Amaryllis
Chapter 25
When it was time for Sakura to depart, Shijima was in tears. She grasped Sakura's hands tightly.
"You were the only one who believed me when I was nothing," she wept.
Sakura smiled, squeezing back.
"What nonsense. You were never nothing. Who put such a rotten idea in your head?" Sakura chastised. Shijima threw her arms around Sakura. And Sakura indulged her as she would a child. She patted Shijima's head.
"You are going to do well here. And rest assured-" Sakura's eyes fell on Baki now. "The moment you are unhappy, you must let me know. There will always be room for you in my home." Sakura's eyes narrowed. Baki averted his gaze.
"Be your mistress' hands and feet," Sakura then reminded, her gaze flitting to Azra and Esma. They both nodded.
Shijima wiped her tears away with her sleeves.
"You may… you may seek refuge here at any time," Shijima greeted her, hiccuping just a little. She looked over at Prince Baki, who put his arm around her waist, drawing her against his side. It was remarkable what a little intimacy did to change a man.
"I've written to Prince Ao asking that he treat you well, since our misunderstanding has been resolved. I wish you luck during your travels," added Baki.
Sakura bowed, hand over her heart. "Thank you for breaking bread with us and sharing your roof with us," she recited in return.
But as she went to mount one of the camels, she felt a tug on the back of her cloak. Sakura turned to see Azra and Esma holding out a bundle of fabric to her.
"Please, take this," Shijima said. "As a small token of my thanks to you, Cousin. Please don't forget me." And then, tearing up all over again, Shijima looked to Meno, who had accepted the bundle to hand to Sakura.
"Serve her well," Shijima instructed. But it sounded more like a plea. Meno nodded, fabric clutched to her chest.
"Yes, Consort Hoki. I will serve faithfully," Meno assured her.
They set out along the sands. And only once the palace had disappeared from view did Sakura unfold the bundle. It was a hand chain. A gold ring connected to a bracelet with a series of tiny links. There were polished sapphires included in the chain. The ring was fitted with a bright piece of jade.
This was likely a part of the jewelry included in Shijima's dowry when she had entered Baki's harem. Sakura slipped it onto her left hand, just to see how it felt. The ring was too small to fit over her first knuckle. Sakura admired the way the sunlight glinted off each piece. But then she removed it and placed it back in the cloth.
It was certainly beautiful, but impractical on a warrior's hand.
Sakura handed it over to Kankuro during a short rest. He peeked into the folds of the fabric, rubbing at his stubble.
"I'd like to have a gauntlet commissioned. Something that looks similar to this… but sturdy," Sakura requested.
Kankuro squinted in the hot, desert sun, pulling his cowl back up.
"I'll see what I can do, Lady Sakura," was all he said, tucking the precious bundle into his bag.
The journey up to the city of Solace was a little shorter than their other expeditions. It somehow felt longer. Especially at night. As Sakura stared up at the roof of the tent that she no longer shared with her cousins. Because deep down, she was terrified that she would wake up to find that she had drawn a knife on them. Or worse.
Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara shared a tent just beside hers instead. Mangetsu slept sprawled out at the entrance of her tent, his arms folded across his chest, his foot resting on her falchion in case she reached for it in her sleep. When it was time to change shifts, Suigetsu nudged his brother with his boot. Sometimes the changing of the guard woke Sakura. Other times it didn't. And while her dreams weren't always easy, it did help a little to know that someone was there. Even if they couldn't do anything to combat the dreams that so often turned sour.
Nearly all of the soldiers Baki had presented to her left the Viper's Fang with them.
"But why? You gave them an easy way out," Kankuro wondered. "I wouldn't want to run off into the wilderness with some strange woman. No offense, Lady Sakura."
Sakura glanced back toward the soldiers. "It would have been a dishonor to abandon their posts. Who would take them in if they left me?"
"So it wasn't really a choice," Gaara realized.
Sakura offered him a small smile before she turned away from him.
The regiment marched in formation beside them.
Darui had seemed surprised when Sakura requested this order. Perhaps he had expected her to nestle in the middle of the troops to shield her from harm should bandits target their caravan. Or perhaps he had expected her to lead the march.
But the reality was that she knew as little about Darui as he knew about her. She wanted to spend some time observing him and the troops. And that was most easily done when she traveled beside them day by day.
They were well-organized. It appeared that the whole group was divided into smaller squadrons of 100. Each of the leaders of the squadrons spoke to Darui, who would in turn report to Sakura about the troops and about supplies. He appeared to handle many of the minor issues himself, coming to her about more pressing matters. He seemed unsure of how much detail she wanted in her reports, and when she asked good questions, Darui couldn't hide the look of relief on his face.
"What are your plans, General?" he queried one day as they took a break from the worst of the afternoon sun. The soldiers erected quick shelters to shield them from the bright rays. Once the heat had passed, they would pack up the structures and continue until just before sundown.
Sakura tilted her head back to admire the folding contraption. It was just a few wooden posts, along with thick cloth to cast shadows on the sand. She squinted, watching the distant horizon for a moment. Then she looked to Darui. He had sleepy eyes that reminded her a bit of Kakashi. And just like Kakashi, that ease in his expression made her wary.
"What do you think a woman with an army is planning to do, Commander?" she asked, leaning back in her seat a little. His eyebrows slanted down.
