A/N: DOn't own Naruto. Did I say I love you all? Stay safe!
M Rating: This features a Neji/Hinata romantic pairing, so if you are not into this pairing, please leave and do not read this story any longer. I will only disappoint you.
I will not listen to "ince*t" flame remarks.
I agree that rape in a relationship, any kind of rape is toxic and evil and should never be condoned in real life.
Excuse my rant to some of my reviewers: I did give you a clear warning in the beginning of this fiction. This fic contains rape between main characters and Nejihina pairing.
If you disregarded my warnings and still read up to Ch.11, unfortunately, that is on you.
The ending pairing is still a mystery. Both Sasuhina and Nejihina have a fair chance.
If you are alright with these terms, enjoy!
At the beach, the young boy and girl stood, a considerable distance away from the wooden vessel and a crowd of soldiers.
Considering her rank as first princess, even the captain of the army gave her and Neji some distance.
Looking at the scenery, she thought, This was the beach where we were when we received the news of Hizashi uncle. We were collecting white shells. But now we are standing like this. Neji ni san...off to war? No, that can't be true.
Hinata glanced at the war ship and the soldiers heaving their heavy luggage and going on deck.
The dark wooden vessel was painted with an elongated white eye at the front, the sails were pure white. The eye seemed to stare at her. Hinata shivered.
She had to stop Neji from ever going aboard on that ship.
Even if it meant letting her life be dominated by her choice for him, being queen even if she knew she was never fit for that role, "If-if you please stay, I will elevate your rank when I am queen-you will have everything you'll ever need"
She didn't look at his face but her eyes remained on his hand that she held so dearly.
She slowly lifted her eyes towards him, "So please, Neji ni-, please stay"
There was a pause on his part. The sea wind fluttered the long brown strands of his hair. Then he slowly opened his lips, shadow casting over his eyes, "You want me to be at your mercy and power even when we grow old?"
Her eyes widened at the accusation. She shook her head fervidly, "N-no, that is not what I meant!"
He maneuvered his own hand away from her grasp, coolly. He looked at her determined, "I am not going to grovel at your feet to save my life."
Hinata's mouth gaped open. Then she raised her voice, "I-it's not gr-grovelling! It's surviving!" Anger pooled in her eyes at the unfair implication.
He shot back, "I will survive," Then he said solemnly, his eyes casting downwards, "on my own."
"When I come back alive, your father will have no choice but to acknowledge me. And when that happens..."
Shockingly, his hard iron eyes seemed to soften as he looked down at her.
She tried to put a smile on her face, but it nonetheless felt forced, "M-maybe things will go back to where they were."
She tried to reach out to him, but he took a step back, not relinquishing his hard stare at her face.
"Maybe... it's too late for that, but-"
Suddenly, a glint of truth and hope shone in his eyes since a very long time, "Your father promised..."
"Boy! We don't have all day!"
At the sound of the derogatory address that neither he nor Hinata were accustomed to, Neji then bit his bottom lip tightly as if to keep a rein on his emotions.
Did that man just- Hinata felt unfamiliar rage call Neji ni san like a dog?
It was a dastardly way of addressing the prince-or the one who used to be prince.
With one last lingering look at her, Neji turned away, the wind sending his familiar scent to her.
Hinata wanted to stop him, but the harsh grimace on the commander's face told her that if she further stalled him, Neji will be in even more trouble. The man looked brutal already, and she did not want her frail ni san to be subject to that man's mercy.
But then she realized. No, death was way scarier than being chastised and beaten by a six foot tall man.
She grabbed on the edge of his sleeve. He stopped. She bowed her head.
"Please..." her quivering voice begged, "just...just please be an average member of gentility. What is the use of royal titles?"
Even her merciless father, the king said that Neji could stay if he revoked his royal birthright. He could live in wealth like some average noble.
Why was her wise ni san doing something so reckless like going to war?
He stood still, facing his back to her. She wept, her pale eyes filled with crystalline tears, "What is the use of all this if you...if you..."
He simply does not know what he means to her. He means more than the world to her. If he dies, she won't even have the chance to say good bye.
But did she mean anything to him?
"Hinata sama," suddenly she felt her the crown of her head pressed against his broad chest, "I will come back." She felt the softness of his long brown hair caressing the side of her face. She grabbed on the fabric of his tunic and let the tears fall. She squeezed her eyes shut. She still couldn't understand. She wanted to berate him for his selfishness.
Tears blurred her sight when she saw him scale the ramp to the ship. The commander slapped a heavy sack onto his lean back and yanked his ear harshly.
Neji slapped off the brutal hand and glared at the commander and boarded the war ship.
Kou tried to console her, "Hinata sama, if Neji sama sees you like this, it will be even more difficult for him. Please. You must look strong."
She shook her head, "No, Kou san...if ni-san truly cared, he would never leave." Her eyes were now filled with anger.
He left her. For power? For strength? Or maybe simply to desert her and what they've built and have a fresh building across the seas? Her father would never care if Neji decided to desert his station as long as he did not come back with an army to seek revenge, a feat which was unlikely for a nine year old boy to achieve.
"Hinata sama-" Kou tried to interject, but she worried her bottom lip and stared hard at the boy standing at the deck, facing her teary glare.
Neji's smooth face remained placid despite her fixated stare. Seeing his ivory eyes staring back at her calmly, her glare melted into a gaze of tenderness though and then a look of plea. She whimpered and then took a step ahead and ran towards the ship that already sailed.
She had half the mind and courage to just act the mad woman and plunge into the sea and follow the ship, but she knew that would not achieve anything. Unlike her, Neji looked cool and indifferent as he stared down at her with melancholic pale eyes.
Oh, Neji nisan, she bowed her head and clenched her eyes shut, in my heart, this is the day I had to say good bye to my hero.
Even long after the ship sailed and disappeared across the horizon and the orange sun set and deep navy set in the night sky, she stood glued to the spot, despite Kou's gentle insistence and let the tears fall.
~present~
"And the hero set sail to seek his spear-bride, the luster of his face fighting thousands."
Sasuke set his papyrus down on the wooden table and looked at her expectantly.
Meanwhile, Hinata seemed to be in a daze as she sat on her chair, her needle and cloth on her lap.
He called her once but there was no response. He looked at her in concern and then raised his voice.
"Hinata!"
"Oh!" She seemed suddenly awaken from her reveries.
She glanced at him reading Kakashi's script at the table while she fumbled with her sewing.
After Sasuke successfully finished reading the classical manuscript, Hinata beamed at him in elation and told him how proud she was.
He mumbled, "it was not that hard," but Hinata was very pleased to see him so motivated in his studies.
"But I don't get what the epithet 'spear bride' means."
She explained promptly,
"It's a term for women who are trophies of war, Sasuke," she turned around her cloth to see if she missed any more mends, "in the Illiad, Achilles proclaimed that he won Briseis with his spear."
"Hm, I see" She smirked inwardly at his dismissive attitude. It was very like him to not be interested in the epic, especially the story involving war booty and women. "Shall we start going?" He asked with more enthusiasm.
