Chapter Eleven

How Could Life Go Wrong

She opened the door and looked around, seeing Itachi nowhere, and Suki missing from her place beside Kurama. And there was also Naruto curled up by the long since gone out fire. The bottle of sake was there, making her almost laugh as she wondered how much he drank before she could have her sip. Chuckling, she shook her head.

"Itachi!" she called out. No answer. But then something else caught her attention from the corner of her eye. Turning her entire head to her right, she saw it: the sun is coming up.

She was going to let Itachi SEE what she looked like at night, but now that he was nowhere in sight and the beautiful golden orb was rising from the horizon, blanketing the sky now with light blue, gray, pink and lavender, she was going to just have to tell him herself whether he would believe it or not, but how could he not since dragons, ogres and the likes existed? All she had to do was say that she was cursed as a child, her father sent her away for protection and that the only one who could make it right was the one who loved her. Simple, right?

Smiling, Hanaru watched the golden sparkles surround as the sun rose to its highest at early morning; she reached up to feel that the fox ears had vanished, shrinking back into her skull as the tail did the same. She didn't need to have a reflection to see if the whiskers on her face faded like painted images would over time.

It was also at that time she saw him coming her way, riding on his horse, and she was almost happy to see him, excited even - but then she saw the look on his face when his eyes rested on her. A myriad of negative emotions: anger, resentment. That shocked her; what had happened that he looked like this? She tried not to think if it involved HER, not after last night... "Itachi, are you all right?" She tried reaching for him, but he waved her hand off and remained on his horse, still scowling.

"Perfect. Never been better, Your Highness."

"Your Highness"?! What happened to just "Hanaru"? "Why are you like this? I have to tell you something -"

He cut her off, so harshly that it struck her across the face. "You don't have to tell me anything. I heard enough of what you said to your brother and that little beast of yours last night. I heard every word that you don't need to tell to my face, Princess," he sneered, Suki nickering in agreement.

Hanaru tried not to cry; she was not going to cry. He heard everything she said, but because she didn't want to run away with him - which was NOT true - he saw her no different than when they first met. That confirmed Naruto saying the ronin had feelings for her, but his heart had been stomped on. He'd found love in her, which she was too scared to jump into because of obvious circumstances, and now he was looking at her the way he was as well as talking her down like the first day.

However, what did that mean for her ugly secret? He hadn't said anything of that yet. "I thought...you'd understand," she managed, throat sore from talking alone.

"Oh, I understand. Like you said, 'arrogant teme'. Who wants to be with that kind of man? Why should you bother spending one more minute, much less a day, with the likes of me? It never matters what I want," Itachi said bitterly. "I always have someone that gives me purpose...only for it to be taken from me."

Now the tear slipped down her eyes, which he noted but said nothing to. His raised voice to her sleeping brother made her nearly jump out of her skin just as it did to him. "NARUTO, WAKE UP!"

"What? What - is someone getting murdered?!" he yelped, jumping to sitting position. He looked at her and Itachi with blinking eyes. "What the hell was that for, Itachi?!"

"Get up and grab our possessions," the Uchiha said coldly. "I'd rather we be home before afternoon sunlight. And Princess, get that dragon of yours."

He was ordering them around, refusing to listen to her, and this Hinata heard when she came out of the little shack. "You don't have the right to tell me what to do, Uchiha," she growled, sensing what was happening. He snorted, disregarding her entirely and announcing they were going as soon as everything was cleared up. He was done with this journey, felt his job was completed, and wanted to get on with his miserable life which made Hanaru resent him now.

What had she been thinking, halfway assuming that there could have been something?

Hinata shrunk down to size so she hid in Naruto's pack, not intending to let the guards see her, her little friend told her privately. "Better just let things be as they are for now," Hinata whispered. "I have a plan that doesn't involve running away or even causing a civil war. Your father won't be dethroned because of Danzo. I have a feeling that he could be plotting that, so that's why he must have asked for you."

Hanaru had no idea what to say to that, though she must have heard that little voice, but she trusted her guardian's wisdom. Naruto knew nothing, yet, and that was for the best. Except she had no idea what to do about that bastard ahead of them either. She was sitting behind her brother this time, since Itachi wanted nothing more to do with her, and she could shed her tears now. Naruto turned his head halfway and regarded her with sympathy. "I tried talking to him, but he won't listen to me," she whispered. "He heard everything, but he thinks I'm..."

That made her brother bare his teeth like a wild fox. "I should just get him myself," he said. She shook her head.

"No, otouto, don't make it worse than it already is. Hinata has a plan," she said in his ear so the little dragon didn't hear. "Don't do anything that makes it inescapable." His eyes lit up then; just like him to think that if he got away once, he could do it again. But they weren't even home yet for everything to be set in stone.

