CCNote: This chapter is not for those who think the female body is 'gross'. Enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW!
Okiya
An empty road
lonelier than abandonment:
this autumn evening
(Basho)
The Twenty-seventh Fall of the Karasu
Location Unknown
...
After discovering his father's abandonment Itachi immediately went back into to the shack to salvage what little he could. They had no food to speak of nor a way to hunt on their own. The absence of his katana also meant that they were left without a way to properly defend themselves. Frowning he put random items that may or may not be of use later into a flimsy rough-spun bag before scanning the room three times over to see if there was anything else. His father's disappearance, while unfortunate, was not unexpected. His father had never been one to take the easy way in life.
No food.
No weapons.
No map.
"So what now?" the Hyuuga asked from where she hovered near the front door of the small home.
Itachi ran a tired hand through his hair and let out a slow breath through his nose. What now indeed. Their options were limited and lingering any longer in the shack would not be beneficial to them. So he did the only thing he could do, he slung the makeshift pack over his shoulder and proceeded to walk out of the shack and onto the well-trodden road. The Hyuuga followed him quickly despite the fact that she had no idea where he was headed. Neither did he for that matter but her trust in him was unwavering.
'Whatever your plan is I will follow you.'
"Hey Commander-" she started but at the sound of his name, Itachi stopped walking and she promptly crashed into his back. "What-"
"You shouldn't call me that. Not while we are away from the troops." Itachi informed her before reaching behind him and pulling the girl by her wrist to stand at his side. "Keep up."
He couldn't remain vigilant if she was always two steps behind him. She seemed to understand this fact but it didn't stop her from rubbing her nose and glaring at him.
"If not 'Commander' then what?" she asked as they began to walk again.
"Itachi is fine."
"I-ta-chi." she said, overly emphasizing every syllable and scrunching up her nose. "It sounds weird."
"Is Hanabi any different?"
"Of course it is! Hanabi is a great- wait. I've never told you my name."
Itachi shook his head at her realization and smirked. His suspicions had been right all along.
"Consider it a lucky guess."
"Sure sure I-ta-chi. So where are we going?"
The Uchiha rolled his sore shoulders, pressing his lips in a tight line. Their entire clan's campaign this time had been about finding his father. Well, they found him, rescued him, and now had been promptly abandoned by that same man. Their mission was over and now all there was left to do was return to the District and defend it against foreign invaders. He'd had no problem allowing the chaos his father and Danzo had brought run its course.
As long as those he cared about were safe that was all that mattered. His brother was likely in a sore mood from being left out of this campaign just like all the others but he'd surely be happy to have him back. His mother had worried about his well being for long enough and Shisui was probably in a similar state. To have an army return without their Commander was a bad sign. He could only hope that they didn't think he was dead. Sighing he adjusted his bag on his shoulder and addressed the expectant girl at his side.
"We are heading to the Uchiha District."
"The Uchiha District?" the Hyuuga repeated, stopping in her tracks.
Itachi continued on without her but it didn't take long for his exuberant counterpart to catch up. When she did, she skipped happily next to him with a large smile plastered to her face.
"General Shisui will be there right?" she asked and Itachi felt a chuckle bubble up in his chest.
"He should be if he carried out my orders correctly."
"Of course he did. The General is one of the most capable men out there."
This was true which was why Itachi had chosen his cousin in the first place. Still, it was...cute to witness the Hyuuga gush in such a way. It appeared that Shisui had a fan, a fact that he would never allow the older man to live down.
"And my sister?" Hanabi asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. "She'll be there too right?"
'Hinata.' Itachi thought before stiffly nodding.
She should still be within the District by the time they arrived. Even if Shisui had carried his orders out to perfection she would not have had a chance to find a husband from another clan and take her leave of the Uchiha just yet. That was also assuming that she would be able to find another suitor. A separated woman would not be seen as a desirable match to some more traditional clans. It would not be entirely bad if she hadn't managed to find another husband. The safest place in Konoha was within the District-
"Ya know..." The Hyuuga started pensively. "I've always wanted to see the Uchiha District. I was so jealous when Hinata got to leave and I had to stay behind."
