Soo something interesting and rather annoying happened during the span of writing this chapter, I discovered that there was already a person in the series with the name Izumi who was romantically interested in Itachi. As it turns out that character was going to be making an appearance at some point soon, and while I could have both of their names be the same that would be confusing, so I'm not. The young woman captured by Shikamaru has the name Inori now (still close to the original), and it is no longer Izumi. If you're reading this long after, then know that Inori's name was once Izumi. Sorry about that.


Chapter 7

The Tourney


"The sword was a very elegant weapon in the days of the samurai.

You had honor and chivalry much like the knights, and yet it was a gruesome and horrific weapon."

-Dustin Diamond


Sakura Haruno

The tourney grounds were located just west of Konoha's walls. Sakura went with her mother, Amane, and Lady Mikoto in a litter with curtains of silk that made her world red. Her father, Lord Fugaku, Itachi, and Shisui rode ahead on their prized stallions while Sasuke got there before daybreak to prepare for the tourney.

"Are you nervous, Lady Mikoto?" Sakura found herself asking as they moved through the city.

"A little, but Sasuke trains with his brother and Shisui whenever he can. I know that he'll do well and do our house proud," she replied, beaming a beautiful smile at her. Her eyes went to the exposed skin around Sakura's neck where her necklace was. "It looks beautiful. It really matches your eyes."

She made sure to wear the necklace Sasuke had bought her. The emerald pendants looked beautiful in the early morning sunlight. "Thank you. Honestly, I was surprised by Sasuke's eye for jewelry."

Lady Mikoto laughed softly. "I might have told him a few things about it as he grew up." Sakura chuckled at the thought of Sasuke being lectured on the intricacies of jewelry.

"It definitely shows, Lady Mikoto," her mother replied earnestly. "It looks incredible on my daughter." That comment made her blush, and she could hear Amane's quiet laughter next to her.

After they arrived at the grounds she took to the stands and sat beside Amane and her mother. The Uchiha household sat close to them. The tourney would be broken into separate events. All the attendees could not fit within the chosen section of the grounds so only the first hundred to arrive were allowed immediate entry. The remaining contestants were to wait for these hundred to finish. Luckily, Sasuke had gotten there early enough to be granted entrance. She could only imagine the bored look on his face right now.

King Hiruzen Sarutobi sat on an ornate chair near the center of the stands, a golden crown atop his grey hair. Her father had once told her that despite the king's old age he was still as strong as an ox, and every bit as deadly on the battlefield as he was when he was younger. Admittedly, it was hard for her to believe. To his right was his son, Prince Asuma, who sat with a woman with long red hair whose identity she could not place. To his left, was the young prince Konohamaru, who she didn't know much about, only that his mother had died in childbirth and his father, the king's late youngest son, had died to an illness while Konohamaru was still young. Flanking the three of them was Sir Kakashi Hatake, the captain Konoha's knights and a member of the king's royal bodyguard. At home, her father's knights would speak of how fearsome Kakashi was and about his triumphant exploits on the battlefield during the last war. The stories they wove made Kakashi like a legend and seeing him for the first time seemed surreal. The green cloak that wrapped around his armor couldn't have looked more impressive to her.

A trumpet sounded, drawing everyone's attention, and the king rose. "Thank you all for coming today, and to the contestants for competing!" His voice was much louder than Sakura thought possible for the man, and it roared and resonated throughout the field. "And thank you all from the Land of Wind, Land of Earth, Land of Water, Kusagakure, and Takigakure especially! I know the road here was long and arduous, but we here in Konoha deeply appreciate your presence! Hopefully by the end of this fortnight, we will all be one step closer for the peace we wish to achieve. This tourney in particular will be special among the previous. It is my pleasure to tell you that my son, Prince Asuma of House Sarutobi, and Princess Mei of House Terumi of the Land of Water are to be wedded at the end of the fortnight concluding the tourney!" Prince Asuma and Princess Mei stood from their spots and waved to the cheering crowd around them.

The king raised his hand and waited for the crowd to silence. "This is a day that will certainly go down in history and will be a driving force for peace in the coming years! But we are here today for the young men that wish to prove themselves on this historic day, so please may the first contestants take the field!"

Two lanky boys stepped forward and gave very sloppy bows to the applauding crowd. Sir Hayate Gekko stepped out on to the field in between them. The two distanced themselves from each other, and the knight commenced the match.

Her first thought was that they were nowhere near as good as Sasuke. Their swings appeared uncalculated, and they moved almost lazily around each other. It didn't take long for one of them to get a lucky hit to the head, knocking the other on the ground, and claiming his victory.

More pairs of contestants fought with names she would soon forget—then with proud steps, Sasuke took to the field. A squire serviced to House Hyuga stepped on the field when his name was called. The match ended quickly. Their swords clashed only for a few seconds before the squire lost his balance, seeing the opportunity, Sasuke swept his leg and was on top of him in an instant, the dull point of the sword at his opponent's neck. Sir Hayate raised Sasuke's hand announcing him as the victor, and she smiled and clapped for him along with the many row of spectators.

"He definitely knows his way around a sword," her mother praised.

More victors were announced as the tourney went on, a squire from House Uchiha, a squire under the royal House of Suna, a boy from a town south of the city, a squire under the royal House of Suna. The next victor, a squire from the Land of Earth had ruthlessly beat into his downed opponent's face to the point where Sir Hayate and a few other guards pulled him away. She watched his opponent stagger to his feet and walk off the field humiliated.

She heard quiet laughter around her, and she turned back just as the next contestants were called. It was a girl. Princess Temari, daughter of Wind Country's king, Rasa, was up against a round-faced boy from Konoha.

She had heard stories of the female warriors from Wind Country. They were called brutish, and lacked elegance that might have been expected. "Beast with tits," she had overheard one of her father's knights say.

The match commenced, and her eyes were immediately drawn to the way she carried herself. She stood with her side facing the boy, and her unused hand placed behind her back. The tourney sword she used looked much slender than her opponent's. The boy laughed along with the crowd and gave his blade a few uninterested swings in her direction, then he asked Hayate if this was a joke—then the metal sang, and the sword flew from his hands. He quickly retrieved it and was only barely able to meet his blade with hers. Snarling, he slammed his sword onto her. Even though princess's sword looked much lighter than his, she deflected easily, and he went in again attempting to claim his victory with brute force. Temari remained impassive as she dodged and deflected the blade. Her footwork was mesmerizing.

