Secrets of the Heart

celestia193's Author's Note: The future king has very liberal views (and I don't mean liberal as in the Canadian political party).

Silver's Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. We hope that you enjoy this chapter and while we are attempting to update this fic pretty fast, don't worry if there are lags between updates. We fully intend to complete this story.

Chapter 9

Jugo brings down his large hammer on the piece of steel laying atop his anvil, then glances across the forge at his friend. It had been a while since Sasuke, Suki, had last paid a visit to the forge on a thought collection mission, but it seemed that something was bothering her again. "Has something happened, Sasuke?"

She glances at Jugo. If there was anyone she could trust outside her family and Kakashi, it was the smith. "Yes, my cousin is being a noble idiot." Who could potentially get himself killed and she couldn't stop him. What was worse was that the handsome bastard wanted to go.

"You mean the knight in black, the one who calls himself Shisui?" Jugo rarely left the forge, so his chances to meet this elusive cousin were just that, elusive. But he did remember with vivid clarity the man who defeated Suigetsu. "What's he done?"

"Yes, that's who I mean." Suki nods quickly as she crosses her arms. "As for what he's about to do, he's going on a necessary, but dangerous mission. Which may end with his early demise."

"Hm…" Jugo turns the steel plate armor over and works at the inside, hammering it out into a proper breastplate. "If the mission is necessary, then why send him? I thought that His Majesty said that all three of you were of the utmost importance and required protection here."

"Because out of the three of us, Shisui is…furthest from the crown and has the best chance of success." Suki sighs, it was a bitter pill to swallow. Still, it was true and they all knew it.

"…So then what are you going to do?" Jugo knew Suki well enough to know that she hated just sitting on her hands. She got restless easily, and if something worried her, she'd do something about it. If she couldn't, if she stayed stuck unable to do anything… But it was a moot point, since Princess Suki had less freedom to act than Sasuke did. A princess couldn't go running off after a knight on a mission.

"That's the problem. There is nothing I can do that wouldn't endanger the fate of an entire kingdom." She paces back and forth. This was madness. "All I can do is wait. Again." She had already spent over half her life waiting and now, here she was again…unable to do anything useful to protect Shisui. Unable to do anything but wait.

Jugo wasn't sure about that. He was one who believed that no matter how helpless one felt, there was always something that could be done. "Maybe you could do something for when he returns?" It would keep her busy, at least. "Or you could ask to help His Highness prepare."

"I'll ask him." Suki nods at Jugo. While she doubted that there was anything she could do while awaiting Shisui's return that could actually help him, the suggestion was well-intentioned. Besides, it was better than the alternative. Pacing herself into insanity.

Jugo smiles softly, but a knocking on the wall just outside the forge draws his attention. "Yes? Who's there?" His grip on the hammer tightens slightly, ready to swing to protect his friend if necessary.

"Prince Itachi of Valadris." Itachi steps inside, having heard Suki inside the forge. "I have come to see about obtaining some new armor." That and mostly to meet the smith who his sister called her friend.

"Your Highness." Jugo blinks bemusedly at the sight of the man who could be non other than Suki's elder brother. The two looked so much alike. "Welcome. I'm afraid that my master is not in right now, but I can certainly inform him that you wish to have armor made." Surely the king to be would want intricately crafted and gilded armor, and while Jugo's armor was strong and well-crafted, gilding required a more delicate touch than even he had, though he was doing his very best to learn.

"I'm certain that won't be necessary." Itachi nods at Jugo. "Sasuke here speaks most highly of your skills and I understand that you're learning your craft. A less ornate armor would be good for blending in during moments that require more stealth."

For a moment, Jugo says nothing. Then a kind smile spreads across his face. "Of course, Your Highness, I have been taught to forge plate, mail, and scale armors, as well as work and sew leather. Whatever you would prefer, I will see to it that it is done."

"Design it as you like. Sasuke trusts your judgment." Itachi glances as his sister who was still masquerading as a man. "So I do as well until you give me a reason not to do so."

"You honor me, Your Highness." Jugo nods and lets his eyes roam over the prince, memorizing every line, every necessary measurement. He could easily imagine the colors and shapes that would be needed to adapt for the strenuous use that he would no doubt put the armor through. And if the prince was anything like his sister, then Jugo could already imagine what sort of swordplay he likely excelled in, though it would still be best for him to witness it firsthand. Then his gaze falls on Suki. "Try not to worry yourself to death, Sasuke. Suigetsu will never let me hear the end of it if you do."

"He'd be more upset at losing a sparring partner than anything else." Suki rolls her eyes, hoping her brother wouldn't take the Suigetsu comment the wrong way. "I'll do my best though."

