Amaryllis
Chapter 11
Sakura was already down by the docks seeing to final preparations for their journey by the time Sasuke and Itachi were having breakfast together.
It had been awkward at first. But the brothers tried to have at least their morning meal together each day. Sakura had been the one to inspire it, of course. After seeing her suffer through obviously painful and irritating meals with Naruto, Itachi, overwhelmed with curiosity, had once asked her about it after a dinner of roasted seafood and the usual bounty of fruits and vegetables. Sasuke was off with Kankuro and Sasori at the beach to watch the night fisherman diving into the water to catch fish with their bare hands.
They were sitting in one of the pavilions with a knitted spread on the floor beneath them. Her white uniform jacket was draped over her shoulders and the golden tassels glittered in the low light. Feet bare, she crossed her legs and then reached over to pluck a fruit from one of the bowls arranged around them. The two bangles on her left wrist clinked against each other.
Itachi watched as she split a fig open with her thumbs. The dark purple outside gave way to an orange-red inside filled with seeds and edged by white. The strange appearance had initially been somewhat intimidating to him. But he quickly grew to love the fruit almost as much as Sakura did. It was sweet and mildly tart.
"I have a feeling you're going to ask me a question," she suddenly remarked without looking up at him.
"What makes you say that?" he inquired. Hearing the note of humor in his voice, she popped half of the fig into her mouth and lifted her head as she chewed.
"Your eyes. You're not a very good liar," she responded. Lips pressing together, Itachi didn't say anything for a while. Sakura finished off the rest of the fig before she reached for another one. Tucking her hand under her chin, she paused to look Itachi over for a moment.
"You don't seem to tan very well. Well, then again, neither do I. It's more tragic for me than for you," Sakura sighed.
"What do you mean?" asked Itachi. He held out his arm closer to the nearest candle. His skin glowed orange in the flickering light. She reached over to observe her own skin. Sakura's hand seemed to take on the same warmed tone. In this light, she seemed neither tanned nor white.
"I'm too dark to be a mainlander. But too pale to blend in with my own people," she pointed out.
It was true that Sakura was certainly lighter-skinned than her cousins. Even Sasori was a mellow shade of caramel, which Itachi had always assumed was from all his time out on the open sea. Although, with all their varyingly bright shades of hair, the people of the Haruno family hardly blended in with the citizens.
"Do they treat you differently?" Itachi queried.
"Who? The mainlanders or the islanders?" Sakura answered with a question of her own. Itachi's eyebrows rose. The bitterness drifted to the surface.
"You're beloved," he slowly said. He had seen it in the eyes of the people. He heard it in their voices and in their meager gifts of whatever wares they sold that was offered up to her instead.
"I am. But I am very much foreign. I was born on this island. My very blood and my roots are steeped into the sands here. But for them, I am as much a mainlander as you are," she explained.
Sakura had grown up celebrating the same holidays as them, painting her arms with red clay and sprinkling flower petals on the beach. She had watched them offer food and flowers to the mother goddess of the island that she didn't believe in but respected all the same. The traditional sounds of their songs with their flutes and pounding drums were as much her anthem as it was theirs. She had grown up listening to the servant girls laughing in a mixture of their native language and the common tongue as they bathed and dressed her.
"Does it ever bother you that you're not considered one of them?"
Itachi's words drew Sakura from her thoughts. He had a nice voice- masculine and clear. It was slightly lower than his brother's and his tone was always somewhat softer, lacking the subtle arrogance of aristocracy that Sasuke wore so proudly on his sleeve. When she heard Sasuke's voice, she thought of wind brushing through tree branches and the sound of footsteps crunching over leaves and moss. Itachi's voice was all the muted colors of the coral reefs at night. The whisper of palm fronds against each other on a quiet day.
"Does it bother me? Itachi, would we be talking about this if it didn't?" she asked before taking a bite into the sweet fig.
"Ah, but this was not what you wished to ask me," she then added.
"Oh. Just… about Prince Naruto," Itachi began with a glance in her direction. He gauged her expression. Sakura was generally open to most subjects but the stony face of silence sometimes descended on her when it came to sensitive matters of family. This time, however, Itachi didn't see anything to warn him away from the subject.
"Why do you bother dining with him if he drives you mad?" questioned Itachi.
Sakura placed the other half of the fig in her mouth. Then she gave an easy shrug.
"Why do we teach grammar? Why do we light candles at night? Because we must," Sakura sighed. She tossed a fig at Itachi and he just barely managed to catch it. They each split one of the fruits open and ate. As she chewed, Sakura frowned.
"I'm sure you've gathered by now that I have a rather… complicated situation with Prince Naruto and his parents. Part of having meals with him is to force myself to remember that he is, in fact, my blood. If not, I'd be so filled with seething rage that I would be inclined to strike him with my fists every time he opened his mouth," she then added. The violence of her words and the serenity of her tone clashed so much that Itachi didn't process it for a solid minute.
And then, folding his hands in his lap, he shot her a sideways glance.
"…He's not a prince…technically," he quietly corrected her.
"Indeed. He would be the noble Young Lord Namikaze if not for his father and his sniveling sycophants," Sakura added with obvious approval in her tone. Mouth twisting into a scowl, Sakura glared down at the fig in her palm before she flung it. It landed in the waves with a plop. They both sat watching the abandoned fruit bobbing on the current. It was just a dark blob on the surface, drifting aimlessly in the night.
"That was uncharacteristically wasteful of you," Itachi observed. It would have been a reproach if not for his subdued smile.
"The very idea of aristocracy is founded on wastefulness. Why stop now?" she answered. As she leaned back on her hands, she let out a deep sigh.
