Amaryllis
Chapter 10: Jewel
Sparkling luxury
Early in the morning- early enough that there was almost no one else awake in the palace, Itachi stirred in his warm bed. He squinted as he struggled to identify just what had roused him at such an hour. The swaths of translucent white fabric flowing down to form a canopy around him swayed in the light breeze. They also conveniently acted as a barrier between his flesh and the hungry insects that tended to gather in the warm nights.
He ran a hand through his hair. His nose wrinkled against the scent that filled his room. The physician had filled the incense holders in the room with the strange, yellow herb that was supposed to strengthen his lungs. It burned quietly, filling the place with an earthy smell that reminded him of his home in the mountains. But the herb in the burners had burnt up in the night and the fragrance was light in the morning cool. Though Itachi couldn't exactly say that he disliked it, it was just strange to inhale that particular smell first thing in the morning.
It was then that Itachi, in all his grogginess, heard a splash. Rolling onto his side, he pulled the curtain around the bed aside to peer out the window above his bed. It was still dark out with only bare hints of the sunrise tinting the horizon.
"Darling, you do realize that I am simply here to remind you of how dangerous this is," Sasori called. Standing on the walkway leading to the one of the palace's numerous buildings was the admiral with his hands on his hips. But the sag of his shoulders said that he wasn't worried at all. Eyes widening, Itachi followed the direction of Sasori's gaze until he saw Sakura sitting on top of the cube-shaped building. Legs dangling over the edge, Sakura leaned back on her hands and smirked down at him.
"You say that, but you aren't doing the best job of convincing me that I'm in danger," she replied.
She was barely clothed in swimwear that left her arms, legs, and stomach bare. Itachi swallowed thickly and tried to focus his gaze on her face. Her long hair was soaking wet and stuck to her back. Sakura then raised her arms over her head, clasping her hands together. Almost in slow motion, she leaned forward to bend her body in a perfect arch. Then she slipped off the edge of the roof. She sliced through the surface of the water at an angle with another splash. Sasori raised his hand to block the spray of water from hitting his face.
When Sakura's head broke through the waves, she threw her head back to keep her hair out of her eyes. She wiped her face with one hand before she lazily swam her way to the walkway. Sasori offered her a hand but she simply pulled her arms up onto the wooden planks to rest there for a moment. She pillowed her cheek on her forearm as she caught her breath.
"You do realize that there are people trying to sleep," a gruff voice joined them. Shuffling out of one of the apartments, Kankuro raised his hand in greeting. Sasori returned the gesture before putting his hands back on his hips. Kankuro shuffled over, feet bare and still clothed in his linen pajama pants. His torso was bare, something that had initially surprised Itachi after growing up with people who wouldn't even leave their bedrooms without at least some sort of dressing gown on top of their nightclothes. But it seemed to be a normal thing for people on the island, and he supposed that it made sense given the warm nights.
Missing his usual scarf tied around his head at an angle, Kankuro ran a hand through his messy hair and let out a large yawn. There was a large tattoo of a spider on his left side, stretching from his hipbone up to his ribs.
"What are you even doing, My Lady? Aren't you usually taking your morning ride at this time?" he questioned as he rubbed his eyes.
"A change of pace is good for the soul. I will ride Kaze in the afternoon instead," answered Sakura. Then she lifted her head to look at Sasori. And because the redhead's back was turned to him, Itachi couldn't see the expression on his face. But something sparkled silently in Sakura's gaze before she abruptly grabbed Kankuro's ankle and pulled him into the water. He fell in with a loud noise that sprayed water in every direction.
When Kankuro rose to the surface, he spat salt water and then coughed.
"A little warning would have been appreciated!" he exclaimed.
"Well where's the fun in that, Cousin?" replied Sasori as he feigned innocence. Sakura nodded her agreement. Kankuro splashed water at Sasori, soaking his pajamas in an act of revenge. Sasori promptly pulled off his sandal and threw it at Kankuro. With a wet slap, the leather connected with Kankuro's forehead. Sakura laughed, her eyes squinting shut and her mouth opened wide.
Itachi watched from the quiet of his own room. After a while, he lowered his hand and let the veil fall back into place between them. He stared at her through that thin barrier for a moment longer. But the rising sun's rays began sparkling off the waters until he could no longer make out her shape through the brilliance of the reflected light. Then he closed his eyes to soak in the sounds of her childlike mirth and the dull roar of ocean waves as the tide slowly filtered out.
Sakura was already down by the docks seeing to final preparations for their journey by the time Sasuke and Itachi were having breakfast together.
It had been awkward at first. But the brothers tried to have at least their morning meal together each day. Sakura had been the one to inspire it, of course. After seeing her suffer through obviously painful and irritating meals with Naruto, Itachi, overwhelmed with curiosity, had once asked her about it after a dinner of roasted seafood and the usual bounty of fruits and vegetables. Sasuke was off with Kankuro and Sasori at the beach to watch the night fisherman diving into the water to catch fish with their bare hands.
They were sitting in one of the pavilions with a knitted spread on the floor beneath them. Her white uniform jacket was draped over her shoulders and the golden tassels glittered in the low light. Feet bare, she crossed her legs and then reached over to pluck a fruit from one of the bowls arranged around them. The two bangles on her left wrist clinked against each other.
Itachi watched silently as she split a fig open with her thumbs. The dark purple outside gave way to an orange-red inside filled with seeds and edged by white. The strange appearance had initially been somewhat intimidating to him. But he quickly grew to love the fruit almost as much as Sakura did. It was sweet and mildly tart.
"I have a feeling you're going to ask me a question," she suddenly remarked without looking up at him.
"What makes you say that?" he inquired. Hearing the note of humor in his voice, she popped half of the fig into her mouth and lifted her head as she chewed.
"Your eyes. You're not a very good liar," she responded. Lips pressing together, Itachi didn't say anything for a while. Sakura finished off the rest of the fig before she reached for another one. Tucking her hand under her chin, she paused to look Itachi over for a moment.
