Psyche grew in beauty, but she found no suitors till a spinster age of nineteen. Her sisters, less beautiful, had no problems finding theirs, but Psyche found none.
Her father, the king grew concerned and consulted the oracle of Delphi.
He received the oracle, "The princess is not destined to marry a mortal, but a monster."
When the king fell in denial, the oracle chastised, "Alas, how could you not know? Love is like light coming from the sun-if in lack, there is no life, if too much, life burns.
Past Hinata -13, Neji- 14
When she was kidnapped by pirates, princess Tenten did not expect that it was the kingdom of Corinth that commissioned the pirates for her kidnapping.
She had been in the central jail of Corinth for about a week.
The iron clasps on her wrists and ankles made her body sore and ache, and she glared at the prison guards who snickered at her.
She was princess of her fierce nomad tribe of warriors-the Taurtaurs. But kidnapped and imprisoned, she was just Tenten. Thirteen year old, vulnerable Tenten. She hated that she was getting used to the unnerving silence that always seemed to precede the guards' cold stares.
At first, when she heard the weak sounds of yelling, she thought it was several of the guards getting drunk again, which happened often.
Then in an instant she heard series of shouts outside the door of her prison cellar-as if there was a fighting. Being a princess of a nomad tribe known for being "barbaric," she instantly recognized the sounds of a brawl. She prided in the wild, uninhibited nature of her people, and she was not ashamed that she developed keen senses for noticing a good fight.
Suddenly the wooden door to her cellar was bashed open, and she saw a short figure-and by short, she meant, shorter than the brawny mature soldiers of Corinth, figure barged in. The short figure had long hair, so at first she thought this was a woman, and she wondered if this was an Amazonian. But looking at the breasts, she realized that this was a boy.
Dust rose in the air as the prison guards rose and charged towards the intruder.
The prison guard's armor cut the intruder's sword in half, and abandoning the useless weapon, the intruder wrestled with the first guard to come at him to the ground.
At first thinking that the intruder was just a child, the guard lowered his guard and was thrown to the ground as a consequence of underestimating the intruder's dexterity and prowess. Tenten watched these series of events with intense focus.
When another guard tried to sneak up to his back, the boy threw the guard over his shoulder and used his body to slam against the recumbent defeated.
The prison guard's armor that protected him against the sword acted as a weight used against himself and his comrade.
His profile concealed by his long hair, the boy retrieved the keys from the lying guard's hilt.
The barred door opened, and a cloud of dust gathered from the brawl slowly settled on the ground.
For the first time in a week, she saw an outstretched hand and heard a calm, even voice of a boy on the verge of young adulthood, "Princess Tenten."
"I am Neji Hyuuga, affiliated with Cretes' naval regiment. I am here to rescue you and lay siege to Corinth."
She looked at his outstretched hand. His fingers were long and his palm showed signs of a soldier well versed in sword arts.
Trembling, she held his hand. She appreciated his firm grip as she was shackled to the stone ground for a good week.
He helped her to her feet, and when she rose steadily, he released her and turned to the lying bodies. He stole two swords, a ring of keys, and some daggers.
She wondered if they were unconscious or dead, but the boy gave her no time to reminisce as he approached her and clasped her lax stiff fingers around a sword.
At her puzzlement, he said, "As princess of the Taurtaurs, you must be used to fighting."
Surprised that a foreigner knew that Taurtaur women were trained in fighting, she at first stared at him and then nodded quickly. Taurtaur men and women all wore the same armor and yielded the same weapon, so it was impossible to distinguish from a distance. She wondered how this boy knew the internal details of the Taurtaur warfare. She hoped this was a friend rather than a foe.
Together, they fought through the throngs that charged at them, and when they went out of the prison tower, they spotted people escaping from the soldiers she recognized as Cretans. from the crest on their chest and the use of long iron words with separate hilts.
They spotted a horse that lost its way amid the chaos, and Tenten saw that it was ideal for two riders of their size but quickly abandoned the idea. However, the boy called Neji Hyuuga thought differently and ran towards the horse. Tenten cringed inside. She thought the boy was crazy. He acted rashly as if he had nothing to lose. Did he not value his life? Not even mature Taurtaur warriors brashly charged towards a confused horse of that size.
The boy however expertly mounted the horse without bridle. He stretched his hand to Tenten who was surprised at first and then took his offer and did the same.
They escaped the fortress of Corinth, and Tenten saw that there were about three hundred Cretan soldiers camped outside the border.