"What is the point of all this power and money?" she then wondered out loud. Her smile told Itachi that she didn't expect an answer.
"Did you ever have a wish growing up? A secret one that you wouldn't tell anyone else?" she suddenly questioned. Itachi blinked a few times as he thought about it.
"Well…as a young boy, I sometimes wished for a younger brother. And when I was a little older, when my illness started to grow worse, I often wished to grow wings. So that I could fly off the mountain like one of the messenger birds," Itachi slowly admitted.
"To fly?" Sakura repeated.
"I thought you said that you'd had lifetimes of travel through your books," she then added. There was no teasing in her tone.
"To only allow the soul to wander while depriving the body of adventure is a frustrating combination. It took me several years to settle with what my body could endure," Itachi agreed. Sakura's expression softened as she saw his shoulders slump. There was often an odd sort of resignation in Itachi's voice whenever he talked about his health. Though the salt air and the herbal treatments seemed to help his condition immensely, there was still a unique sort of fragility to the prince. The compassionate servants always made sure to fill up his plate a little more than the others, with a pointed smile in Sakura's direction as they worked.
Just looking at him with his dark hair tangling in the breeze and his delicate fingers moving up to brush his bangs from his eyes stirred something in Sakura's chest. His fine purple tunic with the subtle gold threading on the sleeves and bottom hem had been a gift from some of the island's master weavers. There was a light rosy glow on his cheeks from the ocean wind. His forearm felt warm when she bumped it as she scooted in closer to him until their arms were pressed together.
They leaned in toward one another. Her eyes sparkled like they always did- half-laughing and half-sad. When their lips met, she tilted her head and a few locks of her soft, damp hair fell across his forehead. She smelled like the clean ocean breeze and the fragrant sprays of flowers that seemed to grow everywhere.
When they drew apart, he could feel the lingering warmth of her skin on his lips and his cheeks. Wordlessly, she leaned in to touch her forehead to his. He slowly reached out to place his hand over hers. She smiled in a way that made his heart beat uncomfortably hard against his ribs.
"What about you?" Itachi whispered.
"Hm?" she hummed.
It was such an intimate sound. It was the comforting noise of a mother responding to her child's tearful request to chase away monsters. It was the sound of happiness after a particularly restful nap, the sort accompanied by stretching and a cat-like yawn. It was the sound of raindrops gathering in the rounded hollows of leaves resting on the forest floor. It was all of those things and yet it was none of them.
On some wild impulse, he reached out, hands cupping her cheeks, and he kissed her deeply. Counting the thudding of his heartbeats and drawing in a long breath, Itachi felt Sakura's shoulders tighten before they slowly relaxed. Her hands moved to rest on his waist, pulling him in a little closer. He listened to her quickening breaths, to her murmuring chuckle against his mouth as they pulled away to catch their breath.
Itachi blinked. Swallowing thickly, he slowly released her face. A smile began to curl up at Sakura's mouth as she struggled not to laugh at the look of absolute chagrin widening his eyes. His hands clenched into fists in his lap as he cleared his throat loudly and needlessly. But then Sakura reached out to casually put her hand in his.
Blushing, he stole a glance at her out of the corners of his eyes. And he did a double take. Because, even though it was dim and even though it was hard to tell with the flickering candlelight, Itachi swore that there was pink dusting her cheeks. So rather than fumble his way to another topic, he tightened his hold on her hand, squeezing her fingers between his. Laughing, Sakura leaned her head against his shoulder. She pressed another kiss to his jaw just to watch his cheeks flare up even brighter.
"A boy," she suddenly said after a long while of comfortable silence.
"Pardon?"
"I wanted to be a boy. My father's son that he would proudly train to wield a sword and carry on his legacy. You asked what my dream once was," Sakura elaborated.
There was pain in her expression as she stared out at the water. She thought back to the days of learning to fight with wooden swords and listening to her father recount stories of his military conquests. He had once been the General of the Mountain Kingdom's armies. There was no shortage of glorious tales to tell. Sakura only listened, seated on his wide, generous lap and giggling when he leaned in to speak in booming voices as he imitated his foes.
She had never had the heart to tell him of the stories her mother poured into her head. They were tales of conquests won not with a sword but with words. She was educated about the generations of marriage alliances and spies that brought the Haruno family to where it was now. There were exciting stories of carrier birds holding secrets and acts of intelligence from women that brought entire nations to their knees without a single knight lifting his blade.
She sat, both a legacy of wit and action, suspended in a painful balance between the guidance of both subtlety and military prowess.
Her mother would have understood. Queen Tsunade had always been the image of beauty and intelligence to Sakura. It was only as she grew up listening to her aunt, Lady Kurenai's stories that Sakura understood that her mother sometimes drank too much and liked to make jokes that embarrassed her husband in their inner circle. Still, as she remembered her mother seated proudly on the throne with her serious face in place. With her fuzzy, fleeting memories, Sakura hoped that her mother wouldn't have taken offense that her daughter had climbed the ranks not as a princess but as a military officer.
"Your mother would be unimaginably, overwhelmingly proud of you, love," Kurenai always assured her. When she smiled, the lines around her eyes and mouth crinkled into existence. Her lipstick was the color of fresh berry juice and her curling hair the color of the night sky. Kurenai was as dark-haired as her older sister had been fair-haired. But Sakura heard the echo of her mother in her aunt's voice.
The night before she sailed for Leaves, Sakura sat in Kurenai's apartment. Kurenai was at her desk, a quill in her hand as she thought carefully before she wrote. Every so often she would pause to read over her words in the candlelight. Sakura folded her legs underneath her. She was seated on the thick rug set out on the floor. Shizune had left a platter piled high with her favorite fruits but Sakura didn't have much of an appetite at the moment.