"You don't seem to tan very well. Well, then again, neither am I. It's more tragic for me than for you," Sakura sighed.
"What do you mean?" asked Itachi. He held out his arm closer to the nearest candle. His skin glowed orange in the flickering light. She reached over to observe her own skin. Sakura's hand seemed to take on the same warmed tone. In this light, she seemed neither tanned nor white.
"I'm too dark to be a mainlander. But too pale to blend in with my own people," she pointed out.
It was true that Sakura was certainly lighter-skinned than her cousins. Even Sasori was a mellow shade of caramel, which Itachi had always assumed was from all his time out on the open sea. Although, with all their varyingly bright shades of hair, the people of the Haruno family hardly blended in with the citizens. She had once explained that though the Haruno bloodline indeed ran strong, there was also a fair amount of the islanders' blood mixed in through marriage. It seemed that the Haruno family was a bit less strict about nobles only marrying nobles.
"Do they treat you differently?" Itachi queried.
"Who? The mainlanders or the islanders?" Sakura answered with a question of her own. Itachi's eyebrows rose. The bitterness in her tone drifted to the surface.
"You're beloved," he slowly said. He had seen it in the eyes of the people. He heard it in their voices and in their meager gifts of whatever wares they sold that was offered up to her instead.
"I am. But I am very much foreign. I was born on this island. My very blood and my roots are steeped into the sands here. But for them, I am as much a mainlander as you are," she explained.
Sakura had grown up celebrating the same holidays as them, painting her arms with red clay and sprinkling flower petals on the beach. She had watched them offer food and flowers to the mother goddess of the island that she didn't believe in but respected all the same. The traditional sounds of their songs with their flutes and pounding drums were as much her anthem as it was theirs. She had grown up listening to the servant girls laughing in a mixture of their native language and the common tongue as they bathed and dressed her.
The common tongue was spoken across all the nations making up the mainland. And the people of the two tea isles had also acquired the language after generations of being colonized. As far as Sakura could tell from her visits to the northern isle governed by an official sent by the Uchiha family, the people there all spoke the common tongue fluently. Here, on the Southern Tea Isle at least, the common tongue was spoken by all. But the deep, fluid sounds of their own native language flowed into the sounds. Though a majority of the words had faded into the background of history, the sounds clung to their tongues. There was a subtle lilt to their voices that was almost musical. Sakura suspected that if the common tongue was officially made into the island's language, then this unique sound was slowly fade away as it had in their sister island up north.
"Does it ever bother you that you're not considered one of them?"
Itachi's words drew Sakura from her thoughts. He had a nice voice- masculine and clear. It was slightly lower than his brother's and his tone was always somewhat softer, lacking the subtle arrogance of aristocracy that Sasuke wore so proudly on his sleeve. But when she heard Sasuke's voice, she thought of wind brushing through tree branches and the sound of footsteps crunching over leaves and moss. Itachi's voice was all the muted colors of the coral reefs at night. His voice was the sound of sunrise in her ears.
"Does it bother me? Itachi, would we be talking about this if it didn't?" she asked before taking a bite into the sweet fig.
"Ah, but this was not what you wished to ask me," she then added.
"Oh. Just… about Prince Naruto," Itachi began with a glance in her direction. He carefully gauged her expression. Sakura was generally open to most subjects but the stony face of silence sometimes descended on her when it came to sensitive matters of family. This time, however, Itachi didn't see anything to warn him away from the subject.
"Why do you bother dining with him if he drives you mad?" questioned Itachi.
He completely did not expect her to toss the other half of the fig into her mouth and chew while she gave an easy shrug.
"Why do we teach grammar? Why do we light candles at night? Because we must," Sakura sighed. She tossed a fig at Itachi and he just barely managed to catch it. They each split one of the fruits open and ate. As she chewed, Sakura frowned.
"I'm sure you've gathered by now that I have a rather… complicated situation with Prince Naruto and his parents. Part of having meals with him is to force myself to remember that he is, in fact, my blood. If not, I'd be so filled with seething rage that I would be inclined to strike him with my fists every time he opened his idiotic mouth," she then added. The violence of her words and the serenity of her tone clashed so much that Itachi didn't process it for a solid minute.
And then, folding his hands in his lap, he shot her a sideways glance.
"…He's not a prince…technically," he quietly corrected her.
"Indeed. He would be the noble Young Lord Namikaze if not for his father and his sniveling sycophants," Sakura added with obvious approval in her tone. Mouth twisting into a scowl, Sakura glared down at the fig in her palm before she flung it. It landed in the waves with a plop. They both sat watching the abandoned fruit bobbing on the current. It was just a dark blob on the surface, drifting aimlessly in the night.
"That was uncharacteristically wasteful of you," Itachi observed. It would have been a reproach if not for his subdued smile.
"The very idea of aristocracy is founded on wastefulness. Why stop now?" she answered. As she leaned back on her hands, she let out a deep sigh.
"Did you ever have a wish growing up? A secret one that you wouldn't tell anyone else?" she suddenly questioned. Itachi blinked a few times as he thought about it.
"Well…as a young boy, I sometimes wished for a younger brother. And when I was a little older, when my illness started to grow worse, I often wished to grow wings. So that I could fly off the mountain like one of the messenger birds," Itachi slowly admitted.
"To fly?" Sakura repeated.
"I thought you said that you'd had lifetimes of travel through your books," she then added. There was no teasing in her tone.
"To only allow the soul to wander while depriving the body of adventure is a frustrating combination. It took me several years to settle with what my body could endure," Itachi agreed. Sakura's expression softened as she saw his shoulders slump. There was often an odd sort of resignation in Itachi's voice whenever he talked about his health. Though the salt air and the herbal treatments seemed to help his condition immensely, there was still a unique sort of fragility to the prince. The compassionate servants always made sure to fill up his plate a little more than the others, with a pointed smile in Sakura's direction as they worked.
