow."
Bedivere stepped forward. "This is not a game, Arthur. You must take responsibility. This is your father's land; this is your fate."
"Let me stop you right there, old chap." He pinned the older man with his gaze. "You've convinced yourselves that I'm the answer to your problems. Hate to break it to you, but I'm not."
Sakura watched the scene unfold with curiosity. She couldn't fault Arthur for his unwillingness to just take the word of these people at face value. He had no ties to any of them or their cause. From what she had gathered, he had been taken in as an orphan boy and raised by prostitutes, never knowing his birth parents or anything else other than the hierarchy of the streets of Londinium. She had stopped by the fishing town herself a little over a year ago. She had been a complete mess back then, not knowing what to do or where to turn, and she had spent a couple of days in Londinium, gathering supplies by stealing them from street vendors.
Hell, perhaps we even passed each other on the streets…
She doubted that though. She wasn't one to forget faces and Arthur was not a man that went unnoticed. She would have remembered him.
"You're trying to get me to do something razzle-dazzle with that sword," he continued, watching each one of the intently as he took careful steps in the chamber. "But I'm gonna tell you right now, I'm not getting drawn into this mess."
Please, princeling, don't do anything stupid…
He stopped in front of Bill. "So, get it through your thick skulls, there's no way I'm going to fight."
Sakura was no fool and she never harbored the delusion that Arthur would simply accept what these people were telling him, but even she didn't see what followed coming.
Arthur punched Bill, catching the man and the rest of them completely by surprise, before proceeding to knee Bedivere in the gut and headbutt Percival. Taking advantage of Bedivere's vulnerable state, he pulled the Sword from its sheath, where it had been resting ever since they had retrieved it.
Rubio's hand flew to his own sword and Sakura saw other men gather around, some of them holding daggers. She rolled her eyes. Way to go, princeling…
She was tempted to go to Bedivere's side and see if the gasping man was alright. Percival didn't look all that good either and judging by the blood on his face, that headbutt had probably broken his nose. Her fingers twitched, but she resisted her medical instincts. She'd stay out of their way and wait until things calmed down.
Bill, who seemed to have shaken off the pain, pulled Rubio's sword from the younger man's hip and stood opposite Arthur. They swung at each other and the medic had to give it to them, they had skill. Arthur was taller and bigger than Bill, but what he lacked in size the older man made up for in speed and swiftness. Their swords clashed and the clang of steel hitting steel seemed to echo in the cave.
She glanced around, noticing that a whole bunch of people had gathered to watch the scene unfold. Tsk…Boys…
A grunt forced her to refocus her attention on the fight. Arthur had managed to hit Bill in the ribs with the butt of his sword, but Bill appeared unfazed and swung at Arthur again.
So much for staying out of their way. Sakura sighed. Alright, this has gone on long enough…
Just as they were about to attack each other again, the woman swiftly took the weapon from Bill's hand before any of them had time to react, and blocked Arthur's swing.
"Stop it, princeling. Time to act like adults."
He took a step back. "This has nothing to do with you." Then his eyes hardened. "But do not think even for a second that I will go easy on you just because you are a woman." He swung at her and she jumped away.
Sakura chuckled. Oh Arthur, how ignorant you are…She rolled her eyes, sighing inwardly. They never want to do it the easy way…
Weighing the sword in her hand and adjusting her grip on the hilt, she aimed for his ribs, but he blocked it, making to grab her. She ducked, slipping away. She wasn't nearly as good as Sasuke or Kakashi-sensei with a sword, but she was proud to say that she was way above average, having spent the better part of her teenage and adult years around blade-obsessed idiots. As skilled as these lads were, they'd never compare to a shinobi. She backflipped to avoid a swing at her legs.
Oh, for the love of all the Gods out there…
They exchanged blows for a bit and when Sakura was sure that she had him where she wanted, she kicked the Sword from his hand in own swift move. Caught by complete surprise, Arthur had no time to react when she got behind him, locking both his arms behind his back. She kicked his feet from under him and he fell face-first, grunting in pain as his body collided with the ground. Still holding his arms in an iron grip and pressing down on his back with her knee, she motioned to Bedivere to pick up the Sword from where it had landed.