"You were jealous?" Itachi asked teasingly with a quirk of his brow.
"Mmmm. All I ever wanted was to get out of the Inner Ring and I heard that the Uchiha District was massive like a city. It just sucks that the old man ditched us to go on to the capital."
At the mention of the capital, Itachi stopped cold in his tracks. Hanabi walked on a bit but then turned to look back at him, surprised by his halt. He, however, was consumed by what she'd said. His father was heading for the capital?
"Why?" Itachi asked and Hanabi stared back perplexed.
"How do you know that's where he's heading?"
"Oh well because he said he wanted to kill the Shogunate. So I just figured that's where he went. He lives in the capital right?" Itachi closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
All thoughts of going home were now gone. There were more pressing matters to attend to. He could only hope that they made it to the capital before the invaders or his father. Otherwise, there was going to be a lot of bloodshed.
'Dammit, Oto-san.'
...
The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume
Location Unknown
...
Their first day of walking wasn't so bad. Sure it was hot and tedious but it wasn't anything unfamiliar to her. Marching in the summer heat and laden down by weapons was significantly harder work. The next day was much of the same but she felt more sluggish than before. As the day wore on she became increasingly irritated by the smallest of things. Just the sweat that dripped into her eye was enough to make her want to scream. When her stomach growled with a hunger that would not be satiated anytime soon she almost did.
It wasn't until Itachi decided to stop for the night that she realized what was wrong. She'd felt the blood trickle down her leg before she saw it and cursed her own forgetfulness and body. From being captured to escaping to endlessly traipsing the countryside she'd completely forgotten about her cycle. She didn't have any of the rags that she usually used around this time. Those were all in her tent with the Uchiha encampment. All she had were the clothes on her back but she had to do something. Freely bleeding and walking was not ideal. She'd end up ruining the already tattered yukata she currently wore.
'My clothes!' Hanabi thought as she eyed her frayed navy sleeves.
Typically during her moon cycle at the Compound, she'd wear a red nagajuban underneath her regular clothing to hide any bloodstains that might soak through the rags. The material of her yukata was absorbant enough but she would have to be extra careful not to bleed through.
"Hanabi." Itachi called in the distance and the girl in question cursed under her breath.
Couldn't he be more patient?
"Just a minute!" she called back, slipping the top of her yukata down to her waist.
"It gets darker, faster this time of year."
"I know!"
Hanabi put the shoulder end of the sleeve in her mouth and pulled at the opposite end with all her might. It took a few pulls but eventually, the seam gave away with a satisfying rip. When she proceeded to do the same thing to the other sleeve as well Itachi called out to her again.
"Hanabi."
"I'm almost done!"
'Kami if that man isn't the most impatient I've ever met!' Hanabi grumbled inwardly as she continued to rip her severed sleeves into usable rags.
It's not like she could tell him what she was doing either. Men would never understand having to do something like this. When she died she hoped she was reincarnated as a boy. At least then she would never have to deal with this curse once a month. Men could do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted.
'Lucky bastards.'
...
"I'll take the first watch." Hanabi rolled her eyes and laid down on the hard forest floor a foot away from the Uchiha.
There was no one chasing after them right now. Having someone keep watch when the road just beyond the forest was empty was unnecessary but who was she to protest? She was already exhausted and in a sour mood. She sighed and closed her eyes. If she went to sleep she wouldn't feel the abhorrent way her stomach was twisting. Fitfully, she shifted from laying on her right side to her left. From her back to her front. Yet no matter how she changed positions she was unable to get comfortable. It was so frustrating that she gave up on trying to sleep and instead just curled up on her side- all the while wishing that the cramps would cease.
"You need to go to sleep." Itachi said from his perch against a tree. "You will only slow us down if you are sluggish tomorrow."
"I'm trying to but I can't." Hanabi snapped back at him, tears of frustration pricking the corners of her eyes as she glared.
