A/N: Here's where the action begins. It'll be kinda slow (mostly because I don't want this to just be, say, twenty chapters long), but I promise it'll pick up the pace.

And yeah, I know this is early, but it's my birthday today (and, coincidentally, Tsunade's too)! I hope you all have a great day.

I'm so excited to post the rest of this story; I'm making so much progress already! Without further ado, I'll see you at the bottom!


Chapter 2: In Retaliation


"Keep running-!"

"Over here! I found one!"

"Let's kill 'em all! Hah, look at'em run, the little rats!"

Screaming pervaded the village of Morino as the king's soldiers hurled blazing torches into the homes and stables. People scattered like ants, unlucky ones getting impaled by swords and shot with arrows.

"Why are you doing this?" A wailing mother demanded as two soldiers surrounded her, clubs in hand. She was clutching the corpse of her young son to her body, cradling his head on her chest. His blood was splattered across her face, decorating it like war paint. "What have we done?"

"King's orders," one sneered, readying his weapon. "Intel is that Riot uses this spot for refuge. Might as well kill two birds with one stone, eh? Or, rather, two criminals with one club."


Sasuke stared out of one of the long, ascending windows in the hall at the city down below. Somewhere, in the dense forests, he could see smoke billowing from a break in the trees.

His lips curled into a smirk. Good riddance. He'd always hated that village. On one hand, it was where many troublemakers in the kingdom always seemed to slither around, and second, it was one of the major Castle Point battlegrounds several years prior, a certain spot where his father had nearly been assassinated, and he himself had nearly been kidnapped for ransom.

And what a shame, he thought sarcastically, especially since they'd just gotten everything rebuilt.

"This won't fix the problem, y'know," his best friend, Naruto, commented from his position leaning against the wall, arms folded across his chest.

"That doesn't mean I can't get a certain amount of satisfaction watching that damned village get burned to the ground." Sasuke's words were venomous, his eyes glinting with amusement at the rising flames. "Besides, my father commanded that Riot was also to be attacked, not just that village. Anyone without proper identification will be killed on sight, as well as anyone known helping them."

"What about foreigners, though?" Naruto pressed, frowning at him. "You do know that Gaara's still pissed at us for keeping his sister, right?"

Ah, yes. The hotheaded (both in reputation and appearance, unfortunately) next-in-line for the throne in Suna. His older sister had been easy to acquire, and as it seemed, easier to lose.

"Bah, that diplomat is of no use to me." He waved his arm dismissively. "Besides, if he wanted her so bad, he should have came here and gotten her himself."

Cerulean eyes eyed the prince warily. "Somehow, I don't think a war with Suna is gonna fix things, but hey, what do I know?"

"It's hardly our fault if some mercenaries managed to do her in." Sasuke glanced back at his friend with a cool glance. "If anything, it's a favor. At least now we'll have grounds to draw up a treaty with Suna as a trump card if they try attacking the capital again."

Naruto didn't respond, merely humming and closing his eyes.


Karin gasped in pain as a woman reapplied the salve to her naked back. She grit her teeth, resisting the urge to scream as some of her deeper burns reacted to the ointment.

"You've done great thus far," the medic clucked her tongue as she took in the girl's injuries. "To think you were that close to the explosion. Again, I apologize for the aim."

"All for the sake of keeping the princess unharmed, right?" She hissed through her teeth, forcing herself to smile as tears dotted her eyes.

"Ah, that does remind me. She should still be out for another few hours." The woman capped the tube and helped Karin stand back up. "Here; go lie on your stomach in the tent. I'll wake you when the medicine has dried."

Karin thanked her as she was helped to the tent. As she lay down, the stress of what happened caught up to her, and it wasn't long before she fell into a deep sleep.

The medic peeked in on her every so often, accompanied by a girl with hair like sand, frizzy and rough.

"Thank you once again for your help," the medic bowed to the younger woman.

"It was no problem," she shrugged with a tense smile. "Anything to get the hell out of there."

"I surmised that you must've been captured at some point. For what purpose, though?" The two sat down in the shade of a nearby tree as the rest of their troop moved around.

"I assume they only held me there as a hostage." Her lip curled in a snarl. "A trap for my father. Pathetic."

The woman patted her shoulder sympathetically. "Yes, well, that's all they think we're good for, isn't it? To be held as bargaining chips or as tools."

"Is that... is that why you left?" Temari, the girl, blinked at the older woman before her.

"Partially." The healer chuckled wryly. "I was getting married at the time. Ah, I remember him so dearly. Three days after the wedding, he was summoned to the front lines, where he was killed in the battle against Oto."

"I remember that one." Temari nodded. "My father sent some troops as backup, as I recall."

"They weren't enough, though." The healer's clear, earthy eyes grew hard. "As soon as I received word that my new husband was killed, I was told that I was to be the wife of another soldier - one that I hated."

"And so you left," she breathed, leaning back against a tree. "Damn."

"Damn indeed." The woman heaved a sigh, brushing a hand through her short cocoa tresses. "That was years ago, of course, but... but I still haven't forgiven them for taking my love away from me so quickly."

"I'm so sorry." Temari shook her head. "What hasn't the Uchiha taken away from us at this point? You, your husband, me, my freedom..."

"The to-be-princess, of course," The brunette added, "and Karin. Both unwilling pawns in this game of theirs."

"Ah, yes, the Hyuuga girl." Temari wrinkled her nose. "What does she have that the prince wanted, anyway?"

"Wealth, influence," the woman lowered her voice, "cannon fodder."

The sandy-haired girl shot her a disgusted look.

Brown eyes bore into turquoise for a few seconds before she shrugged.

"They would've done the same to Suna, had your father sent one of your brothers to get you." She reminded. "You shouldn't be so surprised."

"I'm not." Temari insisted with a shake of her head. "I just can't understand why-"

One of the other soldiers walked up to them, bowing to the medic. "Miss Noh, we've intercepted a message from Leader-sama."

"Oh, good." Noh's eyes sparkled as she took the letter. When she opened it, her heart sank and her eyes widened in horror.

"What's it say?" Temari asked, leaning in to see.

"Twenty-five... murdered..." She whispered, covering her mouth with one hand. "Oh, Kami..."

Temari's eyes turned to stone as they skimmed over the paper.

"I'm sorry, milady." The soldier looked genuinely apologetic. "It seems that Troop 9 did not survive the attack."

Her teeth ground against each other as her hand began to shake. The paper crumpled in her fist and she shot a deadly glare to the forest.

"Temari, be a dear and check on Karin's back." She said with faux nonchalance. "If it's dry, then get ready to pack your bags, because we need to leave. Now."

Temari, a bit taken-aback, nodded and got up, rushing to the medical tent.

Noh stood, brushing the dirt off of her pants. She looked up at the sky, Temari's earlier words ringing in her head...

"What hasn't the Uchiha taken from us at this point?"


A/N: Yes, a certain someone has made her debut. No spoilers, but she's going to be important real soon!

Please tell me what you thought, feel free to speculate, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter!