Hi guys, long time no see. I am so so sooooo sorryyyy, it's been almost a year since the last update. Everything's been so busy for me, anyways, hope you enjoy this short chapter and I'd like to thank you guys for your patience!
Bold - sounds
italics - thoughts
*Disclaimer: everything besides the plot belongs to Kishimoto-sensei*
"Naruto-kun?" Hinata called. She finished her quick shower and changed into a new kimono just before entering the empty inn room.
Where did he go?
She spotted something small lying on the bed that wasn't there before. It was a piece of paper.
Is this supposed to be a note? I can't read it. Her pale eyes stared at the 'blank' piece of paper, not knowing how she'll know what it said. I could ask one of the workers to read it aloud to me but there could be something secretive written on it. I can't risk it.
She lay on the bed, staring at the piece of paper in her hand. She squinted her eyes to try to read the message but it was no use. Hinata sighed, giving up. If only I could see normally everything would be easier.
She turned around until her stomach was the one that lay against the bed's blanket. Her eyes scanned the room in boredom until they reached the ground. The same white chalk from Naruto's summoning was left out on the wooden floor.
The princess strutted off the bed, coming up with an idea. If I could summon the frog from before, I could make him read it.
With the best of her abilities, Hinata tried to recall how the magic circle looked like. She attempted to draw the same magic circle as the one Naruto drew. I think it looked like this. The circle wasn't perfect – being a tad bit smaller than Naruto's – but it was doable. Her thumb did not bleed no matter how hard she tried to bite it. Instead, she found a pin to prick herself with. Small beads of blood dripped onto the magic circle until it began flowing throughout the whole drawing. A small creature emerged from the bright glow of the magic summoning circle.
However, instead of Gamakichi being there like she anticipated, another frog took his place. This time a smiling yellow toad with orange markings sat in front of the princess.
"Nii-chan is out right now so Gamatatsu is here instead." The frog croaked. He looked around the room for a sign of Naruto. "Huh? Where is Naruto?"
"That's what I'm wondering….." She muttered.
Gamatatsu took a hop closer to Hinata. "Might you be the princess Nii-chan was talking about?"
"I-I guess so. My name is Hinata, Hyuuga Hinata. It's a pleasure to meet you Gamatatsu-san." She held out her finger and shook the toad's tiny hand. "Ano…while I was in the bathroom, it seems that Naruto-kun left, but he left a message on the bed. I'm unable to read so would you kindly recite it out loud for me?" Hinata asked. She handed Gamatatsu the small slip of paper.
Gamatatsu smiled, accepting her wish. "Of course I can! Okay here I go,
'Went to check out the castle, I'll be back soon. I casted a protection barrier over the room; no one can get in. The only ones who are able to enter are only me and you. You'll be safe no matter what. – Naruto'
That's the end." Gamatatsu finished reading the note and handed it back to the princess. "Is there anything else you want me to do?"
Hinata shook her head. "No-no, that's all I needed. Thank you very much Gamatatsu."
"It's not a problem, Hime-sama."
A few seconds went by and the toad was still sitting in front of Hinata. He seemed to be waiting for something.
I think he's waiting for me to send him back. Did Naruto-kun use a spell to send Gamakichi back? I don't remember…Hinata frowned, unsure of what to do next. What if he's stuck here? It'd be all my fault if I can't send him back home.
"Ano…I can't sen-"
"Do you have any snacks, Hime-sama?" The toad interrupted. A low gurgling sound erupted from his small stomach.
Hinata giggled. So that's what he wanted. She got up and went to scavenge her bag for something to eat.
Gamatatsu followed closely behind, cheering for more snacks.
OoOoOo
The wooden stairs creaked with every step Hinata took. It turned out that there was no spell to return the summoned animal back to its home. With their own will, the creature will return on its own. Gamatatsu left in a poof with his new found snacks in hand.
It was only two in the afternoon and Naruto would probably be back in an hour or so. It was enough time for Hinata to adventure out for a while. The invisible protection barrier kept things out but that didn't mean that it also holds things in, meaning Hinata could exit if she wished.
She left their belongings as they were; another theft accident won't happen again with the barrier still intact. Their stuff would be safe.
