Imagery, imagery, and more imagery. Can you tell that I love imagery?
Amaryllis
Chapter 8: Height
Up and down
"So why all the secrecy, My Lady? Who is the lad?"
"Hm?" said Sakura as she looked through her closet. Her fingers trailed over the soft fabrics as she considered what to wear. They lingered over lines of tiny pearls and transparent swaths of airy linens. After a moment, Sakura turned to regard the smiling servant.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention. What were you asking me?" Sakura added.
"Who is the boy, Lady Sakura? You haven't said anything about him!" she asked again. Plucking one of the garments off the rack, she handed it over to Sakura who took it with a nod.
"Which one, Shizune? They're all boys," responded Sakura with a smirk.
"The boy trailing after you with the look of a frightened puppy. He doesn't look a day over 12," Shizune pretended to scold in a scandalized tone. As she spoke, she pointed downwards. Because downstairs, in the sitting room, Haku was undoubtedly still sitting on the divan, straight-backed and wide-eyed. Haku had been swept off by some of the manservants who scrubbed him clean and dressed him before depositing him in the sitting room. Shizune had offered him some sort of refreshment while he waited and she had struggled not to giggle at his obviously flustered expression.
"Ah. Him. He's a mystery I've yet to solve myself. But he claimed to be in danger in the Mountain Kingdom so I brought him here," Sakura admitted. She shrugged out of her robe, letting it pool on the ground at her feet. At this, Shizune's forehead wrinkled.
"Danger? Is he alright now?" Shizune questioned as she pulled the dress off the hanger.
"He'll be very safe among you ladies, I'm sure," assured Sakura with a smile, effectively ending the short conversation.
Shaking her head with a measure of fondness, Shizune sat Sakura down in front of the mirror to run a wide-toothed comb through her damp hair. Her fingers moved deftly to separate the strands. And as she worked, she spoke to Sakura in the easy, mellow voice she had always used since Sakura had been a little girl. Closing her eyes, Sakura relaxed into the familiar touch and settled into her old habits. Shizune had always been with her, almost like an older sister as she took care of scraped knees and offered her advice.
Sakura dressed slowly and then headed out to meet with her guests for lunch. Haku rushed to his feet when she came down the stairs and seemed determined to shadow each of her footfalls wherever she went. The boy who had always swept through his work with practiced grace suddenly seemed wobbly-kneed and unsure in this strange new place.
On the way, Sakura stopped by Sasori's apartment, only to find him truly slumbering peacefully in his bed. He laid the wrong way across the bed, arms crossed over his face and his feet dangling off the edge. Sasori had only bothered to pull open the top buttons of his new uniform jacket before collapsing in this pose. But a few words and a shake to the shoulder opened his eyes. Stretching languidly, he reached up to swat at a lock of her hair hanging over his face.
"Do we have to entertain? I'm exhausted," he sighed while rolling onto his stomach. Sakura let out a fond sigh. Honestly, he was such a child sometimes.
"I'm afraid that if I leave you like this, you'll grow moss," teased Sakura. And then she let out a humming noise and added, "I'm certain that everyone is tired after a long journey. The welcome feast won't be until tomorrow night so we could all retire to our rooms after lunch."
Comforted somewhat by that suggestion, Sasori slowly sat up. He ran a hand through his messy hair before he suddenly grasped Sakura by the forearms and pulled her forward to plant a kiss to her forehead.
"I'll be along in a bit, darling. Make sure there's some wine for me," he half-mumbled before unleashing a gigantic yawn.
"There's always wine for you," scoffed Sakura in return as she slid off the bed. Beckoning for Haku to follow, she stepped out of the room and onto the smooth walkway. The light patter of his new shoes against the walkway lagged behind the steady tempo of her footsteps.
"Don't worry. This place seems large but you'll adapt quickly," Sakura abruptly said.
"Of course, General," Haku replied. Sakura cast him a measured look over her shoulder. His head was held high and his dark eyes took in everything around him. His gaze met hers and he blinked rapidly. After bathing and changing into clean clothes borrowed from one of the manservants, Haku seemed somewhat more at ease. He was dressed in a cream-colored tunic with long sleeves and matching pants. The leather sandals seemed to be a little unfamiliar to him, judging from his awkward gait. But he touched the beadwork along the collar of the tunic and gave an appreciative noise. And Sakura thought then that she had never seen the boy look happier.
When Sakura smiled, he offered one in return without seeming to understand the expression.
"Where do I put you?" she wondered out loud. Haku's brow rumpled in confusion. But after a moment, Sakura turned her eyes back ahead.
"No matter," she intoned with a wave of her hand, "We'll find a place for you here. Oh, and no need to call me that here."
Haku's eyes widened.
"But, Ge- Um, what do I call you then?" the boy asked.
They stopped in the archway to a rectangular room. Sakura's hand lingered on the side of the archway as she tilted her face toward him. Then, with a smile, she reached out and lightly tapped his cheek with her pointer finger.
"I suppose you wouldn't know this. But here, being a woman isn't a synonym for powerlessness. Call me whatever you'd like, Haku," Sakura said before she slipped past the curtain and into the room. There was only a brief delay before Haku followed. And when he pushed past the curtain, he was staring at her with a wondering expression.
As expected, Naruto was the last to join them. Itachi and Sasuke already sat at the low rectangular table in the middle of the room. There was an array of cushions and mats spread out on the tiled floor in colors ranging from a deep, burnt orange to light turquoise. Small clay bowls painted white sat at intervals along the table, filled with fresh flowers. The bright pink petals glistened when the sunlight slanted in past the billowing curtains. At Sakura's approach, the two brothers, who had not been speaking before, both rose to their feet. But Sakura held up her hand.
"Please. You're my guests. Make yourselves comfortable," she insisted before she sat at the middle of the table. Sasuke and Itachi both sat across from her, their dark eyes roving over the unfamiliar table settings and then to the wall-less room itself. Haku hovered in the archway for a moment before he settled for kneeling some ways behind Sakura. Without looking, Sakura put her hand on the boy's arm and pulled him to sit to her left. There was already a place set for him.
"That goes for you too," added Sakura with a touch of humor to her tone. Haku blushed. Patting his shoulder, Sakura turned back to the two princes who were staring at her. After a long silence, Sasuke and Itachi turned simultaneously to look at each other. And then, surprisingly, it was Itachi that spoke first.