Watching the smith's easy smile carefully, Itachi approves of what he sees. The man seemed to genuinely care for his sister, whether she was masquerading as a man or not. Of course, he would reserve judgment until he got to know the giant of a man better, but he seemed gentle, even to his craft. "Come, Sasuke. Let's allow your friend to carry on with his work. Also, your face is covered in soot." It was inevitable if one spent time in a forge, but it was exceedingly odd for Itachi to see the soot coating his sister's pale cheeks.

"Of course." Suki nods and smiles at Jugo. "Good luck." With that being said, she follows her brother out of the forge.

Itachi strides forward casually, keeping a careful eye on his little sister. He knew well that she was not happy, and he sought to rectify that, if at all possible. "I see that you've chosen your friends well. He seems to be a fine young man."

"Yes, Jugo is wonderful." Suki nods at Itachi. "He would have been a good choice, but I don't love him if that's what you're wondering."

The comment has Itachi raising an eyebrow. His little sister was certainly…creative when choosing prospective husbands, even if some were discounted for one reason or another. "I was not wondering, but now that you mention it, I am…curious as to what specifically drew you to consider him."

"He knew I was a woman for years and never told me or anyone else." She crosses her arms, feeling her face flush at the question. "He's kind, honest, and loyal. Those are more good qualities than most women find in a husband." Most women would be lucky to get two of those three and many would settle for one.

"I see, a very good candidate for your affections, if you were so inclined." But Itachi knew better than to outright suggest it. After all, he knew precisely where his little sister's affections lay. "And whom else have you considered besides your favorite armorsmith?"

"Only a handful of people really and yes, Jugo would have been a good choice." This was becoming embarrassing far too quickly for her liking. "We know that it couldn't happen though."

Itachi glances at his sister and smiles sympathetically. "Come, let us retire to my chambers so that we might speak more freely." For it seemed that a great intervention would be required before his precious little sister resigned herself to a fate that she need not subject herself to.

Suki follows Itachi without any protest. "Yes, privacy would be ideal." They had so much to discuss. "That and perhaps you can help me with a dilemma."

"I would be happy to." Itachi glances about, then takes his sister's hand. He'd always been rather good at sneaking about. The trek back to his chambers would be easy.


With only two close calls on the way back to his private wing, Itachi closes the door behind them, sealing them safely within his chambers. "There, now no one might intrude on our conversation and discover things that they should not." Itachi smiles warmly and guides Suki to the comfortable sitting area. "Now, what ails you?"

"Itachi, you already know what ails me." She frowns at the question as she sits down. "I know that it's a wise move to send Shisui, but I worry for him. There's nothing I can do to help him here." Once again, she was forced to wait and hope that somehow things would turn out as they should. "Jugo suggested that you might have something that I can do to aid our cause though." She bites her lower lip at the last part, praying that her brother would have something for her to do…even if it was only just to distract her.

Ah, yes…Itachi did indeed know that her heart must suffer to see Shisui go. His own did as well, though in a different way. He could understand well why his sister felt restless, for she was not the only one. "There is little for a princess to do when a campaign of war is being waged, even if it is covertly." At least, it was so for an ordinary princess. "However…first, I would like you to tell me what you had planned to do before Shisui appeared at court."

"I was going to take back our kingdom." She nods at him. "What else would you expect?"

"You were going to take it back yourself?" Itachi's lips twitch with amusement. "Or were you going to use your feminine wiles to charm an army into doing it for you?"

"By any means necessary. Though Kakashi and I were beginning to discuss more concrete plans." She nods at him.

"I see." Itachi's amusement remains, but it takes on a more serious tone. "And part of your plan was to have 'Sasuke' die, so that Suki might reappear without arousing suspicion, correct?"

"Yes, he'd die tragically in the revolution fighting on behalf of the long lost princess." Suki nods as if it was only logical. "Then of course, I would go into mourning long enough for my hair to grow back to a suitable length and after enough time had passed to be acceptable, choose a husband."

Itachi nods, seeing the wisdom in the plan. But now, things were different. He was here, and there were safer alternatives that he could offer. "I had planned to send out a number of my…friends to establish a forward camp close to the outskirts of one of the villages within Valadris. If it were made known that someone such as Kakashi were accompanying the party, then it would make sense for 'Sasuke' to ride out alongside his father. The location is far enough from the capitol to be safe, but close enough to deploy from, and I had intended to have it constructed two weeks before Shisui is scheduled to return from his mission. As for 'Sasuke', my friends would be willing to corroborate any story that you would see fit to tell."

She tilts her head as she considers that. "Your plan is brilliant as always, brother."