How could he expect sleep to come easily when she was hungry and laying amidst rocks and twigs? The Commander was taken aback by her response but did not reprimand her. When he did speak his request surprised her.
"Come here." Hanabi blinked from her spot on the ground.
What did he want from her? Still, she sat up and walked over to where he sat, wincing only once when her stomach twisted. When she reached him, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her down to sit in his lap. He was a lot stronger than she'd expected and she fell easily into him.
"Comman- Itachi." She squeaked, her voice partially muffled by his chest.
She tried to push away from him but froze when his fingers dug into her lower back. His fingers moved from that point to one a little higher and in a circular motion. It was the strangest sensation. Rough but not unwelcome. Distracting enough that all her previous discomfort was banished to the back of her mind.
"Breathe." he said.
Hanabi wanted to tell him that such a thing was impossible but his fingers dug in again at a slightly higher point. The air she had been holding escaped from her lungs and she gripped the front of his yukata tightly. So maybe breathing wasn't exactly impossible. As he continued his motions up either side of her spine she unwittingly relaxed against him. By the time he reached her neck, she felt as if all of the bones in her body had melted away. Her cramps had lessened to a dull throb and her exhaustion from traveling all day surfaced in full force. His fingers moved with well-applied pressure up and down either side of her spine until all of her muscles relaxed and her eyelids grew heavy.
It was on his third pass down her back that she could no longer fight her consciousness and sleep finally overtook her.
...
When Hanabi finally awoke the next morning sunrise was just beginning to peek through the dappled canopy of the leaves above them. The forest itself was teeming with the sounds of birds chirping to greet the new day and small creatures scurrying through the branches in search of food. It was nice to wake up to such a calm. It was peaceful and warm and...
'Wait-warm?' Hanabi thought and froze as something other than the typical sounds of the morning filled her ears.
They were all replaced by a heartbeat. Strong and steady and most certainly not her own. All at once memories from the night before filled her head and realization began to set in with her position. She was still in Itachi's lap and although it was far from uncomfortable she shouldn't be here!
"I know that you're awake." Itachi said and she could feel the low vibration of his voice against her now burning right cheek. "You snore when you sleep."
Now more offended than she was embarrassed, Hanabi leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest.
"I do not!"
For his part, Itachi simply smirked at her retort. The expression, however, was tinged with fatigue. the bags under his eyes were more prominent now and she felt guilty to see him in such a state. She had promised to protect him and yet he had stayed up all night making sure that she slept. She wanted to ask him why he did such a thing or at least admonish him for not waking her up sooner but she didn't.
Instead, she inwardly resolved to stand firm tonight and take first watch. This way he might actually get some sleep. For now, she sheepishly extricated herself from his lap and stood up. He rose as well but she stopped him with a simple hand against his chest. She might be awake but she had a few things to take care of before they set off again. He gave her a skeptical look but didn't protest when she scurried off into the trees and for that she was grateful.
...
The Twenty-seventh Fall of the Karasu
Location Unknown
...
After three full days of walking along the well-trodden road, Itachi was relieved to come upon a relatively large village. It was dense enough to remain anonymous which was a gift considering their current predicament. With anonymity also came rougher aspects of the human experience. being that it was so far away from the capital, it was free from its influence and therefore harbored less than tasteful inhabitants.
Surprisingly though the Hyuuga was none the wiser to the sell swords that stumbled around drunk in the middle of the day nor the vagrants that loitered in alleyways. She was too busy marveling at the women hawking their goods and walking unaccompanied through the city streets. In fact, the best way to describe her current state was utterly and completely fascinated.
"So these women can work?" she asked curiously as she tugged at the edge of his sleeve. "They don't have to stay inside?"
"If they were to remain inside their families starve when winter comes. They must go out and make money." Itachi explained and her brow furrowed in thought.
"Money? Ya know I've never actually seen money before." At this Itachi paused. Sometimes it was all too easy to forget what a pampered life the Hyuuga had in the Inner ring of her compound.