Just looking at him with his dark hair tangling in the breeze and his delicate fingers moving up to brush his bangs from his eyes stirred something in Sakura's chest. His fine purple tunic with the subtle gold threading on the sleeves and bottom hem had been a gift from some of the island's master weavers. There was a light rosy glow on his cheeks from the ocean wind. His forearm felt cold when she bumped it as she scooted in closer to him until their arms were pressed together.
They leaned in toward one another. Her eyes sparkled like they always did- half-laughing and half-sad. When their lips met, she tilted her head and a few locks of her soft, damp hair fell across his forehead. She smelled like the clean ocean breeze and the fragrant sprays of flowers that seemed to grow everywhere.
When they drew apart, he could feel the lingering warmth of her skin on his lips and his cheeks. Wordlessly, she leaned in to touch her forehead to his. He slowly reached out to place his hand over hers. She smiled in a way that made his heart beat uncomfortably hard against his ribs.
"What about you?" Itachi whispered.
"Hm?" she hummed.
It was such an intimate sound. It was the comforting noise of a mother responding to her child's tearful request to chase away monsters. It was the sound of happiness after a particularly restful nap, the sort accompanied by stretching and a cat-like yawn. It was the sound of raindrops gathering in the rounded hollows of leaves resting on the forest floor. It was all of those things and yet it was none of them.
On some wild impulse, he reached out, hands cupping her cheeks, and he kissed her deeply. Counting the thudding of his heartbeats and drawing in a long breath, Itachi felt Sakura's shoulders tighten before they slowly relaxed. Her hands moved to rest on his waist, pulling him in a little closer. He listened to her quickening breaths, to her murmuring chuckle against his mouth as they pulled away to catch their breath.
Itachi blinked. Swallowing thickly, he slowly released her face. A smile began to curl up at Sakura's mouth as she struggled not to laugh at the look of absolute chagrin widening his eyes. His hands clenched into fists in his lap as he cleared his throat loudly and needlessly. But then Sakura reached out to casually put her hand in his.
"Prince Itachi, I don't think I've ever seen you quite so aggressive before," she remarked.
Blushing, he stole a glance at her out of the corners of his eyes. And he did a double take. Because, even though it was dim and even though it was hard to tell with the flickering candlelight, Itachi swore that there was pink dusting her cheeks. So rather than fumble his way to another topic, he tightened his hold on her hand, squeezing her fingers between his. Laughing, Sakura leaned her head against his shoulder. She pressed another kiss to his jaw just to watch his cheeks flare up even brighter.
"A boy," she suddenly said after a long while of comfortable silence.
"Pardon?"
"I wanted to be a boy. My father's son that he would proudly train to wield a sword and carry on his legacy. You asked what my dream once was," Sakura elaborated.
There was pain in her expression as she stared out at the water. She thought back to the days of learning to fight with wooden swords and listening to her father recount stories of his military conquests. He had once been the General of the Mountain Kingdom's armies. There was no shortage of glorious tales to tell. Sakura only listened, seated on his wide, generous lap and giggling when he leaned in to speak in booming voices as he imitated his foes.
She had never had the heart to tell him of the stories her mother poured into her head. They were tales of conquests won not with a sword but with words. She was educated about the generations of marriage alliances and spies that brought the Haruno family to where it was now. There were exciting stories of carrier birds holding secrets and acts of intelligence from women that brought entire nations to their knees without a single knight lifting his blade.
She sat, both a legacy of wit and action, suspended in a painful balance between the guidance of both subtlety and military prowess.
Her mother would have understood. Queen Tsunade had always been the image of beauty and intelligence to Sakura. It was only as she grew up listening to her aunt, Lady Kurenai's stories that Sakura understood that her mother sometimes drank too much and liked to make jokes that embarrassed her husband in their inner circle. Still, as she remembered her mother seated proudly on the throne with her serious face in place. And even with her fuzzy, fleeting memories, Sakura was positive that her mother wouldn't have taken offense that her daughter had chosen to climb the ranks not as a princess but as a military officer.
Or at least, that's what she hoped.
"Your mother would be unimaginably, overwhelmingly proud of you, love," Kurenai always assured her. When she smiled, the lines around her eyes and mouth crinkled into existence. Her lipstick was the color of fresh berry juice and her curling hair the color of the night sky. Kurenai was as dark-haired as her older sister had been fair-haired. But Sakura heard the echo of her mother in her aunt's voice.
The night before she sailed for Leaves, Sakura sat in Kurenai's apartment. Kurenai was at her desk, a quill in her hand as she thought carefully before she wrote. Every so often she would pause to read over her words in the candlelight. Sakura folded her legs underneath her. She was seated on the thick rug set out on the floor. Servants had left a platter piled high with her favorite fruits but Sakura didn't have much of an appetite at the moment.
"Aunt Kurenai," Sakura suddenly called out.
"Yes, my dear?" said Kurenai in response.
"You always tell me that mother would be proud of me, right?"
"Absolutely," Kurenai responded as she looked up from her writing. She twisted around in her seat to regard Sakura with curiosity.
"But I've been thinking lately. And there are things that I've done- unspeakable, deplorable things that makes my own skin crawl at the very thought," mused Sakura. She then lifted her head to meet Kurenai's gaze.
"Do you think she would still love me if she knew what I'd become?"
The question hung in the air-uncomfortable and stifling. But Kurenai, the diplomat, the mother who always seemed to have a thousand different smiles and wise words to make situations seem better, then tilted her head to one side.
"My little lady, my dearest niece, I do not love you for what you've done. I love you very much for who you are. Incorruptible and proud- that is the sort of woman your mother was as well," Kurenai responded.
Sakura smiled to hide the sudden tightness in her chest at those words.
"So, My Lady would like to know what you would prefer. You are, of course, very much welcome to stay here for the rest of the season," said Kankuro as he closed his ledger.
