Chapter 1—Happiness, Regret, Grateful
It had been just seven months since she set foot once again in Konoha and six months since she wed. Her father's merchant business grew when she was young. They had to start constantly moving to expand the business as her father had explained many years ago to the sad little girl who was leaving their home. She had seen most of the world as they traveled from one end to the other. Her father was a charismatic man, managing to establish trading contracts along the many cities that they visited. From produce, shoes, and trinkets the business evolved to exotic spices, unique ceramics, expensive glass, and the finest and most beautiful silk she had ever seen; along many other things they traded from one country to another. She learned of politics, their drama and dirty laundry as her father and her dine with them and feasted with the many different Damio's courts, from fire to earth, but she had never stopped longing for the place she used to call home.
That was until he came along. Her father had to hire many mercenaries when the 3rd shinobi war started. Before a team of Konoha shinobi would work for them, but they were called back in the mist of war and their caravan needed protection from the many dangers that the road presented. Trading was a critical source to many nations and her father's network was well established and supported throughout. It was then when she met him, the young man who stole her heart. It had been so many years since they first met, she even laughed at their current situation. She thought to herself, 'Oh, how the tables greatly turn.' She hadn't like him at all back then when they first met, had then fallen head over heal for him as the saying went and well now she was going to raise his child with another. Yes, she grown to love him greatly and oh so deeply, but as soon as she knew that she was with child her priorities had shifted.
Longing for a mother since hers passed away had encourage her to tell her father that she needed to return to their old home to care for herself as life on the road was not the best for a pregnant woman. She made her father promise not to tell anyone her reason to return to Konoha. As much as she loved that man, she hated the shinobi profession, she saw what it did to people. She saw the life of too many leave their eyes and stony cold resentment replace the soft look they once held; they had to keep walking the earth with what they had done and the purpose to their profession was mostly likely gone by then, cold beneath the dirt they were forced to travel. She knew that her beloved was not there yet entirely, but it would eventually happen and before this child she herself would have probably withered alongside him. That however was no longer the case, her purpose was now to another.
She did not want that for her unborn child, she wanted him or her at the time to be able to have a happy life, a life without the troubles or duty of a shinobi and thus she had made the choice not to tell him. It was then and now the best thing she had ever done for their daughter. Now Kisashi would be her father and she would grow up happy and safe in their childhood home. Yes, she had married him. Mostly since the shinobi whom she fell in love with would no longer have a claim over her daughter as she was now officially a child of two civilians. Even though her heart broke at that she knew it was for the best, she had been sincere with Kisashi, her childhood friend, about her predicament and none-the-less he did not withdraw his marriage proposal. She knew that when children had even one shinobi parent would inevitable be drawn into the lifestyle, especially in the times of war. Hence, why she married him and was growing fond to the idea of having a father figure for her daughter.
It had been a long and tiering birth, but to Mebuki it had all been worth it. Her beautiful child was now within her arms. Ten little toes and ten little fingers, perfect, it was all she hoped for and more. Her daughter was born with the most beautiful emerald green eyes. She just loved looking into them. When her babe would flutter her long little lashes to look at the new world she recently came into she awed at the remarkable beauty within them. They reminded her of him and even though there was a painful tinge in her heart, the small bundle in her arms helped her overcome the pain. She was now enamored by the new life that she had been blessed with. There was a possibility that the one who helped her create it was most likely no longer in this world and at least a piece of him would always remained with her.
In a couple of weeks, she and her new little family would set out to meet her father in a trading port near the land of tea. She really wanted him to meet his new granddaughter and they had talk about business as he was planning to retire and for her to take over in the next couple of years. She had learned many things throughout their travels, including business and as the heir of the Haruno Merchant clan she needed to be up to date with its state of affairs. She now had an even greater motivation as her daughter would eventually be one to take on reins to the ever-growing trading empire that her father had created. "Yes, my little one you will be a strong and independent woman just like your grandmother," Mebuki cooed to her newborn 'and won't have to experience the life of your father's ancestors'.
Author's Note: Hi! New story. Have the second chapter in the works. Slow burn! Hope you like and review. More review = more updates. Its like putting in coins into a vending machine, lol.