"Oh, yes," Hinata rose and took the purple shawl he won for her at the contest that was hanging on the wall.
As they walked down the mountain to join the Coming Autumn dance, he asked her in curiosity, "Hinata, why are you so excited about my studies?"
"Well, Sasuke," she glanced sideways and blushed slightly, "it...feels as if we are sharing an interest."
When he asked her to elaborate, she answered, "We don't have much in common." She pushed away a twig that clawed on her skirt, "so it is nice to know we share some experiences."
"Hinata," Sasuke deadpanned, "we share our life together. I don't see why I have to memorize books so we could talk about dying civilizations and gods. I don't even pray at shrines."
She made a slight exasperated sigh. Despite all his good traits, Sasuke was stubborn and needed well-versed persuasion to commit to what he loathed.
She admired his tendency to question conventions and rules that are taken for granted, but sometimes he said things that made her queasy as a past woman of the priesthood to Kaguya.
When she remained quiet, he approached her and held her hand, his warm, wide palm pressed against hers, their fingers intertwined.
"Hey," he softly whispered with a playful lilt to his low voice.
Hinata glanced at him from the corner of her eye and turned her face away, but her ear felt a stinging sensation. She tried desperately to conceal the blush on her face lest her husband gloats over his ability to fluster her.
But his ability to smooth over things made her uneasy. Hinata noticed something strange in his recent behavior but kept herself from asking questions.
Sasuke had been disappearing once in a while.
Fear and uncertainty made her fingers coil. Could it be another woman? She doubted but...
"Hinata?" he asked her, tilting his head to a side, "is something wrong?"
She hurried to put on a smile on her face, "No, nothing, Sasuke."
Even though he seemed unconvinced by her bright demeanor, he let it go and Hinata tried to quell her suspicions about his recent whereabouts.
When they were in the town, Sasuke had to leave Hinata alone to talk with a local farmer who was looking for a hired hand.
Hinata admired the garlands of flowers that wreathed around the town, signalling that the youth were ready for the dance.
Already the music started to play, the local harp and salpinx (ancient trumpet) and bronze bells playing a merry melody.
Standing at the corner, Hinata smiled and clapped as she waited for Sasuke. She saw him at the far end of the court, opposite to her. He glanced at her while talking to the man in business and waved with a furtive smile.
But that sense of peace was cut short when she heard a shrill feminine voice by her side,
"You're the girl that begged in the streets!"
When she whirled around, she saw a haughty looking female with two companions staring down at her.
Hinata felt as if someone intentionally splashed frigid ice cold water over her face. And the effect of that rude remark would not have been jarring if it wasn't true.
Before she wandered into the forests and was rescued by Sasuke, she did take cover as a homeless vagrant and begged in the streets.
It was something she was deeply ashamed of and hoped to take this secret to the grave. But it seemed destiny had other things in store for her.
The companion said it as a side whisper, but her voice was too loud, "If Sasuke knew of her begging in the streets..."
The third girl agreed, "But then he might still have, because he is too kind-hearted for his own good."
Suddenly subject to the harsh torrent of village gossip, Hinata stood still, frozen in her steps. Seeing how they diminished her confidence, the three girls smiled and then left, rushing to the man who they were just talking about-the village's heartthrob.
Hinata would have raised her voice and demanded an apology if it wasn't for the last remark one of them tossed at her face,
"He is just showing pity towards you. So know your place and stand in the corner."
It was as if they were ordering her to pretend that she doesn't see the women flocking to him for his attention.
When women flocked near him, Sasuke looked momentarily taken aback and then strained his neck to search for her, but she was suddenly nowhere to be seen.
While Hinata stood in some corner behind some abandoned stalls she found, she found some time to sort out her feelings.
Then she realized that she probably should not have just left Sasuke without an excuse or explanation for her absence.
She suddenly felt a hard yank on her arm and her heart stopped for a moment.
She heard a deep, familiar voice, "Why," an irrational anger threatened to overcome him, "why did you hide, Hinata?"
Her eyes of deep lavender mercury widened. But it seemed from his hot smoldering eyes and anger emanating from his tall stature that he was not going to let this slide. Her lips quivered as she stood rooted to the spot.
"Sa-Sasuke-"
When she looked at him, he glared down at her as if he was contemplating throwing her over his shoulder and taking her sorry ass back to the woods where he was going to give her a proper reprimanding.
At first she did not understand the extant of his anger. Sure, it must annoy him that she suddenly disappeared but he was at good company, she bitterly thought that most men would be happy to be surrounded by female attention. That kind of affinity was base and beneath humankind, sure, but aristocrats to royalty shared that tendency to want to be serenaded by the opposite sex. She even read about how in Thebes, the ruler had a space of his mistresses called the "harem."
Am I being jealous? Her eyes widened at the epiphany.
Then she gazed at the man practically seething in front of her.
"Sasuke," she tried to reason, "I-I thought...I was doing as a wife should."
He mussed the back of his spiky black hair and let out a heavy sigh, heaving his broad shoulders, a sign that he was frustrated and deeply confused-a state he didn't like being in. But he still kept his mouth shut in a thin line and listened to what she got to say. He placed his hands on either sides of his hips and his lips thinned into a line as he watched her.
"A wife should never get jealous," her eyes were downcast and her face was grim, "even if her husband sought other women."
His onyx eyes narrowed as he looked down at her carefully, "You heard something."
He took her hand and went back to the direction of the village court, "Follow me."
She looked down at the hand that held hers as they walked towards where they just left.
The music was playing at a faster pace than before. Hinata hesitated at seeing the villagers who eyed them curiously, but Sasuke headed straight into the middle of the youth who were dancing to a popular local villagers' tune.
They bumped into a few people who gazed at them sideways and then resumed their dance with their beaus.
Hinata was paying attention to the tousle of curls of the women's hair and their partners' winsome smiles until suddenly she felt a hand grip her waist and pull her roughly towards a very serious Sasuke. Their chests connected and Sasuke took a step to the left, holding both her hands and leading her during the dance. It seemed that he had plenty of experience at the village dance with young women, judging by the way he so naturally held her hand and took his steps, she noticed.
His chiseled lips grazed the outer rim of her right ear, "Now tell me. What did you hear?"
She gazed to the opposite direction, "N-nothing."
"Hinata." She bit her bottom lip at the tone of his voice.
"I...I have something to confess."
At her word, he took a step closer to her, meeting her nose to nose, his whole attention and energy focused on her.
She finally opened her lips, "Before I met you..."
She sighed and looked down at her shabby sandal clad toes. After a pause when they simply stood, holding hands, she confessed, "I begged in the streets. You took me in. But now when people see us...they see a pauper girl and a man who was taken advantage of."
He looked at her incredulously.
He asked her in disbelief, "You think I haven't had worst?"
"Hinata, before I met you..."
He stopped, and Hinata was glad he did. They glanced around and noticed a few dancers slowing down and it was a fast, merry tune.
There were just too many ears.
He briskly guided her outside of the court, signalling that the dance was over, "Come here."