"Pardon me if I am being forward, but you seem somewhat…different, General," observed Itachi.
"Different," Sakura repeated a little unsurely. It was ever-blunt Sasuke who explained.
"You're all prickles and hard edges, usually. But here, you're this regal woman with a friendly smile. Frankly, it's a little unsettling."
Itachi gave his younger brother a look of horror as Sasori settled to the spot on Sakura's right. The red-head caught the tail-end of Sasuke's words and chuckled.
"Says the man who is also all prickles and sharp tongues," snorted Sasori. Sakura pursed her lips so she wouldn't smile.
"Am I really that unfriendly away from home?" queried Sakura as she nudged her cousin. Sasori turned to stare at her with a flat expression.
"Love, if you were any less friendly off this island, you would be waving your sword under everyone's noses. You're a great deal less pleasant," uttered Sasori with absolute sincerity. And then, noticing Naruto enter out of the corner of his eye, Sasori added, "But then again, with the company you usually keep, I can hardly blame you."
Sasuke snorted into his sip of water. As Naruto sat to his left, Sasuke glanced his way and nodded a silent greeting.
Sakura looked up as she felt a light touch on her shoulder. One of the servant girls crouched behind her, her curling hair tucked behind her right ear. Sakura leaned in close to listen to the girl's whisper.
"Yes, we're ready for the food. Thank you," replied Sakura in a soft voice. The girl dipped her head before she rose to her full height and slipped out. No sooner had she disappeared through the doorway that several male servants stepped into the room carrying platters piled with still-steaming fish. Other plates held chunks of fresh fruit in a dazzling rainbow of colors. There were soft, dark breads studded with nuts and sweet bits of dried fruits. Sasori plucked one off the platter before it had even been set down.
"Oh, I've missed these. They only make these when you're home," sighed Sasori as he ripped off a piece and popped it into his mouth. Sakura rolled her eyes while piling food onto her plate. Only when she had helped herself to enough food did any of her guests move to serve themselves.
There were some wary expressions as they looked at the unfamiliar food. But some observation of how Sasori and Sakura ate was enough guidance. And eventually, everyone was making surprised noises of approval as they gorged themselves on the fresh foods.
Conversation ran long after the food was gone and the servants came to refill cups several times before Sakura suggested that everyone return to their rooms to rest. But before she could even think to lie down for a nap, there were servants bombarding her with various messages from so many different people. Exhaling slowly, Sakura motioned for them to follow her. Her nap would have to wait.
There was a thunderstorm late that night. Some of the servants roused themselves to put up the wooden doors and shutters stored away for such rare occasions. It rained frequently on the island and it was rarely severe enough to cause much worry. But the distant thunder promised hard rain. Hard rain and wind did not mix well with open arches.
Sakura sat up in bed, as if jolting from one bad dream into the next.
The rain had made it difficult for her to sleep since the day her parents had passed away. It had been raining on that day too, the servants told her. They had been in a hurry to reach a party thrown by the Yamanaka family. The roads were slick with mud. The horses slipped and the carriage veered off the road and into a ravine.
Pressing a hand to the cold sweat beading down the back of her neck, Sakura's hand reached under her pillow when she heard the door open and close downstairs. Her fingers closed around the handle of the knife always kept hidden under her pillow. But when she heard the rhythm of the footsteps coming up, Sakura relaxed. She busied herself combing her fingers through her tangled hair as Sasori's head of dark red hair appeared. He climbed up the remaining stairs and then sat on the foot of her bed.
His hair was messy and the top buttons of his linen shirt were left undone. Sakura could see the top of the scar that slashed diagonally across his chest. Cheek in his hand, he stared at her from under his messy mop of hair.
"You've been lying to me," he observed.
"About?" prompted Sakura as her hands fell into her lap.
"All those letters you sent home, you assured me that you were doing so well," he began. When Sakura showed no sign of guilt, he continued.
"You're far from fine. I saw you right after the war, Sakura. I know you better than anyone. Your dreams are getting worse," said Sasori without a hint of uncertainty. Sakura turned her head away from him. Sometimes, not usually, but sometimes she hated how well he knew her.
"What would you know?" she asked in a tired voice. Still, Sasori moved over to envelop her in his arms. Rocking her back and forth, he let out a big sigh to match his big heart for her.
"Oh, darling. My lying, adorable cousin, I know so much. And I know that it's alright to want to cry when it gets hard," he murmured. When he kissed the top of her head before resting his cheek there, Sakura felt a few tears slip out.
"How impertinent," she sniffed before she pressed her face into the crook of his elbow.
When Sasori woke in the morning, Sakura was gone. The air smelled sweet and clean in the way that it only did after a night of rain. On the nightstand was a single moonbloom with its rounded petals curving up toward one another. Rising on his elbow, Sasori bit into the sweet flower and let out a sigh.
"I…am such a wonderful person," he declared to no one in particular.
The day after Sakura and her guests arrived in Plumeria, there was a grand feast held in their honor. Sakura and Sasuke sat on the first floor of her apartment, outstretched legs dangling off the edges of the terrace as they watched people run around in their preparations during the day. Sasuke glanced every so often over at Sakura to grimace whenever she plucked a moonbloom out of the bowl beside her and pop it into her mouth. He had watched her, along with several other people, calmly snack on the dangerous flowers like how he ate tomatoes.
"I must confess that I still don't understand how you eat those," admitted Sasuke. When Sakura offered him one of the blue flowers, he shook his head.
"They're toxic," he insisted.
"Not if you eat them like this. Perfectly harmless," Sakura corrected him. The sweet nectar coated her tongue as she chewed.
"Somehow the idea of eating poison, harmless or not, is not very appealing to me," he stated before Sakura shrugged and pulled the bowl back closer to her side. They resumed watching the servants moving about until Sakura glanced over her shoulder. Temari was lingering just in the shadows, leaning on the handle of her spear and staring out at the waters as if daydreaming. Sakura reached back with her arm and Temari's dark blue eyes immediately focused on her. After a moment of hesitation, Temari stepped forward until she was standing behind them. The thud of the butt of her spear on the walkway made Sasuke start. He hadn't heard her soft-soled sandals muting her approach.
"Sasuke, this is my dearest cousin, Temari. Temari, this is my friend, Prince Sasuke," Sakura introduced them. Temari, fist over her heart, bowed her head.
"Very pleased to meet you," replied Sasuke with wide eyes.
