A/N: Here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 29: Learning the Truth?
Shien had gone to bed, both conflicted and sad, about what Sasuke had told her. But almost thankfully, the next morning came and he seemed to have forgotten it ever happened. At least, he seemed nonchalant about it on the outside. If she still knew even a small bit of the prince after all these years, she knew that he'd internalized it and had most definitely not forgotten it. One look at his eyes betrayed the hurt that lingered inside.
Naruto seemed to notice some awkward tension between them and tried more than usual to lift their moods. Both teenagers appreciated it, although they weren't exactly on speaking terms with one another.
After lunch came and went, a most awkward affair that involved Sasuke's sweet mother asking her some questions about her home, she managed to sneak away from the boys to take a walk by herself through the castle.
She bowed slightly to each guard she passed, not really having a real destination in mind, instead dwelling in her own thoughts.
Before she knew it, however, she found herself on the other side of the king and queen's quarters. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as to how she'd gotten there, but when she heard the king speaking within, she nonetheless hid behind a potted plant by the door and listened in.
...
Pace. Pace. Pace. Turn.
Pause.
Pace. Pace. Pace. Turn.
Pause.
"Gaku, sweetheart, won't you please stop pacing around?" Mikoto pleaded, looking up from her book with a concerned look. "You're practically wearing a hole in the carpet."
"Sorry, sorry, my love," he muttered, not even stopping his stride. He covered his face with his hands, taking a deep breath. "I just- I- I've been summoned, and, oh Kami-sama, I haven't a clue as to what he wants us to do now!"
"Stay calm," she ordered, snapping the book shut. She set it on the end table before smoothly standing from the loveseat and going towards her husband, gently wrapping her arms around him from behind. She rested her forehead on his back, continuing, "There's naught more he can do about Sasuke, anyway; if he wants an heir, tell him that he can wait."
Fugaku shivered at the warning tone in his wife's voice. "N- no, I hardly think he's going to summon me just to complain about how long it's taking Sasuke. No, I... I did everything he said. I raided Morino, partially out of revenge for Sasuke, partially because he advised me to, and I sent out spies after the attack so that we could gauge their location... I don't know what else he could possibly want!"
"Well, if he begins rambling about that girl again, consider our deal off," Mikoto stated firmly, letting go of him and going over to the windows. She clasped her hands together behind her back, gazing at the bright summer sky with icy, winter sky eyes.
"All he does these days is go on and on about his 'love'," she continued, mockingly adding, "Oh, my angel, oh, my love. I want her, I want my angel, give me my angel."
She turned towards Fugaku, staring him hard in the eyes. "Don't you think it's about time we broke things? He's been going more and more mad lately; I think it's only a matter of time before he drives the country into the ground with his attempts to destroy the rebels."
"Shh, don't say that!" The man hissed, raising a finger to his lips in a shushing motion. "He is the sole reason we've been able to get so much progress with Riot! If we desire any future in ruling Fire, hell, if we want any future at all, then we must listen to him!"
"Oh, please, and what is some lovelorn teenager going to bring to the table for us that hasn't already been served?" She exclaimed, throwing up her hands. "Fugaku, you are no fool. Surely you know that the man has lost what semblance of sanity he presumably had beforehand! Why do you insist on being his puppet?"
Fugaku gave her a hurt glare, yelling, "Everything he's told us has come true! Why would I doubt someone who has the ability to see our future? Why would I betray someone who holds that future in his hands?"
Mikoto's mouth opened as she stared at him, affronted.
"Fugaku Uchiha, the day we betrothed our son to the Hyuugas, what was our reasoning?" She asked slowly. "Was it for their men, their land, their bloodlimit, some, none, or all of the above?"
Fugaku stopped in his tracks for a moment, taken aback. Puzzled, he replied, "Of course it was foremost because of their bloodlimit, Miko. Remember, you were there when he spoke of its potential."
"Ah, yes, yes, one of his reasons was that, with the Byakugan, it would create a rare hybrid between the two families that would possess one Sharingan and one Byakugan, yes?" She almost sarcastically replied. "Tell me, in what family has that actually happened? In what clan has a hybrid child possessed one eye of each?"
Fugaku sighed, defeated. "Come now, Mikoto, how can we pass a verdict when no one has actually seen it?"
"Exactly. It's almost as if he made it up to cover his actions," she hissed. "But of course, we must trust our infallible hero, one who has wholeheartedly supported mass genocide of our own people, to be carried out by his very loose sockpuppet!"
The king gasped in scandalized anger. "How dare you? How dare you accuse me of such willful treachery against the crown and our people?"
"I dare, dear husband!" She shot back, a sneer on her face. "Use your intelligence and think about it for a moment! Why would he advise us to join our bloodlines together? Why would he advise the Lady Hyuuga wed our son instead of strengthening her bloodlimit with one of her own? Why would he orchestrate such a heinous crime against our own citizens? Everything was to his design, not yours! You are the lowly servant mutt!"
"It's not- I-" Fugaku stuttered, trying to form a sentence through his indignance.
"If you want something done right, you must do it yourself," she continued, folding her arms across her chest. "He's been playing us this entire time! He's been playing you like a gilded fiddle, Fugaku, and we're almost at the encore!"
"No!"
"He's been playing the cards against us!" Mikoto cried out, sounding almost crazed as she came closer. "The deck has been stacked since the beginning! The only thing we have left to fear more than him is an uprising from our poor, dear citizens! And who's to blame? Not Riot, but us! Him!"
...
Behind the door, Sakura gasped sharply. "No... so- so everything about them has been a big lie? Everything we've been fighting for... and they were framed?"
She leaned away from the door, too stunned to react for a few precious moments. Then, when she got her wits partially about her, she came from her hiding spot, stumbling away for a second before running away.
Under the cover of darkness, Rin met with Kakashi again, under the same tree they'd met at before.
"What have you got for me?" She asked in a low voice.
"The royal family doesn't exactly give me much to report, Rin," he replied with a wry chuckle. "What I can tell you is that the king and queen are trying to find another candidate for Sasuke's bride before the month is out. No matter what, he must be married when he is crowned."
"And his coronation?" She asked.
"On his nineteenth birthday, July 23." He answered with a light sigh. "That, and the king is becoming increasingly paranoid of something. I regret to say that I wasn't able to find any damning information, but I have reason to believe that he'll be moving us sometime soon."
"Damn it," she hissed to herself. "Any ideas as to where?"
"No." He shook his head. "As soon as I find out, I'll try to find you. But for now, I believe you'll be safe where you are, if you're a varying distance from the city."
"Thankfully, Iris-sama took your advice and moved us," she admitted. "Unfortunately, she doesn't trust you enough for me to tell you our location."
"And understandably so," he agreed with a faint smile. "I'm just... I'm just so happy to see you again."
"And I you," she replied, hugging him with a happy sigh. "I can't tell you of how many nights I've dreamed of our childhood together. All three of us."
"We grew up too fast, Rin," he murmured into her hair. "But at least we still have each other."
A/N: A bit short, but expected for an interim chapter. I honestly can't tell you how happy I am to be done with that segment; it's been in my drafts for forever!
Tell me what you thought! I'll see you next week.