"How much do you know about me?" Sakura then questioned.
Darui flexed his hand, looking elsewhere. "I… not much, General."
Sakura smiled. "You're not a good liar, are you?" she observed. And when Darui's head whipped toward her, her smile widened. "It's alright. Speak freely."
"Prince Baki recommended that I… not challenge you," Darui confessed.
And as he spoke, he watched a figure saunter over to them. Sakura held her hand out. Suigetsu passed a slip of paper to her. Sakura read it and crumpled it up without comment. And then she looked over at him.
"Suigetsu," she called. The mercenary was in the middle of gulping from his wineskin. Purple dripped down the side of his mouth. Grimacing and wiping his mouth with his cowl, he looked over at her.
"How often do you challenge me?" she questioned.
Suigetsu's eyebrows pinched together. He grimaced a little harder as he raised a hand to shield his face from the sun.
"Every day? Like right now, M'Lady, I'd like to complain again about how you're dragging me through a damn desert. I'm starting to feel like rawhide," Suigetsu complained, rubbing a hand over the sunburnt bridge of his nose.
Sakura's gaze fell on Darui. "Perhaps that was a recommendation for Prince Baki. I encourage you to figure me out for yourself, Commander. Because you're not him."
Suigetsu squinted at her. Then at Darui. He seemed to grasp the situation, because, rolling his eyes, he made his way back to another place where he could find shelter from the sun's punishing rays.
Their reception at Solace was tepid, as expected. Ao did not come out to greet them himself. Rather, he sent an attendant who trembled as he welcomed them to their city.
"Poor man looks ready to piss himself. I wonder what that uncle of yours has been saying about you," muttered Suigetsu.
"Probably nothing kind," Mangetsu added.
"Whatever the reason, stay close to me. I'd sooner drink poison than trust any of Prince Ao's guards," Sakura whispered in return. And then a smile was back on her face as she greeted the servants who arrived to take their luggage.
Only-
Sakura noticed dark marks around their wrists as they bowed. They looked similar to the scars she had glimpsed on Kisame. And also to what she had seen on her tailor's wrists, even though he tried to cover them up with bangles or flowing sleeves.
They were all dressed so neatly that it hadn't even crossed her mind. But now she remembered. That out of the many cities in the Arids, Hilal was one of the few that still openly participated in the slave trade. She remembered reading about it and feeling sick as she slammed the book shut. She had felt disgust about the eunuchs employed by her Great-Uncle's palace. And even more discomfort as she watched them shuffle about with those ugly scars on their wrists and ankles.
Slavery and all its trappings left a sour taste in her mouth. Just like the women in the brothels. Just like the prisoners of war she had too often seen the Sound Kingdom's armies drag along on chains. Maybe that was why she had cut them down so brutally whenever they clashed swords. As some sort of punishment for what that cruelty.
That rage didn't bubble to the surface now as it would have in her younger years. But it simmered low and sharp in her stomach as she approached the gates of the guards at the entrance crossed their spears.
"No weapons are permitted inside the walls of the palace," one of them stated.
Sakura folded her arms across her chest. She stared at the pointed ends of the spears.
"Yet these are permitted," she slowly pointed out.
The guards continued to stare straight ahead. The same one answered.
"We simply guard the perimeter. Should we enter the palace, we would also leave our weapons behind."
When Sakura glanced back, she saw Temari raise her own weapon, a scowl forming on her face. Her mouth fell open when Sakura shook her head at her.
"Very well. I would be a discourteous guest to raise a fuss over this," Sakura murmured.
She looked over her shoulder at Darui. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back. "I need you to stay out here, Commander."
Darui nodded, dipping his head a little. The few soldiers who were behind him also ducked their heads when Sakura's gaze fell on them.
Turning back to the guards, Sakura gave a thin smile. She undid the loops and buckles holding her falchion to her body. She dropped it to the ground. Next, she reached under her skirts to yank out the knives strapped to her thighs.
As the guards moved to welcome her to the palace, Sakura reached behind her to pull out the daggers that were pressed up under her shoulder blades. She let them fall to the sand, glinting in the morning sun. Lastly, she pulled a pin out of her ponytail. When she flicked it, the links snapped into place to reveal a small blade. Smiling, she pressed it into the hand of one of the guards before she finally brushed past them. She could only imagine the expression of the guards' faces as Suigetsu and Mangetsu disarmed themselves. Even Gaara kept a knife on him for protection, a pointed, vicious thing unlike his innocent face.
Ao sat on his gilded throne. Not even bowing his head in greeting.
He wore a smirk as he regarded her with his one good eye. The right one was hidden beneath dark leather patch.
Beside him sat a beautiful woman with long, dark hair. She averted her eyes, bowing when Sakura's gaze fell on her. At least she knew how to be proper.
Ao recited the usual greetings without any emotion. He promised her shelter as long as they shared one roof over their head. But then Ao's eye darted to her face. His expression filled with disdain that wasn't unfamiliar to her.
"They call you the Heartless. An imposing title for such a pretty little thing."
Sakura didn't have to turn around to know the black glare Temari was probably shooting the prince.
"I doubt that the opinion of some far-off prince was their chief concern when they created the title," Sakura retorted. Ao's smile dropped. She only smiled harder at him. She bowed perfectly.
"You must be quite busy, Prince Ao. Thank you for your time. I will see myself out."