"It will require a great deal of planning, or at least having the court believe that there is a great plan in the works. Therefore, you will need to act as 'Sasuke' and convince the court that you will be accompanying Kakashi to the camp. It would also enable you to reunite with Shisui sooner." Which, Itachi supposed, was one of his primary motivations for suggesting this plan. He could both keep his sister busy with her 'planning' and acting, but also shorten the time which the two of them spent apart. "In that time, I will also speak with Hiashi and discuss the possibility of taking his eldest daughter as my wife."

"Of course. We can manage that." Suki smiles at Itachi's plan. Well, until the last part. "It may prove difficult for you to win the princess's affections at first. She's quite enamored with Sasuke, but she will make an excellent queen. An after my 'death,' you'll have a better chance of it turning into a love match."

"Yes, so I gathered." And at the very least, even if it did not become a love match, Itachi knew that he would treat her well, and with all of the respect and kindness she deserved. "I do hope that it will be a love match, but so long as it is a happy relationship, I will be content." Which brought him to the true issue at hand. "If there is a match that you would like for me to arrange, I could speak with the other party and see if they'll consider it." He would give her the chance to confess, but if she did not, then he would push for the truth.

"I'm glad that you admit you can not best me in the arena of love." Suki smirks at him as her eyes dance with mischief. The smugness soon disappears upon hearing his inquiry though. "There's nothing that is more than a flicker of an idea as far as an advantageous match goes. We'll worry about such things after we take back our kingdom."

"Clearly not, though you should know better than to lie to me, foolish little sister." Itachi presses two fingers firmly to the center of Suki's forehead. "Now, I will ask again, and this time I hope that you will answer me truthfully. If you had the chance to be with whomever you wished, who would it be?"

"Itachi! Will you please cease poking my forehead as if I were still a child?" She glowers at him as she rubs her forehead. Hoping that would serve as a suitable distraction.

"I will continue to poke you like a child until you cease behaving like one." Perhaps it was time that Itachi be more direct with his little sister. He seats himself and leans back against one of the silky pillows decorating the sofa. "But if your heart is truly not set on anyone, then perhaps our cousin would agree to a betrothal. After all, we are not so closely relate that it would raise eyebrows, but it would help serve to reestablish our family's bloodline."

Suki feels her heart skip a beat at those words. "That wouldn't be an issue? I know that his rank is high enough that it likely wouldn't cause a scandal, but are you certain that's the most advantageous match?" She bites her lower lip. Praying that she didn't sound too hopeful that Itachi would remain resolved.

Itachi resists the urge to sigh and roll his eyes. His little sister was so terribly transparent, and yet, she would not openly admit to her own desires. "As I am to be king, the prospects of my own match must be advantageous. Yours however, need not be, so long as I skillfully negotiate other sorts of alliances with our neighbors. I have little doubt in my own skills regarding diplomacy, therefore, I believe that I should be entitled to the satisfaction of arranging a love match for my little sister. The other kingdoms and noble houses will understand that our family must be rebuilt with royal blood. Shisui may not hold the highest of titles, but there is still royal blood in him. They will believe my reasoning."

"Yes, you're right. They would believe it." She nods in an effort seem casual, but attentive. "It might be a good match, if he were to agree. I don't want him to be...pressured into it." As much as this was everything she could have hoped for, Suki didn't want Shisui to marry her because Itachi pressed the issue.

Itachi's eyebrow twitches. "The only pressure that need be applied is that which would convince the both of you to stop acting as though this is somehow contrary to what the both of you desire. Rarely have I seen two people in love who dance about so much outside of a ballroom."

She feels her cheeks burn crimson. There was no point in denying her feelings for Shisui now. "Do you really think that he loves me in the romantic sense? He's not just fond of me because of our childhood?"

This time, Itachi indulges in the whim and rolls his eyes. "I have seen him infatuated before when we were young, but even then, he merely tripped over himself, both in conversation and over every rock in his path. But he regards you with even greater intensity, though he appears to be trying very hard not to." He fixes Suki with a hard look. "It is so painfully obvious that I have been tempted, upon watching the two of you, to lock the both of you in his bedchambers and allow nature to take its course."

"ITACHI!" Suki couldn't help it, she squeaks at the last part. "You've been spending entirely too much time with Kakashi! His deviant ways are starting to rub off on you, but…I am happy to hear you believe he feels that way towards me." Her brother may have spent far too much time around the pervert, but so had she for that matter. Dozens of forbidden images flicker across her mind's eye at Itachi's words.

Itachi hums with amusement at the scarlet flush on his sister's cheeks. "Does this mean that I should not expect to be an uncle in the near future? Or rather, that I should expect to be one before the two of you have even married?"

"Itachi, I'm not that reckless. Any children we had would be born inside the confines of marriage." She glowers at him, though the effect was likely muted by her blush.