"She's good," she heard her father comment. His eyes never left the field, watching the lithe movement the princess displayed.

The princess started counterattacking. She feinted high, then swung low. A swing right that made his position awkward, then she spun and swung left, barely missing him as he jerked back.

She moved like the wind, Sakura thought.

Temari pressed her attack, not giving an inch, and finally with a flurry of confusing motion her sword found its mark and struck him at the neck, causing him to fall to the ground, coughing as he held his throat in pain. Sir Hayate walked over and raised the princess's hand. "Your winner is Princess Temari from Sunagakure!"

The crowd was silent, and Sakura was sure they had never seen a girl perform so well at a tourney before. Then King Hiruzen started clapping with a smile on his face as he commended her, and beside him Prince Asuma, Princess Mei, and Prince Konohamaru joined as well. Then the spectators joined in a scattered, unsure applause.

More matches passed before Sasuke was up again. He was against a large opponent, and Sakura was scared he would be manhandled. But Sasuke was smart, he danced around the blade just out of reach, tiring the larger boy. His opponent swung at his legs but was too far. Sasuke circled right. His opponent turned in place. Sasuke never removed his eyes from him, and Sakura knew it was because one misstep against someone of that size could speak trouble. Eventually his opponent started throwing desperate hacks, hoping one of them would hit, and Sasuke, similar to a snake, found his opening and attacked, shifting his opponent's weight against him and toppling him to the ground; the blade found his throat. The crowd cheered louder this time, and Sakura heard squeals from girls near her.

The matches continued, and once again Princess Temari captivated Sakura in her movements. She smugly wondered what her father's knights were thinking about as they watched. She looked over to the Uchiha, and she saw Itachi and Shisui speaking softly with each other as they watched the match unfold. Then Shisui turned to her with a smirk, and gave her a short wave, causing her face to heat up. She gave a small wave in reply and quickly turned back to see the princess already victorious over her opponent.

Eventually, Sasuke walked onto the field again for his last match. His opponent was a squire from Water country who she remembered doing well earlier. The match started, and Sasuke and the squire's blades met. For what seemed a long time, the two relentlessly swung at each other, but Sasuke's face was focused like he was calculating his moves. Suddenly, it was as though he knew exactly where and how his opponent would swing. His blade connected with the squire's hand before the blade could even start to move again. The sword slid across the ground, and as the squire hurriedly moved to reach for it, Sasuke had his blade already at his throat. Sir Hayate declared him the victor.

The applause came, and she heard the girls from earlier clapping and cheering his name. She thought they would swoon at the sight of him. Sakura felt a strange pang of possessiveness and caught herself glaring at the them.

"Pay them no mind, my lady," Amane gently chided next to her. Her amused grin didn't go unnoticed by Sakura.

King Hiruzen rose from his spot and declared the first wave of contestants completed and called the names of those who would go on to the next phase that would occur three days from now. Sasuke and Princess Temari were among the sixteen names called. There was an applause, then the grounds were cleared for the next wave of contestants.

.

.

.

When they reached her chambers, her handmaidens bombarded her with question after question on how the tourney went.

"Did you enjoy yourself, my lady?"

"How did your betrothed do?"

"Did you see that the Sand Princess entered the tourney?"

Sakura did her best to answer each question, mildly amused at the girls' excitement as they worked at untying the complicated braid in her hair.

"Sasuke did very well, my lady…" the youngest one spoke.

"He did. It was a relief to see." The butterflies in her stomach only ceased when she saw Sasuke effortlessly defeat his first opponent. She knew how skilled he was, but she didn't really have a clear understanding of his skill compared to other.

"He…" She was shushed before she finished.

"Hush, Moegi," one of the older girls, scolded lightly.

Sakura was curious, though. "Let her speak," she couldn't help but say.

"She's been smitten with Sasuke since she first met him years ago," one of the older girls teased with a smirk.

The girl didn't deny it, but her face turned a dark shade of red at the accusation.

"Oh, Moegi, what would Prince Konohamaru say if he knew your feelings for Sasuke."

"Konohamaru and I are just friends!"

The older girl gave Moegi a knowing look, and Sakura smiled at their banter. "Maybe you should give Sasuke a present."

The rest of the girls went silent. "Really?"

Sakura wasn't sure what she was doing, but maybe she saw her old self in that girl, Moegi. To her, she saw the girl as someone unsure about her feelings. "Everyone likes gifts. I'm sure he's no exception."

"…He's your betrothed. I can't do that…"

Sakura smiled and gave her a playful wink. "You should think about it."

After they retied her hair in a different pattern and helped dress her in a new gown, they all left her chambers except for the younger one who straggled behind. "What…do you think I should get him, my lady?" Moegi asked when they were alone.

Sakura chuckled softly. Moegi reminded Sakura of younger self and how she used to gaze at Sasuke from afar, even asking her father when they would be able to go back to visit the Uchihas. "To be honest, I'm not sure myself. I'm sure he'll appreciate any gift you give him."

"You think so?"

"Absolutely," she assured.

Moegi nodded eagerly. "Thank you so much, my lady." The other handmaidens called for her and she scurried off, bowing hastily as she left.

She hoped Sasuke would, is what she should have said because truthfully she didn't know how he would react to the girl. But she found that leaving those thoughts in her head would be for the best.


Kakashi Hatake

Asuma had been missing for nearly four days. Everyone in the castle had been told that he had come down with a sickness and was confined to his chambers until he got better. Of course, Kakashi had an idea where he had gone, but when Kurenai opened the door to her home, she admitted that Asuma had been there, though only stayed for the day and left as night fell. Kakashi had worded his sentences carefully to not hint at the fact that Asuma had been missing for some time. As the days until the tourney wounded down, those who knew about his disappearance only grew more restless.

On the morning of the tourney, however, Asuma had walked into court with his head held tall and confidence in his gait, all the qualities that would befit a prince. The anger and annoyance on the king's face was visible to everyone there.

"We are glad you are feeling better, my son," the king had said slowly.

"I feel much better, Your Grace."