And as she lifted her head, a thought occurred to her.
"Please have my dearest uncle join us for our meal. It's been so long. I must see him. And I'm certain that he will be eager to see his children once again," Sakura requested.
"He looks angry. What if he tries to do something?" Gaara fretted as he hurried out after her. Kankuro grabbed Temari's arm and pulled her out the doors as she struggled to shoot Ao one last warning glare.
"Then he's a bigger fool than I thought. I have an army at his gates," Sakura whispered back.
Gaara lowered his voice to match hers. "But… the Terumi clan is family."
Sakura gave him a look. "His sister is family. He is not," she corrected him. "He's the stepson of the previous prince, remember?"
She held Gaara's gaze before she added: "What do I owe that man except the contempt he has already given me?"
And she could see when her words sunk in. The fear that settled inside of him. She smiled for just an instant longer before she looked away.
They made their way out of the palace. At the entrance, the guards were waiting with their weapons. They had had at least the decency to retrieve them from the sand. As they stood sliding the blades into holsters and tucking them back into their clothes, Sakura turned to take in the city.
The first thing that struck Sakura about the city of Solace was the sheer scale. It dwarfed Hilal by an almost laughable scale. It had the air of a city that had taken meticulous planning and years to build. The streets were straight and turned at crisp angles. The buildings themselves were perfect rectangular boxes made from mud bricks. Further north, she could see larger, more ornate buildings, which was likely where the rich lived.
"Am I to assume that Prince Ao is not in favor of sharing a roof with us during our stay?" she guessed out loud. The palace guards said nothing.
"Kankuro?" she then asked, turning her head in his direction, but not quite looking at him.
"I'll go see to it myself," he answered.
"Please do."
Kankuro dipped his head before he set out.
"Can you go with him?" Sakura then said looking toward her other shoulder.
There was a pause. Suigetsu and Mangetsu looked at each other. When Mangetsu jerked his chin toward Sakura, Suigetsu nodded.
"Stay low. Your hair stands out," Sakura warned when she saw Mangetsu begin to step away. He nodded, raising the hood over his head as he headed off toward the city, down a different street than Kankuro had gone.
When they returned to the outskirts of the city, the soldiers had already begun setting up shelter. They dug the poles of their sun shelters deep into the sand. Other soldiers were setting up tents in perfect rows.
Sakura sighed as she watched them bustle around in perfect order.
"Something's not right…"
Sakura turned her head toward Suigetsu a little. But her eyes stayed on the soldiers.
"What do you mean?" she queried in return.
"Those palace guards. They should have searched us. They can't be that stupid."
Now Sakura's eyes were on him. They narrowed. "Meaning?"
It was Suigetsu's turn to look elsewhere as he thought. When his gaze returned to Sakura, he was squinting against the sun. He raised his hand to shield his face.
"I mean this lord, prince- whatever he is- If he's so careful about security, his guards should at least check some of the people who walk into the palace. Just because I let go of my big sword doesn't mean I don't have something hiding up my sleeve."
Sakura was very still as she considered this.
"…Do you think it's a trap then?" she questioned.
"It's most certainly a trap."
They both looked over to see Darui approaching them.
"He expects you to come to his banquet armed. To expose you would shame your whole clan," he went on to explain. He saluted Sakura. It was an unfamiliar gesture to her eyes. Fingers held straight. Palm facing outwards as he touched the back of his hand to his right temple.
Sakura nodded. Only then did he lower his arm.
"He's done this before," Sakura guessed.
Darui's jaw set. He glanced away for a moment. When his gaze returned to Sakura, he nodded.
"Princess Mei's maternal family came to visit many years ago- when she was still a child. They were enraged at how her stepmother had gained control of the palace and cast Princess Mei out to Hilal. They too noticed the lack of security and fell for this same trap. It was… a massacre."
"Is this the hospitality that the Terumi family offers its guests? How vulgar," Temari grumbled with another snarl aimed toward the palace.
"But coming armed does break the rules of this city. It would have been seen as justified," Gaara pointed out. Darui nodded.
"Why attempt the same tactic again?" Sakura wondered.
Darui tilted his head to one side. Then the other. "He probably assumes that an outsider would be ignorant of such events."
Sakura blinked against the sun, frowning. She raised her fist to her mouth as she thought.
"What I don't understand is…" Sakura trailed off as she tried to gather her thoughts. It was times like this when she missed her Lieutenant Generals. Particularly Shikamaru. Who could read people's intentions as easily as if he were flipping through the pages of a book.
She thought back to the map that they were always fussing over in their office at the military academy. Little colored pieces stood on the map and rattled around in their hands as they debated movements. And then, like a miracle, Shikamaru would swoop in and arrange everything into a way that made sense for everyone. She supposed that her understanding of strategy and tactics was better than average. But with Shikamaru, she always felt like she was stumbling a few steps behind. Which was why she had been so desperate to secure his support in her younger years. The idea of that quick brain working for anyone other than her had been a terrifying thought.
Now, she imagined Shikamaru frowning and glaring at a map as she tried to untangle this plot that had unfolded in front of her.
The easiest solution for this problem was to have her army pour into the city and slaughter Prince Ao and his family. Soldiers and civilians were certain to die. But at the very least, Ao would die. She would report this plot to her Great-Uncle. Without much evidence to justify her suspicions, it was uncertain whether Prince Ebizo would support her. Relations with the surrounding cities would certainly sour. Once she left the Arids, it would leave a large mess for the Haruno family to clean up on this side of the sea.