They were sitting in the Lord of Finance's office. The man himself was missing. But his eldest son sat at his desk, filling in for him while he attended social functions to mingle with the other nobles of the isle. Kankuro pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. He had spent a better part of the night working through his father's unfinished paperwork. Squinting at the words on the papers and stamping the seal under flickering candlelight was always hard on the eyes. Still, blinking against the discomfort, he then turned to his guests with a smile.
Not long after breakfast, the two Uchiha princes had visited and Kankuro had been expecting them. With Sakura out dealing with last-minute details with Gaara, only he and his sister remained. Temari lingered, under orders to watch over Kankuro and the guests. As he waited for the response, Kankuro moved on to the next piece of work and began signing the necessary forms.
"Of course I'll go with her. How could I leave her to wander through treacherous country without me?" retorted Sasuke with a hint of disbelief.
At this, Temari, who had been quietly standing in one of the archways and staring out at the water, blinked very rapidly. Kankuro's tapping quill abruptly stopped. And then, they turned their heads to look at one another and they broke out laughing. Heads thrown back, the siblings leaned on one another for support. A single tear of mirth welled up in Kankuro's eye.
"Oh Prince, you seem to be under the impression that Lady Sakura is some sort of… some sort of…" Kankuro trailed off as he began laughing too hard to speak.
"LADY!" Temari supplied instead, sending her and her brother into fresh peals of near-hysteria.
Sasuke, baffled, turned to his brother, who looked equally confused.
It was only a minute of taking deep breaths that Kankuro could speak normally again.
"My friends, even Lady Sakura on her own is a formidable defense. But partnered with Sasori? Deadly. Your worries are unfounded," he explained, chuckles still peppering his words.
Itachi frowned.
"I must say, your lack of concern for her well-being is somewhat concerning, friends," Itachi finally confessed. Temari leaned against her tall spear as she let out another chuckle.
"Well, know this, Prince. Lady Sakura's diadem is a heavy thing. She has been wearing it and carrying a sword since she was eight. You will do absolutely nothing to impress her until you acknowledge that as part of her," Temari informed him.
This exchange lingered with Sasuke later as he watched the workers load the last of the supplies onto the ship waiting in the harbor. His own bag had been packed the night before and was already inside one of the private cabins aboard the vessel. Sakura stood on the docks, hands crossed behind her back and her expression intense as she watched the comings and goings.
"No need to have such a scary expression, love. I'm in charge of the ship, remember? All you need to worry about is what happens once we leave this ship in a week's time," Sasori chimed in from his spot sitting atop one of the thick wooden posts on the edge of the dock. The admiral was already dressed in his crisp white uniform complete with the light blue sash of the navy. His boots were polished and not a hair on his head stood out of place.
Sakura was in her uniform as well. Her hair, which Sasuke had grown so used to seeing loose and tousled with seawater and wind, was bound in a tight ponytail. Nothing about her appearance hinted at the person who wore silk dresses and danced barefoot in the sand at night with her cousins.
Feeling Sasuke's gaze on the side of her face, Sakura looked his way with a half-smile.
"Is something the matter?" she questioned.
"Not really. I was just thinking," he answered vaguely. But that response seemed to satisfy her enough. She turned her attention back to the men carrying large boxes and barrels onto the ship.
A few minutes later, Sasuke squinted as he noticed one odd silhouette running past the others up the dock.
Panting and struggling to hold his carpetbag in both his arms, Haku announced that he wanted to come along. Sasori raised an eyebrow. Sasuke's forehead wrinkled as he sized the thin boy up. Shaking his head, Sasuke looked over at Sakura to see how she would turn him down. But instead the duchess looked over the boy with a casual glance before she shrugged.
"I suppose. Pack with wisdom. Stay light on your feet," Sakura simply replied. Grinning from ear to ear, Haku bowed several times before he ran off again.
"Are you certain? This will be dangerous enough without the boy," Sasori asked in a tone that managed to convey absolutely no challenge.
"That boy has never asked me for a single thing before. I don't see the harm in bringing him. And if he proves to be a burden on the way to Leaves, I will leave him there until we return home," answered Sakura with a blasé wave of her hand.
Sasuke and Sasori exchanged looks behind her back. Sasori simply shrugged. He was used to losing to Sakura's whims. It was the easiest way to win against her in the long run.
Once all of the supplies had been loaded, Sakura returned back to the palace to tie up the final loose ends. She paused in the guest apartments where Itachi was staying. It surprised her that he wasn't down at the docks already. Itachi had always struck her as a punctual person.
She knocked. No one answered.
After a long moment, she twisted the doorknob and entered the building anyway.
Her footsteps tapped on the wood floors, echoing faintly off the high ceiling. The walls were draped in thick tapestries imported from the Mountain Kingdom. The cool shades of blue mingled with gold thread, telling glittering stories of brave knights and their adventures. Gaara had had them ordered specially when he had learned that Sakura would be bringing guests. Sakura admired the quality for a moment before making a mental note to thank her younger cousin. His attention to detail was often a blessing to her.
"Hello?" she called out as she stepped away from the tapestry, further into the building. The door to the main bedroom was ajar.
"Ah, I'm very sorry. I didn't hear you before. Please, come in," Itachi's voice floated out to greet her. Hands linked behind her back, Sakura slowly stepped toward the room. She pushed the door open with her shoulder, coming to a stop just in the doorway. Leaning against the doorframe, she folded her arms over her chest.
Itachi's heavy leather suitcase sat on his bed. He stood folding one of the many shirts he had received as a gift. The soft lilac silk seemed out of place now that he was garbed in his clothes from home. Heavy button-down shirts and black trousers made him seem paler, somehow. After he placed the shirt in his suitcase, Itachi lifted his head to regard her with a soft smile.
"Are you alright? We depart rather soon," Sakura said.