Although it was surprising that she'd never seen the money it made sense. If she never left the compound she had no need of the stuff. However, they were far from the compound and she needed to learn how to actually buy things on her own. Too many people would be all too eager to take advantage of her naivete. Itachi slipped his hand into the inner pocket of his yukata. ready to show her their country's currency but his fingers brushed against nothing but cloth. Inwardly he cursed himself. He'd forgotten that they had no money to speak of and that presented them with more than one problem.
They had run out of edible things they'd foraged along the road so without money they'd couldn't buy anything to eat. He also didn't trust the forest that surrounded the village to be the safest place for them to rest tonight either. They needed a room and money was necessary for that as well. If he were by himself and had a weapon he would be fine. However, he was with a woman and one with rather distinctive eyes as well. Those eyes had turned heads the instant they'd entered the village. Men and women alike nearly broke their necks swiveling around to get a second look at the strange girl in their midst. Due to the reaction of the villagers, it was no small wonder as to why the Hyuugas had cloistered themselves off the way that they had.
"We don't actually have any money do we?" Hanabi snickered, snapping Itachi out of his thoughts.
"It appears not." he replied.
They were penniless, malnourished, and needed a way to make it to the capital faster than his father or the invading forces. Although their situation appeared bleak he'd been through worse. At least right now as they walked through the bustling streets of the village they were not in any immediate danger. It was on his stomach's thirtieth growl that they finally came upon a tiny tea house with a 'help wanted' poster stuck to the outer wall. Women with their faces painted white silently entered the building in pairs, their eyes never once straying to one side or the other.
"They're really pretty." Hanabi said breathlessly as she watched them disappear into the tea house.
"Pretty is one way to put it-" Itachi started but swallowed his words when Hanabi thoughtlessly bounded up to the 'help wanted' poster and snatched it from the wall.
She then disappeared into the tea house and Itachi mentally sighed.
"Think before you act Hyuuga." he growled under his breath.
He admired her tenacity but she lacked self-awareness. This was not an ordinary tea house and those women were not customers. Folding his hands into the sleeves of his yukata he stood across the street from the tea house and waited. It was only a matter of time before she got thrown out and this would be a good lesson for her.
...
The Sixteenth Fall of the Suzume
Location Unknown
...
The inside of the tea house was eerily peaceful compared to the noise of the village outside. Only the sound of the gravel in the genkan that crunch underfoot could be heard. The air itself was filled with an odd mix of perfume, tea, and sweets which Hanabi couldn't help but inhale deeply. Upon doing so her stomach growled, reminding her that it was upset with her neglect.
"What are you doing in here little boy? We don't have anything to give you." a harsh voice snapped from the hallway entrance.
Hanabi turned around quickly to find a rather buxom woman holding a long skinny pipe and staring down her nose at her. If she had been in any other condition she would have taken offense at the woman's gaze. She looked at her as if she were muck that one would scrape from the bottom of a geta. The woman herself was quite beautiful despite her scowl. Her dark hair had an odd purple tinge to it- a shade which Hanabi had never seen before-and the blood-red kimono she wore was patterned with dark green snakes. Taking a long puff of her pipe, the woman shooed her away.
"Get out boy. You're bad for business."
Business? Business! That's right she'd come into this shop with a purpose! Unfurling the crumpled 'help wanted' sign she held it out to the tall woman and bowed her head respectfully.
"I...I saw this sign outside." The woman snatched the paper out of the Hyuuga's hands and scoffed.
"As I said before this is not a place for boys-"
"I'm not a boy!"
"Hanabi." The girl in question tensed at the sound of Itachi's voice behind her.
Why couldn't he have waited outside longer? Why did he have to be so impatient? Behind her, she could hear his footsteps approach her and braced herself when his heavy hand landed on her head and forced her to bow in apology to the woman.
"We are sorry to disturb you. We will be going now."
"Going?" the woman said, her voice now surprisingly less harsh than before. "I am in desperate need of help actually. Follow me."