She was dropped at the camp, whereas the boy who rescued her went back to the warring city.
She expressed displeasure of not being able to join the fight but was told that they could not risk having her captured again and being used as leverage against the Cretans' siege of the enemy's citadel. She was unhappy, but seeing that she was imprisoned for a week, she decided that her fighting skills probably needed to be honed in order to engage in an actual battle.
When the boy returned to the Cretans' encampment, the smoke rising from the towers of Corinth was dark and thick enough to be visible from miles.
Her heart soared to see the billowing smokes and hear the infant wails and cries of dismay. She was happy for her people. She had her vengeance. She could hear the victorious cries of the Taurtaurs and feel the thrill of going home.
The boy was walking away from the burning city walls that melted into shaking, vibrating waves to the naked eye. Despite having the city bow to its knees, his face was emotionless, neither showing joy, relief, pity, or fatigue.
He then stopped and turned and gazed at the fallen citadel. The heated gust of wind blew his long hair.
She went to his side and looked up to his profile. He was gazing at Corinth or rather what once was Corinth, his long unbound hair blowing by the wind.
His translucent pale eyes reflected the fire, as he surveyed the people, some falling from the walls, others being captured and taken in a guided procession, many were killed.
And she looked at his face.
That was when she knew for the first time in her life what it means to have the heart beating even without a run, the horse-races, or the clatter of swords that still echoed from the distance.
Since a civil war erupted in Mycenae and Mycenae was divided into two: West and East, Cretes became the dawning force of militant power. Cretes was interested in constructing a maritime empire and reach towards the East.
The news of another victory in Hiashi's military campaign in the East set sail across the Palace of Knossos. However, this victory was different. The city-state of Corinth has been under siege and finally conquered by Cretes. The hostage of the city-state of Corinth, Princess Tenten, has been rescued safely, leading to the diplomatic peace between Cretes and her tribe-the fierce Taurtaurs . Cretes has been attacking Corinth for two years, so this sudden victory was worthy of celebration.
The courtiers and royalty have always murmured words of relief and blessings for the king and their patron goddess Kaguya, but this time, it was a bellowing scream of cheering and exaltation. The sons of Cretes were back at home in the arms of their families. Mothers who warned their sons, "Come back alive or dead on the shield," had tears trickling down their cheeks, and the stern king Hiashi opened a festivity of eight days across the kingdom. The historians commemorated these eight days as "Apo Kaguya," which meant, "from Kaguya." From Kaguya came victory.
Neji Hyuuga, a branch member of the Cretan royalty, has been pivotal in the climactic siege against Corinth and its surrender as well as saving the princess Tenten.
So when king Hiashi summoned princess Hinata to his study and declared that her protector was going to be Neji, she was truly surprised and concerned. She almost lifted her finger to her lips in her consternation, but thankfully, she stopped herself before earning a harsh word of disapproval from her father.
Hiashi made it clear again, "Neji will chaperone you during your stay during your summer adjourn in Ionia."
His hard pale eyes glared at her, "And you know that going to Ionia is for you to leave a positive impression as a Hyuuga. Ostentatiously, you are going on to this summer camp to make friendly relations with the royalty of your age group and learn the arts and sciences from the great master, Kheiron. But remember, Hinata, you are not going there simply as a summer retreat camp for the princes and princesses. It amazes me how some of the princes and princesses your age believe that this summer camp in Ionia is simply for recreational purposes. Its purpose is political and always will be unless war breaks out in Greece."
Hinata did not say anything, but she was secretly excited to finally leave the country's borders and venture across the sea to see the famed princes and princesses of other kingdoms.
However, she started to feel mixed sentiments when she learned that her cold, distant cousin was going to join her. On one hand, she was glad that he gets to learn and engage in activities alongside the royalty of other countries. He was not able to do that since his fall from main to branch status.
On the other hand, he was not joining as the prince of Cretes. He was allowed to go, only as a personal guard of the princess. He was going as a servant, a half-blood, not a full-bred royal as was due.
That made her sad.
"Soon after your return, you will marry your betrothed- prince Malakia of kingdom Midas. If prince Malakia decides that you are not qualified to be his bride, he could always call it off. Cretes has been sustained on products of human skill and perishable goods for too long. We need Midas's gold. Remember that, Hinata."
Hinata remembered the portrait of the prince she was engaged to. In her honest opinion, he kind of looked like a goat. But prince Malakia held districts coveted by neighboring city states for its gold mines. Needless to say, she had no leverage or any influence in making such decision.
