Chapter IXX: The Shadow Lady.
The afternoon she'd been invited to spend at Baroness Yure's mansion was a bore, and Sakura was on the verge of inventing some political excuse to leave. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible. She had to stay here to ascertain the state of high society and assert her power. If she could gather some support for Duchess Hinata in the process, that would be perfect. After all, the Yggalën would have a hard time gaining support on her own. The nobility was still rather hostile to Yggalë and their inhabitants. It was perfectly foolish, but Sakura had long since realized that people were fools at best. The more annoying ones sometimes dared to stand in her way, but she had crushed them all without mercy.
Not that anyone knew about it, of course. She was careful to keep her power hidden. She would reveal it in due time of course, when she – and not her foolish father – would be the one to make Hinata Hyūga the Daimyō of the Fire Kingdom. The duchess was the best option for the Kingdom from a perfectly objective point of view (the other two idiots who served as pretenders to the throne weren't even worth speaking to), but Sakura had more personal reasons for choosing the young woman as her champion.
After all, who else would advance the cause of mages in the Kingdom? The Fire Kingdom was years behind its neighbours in this regard. How could they keep on going without using a resource as important as the mages? Their economic value was simply incredible! Duke Hiashi would have been a very good Daimyō if he had not been so closed-minded on this subject. He had a good heart, but he was too pious. "When it suited him, of course," Sakura thought, as an amused smile grew on her face.
Since the duke's death, her daughter had become a true lioness willing to do anything to protect her people that Sakura was quite happy to train. If Haruzen Sarutobi wasn't a backward, senile moron, she probably would have had a harder time getting the young duchess' attention, but obviously, the racist jerk couldn't help but antagonize the one person who could pay off all the kingdom's debts without losing all her fortune. What a moron. Sakura would love to get rid of him right away, but first she had to make sure that the Duchess of Yggalë was the favourite of the nobles and the Council. Otherwise, the Yggalën would never be named heir.
Ah, if only Hiashi Hyūga hadn't been so closed-minded towards mages. It would have been so much easier, and they'd already have a new Daimyō. But he had had to be a fool who couldn't dream of being half smart as his daughter, much like Sakura and her father. Moreover, he didn't even have a good relationship with his daughter even though she was his heir and a quite brilliant young woman. Was he the Yggalën equivalent of Danzō?
Although, Duchess Hinata had mourned her father's death, apparently falling into a near catatonic state for two days after the event. Sakura, on the other hand, would never mourn her father's death. He had only one use in her eyes; to allow her to take advantage of the power given to the Prime Minister to do as she pleased without having to worry about the consequences. Perhaps Duke Hiashi had possessed some qualities she didn't know he had.
Nevertheless, Sakura didn't regret getting rid of him at all.
"Lady Haruno, is everything all right?" someone asked suddenly.
Sakura gasped and turned away from the scenery she had been looking at. It was Baroness Yure's daughter, Aisha. She was an average girl in every way. She was neither ugly nor pretty, neither short nor tall, neither skinny nor fat. Her only talent was singing, although she was no match for Duchess Hinata or any famous singer. She would surely find a good husband. Men didn't like to feel threatened by women, poor fragile little things that they were.
If they were making waves like Sakura – known for her beauty and sharp tongue –, women couldn't find husbands nor suitors. Sakura had only a few, and that was only because her father was the prime minister. Otherwise she would be called hysterical or crazy. This suited the young woman perfectly. The male ego was too fragile for her to find a worthy husband for many years, and she had no desire to exhaust herself with uninteresting suitors.
"Of course," she replied graciously with a kind smile. "I was just looking for a little fresh air, and I was taken by the beauty of your gardens. You must tell me the name of your gardener, he is quite talented."
"Oh, you flatter us, my lady!" Aisha Yure replied while blushing prettily.
Sakura continued to make small talk with the young woman as they went back inside to have some tea and listen to some songs. When she was a child, Sakura used to love attending these kinds of events. But since her mother's death ten years earlier, her father had taught her everything he knew about politics and its workings – Sakura supposed her mother had shielded her from her father's affairs for as long as she could. In the end, she had quickly developed a distaste for people who weren't involved in the whole manipulation game.
How could they think that the peace they enjoyed was free? That no one was being sacrificed? Sakura felt like poisoning them all for thinking such nonsense. She couldn't even remember how many sacrifices she had made for her cause. Her father, who had even less scruples than she did, had no doubt sacrificed hundreds more innocents in the name of his sacred peace.