At this Hanabi popped back up to stand straight and perplexed by the woman's sudden shift in attitude. She glanced at Itachi but his face was as unreadable as always. Conversely, the woman wore a small smile and a glint in her eye. What the hell was going on? Although confused, Hanabi slipped off her shoes and followed the woman and Itachi further into the tea house. The establishment itself was a narrow hallway with small rooms branching off along the way.
As they passed each room muffled sounds could be heard in each one. Sometimes there was laughter and other times the plucking of strings or the lilt of a voice. It didn't take long for them to reach the end of the hallway where the woman opened a door to an empty room and beckoned them inside. All three of them sat stiffly around a low lying table before the woman took a long puff from her pipe. Dark grey eyes locked onto Hanabi's own and moved from her face down to the rest of her body.
"Not a boy hm?" she said pensively. "Do you have any talents?" Hanabi blinked.
Talents? Did killing people from several yards away count as a talent? Probably not... Sensing her confusion the woman sighed.
"Can you play an instrument?"
"No."
Learning how to play an instrument was a frivolous pursuit.
"Sing?"
"No."
What would have given her cause to sing?
"Recite poetry?"
At this Hanabi scrunched up her nose and shook her head. She hated reading with a passion. Across the table, the woman's eyes narrowed.
"How old are you?"
"Sixteen."
"Sixteen is too old to train. You could never hope to become a mediocre maiko at this point let alone anything beyond but..." the woman said slyly with a glance at Itachi. "What is your relation to one another?"
Hanabi opened her mouth to reply but Itachi smoothly beat her to it.
"I am her brother."
"Brother, you say? I've never known siblings to have such drastically different eyes. Though I'm sure you've heard that a lot."
Itachi didn't answer but the woman seemed satisfied. She turned her gaze back to Hanabi and tapped ash onto the table from the end of her pipe.
"Our last servant girl died in childbirth a few days ago. Now her room is empty and there are chores piling up. Do you at least know how to clean?"
This too was not one of Hanabi's strong suits but she quickly nodded her head. A room was exactly what they needed right now. She could do anything as long as they had that. The woman smiled and reached for a tiny silver bell on the table. She rang it and a twinkling noise was emitted. From the other side of the shoji door, a shadow scurried up and bowed but didn't enter.
"Yes okaa-san?" the newcomer called softly through the rice paper.
"I'll have my dinner here early and be sure to bring extra. We have guests."
"Yes, okaa-san!" The shadow immediately scampered away.
Hanabi's stomach growled at the prospect of being fed. Even just a bowl of rice would have been a feast at this point. The woman chuckled at the sound of her stomach and smirked.
"I imagine you're both hungry and you may eat your fill however I do have a few conditions before I allow you into the fold. First, your day will begin at sunrise and not finish until every task for the day is complete. I will not have my okiya's name dragged through the mud because of forgetfulness or half-ass work. Do you understand?" the woman asked sternly and Hanabi nodded insistently.
"I'll do my best..."
"Call me okaa-san. I am the madam here and a mother to all my girls while under this roof."
"I'll do my best okaa-san." Hanabi said though doing so felt strange.
She'd never called anyone 'mother' before. The woman's gaze turned back to Itachi who she gave a wink to.
"To you however I am Mitarashi Anko."
"We appreciate your hospitality Mitarashi-san."
"Mmm...you're a rather formal man. How interesting. My second condition applies to you." Anko said smoothly. "I do not allow men near my girls. If you so much as breathe in their presence I will have no choice but to throw both of you out."
Hanabi tried her best not to roll her eyes at Anko's second condition. Like Itachi would be interested in other women anyway. He was married to her sister. Although the women she'd seen before were pretty they were nothing in comparison to Hinata. Only a fool would be tempted to wander elsewhere. Still Itachi nodded and his response made Anko smile and reach across the table to gently stroke the back of his hand.
"Don't worry though. You may come and go freely from the servants quarters and who knows. Maybe I'll even find time to visit."
To be continued...
Let us arrange
these lovely flowers in the bowl
since there's no rice
(Basho)