"An honor, Prince. Lady Sakura has told us much about you. I am grateful there was such a friend for her even far from home," said Temari with such sincerity that Sasuke was somewhat taken aback. He dipped his head in a bow of his own.
"Temari, there's no need for you to stand the whole time. No one is going to assassinate me here," sighed Sakura. But Temari's eyes narrowed.
"No one has managed to try precisely because I am here, Lady Sakura. I will stand guard. I can only be at ease when I am personally seeing to your safety," the other woman stubbornly insisted. Pursing her lips, Sakura nodded her assent. And then Temari took a few steps back into the shadows to resume her vigil.
"She's normally much more relaxed. She's nervous because she's unfamiliar with all of you. I'm sure she'll feel better after a few days," Sakura explained in a low voice. Her gaze darted back to Temari for a moment and Temari cracked a smile.
"You said she was your cousin? I thought it was just you and Sasori," Sasuke questioned.
"Technically, we're second cousins. But they've lived here since we were so young that we were simply raised as family," explained Sakura with another fond look in Temari's direction.
"She's the eldest. She has two brothers who I'm sure you'll meet tonight. It's a rarity. Women of the Haruno family have very few children. Three is almost unheard of," added Sakura. And though her expression suddenly became very sad, Sasuke did not press her further. After a little while, Sakura finished off the sweet moonblooms and then she stood.
The skirts of her pale yellow dress were flowing and soft. But they ended above her knee in the front while trailing behind her in the back. The stark black of her military boots seemed somewhat out of place along with the delicate swaths of lace trailing out behind her.
"I need to take care of a few errands. Would you like to accompany me?" she offered. But Sasuke shook his head. He stretched his arms languidly over his head.
"I would actually prefer to relax and take in the view for a little longer. I'll see you at the party," Sasuke said. Though Temari made a noise at seeing the prince turn down Sakura's offer, Sakura took no offense. She had actually been half-expecting that he would refuse anyway.
"Very well. Temari?" replied Sakura before she took her leave. As soon as they were out of earshot of the prince, Temari's expression relaxed somewhat.
"He seems acceptable," the taller woman observed.
"More than that. He's actually quite witty. I think you'll like him, Temari," responded Sakura.
"You mean, given that he stays alive long enough for me to grow fond of him. Lady Sakura, about your security-" Temari was interrupted by Sakura's steely look.
"We have soldiers who guard this palace. We are on an island where the biggest threat to anyone's safety is the occasional tropical storm. Temari, I am safe now," Sakura firmly said.
"Sakura," Temari hissed. Sakura stopped dead in her tracks. Temari had never used her name so casually before. And when she turned to look, Sakura found that Temari's eyes were shining with emotion.
"Please. If anything were to happen to you, what would remain of me? Of my brothers?"
A soft smile crossed Sakura's face. Placing her hand directly over Temari's heart, Sakura shook her head.
"I'm indestructible, remember? I won't leave you behind," she promised before she turned and continued walking. And though the concern didn't leave Temari's expression, she squared her shoulders and followed.
When they reached the throne room, the two women heard a loud gasp.
"My dreams have come true. Is this the vision of the lovely Lady Sakura before me? And has she become even more beautiful than before?" gushed Kankuro as he crossed the room in long strides to kiss her cheeks. And then he took both her hands and pressed a kiss to each palm.
"Honestly, I don't know who's worse- you or Sasori," sighed Sakura even as she smiled at him. But then she caught sight of someone else over his shoulder and promptly pulled out of his grasp. Positively beaming, Sakura almost ran across the room to envelop Gaara in an enormous hug. The acting lord, in the middle of reading a document, hadn't noticed her approach. He tensed, shoulders rising up to his ears and his back stiffening until he twisted his head to see pink hair.
"Welcome home, Lady Sakura," he greeted her.
"Thank you, Gaara. It's so wonderful to see you. I feel like I've really come home now that I've seen you," replied Sakura in a voice that radiated warmth. He had grown even taller in her absence. Sakura reached up to pat the top of his head and found that she truly had to stretch just to reach.
"Am I an invisible existence then?" muttered Kankuro. The butt of Temari's spear smacked him in the shin. Eyes watering from the pain, Kankuro shot his sister a glower.
"Preparations are going well, My Lady. Some of the men wanted to catch a boar for you but we managed to convince them to settle for a goat. Temari assumed that you would be sick of pork by now," Gaara reportedly as dutifully as ever. But Sakura shook her head as she took Gaara's hand.
"That can wait. Walk with me," she said instead. No one protested as they followed her out of the throne room. Gaara had held his usual session in the morning, listening to the people's troubles and offering aid when he could. With all that taken care of, there was just enough free time to relax for a bit.
"So, tell me. How have you been?" asked Sakura as she and Gaara headed down the wooden walkway together, hands still linked. Temari and Kankuro walked behind them. Their expressions were deceptively relaxed. Even Kankuro had his arms crossed behind his head as he moved. But Sakura knew they were lingering back to watch for any danger. So it appeared that all her cousins knew about her troubles in Talast.
"Me? I've been very well, My Lady. I wrote to you often," Gaara responded with obvious confusion.
Gaara's hair was a mop of warm red on top of his head. The tips curled and waved slightly. His bright viridian eyes were always outlined with kohl, making them pop more against his fair skin. Overall, Gaara had a very pretty face. Sakura had only seen one or two photos of his mother but she could tell right away that Gaara took after her. After all, Gaara's father was a desert man through and through with his dark hair and his tendency to tan dark during the summer.
"You wrote to me about the island. Not about you. The job isn't always pleasant, is it?" Sakura clarified.
It was a testament to Gaara's good manners that he did not immediately agree. Sakura could see him arguing silently with himself before he met her eyes again.
"It can be trying at times," he reluctantly divulged. But Sakura's smile stayed the same.
"Good. Nothing in this world worth keeping is simple," Sakura quipped before they moved on to a different topic. But she pretended not to notice Gaara's hand tightening around hers as they walked.
"Has your father been giving you trouble?" she guessed without looking at his face. Gaara didn't respond but his siblings' exasperated sighs said enough.
"I'll have a talk with him. Don't endure things when you don't need to," Sakura promised with a scolding for the redhead. And though Gaara kept his eyes on his feet, a smile crept up on his face as he listened to Sakura's lecture.
Dinner was at sundown.