They stood at the outskirt of the village that marked the exit. Sasuke's eyes were downcast as he rested his hands on either sides of his hips and sighed. He mussed his hand over his mouth and finally said to Hinata who was folding her hand together and staring at the ground, thinking he was still angry at her, "This is going to be really embarrassing...But I don't want this to ever happen again."
If Hinata didn't know better, she would have thought that he looked upset that their outing at the village dance didn't go exactly as he planned.
He seemed upset...and disappointed. But she did not expect what he was going to say next.
"Before I met you, I met this one girl."
Her eyes widened, and she felt his large hand reflexively grip on hers, as if afraid she will try to slip away.
They scaled the forest greenery as he kept talking in that pensive, thoughtful tone she has gotten used to. She did not expect him to talk about his past flame, but she found herself getting interested in what his life was like before her. He never talked about his past and since she had her share of secrets, she always thought it was wise to not pry.
He continued, "I was really young and...I really thought this might be it. I was going to have a family."
At the word, "family," Hinata exclaimed softly as a breathy exhale, "ah" and lowered her eyes to the forestbed where they were climbing.
She knew the meaning the word "family" had for Sasuke, and she couldn't fathom the depth of his disappointment with his past flame.
Thankfully for her, it didn't work out, but it still didn't make her happy that the young Sasuke must have faced some severe hurt and disappointment.
"But everything changed when I showed her my home. I still couldn't forget the look on her face. Now that I think of it, I ought to have been mad and insulted but she looked too disappointed that I couldn't summon any emotion than emptiness...and embarrassment."
His face remained passive but his grip on her hand was telling her the effort it was taking him to simply tell her this experience.
She wanted to tell him he had nothing to be ashamed about, but decided that she should just stay still and hear him out.
"Being disappointed at what I am was not the worst. I tried to think that she has expectations and she was right. I was just a hunter. A farmboy is a better prospect than me. But what I couldn't stand was when she lied to me about how she couldn't wait to be with me. I don't know why she lied but I can't stand it when people withhold the truth."
Hinata almost stood still at his words, but Sasuke did not seem to have noticed the sudden coldness of her hand that he was holding. Her expression faltered, but he was looking ahead.
"So I decided that I will live alone for the rest of my life."
When Hinata gazed at him, she saw his eyes cast downwards as he spoke as if it was someone else's experience.
She also cast her eyes downward, feeling as if a dark cloud was coming over her head. She guessed she was also considered an outsider to his heart. She had too many secrets.
"But one day," she noticed the slight change in his tone, "I saw you and you started living with me."
She was happy to finally have a word in, "You were very patient..."
At her word, he made a quick smirk as he rubbed his left eye as if she said something witty, "Your salad was the bitterest I tasted, and I never knew you would bury the perfect bait for wolves by the house."
Her face reddened when he then looked at her and there was a vibrant kind of warmth in his eyes, "But you never looked down at me or the way I lived."
A smile finally emerged in his face, and he faced her and held both of her hands as if they were back in the courtyard's dance.
"I never saw anyone handle herself the way you do, not even the lord's daughters. And you know as much as the Sophists in the town and you are smarter than anyone I know when it comes to manuscripts. You've seen more than what I would ever for hundred years in this village or mountains. Young lords, houses. Maybe horses."
When Hinata didn't know what else to say, she looked at their joined hands, her small pale ones held within his large tan hands.
Suddenly, she felt his fingers squeeze her cheek, "So, don't think that I am acting out of pity. It's insulting."
Her eyes jerked up to see his deep dark eyes staring at her in a hard, fixed stare.
She looked down at the ground, her cheek released, marred with a slight red blush, "I'm sorry..."
He huffed and then put his hand over her hip and took a step to a side and then the other. She quietly giggled at his gesture of making the forest their solitary dance courtyard and joined. Without the nosy villagers who liked to gossip, she felt more at ease.
"But Sasuke..." she still did not quite understand some things, "if the women thought you were too poor...why would they be upset that you are now married?"
She twirled in a graceful circle at he raised her hand above her head. Holding her close, he shrugged,
"I don't know. Why should I care? It is just village gossip. I guess, they thought of me as not worthy enough to marry but something that should be available for their vanity and amusement. Like some toy."
He placed both his hands on either sides of her hips and give a quick peck on the crown of her head,
It was late evening and they both started to feel the temperature drop to a comfortable. chill. The sun was setting, and the forest was getting dark.
The pastel blue sky has already turned shades deeper indigo and the full moon was basking the mountain in silvery light.
"You know..." he gave her side a comforting rub to bring warmth. There was a smirk playing in his lips, showing his amusement, "if you didn't burn Kakashi's scrolls that one time, he might have been friendlier towards you."
"I...I honestly thought..." she rubbed her arm embarrassed, "it was just rubble for fire..."
He kissed her on her temple as if she accomplished the most amazing feat, "All my years of knowing him, he never let me touch his manuscripts." But then he paused and thought, "he actually did, but it was..." he clamped his mouth shut.
When she eyed him curiously, he kissed her other eyebrow and said, "nothing interesting."
Hinata felt as if he was treating her as a child to silence with kisses.
"You-" she glared at him weakly, "you're using me for your amusement-"
"My amusement?" his eyebrow quirked, signaling how much entertainment he was having at her expense.
Suddenly grabbing her by her wrists, he pinned her back to a nearby tree and peered into her widened eyes in amusement.
Then the wicked mirth in his expression slowly diminished until every trace of humor vanished.
Hinata suddenly felt overly warm even though it was dark now in the forest. Seeing his eyes gaze at her so intimately brought back the surge of tingling sensations in her body, returning with full force. It felt dark, seductive, forbidden.
And then she shyly lifted her eyes and connected with Sasuke's hungry gaze. Despite the chill in the air, her cheeks felt as if they were on fire.
She saw their breath fog up in a pale mist in the night air, and as she saw the mist dissipate, something caught her eye.
"Oh, a firefly!"
When she moved to a side, she felt him grab her arm and playfully tug her back, "No, you don't."
"But Sasuke..." she felt him nuzzle against her neck softly, "I want to see the fireflies."
"But Hinata," he echoed her tone, but seeing her eyes, he relented but looked completely un-enthused, "I will get you some."
She perked up, "You will get me fireflies?"
"Yes, I will," he said impatiently, as he clasped the side of her face and drew her lips closer to his, "but in order for that to happen, I am going to ask for some things."
When she looked at him inquisitively, he told her, "Before I thought I was not good enough to even dare to ask you for sex."
His arms wrapped around her petite frame and he rested his chin on the crown of her head, "But now I want to do it to make you happy."
Her face buried in his chest, she suddenly felt even warmer and was rooted to the spot, so spellbinding was his effect on her. Maybe it was his warmth, or the breadth of his chest, or his nice smell. Even though she was not cold, a shiver ran through her as he held her tight. She squeezed her eyes tight together and held him back. Smiling, he tightened his hold on her in satisfaction.
"Besides, what kind of husband will I be if I can't even get my wife some fireflies?"
He released his hold on her and his hands closed over her shoulders to put some distance and nuzzle against her nose affectionately.
That was when Hinata finally felt she had the courage to speak up and disclose her fear, "I thought you had a lover."