This was the sort of strategy she hated the most. Noble plots. Etiquette.
Moving soldiers and breaking defenses was straightforward. Things always tangled when the nobility were involved.
"If I may, General."
The sound of Darui's voice pulled her from her musing. She also realized then that shade had fallen across her face. Soldiers had begun erecting a shelter around them as she thought.
"Prince Baki has had many years of experience dealing with Prince Ao. I've had the chance to meet him on many occasions. It is my belief that he arms his soldiers at every banquet."
"Every banquet?" she repeated.
"Every banquet I've attended."
"And how do you know that?" Suigetsu demanded.
To everyone's surprise, Darui hadn't seemed bothered by the mercenary brothers at Sakura's side. He didn't address them with honorifics, but he didn't see them as servants either. So when Suigetsu spoke, Darui looked him right in the face as he replied.
"The weight of their steps. Awkwardness in their movement. You would be able to see it if you were there as well."
When Sakura looked to Suigetsu, he was thinking. He met Sakura's eyes and nodded.
"Yeah… that… could be right , M'Lady," he admitted.
"If you could expose that Prince Ao armed his soldiers at a banquet that should be peaceful, it would sully his reputation," Darui went on.
"Enough to have him deposed?"
Sakura's question hung in the air.
Darui's eyes widened.
So did Gaara's as he took her arm. "…Lady Sakura… do you intend to stay here?" he whispered.
Sakura scowled. She gestured around with her hand. "Of course not. Do you think I want to live here turning into a tanned hide for the rest of my life?"
Temari sighed, crossing her arms. "That's true. I never thought that I would miss the ocean so much."
Sakura then looked at Darui. She repeated her question. "Would the dishonor be enough to depose him, Commander?"
Darui's mouth twisted as he considered her question. He rubbed his neck for a moment. And then he gave a single nod.
"I'm not certain, General. But it is a heavy crime."
Sakura clapped her hands together. "Excellent."
"Spy for a noble."
"How do you know that?"
"The boots. Too fancy for some drunk slob to afford on a normal salary. Too shifty to be someone's disinherited son."
"Huh."
Coins clinked together as he placed them down on the bar between them. Tenten snatched them up. She rattled them around in her palm. And then she held one up to the light, squinting at the words engraved into the metal. She stuck the coin between her molars and bit down.
"Could you do another one?"
Tenten poured the coins into the pouch at her waist. "Another one?" she repeated.
Chojuro nodded, blinking behind his glasses.
"Hmmm." Tapping her fingers against her knee, Tenten looked around the bar. She gestured with her chin towards one of the tables in the middle of the room.
"Beardie," she said.
Chojuro followed her line of sight. He found a group of men sitting together. By now, he recognized most of the patrons who frequented the Sailor's Rest. This was a group of fishermen who liked to stop by once they had finished preparing their nets for the following morning. There was one with a curly, dark beard speckled with silver.
"Yes?" He kept his voice low. He reached for his tankard and took a sip.
"He's nailing the barmaid," Tenten declared with such confidence that Chojuro choked. He struggled to swallow the mead. As he rubbed the back of his hand across his mouth, Tenten raised her eyebrows. Her gaze flicked to the opposite end of the bar.
"Oh. And the bartender too," she added, clicking her tongue. "Hope that doesn't get out. Poor slob'll be in trouble." Propping her chin up in her hand, she looked at Chojuro with a smile.
"What do you think when you see us?"
Her mouth drooped as she considered that. She looked him up and down a few times. Tilting her head to the other side, she shrugged.
"Bunch of muscle with big swords. 'Specially the big blue one. That one's a real terror, I'd imagine," she slowly said. And then she looked him over again. Her tone softened a little. "Not you, though. You stick out." She straightened, reaching for her drink that sat waiting on the bar.
"I know how to use a sword," Chojuro protested.
Tenten swallowed a big gulp of mead. "Yeah, I'm sure you can. Also sure you've got a father who couldn't resist sticking his sword in a maid. Am I wrong?"
When Chojuro's expression stiffened, she shoved him with her elbow.
"Relax. Me too," she then added. She drained her tankard and banged it down on the bar. Wiping her mouth with her sleeve, she raised her eyebrows at Chojuro.
"What? You think any urchin can afford to learn how to play one of these?" She patted her lute case sitting on the stool next to her.
Chojuro said nothing. He stared down into his tankard for a while. And then he drained it too. Banged it on the bar the same way she had. Tenten chuckled.
"You're too well-mannered. You hang out with some unsavory types. Learn to talk like them. You'll blend in better," she advised. She stared back out at the bar, as if bored and just looking around for no reason.
"So, you gonna tell me what's going on with that servant boy?" Tenten then asked. She sat up a little straighter when she felt something cool against her throat. Chojuro glared at her, a small knife held in his steady hand.
"I have advice for you, too. From one bastard to another. Don't touch him," he said in a low, even voice.
Tenten stared into his eyes. She slowly pushed the knife down, a faint smile touching at her lips.
"Now you look like one of them," she said.
A few days later, Haku raised his head when he heard someone calling his voice.
"Miss Shizune wants to see you!" one of the older maids yelled, her arms full of laundry.