"But, father," Hinata tried her best to not stutter out of surprise, "Neji ni-san is at the beginning of finally being a decorated war hero."
He raised an eyebrow, "and?"
"Excuse my boldness, but…" she bowed her head, "would it not be…below him to simply be my protector?"
She knew that it was pointless to hope that she could help restore Neji's lost status, but she still tried.
Hiashi scoffed, "as princess, you should always know that it is the honor of the branch member to serve you."
"But-" Hinata tried to persuade him, "his t-talents, father- the time he spent to come this far…He has been at the front line for almost four years years at war…Four years of war and the conquest of Corinth...only to be my personal guard for summer-"
Main branch members above the age of eighteen only needed a three years to rise their ranks to be general and another three years to be one of the military council. Neji was finally gaining momentum and fame as a soldier, and the main council have also expressed their desire to elevate his ranks to not only the military council but as one of the cabinet advisors to the head commander. However, the king did not consent to this and ordered that Neji be the first princess's protector which everyone knew meant being her foot soldier.
Even though she was the one being served, Hinata didn't want that. She felt her stomach doing somersaults at the thought of a decorated war hero being demoted to be someone who has to carry her belongings and move at her beck and call. And that being Neji.
"The prince of has more sway in this matter, so if you do not hold his attraction, this engagement will be annulled and be a blot in the Hyuuga's reputation."
"But even if that happens," Hiashi's eyes looked at his first daughter, "you do not have to worry too much. There will always be more suitors who want to cement a relation with our kingdom. It will depend on which match is most prolific for our gain."
Hinata felt her heart thumping and her fingertips feeling numb and cold. Beneath the golden veneer, she was just a bargaining chip. She knew that.
Hiashi's tone was frigid, "You are dismissed."
When the grand gilded doors closed behind her, Hinata's shoulders slumped and she trudged towards the arched corridor that connected her father's quarters to the main palace garden. She passed by the intricately painted dolphins and finned sons and daughters of the sea on the wall and breathed in the humid summer air. The sun was pouring down in the garden's orange groves, and the sounds of birds chirping were heard in the distance.
When she was at the threshold between the king's palace complex and the arched hallway, she saw a two tall boys standing and looking at the stretched expanse of tiered gardens. She instantly recognized one of them being the subject of her father's conversation with her-Neji.
Neji spoke to the boy who also had his head covered with a black band with golden embroidery, "Still no signs?"
"No, my lord."
His brows knitted, and Hinata read "frustration."
"When you find them, report to me immediately."
His eyes hardened, but his voice held a current of unease.
Hinata wondered whom he meant by "them." The people he has been looking for.
His follower answered duly, "Of course, my lord."
"You know how important this is to me."
His tone softened, as if he realized he was placing undue burden on someone he deemed as loyal and capable.
The addressed boy bowed his head in deference.
When Neji nodded, he took his leave. Neji stood where he was for a moment. Hinata could not see where he was staring off.
She hushed her breath and tried to pass behind him as quietly as possible.
But he suddenly whipped his head towards her and she froze where she was.
He turned around and bowed his head, but not too low to be portrayed as servile. Hinata felt relief. For some reason, she could not bear the image of Neji bowing low before her.
"I…I was not trying to ignore you," she lowered her gaze.
He said nothing and looked down at her due to their difference in height. She noticed, he grew taller again. It has been almost nine months since they saw each other in passing. He was on his way to another oversea battle after a war briefing, and she forgot what she was doing, but somehow they crossed paths in the palace hallway.
She endeavored to break silence by broaching on a topic that involves both of them, "I just heard news that father made you my protector."
After a pause, he let out a slow "Yes." He looked at her as if he was waiting for something.
When Hinata glanced at the servants pacing across the long corridor, he received the hint and escorted her down the path where they could have some privacy. Even though he was a war hero, he was still a Branch member, and their differences in rank was glaring to the palace inhabitants.
"I'm sorry, ni-san," she sighed as they passed by a couple of maids holding woven baskets.
When they were out of the maids' earshot, she whispered, "you should…be treated as a war hero."
He neither agreed nor denied what she said.
She lifted her eyes to him with a voice that sought to remedy what damage was done, "I-I can try asking father-"
She guessed that he would prefer greatly to stay in Cretes and search for the "people" he had mentioned.
He might also want to be rejuvenated before being dragged to another war zone. It would be better than being dragged to Ionia, only to be her personal guard before the other princes.
His refusal came swiftly, "There is no need to, princess."