This afternoon was truly the Domain of the One of Rage, Sakura didn't doubt it for a second. Everything annoyed her deeply, especially remembering the shady world she lived in. She silently prayed to the Nine that something, someone, would interrupt this day. She loved to enjoy the power she had over all the nobility in the kingdom – especially those in the capital – but usually she could laugh at their idiocy. Today, for some reason Sakura didn't know, the nobles were driving her crazy with rage, their idiotic smiles and silly laughter twisting her stomach.
Her hands tightened and if she hadn't restrained herself in time, Sakura would have undoubtedly broken the porcelain handle of her cup. Her smile twitched slightly but thankfully she was able to quickly relax her facial muscles. It was out of the question that temporary moods would damage years of work. She forced herself to resume the discussion with the ladies present, pretending to be interested in their gallant woes.
Nevertheless, something finally allowed her to leave the discussion at hand. Tenten approached her, and Sakura recognized the serious look on her face as her lady-in-waiting and bodyguard. She quickly excused herself from the other guests and walked over to Tenten. The assassin handed her a scroll, and Sakura quickly broke the seal to read the contents. Immediately her eyes widened.
An earthquake had shaken Pearlforest and, although no one was hurt, some old buildings had collapsed. If this had been the Earth Kingdom, Sakura wouldn't have been surprised to learn that the earth had shaken and Tenten wouldn't even have notified her. However, this was Yggalë, the blessed land where it had only snowed once in over two centuries. An earthquake simply could not happen.
Unless, of course, a mage had provoked it.
Sakura rewound the scroll and handed it to her bodyguard. No mage able to summon earthquakes would be foolish enough to be spotted in Yggalë like that. They would have the mage hunters and the Hokage on his tail immediately. It was simply suicidal. So it was probably a mage who had just discovered their powers, a young child.
Sakura's heart missed a beat as she remembered the age of Duchess Hinata's younger sister. Hanabi Hyūga, her sister's heir and five yearsold. The most common age at which mages awakened their powers. Sakura massaged her temples. This event was of the utmost importance; she absolutely had to do some damage control before it got out and sent the mage hunters after the little girl.
She also had to warn the duchess. Her help would be invaluable in this situation. The former duchess Cho Hyūga could undoubtedly greatly minimize the damage her daughter had done, but Sakura didn't know if she shared her late husband's ideals regarding mages. So she couldn't rely on this woman, even if she hoped that maternal instinct would temporarily protect the girl.
"Tenten, gather as many men as you need and suppress this information. I don't want the news to reach Ivoïré, is that clear? Don't skimp on the means, I'll take care of the logistics. I must write to the duchess at once."
"Aye, Miss."
Tenten bowed to her and then quickly left, disappearing into the crowd. Sakura walked over to Aisha Yure, a sad smile on her face to stir up pity in the young woman. Of course, the young woman immediately fell for it and tenderly took her hands, looking worried. Sakura's intention was to make her think that Hanabi Hyūga was seriously ill; it was the best way to distract the people's attention from the earthquake and the potential presence of a mage.
The news would spread like wildfire through high society and anyone who dared to defame the duchess or the Yggalëns in her household would be immediately rejected. How could anyone insult a young woman who might lose her only sister any day now? What filth! Sakura could not make the nobles forget the Yggalëns' skin colour, their different religion and customs, but she could divert their attention to something universal: family.
"Lady Haruno, what's going on? You seem upset..."
"Oh, Miss Yure, could I write a letter from here please? I have terrible news from Yggalë," she whispered, looking down at the ground.
"Of course! Follow me, I will guide you to my father's office. None shall bother you there. Would you like some tea and cakes to perk you up?"
"No, it would be useless.. I wouldn't have the stomach to digest them..." Sakura murmured as she let the girl lead her through the halls of her home.
"Is it that bad?" worried Aisha.
Sakura waited until they were in the baron's office, and dropped dramatically onto one of the sofas. Aisha Yure rushed to her side, and took Sakura's hands in hers again. It was perfect, just the reaction Sakura was looking for. In a few minutes, Miss Yure would tell anyone who would listen about the terrible news of the illness that afflicted Hanabi Hyūga. The nobility was fond of such stories and Hinata Hyūga would be invited to all sorts of social events where nobles would rush to comfort her.
Of course, Hinata Hyūga would just have to sing some awe-inspiring melodies that only she had the secret to – one could think she was a mage too! – and the whole of high society would fall in love with her. In a few months, she would be their favourite. Popularity counted in the Selection, especially against two simpletons. Not only would she crush them under her heels while strengthening her power in the capital, but the upper class would devour the other candidates without mercy.
How dare they attack the Duchess when she was suffering so much? She who was such a good and gifted duchess despite her young age? They certainly could not become Daimyō. The nobility would easily make the duchess the Daimyō of the Kingdom. After all, women talked, and men listened. If the Yggalën was praised while the other two candidates were despised, only she would receive worthy financial support. Yggalë would therefore have all the advantages on its side to seize the throne.