The two had spoken no more and had left soon after for the tourney grounds. Hundreds of contestants crowded around trying to find entrance to the tourney, though only a few were allotted the opportunity to allow for an easier and more organized experience. The first hundred were allowed entrance, the rest were to wait.

Then the king gave his speech and announced Prince Asuma and Princess Mei's betrothal and the eventual wedding at the end of the fortnight. Kakashi let his eyes gaze around him. He could see many shocked expressions, but he also saw glares coming from some highborns, most notably from the Land of Earth. Close to him King Rasa from Wind Country remained impassive and only gave deliberate applause as those around him began to do so.

Asuma and Mei stood and waved to the crowd. Kakashi saw a smile force through the prince's façade. Then the tournament began.

Admittedly, he paid little attention to the matches. He spotted flaws in many of the contestants' posture, sword swing, footwork, and among others. He couldn't help think better swordsmen would exploit them. Should they find themselves on the battlefield, they would die because of those flaws. That was until he saw Sasuke Uchiha methodically attack the weaknesses from a boy squired under House Hyuga.

The boys left block isn't firm enough, Kakashi would think, and a moment later, Sasuke would swing to the boy's left side harder than before. His legs are too close, and Sasuke pushed into him in and threw him off-balance. Sasuke saw the squire's weakness and was taking advantage of them. Sasuke swept the boys legs, and he fell unceremoniously to the ground. Sasuke was on him in a second, the dull sword tip at his throat.

More matches passed, and the princess from Suna surprised everyone the most. Anyone who knew what good swordplay was could see that she possessed talent. Her sideways stance was something that wasn't new to Kakashi. Guy and his squire, Lee, used the style, and during the last war, he saw a fair share of swordsmen from Wind Country utilize the fighting style as well. She was incredibly fluid in her movement. It was King Hiruzen who applauded her victory. There was an unsure applause that emanated from around him, though whispers are what he heard the most. King Rasa only gave a nod as his daughter looked to his direction.

Sixteen contestants from the group eventually went on to the next phase which were told to be begin in three days as the king explained. Then the next round of participants entered, and Kakashi quietly sighed.

The day concluded with half of the tourney's participants having had their matches, they had permitted sixty-four in total to move on the next phase, and tomorrow would be another sixty-four. The grounds had been cleared, and the king and his court had returned to the castle. Asuma had been quiet for nearly rest of the entire day, and Kakashi couldn't help but wonder where he had gone.

"We will speak later, Asuma," the king had told his son before leaving, then it was only he and Asuma within the large throne room.

There was a strained silence between them.

"Where did you go, Asuma?" When the prince did not answer immediately, he added. "I went to see Kurenai and she said you only visited her for a day. You were gone for four."

"It's better that you didn't know."

"Tell me." His voice was stern.

"No." The prince turned to leave, and Kakashi made a move to stop him.

"Asuma—."

"It is not your business to know, Kakashi."

"I am not only charged with protecting the king, but his family as well. Therefore, it is my business."

Asuma shrugged his hand off and didn't look back as he left through the massive double doors.

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.

.

At the conclusion of the second day of the tourney, he pushed opened the doors to the council's chambers and saw the three members and the king shuffling through papers.

"Glad you could join us, Kakashi," the king said. He nodded and sat in the vacant seat next to Danzo.

"I knew your punctuality would be short lived," Homura muttered with a shake of his head.

"You'll have to forgive me. I was a bit preoccupied." And he was. Earlier that day, Kakashi had finally seen how Naruto had progressed. Jiraiya had trained him exceedingly well, something that did not come as a surprise. He had beaten all his opponents with little trouble. As it turned out, so did King Rasa's sons, Prince Gaara and Prince Kankuro, and even Lee as well. Kakashi stayed behind when the day concluded to ensure the field was cleared and that no one lingered. It was only then when a guard had come up to him with word that King Hiruzen had requested the council's presence. He made the long trek from outside Konoha's walls back to the keep.

"Quite," Koharu said simply.

"We're all here now so shall we begin?" King Hiruzen said as he sat back in his chair and crossed his fingers on his lap.

Kakashi was the first to speak. "From the one hundred twenty-eight participants that made it through the first phase of the tourney, sixty-one were from the Land of Fire, twenty-three from Wind, nineteen from Water, fifteen from Earth, six from Takigakure, and the remaining four from Kusagakure."

"That sounds like what we expected." Hiruzen scribbled down the numbers. "What else?"

Danzo spoke next. "Sir Shikamaru and his company have returned. He entered the city soon after the tourney ended today."

"How many from Ame were with him?" The king asked.

"Around a hundred. Men, women, and children. I've permitted them to find a place in the inns until we figure out what to do with them."

"And what do we plan on doing with them? It's good that we assisted them in their escape from Ame, but what do we do with one hundred misplaced nobles?" Kakashi questioned.

"Surely they could find a place in the courts of different loyal house. Their sons could be squires, and their daughters as handmaidens," Koharu offered.

"I have doubts that they would be so willing to work as such," King Hiruzen responded.

"They don't have much of a choice," Homura added. "They have little wealth now. No place to live. No lands. Their own knights turned on them."

"And they owe us," Danzo concluded.

The king nodded. "It would seem so. If need be we could have some of the houses loyal to the throne take a few in as part of their court."

"I'm sure the Ame nobles won't object," Danzo said.

Kakashi knew what Danzo meant when he said that. They can't object. He wondered what Danzo's true intentions for them were.

Koharu looked at him evenly. "And if they do?"

"They won't," was the spymaster's reply.

There was a pregnant pause before Homura asked, suspicion evident in his voice, "What do you have in store for those highborn, Danzo?"

"As Koharu said, it is best they become part of a loyal house's court."

"Do you take us for fools?" the other elder responded heatedly.

Their argument was ended by the king's annoyed voice. "Enough you two. You remind me of children when you bicker. We will continue later on this matter. For now, we allow them to get adjusted to life in Konoha."

Homura and Danzo glared at each other then gave a reluctant nod toward their king.

"Then moving on," Danzo started, "it would also seem that our young captain was the target of an assassination attempt, but was able to repel them with the help of Sir Choza. He was not harmed."

Kakashi knew sending Choza with Shikamaru would turn out to be a good idea. "I imagine the assassin was killed."