"Aunt Kurenai," Sakura suddenly called out.
"Yes, my dear?" said Kurenai in response.
"You always tell me that mother would be proud of me, right?"
"Absolutely," Kurenai responded as she looked up from her writing. She twisted around in her seat to regard Sakura with curiosity.
"But I've been thinking lately. And there are things that I've done- unspeakable, deplorable things that makes my own skin crawl at the very thought," mused Sakura. She then lifted her head to meet Kurenai's gaze.
"Do you think she would still love me if she knew what I'd become?"
The question hung in the air-uncomfortable and stifling. But Kurenai, the diplomat, the mother who always seemed to have a thousand different smiles and wise words to make situations seem better, then tilted her head to one side.
"My dearest niece, I do not love you for what you've done. I love you very much for who you are. Incorruptible and proud- that is the sort of woman your mother was as well," Kurenai responded.
Sakura smiled to hide the sudden tightness in her chest at those words.
Kankuro saw his father board the ship that night. Temari had refused to accompany him. And he hadn't asked Gaara.
Rasa stared past him. Up at the palace.
"That spiteful wench," he growled.
Kankuro sighed. "Father, someone will hear," he warned.
"Sending me back to the Arids. She has no idea what kind of trouble she's starting for herself," Rasa went on. And then, eyes narrowing, her actually looked at Kankuro.
"You really won't come with me?" he asked.
Kankuro grimaced. He shook his head. "No, Father. I need to look out for Temari and Gaara."
When Rasa scowled, Kankuro added, "I will take on your role, Father. I'm sure that in time, Her Grace will see the error of her ways."
Rasa examined Kankuro's expression.
"Do not embarrass me, boy," was all he said. He clapped a hand on Kankuro's shoulder. And then he strode onto the ship.
Kankuro ran his hand through his hair with a sigh. He felt a little sick as he put on a smile for his father when he glanced over his shoulder at him. Firm, but just a little sad. Rasa gave a nod of approval.
He could imagine would Temari would say when he talked to her later. About how he almost missed their father. Her face would contort with disgust as she scoffed: "Easy for you to say. You've always been his favorite."
In the morning, Kankuro closed the ledger.
"Her Grace assures you that you are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you'd like."
They sat in the chamberlain's office- a quiet room located in the eastern end of the palace. Kankuro pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. He had spent a better part of the night working through his father's unfinished paperwork. Squinting at the words on the papers and stamping the seal under flickering candlelight was always hard on the eyes. Still, blinking against the discomfort, he then turned to his guests with a smile.
Not long after breakfast, the two Uchiha princes had visited and Kankuro had been expecting them. With Sakura out dealing with last-minute details with Gaara, only he and his sister remained. Temari lingered, under orders to watch over Kankuro and the guests. As he waited for the response, Kankuro moved on to the next piece of work and began signing the necessary forms.
"Of course I'll go with her. How could I leave her to wander through treacherous country without a friend?" retorted Sasuke with a hint of disbelief.
At this, Temari, who had been quietly standing in one of the archways and staring out at the water, blinked very rapidly. Kankuro's tapping pen stopped. And then, they turned their heads to look at one another. A short huff of laughter escaped Kankuro's mouth. Temari smiled before she mashed her lips together.
"Prince… you… seem to be under the impression that Her Grace is…" Kankuro fumbled for the right word, giggling a little now. He turned to his sister, who was doing a better job of fighting off the laughter.
"She is a force to be reckoned with. I would not want stand at the opposite end of a battlefield from her," Temari supplied instead.
"But you hardly leave her side," protested Sasuke.
"She doesn't really need me. I choose to be there," Temari answered.
Itachi frowned. He leaned forward in his seat a little. Sasuke turned his gaze to him. So did everyone else.
"I must say, your lack of concern for her is a little unexpected," Itachi finally confessed. Temari leaned against her tall spear as she let out another chuckle.
"Well, know this, Prince. Her Grace's diadem is heavy. She has been wearing it and carrying a sword since she was eight. You will do absolutely nothing to impress her until you acknowledge that as part of her," Temari informed him.
This exchange lingered with Sasuke later as he watched the workers load the last of the supplies onto the ship waiting in the harbor. His own bag had been packed the night before and was already inside one of the private cabins aboard the vessel. Sakura stood on the docks, hands crossed behind her back and her expression intense as she watched the comings and goings.
"No need to have such a scary expression, love. I'm in charge of the ship, remember? All you need to worry about is what happens once we leave this ship in about…" Sasori trailed off, checking his logbook, "…two week's time." He sat atop one of the thick wooden posts on the edge of the dock. The admiral was already dressed in his crisp white uniform complete with the light blue sash of the navy. His boots were polished and not a hair on his head stood out of place.
Sakura was in her uniform as well. Her hair, which Sasuke had grown so used to seeing loose and tousled with seawater and wind, was bound in a tight ponytail. Nothing about her appearance hinted at the person who wore silk dresses and danced barefoot in the sand at night with her cousins.
Feeling Sasuke's gaze on the side of her face, Sakura looked his way with a half-smile.
"Is something the matter?" she questioned.
"Not really. I was just thinking," he answered vaguely. But that response seemed to satisfy her enough. She turned her attention back to the men carrying large boxes and barrels onto the ship.
A few minutes later, Sasuke squinted as he noticed one odd silhouette running past the others up the dock.