"Yes, my apologies. I didn't realize I'd acquired so much during our short time here," replied Itachi.
Sakura measured her next words carefully. Because looking at this man with his delicate figure and his sweet smile that she doubted he ever showed to anyone but her, she began to worry.
"I don't want to sound unwelcoming… but you don't need to accompany me," she finally managed to say out loud.
Itachi didn't look offended. He regarded her thoughtfully. And then he resumed folding his clothes and placing them in his suitcase.
"Yes, but I would like to accompany you. And I would hope that that would matter to you," he answered.
"Will your body be alright?" she went on.
He smiled this time.
"I promise to continue the regimen your physician prescribed."
She reluctantly nodded. They chatted idly as he finished packing before Sakura went around the Floating Palace doing last-minute checks with the staff. They then made their way down to the docks together, riding Kaze.
Itachi caught a glimpse of Sakura's profile as she glanced back at the retreating form of the palace. The longing in her gaze broke his heart just the tiniest bit.
The ship left port to the sounds of the islanders calling out loudly. They wished her a safe journey. Others were praying to the mother goddess for her protection as they sprinkled flower petals into the water. Fishermen in their little boats followed the large vessel on its way out of the protection of the bay as far as they could go without being caught in rougher currents. Sakura stood at the back of the ship, staring at the distant shapes of people waving farewell. As the fishing boats stopped to watch her departure, Sakura raised her right hand to wave.
The weeklong journey back to the mainland seemed much longer than it actually was. Perhaps the excitement of returning home after months abroad had colored Sakura's outlook on the way to Plumeria. She had been the same- full of dry wit and sarcasm, trading stories with the crew of the ship. Laughter followed her as she moved and she had almost seemed to shine. But now Sakura's expression was grim as she stood on the portside of the ship. At the sound of footsteps, she barely spared a glance back.
"You should come inside. It's rather cold at night," Sasori said even as he joined her.
"The others?" she asked.
"In their cabins. Sleeping, I'd imagine. An example to follow," stated Sasori with a pointed look. Sakura let out a heavy sigh. She crossed her arms behind her back.
"Why do I even bother, Sasori? Why am I even doing this?" questioned Sakura as she turned to face him.
Sasori's eyebrows rose.
"Because the idiot on your throne thinks that things are fine. And because his supporters are many. We bide our time, darling. We gather information, we strategize. And when the time is right…" Sasori suddenly trailed off. In that pause he reached out to push a stray lock of hair out of Sakura's face. Resting his palm on her cheek, Sasori smiled.
"When the time is right," he continued in a soft voice, "We dig our claws into those that would destroy us and we devour them from the inside out."
Sakura regarded her cousin for a long moment.
"Sometimes I wonder if you're the one keeping me sane or if I'm the one keeping you sane," she remarked.
"It's neither, Sakura. We're both mad," answered Sasori with a chuckle.
And this resigned sort of contentment seemed to last throughout the rest of the journey. The only times when Sakura truly seemed unhappy were during the meals that everyone was forced to eat together. To Prince Naruto, who still found sailing a novel and exciting experience, every aspect of the journey was amazing. He went on and on about everything which in itself didn't seem to bother Sakura.
But then Sasuke made the mistake of politely asking Naruto about Leaves.
And just a sidelong glance at Sakura told him that that was the wrong question to have asked.
Sakura's expression darkened each time her cousin recalled the glory of the castle at Leaves. He found the damp stone and gloomy interiors an exciting thing. He gushed about the hidden passages and the empty dungeons, ignorant to the fact that Sakura had once had to cower in those narrow corridors.
She had once been spirited out of the capitol, hidden away in a small village half a day's journey away until the King Consort's brother had been called to hold the throne. It was the day that word arrived that the monarchs had died in an accident on their travels. Suddenly all of the smiling faces that had sat in court were dangerous. And so Sakura was quickly hidden. The King Consort's brother was not a Haruno and therefore had no real claim to the crown. Instead he was a paperweight, keeping everything from blowing into chaos at the slightest breeze. And with stability restored in the capitol, Sakura was allowed to return once more.
"I don't know if you'll remember us, my dear. I am your aunt, Kushina, and this is your uncle, Minato. We'll be your parents from now on. You don't have anything to worry about."
The warmth of that first embrace had intoxicated her after weeks of fear and cold.
But now, as Naruto obtusely babbled on and on about the wonders of home, Sakura's hands clenched into fists. Disgusted, she shoved her plate away from her and got to her feet. She straightened the collar of her spotless white jacket before she walked away from her meal. The conversation at the table cut off as everyone stopped to watch her sudden departure. Sasori fixed Naruto with a sullen glower for the rest of dinner. And even Sasuke's expression was cooler each time he glanced the blond's way.
Tenten was the first to rise afterwards, her food hastily shoveled down. She clung to Sakura in an aloof sort of way. The musician had a way of dancing in and out of shadows, obviously present and invisible all at once.
"Any news?" Sakura inquired as the musician briefly joined her on the bow of the ship.
"All seems well, My Lady. The crew is calm and they claim that the weather should be fair for the rest of the journey," Tenten promptly reported. She spent most of her day eavesdropping on people on the ship. For everyone else, the musician was a friendly if unexpected member of the General's party. They spoke freely and Tenten used this to her advantage.
Having reported in, Tenten bowed before quietly melting into the shadows where she would dart around unnoticed.
It didn't take long for Itachi to find her. And somehow he managed to bring her a cup of tea that was still warm, despite the cool, salty winds.
"What was your father like?" Itachi asked, as if picking up from the middle of a conversation.
Sakura couldn't help but smile into her tea. Sometimes she forgot that a largely isolated life had left Prince Itachi with less-than-ideal communication skills. Setting her teacup down on the deck, she crossed her arms over her chest. She stared out at the black waves sloshing around ahead of them.
"My father was a giant," she simply told him.
"Was he a tall man?" queried Itachi.
