A/N: (Updated: March 10th 2021)
Hello everyone! It's been wonderful to escape into the wilderness but I'm back now, trying to do some writing before the hectic semester begins in two weeks. I want to say thank you for the wonderful reviews. They are definitely something akin to a fuel in my inspiration, so those that have left me reviews, THANK YOU! Reviews are always welcome =)
I hope you will enjoy the next chapter.
This story has been rated M for a reason - you have been warned.
Happy Reading! ^^
Chapter 4. A Lord's Request
Several days later.
For Sakura, getting accustomed to a life of simplicity was surprisingly refreshing change. Not only it completely ripped her away from her busy-almost-robotic routine, but it also gave her a glimpse of a Konoha that no longer existed.
Niwamachi. For as much as she tried to recall her lessons on history, she did not remember much. The era of Niwamachi was torn by political turmoil, constant attempts at invasion from the land of Grass as the land of Fire tried to unite several clans under one rule. She did not recall anything further, then again, history was not her forte.
There were things she definitely missed from her time. Things like her cozy apartment that smelled faintly of white sage and lavender. She missed her small wine collection, nestled on the oaken wine rack that she received as a gift from her late father Kizashi — she particularly missed sipping a glass of red wine after a long shift at the hospital while cozying up with a good book on her couch. She did not know if she would ever find her way back home — the torii-laid path disappeared the moment she entered the edge of the forest while following Satsuki's voice. Perhaps, this was her destiny, saving people that needed saving in a land and time when doctors could do very little to prolong their patient's life. She missed home.
And yet, the land of Niwamachi was exciting to her. There was her temporary home. It was a complete change to what she was used to. She went from living in her lovely one-bedroom apartment on the fifth floor, to living in a simple minka — a traditional home just for her. And then there was the main Uchiha family, who brought her into their clan without hesitation. In just a matter of days, Sakura became attached to not only young Satsuki, but her mother as well. Mikoto's fondness for her made the matriarch nearly beg her to become their new physician — to which Sakura happily agreed while Satsuki insisted on becoming her little apprentice.
And so here they were, in the middle of a beautiful sun-kissed meadow, examining herbs to bring back to Sakura's home. The flowers still had their morning dew resting on their almost ripe petals. Sakura kneeled down to the grass, holding the borrowed tantō blade in her right hand as she chopped the herbs at an angle and then placed them into the wicker basket. Satsuki was towards her back, doing just the same — chopping the herbal flowers and placing them into the wicker basket.
"Is this flower also an herb?"
Sakura turned around to see the flower that Satsuki was holding in her hand.
"Hai, that's chamomile. It is a really good herb to help when someone struggles with sleep or experiences anxiety.
"Ah, then that's a good herb for my cousin Shisui," Satsuki commented as she quickly chopped up several more of them, quickly placing the herbs into the basket.
"He struggles with sleep?"
"Hai, Itachi-nii too," Satsuki said as she glanced over to the man currently relaxing across the meadow on the branches of a plum tree.
"Perhaps, I will have to make a nice blend for them. See this one right here?" Sakura lifted a fragrant violet flower.
"This is lavender, and it is one of my absolute favourites. I used to grow the lavender in my home. It helps with problems like headaches. It also helps with inflammation and even stress. It was very helpful to me while I did my medical studies," Sakura added as she then chopped some more of the herbs.
"Ah! This is so wonderful Sakura-chan. You are so knowledgeable. I wish I could learn more from you," Satsuki said happily.
"Well, I have no problem teaching you what I know. Herbs come naturally to me. My mother was very fond of natural medicine. She used to grow all sorts of herbs in her garden, and I would often help her around when I was a little kid, even younger than you Satsu-chan," Sakura replied with a smile.
She glanced up only to see three foreign men walking towards them from across the meadow.
"Are they friendly?" Sakura asked.
Satsuki looked over to the three men, dressed in simple charcoal-coloured kimono. The man in the middle was of shorter build, and he had a white-coloured bandana across his face, covering one eye. The other two were tall, both of them sporting dark facial hair on their chin. Each one of them had a lengthy blade attached to their hip.
"Bandits! Niisan!" Satsuki exclaimed as three vandals approached the two of them.
Sakura quickly stood up and took Satsuki's hand, bringing her closer to her as if to shield her away from potential harm. She did not know these men — nor did she wish to know them. Her gut was telling her to run, but instead, the young rosette pushed Satsuki behind her, shielding her with her own body.