Panting and struggling to hold his carpetbag in both his arms, Haku begged to join. Sasori raised an eyebrow. Sasuke's forehead wrinkled as he sized the thin boy up. Shaking his head, Sasuke looked over at Sakura to see how she would turn him down. But instead the duchess looked over the boy with a critical eye.
"What will be your role on this trip, Haku?" she demanded.
"Your personal valet and steward," he answered without hesitation.
Her gaze them skimmed over the bag he held. "Is that all? You packed light," she commented.
"Miss Shizune recommended what to bring," Haku informed her.
Sakura sighed, shaking her head. "Of course Shizu did." And then she smiled. "Stay light on your feet. This won't be an easy journey."
Grinning from ear to ear, Haku bowed several times to her and to Sasori and Sasuke before he ran onto the ship.
"Are you certain? This will be dangerous enough without the boy," Sasori asked in a tone that managed to convey absolutely no challenge.
"I don't see the harm in bringing him. And if he proves to be a burden on the way, I will leave him with Countess Inuzuka until we return home," answered Sakura with a blasé wave of her hand.
Sasuke and Sasori exchanged looks behind her back. Sasori simply shrugged. He was used to losing to Sakura's whims. It was the easiest way to win against her in the long run.
Once all of the supplies had been loaded, Sakura returned back to the palace to tie up the final loose ends. She stopped by the apartment where Itachi was staying. It surprised her that he wasn't down at the docks already. Itachi had always struck her as a punctual person.
"His Highness?" Sakura asked the guards on duty. They parted to make way for her.
"Within, Your Grace," they reported.
She knocked. No one answered.
After a long moment, she twisted the doorknob and entered the building anyway.
Her footsteps tapped on the wood floors, echoing off the high ceiling. The walls were draped in thick tapestries imported from the Mountain Kingdom. The cool shades of blue mingled with gold thread, telling glittering stories of brave knights and their adventures. Gaara had had them ordered specially when he had learned that Sakura would be bringing guests. Sakura admired the quality for a moment before making a mental note to thank her younger cousin. His attention to detail was often a blessing to her.
"Hello?" she called out as she stepped away from the tapestry, further into the building. The door to the main bedroom was ajar.
"Ah, I'm very sorry. I didn't hear you before. Please, come in," Itachi's voice floated out to greet her. Hands linked behind her back, Sakura slowly stepped toward the room. She pushed the door open with her shoulder, coming to a stop just in the doorway. Leaning against the doorframe, she folded her arms over her chest.
Itachi's bag sat on his bed. He stood folding one of the many shirts he had received as gifts. The soft lilac silk seemed out of place now that he was garbed in his clothes from home. Heavy button-down shirts and black trousers made him seem paler, somehow. After he placed the shirt in his suitcase, Itachi lifted his head to regard her with a soft smile.
"Are you alright? We depart rather soon," Sakura said.
"Yes, my apologies. I didn't realize I'd acquired so much during our short time here," replied Itachi.
Sakura measured her next words carefully. Because looking at this man with his delicate figure and his sweet smile that she doubted he ever showed to anyone but her, she began to worry.
"I don't want to sound unwelcoming… but you don't need to accompany me," she finally managed to say out loud.
Itachi didn't look offended. He regarded her thoughtfully. And then he resumed folding his clothes and placing them in his suitcase.
"Yes, but I would like to accompany you. And I would hope that that would matter to you," he answered.
"Will your body be alright?" she went on.
He smiled this time.
"I promise to continue the regimen your physician prescribed."
She nodded with just a little reluctance. They chatted as he finished packing before Sakura went around the Sami doing last-minute checks with the staff. They then made their way down to the docks together.
Itachi caught a glimpse of Sakura's profile as she glanced back at the retreating form of the palace. The longing in her gaze broke his heart just the tiniest bit.
The ship left port to the sounds of people calling out loudly. They wished her a safe journey. Others were praying to the mother goddess for her protection as they sprinkled flower petals into the water. Fishermen in their little boats followed the large vessel on its way out of the protection of the bay as far as they could go without being caught in rougher currents. Sakura stood at the back of the ship, staring at the distant shapes of people waving farewell. As the fishing boats stopped to watch her departure, Sakura raised her right hand to wave back.
The journey back to the mainland seemed much shorter than it actually was. Perhaps the excitement of returning home after months abroad had colored Sakura's outlook on the way to Plumeria. She had been the same- full of dry wit and sarcasm, trading stories with the crew of the ship. Laughter followed her as she moved and she had almost seemed to shine. But now Sakura's expression was grim as she stood on the port-side of the ship. At the sound of footsteps, she barely spared a glance back.
"You should come inside. It's rather cold at night," Sasori said even as he joined her.
"The others?" she asked.
"In their cabins. Sleeping, I'd imagine. An example to follow," stated Sasori with a pointed look. Sakura let out a sigh. She crossed her arms behind her back.
"Why do I even bother, Sasori? Why am I even doing this?" questioned Sakura as she turned to face him.
Sasori's eyebrows rose.
"Because the idiot on your throne thinks that things are fine. And because his supporters are many. We bide our time, darling. We gather information, we strategize. And when the time is right…" Sasori suddenly trailed off. In that pause he reached out to push a stray lock of hair out of Sakura's face. Resting his palm on her cheek, Sasori smiled.
"When the time is right," he continued in a soft voice, "We dig our claws into those that would destroy us and we devour them from the inside out."
Sakura regarded her cousin for a long moment.
"I wonder if insanity runs in the family," she remarked.
"It must," answered Sasori with a chuckle.