"I'll be right there," Haku called back. He tried to finish folding one last towel, but the other servants swatted him away.
"Go. Don't keep her waiting," they insisted. He tried to thank them, but they just laughed, urging him on with flicks of their hands. Hair and clothes smelling of soap, Haku got to his feet and hurried down the path that would take him to the steward's office. He tried to knock when he arrived, but the door was already open. Shizune rarely kept the door closed.
"Come in, Haku," she greeted him right away.
"Good morning, Miss Shizune."
"Good morning," she replied, glancing up from a stack of documents long enough to nod at him.
Haku kept his hands clasped together behind him. He knew that Shizune would never call him without a reason. He waited for her to finish reading.
"As seasons and trends change, it is your duty to manage Her Grace's wardrobe," Shine abruptly announced. Haku nodded.
"Since Her Grace is often away, her everyday and travel clothes will take priority. A few formal gowns will be necessary as well. Go down to the tailor and speak with him. Don't let him talk you into buying too much. That man has a silver tongue," she warned, shaking her head. Haku nodded again.
"The funds…?" he began to ask, but he stopped. As Shizune gave him a pointed look, he corrected himself: "Will be withdrawn from the budget at a later time. If possible, have the chamberlain handle these matters to keep accurate records."
Shizune gave a look of approval.
"Is there anything you need from the market while I'm there, Miss Shizune?" Haku queried.
Shizune considered that for a moment. Then she shook her head. "Buy a fruit for yourself. You look a bit wan," she suggested. She squeezed Haku's shoulder before she sent him out of her office so she could get back to work.
Haku jumped when he met a masked face as soon as he left the room.
Kushimaru didn't speak. The other mercenaries had no problem speaking with him. In fact, most of them were downright friendly. Only Kushimaru kept silent. Only Kushimaru refused to take off his mask.
Haku blinked at him.
"I'm going to the market to see Lady Sakura's tailor," he explained.
He paused, just to be polite in case Kushimaru wanted to say something. But when he remained silent, Haku continued along his way. When he glanced back, the mercenary was following him. That didn't surprise him. If Zabuza wasn't there, usually Kushimaru was the one to escort him whenever he left the palace.
The merchants recognized Haku as he weaved his way through the market. Some of them asked him to pass along messages to the maids who worked in the palace. Others tried to urge him to come buy their fruits or exotic spices. He had finally mastered the art of being polite while still giving a firm "no". He walked out of the market empty-handed. The one loaf of bread he'd received for free he gave to Kushimaru. He could hear Kushimaru ripping it apart with his teeth as they walked.
When they arrived at the tailor's store, Haku hesitated. He considered knocking. And then realized it would be strange to knock on the door of a shop.
He instead turned the handle and walked inside.
The tailor sat halfway up a ladder. A pipe rested in one hand. Faint streams of smoke rose from the tip. With his other hand, he picked his way through a selection of blue fabric. He glanced over his shoulder.
"Be with you in a minute. You must be new," the tailor said. He bit down on the pipe and used his newly-freed hand to climb down the ladder. He tossed the fabric onto a stool.
He glanced over Haku, a hand on his hip. And then his gaze flickered over to Kushimaru, who was wiping breadcrumbs from the front of his shirt.
Haku listed off the instructions Shizune had given him.
The tailor, who insisted on simply being called Deidara, showed off some of his designs. When Deidara handed over a few samples of fabric, Haku hesitated.
"My Lady prefers light colors over dark ones."
Deidara's mouth quirked up. "She does," he agreed. And that seemed to have been the answer to some secret test, because his brisk demeanor suddenly softened. He answered Haku's many questions with a bemused expression.
Once Haku finally took his leave, Deidara saw him out of the door. He leaned against it, watching the servant and the mercenary navigate the busy city streets.
"I was wondering when I'd finally get the honor of meeting Lady Sakura's little bird," he mused.
"He's sweet. We like him."
Deidara looked over his shoulder. Ino's head poked out from the loft where she had been lounging with a book and a bowl of mango. She had taken to hiding there during the day. The shop was always quiet. And it was close enough to the merchants that she had no trouble slipping out to buy another book when she ran out of things to read.
"We?" Deidara repeated, arching an eyebrow.
"Sakura and I," she clarified, rolling onto her stomach. One of her arms hung over the edge of the loft. And then her eyebrows arched.
"I ate all the mango without you, by the way. I'm a little sorry," Ino then confessed.
Deidara put a hand on his chest. "Betrayal. I'll never recover from this," he replied in a flat voice.
Ino laughed. And Deidara smiled back at her, watching as she covered her mouth with her book. Because someone must have told her that it was unladylike to show off such a pretty laugh. An idiotic thing to say in his opinion.
She rolled around in the loft, these days. Reading and avoiding uncomfortable conversations. And she would find every excuse in the world to avoid returning to the palace before nightfall. Deidara was happy to help her. They meandered around the city visiting the merchants who only worked at night. They walked down the beach, admiring the stars that filled the heavens until it almost seemed like no more stars could possibly fit up there.
Deidara laughed the first time Ino convinced him to visit a busy pub after he had closed the shop. Several people there demanded to know where she'd been.
"The noble lady gambles," Deidara teased her as they took a seat at an already crowded table.
"I… well, yes. I do. What are you going to do? Arrest me for it?" Ino retorted, making Deidara laugh even harder. He leaned an elbow on the table.