Sasuke's eyes widened almost impossibly. Hinata blushed as he continued to stare at her as if she had gone mad, but she mustered her courage,
"You...have been gone for once in three days. And you wouldn't tell me where."
She lowered her eyes to the ground, looking sad, "I thought it was my duty to not nag you for answers."
"Hinata..." Sasuke cradled her delicate face between his hands. He remained speechless for a few more moments.
Then he finally broke the silence, "do you want to visit them with me?"
She tilted her head to a side, "Them?"
He nodded, "I visit the old folks and do handiwork for them to earn stipend. They're old, so they could hardly do anything for themselves so it takes me almost the entire day."
"Ah-" she exclaimed ruefully.
"If you asked, I would have told you."
Suddenly, Hinata felt ridiculous. A fresh wave of embarrassment tinted her face tomato red, and she was sure her face was radiating nice heat for Sasuke's hands.
"Were you worried?" He asked.
"Uh-um, a li-little..." She finished lamely.
He smiled and pressed his lips on her forehead, "Let's visit them tomorrow."
"Yes..."
That whole evening, Sasuke and Hinata crouched over in the tall blades of grass, catching the tiny flying globes of light that radiated the entire forest.
In the veil of moonlight created in the forest, the fireflies flew and reflected light like stars and constellations in the midnight sky.
The insects created a luminescent path around them, and Hinata watched in awe.
It didn't surprise Hinata that Sasuke was more experienced with catching the small critters, but she still tried to catch them and throw them in the small makeshift translucent fabric pouch they made with her purple sash.
He caught one between his index and forefinger and showed her.
Hinata smiled as she saw her purple sash turned into a glowing pouch that served as a lantern of fireflies.
She was tying the knot on her purple sash until Sasuke called her and turned her attention to her long hair.
Several fireflies decided to rest among the strands of her hair, glowing particles that moved along as her hair swished across the soft night wind.
"You look like you're wearing a crown," he said, his eyes imbued with the soft illuminating glow of the fireflies.
She smiled, thinking how she was wearing a glowing diadem in the middle of an isolated forest instead of the palace as she once envisioned.
But she believed this was a far happier life, wearing a crown of fireflies with a man who has been nothing but sweet and kind to her.
Sasuke helped her shake off the fireflies that were beginning to be a bit more pesky. Hinata laughed when she saw him scoop the critters that were in her hair and effortlessly drop them into their pouch like elderberries.
When they went home, they placed their glowing firelight lantern pouch by their bed where they made love.
As he bent over to catch her rosy bud in his mouth, Hinata saw a little firefly land gently on his tan, muscular arm and flick its wings, revealing a golden beam.
She smiled at the little intruder and then her opal eyes shifted to Sasuke who eyed her curiously. Her hand gently touched the side of his chiseled face.
And she caught him by surprise with a soft kiss on his lips.
With a pronounced inhale, Sasuke seemed full of emotions and made hurried gestures to discard her clothes. She buried her lips in his muss of dark hair as he breathed in between her breasts and closed his eyes.
Her expression faltered into a surprised look when she heard him say, "I want this moment to never end, Hinata."
She rested her cheek against his hair. After a moment, she gently whispered, "Me...me too."
Sasuke rose early in the morning the day he was working for the elders. He sat on his bed and rested on his elbows and looked at Hinata who was still struggling to get up.
He rubbed her on her shoulders and got up and dressed himself, as she slowly rose and stretched her arms and yawned into her hand.
When they went down the mountain, he gave her some berries to eat for breakfast.
Hinata was not prepared for the rather spirited welcome she received from the old men and women. She was expecting to take care of the bed-ridden old patients as she did in the temple before, but instead they were in-a flea market, hosted by the elders. She wondered if the air in the mountains actually restored the elders' vitality.
"Sasuke, you're here!"
She saw some curious gazes, "You are Sasuke's little wife?"
A lady with grey braids marveled at her soft hands, "How old are you?"
A bony hand caressed her fair cheek, "What a pretty girl!"
Hinata smiled, as she was accustomed to how touchy old people could be, as she was a priestess dealing with ailing visitors who wanted Kaguya's blessing.
"Could you sing?" Hinata shook her head and put on a sweet apologetic smile.
"Come eat some baklava!"
"Wh-why, thank you."
Hinata joined the circle of old women as they picked on their herbs and started to smash bowls of chickpea cream and cheyenne pepper flakes and savory sauces. Sasuke was off to take care of the pest problem that ravaged the town's spice and herb gardens. The elders worried that it was a wild boar that ravaged their crops and vegetables and summoned Sasuke for help.
She looked at the faces of the old ladies and marveled at their energy compared to the folks she encountered as a priestess.
She sparked a conversation with an old woman next to her, "It-it's...remarkable how the seniors seem so relaxed. Considering the recent civil war fifty years ago."
The people looked at her as if she had grown a head, "War...? What war are you speaking about, my dear?"
Shocked, Hinata almost dropped the platter of grain she was sorting from the debris. The Great Civil War of the Hiashi brothers and the opposing clans. Everyone, even the ones who were not born during the war knew of this disastrous conflict.
A lady who was almost barren of teeth looked at her concerned, "All we have experienced is peace, my little girl. To the point of boredom."
"Haha," an elderly lady with disjointed hips cackled, "you must have been dreaming. Some dream you had."
Come to think of it, Hinata just noticed several things of this isolated mountainside village. This village mostly has old people. There are less than fifty young folks. This place didn't even know of the great civil war that erupted the entire kingdom fifty years ago.
Hinata kept her silence as she contemplated how long her luck-and this village will last. Sooner or later, she might have to leave this mountain village that concealed her existence so effectively like a miracle. She wondered what would happen if Neji...if the king or any of his followers ever found this place. Even if it wasn't for her, it would greatly worry any ruler to know that a host of people lived on his land who were not subject to his empire. It was like having an island of non-followers in his realm-a potential problem breeding insurrection. If the king is alert to this situation, he would have no choice but to force the village's door open to the rest of the kingdom.
And it was better for the villagers to be opened to the rest of the kingdom too. She eyed the various health problems she could see the elderly were having.
She also remembered the severe lack of young people at hearing the several elders' apprehensive whispers.
"There are no young people. They all have gone to the outer world."
"This village is dying."
Hinata said to herself, sooner or later, this village has to open its doors. The elders are not receiving medical or systematic care. There are no youth. No education, no civilization. But...she bit her bottom lips, if the village is exposed, then that means Neji ni-san will also have easier time finding me. I am selfish for wishing this village to be undetected, but...
She looked at the village she was beginning to love.
When she turned around, she saw Sasuke. To her surprise, he had a seething boar tied up on his shoulders as he was walking towards her and the town's kin.
Despite his strength, the weight of the boar and the effort it took to capture the beast seemed to have made him tired. His face looked dirty and the dark circles beneath his eyes made him look even wolfish.
After hanging the boar on the nearby oak tree, Sasuke proceeded to skin the animal and slice it across the stomach and gut out the meat.
Red blood flowed from the boar that shuddered convulsively until it didn't budge.
The village elders eyed the protein greedily and began preparing for a great feast.