Her mind was filled with thoughts of the Queen and the Proessa Empire. She was very curious and wanted answers to her questions: how long has she been ruling for? Did she take people every day? How many were taken so far? What is she planning to do with all those people? Many other questions swirled around in her head and needed answering. Perhaps those answers would help in the removal of the Queen.
When she arrived to the lobby, she spotted the inn keeper at the counter. Holding a handkerchief, the elderly man was cleaning his keys and organizing them.
Should I ask him? A part of her wanted to ask him but the other side of her was scared and nervous. But he looks busy..maybe another time or should I ask another person? No! You can do this Hinata, don't make excuses. Just go up and ask.
Following the curious side of herself, Hinata moved forward.
"E-ex-excuse m-me," her voice cracked from her nervous stuttering. She bit her lip in embarrassment. The first thing she said and already she messed it up!
Fernard looked up at his guest with a pleasant smile. "Yes? Is something the matter?" He didn't say anything about the squeak from her voice which eased her nerves.
His attention was towards her now causing her to twiddle her fingers together; a habit she had since she was a child. "I-I w-would like to a-aa-ask a few questions..." She averted eye contact and instead stared at the man's tie.
"Questions? Yes, go right ahead."
"I-it regards the Q-Queen."
When he heard what she said, Fernard shoved his polished keys in a drawer. He walked over to the door behind his desk and urged Hinata to enter.
Hinata hesitated before entering. It was an enclosed room, and anything could happen at any moment.
"The Queen's guards could be anywhere listening in on our conversation. Your question will only be answered if you come in."
Having but no choice, the princess caved in and entered. It was a small room. Hinata suspected that it was his own room. A one-man bed lay in the corner, a small wardrobe at the other and a desk to the side. There were books neatly sorted on a shelf, pictures hung on the wall and desk supplies on the table. Either than that, the room was quite empty.
The man made sure to lock the door after closing it. He noticed the princess staring at the photos on the wall. "That was taken years ago. It's my wife and son." A sad smile graced his lips as he remembered the two people who he loved the most in this world. "Now, take a seat."
The only chair in the room was the one at the desk. Hinata complied and sat down. The inn keeper sat on the grungy bed waiting for her to talk. "Your question?"
"Ano….i-is it n-normal…t-that the Queen takes p-people as slaves?"
"Yes, very normal. She comes every day at three in the afternoon to collect people. If they've committed a crime or went against the rules, the person becomes enslaved to her as punishment. Her majesty states that making use of a person is better than watching them rot in prison." The man paused before continuing to speak. The next bit of information was confidential and he could wind up dead at the Queen's hands. "Now, let me ask a question miss, why are you interested with our country's welfare?" He stared at her questionably.
Hinata thought for a moment, thinking about what to say without blowing out their cover. She couldn't just say that they were going to free the slaves. Nor could she tell Fernard that she needed the information to sabotage the Queen with.
" I- I want to understand the country that I'm m-moving into." It was a lie. She hated lying but that was the only thing she could come up with in the spur of the moment.
"So you need information of the rules and customs here? Very well then, ask to your heart's content. Although I'd recommend not moving here, it's all up to you and your husband." He wanted to prevent the amount of people that the Queen took. Providing her with information will hopefully help her.
Husband?! Is that everyone is looking at us like? She grew beet red and had to fan the heat off to calm down.
"T-then my first question, ha-has it always been like this?"
"No, it hasn't, Queen Alysa was once kind, amusing and an understanding ruler. That was three years ago. She went missing for four months then reappeared with new rules. Many citizens thought that she was kidding around so they paid no heed to the rules. Of course she wasn't joking. They were the first bunch of villagers to become slaves." His words held sorrow and anger. The only child he had was part of that group.
"The only way to free the slaves is to repay their debt, and that's only for the ones who owed money. Those who committed a different felony that can't be repaid must sadly work for the rest of their lives as slaves. It's simple for the wealthy, but for the rest of us, it's hard work. While trying to pay off their debt, we must also pay our own taxes or we also go. Many overwork their bodies and end up dying...just like my wife." Fernard whispered the last part but Hinata had heard it. "And that's the cycle here in Proessa."
"Why not escape the country?"
The man stared at the princess with a very strange look. He looked confused and a tad bit suspicious. Hinata gulped and avoided his gaze. Did I say something wrong?