"Well are you at least good at it?" he wondered.
"She's terrible," one of the other patrons remarked.
"Oh, she's no worse than you, you old fart," someone else teased. Chuckles responded from around the room.
Deidara watched as she struck up a conversation with one of the barmaids.
He was glad that Ino was smiling more these days. The glassy-eyed stare sometimes slipped back onto her face. He recognized it well. The look he had seen in Sakura's haggard expression when she had first returned from war. And the look on his own face when the wounds on his wrists were still red and tender.
One evening, as he walked Lady Ino back to Sami, he felt a tug on his sleeve. Deidara glanced over at her.
"How did you end up here? On this island, I mean," Ino suddenly asked. But something in her tone made it feel like she had been sitting on this question for quite some time. Her fingers lingered on the edge of his sleeve.
Deidara smiled, knowing that she couldn't see it in the dark.
"Hmm… What do you think?" he asked in return.
He lifted his arm a little. When he felt her grip begin to loosen, he reached out with his other hand to catch her wrist. He guided her hand to rest on top of his forearm instead. The way noble ladies held on to the arm of their escorts. He had seen it countless times whenever dignitaries came to visit from the mainland.
Ino was quiet for a moment. But she didn't move her hand.
"I mean, I ran away to get here. Did you run away too?" Ino said after a while.
Deidara snorted. "Would've been a long way to run… and swim."
And then Deidara looked up at the stars as he considered how much he would lie to her. He felt her hand curl around his arm.
Only a little then.
"I lost my folks pretty young. Had to fend for myself. Met the Queen when I was still a kid. She brought me here. Found me a place to live. So I decided I'd spend my life serving her daughter."
"That must have been a long time ago," Ino murmured.
They neared the palace and their footsteps slowed together.
"Her Grace was a baby. Didn't even have any teeth yet."
Ino's laughter was so soft he almost didn't catch it. "I wish I could've seen you then. You must have been a cute child."
"I wasn't."
He hadn't meant for his voice to sound so cold. He almost apologized until Ino gave his arm a gentle squeeze. As if to say that he was forgiven.
He almost regretted leaving out parts of his story.
The fighting pits. The beatings. The desperate scuffles with other kids for his share of food. But for all her bravery and wit, Deidara hadn't forgotten for a moment that Ino was still a noble lady. Raised apart from all of that. She wouldn't be able to stomach those stories.
She probably had some suspicions. The scars on his hands and arms couldn't all be written away as workplace incidents. Especially not the larger ones that had failed to fade with time.
A hulking shape detached itself from the shadows.
Ino started only a little.
"Oh. Did you come to escort me?" she asked.
The man nodded.
Ino slipped her hand off his arm. As she took a step away, Deidara caught her hand. She turned back to him.
"I'll see you tomorrow?"
Her eyes widened. And then she smiled.
"Of course," she replied. Laughing as if he had asked the silliest question in the world.
Deidara watched as Zabuza escorted her back into the palace walls. When Ino glanced back, she saw that Deidara hadn't moved. He waved at her.
Ino was glad it was Zabuza who had met her outside. Kushimaru unsettled her. And she liked that Zabuza didn't really seem to care what she had been doing or who she had been with. Kisame didn't outright tease her, but his searching looks were enough to make her want to avoid his gaze sometimes. That man was far too smart to be just a mercenary.
From a little ways off in the palace, Sasori ducked back in through the window.
"She's returned just now," he reported.
Kurenai's forehead wrinkled. The tip of her pen dug a little too hard into the paper. The black splotch spread across the word she had been writing. With a sharp sigh, she set her pen down.
"You're squandering the perfect opportunity," Kurenai reminded him.
Sasori laid down on his side, his other arm tucked behind his head. "To listen to her whine about her life and watch her lose all her money gambling? Oh, the tragedy," he snorted, closing his eyes.
"Having the Yamanaka's under our thumb will be useful."
Sasori snorted again. Louder, this time. He closed his eyes.
"Count Yamanaka has no intention of giving his title over to his daughter. He'll adopt the son of a distant relative- if he hasn't done so already. What am I saying? He probably has," Sasori grumbled. And then he opened his eyes to shoot a look at Kurenai.
"Just a moment. 'Will'? Not 'would'?"
He searched Kurenai's face. "What have you done, Mother?" he questioned.
Kurenai's expression tightened. She crumpled up the stained paper and cast it to the side of the table. She picked up her pen once again.
"How do you think Count Yamanaka will fare once everyone knows he raised a murderer?" she asked, her tone too light.
Sasori was not fond of Lady Yamanaka. She was frivolous and far too chatty. But that didn't stop him from opening his mouth to protest.
"She killed in defense of her own life… and yours, Mother."
Kurenai's eyes did not meet his. "I'm aware. For all of her faults, Countess Yamanaka managed to raise a daughter with ample compassion. Perhaps too much compassion for her own good."
Sasori sat up a little straighter.
"Did you have a hand in the events of that day?" he demanded.
Neither of them had to specify. He had to be talking about the day Ino had emerged from the sitting room, shaking and spattered with blood.
It was only then that Kurenai lifted her gaze. She pinned him with a hard look.
"You know better than to ask for answers you aren't prepared to hear," she scolded him.
Sasori almost said something.
But then he shut his mouth. He sucked on the inside of his cheek for a moment. Closed his eyes tight. After he took a deep breath, he faced his mother again with his usual smile.