Ah, teasing his little sister did bring Itachi such joy. Particularly when it bolstered her happiness as well. "I see. As I plan to have this campaign finished before the first frost, would you prefer to be married in the winter, or wait until the spring? Unless, of course, you would prefer a longer courting period…"

"Do you really believe we could return home so quickly?" After waiting a decade, the prospect of returning seemed more like a dream than anything else. "As for that, I'll let Shisui decide. Otherwise it feels as though I'm proposing to him and that just isn't done." She might have lived like a man for years, but she wasn't one.

"I hope so, and I do believe so." If Itachi didn't believe that it could be done soon, it would only make his hesitate and prolong the campaign. "Though I see no harm in a woman proposing to a man. It may not be at all traditional, but I have known a number of very strong women who believe in taking matters into their own hands." He smiles softly. "Do whatever it is that you feel comfortable doing. If that means waiting for Shisui to put aside his sense of duty for once, then you may do so."

"I hope that you're right." Suki smiles at first, but she snorts at the other implication. "Are you saying that a woman proposed to you?" Suki could scarcely imagine such a thing. "They may do as they please, but I tire of living this charade. I'm not going to court like a man!"

"As you like, but no, it was not to me whom she proposed." It was more than a little unorthodox, but the arrangement suited Itachi's companions well enough.

"Who are you speaking of then?" She raises an eyebrow. "Am I going to meet this person on our campaign?"

"Yes, you will. For you needn't live like a man much longer." He eyes his sister carefully, already noting a few changes here and there. "And with each passing day, you look less and less like the boy you pretend to be." Itachi had always found that his hair grew quite quickly, and it seemed that Suki was much the same way. Already the slowly drooping spiky locks nearly touched her shoulders.

Suki sighs as she touches her hair, seeing where Itachi's eyes were wandering. "I suppose I should cut it soon. The king's nephew can get away with long hair, but it's too great a risk for me."

Itachi reaches for his sister and pulls her gently into his lap and into his embrace. "I know that it hurts you to pretend to be something you're not. Believe me…I know how it can hurt. And I know that the gift I gave you cannot make up for those hurts, but I promise that soon, you will never need to pass as a man ever again."

"I didn't mean to sulk." She looks at him apologetically. "You had it worse than I. My disguise gave me more freedoms." His had likely done the reverse. "It doesn't matter anymore. Everything will be as it should be. But tell me about this…woman."

"Hm…you wish to know about Konan, then?" Itachi's eyes light with amusement. "She is…one of the fiercest and most intelligent women I have ever had the pleasure to meet. She comes from a place where it is permitted to take more than one spouse. And while most interpret it as taking more than a single wife, she decided that it also meant she could have herself more than one husband."

"Perhaps I shouldn't have asked…" Suki tries her best not to gape. "As I said though, she can do as she pleases. Is there anything you wish for me to do before we head to the camp?"

"Act the part of a man going off to battle." It was all that Itachi really required her to do. "And be sure to have your things packed. You have just over a month before we leave, so is there is anyone that you would like to say goodbye to, or anyone that you deem necessary to reveal your true identity to, then you must do so soon. You will also need warm clothes for when we ride north. And I plan to send Konan out to secure more supplies for the journey. If you would like to accompany her, you may."

She nods at Itachi. "I can act the part of a man going to battle and I shall make the necessary arrangements to march at a moment's notice." The last offer almost stuns Suki into silence, but she recovers quickly enough. "I think I'd better serve the case here than gathering supplies and as you said, there are those I should say good bye to." She'd start with Karin and Suigetsu. They deserved that much. Jugo would be last because he already understood for the most part what would happen.

"Very well, then do as you please." Itachi holds his darling little sister close to his heart and sighs. "It is nearly over…believe in that much. We will see our home again soon."

Suki returns his embrace. "I believe you, but I would keep Konan away from the Hyuga family or at least not advertise her…unique views on marriage. They would never understand such things." Suki didn't understand it either frankly, but at least she wouldn't faint over the topic. She couldn't say the same for her more innocent counterpart.

Itachi chuckles softly. "She knows how to be discreet. Even in her homeland, she is regarded as odd. Though when we do return home, I plan on…relaxing the laws regarding such things." He had seen many things in his travels, and saw a great many laws that would need to be changed, with stipulations, of course. Or if they did not strictly need it, the spirit of them might be revised.

"I'm glad that she knows how to be discreet. Perhaps we can revisit the rest of this discussion another day." It was really all she could do not to gape at Itachi's implications. "For now, I believe it would serve us better to focus on reclaiming our home than anything else."

"Indeed." Itachi hums softly and rubs his hands up and down Suki's back, just like he'd done when she was a child and frightened by the thunder. "And we will have our home back. That much I promise you, Suki."

"I know we will and you'll be an incredible king, just like Father was." She smiles at him. Everything else could be dealt with later. For now, they had a kingdom to win back.