And this resigned sort of contentment seemed to last throughout the rest of the journey. The only times when Sakura truly seemed unhappy were during the meals that everyone was forced to eat together. To Naruto, who still found sailing a novel and exciting experience, every aspect of the journey was amazing. He went on and on about everything which in itself didn't seem to bother Sakura.
But then Sasuke made the mistake of politely asking Naruto about Whiteriver Keep.
And just a sidelong glance at Sakura told him that that was the wrong question to have asked.
Sakura's expression darkened each time her cousin recalled the glory of the castle. He found the damp stone and gloomy interiors exciting. He gushed about the hidden passages and the empty dungeons, ignorant to the fact that Sakura had once had to cower in those narrow corridors.
Upon her parents' death, Sakura had been spirited out of the capitol, hidden away in a small village half a day's journey away until the King Consort's brother had been called to hold the throne. It was the day that word arrived that the monarchs had died in an accident on their travels. Suddenly all of the smiling faces that sat in court were dangerous. And so Sakura was hidden. The King Consort's brother was not a Haruno and therefore had no real claim to the crown. Instead he was a paperweight, keeping everything from blowing into chaos at the slightest breeze. And with stability restored in the capitol, Sakura was allowed to return once more.
She still remembered the rats that skittered over her as she fled through the dungeons. She could smell the damp as they sloshed through the sewers, into the secret hiding places where someone would come to take her to the next leg of the journey.
"I don't know if you'll remember us, my dear. I am your aunt, Kushina, and this is your uncle, Minato. We'll take care of you from now on. You don't have anything to worry about."
The warmth of that first embrace had intoxicated her after weeks of fear and cold.
But now, as Naruto obtusely babbled on and on about the wonders of home, Sakura's hands clenched into fists. Disgusted, she shoved her plate away from her and got to her feet. She straightened the collar of her spotless white jacket before she walked away from her meal. The conversation at the table cut off as everyone stopped to watch her sudden departure. Sasori fixed Naruto with a sullen glower for the rest of dinner. And even Sasuke's expression was cooler each time he glanced the blond's way.
Sakura made her way to the bow of the ship. One of the passing soldiers did a double-take. When he returned a moment later, he draped a cloak over her shoulders. Sakura smiled a little at the gesture. He bowed deeply before returning to his duties.
It didn't take long for Itachi to find her. And somehow he managed to bring her a cup of tea that was still warm, despite the cool, salty winds.
"What was your father like?" Itachi asked, as if picking up from the middle of a conversation. At her startled look, he added, "I'm struggling to understand how your fathers could be related but have such different children."
Sakura couldn't help but smile into her tea. Setting her teacup down on the deck, she crossed her arms over her chest. She stared out at the black waves sloshing around ahead of them.
"My father was a giant," she simply told him.
"Was he a tall man?" queried Itachi.
"From what everyone tells me, not particularly. But my father, to me, was a million miles tall. His head touched the skies and his arms reached around the world," replied Sakura with a soft shake of her head.
They were hidden there, behind stacks of barrels and crates secured to the deck of the ship. With that knowledge, Sakura leaned in toward Itachi, letting her side brush against his. She felt Itachi's eyes on the side of her face.
"The servants tell me that he began to teach me to handle a sword from the moment I could carry one. Mother would scold us both when I came back to her covered in scrapes and bruises. He taught me to ride a horse. And then he taught me the names of all the places where he fought great battles."
After some thought, Sakura then added, "My father was a good man."
Itachi seemed to weigh her words.
"And your mother?" he prompted.
Sakura turned her head to look at him. Her mouth curled up in a smile.
"My mother was a million miles tall as well. And she could name the stars in the sky and the plants in the soil."
"And she wanted the crown to pass along to you, correct?" Itachi inquired. Sakura had to think for a moment before she could nod.
"Though," Sakura said before she paused. She stooped to pick up her tea again. It had cooled, but she sipped at it anyway as she considered. All the while, Itachi's eyes were trained on her face.
"Somehow, I think that because she didn't expect to die so early, she planned to pass the diadem of the Tea Isle to me first before that. In the end, I was only able to seize that one for myself."
The gold, jeweled headpiece that represented the Lady of the Southern Tea Isle was a beautiful piece of work. It had been passed down through generations of Haruno women. On the occasions when a Duke, rather than a Duchess, had been in power, the diadem had still been worn with pride. It was delicate gold chains with glimmering pearls harvested from the bay. The glittering crimson and white jewels represented the generations of history that stretched back to the time long ago when the Haruno clan had crossed the saltwater. Even now, it sat in a ceremonial box in the treasury of Sami.
Itachi took this in silently. And when Sakura tilted her head again to look at him, he leaned in toward her. Her lips had been half-parted as she thought to say something else. But his lips found hers instead and stole her words. Holding her cooled tea in her hands, Sakura closed her eyes and listened to the pounding of the ocean waves match her own heart.
And after a week, they reached port and the horses, who had been stuck below deck for that time, jovially rode west, toward Whiteriver Keep. For the sake of the less experienced members of the group, they stayed on the main road and slept at inns rather than in the forest. The soldiers who accompanied them broke into two groups- one that scouted ahead, and one that stayed behind to watch their tail.
They reported in several times a day. About the state of the road or the towns they didn't always have time to pass through.
Sasuke and Sasori did their best to fill the journey with light-hearted banter. And sometimes even Naruto's comments succeeded in raising a few chuckles from everyone.
Still, Sakura's expression was flat as she stared ahead. Even as they ate, her gaze was elsewhere, reaching in front of them.
"What is Leaves like?" Itachi asked one night as he settled in beside her by the fire.
Sakura's upper lip curled.
"A nest of vipers. Watch your ankles," she retorted. Then she shook her head.