"Yes, it's so sad! The poor little lady, she is so sick..."
"You mean our lady the duchess's little sister? Isn't she just a young child?" she gasped.
"Yes, she's just five years old, this is terrible news! She can no longer leave her bedchambers... Poor child! Can you imagine a child being deprived of her gardens and the sun? What an injustice... Especially in Pearlforest, where running is one of the children's favourite games!"
"By the Nine yes, what a horror! To be blessed by the One of the Wind with an incredible speed but trapped in her room... What a nightmare that adds to this illness! Poor child! And the Duchess has already lost her father! By the Nine, I hope this poor child will recover quickly..."
"We must pray to the One of the Woods and the One of the Embers, ask them to save Hanabi..."
"You are quite right; my prayers tonight will be dedicated to her. Oh, should we tell our friends? I'm sure they'll offer their full support to this child."
"Are you certain...?" murmured Sakura, her eyes moist.
"Of course!" almost shouted Aisha Yure, determined. "Miss Haruno, write your letter, I'll discreetly warn our best friends; we mustn't let the news get out too much. Too many unscrupulous people would make this child a freakshow. I will only tell people I trust, don't be afraid."
Sakura clasped the future baroness's hands, and 'forced' herself to smile through fake tears of concern.
"Thank you, Miss Yure. You are too good."
After a few more courtesies, Aisha Yure finally left the room, and Sakura no longer needed to force a pained expression on her face. She sat down at the baron's desk and immediately began writing a letter to Yggalë and a second one to Suna, where the duchess would be staying for at least another dozen days. Coronations were long, and she had to discuss her trade policies with the Daimyō Rasa and his heir, Prince Kankurō.
At the attention of the Duchess Hinata Hyūga of Yggalë.
My lady, I am deeply sorry to disturb you at this important time, but I have no choice. This message is to inform you of important events that have taken place in your mansion, Pearlforest.
My message may seem suspicious to you, for how could I know what is going on in your home? I am a person who needs to know the state of the Kingdom in general so that I can protect it from all kinds of threats, internal and external. Where men like to focus on their swords, I like to focus on what the manipulators in the shadows are up to. Moreover, I operate anonymously so as not to alert them of my presence.
I hope that knowing my identity will allow me to gain some of your trust.
But let us come to the facts; I have just been informed that your little sister, in spite of all the love of the gods, has contracted a rare disease. It would be better to conceal the news as much as possible in order to prevent unscrupulous doctors from deciding to study her case as if she were a fairground animal and not a child.
Yours truly, Sakura Haruno.
Sakura reread her letter a few times, corrected a few mistakes she noticed, and then copied it out one last time. To prove her identity, she cut off some of her hair and put it in the envelope. After all, her hair colour was most unusual, and she had never met anyone with it. The duchess would be assured of her identity by them if the seal she applied to the envelope was not enough. Usually she wouldn't take such precautions – she almost never revealed her identity – but she needed the duchess to believe her.
The letter to Pearlforest was ostensibly the same, although she did not reveal its identity. She didn't know who exactly would open the letter, and she didn't want to take any unnecessary risks.
Once both letters were written, Sakura readjusted her facial expression and left the office. She made her way back to the living room and immediately a few other ladies rushed towards her. She smiled inwardly; within a few days, the news would be all over Konoha. Gossip would be flying around, and Sakura's original lie would probably be distorted but it didn't matter. The earthquake would be buried and the information would never reach Ivoïre.
"May I send my letters from here, Miss Yure? Otherwise I shall have to return to the palace, and I don't want to leave you so soon. I am ashamed to admit it, but I need your support in this ordeal. The details I've read are so terrible, I'm afraid I'll lose sleep over it...!" she asked in an almost whimpering voice.
"Of course! Would you like to spend the night here? Perhaps a night away from the palace would do you good," offered Aisha. "I will prepare the best room for you, don't doubt it for a moment."
"I will be eternally grateful, but I don't want to impose my presence. Are you sure I won't be in your way?"
"Of course not!" the young woman retorted before calling for a butler. "Hinua, please prepare our best room. Miss Haruno must be treated with all the respect she deserves."
"Aye, miss," the butler replied politely as Sakura's thanks were overwhelming.
They all went to the Yure greenhouse, where some ten or fifteen birds lived. Sakura, not very interested in ornithology, wouldn't be able to recognize them but complimented them all the same. Aisha lent her two most reliable carriers, and a few minutes later, aided by the falconer, Sakura had sent her letters. She just had to pray that they would arrive safely. Her plans could not fail. She had to succeed.