"Assassins," Danzo explained. "There were two. One was killed. The other is in a cell beneath the keep. Quite predictably they were affiliated with Ame."

"Has she said anything about this 'invasion' I've been told about," the king questioned.

"Ibiki is working on her now. Any secrets she might have, Ibiki will be sure to reveal them," Danzo said. The statement couldn't have held more truth. Sir Ibiki Morino, member of the king's royal bodyguard, and Master of Torture and Interrogation, was extremely good at what he did.

"And how is Shikamaru doing?" the king asked.

"I only spoke with Sir Choza. He says that Shikamaru is doing well enough."

"Some rest will do that boy good, no doubt," Koharu offered, her motherly side coming out—even if it was barely present anymore.

"Yes, I agree. Sir Kakashi tell him that he'll be on reprieve for a while. I'll leave the length of time to your discretion."

"Of course, Your Grace."

"Something else has been brought to my attention over the past few days. It seems that House Uchiha and House Haruno plan to wed their children."

"Fugaku is marrying Itachi off to Kizashi's daughter?" Homura asked, his scowl cracking through.

"Not Itachi, but Sasuke," the king explained.

"Itachi is his firstborn. It shocks me Kizashi didn't want him instead," Koharu added.

"The Uchiha are a powerful house. The Harunos are well respected, but Lord Fugaku is feared by many of his enemies and even allies. I can't see Lord Kizashi complaining about wedding his daughter into the Uchihas even if it is by Sasuke and not Itachi."

"Kakashi is right, but what's important is why they're wedding the two."

"And what are you suggesting, Homura?" Kakashi replied, eyeing the older man.

"What the only logical explanation of this sudden marriage could be. Or rather, why we are just now learning about it."

"Do you expect House Uchiha to march on Konoha?" Kakashi asked it in jest, but Homura's silence and look he was giving him made his mouth form a stern line. He snorted. "You do…you're paranoia with Uchiha knows no bounds, Homura."

"I think it's entirely possible," Koharu responded. "So maybe we should be worrying about them instead of this imaginary invasion you spoke of, Danzo."

The spymaster scoffed. "I should mention now that a rider came in earlier today from King Onoki's host. The king can't make it. The rider claims that Onoki has urgent matters to attend to back in Iwa, and that he deeply regrets not being able to come."

The king digested the information, rubbing his grey beard. "Should we be worried?" he asked. "Danzo, you said to watch those from the Land of Earth more closely than anyone, right? Would they really wage war on us again?"

"It might be possible. I believe we should be even more diligent now than we have been. It is suspicious that all of a sudden Onoki wouldn't show."

"I'm inclined to agree, Your Grace," Kakashi said. "This is a matter we can't take lightly."

The king turned to Homura and Koharu. "And what of you two?"

Koharu spoke. "I think Danzo is blowing this out of proportion. I trust that Onoki truly has an urgent situation to deal with back home, and wouldn't be so foolhardy to bring our lands into another war."

"My spies relay what they know, and they claim that Earth Country and Ame are dangerous right now. Don't be so naïve to think that everyone in this land wants peace."

"Danzo is right. It is best we proceed as we are. I trust his judgment," the king spoke. "And as for the Uchihas and Harunos, there is no law under the crown that forbids two houses from marrying within the Land of Fire. House Uchiha and House Haruno have served the realm faithfully for decades. There is no reason to assume they would do otherwise."

Homura's scowl deepened further, a feat Kakashi thought impossible. "Have you forgot that it was their ancestor Madara Uchiha who threw the lands into that terrible war."

"I refuse to punish the Uchihas for the sins of their ancestors."

"Not punish, Your Grace" Homura explained. "Regulate. That house is growing strong and in the future could be a serious threat to the balance of power within the lands."

Kakashi spoke plainly. "King Tobirama Senju thought it would be a good idea to 'regulate' House Uchiha, and he almost caused another war because of it."

"There will be no regulation or anything of the sort." The king's voice echoed with a stern sense of finality. "The Uchiha and Haruno are close allies with the crown and will still be treated as such. I will speak with the two houses later. As of right now," he turned to Kakashi, "make sure you keep a close eye for anything suspicious with the contestants, the knights, the lords, anyone. You too, Danzo. I don't intend to take lightly of what your spies say. We will convene later this week," King Hiruzen dismissed them and made for the door.

Homura and Koharu were the next to leave, mumbling about 'those Uchiha' as they shambled away out into the hall.

Danzo's cane tapped the floor lightly as he stood. "I want your opinion on these recent events, Kakashi."

"I've said what I needed to. Let them marry. House Uchiha and its allies won't march on Konoha. It's absurd to think they would, and they would be foolish to do so."

The spymaster turned to him. "That is not what I mean." Danzo's single eye looked at him closely. "What should I do with that woman, Kurenai?"

Kakashi exhaled and clenched his fist. Ever since Orochimaru had told him that Danzo knew of her, he knew the spymaster would confront him with the knowledge at some point. "Are you threatening me, Danzo?"

"I'm not threatening you, Kakashi. I simply asked a question. What should I do with this woman? Tell me. What would you do in my situation?"

"I'd leave her be."

Danzo chuckled at that. "And risk her ruining the prince's marriage with Princess Mei? I think not."

"If you lay a finger on her Danzo…"

"You'll what? Kill me?" He scoffed at that. "I don't plan on killing her, maiming her, or anything of the sort. Just imagine what it would to our poor prince. At least…I hope it never comes to that."

"Then enlighten me, what do you plan on doing with her?"

"At this moment, I'm not too sure. However, I want you to do something for me. Tell her to leave Konoha. Her presence here is a danger to our alliance with the Land of Water. For as long as she's in the city, Prince Asuma will continue to visit her. We can't have that."

"Many rulers have had mistresses before. It's been no secret. And Asuma is a prince, as long as he does his duty to his lands, then why should it matter?"

"True, Asuma is only a prince, but people see him as a paragon of virtue. He is well-loved among the masses. What should happen to his image if it was outed that he holds a mistress?" His cane tapped on the ground as he began his walk for the door. His back faced him as he spoke. "Deal with this, Sir Kakashi. I don't want to have to." And he was gone, leaving Kakashi to his thoughts. A faint sense of trepidation growing in him.