The elders held Hinata and Sasuke back until it was quite late at night, saying that they were thin like bones and needed some nourishment.
They were all sitting in the outdoors in a circle, a fireplace in the middle where the remnants of the cooked boar were displayed.
Sasuke muttered to a old man who offered him another glass of wine, "I had enough."
The old man raised his eyebrows in surprise and then grinned, "In a haste to go home, eh?"
He rolled his eyes at the unwarranted roar of laughter from the elderly men and caught sight of Hinata who was sitting with the aged ladies.
She was learning how to play the lyre from one of the women, the oblong instrument snugly laid against her lap as her delicate fingers strummed across its body. Her fingers were not sturdy but her brows furrowed in concentration. What would have been an endearing sight though put a frown on his face. Her entire form racked in convulsive hiccups and the glimpses of her cheeks between her long dark hair showed that she was blushing a bright beet red. Her lips kept curving into a soft smile that strangely looked a bit dopey.
His wife was heavily intoxicated.
Thinking that this was enough fun, he rose and approached her. Sensing a long shadow cast over her frame, she gazed up at his face and recognizing him, made a bright smile and then dropped her head and strummed the lyre once again in a rather dramatic style.
He let out a sigh and held her up, assisting her on her feet, "That's it for now."
Hinata suddenly felt as if she was in the clouds of heaven, pulled to her feet. She never had the kind of wine the villagers offered her.
She tried to hug the lyre to her and take it home, but after persuasion and some chiding, she reluctantly released the instrument she was petting like a cat.
After receiving the waves of the elderly, Sasuke had to carry Hinata on his back and scale the mountain. Considering that he even fought and carried a boar, he did not find it heavy but he was sure the next day she will wake up with some severe hangover.
When they arrived home, Hinata felt him carefully place her on the bed and pull a cover over her. She felt the shifting fabric over her skin as she rested comfortably. He didn't lie down with her right after, and she guessed that he was washing himself up by the nearby pond before getting to bed.
Suddenly, she felt very clear headed, as if she woke up from a very deep, refreshing sleep. But the aftermath of that intoxicated state was a sobering sense of reality-a kind of melancholic calmness that made her feel tranquil but suddenly quite alone. She was not quite sure what to do with this sudden lowness.
Then came the weight of the past crushing over her. The shards of memory started to assemble into a tapestry of multicolored porcelain clay tiles.
Her opal eyes widened.
She tossed and turned on her back and decided to face the wall.
She felt the other side of the bed lurch with the weight of Sasuke, and she put the blanket over her head, pretending to be fast asleep.
There was some tense silence when she hoped he would not notice her pretense and shrug it off to go to sleep.
But he was ever perceptive, "Hinata" he called her in a deep voice.
The silence felt even louder than it did before.
She felt his hand grasping her shoulder and gently turning her over.
There was further silence as they lied facing each other, but Hinata still had the blanket concealing her face.
When she slowly drew down the blanket, feeling embarrassed of her emotions after being such a drunkard, she saw him watching her. He crossed his arms, but his gesture did not convey annoyance but patience. However, when he saw the reddened rims of her eyes, he reached out to touch her dark circles.
The silence ensued. The moonlight cascaded from the window.
The silence continued until she finally opened her mouth, "I was...born as..."
Then she stopped. Doubts began to whisper into her ear.
He already thought that the village lord's daughters belonged to some completely different tier of the universe, way above commonfolks like him.
Even if her reputation went unblemished, even if she was not known as the princess who killed her father, he was likely to be overwhelmed and confused-maybe he would pull away and keep her at a distance.
She was his wife. They had their entire lifetime to spend together. But just now, for now, she simply could not bring herself to reveal her entire story.
After some hesitation, she said, "part of the nobility."
She closed her eyes as she felt her chest constricting in guilt at her lie.
When she looked at his face, she was saddened to look at the startled look on his face, confirming that what she feared was true.
She even felt his hand that was caressing her shoulder still.
The huntsman who lived his entire life in the secluded mountains never imagined his runaway slave bride was a nobleman's daughter. She could only imagine how he would take it if she ever tells him she was the first daughter of Hiashi. She might never.
His quietness urged her to continue. She went on, "We...we were not wealthy bu-but we were able to get by rather comfortably-My younger sister, me and..."
She let out a sigh that sounded like a shudder past her body.
"My cousin."
If he noticed the masculine suffix of the word, he said nothing.
"His father and mine...were twins. They were quite close. Until one of them were involved in a political strife and...my father had to kill him."
She closed her eyes, "My cousin became an orphan overnight. But since he was very bright, almost regarded as a genius by everyone, he survived my father's attempt to kill him too. He became second to no one. After my father died, leaving no male successor, many nobles of the family tried to become head of the clan. I...I had to ask my cousin to succeed my father's place."
She looked at Sasuke, "My cousin helped my sister to run away but I chose to remain, which was his only wish. Because of my father's death, I had to live a life of servitude to him and the rest of the family. But I didn't mind. I was glad to be by his side. I thought that we were going to be like family. As it was before. I was so full of hopes."
Her grip on his sleeve tightened until her knuckles turned white, "But then..."
She bowed her head, shaking. "and he..."
His eyes widened and breath stilled when she said with tears prickling her eyes, "one night I was by myself and he found me and..."
That night she was attacked, taken, devoured by a monster. Heavy pants and grunts reached her ears, her wrists felt his large hands that clamped over them. Her eyes made out his parted lips where the moist warm air formed languid puffs of air, a direct contrast to his long brown hair swaying on either side, lurching forward and pushing back with his body's thrusts. Her eyes formed a tear when she saw him lean down, whispering her name and his lips covered hers that parted involuntarily as he continued to fill her again and again. Nooo, she cried. Panting, he hooked her legs above his arms and thrusted into her area between her thighs that throbbed almost to a painful degree of stimulation and unwanted lust and carnal desires. She heard his hoarse voice, saw his piercing silvery eyes-his lips saying-You are mine. At his words, she had no choice but to roll her head to a side as he violated the sanctity of her body, tears flowing from her eyes. Huffing, he drew her close till her breasts connected to his hard chest and forced her to rise and fall as he plunged into her womanhood that was overflowing with their shared fluids. Her liquid fire rolled across his balls and dripped to the marble as he joined themselves together, his hand grabbing her bottom for balance and a more precise and forceful aim. Lust overpowered him as he took her faster, harder, till she was a shivering mess of pent up emotions and desires in his arms.
He looked at her, surprised at first, but then the light of understanding slowly dawned on his face. She thought she saw a flicker of hurt in his eyes, and she was unable to take it and cuddled to his chest. He answered her silent request for an embrace by simply holding her.
She sniffled, "I-I don't know why he suddenly forced me...bu-but it's probably to avenge his father...He was using my body to fulfill his revenge..."
There was never any love involved when he took her body, she shed tears at the thought. Never any love...
She was held against Sasuke's chest, and her eyes blurry with tears glanced at her own body sitting between his long legs, one stretched forward while the other was bent. She was held so securely in his arms that she felt the barriers surrounding her heart fall down and she simply wanted to cry.