"From what everyone tells me, not particularly. But my father, to me, was a million miles tall. His head touched the skies and his arms reached around the world," replied Sakura with a soft shake of her head.
They were hidden there, behind stacks of barrels and crates secured to the deck of the ship. With that knowledge, Sakura leaned in toward Itachi, letting her side brush against his. She felt Itachi's eyes on the side of her face.
"The servants tell me that he began to teach me to handle a sword from the moment I could carry one. Mother would scold us both when I came back to her covered in scrapes and bruises. He taught me to ride horses. And then he taught me the names of all the places he had fought great battles."
After some thought, Sakura then added, "My father was the greatest man I ever knew."
Itachi seemed to weigh her words.
"And your mother?" he prompted.
Sakura turned her head to look at him. Her mouth curled up in a smile.
"My mother was a million miles tall as well. And she could name the stars in the sky and the plants in the soil."
"And she wanted the crown to pass along to you, correct?" Itachi inquired. Sakura had to think for a moment before she could nod.
"Though," Sakura said before she paused. She stooped to pick up her tea again. It had cooled completely but she sipped at it anyway as she considered. All the while, Itachis eyes were trained on her face.
"Somehow, I think that because she didn't expect to die so early, she planned to pass the diadem of the Tea Isle to me first before that. In the end, I was only able to seize that one for myself," Sakura said mostly to herself.
The gold, jeweled headpiece that represented the Lady of the Southern Tea Isle was a beautiful piece of work. It had been passed down through generations of Haruno women. On the occasions when a Duke, rather than a Duchess, had been in power, the diadem had still been worn with pride. It was delicate gold chains with glimmering pearls harvested from the bay. The glittering crimson and white jewels represented the generations of history that stretched back to the time long ago when the Haruno clan had crossed the saltwater. Even now, it sat in a ceremonial box in the Floating Palace's treasury.
Itachi took this in silently. And when Sakura tilted her head again to look at him, he leaned in toward her. Her lips had been half-parted as she thought to say something else. But his lips found hers instead and stole her words. Holding her cooled tea in her hands, Sakura closed her eyes and listened to the pounding of the ocean waves match her own heart.
And after a week, they reached port and the horses, who had been stuck below deck for that time, jovially rode east towards Leaves. For the sake of the princes, they stayed on the main road and slept at inns rather than in the forest. Sasuke and Sasori did their best to fill the journey with light-hearted banter. And sometimes even Naruto's comments succeeded in raising a few chuckles from everyone.
Still, Sakura's expression was flat as she stared ahead. Even as they ate, her gaze was elsewhere, reaching in front of them.
"What is Leaves like?" Itachi asked one night.
Sakura's upper lip curled.
"A nest of vipers. Watch your ankles," she retorted.
There was really only one major conflict on the way to the capital city of Leaves from the port at Black Coves.
One night early into the journey, the sun began to set before the party could find a suitable place to settle for the night. And like hungry dogs after ham, a group of bandits quickly caught up to them on the road.
Before Sakura could even say anything, Tenten snapped her lute case open. As expected, inside was the musical instrument the case promised. But the top half of the case opened up again to reveal a compartment filled with glinting blades. Tenten grabbed a handful and spun. The knives whizzed through the air, embedding themselves into foreheads and chests. In the end, Sasori only had to knock out one of the bandits with a strong blow from the hilt of his sword while Tenten easily dispatched of the rest. She wiped the few flecks of blood from her cheek without any sign of discomfort. Then she turned to Sakura and gave an elegant curtsey.
"You've gotten sloppy. You missed one," Sakura remarked with a smirk before she clicked her tongue and Kaze cantered forward down the trail.
It was only when Itachi's hands tightened around her waist that she remembered him. Tilting her head over her shoulder, she met his wide-eyed gaze. His mouth was closed in a tight line but that didn't hide the way that he trembled just the faintest bit. Eyes slowly closing, he shook his head.
"They fell like puppets with their strings cut," he whispered.
And though Sakura turned back to look at the road ahead, she placed one hand over his in a reassuring touch.
"They all do, Prince. Everyone does in the end," she murmured in response.
The party's arrival in Leaves three weeks later was greeted by the Queen herself. Long crimson hair flowing out behind her, she walked up to first embrace her son as he dismounted from his horse. He was vaguely dirty and smelled of horse but Kushina kissed his face and hugged him close. Sasori glanced over in time to see Sakura feeding Kaze a carrot, pretending not to see any of this happening.
And it was only then that Kushina looked up to see Sakura.
"Welcome back, Sakura," Kushina uttered in such a kind voice that Sasori had to turn around to hide the way his eyes rolled.
"Good afternoon, Your Majesty," responded Sakura as she fell to one knee with her fist over her heart. Her eyes remained trained on the ground.
"Please, Sakura," said Kushina with a hint of exasperation in her voice. As Sakura rose to her feet, Kaze nudged her back with an impatient snort. After weeks of travel, he was obviously eager for a good bath and a nap. Reaching out to pat his muzzle, Sakura gestured for one of the stablehands to come forward.
"The usual care for him, Konohamaru. Scrub him down well. He's had a long journey," she ordered as she flipped a gold coin into the boy's hand. With a grin, he eagerly took the horse's reins and led him off toward the stables. With deliberate ease, Sakura then looked back to her aunt. Kushina smiled at her, obviously trying to figure out what to say next.
"May I present my dear friends, Prince Itachi and Prince Sasuke of the Mountain Kingdom. And of course you already know my cousin, Admiral Haruno," Sakura introduced her companions. She saw Kushina's face flush slightly. She should have been first to greet her guests but obviously this had slipped her mind in her excitement to see her son. Even Naruto seemed embarrassed for her.
"We've been traveling for many weeks and I'm sure we could all use a rest. If His Grace, the King Regent is free, I would speak with him before retiring," Sakura then went on, already taking steps toward the castle. The message was clear to her companions. They murmured polite words and bowed to the Queen Regent before following her. Even Naruto, after lingering in his mother's embrace, quickly excused himself.