Shikamaru Nara

Sore and tired from the long days of riding, he had arrived in Konoha in the late evening. The second day of the tourney had been concluded, and the streets seemed to bustle with more vendors and merchants than usual.

"Will you see to it that the highborns are taken before Danzo?" he asked Choza.

"Of course, and what of the prisoner?"

"Make sure that she's escorted to the dungeons."

Choza walked closer to him and lowered his voice so that only he could hear. "Are you okay, Shikamaru?" he asked sincerely.

"I'm fine," and that was all he said before he walked away.

Long tables were placed within the Great Hall and many people were eating and chatting with each other in the spacious room. He found Choji and Ino near the back supping on roasted duck, cooked potatoes, and hard cheese, and as he expected, Choji's portions seemed to dwarf hers. They greeted him with smiles he had missed and called to have him brought food. Their conversation had him smiling as Ino recounted how skillful many of the entrants were.

"What about you Shika? How was your mission?" she asked.

"Uninteresting," he lied. He wasn't going to tell him that he killed a man while listening to his partner scream for his life to be spared. He had thought about it often on the return journey, but he didn't want to anymore. He would tell them later—maybe over a strong beer or ale.

"Oh come now! Something interesting must have happened," Ino pouted.

"Nothing." He shrugged, and Choji snickered from his spot.

Food was brought to him, and he ate listening to Ino talk more about the tourney. He had met the girl when he began his training as a squire under Sir Inoichi Yamanaka. She would often watch the two of them train along with her handmaidens. Some point after, he even taught her chess, something he could never get Choji to understand.

Unlike Ino, he knew Choji from a very young age before he had trained with Sir Inoichi. Their fathers were friends and as such, anytime he was able to, he would spend his days with Choji. Oftentimes, he would sit with him and watch the clouds floating overhead. His friend never seemed to mind.

"There's supposed to be a joust tomorrow," Choji said, "to get people excited about the third phase of the tourney two days after."

"Oh yes! I heard gallant knights from all over were supposed to compete in it!" She made a little squeal. "Like Itachi Uchiha!"

Ino had been fascinated with the heir to House Uchiha the first time she had seen him ride. After the Uchiha became knighted, he won the very next joust he entered. No one could withstand him. He recalled Ino squealing as Itachi rode past her, brushing the dark hair from his eyes.

"Do you think he'll win again?" Choji asked. "The competition looks much tougher this time."

"I have faith in his skill!"

Shikamaru smiled. He had missed them.

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.

The nobles from Ame had been given money to rent rooms in the inns found across the city. That was solution Danzo gave until the council figured out what to do with them.

As nightfall came, Shikamaru had changed into more comfortable clothing and sat across from his father, who had been currently winning the majority of the chess games they played. Five more games passed. He won none of them.

Eventually his father asked, "Choza told me what happened. How are you feeling, son?" His father lounged in the chair across from him. The game board was long forgotten as he poured another cup of wine.

The man's lifeless face had invaded his dreams on a few nights during his return journey. Please no! Don't! He recalled her screams often. The blood draining from the man's dying face, the fear in his eyes. He wondered if they would greet him tonight as well.

"I'm fine."

"Are you?"

He didn't respond. There was no need to.

"That was your first right?"

He nodded evenly.

"It gets easier," his father stated calmly.

He wasn't sure if it sat well with him that it actually might.

"Have I told you about my first?"

He had not, so his father took a long drink before he continued. "When I was a boy a bit younger than you, long before I had a spot in the king's royal guard, before I met your mother, and even before the war, as you know I was a fish merchant. Started doing it young. It was pretty easy. Go by the river, catch some fish, sell it at the market. Well as it turns out this other kid wanted to do it too. He saw me as competition, so after I sell all my fish and start walking back home, he comes up behind me and swipes my coin purse. Not a member of the City Watch was around, so I give chase to the little shit, around corners, in alleys, but he was faster me. So I scooped down and picked up a decent size rock about the size of my fist, and I threw at it him. It hit his head, and he lost balance. Ended up falling onto the corner of some steps right on the side of his head. Blood started coming from his nose and his eyes were unfocused, just gazing at the wall. I checked to see if he's breathing, and he was dead. Fortunately for me, no one was around to see it. So I took what he stole, and I ran like hell away from there. Didn't know the boy's name, his family, where he was from. It made it easier."

He knew his father used to be a fishmonger back when he was younger. Nothing too official, only to make quick money. Never had he thought that it would have caused the death of someone, he always thought that his father's first kill was during the war with Earth Country or some bandit on the road.

"They all start to blend together at some point."

"Do you ever regret killing him?"

His father swirled the wine in his cup. "When I went back to the market the day after, I heard some folks talking about a boy they found dead not too far from there. 'He was a good boy' many of them said. I used to think about it often, but then I found myself a nice girl, I got myself a nice son, and I became knighted. There was no time for regret for that boy. What's done is done. Can't go back and change it. If I thought about the family of every man I've killed all time, I'd go mad."

Shikamaru stood after he digested his father's words. "I think I'm going for a walk," he said softly. He felt his father hand patting him on the shoulder in comfort.

"It does get easier."

.

.

.

It was as though his feet brought him here on their own accord. It wasn't often he found himself in the dungeons beneath the castle. There was a putrid stench that hung in the air and dampness on his skin. Torches lined the walls, lighting the way.

He grabbed one of the torches from its sconce and ventured further down into the dark corridors before he encountered the door with lone guard. The dungeon turnkey gave a respectful bow as he addressed him. "Sir Shikamaru what do you need the prisoner for?"

"Go for a walk," he replied as he held out a silver coin.

The guard gave him a hesitant nodded, then grabbed the coin. "Don't make it too long." With his ring of keys, he unlocked the door and left where Shikamaru had come from, twirling the ring on his finger.

The door led to a narrow passageway that winded a few times, and was as dark as pitch save for torchlight in his hand. The stone walls gave out to a spacious room, and the light penetrated only a few feet in front of him. He kept walking until he saw her.

She was chained at the leg and would have been surrounded in complete blackness had it not been for the torchlight. She squinted as he approached, feebly covering her face from the unknown brightness assaulting her. Her hair was matted, and she was slumped on the wall in dirty garments. From the faint orange light, he saw lacerations on her exposed flesh.

Sir Ibiki's work.