The feast was held on the shores where the sparkling white sand retained the sun's warmth from the day. It was a noisy affair. Many of the city's residents were present, already enjoying the wine and the variety of fruits and breads set out for them. The long table at the very front of the celebrations was covered in a dark maroon tablecloth. Small cones of incense on glass dishes were lit, releasing a smoky, spicy smell into the air. Candles were scattered along the tabletop at intervals, between the canters of wine and the steaming platters of food.
Sakura was late.
Sasuke arrived first and sat where the servants indicated. To his surprise, it was to the seat directly to the right of the centermost one. The place of honor.
And when Itachi arrived a minute or two later, he was seated to the seat directly to the left of the middle. They regarded each other through the empty spot that Sakura would eventually occupy.
Gradually, as the citizens continued their merry party, the members of the Haruno family trickled in to join. They were garbed in rich silks that made their everyday clothes seem poorly made in comparison. Kankuro strode up, chest puffed out and eyes gleaming brightly through the dark kohl lining them. His shirt was nearly transparent and his baggy pants were deep purple that almost bordered on black. From his neck hung several different golden chains that matched the three bangles on his left wrist. The scarf around his head was dark red with tiny golden rings dangling along the lower hem.
"Evening, gentlemen. Have they brought the goat out yet? I would hate to have missed the butchering," greeted Kankuro with a lopsided grin. He directly behind Sakura's empty seat and Itachi noticed that his feet were bare.
"Ah, not yet, I suppose? I'm not quite certain but I haven't noticed a goat," Sasuke replied with some confusion.
"He's teasing. He tries to make everyone think that we kill animals in front of guests," Temari sighed as she appeared and bashed her knuckles into her younger brother's head. Still chortling, Kankuro stooped to snatch a handful of figs off the nearest platter before he walked off into the crowds of commoners.
"Is he not…?" Itachi trailed off, puzzled.
"Kankuro doesn't sit with us," answered Temari without even needing to hear the full question. She stared off at her brother, who picked up a glass of wine and began a pleasant conversation with a cluster of attractive young ladies. One of them said something that made Kankuro throw his head back in a raucous laugh. He offered her the wine and then strolled off to join another conversation, shoulders still shaking from laughter.
"He likes the people. He enjoys spending time with them and learning about their lives," she said. And then her gaze refocused and she gave a cynical sort of smile.
Temari's dress hung from a golden choker around her neck and ended at her feet. It was a long sheath of lilac fabric that made her look even taller than she actually was. Her bare arms and shoulders shone with a dewy glow in the low light except for what looked like a black sun etched into her skin across her left collar bone. Her sandy hair was down, hanging around her face in loose curls. On her arms were stacks of bangles that tinkled musically each time she moved.
She crossed her arms over her chest.
"I suppose it's not the worst thing. He is supposed to take over Father's position as Lady Sakura's treasurer in a few years. He says that if he's going to spend the people's money, it's good to know where it comes from and where it's going," added Temari. Then, with a little bow, she walked over to the far left end of the table and sat. And from her distant gaze, it became clear that she was not interested in talking any further.
Sasuke looked over at Itachi again. But the older brother was looking over at Temari.
"She was barefoot as well," observed Itachi in a low voice that Sasuke nearly missed.
That was the last thing either of the brothers uttered to one another for a long time.
Soon, Sasori arrived, his presence announced by the fragrance of sandalwood.
"You're not eating," he simply said without any previous greeting.
"Wouldn't it be rude to eat without the guest of honor?" queried Itachi in return. At this, Sasori put his hands on his lips and laughed. The stack of three bangles on his right wrist shifted with the movement.
From head to toe, Sasori was the very picture of relaxed comfort. Sasori was garbed in a linen button-up shirt that it seemed he had only bothered to button-up about halfway. On top was an azure vest made from a shimmering, iridescent fabric. The intricate patterns of gold and silver beads along the collars and down the back glittered in the firelight. His trousers were made from the same smooth fabric, coming to a tapered fit just above his ankles. And beneath the edge of the hem, there was a single gold band.
"Friends, you are the honored guests tonight," the admiral corrected. Sasuke scowled.
"But Sakura is the Lady of this whole island. I thought her people would be celebrating her return," he pointed out. Sasori shrugged.
"Truly, the people celebrate her return. But Sakura, she's celebrating you," responded Sasori before he settled in the seat at the other unoccupied end of the table. He raised his hand to Temari in greeting, who smiled in return. Sasori held out his empty cup and Temari flung a grape along the table with absolute precision. The fruit landed in the waiting cup and Sasori tossed it into his mouth with a proud grin.
Naruto joined them shortly, with the same vaguely flustered expression he had been wearing upon first stepping foot on the island. When one of the servants directed him to the spot between Sasuke and Sasori, the red-head barely managed to stop himself from rolling his eyes. Still, Sasuke politely engaged the other prince in conversation. Not only were his parents' instructions to get along with the Regent's son lingering in his head. Sasuke had noticed Sakura's significantly less frosty attitude regarding her cousin these past several weeks and he was following her lead. It amused Sasuke that it seemed that Sasori had not yet picked up on this detail but he chose not to speak on the topic.
It simply wasn't his place.
And then, Temari abruptly rose to her feet. Sasori caught the beginnings of her movement out of the corner of his eyes and also rose. Itachi and Sasuke stared at one another before Itachi shook his head and the brothers chose to remain seated. Naruto rose, though, his cerulean eyes glimmering with wonder and confusion.
"Gaara, you don't have to escort me everywhere. I can get around on my own," laughed Sakura as she lightly pushed his arm.
Itachi's mouth had opened so that he could greet her properly. But all words left his mouth and he was left gaping at her like a fish out of water.
After the summer festival in Talast, Itachi had believed that he had a relatively good understanding of the fashion of the Southern Tea Isle. It hadn't occurred to him that perhaps Sakura was erring more on the side of modesty for the sake of her hosts.
The top half of Sakura's dress was completely sheer, sleeves slipping from her shoulders and falling to her elbows. A decorative bronze breastplate covered her from her chest down to her stomach, the surface etched with flowers and vines. On her wrists were thick gold cuffs that matched with the large golden suns dangling from her ears. Her white skirt ended at her knees in translucent folds that hinted at the lines of her toned thighs.
"No shoes?" Sasuke observed out loud, his eyes darting to his older brother. Itachi nodded.
Instead, the stack of bangles on her left ankle jangled merrily as Sakura settled in her spot between them. Before she greeted anyone else, Sakura grabbed handfuls of figs and shoved them both into the brothers' hands before she picked up another one and bit into it with relish.