As they entered the castle, a stone fortress of flickering torches and stained glass windows, Sakura's arms were stiff at her sides as she walked. Sasori caught up to her first. He saw the back of her neck was red as he grabbed her wrist. And though her feet stopped, her eyes glared off elsewhere. She drew in shaky breaths through her nose, teeth gritting together.
"Talk to me," Sasori said in a quiet voice filled with comfort.
There was a long pause, during which Sasuke and Itachi caught up with them. Haku was Sakura's usual shadow, nearby and distant all at once with his back up against the nearest wall.
"She was wearing my mother's things," Sakura whispered.
"What?" demanded Sasori.
"My mother's… her ring… and her pearl necklace… those aren't for her to wear…" sighed Sakura as she closed her eyes.
"Are you positive? Perhaps they just look similar?" ventured Sasuke.
A low hiss rose from Sasori as he exhaled slowly between his teeth. Hand clenching into a fist, he glared down at his feet.
"I'm going to raze this dung heap to the ground. I will break their bones between my fingers and grind them to dust between my molars. Every single one of these rats, I will destroy them so that the cries of their widows shatter the distant mountains," he whispered in a voice so sharp that it seemed to pierce the air. Lifting his head, Sasori opened eyes that burned the color of raw copper.
He regarded Sakura for a long time in the dim light. Then he reached out to grasp her chin. Sasori tilted her face up.
"Keep your head high. I'm going to have a talk with some of my friends," the admiral simply said before he strode off with loud steps that echoed all around his departure. Sakura didn't realize that she was trembling with anger until Haku crept under her arms to hug her around the middle.
It took several minutes for her to compose herself completely.
But by the time they made it to the throne room, Sakura greeted her uncle in the most polite yet cold way. She spouted some backhanded compliments, they thanked the King Regent for his hospitality, and then Sakura showed them to their chambers. Compared to their luxurious private apartments back in Plumeria, the simple bedchambers with one attached bathroom seemed incredibly shabby. But of course, no one was impolite enough to say anything of the sort out loud.
They retired to their separate rooms. There was a large feast held to welcome them, courtesy of the generous King Regent. Sakura was noticeably absent, as was Prince Itachi and Admiral Sasori. Sasuke was in attendance, bored out of his mind and wondering why his brother, of all people, had chosen to skip. And while Sasori's whereabouts were a mystery to everyone, including her, Sakura was up on the castle wall, staring down at the moat.
Itachi was with her, a thick blanket wrapped around them to protect them from the night's chill. It was from Plumeria, woven with brilliant colors and still filled with the fragrance of spices and flowers. Sakura inhaled deeply, her shoulders relaxing for the first time in days.
"I'm very sorry… about your mother's jewels," Itachi suddenly said. His arms were around her and her back pressed to his chest. He felt rather than heard her sigh.
"I suppose I should stop being shocked and hurt whenever things like this happen to me," replied Sakura. There was a contemplative pause. And then Itachi spoke again.
"Will you confront her? What are you going to do?"
Sakura's head fell back to rest on his collarbones. Her eyes were wildly bright, glittering like the viridian waters in the bay of Plumeria.
"I will do what I've always done, my prince. I will save my tears for the day that I can tear from their hands all the things that they've stolen from me. My pride, my titles, my legacy. And then, when all that is done, I think that is when I shall cry," she murmured.
The next morning, after a quiet meal between friends, Sakura sent for Tenten to meet with her in the gardens behind the castle. Tenten emerged from the shadow of a trellis covered in ivy.
"I leave you here, Tenten. Tread silently. And remember, you are not here to spy on the Regent," Sakura quietly instructed as she handed over the bag of gold coins. She pressed them into Tenten's open palm with a pointed look. Tenten weighed the coins in her palm for a moment before she tucked them into the sash around her waist.
"Fear not, My Lady. I will be but an observer. My true passion is music after all,' replied Tenten with a dip of her head.
"I'm glad they finally made you stop scrubbing dishes in the kitchen."
"Of course, that changes nothing. I've been cleaning out the fireplaces. You would not believe the sorts of things you find in there," one of the servants sighed with armfuls of clean laundry. Both women started when Sasori suddenly cleared his throat from behind them. Flushing red at being caught complaining, the servant who had spoken bowed particularly low.
"A-Admiral. What a pleasant surprise," the other laughed nervously.
"I couldn't help but overhear. What…sorts of strange things do you find?" he inquired.
Giving him a puzzled look, the maid who had been speaking reached into the front pocket of her crisp white apron. It was dusty and blackened with ash, but Sasori thought it shone a little in the torchlight. He pinched it between his thumb and pointer finger, turning it this way and that to determine its value. After a long moment, expression unchanged, Sasori looked over at the two servants.
"My dears, if you happen to find anything of this nature again, would you be so kind as to let one of the Lieutenant Generals know?" Sasori requested with his most charming smile.
"A-ah yes, of course, Admiral. Whatever you need," one of them immediately said.
Putting his hands on their shoulders, Sasori began escorting the servants down the corridor.
"Now, can you tell me if you've noticed anything strange in the castle lately?"
"Strange, Admiral?"
Their voices grew distant, distorting and warping as Sasori smiled his way to the truth.
Two days after their arrival in Leaves, Sakura already seemed anxious to leave. While Naruto took Sasuke around the city to see the marketplace and the other sights the place had to offer, Sakura and Sasori spent most of their time at the military academy located at the heart of the city. Sakura's arrival was a surprise to all and she was greeted with salutes and looks of wonder.
Colonel Hyuuga found her quickly and matched her brisk strides as he filled her in on all the things she had missed during her months away.
"Where are my three?" she questioned as he paused to check his notes. Neji rolled his eyes.