"I'm going to turn in for the night. Sweet dreams, Mother," Sasori announced.
Kurenai had shifted her attention to rewriting her letter. She angled her cheek toward him to accept his kiss. And only as he began to turn away did her gaze flicker to him again.
"Sasori."
He stopped.
"Blood closer than blood. All we do is to serve." There was something brittle about her words.
Sasori only lingered for a moment. Then, gathering his cloak around himself, he continued down the walkway. Leaving his mother illuminated in the flicker of a dozen candles.
Naruto began to wonder if he could go to hell for sending so many birds to their death.
Was it foolish to hope?
To hope that this time, the bird would soar off into the sky carrying his message? That his words would escape past these city walls?
No one mentioned the new shipments of birds that had to come into the keep walls. No one mentioned mopping up the blood and feathers that spattered the cobblestones below. Naruto knew better than to ask about it now. The servants would blink and smile, but who knew which ones would run to someone to whisper their suspicions. He didn't even know whose ear they were whispering into.
He had managed to write to Sasuke a few more times. After all, even when those birds were shot down, the letters were read and resent. Anything for the sake of building good ties with a powerful ally.
Naruto kept those messages simple. He wasn't so good at hiding double meanings like others were. He knew that once someone caught on, those letters would stop reaching Sasuke too.
With Sai shadowing his every step, Naruto could only look forward to his regular visits to the temple.
The high priestess was one of his few sources of comfort. Soft-spoken and patient. Listening and taking in each of his words instead of dismissing him with sighs.
As they sat together on one of the wooden benches, Naruto stared up at the statue of the goddess. The stone angles of her face gleamed in the candlelight. The goddess loomed over him with eyes closed. He wondered what sort of expression would be in them if they ever opened.
"Did you know that the people of this kingdom didn't always believe in the Goddess?" Naruto suddenly said.
Of course the high priestess knew that. But she only listened, sitting there beside him with space enough for another person between them.
"Who knows what we once believed? All the records from before were destroyed. Statues and altars crushed. Like we're trying to undo history or something," Naruto went on.
And then he cast a look around the empty temple.
"And even the goddess we do believe… not a lot of participation around here for all that believing," he added in a low voice.
Hinata clasped her white hands together. The veil over her face made it difficult to see, but Naruto thought he saw her expression shift a little.
"What you say is true, Prince. The temple exists to provide guidance and shelter for all. But few come to seek us except in times of great crisis," Hinata agreed. She rubbed her hands together and then clasped them again. "During the last war, the other priestesses and acolytes tell me that the pews of this temple were filled. There were so many that people stood in the back. All to weep at the feet of the goddess. To beg for their husbands and sons."
Naruto slumped forward, elbows on his knees.
"Do you even believe in the Goddess?" he asked.
There was a pause.
"I do. Perhaps she is not in the shape or presence we believe her to be. But I do choose to believe," Hinata replied.
"Choose?"
"Choose. Just as you must not choose to lose hope every day," Hinata confirmed.
Naruto hunched his shoulders a little more. He scoffed. "Hope for what?"
Hinata sounded surprised as she said: "Why, that's between you and the Goddess."
Naruto snuck a peek at her then. She always seemed so at ease. So confident with her every word. Her every action.
He wondered if it would be alright to hope. Just a little.
"High Priestess… I wonder if you could help me with something," Naruto uttered.
She turned toward him. Through the fabric of her veil, he could see her mouth lift in a smile.
"If it is in my power, then I would gladly offer you assistance in the name of the Goddess," she answered without hesitation.
Naruto glanced around the empty temple. But he was still wary enough to lean in closer to her to whisper. "Can you help me send a letter to my cousin?"
From this close, Naruto could read her expressions better. Something flickered across her expression. Dark for a moment. And then he saw her rein in whatever feeling that was.
"I…" she hedged.
Naruto felt the hope that had risen up inside him begin to deflate.
"Please," he pleaded. He reached out to clasp her hand. She started. But she didn't try to draw away.
"Please, I need your help. It's not for anything malicious. I swear," he spoke so quietly that he worried that she wouldn't hear him.
To his surprise, her voice snuck out even quieter.
"Speak of this no more, Prince."
The fear in her voice made Naruto drop her hand. He moved away as if her skin had burned him. Instead, it was Hinata that reached out a shaking hand. She found his fingers, tracing up past them to grab the edge of his sleeve. She pulled him towards her with a shaky smile.
"It's always such a pleasure to see you, Prince Naruto. It's a shame that you must leave so soon," she said in her normal voice. She clenched her fingers into his sleeve a little harder, as if to make a point, before she released him.
He wondered if he had hallucinated the whole thing as Hinata rose to her feet. When she reached a hand out, Naruto hesitated a moment before he grasped it and placed it on his arm.
"Please allow me to accompany you on your way out," she announced.
Naruto mumbled some sort of response as he stood too. He looked down at his feet as they made their way up the aisle. Between the pews. All the way to the double doors.
Naruto used his other hand to pull one of the doors open. It groaned as it swung inwards. Naruto spotted Sai waiting nearby. The knight had his arms crossed over his chest. He didn't even have to say anything; Naruto was already annoyed by the expression on his face.