"Eat. You've been waiting forever, haven't you? Sasori, didn't I tell you to let them eat?" she called down the table as Gaara sat between Itachi and Temari. Temari ruffled her youngest brother's mop of auburn curls. He was the most modestly dressed of his siblings in a purple tunic and matching pants. The only thing that stood out on his person was the series of gold rings on his fingers.
"Try the goat when it comes out. It's simply divine," Sakura advised Sasuke as she nudged him with her elbow. Sasuke smirked in response.
"I can't say I've ever tried goat before," he replied easily. But then he noticed her gaze flit briefly over to Naruto. Sasuke suddenly found it necessary to use the bathroom and excused himself with a pointed look at Naruto. Sakura seemed torn between amusement and irritation as she stared at Sasuke's retreating back.
"Um… are there any table manners I should know about?" questioned Naruto after a brief silence. His eyes remained fixated mostly on the tabletop, only briefly flickering over to Sakura every now and then.
But his question surprised Sakura. Somehow, the image in her head of her cousin was his obliviousness. It wasn't a blatant rudeness. Rather it was a simple ignorance to the workings of the world around him.
Carelessness, she always called it.
As she held out her goblet for a servant to fill with wine, Sakura thought.
"Relax. Eat. And don't forget to thank the people who serve you," said Sakura. With her last statement, she dipped her head to the servant girl who smiled shyly and backed away from the filled cup.
A grin brightened Naruto's face at those simple words. Something about that bright innocence stung her. Sakura turned away from him, cutting off anything else he wanted to speak to her about.
And to her left, sat Itachi, who was staring at the large pile of mussels that had been placed in front of him.
"Unfamiliar with these?" she asked, pulling him from his surprised stupor.
"Ah. Well, I've read about them," admitted Itachi. Sakura reached over his arm to grasp the serving spoon. When she began spooning the food onto his ceramic dish, her hair brushed against his cheek. It was out of the usual ponytail that she had seemed to eternally tote in Talast. Her hair was longer than he had anticipated. It fell past her shoulders, waving slightly and gleaming with whatever fragrant oils had been combed through it.
"See how the shells are open? They open up when they're fully cooked. You just pulled them apart and then eat the flesh inside," she explained in a low voice, leaning against him to point out the parts of the foreign creature.
Her eyelashes were dark and her lips were painted bright red. And the smell coming from her- floral and perfumed was so powerful. Itachi found his eyes glued to her mouth as she spoke. When she finished speaking, she caught his gaze focused in on her lips and she curled them up in a smile.
"My eyes aren't there, Itachi," she teased with a hint of huskiness to her tone.
Itachi's face erupted bright red. He dropped his mussel onto his plate with a loud clatter that was mostly masked by the chatter and festivities around them.
Returning to his seat, Sasuke noticed the stiff posture of his brother's back and nudged Sakura with his arm. She looked over at him as she sucked a mussel from its shell into her mouth.
"Is my brother alright?" Sasuke queried. Eyes wide with innocence, Sakura blinked at him.
"Why wouldn't he be?" she asked in response.
The rest of dinner was pleasant if rather uneventful until most of the food had been consumed and everyone leaned back in his or her seats to enjoy the feeling of being almost uncomfortably full. Then the performers who had been singing and playing their drums and pipes throughout the night suddenly started again with renewed vigor. The drums were louder, almost insistent in their pounding tempo.
Sakura's entire face lit up as she noticed the change. Rushing to finish the rest of her drink, she rose to her feet and dropped the cup on the table. She touched Itachi's shoulder.
"Dance with me?" she asked. Itachi stared up at her, into the expression of glee that he had never seen on her before. Then, with reluctance, he shook his head.
"I…cannot," he responded as he put his hand over his chest. Disappointment deflated Sakura's look as she remembered his physical condition. And then she nodded slightly.
"Sasori," she called. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Sasori tossed it aside and rose. He grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her into the gathering group of dancers in the middle of the festivities. Itachi watched her hair whip around her head as she spun and clapped her hands. The jingle of her and Sasori's bracelets filled the air with another kind of music. She laughed with her mouth opened wide. Her skirts flew up around her legs as she twirled around and around. And following along with the fast beat of the drums, her feet led her in intricate patterns over the sand.
Kankuro's boisterous roar of laughter rose from elsewhere as he too danced. Even Temari got out of her seat to join in. And as soon as she approached the edge of the group, one of the men offered his hand to her to pull her into the mix.
There was childish delight in Sakura's face as she raised her arms high above her head. She grasped the hands of people as she twirled past them, meeting and separating just as quickly as she moved.
Firelight flickered across Itachi's face as he watched her. Sasuke looked over and the look of stark longing on his brother's face surprised him.
"Oh," Sasuke softly said after a long moment. Tilting his head back out to look at the dancers, he sighed.
"Oh," he said again with a shake of his head.
"Sasuke!" Sakura called out in the middle of the chaos.
Sasuke raised his eyebrows when Sakura beckoned for him. When he hesitated, Sasori also appeared from the crowd to motion for him to join in. Sasuke looked over at his brother again for a long moment, at his thin silhouette and the slump of his shoulders. Sucking in a breath, he rose to his feet. Kicking his feet off into the sand beneath the table, Sasuke moved around the table to join them.
A joyous cry greeted him.
Sakura grabbed his hands and dragged him around and around in circles. Without regard for the rhythm of the wordless song, she moved him until all he could focus on was the dizzying blur of the white stars circling around in the black sky. The smells of woodsmoke and food and perfume mixed in his nose in an almost overwhelming combination. And when Sakura's hands let him go, Sasuke found that someone else was taking his hands now.
He didn't realize that he was laughing until he felt the cool air in his open mouth.
When he looked again at the table, Itachi's spot was empty.
The day after the feast, Sakura sat on the terrace, nursing the vestiges of her hangover with a cup of tea. She heard the splash of oars nearby and asked the servant girl to bring another teacup. Sakura waited patiently for the blurring shape to travel through the clear waters until, with a loud splash, Sasori surfaced. He hoisted himself up onto the wooden walkway, water dripping down his face and into his eyes. Wringing most of the water from his clothes, he raised his hand in greeting.
"You and I should have married," Sasori sighed as he sank into the pile of cushions across from her. He wiped water from his eyes and then sneezed once. Sakura raised an eyebrow over the rim of her teacup.