"Running drills, terrifying new recruits, and napping," Neji said as he pushed the door open to reveal Shikamaru lolling back in his chair with his feet up on his desk and a book over his face.
"Welcome back, General," Shikamaru drawled without moving.
"Look alive, Nara. We've got things to discuss," Sakura said as Sasori and Neji closed and locked the doors behind them.
A few hours later, everyone regrouped for supper. Shikamaru joined them after a yawning introduction to the two foreign princes. As they headed into the castle, Sakura suddenly stopped walking.
"SAKURA!"
Eyes widening, swords flew from their scabbards and shoulders tensed. Even Sasori flinched at the sudden noise. Only Sakura remained completely relaxed as a blur of flowing blonde hair and purple skirts barreled into her. Clinging tightly to Sakura with her arms wrapped around her neck, Ino squealed with delight until Sakura softly cleared her throat.
"Ino… I have guests," Sakura quietly said.
Ino immediately released her and took a step back. That didn't stop the bright smile lighting up her face. Cheeks flushed with excitement, Ino reached out to take both of Sakura's hands.
"It is just wonderful to see you! You look well! How have you been? Why haven't you written?" she gushed, shaking Sakura's hands in all her enthusiasm. Sasori politely muffled his chuckle as a cough into his fist. But the noise still drew Ino's attention.
"Oh, Admiral. How do you do? I trust you have had a safe voyage," Ino flatly recited before the sparkle returned to her gaze again when she turned her attention back to Sakura.
"Anyway, you never responded to my letters! I assume you've been too busy gallivanting around and having fun," she sniffed. Sakura raised an eyebrow.
"When have you ever known me to gallivant?" demanded Sakura with a faint smile.
"Well you're obviously gallivanting now! With all these handsome- wait," Ino trailed off as she realized that there were other people staring at her. After a long moment, Ino turned back to Sakura, her eyes shining almost menacingly in all their enthusiasm. With a drawn-out sigh, Sakura patted Ino's hand.
"Join us. I'll fill you in on what you've missed," she said.
"Marvelous!" Ino sang. She pecked Sakura's cheek before she danced off ahead of them.
"Um…" Sasuke began in a low voice as he turned to Sasori.
"Sakura's best friend in the capital city, Lady Ino of the Yamanaka family. Her parents are the Duke and the Duchess of Spring Point. Fabulously wealthy and firm supporters of the Regent," Sasori promptly summarized. Sasuke's eyes narrowed.
"But their daughter supports Sakura?" he repeated.
"Yes, it seems that that hyperactive ball of sunshine is the only one with sense in that family," muttered Sasori before he headed into the castle.
Three days after arriving in Leaves, Sakura announced that it was time to move on. There wasn't much to pack. No one had expected to stay and Sakura's obvious distaste for the capital and the people in it was a clear signal for no one to unpack too thoroughly.
Late in the morning, the stableboys brought out their steeds. The servant girls loyal to Sakura scrambled to help as she crossed the drawbridge. Sakura just finished fixing the cuffs of her shirt as she stopped in front of Kaze. One of the girls held out her jacket and Sakura slipped her arms inside and shrugged it into place with ease.
As Naruto ran out to join them, his bag thrown over his shoulder, he searched for the horse he had ridden all the way from Plumeria. Sakura watched impassively as the excitement faded to confusion when he didn't see it.
"…Sakura? Where's my horse?" he questioned, finally turning to her. The Queen Regent joined them, her hands resting protectively on her son's arm.
"In the stable. There is no horse for you," Sakura informed him. Itachi was already in Kaze's saddle. When the prince tentatively reached forward to pat Kaze, the horse gave a puzzled snuffle before he happily leaned into the touch. Sakura's lips twitched upwards at the exchange. Kaze didn't easily trust strangers.
"Then what will I ride?" he went on to ask.
"You'll stay here," Sakura simply said as she swung her leg over Kaze's back and settled into the saddle. Itachi scooted backwards in the saddle to make room for her. Two of the servant girls ran up to hand over a sturdy rucksack and a canteen filled with water. Sakura took her time attaching these things so that they wouldn't slide off the saddle before she turned back to Naruto still gaping up at her.
"I'm certain Her Majesty the Queen Regent will agree. This is no place for a prince to be without a protector. Since you sent Sir Sai to remain in Talast for a 'vacation' for the summer, by the time you send a letter requesting him to join us, it will be too late. Stay home," Sakura commanded. The edges of steel in her voice made Naruto's complaints freeze on the back of his tongue.
Naruto twisted around to look at his mother imploringly. But Kushina shook her head.
"Sakura is right. His Majesty wanted you to go only because Lord Danzo mentioned that he believes it is good for a young prince to travel and to see the country. But even with Sakura with you, I fear for your safety," she insisted.
Sakura's eyes narrowed. She glanced over her shoulder at Sasori. Her gaze lingered over Haku sitting in the saddle in front of Sasori looking tiny and lost. After a moment, Sakura jerked her head slightly at Sasori, who then trotted off down the path without so much as a farewell to anyone. Sasuke held Sakura's gaze unsurely for a moment before he dipped his head silently at the Queen Regent and followed.
"A word of advice to you. Danzo may not have your Prince Naruto's best interests at heart," Sakura then said to Kushina before she clicked her tongue and Kaze broke off in a gallop down the dusty road after the others.
Itachi's arms tightened around her waist as they barreled forward. The tight lines of her shoulders and the sharpness in her gaze as she glanced back at him made him hesitate to speak. Just when he began to wonder if they would travel this way in black anger for the rest of the journey, Kaze slowed his frantic pace. Itachi lifted his gaze to find his brother and Sasori waiting just off the side of the road under the shade of the trees.
"Feeling better after your tantrum, darling?" Sasori called out when he spotted her.
"Go fuck yourself, Sasori," she muttered.
"Gladly, dear, but we have company," he answered. But Sakura laughed and the collect noise of relief that rose from everyone else only made Sakura laugh harder.