She might not be the best advocate but she wanted to try- "But-"
"I am where I should be."
For the first time, he said something quizzical to her. Hinata wondered what he meant.
Before she could ask him, they arrived at the princess's main quarters. He bowed before her like any gentleman in court, his hand raised in a half circle to show his lower status, and left.
She hated how he still did that even if there was nobody to keep an eye.
It was the day Hinata was going to set sail to Ionia. She and her maids and armed guardians stood at the beach, as they saw the sailors prepare the ship for sail.
The king was absent due to management of internal affairs, and there were no big crowds to usher them off. Just her sister Hanabi and her nurse.
But princess Hinata was happier that way.
The ship was made of dark wood and was going to be propelled by long, chestnut colored oars. In the center was a two story cabinet balanced on the upper deck, an innovation that would bolster Cretes' reputation as a growing maritime empire. The women were supposed to stay inside that cabinet, when the ship starts to set sail. This was t ensure that the men could focus on starting off the journey, stationing at their designated place, navigating to the right track.
Hinata was disappointed that she wouldn't be able to see how this big vessel starts moving, but she decided that she had to be happy that at least she gets to come out into the open during the rest of the sail.
The sound of the ocean waves tossing, caressing against the ship caused Hinata to stare at the body of the vessel that will take her to the island of Ionia.
She tried to appear calm but was seized by the feeling of excitement and adventure. Her feet fidgeted on the sand.
The large bodies of water pushed restlessly against the ship that rested at the periphery of sand.
How she waited to leave Cretes and go on an adventure for the first time at the age of thirteen.
She glanced at Neji who stood by her side. The boy whom she had not spoken to in years, was going to be her protector during the summer months spent in Ionia.
She still felt a sense of guilt of being involved in the boy's loss of opportunity to rise in grandeur. Admittedly, it was not her fault and she did not want it, but he still had to be her guard and servant.
A seagull emitted a series of gentle coos above their heads.
He raised his head and blinked at the cascading sunlight and then looked at the ship, waiting for the captain's signal to board.
Everything was a new and fresh sight for her, but seeing a grand ship set sail was a mundane routine for him.
It was also the first time for them to stand together on the beach, ever since he left for his first overseas campaign four years ago.
They were the same boy and girl. But they grew up. And how much has changed.
She let out a soft sigh, feeling heavy at heart. He glanced down at her. He said nothing and then focused on the ship again.
More seagulls squawked in a distance. The salty wind flapped against the giant white sails of the ship. As typical of Cretan summer, the air was humid, bringing Hinata to wipe her forehead with her arm. Her clothes seemed to stick plastered to her skin.
She then noticed something tn the shallower shores; it looked like blooming white algae.
In a whisper to herself, she asked, "Flowers? In the water?"
To her surprise, Neji followed her line of sight and answered, "Jellyfish. Sometimes their dead bodies come ashore."
When she looked at him, he looked back at her from the peripheral, "Do not touch them. You'll get warps."
When the captain made the hand signal that all preparation was done, Hinata's gaze snapped to the ship and she felt giddy inside.
She boarded the ship with a procession of hand maidens dressed in white and soldiers clad in armor, carrying chests of gifts to bear to the host-the royalty of Ionia.
Unlike the austere and simple exterior of the people, Cretan exports and gifts were sensual commodities that focused on bringing pleasure. The chests carried sandalwood, jars of molasses, and expensive embroidery. Cedar and pine that sported a manicured sheen that was only possible in Cretes were transported to the storage of the ship.
The women were taken to the cabinet. Hinata and her handmaidens could only hear the sounds of metal chains clinking and being dragged and men giving out directions within the walls.
When the ship finally set sail, Hinata watched her nurse and her sister Hanabi waving at her ashore from a tiny square window of her second story bedroom.
Even within the walls of the compartment, she could still feel the ship tussle by the waves.
In her room, she began to think of her destination. She took her pouch made of lambskin and opened it to take out a small scroll. On the small scroll were her personal notes about each prince and princesses. It was the first time she would be meeting the princes and princesses.
Ionia-known as Greece's diamond and most recently known as the home of the beautiful Sakura.
Princess Sakura of Ionia. At the age of thirteen, she was already having lyricists in Greece sing poems about her beauty. She also had past experience joining the Amazons as an allied warrior.
In the summer camp in Ionia, princess Ino of Cypre who was called the "crystal of beauty" and "the incarnation of Aphrodite" was also invited to join. Cypre was known for its beautiful and exotic flowers and the country's chief exports are incense, fragrance, and cosmetics.