Then she heard his hoarse voice, struggling to contain his own emotions, "I don't understand..."
He looked down at her petite body wrapped by his arms, his large hands on her slender back, "You're so small and..."
With a deep inhale, he held her so tightly that she gasped at his sheer strength. His embrace seemed to ask her -why would anyone hurt you?
When she lifted her eyes to him, his dark eyes seemed so dry and heartbroken.
He bowed his head as he held her so close. She could feel him radiating his heat and scent of sun kissed wild grass. It was very comforting. But the man who provided her such solace looked so defeated.
Breaking the silence, he finally said, "Do you know what I am thinking, Hinata?"
She shook her head. Her tears dried up, and she was feeling a lot better after revealing to him a piece of her past. She told herself that this was a good start. She wanted to let Sasuke in. She really did.
He said, "I am torn between wanting this man to be as far away as possible and...hunting him down and tearing him apart. It would greatly please me, and I'd gladly relish it."
She gasped and then caught his face between her hands, "Sasuke."
She made eye contact with him. She said firmly, "You must never ever come near that man. He's very powerful, and even without his followers, he has no problem killing anyone, especially those who get in his way."
But he was still seething, his eyes now holding smoldering fire as if he didn't want to heed her warnings.
"Promise me, Sasuke," her opal eyes shone bright like the stars, "if you ever see any infantry troops, you must always avoid them and...if...I don't think he's still looking for me, but...if he does find me..."
There was an ominous glare in his eyes, "I will beat him worse than death."
"No-no, you must never think of doing that. You must not call me by my name...You have to call me Leuke."
He spat out, "Why would I do that? Hinata, who is this man?"
She hesitated. She wondered if she should tell him that the man he wanted to tear to shreds was the king himself. Not just any feudal lord or a blue-blooded aristocrat, but the king. If thinking of her as a noble lady could shock him, she didn't want to think how he would react to know that she once belonged to the king.
"I...I can't tell you...bu-but someday...you'll know."
He was quiet for some moment, and she knew that he was battling his urge to press her with more questions.
He relented with a nod. He seemed to think that she was exhausted by how much of her history she was disclosing to him.
He pulled her back to his arms and placed his slim cheek against her forehead.
"Hinata." He tightened his arms around her.
She looked up at him in question, wondering. She saw him watch her with a blank expression.
That blank expression did not give her any clue as to what he was thinking.
Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and landed her on her back.
His black hair dangled by the side of his face due to the impact of the sudden movement and he looked down at her, caught between his arms. Towering above her, he gazed down at her surprised face. Pinned underneath, she looked up at him in response.
"Hinata."
Before she could answer, he lowered himself until he was nuzzling her throat and opened his mouth, his bared teeth gleamed in the moonlight.
He left small love bites on her neck, and she sucked in her breath at the sensation.
"Hinata..."
His lips trailed across her neck then up to her ear.
He raised himself slightly and looked down at her.
Her opal eyes that stared up at the ceiling in a daze widened. She looked at his ebony colored eyes that strangely had the ability to grow darker as he gazed down at her.
In a deep whisper, he said,
"I love you."
Sounds of the bed creaking and panting filled the air. The pants mostly belonged to her while he emitted sheer low grunts through his teeth.
His hands clamped over her wrists pinned to the bed as he hovered over her, the veins on his musculr arms bulging.
"Mine..." he hoarsely said as he caught her mouth in a dominating kiss. She whimpered at his forcefulness. Tears prickled at the edge of her closed eyes as he brutalized her silky mouth.
She was turned over and thrown on her stomach on the bed by his hands that each grabbed her upper arm and side of her waist. His hands still holding her by her arms, he snapped his hips toward her rounded backside, fulfilling her from that position that always embarrassed her but brought her husband dark pleasure. His eyes watched the cheeks jiggle at every hard thrust and his large hand marred by healed scars caressed them appreciatively, eliciting a humiliated whimper from his easily shy wife.
He panted, his face contorted in desperation and his dark eyes moist with excitement looked down at her fiercely but tenderly.
His breath slightly ragged, he declared in a low voice, "you are mine, Hinata."
As in surrender, Hinata bowed her head to the bed, her dark hair falling across her face like silk as he thrusted against her from the back. Her hair dangled by the side of her face as well as her breasts that dropped hanging like bearing fruit, swaying by the snaps and thrusts of her husband's hips.
That night, Sasuke grew rougher during their love making. The thrusts were deeper, his tongue swirling around her reddened nipple sucked harder. He would dig his fingers into her flesh, leaving imprints on her highly sensitive skin, and his lips sought hers whenever he had the chance in the dark. When his lips pursued hers doggedly and his long fingers entangled in her dark blue hair, she had no choice but to answer back with a breathtaking kiss. His lips pressed against hers rather forcefully, but his soft tongue sweetly asked for entrance, and as soon as she permitted and opened her mouth, it dove deep. When they ended the kiss, Hinata regretted ever giving him one, because he would then penetrate her even deeper and his hands grew even more persistent in groping her, touching her, pushing her to the brink of sanity.
The bed creaked loudly as he jerked against Hinata who gasped and then muffled her cries by biting down on her bottom lip, only to open her mouth again to cry out. Her dark hair sprawled on the bed sheets that she grasped until her knuckles turned white and her body twisted and writhed as if she was underwater. Her teary opal eyes looked up to his flushed face looking down at her, his lips slightly apart, breath puffing out, his broad shoulders bobbing up and down, amid the chaotic sound of wet flesh slapping against eachother. His dark eyes deepened in its vibrant black hue when Hinata let out plaintive mewls.
Her heart was beating so fast that she was afraid that her heart will jump out of her chest.
When he raised her legs above his shoulders, she protested with sobs-they already did it once.
"I-I can't" she shook her head, her eyes full of tears reflected with further brilliance like genuine opals that he gazed at her awe-struck, "this isn't-this isn't what" she looked up at Sasuke watching her, his strong neck settled between her knees, a sight that startled her, "virtuous wo-women do-"
When he turned his head and pressed his lips deeply against her knee, she softly cried out.
As he thrust against her, he tore his lips from ber knee and gazed at her sideways, his dark eyes gleaming like a wolf. He rasped, "this is part of being a virtuous wife-"
She grasped his forearms to hold on to while he continued rocking her with his violent thrusts. When white hot euphoria washed over her, Sasuke closed his eyes and let out an almost imperceptible gasp-- a sight that speared through her heart.
He shrugged off her trembling legs and placed them by either sides of his hips. Her thighs trembled from the aftermath of her ecstasy and Hinata tried to calm her breath after how much she acted like an animal.
Then she felt her helpless, spent body being lifted by her upper arm, and a strong masculine hand grip her waist. In a blink, she was suddenly placed on Sasuke's lap. He pulled her thigh closer so she was straddling him, his husky voice and warm breath tickling the edge of her ear, "you must commit this duty to me" Hinata moaned as he entered her. He panted as he held her face up so she will look into his eyes and bounced her up and down, "even if your husband is a lowly huntsman." At his last words, Hinata's dazed eyes widened in surprise.