Finally the man spoke. "Of course, many of us have thought of the idea but you've seen the entrance, haven't you?"
The Leshy had shown them a shortcut through his cave and into the woods. They got in differently than the usual so, she didn't know what he was talking about. Hinata decided to nod quietly.
Seeing that the girl took a while to respond made him more suspicious. Her expression showed that she didn't know what he was talking about. When the couple walked into his inn, there was an odd vibe he got from them. The man wore a mysterious mask and a cloak that hid everything; meanwhile the girl wore luxurious silks that only the finest wore. Just how did she and the man get into the country?
"All entrances are blocked by the Queen's men. There's a long process that takes place if wanting to exit or enter. Entering is easier but it's still difficult. I'm sure you remember even that?"
Hinata nodded once more to keep him from inquiring further about how they got in. Telling the man about the secret entrance would endanger the Leshy's whereabouts and could possibly danger her and Naruto.
Fernard let the topic go although he was still suspicious. Even if he continued, the woman would not tell him any useful information. "Is there anything more you wish to ask?" About half an hour passed and he was worried about the unattended front desk.
"J-just one more p-please." She felt his want to leave but there was one more thing that was bothering her. "How can that many people be captured and kept at the castle?" Most of Meadowford's people were taken; that's like 90% of the population in that town. Plus with the amount of people accumulating for the past three years, it'd be too many to handle. There has to be a limit.
Fernard too did not know. Thoughts of such question had never crossed his mind till now. He only knew that all slaves were brought to the castle. As an answer, he shook his head. "Sorry, I'm afraid I don't know. Is that all?"
Hinata nodded and bowed. "The information you gave helped me a lot. Th-thank you v-very much for your time."
She was escorted out of his room back to the main lobby. She was about to head back to her room when she noticed someone out the window. The inn door swung open and out walked the princess. It was still raining which wasn't a good idea to go out because she just showered, but the person wouldn't have noticed her if she hadn't.
"Yujiyo-san!" She called out to the woman in front of her.
The landlady turned around at the sound of her name being called. A smile graced her lips when she saw Hinata. Yujiyo had just arrived to the city and was looking for Naruto and Hinata. "My-my, you're getting soaked." The woman let Hinata share the wooden umbrella she had. "I just arrived and was looking for you guys. I'm ready to head to the castle." She lifted a large sac full of money and her belongings. "Where's the young lad?"
To ease the elderly woman's load, Hinata offered to carry the sac. "Kitsune left for reasons I can't say. He'll be back soon."
Yujiyo thought for a moment. It was already late in the afternoon, time for most families to have dinner. It was almost time for the castle to close its visiting hours. She didn't have the luxury to wait for who knows how long for Naruto's return. "I'm afraid I can't wait for long. If Kitsune isn't here than I must proceed alone unless you would like to accompany me."
"Ano..." Naruto told her that she should stay at the inn for her safety. And she agreed. However a part of her still wanted to go. She watched how they were treated and the pain they suffered. Hinata wanted to help the prisoners no matter what. It wasn't right to sit around doing nothing while Naruto did everything.
Hinata made up her mind; she will accompany Yujiyo. It was against what they agreed on, but the sun princess felt it was the right thing to do. Now with the information she possessed, Hinata could be of use. If her identity being found out was the problem, then she could change her appearance. Plus, no one knew how the eldest princess of the Sun Empire looked like – save for the select few that served her – it would be fine to go.
"I'll go! Could you spare a couple of minutes? I would like to prepare my belongings before leaving."
Haha, Hinata didn't keep her promise, but it's for a good cause, right? I'm not going to make Hinata just sit back and do nothing while Naruto does everything, that would be just boring. I just wanted this chapter to be focused on Hinata's perspective and for some explanations on Proessa.
And yes, yes, you guys guessed it, the hinted character was Sakura! She'll be appearing in the next chapter and so will Sasuke! Look forward to that.
Originally this was a 6000+ word chapter, but I split it in half, so guess what? The next chapter will be up very soon, and by soon, I mean next week, Friday! Unless I get very impatient and post earlier ;) Yeah, so what did you guys think? I love reading your reviews, it makes me want to write faster.
-Fred