"No. I'll watch your ankles," Sakura amended. Her eyes widened when Itachi put his hand over hers.
"Then I'll watch yours," he answered.
The party's arrival in Whiteriver Keep three weeks later was greeted by the Queen herself. Long crimson hair flowing out behind her, she walked up to first embrace her son as he dismounted from his horse. He was vaguely dirty and smelled of horse but Kushina kissed his face and hugged him close. Sasori glanced over in time to see Sakura feeding Kaze a bit of sugar, pretending not to see any of this happening.
And it was only then that Kushina looked up to see Sakura.
"Welcome back, Sakura," Kushina uttered in such a kind voice that Sasori had to turn around to hide the way his eyes rolled.
"Good afternoon, Your Majesty," responded Sakura, fist over her heart. She didn't bow her head, however. Her eyes didn't meet Kushina's.
"Please, Sakura," said Kushina with a hint of exasperation in her voice. Kaze nudged Sakura's back with an impatient snort. After weeks of travel, he was obviously eager for a good bath and a good nap. Reaching out to pat his muzzle, Sakura gestured for one of the stablehands to come forward.
"The usual care for him, Konohamaru. Scrub him down well. He's had a long journey," she ordered as she flipped a gold coin into the boy's hand. With a grin, he eagerly took the horse's reins and led him off toward the stables. With deliberate ease, Sakura then looked back to her aunt. Kushina smiled at her, obviously trying to figure out what to say next.
"May I present my dear friends, Prince Itachi and Prince Sasuke of the Mountain Kingdom. And of course you already know my cousin, Admiral Haruno," Sakura introduced her companions. She saw Kushina's face flush slightly. She should have been first to greet her guests but obviously this had slipped her mind in her excitement to see her son. Even Naruto seemed embarrassed for her.
Sakura's eyes fell on what glittered when Kushina moved. Her stomach clenched.
"We've been traveling for many weeks and I'm sure we could all use a rest. If His Grace, the Regent is free, I would speak with him before retiring," Sakura then went on, already taking steps toward the castle. The message was clear to her companions. They murmured polite words and bowed to the Queen Regent before following her. Even Naruto, after lingering in his mother's embrace, quickly excused himself.
As they entered the castle, a stone fortress of flickering torches and stained glass windows, Sakura's arms were stiff at her sides as she walked. Sasori caught up to her first. He saw the back of her neck was red as he grabbed her wrist. And though her feet stopped, her eyes glared off elsewhere. She drew in shaky breaths through her nose, teeth gritting together.
Sasori pulled her into an alcove, in the shadows. Where he could murmur, "Talk to me" as he clasped her hands between his.
There was a long pause, during which Sasuke and Itachi caught up with them. Haku was Sakura's usual shadow, nearby and distant all at once with his back up against the nearest wall.
Naruto lingered a little further away, casting awkward glances in their direction. Like he couldn't decide where to stand. He was, however, close enough to hear what Sakura whispered.
"She was wearing my mother's jewels."
"What?" Sasori spat.
"My mother's… her earrings… and her pearl necklace… those aren't for her to wear…" sighed Sakura as she closed her eyes. She suddenly felt so tired.
"Are you positive? Perhaps they just look similar?" ventured Sasuke.
A low hiss rose from Sasori as he exhaled slowly between his teeth. His hands tightened over hers.
"I'm…going to raze this dung heap to the ground. I will break their bones between my fingers and grind them to dust between my molars. Every single one of these rats, I will destroy them so that the cries of their widows shatter the glass in their precious mansions," he whispered in a voice so sharp that it almost hurt to hear. Lifting his head, Sasori opened eyes that burned the color of raw copper.
He regarded Sakura for a long time in the dim light. Then he reached out to grasp her chin. Sasori tilted her face up.
"Good. No tears. Keep your head high." He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. "I need to have a talk with whoever's in charge of the royal treasury. Go get some rest." Seeing the look in Sakura's eyes, Sasori kissed her again in the same spot. And then he cast a glance around at the group. He nodded before he strode off into the darkened hallway.
Sakura didn't realize that she was trembling with anger until Haku crept under her arms to hug her around the middle. Naruto slunk deeper into the shadows. Guilty, somehow, for something that he hadn't done.
But by the time they made it to the throne room, Sakura greeted her uncle in the most polite yet cold way. She spouted some backhanded compliments, they thanked the King Regent for his hospitality, and then Sakura showed them to their chambers. Compared to their luxurious private apartments back in Plumeria, the simple bedchambers with one attached bathroom seemed incredibly shabby. But of course, no one was impolite enough to say anything of the sort out loud.
They retired to their separate rooms. There was a large feast held to welcome them, courtesy of the generous King Regent. Sakura was noticeably absent, as was Prince Itachi and Admiral Sasori. Sasuke was in attendance, bored out of his mind and wondering why his brother, of all people, had chosen to skip. And while Sasori's whereabouts were a mystery to everyone, including her, Sakura was up on the castle wall, staring down at the moat.
Itachi was with her, a thick blanket wrapped around them to protect them from the night's chill. It was from Plumeria, woven with brilliant colors and still filled with the fragrance of salt and flowers. Sakura inhaled deeply, her shoulders relaxing for the first time in days.
"I'm very sorry… about your mother's jewels," Itachi suddenly said. His arms were around her and her back pressed to his chest. He felt rather than heard her sigh.
"I suppose I should stop being shocked and hurt whenever things like this happen to me," replied Sakura. There was a contemplative pause. And then Itachi spoke again.
"Will you confront her? What are you going to do?"