The knee he had previously injured had a fresh purple bruise. Most people break at the physical damage, he remembered Ibiki telling him once, but if they held, he would start the mental attrition. It's fascinating how often threats of mental damage rarely seem to have the same effect as threats of physical damage, even when it can cause much more harm. Have you ever seen the moment when a man's mind breaks? Now that's truly fascinating. His father had called him a sadist before, albeit when he was drunk, but he was sure he had even heard Sir Kakashi call Ibiki as such.

He called to her. The girl's eyes were exhausted. It took a while for her to discern who he was, though as soon as she did, a scowl born from recognition grew on her face.

"What do you want?" Her voice was hoarse, and her lips were parched and cracked with dryness.

He went straight to the point. "Why were you sent to kill me?"

She let out a strained laugh that sounded more like an airy wheeze caught in the wind. "Fuck off."

Shikamaru held the waterskin near the torch, and when her eyes squinted in confusion, he gave it a light shake. The sound of the water splashing in the leather caught her ears. "When was the last time Ibiki gave you water? One day? Two?"

She licked her lips. "Almost a day," she muttered.

"Answer my questions, and I'll let you drink."

"And…how do I know it's not poison?" she countered weakly.

He drank only a little to prove the liquid's integrity, and with that she muttered a soft, "Fine," beneath her breath.

"Why were you sent to kill me?" he repeated.

"You were trying to help those who had oppressed us for so long. Konoha needed to be taught a lesson," she answered as though it had been so obvious.

"And who sent you?"

"The Akatsuki."

The group that led Ame now. Had they wanted the highborns dead so much they would kill anyone who attempted to aid them? Was divide in the nobles and commoners that severe? "Am I in anymore danger?"

To that she smirked. "Why? Have you been thinking that a dagger might come at you from the shadows?" she taunted.

Shikamaru remained impassive—but to some extent she was right. "Do you want the water or not? Answer my question," he demanded evenly.

"I don't know if you're in any danger."

"Then is Konoha danger from Ame?"

"I don't know."

He scowled at her answers. "You're lying."

"Am I? Tell me, do you honestly think Ame can launch a successful invasion against the Land of Fire? We're only a city-state."

"Is that what you told Ibiki?"

"It was, and he didn't believe me either."

"And neither do I. Who knows what alliances Ame might have forged. Do you want the water or not?"

"What I tell you is truth. We weren't given much information. I guess that was a good decision on the Angel's part."

He had heard talk about her around camp, normally muttered in contempt by the Ame highborns. Konan her real name was. An orphan raised in the slums that somehow overthrew King Hanzo with an army backing her and her friends. She was talked about often.

"I don't know if Konoha's in danger," she reiterated when he had not said anything for a while.

"I'm sure you know something. No whispers of invasion by the Akatsuki? I know that you know something. Don't make this anymore troublesome than it has to be."

She was silent for a few seconds, or maybe minutes, he wasn't sure, but eventually her head turned, and her eyes locked with his. "This dungeon will probably be my tomb, and I'll die for my cause…just like Haru did. I'll take my secrets with me."

The images of the bloody corpse filled his mind again. Her screams. "Your partner?"

"My husband," she corrected.

Her husband. Her lover. He had killed him. Did they have children? Was family waiting for them back home?

It gets easier.

"There was no way to heal him."

Her expression was that of pure fury. "I don't need your fucking pity! You killed him!" she rasped loudly. "We knew the risks when we left Ame. We had come to terms with what might've happened…We…we were ready to die doing our duty to Ame." She was sobbing now, choking on her last words. "I don't need pity…from my husband's fucking killer!" Her breath was shaky as she breathed deeply. A slow hand reached to her face as she attempted to calm herself. "Leave, I don't want your water anyway." The cuts on her arms gleamed brightly at him.

"Like you…I did my duty but for my king and the people I vowed to protect when I set out on that mission." She didn't respond to that.

He knelt down and handed her the skin. She reached for it slowly with trembling hands and took thirsty gulps, the water dripping down her chin.

"Don't drink it all at once."

Later that night, when he was in the gardens staring up at the dark clouds and stars overhead, he had learned from the whispers of guards that the prisoner, Inori, had been killed. Not by torture or execution but by an unknown assailant that arrived long after he left. An assassin. She was found in dungeons, with her throat sliced open in a bloody smile. Ibiki had been furious.

He wished he were like the clouds, carefree, going with the wind, traveling over hills and valleys. They had a simple existence. He wondered how she went. Was she stoic? Did she beg for her life? Though in the end, he supposed Inori was right. She had taken her secrets to the grave.


Sasuke Uchiha

It was the second day of the tourney, and Itachi insisted that he watched some of the matches to take mental notes for the second phase. He wanted to groan and tell his brother that he had no need, but the truth was he was curious what his competition would be like. Then he saw him. Naruto. He was here. He couldn't help the frown that etched across his lips.

"That's Naruto Uzumaki?" Shisui questioned from beside him. "The boy you trained with as a child, right?"

Sasuke gave a small nod. He watched him. Naruto moved with all the grace of a boar, yet he won his match. His swings were well placed, and his movement was trained. It was to be expected from someone who had trained with both Kakashi and Jiraiya. After an applause, the next pair was out.

King Rasa's son, Gaara, took the field along with a highborn from Konoha. Surprisingly, the prince didn't use the same stance his sister did. The prince held his sword almost lazily. He simply let his arms fall.

The match started. The sword's point whipped toward the prince almost wildly and without finesse or thought. Sasuke wondered if the boy had ever held a sword before in his life. Gaara sidestepped and swung at his opponent's head. It connected with a crack. The highborn stumbled to the ground and landed, face in the dirt. Gaara began walking away before Hayate could finish announcing his victory. His opponent went to try and stand but fell down again. Serving boys had to carry him off with most of his weight leaning on their shoulders.

Both Naruto and the Prince of Suna had three more matches, just like he had the day earlier. The Prince's last match was against a squire from Takigakure. During the first day of matches, whispers from contestants had said that the "Prince born in Sand" was a force to be reckoned with. The prince didn't look like much, and he was sure it was only a rumor spread by those from Wind Country, but then he saw the prince invert the elbow of the squire with his foot, doing so with a sickening crack. Through the chorus of the crowd's gasps and dissent, the screams of the squire penetrated clearly. Many looked away, a few not used to such a sight emptied their stomachs on the ground. A knight from Taki ran to the boy's side while Hayate reluctantly announced the prince's victory.