She protested, "I-I never thought of you as-um-!"
Before she could say that she never thought of him as beneath her, he silenced her with a rough, punishing kiss. She wondered what this was all about. Was he punishing her for keeping this secret for so long- for being an aristocrat -being her father's daughter?
He held her tight as she rose and fell. Tears prickled at the edge of her closed eyes.
Sasuke's lovemaking was more than passionate--it was aggressive to the point that Hinata's thoughts were driven away as soon as they emerged- but she could not dispel her realization that he was shaken to the core about the knowledge of her "noble" birth.
"Tell me-" his mouth spilled in his aberrations, his rough fingertips grabbing her chin up, "I want to hear the aristocrat of my wife say how it feels to be touched by a lowly huntsman-"
"Sasuke, no-" Hinata whined and tried to hide her face away but her husband won't let her.
"I want to hear what it feels like to have my humble hands ravish your body, grab your beautiful breasts that men could only look at but never dream to touch- how does it feel to be so completely defiled by someone lower than you, Hinata- answer me-"
She whispered,
"Please-please-please-" she chanted softly.
He wondered. Please stop? Please never stop?
"I will touch you where you never imagined would be touched- you're mine, Hinata. In the past, I might not have been even worthy to put your sandals on your feet, but tonight and forever, you are my woman. You will eternally bear my weight down on your precious body."
His fingers went to the softness between her thighs, right above her weeping folds, and she screamed.
"Even if your regret this later, even if you don't want to be my wife anymore, it is too late- night after night-" he panted, grabbing her wrists in one hand, exposing her breasts lewdly, "you will perform your duty."
She turned her head to a side, made shy by his lascivious words.
He pistoned into her body wildly, watching her breasts move, "I have to admit- there's a sick, twisted pleasure in fucking you, defiling you in your position-"
"Sasuke-" she balked, "please-"
He descended on her and ravished her. He slobbered on her pale creamy neck and saw her grimaced, flushed in arousal that felt shameful to her. His tongue bathed her neck, and his taste was inundated with her sweet flavor. He kept thinking--she felt good- so good- women weren't supposed to feel this good. It was unfair of her to try to keep her sweet body to herself out of shyness-he can't stop.
He groaned huskily, "Hinata..."
He kept wanting to possess her, raspily saying such things that showed his latent insecurity toward his status and how she must still be a "virtuous" wife despite it all. She blushed as she remembered his words. But at the same time it reminded her of his insecurity she wished he didn't have. An insecurity he never had before he met her.
She knew that she could never-never tell him that she was a king's daughter. It will be a secret she takes with her to her grave.
He kissed her.
Their lips disconnected, leaving hot mist and a silvery wet string at the end of their tongues.
But never had the word "duty" sound so sweet to her ears. Holding onto his shoulders, she breathed out desperately as she threw her head back. She felt his hand support the back of her head and draw her back to him, and he inclined his forehead on hers.
"S-s-Sasuke-"
Her rough breathing fanned his face, scattering away strands of dark hair while his eyes looked straight into hers. His eyes were amazingly bright and alert in a way that was uncanny for a man who was bedding a woman. Somehow, his bright dark eyes made her feel so exposed and shy.
Embarrassed that she was breathing so heavily straight on his face, she tried to pull away and keep a little distance but he slightly tightened his grip on her hair.
His dark eyes shone with a subtle sheen, his brows drawing together as sweat formed on his marble temple. His lips parted as he panted, as he focused on her rising and falling as he jerked upon her.
His long rough fingers threaded through her hair as he grabbed the back of her head and brought her mouth to his.
What happened was a primal kiss, their tongues melding with eachother, making her shiver slightly as she felt as if her bones were melting.
During the kissing, she was so soft in his arms, her pale eyes in a daze as she blinked.
Still holding the kiss, he gently placed her on her back. When he withdrew, a thin string connected their tongues and he said, "your favorite part..." She was unable to look at him straight in the eye when he said that. He twisted her body sideways and lifted her leg up and rammed inside her. "Do you know," he panted, "that you get tighter when you kiss? Does it excite you?"
She answered, her body shaking as he thrust uncontrollably, "ye-yes." Not answering him due to shyness will only frustrate him, and she didn't want to be too sore the next morning.
"You drive me crazy" he huffed as he rammed into her with increasing severity, making her hips buck with jolts of pleasure. She gasped, as she thought faintly that perhaps answering will still get her sore in the morning. He won't let her sleep tonight, "it does not matter if you were a woman of high birth-" heat came out of his body in waves, and she felt as if she was on fire. "The only one you are doing this with is me-"
He did not forget to whisper into her ear, his breath fanning her dark strands of hair, "a lowly huntsman." The end of his lips curved in self-loathing and cold disdain. Her eyes showed shock and she tried to speak up. Was he saying that she will go around and open her legs for others because of their status? She huffed. That was unfair of him to say that.
"Just-just because," she struggled to catch her breath and keep her mind focused, but his thrusts were getting harder, "I was b-born differently-" her hands grasped on the sheets knuckle-white, "does not mean I will-" she cried out, "do anything-" the sound of flesh slapping against eachother overpowered her voice.
When he finally withdrew, leaving a sticky trail between her, she collapsed in exhaustion. Sasuke pulled her shoulder down so she was on her back and his mouth immediately latched onto her breast. She moaned as she felt his hot molten mouth take in her breast.
His mouth slowly played with her breast, and he said, "it's not your 'virtuous self' I worry about." When her delicate fingers played with his shiny black hair that felt soft as feathers, he finally said, "I only wish I knew you earlier, Hinata."
"Wh-why?"
He continued kissing around her nipple, "I love the present Hinata." He arrested her nipple between his teeth and sucked, "But I hunger for the past Hinata too."
Her fingers stopped playing with his hair. He did not notice as he kept fondling her breasts. After hesitation, she asked shakily, "w-would you...have liked me better if I was...a virgin?"
He stopped. A second that felt like eternity passed and he pressed his lips against her nipple, earning a strangled breath. Then he rose and stared straight into her eyes. His arms lengthened powerfully as he looked down at her like a god.
"How many times do I have to say this?" He said firmly, "I love you." Each word was said with deliberate emphasis.
He pressed his lips against her left eyelid, and she flinched slightly at the sensation, "It is not about liking you less or more." Her heart stopped when he continued, "you belong to me and I belong to you."
"Then why-" his playful but eerily threatening bite on her earlobe interrupted her.
"If-" he pinned her down by her wrists, "I met the past Hinata..." his lips imprinted another mark on her pale neck, "I know I would've been smitten."
"A true lady in her elements. What could a lowly hunter do other than watch from afar?" He continued his strange, spellbinding trail of words, "I might have kidnapped you out of desperation." He chuckled but it quickly died down as he stared at her bewildered eyes seriously.
His thumb pressed on her pink, plush bottom lip, "And I would definitely not let that cousin of yours touch you."
Then his hands grasped both of her breasts and gave a squeeze, causing her breath to hitch to her throat, "And I would definitely have taken your maidenhood."
She gasped and squeezed her eyes shut, "ah-" Heat spread across her face.
