Chapter 36

When Sasuke came back to the manor, Sakura was making playing cards and board games with Tenten and some of the younger servant girls.

One of the downside of having no internet was that life can be pretty boring, and luckily Sakura remembered what her childhood was like without the World Wide Web, she played various little games and toys, including cards, board games, feathered kicking ball, long elastic to do crosses with, jump ropes, and many more. She sent the design in for playing cards a long time ago and today they're finally here. There was one set that's built with wooden think crisp deck, and another with paper. Sakura was teaching Tenten and the girls how to playing simple card games while doing some card tricks she learnt a long time ago.

Sasuke came in and saw the girls chatting happily in the gazebos and decided to see that all the fusses were all about, and when he approaches the girls immediately stopped what they were doing and stood by at the side while bowing their head down. Sakura was having fun one minute and the next everyone was gone, she looked up in a grumpy mood and saw Sasuke's figure towering the marble table, she immediately threw herself over her cards and said, "your grace! you're back so early."

"Disappointed?" Sasuke asked in a teasing tone.

"No no." Sakura immediately shook her head, "Just surprised! Haha..." She hoped he would leave her alone and move on. But he stood there, looking down at her without a single inclination of moving.

She reluctantly uncovered her cards and confessed, "I've been wanting to play some card games..."

To her surprise he seems interested, "show me."

She thought he must've had nothing else to do that day, so she straightened the decks and begin to teach him the simplest rule of playing cards, while explaining what a desk consist of, and the numbers and symbols and their meaning. The other girls quickly went to the kitchen to bring some snacks and tea for the couple.

Sasuke listened intently while they had a practice run, then they begin to play blackjack. Sakura has had a few experience with it for a while, and for the first few hands she won most of the time, until Sasuke too, has figured out the trick and start memorizing cards. Sakura kept loosing, and she pouted and said, "let's play another one."

She begin to teach him poker, thinking the rules must've made him more confused than ever. Out of the goodness of her heart she drew a diagram for him detailing the biggest hand to the smallest, and Sasuke looked over the diagram for a few minutes before playing, and the same thing happened. Sakura won the first few hands and Sakura lost most of the time as the game progresses.

The games went on until Sakura threw her cards on the table, "I'm hungry."

Sasuke smiled softly while pulling her into his arms, "let's go have lunch."

Sasuke begin to develop a dislike for servants in the dining room during meal times except for Sakura. So he sent everyone away, and Sakura had to be in charge of him getting proper nutrition, which is a pain because she'd rather enjoy eating without serving anyone else, but when he finished whatever in his plate he looks at her with such longing and expectation she can't help it but fill his plates up again. Also another rule that she rarely obeys is whenever the master of the household finishes eating, everyone had to stop eating. Sasuke didn't expect her to follow the rule, but whenever he's done he puts his utensils down and looks at her while she eats. Occasionally chiming in remarks such as "you should eat more carrots." "Does that taste good? No thanks I'm full." And this made her quickly scarf down a few delicacies before she looses her appetite through sheer annoyance and send in servants to clear the table.

After lunch there were soup and deserts, and that was when Sasuke told Sakura about the hunting trip.

"Up North? Wouldn't it be very cold?"

"It's near the sea, as well as New Years comes on February. It wouldn't be terribly cold." Sasuke said, his eyes bright. "There's mountain ranges near by with a few remote villages. The city were heading to is surrounded by fortresses. You'll be safe and snug by the fireplace while I go hunt the rarest game. You'll love it there, there's northern lights at night, as well as the annual spring ice sculpture festival..."

Sakura's eyes sparkled, and that's when Sasuke learnt he hit the jackpot. His new bride isn't interested in fine silk, gold or jewelry, but rather things that are unusual and interesting. Perhaps this is why she's able to invent so many new items, it must be due to her natural curiosity. He has never met anyone like this, and he suddenly felt immensely lucky that he's the one who loved her first, before she was snatched away by a regular person and became the wife of a commoner.

In Sasuke's eyes, everyone other than the Emperor and himself were considered commoners.

Chiyo interrupted their meal with a message from the Palace. The Dowager Empress requested every female spouse of important political members of the court to attend a small gathering in the Palace next week, as they make their yearly trip to the royal cemetery nearby and pray to the ancestors.

All throughout the next few days Sakura was listening to Chiyo's lessons about how to behave in front of the Dowager Empress, and what do look for, subtle cues, hints, and general mannerisms.

It wasn't until late into the afternoon Sakura had a breather to herself. She called Riku over, who have been serving the court ever since she was a young girl, which was over 50 years ago.

Sakura quickly exchanged polite courtesies with Riku, then asked her if there's anything she needed in particular. Riku didn't know what she wanted, so the elderly servant kicked the ball back to Sakura's court by saying, "Princess, it's unusual for me to make a request out of the blue. However I've only ever been nothing but faithful to the Prince. If there's anything you need, please don't hesitate to ask, and I will answer to the best of my abilities."

Sakura thought there's no point in hiding, so she begin, "I actually wanted to know more about the Dowager Empress. Specifically what happened to her when she was younger, and any general information that could help me to get ready for the banquet coming up... You see, I'm constantly afraid of causing trouble for the Prince..."

Riku smiled, "Of course."

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TBC