As Naruto went to extricate himself from Hinata's grip, her hand tightened again. Just for a moment. She dipped her head to him before she said:
"Thank you for your promise of an offering to the temple. Please bring your contribution the next time you pay us a visit."
As she pulled her hand down his arm, she grasped his hand. Squeezed it once.
Naruto felt a little lightheaded.
Did she…? Could it be?
He didn't dare ask.
"Of course, High Priestess. Thank you for your time," he heard himself respond.
"A letter arrived this morning, Consort Hoki."
"From?"
Shijima lifted her head toward the servant who stood in the doorway. He was behind the curtain, as was custom. Especially since Prince Baki still lay in her bed, one hand tucked under his arm. His right eye opened and then closed again. He was supposed to have gotten up half an hour ago, but he had sent the servant away with a few sharp words. Shijima put her pen down.
"From Karo, Your Grace."
"From the Haruno family?" Shijima mused. Gathering her robes around herself, she rose from her seat. As she crossed the room, she saw Baki turn his head in her direction. Curiosity opened his eyes.
Shijima pushed her hand past the curtain. The servant handed over the message, bowing as he took a step back.
There were two messages. Both were sealed. But one seal was more familiar than the other. And the familiar one was addressed to her directly.
Shijima broke the seal to open the message. It was from Prince Ebizo. He started with the usual formalities. Asking after her health. And then he explained that this letter had arrived for the General. He requested that she pass it along to his beloved grandniece and offered his thanks in advance.
Frowning, Shijima said to the servant: "You may go."
He bowed again. "Thank you, Your Grace."
As the servant retreated, Shijima turned toward Baki. He rose up on his elbow. She reread the letter, her frown deepening. She sat on the edge of the bed and placed the paper in Baki's waiting hand. He yawned as he read the message.
"I don't understand why Prince Ebizo would send this to me and not to you, My Lord," Shijima said. She leaned her head on his shoulder. Baki handed the letter back to her with a grunt. He fell onto his back, rubbing his hands over his face. Sighing, he peered up at her. And then he moved his head into her lap.
"It means that old fox wants to do business with you from now. Not me," Baki spelled out for her.
Shijima went very still.
"That… does that upset you, My Lord?" she asked.
Baki flapped a hand at her. "He's all about propriety and double-meanings. I can't stand the stuff." He dropped his hand and let it rub over his face. He scowled. "That old fool makes five minute negotiations turn into a week. It would be a relief if you would handle him from now on."
Shijima started when Baki suddenly sat up. He motioned for something. Shijima found his robe and helped him pull his arms through the sleeves.
"At any rate, send that up to Solace. Use one of my couriers," Baki instructed. He shoved his feet into the shoes he had abandoned beside the bed. He strode toward the door. Stopped. Stepped back to press a kiss to the top of her head.
"Rest for now. I'll eat my supper here with you," Baki then announced.
"Yes, My Lord," Shijima replied. She got to her feet to curtsey to Baki's back as he walked out of her quarters.
As soon as the prince was gone, Azra and Esma darted inside. Azra brought a tray of hot tea while Esma brought water for Shijima to wash up.
"Concubine Toge sent a message that she wants to bring you breakfast, My Lady. She says she made it herself," Esma reported.
Shijima sighed as she brushed her fingers through her hair.
"Ever since Concubine Deba was stripped of her title, she's been like a fly around a dessert display," Shijima noted.
"A fly would be more pleasant," Azra grumbled almost under her breath as she poured tea into a cup. Little petals drifted in the golden liquid.
"Mother always said that the main wife's job is also to manage the harem. Concubine Toge is… difficult, but she's given His Majesty a son," Shijima reminded the twins.
Esma nodded. Azra made a face, but nodded too.
Shijima let out a little sigh. She gave them a fond look before she accepted the fresh tea.
"Azra, help me bathe and dress after I write this letter. Esma, send the letter out with His Majesty's fastest courier. I want to make sure this arrives safely at Solace," Shijima instructed.
Inside her head, she was already composing the message she would send. It had been several days since the General and her cousins had departed. So many things had changed since then. She could imagine how Sakura would hold her chin up and gaze upon her with pride when she recounted all the things she had done. Like fire all the servants that had helped the concubines torment her and replace them with ones who were loyal to only her. Or how she had chastised one of His Majesty's ministers for interrupting her when she speaking.
Sometimes, Shijima wondered what it would have been like if she had packed her things and gone along with her. What new things would she be experiencing? What kind of people would she be meeting right now?
But those kinds of thoughts were like trying to move grains of sand with a sieve.
She had a place where she belonged already. Her family back home was prospering because of her marriage. There were people here who relied on her here too. And even though things were far from perfect, there was affection between her and her husband - which was more than what most women in the harem could boast of.
"I don't know if it's the right choice, but you've made it. And I respect that."
It was one of the last things Sakura had said to her.
She repeated those words to herself when she couldn't fall asleep at night. When the fighting in the harem grew so childish and irritating that she just wanted to scream at everyone. When she recalled from her childhood seeing the flash of annoyance in her mother's eyes as she handled the same messes- only the wives were in different clothing and complaining in a different language.
"I don't know if it's the right choice, but you've made it. And I respect that."
Shijima blinked as she felt a touch at her elbow. It was Esma bringing her paper and a pen.
Before she even touched these things, Shijima already knew how she would start her message.
My Dear Cousin,
Please don't worry about me because I'm doing well.
And it was the truth.