The entire ride, she felt like her spirit left her body and she was just a walking corpse. Might be like this when the wedding planning begins, all those cursed rituals, the kimono measurements taken - all that which makes me so tired I want to die from it.

"Princess, here we are. This is my wedding present to you."

Those were the first words he said to her, uncaring about her anymore other than being the burden she was, breaking her heart more than it already was and enraging her to the point the monster vixen within wanted to come out and rip his head from his shoulders. She looked beyond in the distance and gritted her teeth as she saw the man in the lead, wearing a simple summer kimono jewel-toned for the season, and behind him either four or five samurai in armor and masked helmets.

The look of the old man in the front, with his oily dark hair and the white fabric wrapped around the left side of his face, she tried not to flinch as she thought of this man being her husband. This is the one who destroyed Itachi's life.

His voice was rough but otherwise polite. "Princess Hanaru. You're lovelier than I would have dreamed of - I recall you being a small, comely child who ran through the flower fields, laughing with the butterflies - although I'm sorry to see you haven't exactly been properly cared for."

He must have referred to her loose hair which hadn't yet been combed before Itachi demanded they all left - just so he could deliver her right to this man with whom her life would be unbearable. He met with him before he returned, and brought me right here.

And what Itachi said confirmed everything: "Now, the reward as promised, Danzo?"

~o~

He traveled in the late hours of the night just to come and request an audience with the man who had his fate between gnarly fingers. The guards searched him and had to take his weapons so to ensure he wouldn't attack their master. But he didn't come all the way out here for a fight. He left Suki outside, keeping a wary eye over his shoulder until he was all the way inside the compound.

If they do anything to my friend, they'll answer to me, and I'll have to steal one of their horses.

"Itachi. It's a surprise to see you at this hour of the night. You're incredibly lucky that you remember I am a night owl."

He knelt before the man who was behind his short desk, paperwork all finished except for a late night cup of tea which was still steaming. He didn't care whether or not if it was the first or the next after however many. "Yes, you are right."

Danzo looked at him with a squinting eye. "Where is the princess and that renegade brother of hers?" he questioned, closing his sun-burned fingers around the steaming lacquered cup and bringing it to his lips for a small sip as he waited for the disgraced Uchiha's answer.

"Not far away. In fact, that is why I am here," Itachi replied coldly as he found himself haunted by the princess, the woman he had thought would love him and run away with him, repercussions be damned, who had said he was a pompous bastard and didn't want to be with him - after everything they did together!

But that was all going to change when he and this man as well as a handful of his soldiers would rendezvous, the exchange ending as it had begun.

~o~

She didn't know which was worse: his deceit or his shattering of her heart without even listening to her. He...he'd LIED to her. He never told her that Danzo offered to reward him if he'd rescued her; it was all so he could get his disgraced status revoked.

She was confused now, because she also hated the old man on the horse, who stayed behind like a coward while he sent this man - her childhood friend who was now the one who broke her heart, even though she unintentionally broke his, too - to do his dirty work.

"Hai, Itachi," Danzo said with an undertone of agitation, "but you'll have it in a matter of days, after the wedding. Now, leave before I change my mind. I'll send one of my men to your residence by then." The Uchiha sniffed and raised his head higher, hitching the reins of his horse and starting away, but not before Danzo called out to him, "Perhaps I don't regret killing you and the prince before now."

So, he threatened to kill Itachi and her brother when the Uchiha refused the first time. Hanaru wished she could spit at him in the face. He cleared his throat when he looked back at her. "You will have to forgive me, Princess - Prince Naruto, bring your steed closer so I can have a better look at my future bride."

Bride. The word made her stomach roll even more than Kurama galloping over unwillingly. She was a safe three feet away from Danzo, but it still felt like unwanted contact. "Lord Danzo," she said numbly, looking at him but avoiding eye contact. "Forgive you for what exactly?"

He didn't seem offended, or he just didn't let it show. "Well, startling you, since it is clear your champion didn't tell you that he would surprise you by bringing you here at this time. He should have given you time to prepare yourself. I understand women enough for that." His single eye was on her unkempt hair, which she pushed behind her shoulder and tamed down the best she could, without pulling Kushina's comb from within her garment.

"You're right. He should have. In fact, he should have at least said one last goodbye, for I spent a few days getting acquainted with him."

At this time, Itachi was gone and without one final look, not that it mattered anymore, but her heart was still hurting. "And I see you have had a bit of a falling out," Danzo noted, startling her and making her wonder how much he sensed, or was he just working on her? "No matter then. We best be on our way home now that you are here. Your father is waiting for you - for you both," he added with a biting edge towards her brother.

"Then let's not waste another minute and just get home."

Thankfully she was still riding behind her brother when they galloped towards Konoha. It was vast, beautiful and peaceful like she remembered in her youth. But in her life, anything but. She couldn't stop thinking about Itachi no matter how hard she tried.