Sakura's head fell back to rest on his collarbones. Her eyes were wildly bright, glittering like the viridian waters in the bay of Plumeria.
"I will do what I've always done, my prince. I will save my tears for the day that I can tear from their hands all the things that they've stolen from me. My pride, my titles, my legacy. And then, when all that is done, I think that is when I shall cry," she murmured.
The next morning, after a quiet meal between friends, Sakura sent for someone to meet with her in the gardens behind the castle. The court musician arrived several minutes later to find a table set up near the fountains.
Chestnut hair tied up in buns on either side of her head, the musician set her lute case down with a huff. The high collar of her pink dress was held in place by a series of silver buckles. And the hem of the garment was short, only offset by the fact that she wore black leggings underneath. There was long pink fringe hanging from the bottom, swishing around with her movements.
"General. Admiral," Tenten greeted them with two perfect curtsies. "Would you prefer a ballad today?"
"Yes. Something a bit sad, if you would. I'm feeling rather melancholic as of late," Sakura requested.
Tenten snapped her lute case open. And she began a beautiful song about a man whose greed was his downfall. Sakura leaned back in her seat as she listened. Sasori closed his eyes. Sasuke and Itachi sat enjoying the music as well. She had a beautiful voice, although the lyrics were truly sad.
"That's a new one," commented Sasori as the musician finished her song.
"Yes. That was wonderful. Thank you," Sakura said. And then she gestured for Tenten to approach. Sakura touched the hem of her clothing, admiring the quality of the soft cloth.
"Such fine work. It truly is marvelous when someone is skilled at their craft. What would we do without such masters?" Sakura then remarked. She slipped a small pouch into the pocket of Tenten's dress. Tenten's eyes didn't even flicker downwards at the click of coins. Instead, she took a step back, curtseying again.
"Of course. It's an honor to perform for you as always, General," she replied. And with that, Tenten stepped back, melding into the shadows of a trellis covered in ivy.
Musicians, at least for the Haruno family, had always been welcomed with open arms. Their appreciation of art and music was one factor. But the other was that sometimes, the most skilled musicians were often skilled in other areas that made them ideal for slipping into hostile courts.
Sakura had run into Tenten during her years at the military academy. A little coin had turned the wandering singer into her second set of eyes and ears. To everyone's knowledge, the girl had been selected on a whim by the King Regent. No one had reason to suspect ties to any family in particular.
"She's quite talented," commented Sasuke. He had caught something strange about the conversation between the women. When he looked over at his brother, Itachi nodded, as if to confirm that there had indeed been something off.
"Yes. But I only wish I could have heard her better. These fountains are quite noisy," he commented, looking over at Sakura now. She smiled at him.
"They are, aren't they?" she agreed. And then she turned her attention back to Sasori, who tilted his head a little as he thought.
"The two-faced serpent is prowling," Sasori sang, repeating the lyrics from the song.
"The Shimura family's sigil is a two-headed dragon," Sakura mused.
"He's also a two-faced snake," Sasori added.
Sakura laughed. "Very true. And if he's on the prowl, I would prefer not to stay at Whiteriver Keep longer than necessary."
As Sasori nodded, he turned his gaze to the hedges. Thinking. "She sang something about broken scales and broken trust," he added.
Sakura touched her hand to her chin as she considered this. "Well… broken…He's been covered in bandages for as long as I can remember. Scales on a snake?" murmured Sakura.
"Broken scales, like for weighing gold? And broken trust like a credit system?" Itachi wondered.
Everyone turned toward him.
Sakura's mouth hung open as she thought. Sasori's face suddenly lit up as he snapped his fingers.
"Taxes," was all he whispered, excitement lighting up his eyes.
It took a second for that to sink in. And then Sakura's face lit up too. She clasped her hands together. "Oh! Broken scales," she laughed. "Oh, Prince, you're so clever." And then she turned to Sasori, hand grasping his forearm. "Isn't he so clever?"
Sasori smiled. "Yes. We're so fortunate to have His Highness and his superior insight," he agreed.
Two days after their arrival in Whiteriver Keep, Sakura already seemed anxious to leave. While Naruto took Sasuke and Itachi around the city to see the marketplace and the other sights the place had to offer, Sakura and Sasori spent most of their time at the military academy located at the heart of the city. Sakura's arrival was a surprise to all and she was greeted with salutes and looks of wonder.
Colonel Hyuuga found her quickly and matched her brisk strides as he filled her in on all the things she had missed during her months away.
"Where are my three?" she questioned as he paused to check his notes. Neji rolled his eyes.
"Running drills, terrifying new recruits, and napping," Neji said as he pushed the door open to reveal Shikamaru lolling back in his chair with his feet up on his desk and a book over his face.
"Welcome back, General," Shikamaru drawled without moving.
"Look alive, Nara. We've got things to discuss," Sakura said as Sasori and Neji closed and locked the doors behind them.
A few hours later, everyone regrouped for supper. Shikamaru joined them after a yawning introduction to the two foreign princes. As they headed into the castle, Sakura suddenly stopped walking.
"SAKURA!"
Eyes widening, swords flew from their scabbards and shoulders tensed. Even Sasori flinched at the sudden noise. Only Sakura remained completely relaxed as a blur of flowing blonde hair and purple skirts barreled into her. Clinging tightly to Sakura with her arms wrapped around her neck, Ino squealed with delight until Sakura softly cleared her throat.
"Ino… I have guests," Sakura quietly said.
Ino released her and took a step back. That didn't stop the bright smile lighting up her face. Cheeks flushed with excitement, Ino reached out to take both of Sakura's hands.