After being freed from Corinth, Tenten, princess of the valorous tribe of the East was also part of this summer camp.
They were the triumvirate of goddesses of the summer camp-Hera, Aphrodite, and Pallas Athena.
She also thought of the princes who would join the camp.
To not feel too shy or alienated, she tried to remember details of each kingdom she found particularly fascinating.
First, there was prince Uzumaki Naruto, heir to the throne of Namikaze, the land of sun and fire. The people of Namikaze worship a demon fox as their god, instead of the archetypal Olympians.
Then, there was prince Nara Shikamaru from Athens, the sophisticated city-state of goddess Athena known for its egalitarian and progressive political practices. However, the militant culture of Cretes which enrolls all males at the age of eighteen to the army caused the Athenians to view Cretans as "blood thirsty and belligerent philistines." The Cretans were no less better. If a Cretan man led a self-indulgent, lazy, or indolent lifestyle, he was mocked as having "Athenian hands." "To speak Athenian" in Cretan context meant "all bark, no bite." Athens and Cretes were engaged in years worth of rivalry.
Rock Lee of kingdom Verchimedes. She heard that the land was very beautiful for its lush and overflowing vegetation throughout the year. Palm juice and sugar were Verchimedes's chief export. The people believed that there was intrinsic value to being "human" and wore tight fitting clothes to reveal their bodies as they saw the human body as the most beautiful above all nature. This belief system fascinated Hinata, because Cretes was ruled under the bureaucratic religion of moon goddess Kaguya. Meanwhile, Hinata's home country despised the folks of Verchimedes because wearing tight-fitting clothes was viewed as promiscuous and unsightly and Cretans did not respect what they called "heathens' body worship."
Kiba of kingdom Feran. Instead of oxen or horses, wild dogs the size of rhinos are primary modes of transportation. The royalty marked themselves apart by their crimson tattoos. The higher the royal member ranked, the more elaborate and bold the tattoos were. Needless to say, the Cretans regarded this practice with contempt.
Shino of kingdom Cicidas. She did not know much of Cicidas, because it was such a reclusive country. Not many primary sources in the library could be found about this secretive kingdom, except the map of Greece. Their way of survival and political practices were shrouded in mystery. Frankly, the inability to know Cicidas made Hinata most nervous. She hoped the prince of Cicidas was not a hostile person.
Chouji of kingdom Oraphe. Oraphe was famous for its beautiful four seasons, abundant natural resources, and amazing cuisine. Oraphe had access to Asia's spices, so the food was rather experimental in the Grecian taste. Everyone in Greece could agree that Oraphe was known for two things: the people's short temper and good food.
"Princess Hinata!"
A maid's voice woke her up from her reverie.
"Please come out to the deck! The sea is just beautiful!"
She cried out in excitement, rushing down the stairs, her feet pitpatting on the polished wood, "I'm coming!"
The door swung open, and before her, she could see the deep aquamarine expanses reaching far behind the horizon, the cosmos opening above her without ever holding back.
The handmaidens' impassive expressions soon blushed with excitement once they were out on the upper deck.
The sea was rich blue, but at the request of the handmaidens, one of the sailors retrieved a bucket of seawater, and the girls all dipped into the clear liquid that used to expand endlessly, flow in currents that reached beyond their destinations. One even brought her finger to her lips and winced, and another playfully splashed at the other. Hinata also joined the gathering around the small bucket.
It was behind the shadows of the two story cabinet where the princess found him standing by himself.
She never saw him like this before.
Because in his hand, he was holding the black silk forehead bind, feeling the sea breeze against his bare forehead.
She fell quiet, unsure if she would ever be welcomed in his presence. For some reason, she did not want to intrude, feeling as if this was a sacred moment, a time of peace that she did not know how often he got, throughout his turbulent life.
When he caught her, watching him from a distance that was actually not so far but at the same time not so close, his silver grey eyes watched her back.
She was prepared to be frowned upon, but he just watched her from the peripheral, his body not completely facing her in the front. Strands of his brown hair fluttered past his eyes that watched her. She could not even hear seagulls in the distance, but she could smell the salt in the breeze.
Then suddenly, she recognized the light in his eyes and a curve in his lips that set his features aglow with a youthful mirth. She felt an electric surge of nostalgia when she saw that innocence, a kind of innocence that was befitting of his age, make its long awaited return to his eyes. His perfect teeth bared in his smile that felt easy going, not the forced curve of his lips when he held something in contempt. She felt herself hold her breath.