"Well, well, what do we have here? Uchiha females all alone playing in the meadow. You will fetch a good price," the man in the middle stated.
"Women are not property for you to sell. I suggest you move along," Sakura said fearlessly.
She was not sure where did this sudden courage came from. Maybe it was the fact that she was incredibly frustrated with the treatment of women in this era, or maybe it was the fact that she felt a deep connection with the young girl that currently clung to her kimono for dear life — or maybe it was the confidence that permeated through her being, knowing that she was well protected by the Uchiha clan as their newly appointed clan physician.
"Look here boys! A woman that does not know her place! Perhaps I should remove that insolent tongue of yours! You won't need it," the man on the left declared and he unsheathed his blade.
Instinctively, Sakura wrapped her arms around Satsuki, protecting her from her harm as she turned her back towards their attacker.
"NIIISAN!" Satsuki screamed with her eyes closed as the bandits wakizashi blade descended onto them.
CLANG!
Sakura turned slightly as she heard the ringing of the metals clashing together. There he was, the heir of the Uchiha clan, blocking the bandit's blade with his own katana and with quick and precise movement, he deflected the bandit's blade away. Sakura picked up Satsuki in her arms and she quickly walked further away from the reach of the blades. Suddenly, there was a bloodcurdling scream from one of the bandit's as a blade cut through flesh.
"NIISAN!" Satsuki screamed once more, completely paralyzed by fear as she stole a peek to see what was happening.
Startled by his sister's sudden scream, Itachi glanced over to the young child momentarily mid-strike. One of the remaining bandit's blade came into contact with his arm, slicing through the sleeve of his crisp-white haori, grazing his skin enough to cause it to bleed.
"Satsuki don't look!" Sakura warned as she set her down, keeping their distance from the fighting as she looked back onto their protector.
Itachi plunged his blade through the short man in a swift thrust and then engaged his blade once more with his last target. Sakura watched as Itachi elegantly danced with the blade, dispatching the remaining bandit with a single stroke across the chest. Then he expertly flicked the blood off his katana before sheathing the blade once more. He reached down to collect the basket filled with herbs, and he looked over to the young physician.
"Let's head back," he said calmly.
"H-hai, let's go Satsuki-chan," Sakura said as they began to walk in the direction of the Uchiha compound, while she made sure that the young girl would not look back to the bloodshed left behind.
Once they entered Sakura's humble home, Satsuki slipped of her geta sandals and made her way towards Sakura's kitchen.
"Niisan, I will go tell okaasan that we have returned. Also, I will notify otousan of what happened," Satsuki said as she took the basket from her brother and placed it on the small table in Sakura's kitchen.
"Alright, let them know I will see them once I finish here," Itachi said as he untied his katana and tantō and placed them onto the table next to the basket.
He sat down and leaned against the wooden post, slowly undoing his bloodied white haori — exposing half of his chest and his entire left arm to his healer. Sakura made her way towards her kitchen, filling up a small wooden basin-bowl filled with sake. Then she tossed a clean cloth into the sake mixture and made her way towards her patient.
"It's not a deep wound Sakura-san. It would have healed on its own," Itachi said suddenly.
He watched as the young rosette lifts the cloth out of the watery substance and squeezes the excess liquid from it, leaving the cloth damp. Then she folded the cloth into a square and pressed it against the shallow slice on his upper arm. Even if the alcohol stung him as she let it soak his wound, the Uchiha man did not show it on his expression.
"It's still an opened wound. I don't want you to have an infection. So, indulge me," she said.
"Hn."
"You protected Satsuki and me from those bandits Uchiha-san. It was my fault that this happened. I provoked them. So, healing you, it's the least I can do," Sakura continued as she disinfected the area.
"They would have attacked you anyway, and I would prefer it if you called me Itachi," he replied, his eyes firmly focused on her face.
"Itachi-san then," Sakura said with a smile as she met his gaze for a moment.
"I must admit something to you Sakura-san. I have been watching you," Itachi admitted.
Sakura glanced up at him, meeting his gaze once more as she was stunned to hear him say such a thing.
"Watching me? Have I done something to offend you?"
"You are a mystery. You've been with us for ten days, and we still do not know much about you and that makes me feel uneasy," Itachi confirmed as he watched her intently.
"Uneasy?"