Shisui's lips held an uncommon frown, but he said nothing.

"He's a brutish boy," was Itachi's only comment, his face indifferent.

The squire's screams could still be heard in the distance as he was carried off. Predictably, there was no applause.

Sixteen were announced to progress. The only ones that really stood out to him were Naruto, Gaara, and a squire to Sir Guy who he had to admit would be a worthy opponent if they fought. He was exceptionally fast, and he even used the same style of swordfighting that Suna's princess used, no doubt learning it from Guy himself.

The next round of entrants took the field, but Sasuke only watched a few more matches before he made his leave. He denied Itachi suggestion on an escort, wanting to be alone. It was true he was without his sword, but even with its absence he was sure he would manage.

As he left the stands, the first thing he noticed was the amount of staring. Not blatant ones, but side glances, or glimpses in his direction from different crowds of people. He was approached by a girl dressed in red velvets trimmed with white, her hair flowed freely down her face.

"My lord," she gave a small curtsey and presented him with a yellow flower, her hands trembling slightly as she held the stem. "Good luck…with the rest of the tourney." She held his gaze for only a few seconds before her eyes found the ground instead. Eventually she withdrew her hand. "I'm…I'm sorry…I should not have—"

"Give me it."

"…My lord?"

"The flower."

"Oh…" Her hands didn't stop their shaking as she handed the yellow flower to him. He plucked it from her grasp.

"What kind is it?"

"I'm…not sure…" she quickly added in a sloppy haste, "my lord!"

He turned the flower over in his hands. "What's your name?"

A smile grew across her lips faster than he thought possible when he asked the question. "My name is Moegi."

The name resonated in his memory. "You're Konohamaru's friend?"

"I'm friends with the prince, yes. I serve as a handmaiden to the ladies in court."

He nodded. "Thank you for the flower, Moegi."

"The pleasure is mine, my lord." She smiled at him before moving back to her friends, who immediately pulled her in with excited hugs and thrilled whispers

She was brave—or perhaps naïve, he wasn't sure. Had he been someone else it may not have ended civilly. He wondered what his father would have done; the stern man had an uninviting presence about him. Then he wondered what Gaara would have done.

He twirled the yellow flower in his fingers. It was delicate in his hand as if a wrong or clumsy move would lob the petals right off. It also looked young, immature almost. Winter was coming soon, and many of the leaves had already changed to a deep red and yellow, so many flowers were dying now, and yet the flower in his hand hadn't even bloomed, that much he could tell.

"Still popular with the girls, huh Sasuke?"

He moved only a few feet before he heard that voice. He knew that voice. It was tempting to walk away at that very moment, to not acknowledge him with so much as a glance, but he heard footsteps approaching. Turning, he saw him. His padded orange surcoat was hard to miss, and coupled with his blond hair, made it easy to recognize the idiot.

Naruto eyed the flower in his hand. "I'm surprised."

"I'm not so cruel to humiliate her in front of a crowd of onlookers," he challenged.

"That's good to hear. Moegi is a good girl. Konohamaru would have probably not taken kindly to that either." When it became clear that Sasuke would not answer, the blond took a tentative step forward, and was quiet for a moment before as if working up courage, "Heh…it looks like we both made it to the second round." There was still no reply, and he let out a nervous laughter and continued. "Though you seem to have more admirers than I do. Like usual."

"What do you want, Naruto?"

"I can't speak with an old friend?"

"I'm busy." He turned to leave when he felt Naruto's hand grab his shoulder.

"Sasuke, wait a second!" Then he heard the familiar sound of a sword scraping against the inside of a scabbard and ringing as it met open air.

"I'd recommend you remove that hand if you don't want to lose it. You're assaulting a lord, boy." Inabi Uchiha held Naruto's hand firmly with his drawn sword in the other. He was a cousin of Sasuke in service to his lord father as a high ranking knight. He was a tall man with dark hair than ran to his shoulders. His armor was steel plate with the color of a dark blue. The cross-shaped scar on his on his right cheek was his most defining feature. It seemed Itachi got him an escort against his wishes anyway. "I said remove it."

They were drawing attention. That was obvious. People were staring at them, and this time they were doing little to hide it. The girl from earlier and her friends had turned to them as well, seeing what would happen next. The flower in his hand felt a thousand times heavier. Sasuke locked eyes with Naruto for what seemed like an eternity, and the blond released his hold.

"They say when two opponents are strong enough they don't need words, they can read each other's thoughts simply through clashing blades. If we meet out there on the field, we'll let our swords talk for us."

"Fine." The conviction in his eyes reminded Sasuke of when they were younger. They would often compete over anything they could, and that same look in his eyes would appear. It made Sasuke angry. Naruto abandoned him to go off and train with Jiraiya. No farewell. Yet even after all these years, after he thought he completely isolated himself from the blond, he still found himself excited at the thought of crossing blades with him. "Just make sure you don't get out by then, Sasuke."

The young Uchiha walked away. He made sure he didn't let Naruto see the smirk on his face. "Tch. Idiot."

.

.

.

It was nightfall when Kakashi sent for him. The knight was without his normal green and red armor that marked his place in the royal guard. He wore only a leather tunic and brown breeches. Kakashi tossed him a tourney sword and struck at him without any greeting.

Even after a year, Sasuke could barely keep up with the Knight-Captain. His swings were a flurry of strong blows. His feints were spectacular, and his footwork impeccable. With each hit, however, Sasuke felt himself adjusting to Kakashi's rhythm, felt himself matching his speed.

"You've gotten better." The metal of the swords clashed as he spoke.

Sasuke answered back with a swing of his own. "I'd hope so."

They stopped for a rest, and Kakashi handed him a skin of water. "You performed nicely yesterday."

"Itachi and Shisui do well to keep my skills honed."

"It would seem so."

They continued to speak with one another exchanging stories. Kakashi's were easily more exciting. He spoke of his time in the Land of Water, visiting Kiri to make arrangements for Prince Asuma's and Princess Mei's wedding. He told of a band of outlaws he had encounter with while there, the Seven Swordsman of the Mist, each having an elaborately designed swords. He told of travels to the city-state of Takigakure, and even travels to Earth Country.