He smiled at her. Then he asked her, "Have you ever seen anything like this?"
He looked at her if he was waiting for this moment all his life. It was as if he was the young lord over the sea, showing off his conquest to her. The sea glittered behind him, the water calm, only reflecting sparks from the sun.
When they arrived at Ionia, Neji went back to his usual temperament. Hinata could not hide the sense of loss when she saw him put on the cold mask of duty again, making him look older than his age. But at the same time, she noticed a change in him. Back in Cretes, his eyes held that heated glance filled with suspicion and disdain. His lips curved down into a frown and his brows knitted in a sullen form. But those features had softened somewhere along the way to Ionia. It wasn't all at once, but the change came gradually. She wondered what might have occasioned this change.
The sailors let down the ramp, and according to the proper order, the soldiers, the maids, and lastly, the princess and her body guard descended down onto the vast expanse of the sand. When her feet cautiously stepped on the pebbles on the beach, shining in a myriad of different shades in amber, the relief that she arrived at their destination washed over her like the waves lapping at the shore.
When she lifted her eyes from her white veil that obscured her view, her eyes widened to see the procession awaiting her. It was not the grand scale of the procession that astounded her, but it was the girl standing in the center, whose beauty eclipsed even the hazy, pastel rich sunset over Ionia.
What amazed her was princess Sakura's pink hair that magically blended into the orange, red, and various shades of pink of the sunset that surrounded them. She was like the goddess of sunset descended herself.
In the single glance at princess Sakura's face, Hinata knew who this was -ah, so this why the greatest poetess Sappho said she would rather see the luster on Helene's face than the thousand ships.
As she gazed at the princess's face, she uttered in pure awe, "Oh, Neji ni san, if the princess is this beautiful, then it is no wonder the princes are after her."
When she glanced at him, wondering what his reaction would be, he merely nodded and shifted his eyes toward Hinata and offered his hand as she descended down the ramp.
After the two princesses politely bowed their heads to each other, the Ionian guards and handmaidens ushered Hinata to her private quarters to rest after her long journey.
When the princes and princesses all over from Greek began to gather at the Academy, the greatest scholarly institution, Hinata was able to look in depth at her peers and noticed their quirks and characteristics that made them barely older than 'children,' rather than offspring of royalty.
First of all, she was surprised by how despite her astounding beauty, princess Sakura was warm, down-to-earth, and rather had a fiery temper. But her temper only made her more attractive to the royal boys who were accustomed to getting everything they ever wanted.
As the princess of the country hosting the summer camp, she exceeded in being the binding force between the princes and princesses who gathered together for the first time.
However, there was someone who even outshone princess Sakura, and that was the prince of Namikaze, Uzumaki Naruto.
At first, his lack of inhibition in saying what's in his mind made Hinata stand in shock, but the more she calmed her surprised heart and actually listened to what he was saying, she learned to admire his perseverance and indomitable spirit that could not possibly be just bravado or showmanship. She had no doubt he would be a great leader someday, maybe an unconventional one, but still an amazing king.
She had to say the one who surprised her the most was prince Nara Shikamaru from Athens. He was obviously very cultured, saw more than what he let on, and breezed through academics easily, but she did not expect him to look so blase and almost jaded at the young age. Though, she would silently giggle whenever he grumbled but still went on what the group decided as the day's adventure.
The biggest perk for her throughout the summer camp was that she could go around mostly alone, as long as she was in the earshot of her peers and instructors.
The smell of ink in quills. The shuffling sound of papyrus across stone desks. When those started to feel tedious in the summer heat, thankfully, the grand master Kheiron ordered the princes and princesses to go out in the wilderness of Ionia and survive on their own for a week.
The squeals and shouts of excitement though did not take long to diminish into groans and grumbles of frustration under the Ionian sun.
A/N: (crawling from under the rock)...Hello...
(avoiding thrown tomatoes) No, please, listen!
(bows) I know I said I was going to upload only in A03. Well, I was looking at the past reviews, and I realized that I really missed you guys and wanted to write a little chappie.
(avoids, rocks) AANND I know that a lot of you must be pretty angry that I didn't show Sasuke in this chapter. I am sorry, but this past part is actually pretty important! It will all be related to the characters' future and make sense!
(avoids thrown bananas) And you probably are still angry.
But I am back! And I am not giving up on "The Priestess!"
Also, it's my birthday in East Asian Time. Please say Happy Birthday?(0-0)