~o~

The sooner he was back at the hut, the better. He didn't want to stay another minute in ANY of their presences. He wanted to just get back to his life which was all he had. If he couldn't be happy, then privilege in a matter of days as well as making money would have to be all that would provide him and Suki comfort.

When he finally arrived, the hut and little stable didn't look like anyone had touched them. He got off of Suki's saddle, stretching his legs and removing his weapons. To finally be home was a relief, for it meant these things: a bath in the spring, eat and relax, for tomorrow he was going back to Ushi after many days of no business. Inside, all his possessions were as he left them, including the spare armor and weapons which were his luck. Might be the last time I worry about fighting for survival and selling stolen valuables.

But he kept in mind there could be an ulterior motive, so when Danzo sent his man, he would be ready to kill him and then dump his corpse. Except that meant labeling him as a murderer who would be forced to go on the run.

When the day was over and he was laying on his back, the air cool for once, he frowned as he found himself missing something. He'd spent the last decade of his life alone, save Suki outside, but now he realized he never would have thought he would...

Miss Naruto's nag - and even his sister.

Scowling, Itachi turned onto his side, squeezing his eyes shut and growling that he couldn't sleep. He decided to grab the last of that bottle of sake, drinking until he was tired enough to fall into a dreamless sleep.

The next day, when he rode Suki to Ushi's cave which was where he did his business, the old fox leered and asked him if he heard the news that was going on. "That old cur Danzo gonna wed the Princess Hanaru - and only a few days after she comes home. That one whose samurai you've been offing for my merchandise? Might be a good idea for business, maybe not, now that he'll wed the emperor's daughter."

Itachi said nothing to all of that, just traded the valuables, got his millet and sake, then hauled himself on his cherished friend to return to the hut.

He found himself thinking once more back to all the things which he never realized he would have grown to miss, and spited himself for the sentimentality: no more good sake, no bantering, no secrets to trade...

...what was worse was that all he could think about was long, golden hair and a kind heart which betrayed him if losing his brother and clan hadn't been enough.

Besides hunting and selling, he spent his days fishing, feeding Suki her usual grass and water, then trained in the fields so he could get his anger out in the open, yet none of it would make him better no matter how much he wanted it. And at night didn't improve, for he would still think of her, which was worse than losing Sasuke now that he thought of it; even when he slept in his skin, he was haunted by the memory of the touches of her hands on his shoulders as she used to massage his shoulders from muscle tension, the pleasurable tugging as she brushed his hair with her mother's comb - no one ever did that for him before, either.

And the damnable lingering sensation of their bodies close, and what would have been their first and last kiss.

Was all of this really worth it?

What neither he nor Hanaru were aware of was that each day that passed, they mimicked each other's activities: sitting outside and enjoying a quiet meal alone, away from company, trying to let go of a love that never got to be.

~o~

As soon as he and his sister were home, there was their father waiting for them at the torii accompanied by his numerous attendants. The emperor wanted to be there to see his daughter in young womanhood, and though he kept a straight face, his eyes were shining with joy - but also with pain.

He was overjoyed seeing his daughter again, having missed out on much of her childhood because a damned creature of the otherworld brought this on them; he was suffering because he was forced to go through with her marrying a man beneath his wing whom he knew was plotting, though Naruto wished there was a plan, make it all easy for them.

Quietly, he cursed Itachi for adding to his nee-chan's list of anguishes. But if he wasn't his friend whether the Uchiha wanted to admit it or not, he wouldn't have forgiven him. Because he highly doubted Itachi accidentally heard everything.

Except he had NO idea how he was going to get away from the palace now that he would be under tight guard. But leave the details up to Hinata who shrunk to rat size now so that people didn't notice her - completely - as she did the job of plotting for him, for Hanaru's sake and all of Konoha. "I'm going to spy on that rat snake for you," she whispered in his ear before slithering down and hiding amongst the armor of one of Danzo's samurai. She was going to come back and give him the details of their suspicions before she would spring them both free unawares.

Despite being rewarded for getting his sister back, to be told by his father that he was disappointed in his behavior was a jab to his rear end. Danzo never mentioned Itachi's name either; surprise, surprise.

And speaking of which: the wedding was in four days, following her return home and the announcement made after she refreshed at the imperial palace. Naruto had done the same; it was also saddening to watch Kurama be taken from him and given back to whoever his original owner in the village was, but he would never forget their adventures.

The prince spited everything going on around him. All the food being prepared, the festival in time for the leaves' color to be in play as means to celebrate - but what hurt him most was his own sister suffering and crying in private. Hanaru, strong-willed and beautiful - not that she wasn't now - had been reduced to a powerless mess, and he decided enough was enough right before Hinata returned and reported to him what she heard Danzo planning with his samurai.

"Girl, we got to get out of here and bring Itachi whether he wants to come or not," he declared.

Woo-hoo, now let's go on a final ride with our heroes! :D