Once it was back in its sheath against the man's hip, she leaned in close to Arthur's face. "Now, I'm going to let you go, so make sure not to do anything foolish."
He grunted in discomfort and growled "wench" under his breath in response.
Rolling her eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, she stood and released his hands. "Behave, princeling."
He stood abruptly, though she was sure it wasn't without pain, no matter how well he hid it. He glared at each one of them. "You people are all out of your fucking minds." With that, he turned around and walked out of the cave briskly.
"Shouldn't one of us go after him?" said Rubio and made to follow the fuming blonde, but Sakura stopped him.
Bill snorted. "Where is he gonna go? A couple of the younger lads have taken the horses away to water them and he doesn't know a thing about these woods. He'll get lost before he covers half a mile."
"I'll go, blondie."
The man frowned at her. "Are you sure that's wise, lassie?"
Sakura flashed him a smile. "I wouldn't have come this far if I couldn't handle an overgrown man-child." As she made her way out of the cavern, she looked at Rubio over her shoulder. "Give Percival some bandages and I'll take a look at his injury when I return."
XxxOxOxOxxX
Tracking Arthur, Sakura noted with amusement, was like tracking a raging bull. It was obvious what path he had taken. She chuckled to herself.
"Fucking hell, bloody idiots and their god damn prophecies."
Bingo…
Walking silently through the bushes, she observed him as he paced, angrily running his hand through his hair. He paced for a about two more minutes before he leaned his forehead against a tree bark, sighing deeply.
"Are you finished?"
He looked up abruptly, startled by her presence, and his expression hardened the moment his eyes landed on her.
"What are you doing here?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Looking for you."
Arthur snorted, crossing his arms across his chest. "What, came to rub my face in the dirt again?"
"You should be flattered; I save that move for special occasions only." she said cheekily, hoping to lighten the mood.
"Look at me, I'm ecstatic."
Sakura sighed. Of course, why would it ever be easy? "Look, Arthur, I know you are angry-"
"Angry?" he cut her off, taking a few steps towards her. "I'm fucking furious."
"I know-"
"No, you don't. They're not trying to push this ridiculous old wives' tale on you."
She frowned, meeting his gaze. "Are you blind or do you simply not want to see it?"
"See what?" he growled in exasperation. "Listen woman, I am no savior, no matter what old Bedivere and his sad lot have to say. I want nothing to do with this."
Sakura remained silent for a few seconds, mulling over his words, watching him pace. "You don't get a say in when fate calls upon you. The Sword chose you for a reason, and it should be pretty obvious why."
"To hell with that damn sword. My life was perfectly fine before these people and it will return to normal once I'm out of here."
They both knew that was a lie. No matter what happened next, he'd have to live the rest of his life watching his back wherever he went.
"They risked their lives and everything they have to save you, Arthur."
"I never asked them to."
Sakura clenched her fists at that, her temper flaring. "Yet they still did. So, you better show them some respect, you arrogant fool."
Arthur glared at her and he covered the distance separating them in the blink of an eye. He towered over her and his ice-blue eyes flashed as he looked down at her. She barely reached his shoulder, and they were so close she could feel his chest moving as he breathed, but she stood her ground. Sasori hadn't managed to intimidate her, and Arthur wouldn't either.
"What do you think your father would say, if he were here now?" She was treading dangerous waters, but she only hoped that her words would awaken something in him.
He snorted. "I grew up not knowing him. What makes you think I care about what he'd say?"
"We both know you don't mean that."
"What do you know?" he said through gritted teeth, and she could feel his anger and frustration radiating off him in waves.
She met his gaze, unfaltering. For a moment, she searched his eyes. "I had a home too, you know. A home that I loved and fought and bled for."
He didn't move, but his eyes flashed with interest.
Sakura chuckled humorlessly, turning her head away. "The night before your execution, I overheard Bedivere and the others talking. They didn't know I was there, so I managed to sit and listen to them planning your rescue. You want to know what my first thought was?" She looked up at him again. "Get out of here, Sakura. You don't want to get caught up in the middle of another war."
XxxOxOxOxxX
Arthur blinked in surprise at her words. "Another?"