"It is just wonderful to see you! You look well! How have you been? Why haven't you written?" she gushed, shaking Sakura's hands in all her enthusiasm. Sasori politely muffled his chuckle as a cough into his fist. But the noise still drew Ino's attention.
"Oh, Admiral. How do you do? I trust you have had a safe voyage," Ino flatly recited before the sparkle returned to her gaze again when she turned her attention back to Sakura.
"Anyway, you barely responded to my letters! I assume you've been too busy gallivanting around and having fun," she sniffed. Sakura raised an eyebrow.
"When have you ever known me to gallivant?" demanded Sakura with a faint smile.
"Well you're obviously gallivanting now! With all these handsome- wait," Ino trailed off as she realized that there were other people staring at her. After a long moment, Ino turned back to Sakura, her eyes shining almost menacingly in all their enthusiasm. With a drawn-out sigh, Sakura patted Ino's hand.
"Join us. I'll fill you in on what you've missed," she said.
"Marvelous!" Ino sang. She pecked Sakura's cheek before she danced off ahead of them.
"Um…" Sasuke began in a low voice as he turned to Sasori.
"Sakura's best friend in the capital city, Lady Ino of the Yamanaka family. Her father is Count Yamanaka, in charge of trade in and out of Spring Port. Fabulously wealthy and firm supporters of the Regent," Sasori promptly summarized. Sasuke's eyes narrowed.
"But their daughter supports Sakura?" he repeated.
"Yes, it seems that that hyperactive ball of sunshine is the only one with sense in that family," muttered Sasori before he headed into the castle.
Three days after arriving in the capitol, Sakura announced that it was time to move on. There wasn't much to pack. No one had expected to stay and Sakura's obvious distaste for the castle and the people in it was a clear signal for no one to unpack too thoroughly.
Late in the morning, the Konohamaru brought out their steeds. Some of the stablehands followed, their expressions significantly less eager.
"Where to next, General?" asked Konohamaru.
"South. To the border," she replied as she crossed the courtyard, Haku on her heels. Sakura just finished fixing the cuffs of her shirt as she stopped in front of Kaze. Haku held out her jacket. Sakura slipped her arms inside and shrugged it into place with ease.
As Naruto ran out to join them, his bag thrown over his shoulder, he searched for the horse he had ridden all the way from Whitewave. Sakura watched as the excitement faded to confusion when he didn't see it.
"…Sakura? Where's my horse?" he questioned, finally turning to her. The Queen Regent joined them, her hands resting protectively on her son's arm.
"In the stable. There is no horse for you," Sakura informed him, with an exasperated look in Kushina's direction. Of course she hadn't told her son. Leaving the bad news for someone else to handle.
Itachi was already in Kaze's saddle. When the prince tentatively reached forward to pat Kaze, the horse gave a puzzled snuffle before he happily leaned into the touch. Sakura's lips twitched upwards at the exchange. Kaze didn't easily trust strangers. Sakura grasped the pommel of the saddle, foot fitting into one of the stirrups.
"Then what will I ride?" Naruto went on to ask.
"You'll stay here," Sakura simply said as she swung her leg over Kaze's back and settled into the saddle. Itachi scooted backwards in the saddle to make room for her. Haku waited, holding up a canteen filled with water. And then a rucksack. Sakura took her time attaching these things so that they wouldn't slide off the saddle before she turned back to Naruto still gaping up at her.
"I'm certain Her Majesty the Queen Regent will agree. This is no place for a prince to be without a protector. Since Sir Sai is currently on leave, by the time you find a suitable replacement, it will be too late. Stay home," Sakura commanded. The edges of steel in her voice made Naruto's complaints freeze on the back of his tongue.
Naruto twisted around to look at his mother imploringly. But Kushina shook her head.
"Sakura is right. His Majesty wanted you to go only because Marquess Shimura mentioned that he believes it is good for a young prince to travel and to see the country. But even with Sakura with you, I fear for your safety," she insisted.
Sakura's eyes narrowed. She glanced over her shoulder at Sasori on his golden horse. Her gaze then moved over to Haku sitting in the saddle of a dark brown horse. Despite his tiny stature, his posture was good and his grip on the reins secure. After a moment, Sakura jerked her head slightly at Sasori, who then trotted off down the path without so much as a farewell to anyone. Sasuke held Sakura's gaze unsurely for a moment before he dipped his head silently at the Queen Regent and followed.
"A word of advice to you. Marquess Shimura is a marquess. Not the king," Sakura then said to Kushina before she clicked her tongue and Kaze broke off in a brisk trot down the dusty road after the others. Haku followed not too far behind them.
Itachi's arms tightened around her waist as they moved forward. The tight lines of her shoulders and the sharpness in her gaze as she glanced back at him made him hesitate to speak. Just when he began to wonder if they would travel this way in black anger for the rest of the journey, Kaze slowed his pace. Itachi lifted his gaze to find his brother and Sasori waiting just off the side of the road under the shade of the trees.
"You should have brought him," Sasori chastised.
"For what reason?" Sakura spat. Enunciating each syllable.
"To drop in a ravine on the way," Itachi muttered. So quietly that he thought she wouldn't hear over the clop of hooves on the road. But she did. And she burst into startled laughter.
"Did you hear that?" she chuckled to Sasori. Then she looked over her shoulder at him.
"I believe that's the most unkind thing I've heard you say, Your Highness," she teased.
"You're a poor influence," Sasuke sighed with a shake of his head.
As they continued south, no one mentioned the terse final conversation with the Queen Regent. Everyone seemed to agree that, as Sakura often did, it was best to pretend that such people didn't exist for the moment.