"Slowly," he kissed her temple, "gently," her neck, "but certainly, so there is no mistake about you are doing this with-" then her collarbone.
He looked at her, his black hair scattered across his forehead. "I wish I could have your past, present, and future."
The next day, Hinata rose earlier than Sasuke who was still asleep. She purposely didn't wake him up in order to surprise him with a gift.
He tossed and turned, almost scaring Hinata because she was planning to give him a gift the entire night and didn't want him to spoil the surprise.
I am always receiving gifts from Sasuke but I never actually gave him one...She was being selfish, but she wanted to make up for her past mistakes with a pretty bouquet.
That was the plan she cooked up during the entire night. She could remember how she was unable to answer him back when he said the three words. He didn't say furthermore when she stayed silent but she doubted that she made a good impression. She hoped she didn't embarrass him or make him feel rejected.
Well, way to go, Hinata, she chided herself. Making my husband feel rejected after he said, "I love you."
But for her, she needed some time to say such things. She just wasn't used to such open expressions of affection.
So she decided to take the first step- for once.
After adjusting to a comfortable position, he lied on his side, facing Hinata, resting his head on his bicep.
Hinata watched how his stern dark brows relaxed over his closed eyelids, and his lips slightly opened like a child.
She waved her hand over his features at first, checking if he was actually sound asleep.
His nose crinkled slightly as his lips shut and then opened slightly. She smiled as she saw him continue to sleep with the same innocent, boyish expression.
Before opening the door, she took one last glimpse of him and carefully exited the hut.
The fragrant smell of grass and the cool late summer breeze welcomed her as she headed to her favorite spot-a pasture of wild flowers that were not overshadowed by the canopy of trees like the rest of the mountain.
She was surprised to see this wide, open pasture in the mountain. The blades of grass and flowers were tall enough to completely shroud her legs when she boldly stepped into the pasture of blood red poppies.
The sight always enamored her with the beauty of the dabbled red poppies, bright blue anemones and even some golden freesias and white marguerite daisies. To her delight, much of the tall blades of grass were actually poppy buds that had yet to bloom into full fledged blossoms.
Light purple and pink clovers that were shorter also called for her attention. The wind also swept across, blowing the petals of bright blue anemones and the poppies like brilliant silk papers.
She happily picked the red poppies, some of them orange red and some deep scarlet. Some blossoms bloomed sideways, the petals bowing their heads.
Feeling like a nymph of spring, she was collecting her flowers until she was surprised by a sudden gust of wind that turned her gaze to a particular shadow cast by the long pine trees.
At first, her eyes registered as a shadow that was oddly shaped against a tree. Then where the shadow exactly was, a silvery object came into view. Her first reaction had been confusion and then pure bewilderment. The silver light would shift every so often then reappear. When the silvery light flickered out, it would reappear in the same position as it did before. It didn't move or hover. It was fixed to that spot.
She thought she must be hallucinating at first.
Her indigo hair blew in the wind until her pale eyes caught on shadow that now seemed to be like a figure standing by the tree. As the figure approached, his height and stature seemed distinctly masculine and what she now recognized as his armor shocked her with the sudden reflection of the sunlight.
When her eyes got used to the blinding reflection of the armor, she recognized who this was by his unforgettable features.
Her grip on the flowers caused her fingers to ache and then she helplessly dropped her bouquet of poppies and blue anemones. Her heart palpitated in her chest so hard when she scanned his movement coming closer.
She took another breath, watery eyes focused on the man once again. Her lips parted, no sound was made, nor breath taken.
She took a step back, her body uncontrollably shaky. Her voice caught in her throat, her legs impulsively wanted to collapse on their own. Her vision blurred for a second, but when she achieved clarity, she saw the man in front of her, towering her with his height.
A soft balmy breeze blew and scattered the red poppies and blue anemones and played with his long hair.
Despite the silvery sheen of his armor, his dark cloak and tall height made him a pillar of darkness in the middle of the balmy, beautiful meadow.
She looked up and had to crane her neck to face this pillar of darkness that hunched over and watched her.
Looking every bit a perfect Grecian warrior, the man took off his helmet, freeing his long hair from the confines of steel.
His hard silvery eyes were as calm as the day he set sail at the age of nine, but the face was more mature and masculine.
She also saw the dark rims beneath his eyes and the slight stubble of his chin, showing hints of exhaustion and sleepless nights.
Then he reached out his hand toward her face, her small pouty lips clammed shut in a line as her eyes kept staring up at the man whose name she dare not say out loud. All she could do is stare at him with wide opal eyes.
She didn't expect the soft, almost tentative way his fingers touched her cheek. Then he slightly hunched over more to touch her face more freely, and his long hair fell across his face like a curtain as he subtly slouched to look down at the meek woman.
His eyes locked with hers, as she fought to materialize his name with her lips.
"Your...majesty-"
There was a song that has been popular among the Cretan soldiers for about ten years. Nobody, even the soldiers who sung this song, knew of the song's origin except that it wasn't a professional bard who composed the lyrics. They said it was a soldier, and it surprised those who were not affiliated with the military that a soldier of all people wrote this rather sentimental piece.
A soldier was supposed to relish the screams of his enemies and be full of blood-lust, loyalty, and desire for honor. Death and carnage should be his only anthem.
But instead a nameless soldier wrote this song, and it became quite popular despite the mystery of the composer.
It went-
It is so rough, being put down by life. Nothing goes the way I want it to be. I have forgotten what family used to be. And since some time, I have failed to be important to even myself. Nobody would know that I am barely holding on by a string.
In this calculative world, enough does not really mean "enough." You have to have "more," more than enough to be actually be deemed "enough." That irony is when you finally achieve the right, the patent to love. To even love someone, man must earn his right. That is the law of man.
I wanted the right to love you, so according to that law, I fought so much, so desperately to be what was would suffice. But when victory became a norm, a common expectation, I started losing sight of what I was fighting so hard for.
If I look back, I've changed quite so much ever since I've met you. I didn't realize, but you were truly the catalyst.
Through you, I began to dream, and when you shared your dreams to me at night, it became my dream to make them come true.
But for that to happen, I had to climb up to a higher place, soar to a different height.
Your happiness was only possible if I achieved more feats, if only I had more things. So I grabbed on everything, anything I could put my hand on.
And when I have finally climbed to that place, you were no longer there and I was no longer what I used to be.
All of my life-when I struggled through life, all of my life, you were all of my life, you were the one thing that managed to fill me.
Nothing could fill me even though I tried, because nothing was meant to anyways.
I begged to you, "please, we have finally came to the place we always wanted, what we dreamed of. It was what we wanted so badly- Didn't you want to stay without worry that you will be sold faraway?" But you said "no, we've never shared such dream-we never had a shared dream to begin with. It was a figment of your imagination."
I am surrounded by what I thought I wanted so badly-the things that I thought gave me the right to keep you.
But then I saw the tears on your face as you collapse on the floor. How long have you been on that floor? Have you been on that floor ever since I began my fight?
What is the use to everything if it only ended up like this?
If you ever hear this song from somewhere, just please know that this is about you, what was supposed to be us.