There was a momentary pause before the knight spoke again. "I hear you're to marry Lord Kizashi's daughter."

He had heard plenty of that during his short time in Konoha, mostly within the walls of the castle. Lords and ladies would congratulate him on his betrothal, promising to bring splendid gifts to their wedding. "In the new year, at the first sign of spring," he ended up replying.

"You don't sound too joyous about it."

"Should I be?"

He thought about it for a second. "I don't know. She seems like a good girl. A pretty head on her shoulders. Well educated."

"You've spoken with her?"

"Not necessarily," Kakashi grabbed the skin and took a long draw from it. "But I've heard enough about her to know you could have done much worse."

"I don't need a lecture about this. I get enough of that from my family as it is."

"You do? And tell me what they have to say about it."

Sasuke stood. He could feel the knight-captain's eyes on him. "I wish to train more. My ripostes were sloppy."

Kakashi ignored him and continued. "Some of the guards saw you with that girl during the festival. Said that you two were having a good time. They called you 'love birds.' I couldn't believe it. Sasuke Uchiha madly in love?"

Sasuke swung his sword at the seated knight who was quick to block it. The knight-captain stood bending his back as he stretched. "I'm only teasing," he replied, smiling.

Sasuke struck at him again. "Okay, okay, I'll be sure to stop telling the servants about your two's rumored nightly exploits."

Kakashi chuckled as the Uchiha's swings came harder.

.

.

.

His mother had suggested he invite Sakura to sup with him. At first, Sasuke denied the idea, wanting to eat alone, but his mother knew exactly how crumble his resolve. Before he knew it, he was inviting Sakura to his chambers, the picture of his mother's victorious smile in his mind.

The servants brought roasted chicken, apples sprinkled with crushed nuts, roasted potatoes, and fresh bread colored a golden brown. After they placed a decanter of red wine on the table, they left with a bow.

The two were silent as they ate. Neither of them talked, but Sasuke could see Sakura itching to start up a conversation by the way she was fidgeting. But she never said anything, only putting another piece of bread to her mouth.

He swallowed from his cup. "You weren't at the tourney, today."

Sakura smiled lightly and pushed her potatoes around. "I went into the city with our mothers. They wanted a dress made for me specifically for Prince Asuma and Princess Terumi's wedding, and Lady Mikoto said that she knew a perfect place for it. They say it will be one of the most glamorous events in the land."

He dreaded that he would have to attend. He wasn't one for loud noises, and the thought of it already made his head start to hurt.

"So, uh…was there any good competition?"

"No one that stood out." Truthfully though, since he came back from the tourney grounds, Naruto and Suna's prince, and even Guy's squire had been on his mind. He constantly went over any weaknesses he could find in his head. There weren't many he could notice.

"What did you think of the princess from Wind Country?"

And now that Sakura brought it up, the princess was notable in her skill too. "She's good."

"That's what my father said too."

He would be lying if he said that the blonde had not impressed him. "Her first opponent was an idiot. Had he known what decent swordsmanship was, he would have known not to take her lightly."

"Was she really that good?"

"She definitely shouldn't be underestimated."

Sakura appeared thoughtful for a moment before saying. "That stance she used, I've never seen it before."

"I had asked Kakashi about it when I saw Guy use it for the first time. It favors speed more than anything. It's widely practiced in Wind Country."

Then they were silent again, but it was more comfortable than awkward. The servants came back after a while and removed the plates and uneaten food and the now empty decanter.

As the servants left, Sakura's jade eyes wandered to the yellow flower that lay on the small table under the window. She moved across the room to it, the setting sun casting orange rays over her. "The daffodil is beautiful. Where did you find it?" she asked turning to him. Her eyes looked full of wonder.

"You're knowledgeable of flowers?"

When it came to flora, Sasuke was a novice. He had not known the flower's identity and really wasn't bothered from not knowing. But now that Sakura revealed it to him, he supposed he was a little grateful

"I wouldn't call myself an expert by any means, but as a child, I spent most of time in the gardens. I still do. And the castle libraries had books about the different plants and flowers of Fire country. I couldn't help but read them."

He looked at the flower. "It was given to me."

A playful smile danced across Sakura's pink lips as she turned to him. "By an admirer I presume? Should I be jealous?"

Sasuke snorted. "From some girl. I believe she's friends with Konohamaru."

She picked it up and held it gently in her hands. "She must have been brave to work past her fears and talk to you."

Sasuke gave her a curious glance, but she ignored it, instead touching the stem of the daffodil. "It needs water," she said simply. "It will bloom faster that way."

"Hn."

She eyed him. "You're going to let it die?"

"It will die eventually."

"Then let me have it. It's lovely."

"It wasn't your gift."

"Then give it water."

Sakura stepped closer, and from his chair, Sasuke noticed that she was still wearing that necklace he had bought for her at the market. She smelled of wine. "You're annoying, you know that?"

Grinning, she asked. "So you'll—"

"If I remember."

She chuckled and looked back at the flower in her hands. Why was she so damn persistent about that thing? His thoughts involuntarily leapt to that redhead he met at the town over. Karin was her name. Was it guilt he was feeling right now? Should he feel guilty? They weren't married yet. He was a lord. He was an Uchiha. Why did it matter to him?

"Sakura," he called to her, and her green eyes went to his.

"Hm?" When he did not answer, the smile she wore faded to a look of concern. "Sasuke?"

He sighed. "I'll give it water, if you bring me a vase for it."

She laughed lightly. "I'll be sure not to forget."

So annoying.


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Here's to a new chapter!

Couple of things to mention. I'm going to try and put out a chapter every two weeks, and not my usual chapter per three months. At least until classes start back up. So you know when to expect them. Also I know that I said you'd get some Neji action this chapter, well I lied. My bad. The chapter was already pretty long so I thought I'd just save it for the next chapter. And your favorite young prince Konohamaru will be getting some more time next chapter. I think. Lol. And who wants to see Itachi and Shisui joust?

One more thing, everyone is pretty much in the same place, but as the story progresses they will be separated. I can't wait to write those parts! I hope you're having as much fun readings as I am writing!

Thank you for all the support so far! It really means a lot! And like always tell me how I did and leave a review!