"Good morning to you too," she answered with a wry smile. She gestured toward the tea and the fruits sitting on the table between them but Sasori shook his head. Instead, he let out an agitated breath.
"I mean it," he insisted. He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees.
"If you're trying to woo me, I'm letting you know that you are doing an awful job right now," she told him. Sasori shot her a brief glower. Only then did Sakura's smile fade as well. She set her teacup down.
"And then what, Cousin? If we married, we might as well openly declare rebellion against the King," she said.
"We might as well. It would be a strong match," a low mutter answered her.
"Too strong," she agreed as her smile returned.
"And we'd have beautiful children," added Sasori in a lighter tone.
"I'd like to remind you that incest is frowned upon," Sakura noted. Sasori scoffed.
"All nobility is related from all the intermarriage. There's not much difference between marrying me and marrying the Count of some obscure territory. Besides, we're cousins. That's not forbidden," he sniffed. Sakura rolled her eyes.
"And you wouldn't feel strange at all about it?" Sakura demanded. Sasori shrugged.
"I would perform my husbandly duties without complai-" Sakura interrupted him by throwing a sugar cube at him. He snatched it out of the air and popped it into his mouth with a smug expression.
"Pig," she pretended to scold him. Running his hand through his soaked hair, he squinted against the morning sun.
"At any rate, you know that I'm not looking into marriage until I've sorted out all of this," added Sakura, gesturing around with a vague flap of her hand. But Sasori understood. He had known her for too long not to.
They sat in comfortable silence for a while. Only when Sakura had gotten halfway through her tea did a thought occur to her.
"But where did this come from? You're not the type to propose marriage to me without reason. That would be the Marquis of Sunpoint. What happened?" questioned Sakura. Sasori's face scrunched up.
"To be perfectly honest, dear. I passed that dreadful pumpkin of a prince on the way here and he called me 'cousin'. He was wearing the most garish shade of orange. And I honestly considered tossing him into the sea before I realized that even I can't get away with murder so easily," Sasori sighed. At this, Sakura threw her head back and laughed.
"And so your conclusion was that if we married, we'd have a union against the Regent so strong that you could get away with murdering his only child and heir?" asked Sakura. Sasori cracked a smile.
"Admittedly, hunger might have something to do with my bizarre thought process," relented Sasori before he snatched a handful of grapes from the platter and tossed one up in the air to catch in his mouth.
They finished their breakfast amidst pleasant conversation before Sasori excused himself.
"Why? I was going to ask you to go to the market with me," she said as she watched Sasori rise to his feet. She made no move to stop him, however.
Shooting her a pointed look, Sasori teased, "Isn't there someone else you'd rather ask?"
And then, waving his hand, he walked off.
Sakura pursed her lips, unsure whether to be annoyed with her cousin's joke or not. She lingered over her empty teacup for a few extra minutes, thinking. Drumming her fingers against her thigh, she considered her options.
"Shizune?" Sakura called out. But there was no response.
Taking a deep breath, she finally stood.
After a few minutes of searching, and after checking up on Haku, who Sakura had finally decided to place in the kitchen for a trial period, one of the girls informed Sakura that they had seen Prince Itachi that morning. Sakura strode off, hands linked behind her as she moved.
Thankfully, Itachi hadn't moved from the terrace that a few neighboring guest apartments shared. He sat thoughtfully examining the food on his plate, his left hand tucked under his chin as he took notes in a tiny notebook.
"They're called bananas," Sakura said.
Itachi's head whipped around as he instinctively hid the notepad. When their eyes met, she smiled.
"They're actually quite common in the tropics. Have you ever had one before?"
"I haven't had the opportunity," admitted the prince as he looked down at the food again.
"They're soft and sweet. I'm actually quite fond of them," Sakura encouraged him, leaning over to nudge the fork toward him. Without complaint, Itachi picked up the utensil to spear a disk of banana on the prongs. Itachi's eyes widened as he chewed the strange fruit. Sakura watched his wondering expressions with a half-suppressed laugh. She waited for him to swallow the bite before she brought up her next words.
"Would you like to come into the market with me? There is plenty more for you to try," Sakura offered.
"I assumed that you would be quite busy upon returning home. It wouldn't be an imposition?" he inquired even as his eyes lit up at the thought.
"To be honest, my cousins have done a very good job keeping things in order. However, going into the market is not completely for leisure. I need to meet with the merchants and see how they're doing. I need to see how trade is, how profits have been. No one knows money better than the people who earn it," Sakura confessed.
Itachi looked around as he considered.
"I would like that," he responded.
Sakura waited for him to finish his breakfast and to dress before they walked out past the palace gates and out into the bustling city. For Itachi, who had grown up with the barrier of an entire mountain to separate the castle from the people, the closeness was probably jarring. But for Sakura, to have her beloved citizens within arm's reach was comforting. And the people seemed equally pleased about the closeness.
"The Duchess is home!"
"My Lady! Please come taste our bread!"
"My Lady, we have new silks in stock!"
Sakura slipped her arm into Itachi's, resting her hand inside his elbow. Her hand was warm and her gold bangles were cool against his skin.
"So we don't get separated," she murmured into his ear before she led him on through the crowds.
Her hair was loose, falling down her back in soft waves. There was a thin chain of gold around her neck that draped down between her shoulder blades. Her blouse was transparent enough that Itachi could see the soft tan of her skin underneath. But underneath, she wore the thick white breeches and lace-up boots of a soldier.
There was a certain dissonance to Sakura. Pink hair and a decorated military uniform. Dangling gold earrings and a sword hanging from her belt.
Feeling the stare on the side of her face, she tilted her head to look at him.
"Are you alright? Do you need to sit and rest?" Sakura asked. Itachi shook his head.
There was no way he was willing to pull her out of this strange new world where she seemed to fit in perfectly.
Each stall held a new wonder. Strangely colored fruits with new smells and flavors were displayed. Some merchants displayed bolts of fabric in deep burnt shades of reds and purples while others sold only pastel colors with intricate designs. Jewelry was everywhere too. Pearls and tourmaline were in abundance. The other gems were present as well but rarer and the price was higher to match.
The smells of baking bread rose high into the air. And Itachi even glimpsed some women sweating over a stone oven and kneading pale dough into various shapes. Sacks filled with red and yellow powder sat on display beside scales that merchants always seemed to obsessively testing and re-testing.