She nodded. "My home was torn apart by war, Arthur. We fought until we no longer remembered what it was we were fighting for. And in the end, there was nothing left. My village was burned to the ground and all my friends were killed."
The man's eyes widened slightly. But how…He was a hair's breadth away from her, and as he looked down at her, he couldn't for the life of him picture her in the battlefield. It was ridiculous, he realized. She had proven more than once what she was capable off.
But she looks so fragile…So breakable…
"The only reason I'm here right now, is because a person precious to me sacrificed himself to give me another chance at life."
He could see the pain in her eyes. It was right there, right behind her eyelids, threatening to spill down her cheeks.
"And that's why I didn't just leave, that's why I didn't turn my back on you that day. Because I'm no longer living just for myself. I'm also living for all the people that I lost." She took in a deep breath. "And it'll be a cold day in Hell before I disrespect their memory and sacrifice by abandoning those in need."
He didn't know how to reply to that. Honor was something he had never taken seriously. He had never dealt with the honorable, so he had never sought to be one of them. Honor didn't fill the coffers, nor did it keep one's belly full. The world of the streets was a cruel one, honor didn't have a place there.
How…How does she do this?
"This Kingdom is dying, Arthur, and its people are dying with it. Your father's people. Your people. Right now, you're their only hope."
A strange feeling settled in his gut. Guilt. She was looking up at him so earnestly, that he found it hard to be close to her. He averted his gaze and took a step back, putting some distance between them. "I'm no hero."
"No one's asking you to be. All they're asking is for you to be who you were meant to be."
"And that is?"
She smiled. "A King."
Arthur stared at her for a few seconds, trying to decipher what was hiding behind that smile and those green eyes of hers. Yet again, he failed.
The Kingdom and its people are dying…Her words seemed to echo in his mind, turning his stomach into a tight knot. This is such a bloody mess…
He ran a hand through his hair and chuckled. "Damn, I guess I'll have to inform Bedivere that the Sword might have chosen me, but I can't hold on to it without fainting."
Her eyes shone with mirth, and he was glad that all traces of her previous solemn mood were gone. "That's understandable. Even without knowing much about it, I can tell that the blade is powerful. You'll have to learn how to channel and control it."
"And that's where it gets tricky. I don't have a bloody clue as to how I'm going to do that."
"I'll teach you."
His head shot up at her words. "You? Teach me?"
She shrugged. "Let's just say that I do know a few things about powerful weapons." Her smile was wide, and he found himself smirking back at her.
"For a wench, you do seem to know quite a lot."
"Watch it, princeling. There's plenty of dirt to rub your face into around here."
"You'll pay for that one day. My jaw hurts like hell, woman."
She seemed to sober up at that, and her face grew concerned. "Let me take a look at it."
"It's fine, no need-"
"I didn't ask for your permission. Sit down and let me take a look."
Sighing deeply and seeing no point in fighting over this, he followed her instructions and sat down. Kneeling before him, she gently took his face in her hands, running her fingers over the bruises and his sore jaw. Her touch was warm, tender, taking extra care not to cause him any discomfort, and he used this chance to observe her.
Her hair, a peculiar shade of strawberry blonde, was covered in dust, and woven into a long braid as she kept it, it was hard to say how long it really was. His gaze moved from her lips to her small nose, and then he met her eyes. They were the kind of green that pushed its way through the piles of gritty snow as a reminder that spring was coming.
What are you?
"This will only take a moment."
Her voice broke him out of his wandering thoughts. As she cradled his face, he felt a warm sensation flood his body.
"What-"
And then her hands were alight with green fire.
TBC
New chapter, new possibilities!
Hiya, people! I hope you are doing awesome, and that you enjoyed this chapter. Some bonding here between our heroes, and I certainly did enjoy writing the scene where Sakura put Arthur in his place!
Sakura is slowly sharing things about her past and showing off more of her abilities. I can't wait to write a great fight scene where she'll be able to display what she's really capable of.
I won't tire you with any more of my rambling. I hope you liked this chapter. I'd really appreciate it if you took a minute to leave a review. I love reading your thoughts!
Until next time,
Lots of love!