The people they met were just as new and dazzling. Itachi took in their sun-kissed skin and their dark hair. He had always thought Sakura was somewhat dark, but the working people were roasted by hours in the sun until their skin gleamed like finely polished wood. Their eyes, though sometimes were as black as his, were also pale green and blue. Some had eyes a color between green and brown that Itachi had never seen before. They all spoke the same language as him, but some had a trace of an accent, a more fluid noise that clung to some of the syllables.
Some of the merchants examined his face with wonder, clearly finding him as remarkable as he found them. And while some people simply looked and others gushed about his looks, the rest filled his hands with gifts. He received pastries warm from the oven, samples of fine silk, and little trinkets of jewelry. Bewildered by such generosity, Itachi looked over at Sakura, who was even more laden with presents. She simply smiled.
"Watch," she said. And then she pulled them away from the middle of the street and toward the side, where Itachi realized children stood, backs pressed to the walls. At Sakura's approach, their eyes lit up.
"Presents. Be sure to share," Sakura instructed them as she distributed the goods into their outstretched hands.
And Itachi couldn't stop staring at her open smile, at the softness in her expression as she watched the children crowd around her to press their dirty hands to her legs in their tiny hugs. This was a side to Sakura that he had never seen before.
But as they continued their stroll down the market and as he listened to Sakura stop and ask questions to some merchants, he felt his chest grow tight. Suddenly, there were so many people around him. It felt so cramped and then the sky was falling and spinning the wrong way. Sucking in a breath, he only felt the invisible hand constrict more and more around his lungs. As he let out a shaky cough, Sakura, who had been facing away from him, turned her head slightly to him. When he broke into panicked gasps, Sakura immediately broke off her conversation. She grabbed him just as his knees began to buckle.
"Fool," she whispered as she pressed her lips to his. She blew into his open mouth. He felt the cool air against his tongue and teeth. And then she inhaled deeply through her nose to do it again. And gradually, he felt his own breaths calming. He listened to her inhale and exhale slowly and he tried to match his own rhythm to hers. When the world finally ceased tilting on a strange axis, he tightened his grip on Sakura's hand. Slowly, she pulled her lips apart from his.
"You should have told me. We're taking a break," Sakura scolded him.
With a few well-chosen words, Sakura dispersed the worrying crowd. She helped him to his feet, pulling him with surprising strength.
They sat on the far edge of the docks for a while, away from the noise of the marketplace. The chatter and din was just a faint background noise from here. Her legs hung off the edge of the pier. It was high tide so Sakura rolled her breeches up and plunged her bare feet into the cool water up to her ankles. Her boots sat neatly beside her. Itachi sat beside her with his legs folded underneath him.
"I'm sorry. That must have been a little overwhelming for you," said Sakura after a long silence of listening to the waves crash on the shore.
"I actually enjoyed it very much. This is something I've never had a chance to experience before," replied Itachi. Then he glanced at her.
"I'm the one who should apologize. I interfered with your work," he added. Sakura seemed unconcerned with any of that.
"The merchants will be there today and the day after and for many days after. I did not expect to finish my rounds in one day," Sakura assured him. Her hand rested on the dock between them and Itachi stole a brief look at it.
"Your people seem to love you. It seems you have a way with them," Itachi said, attempting to change the topic.
"You're sweet," laughed Sakura, "Do you talk to all your women this way?"
At that, Itachi cleared this throat with obvious discomfort.
"To be honest, I haven't spoken to many women before. Not many of them accidentally stumble into my room on a regular basis," he responded.
"I consider myself fortunate. I could have wandered into any disgusting old man's room. Instead, I get you," Sakura stated in a light-hearted voice.
And Itachi was, to be very honest, quite beautiful. He had long eyelashes and shining dark hair that framed his small face. His nose was straight and his cheekbones high. Sakura looked down at their joined hands. Her tanned skin looked so much darker than his. She could even see the blue lines of his blood vessels trailing up from his wrist.
"I'm not quite certain being compared to an old man is actually a compliment," he quipped even as a faint blush rose to his cheeks.
"Don't worry, Prince. I think you're rather cute," murmured Sakura before she leaned in and pressed her lips carefully against his.
"But we're in public. Everyone will see us," Itachi pointed out as his cheeks grew redder.
"Yes, they will," agreed Sakura as she kissed him again.
"And you're alright with that?" he asked. Sensing that he was clearly more in the mood for words, Sakura drew back with a fond sort of sigh.
"I have never seen happy people under a ruler who lies to them," Sakura simply said.
"Do you mean to say that you have no secrets from your people?" Itachi questioned, his embarrassment forgotten. Sakura's gaze grew distant as she turned to look out at the water.
"My hands are more stained than anyone else's, Prince. They understand this quite well," Sakura admitted in a soft voice. Her head turned when she felt his hand squeeze gently around hers.
"It's Itachi, Sakura," he reminded her.
Sakura cracked a smile.
With Sakura's words from earlier in the day lingering in his mind, when Itachi found him in the company of just his younger brother and Sasori, he found the courage to ask. Their pleasant conversation over tea and snacks after dinner had reached a pleasant lull and Itachi took the opportunity to pose his words as carefully as he could.
"Admiral, you're quite close to the General, are you not?" questioned Itachi. Eyebrows rose. The older sibling was not usually the first to initiate conversation. However, Sasori replied.
"Correct, Prince. Is there something on your mind?"
Sasuke looked intrigued as well.
Itachi looked down into his teacup. There were flower petals drifting on top of the dark red liquid.
"The Gene- Sakura told me earlier today that her hands are more stained than anyone else's. I thought that you, of all people, would know the story behind that," he picked the words delicately.
There was another pause. Sasuke also looked expectantly toward Sasori. Only Sasori took a long sip of his tea, his dark gold eyes as unreadable as ever. He slowly set the teacup down on the table before he put his hands up on the armrests of his chair.
"Sakura executed three of her own men," uttered Sasori without warning.
His words sliced through the calm.
"What do you mean?" It was Itachi that asked in a strained whisper. Sasuke's lips were frozen.
"Sakura, as a general, has very few rules but they are enforced without mercy. All things considered, her policies are much more relaxed than those of her predecessors," began Sasori, gaze growing distant, "If a soldier wants to be discharged before his two years of service are completed, he can submit a request and he is usually released within the month with all his due pay. She allows for personal leave and even gives days off on holidays."
Sasuke's eyebrows knit together as he listened.
"And since we have received a particularly large number of soldiers who hail from our isle in recent years, during times of peace, she offers them employment back home. Our palace guards and our law enforcers are all her soldiers," explained Sasori.
"Her soldiers?" interrupted Itachi. The pronoun stood out to him, however.
And rather than appearing irritated, Sasori flashed a humorless smile.
"You are wise, Prince Itachi. Many of the soldiers are hers, rather than the kingdom's. There are many who would walk through fire for her sake. She inspires a sort of loyalty that one might almost call fanaticism," replied Sasori.
"But what could inspire such loyalty? Our palace guards are devoted but they are also human," Sasuke wondered aloud. The grim set of Sasori's lips silenced the younger prince.
"Sakura has very firm laws on the conduct of soldiers during war. We do not pillage. We do not loot. We do not harm civilians, regardless of their nationalities. We take captives, but they are to be treated humanely. And we do not rape. These rules apply to the navy as well," listed Sasori. There was a long pause before Sasuke raised his eyes.
"What are the consequences?" he dared to ask.
Sasori closed his eyes.
"Thieves are discharged without pay and forced to reimburse their victims triple that which was taken from them. Murderers and rapists are executed and their families do not receive pay," answered Sasori in a somber voice.
"It's punishment enough to be killed. Why deprive the families of the salaries as well?" Itachi queried. At the question, Sasori's eyes opened. Approval glimmered in the admiral's gaze before he spoke.
"Because many of the soldiers are common boys who scrounge up just enough money to attend the Academy. And then their salaries go to feeding their families. The army pays well, Prince. And if a soldier dies honorably in action, his family receives half-pay for five years. During their four years in training, they're educated and cleaned up. They can meet some powerful people and make connections. A soldier can truly prosper. So she makes the offenders suffer for their crimes," Sasori illustrated for him.
"No wonder she inspires loyalty," breathed Sasuke.
Sasori nodded once.
"And so, just as the war was coming to an end, Sakura and some of her men rode up to the border near Albion- along the river that separates us from the Sound Kingdom. There was a quiet village there and some of the enemy forces had taken it in hopes of being able to squeeze into the rest of Albion. If they sabotaged our food supplies, they might have been able to turn the tides somewhat in their favor."
Sasuke grit his teeth. The darkness in Sasori's gaze told him more than enough.
"There were three men. I don't remember their names. But Sakura remembers them. They thought they heard a noise from inside a house. They broke in. And it was a woman. A woman with her two boys."
At this point, Sasori's voice grew tight. He paused for a moment, though his expression remained determinedly neutral.
"At first, they weren't going to touch anything. But there were so many things in the house to take. And surely the General wouldn't find out. And the woman was so lovely and it had been so long and the more she struggled, the more the men lost control. One of her boys ran to defend her and they struck him aside. He hit his head on the corner of the dining room table and bled to death."
Everyone else seemed at a loss for words. Sasori closed his eyes.
"One of them turned himself and his comrades in. I suppose he expected a hearing. Instead, Sakura heard his story and then had the other two tell theirs before she dragged them to the town square. She arranged for the woman and her child to be brought out before she drew her sword and beheaded all three of the soldiers."
"No trial?" whispered Sasuke.
"No need. The law is clear. And it is absolute," Sasori responded.
Itachi looked down at his hands. They trembled merely at the thought of seeing an execution, much less carrying one out.
"Lady Sakura believes in justice. But that is one thing I know will haunt her until the day she dies. The families of the soldiers did not fight her. They did not argue. But the mother of one of the boys fell to her knees in front of Sakura later and simply cried. I will never forget the look on Sakura's face then," Sasori intoned. And then his eyes opened.
"Now if you gentlemen will excuse me," he added before he got to his feet and he was gone.
Sasori left Itachi and Sasuke in a muted silence. And a sick feeling twisted deep inside Itachi's belly.
After that, it took several more minutes for Sasuke to blink out of his daze.
"I'm…going for a walk," he muttered before he too disappeared.
And out of some crazed impulse, Itachi decided to look for Sakura. She had said she would be busy for the rest of the evening. The sun had already set and it was beginning to grow chilly. Still, Itachi wandered the palace, almost forgetting to notice the beauty of the warm glow of candlelight in the windows of the buildings floating on the water.
Itachi found her standing on the walkway just outside the throne room, her gaze distant.
"There you are," he sighed with relief.
"Good evening," she greeted him without looking his way. There was a letter clutched in her left hand.
"Good evening," replied Itachi as he settled in at her right.
And he waited for her for a long time. Finally, when her lips parted again, she spoke.
"When I was little," began Sakura in a whisper. Her cool fingers twisted with his. And even though they were both looking out at the water and taking in the warm breeze, Itachi swore he could taste winter in her words. There was a bitter ice there, lingering in her voice.
"When I was a little girl, I swore to the heavens that I would become as big as my father." For some reason, Sakura cracked a smile at the very idea. Her father had always been a massive man- tall and muscular. His silver hair was a massive mane around his head that had made him seem even bigger.
"It wasn't until I grew a little older that I understood that women are always smaller than men. They're always so little," sighed Sakura.
"In stature, perhaps," Itachi agreed. But something in his voice made her look at him. When their eyes met, Itachi offered a weak smile.
"You've always looked like a giant to me," he added.
Shaking her head, Sakura closed her eyes and soaked in the rhythm of the pounding waves. She felt Itachi's arm press against hers. And then she felt him turn his head towards her.
The soft press of his mouth against hers felt cold in the warm night.
Dear Sakura,
Imagine my surprise when Naruto wrote me to inform me that he would be going to the Tea Isle with you. It warms my heart to know that you two are spending more time together. I hope that this message finds you in good health and in good spirits as the journey from Talast to Plumeria is not a short one.
In all the recent excitement here at the capital city, your father and I forgot that it was the anniversary of the late King Jiraiya and Queen Tsunade's passing. My deepest apologies for having been so thoughtless. Though these words are late, I am sure that they would be proud to see the fine lady you have become.
In other news,
Sakura didn't finish the letter. Crumpling it up in her shaking fist, she quelled the rising urge to scream. And just as she felt the hot hatred boiling up from her gut and into her chest, she heard his voice, as serene as the ocean breeze.
"There you are."
Had anyone ever said those words to her before with such relief?
Breathing in and then out, she opened her eyes.
"Good evening."