"Yes, uneasy. Because I do not know what to expect from you. Were you sent by another clan to harm us under the disguise of a healer? or are you a hired assassin meant to strike when we least expect it?" he suggested as Sakura finished cleaning the wound and began to dress it.
"I do not belong to a clan Itachi-san nor do I wish to harm your family. I have never wielded a weapon in my hands, and I haven't harmed another — besides resetting broken bones that healed incorrectly but that's a medical necessity," Sakura mumbled the last part.
"You do not know how to defend yourself," he stated simply, his eyes wandering to her hands as if evaluating them for traces of battle.
"I do not. As a physician, our first rule is do no harm and that is something I have followed every day since I finished my medical studies," Sakura said as she finished dressing the wound.
"Quite honourable of you," he commented.
The moment she finished, Itachi quickly took a hold of her hand by her wrist. She gasped as she did not dare to pull her hand away from him as he began to evaluate the palm of her hands, his fingertips tracing the soft cushions of her fingers.
"Your hands are soft. They are not the hands of a killer nor an assassin," he declared before letting go of her.
Then he looked back at her and continued, "Are you high born?"
"No, I am not. Forgive me Itachi-san, but I don't think I am comfortable telling you my story," Sakura replied softly.
"Have I offended you?"
"No, but how do I know I can trust you with my secret?" she asked.
"You have my word," Itachi replied simply.
"Perhaps I'm scared that you won't believe my story. Besides, if I were to tell you the truth, it's only to ease your mind about my origins," Sakura stated, unsure of whether she should tell him the truth.
"Have you given me a reason not to believe you? Have you lied to any of us since you have arrived here?" he asked calmly.
"No, I have not."
"Then I'll believe you," he declared.
"I don't know where to begin," she nearly whispered, scared to share her story with him.
"At the beginning."
"Well, to start I am not of this time. I am from the future, three hundred years into the future in fact. Where I'm from is Konoha, which is the future name of Niwamachi once the city expands. I am an only child. My father was one of the best physicians in the entire land of Fire. He is the reason why I chose to study medicine in the first place. He passed away two years ago," she paused for a moment to compose herself as the memory of her father still stung.
"Um… my mother she is an eccentric woman. She owns an apothecary where she sells homemade herbs, teas, and ointments to people who prefer a more natural course of treatment for simple ailments," a small smile appeared on Sakura's face as she spoke about her mother.
"I use chakra in healing because that's the standard of how medicine is use in my time. I work well … I worked at Senju Hospital, which is one of the oldest medical establishments in the land. I was still studying with the top doctors on becoming a surgeon so I could save more lives," she concluded.
There was silence. Sakura felt a sudden rush of fear — what if he didn't believe her? believed her to be a crazy, deranged woman? What would happen now? Would she be shunned from the compound, left to fend for herself in this unforgiving world? Would he laugh at her? Surely, he wouldn't believe her. It was laughable. Time travel was not possible. And yet, here she was, three hundred years into the past, talking to a fearless warrior of an Uchiha clan.
"Senju huh?" he finally broke the silence.
Her mind raced wildly. Wait, did he … did he believe her?
"Well it's the name of the hospital. Is that a problem?" Sakura asked softly.
He let out a soft chuckle at her, realizing that she truly had no knowledge when it came to the land of Niwamachi and its clans. His wound was already dressed, and he had no reason to stay with the doctor any longer to offer any explanations of their way of life. And yet, the raven-haired warrior remained seated and continued to engage the doctor in a conversation.
"We, and by that, I mean the Uchiha do not associate with the Senju clan," he said.
"Senju clan? There are more clans?" Sakura pried gently.
"Yes, there are many of them, but Niwamachi has seven that are considered primary, and they hold a seat in the daimyō's council," he continued.
"I see. Could you tell me more? I feel completely oblivious to how the world works here. It is completely different from my time, and I have been struggling to adjust to a lot of changes," Sakura admitted as she tucked a piece of pink hair behind her ear.
He noticed the small gesture, his eyes following her hand movement for a moment, before he met her emerald gaze once more.
"There are seven major clans that make up the daimyō's council. There are the Uchiha, then there's Senju, Hyuuga, Shimura, Namikaze, Nara, and Yamanaka," he explained.
"Why is the Uchiha compound not part of Niwamachi city?"
"I think I'll save that story for another time Sakura-san," he said simply.
"Alright, I'll hold you to that," Sakura replied with a small smile.
Sakura picked up the bowl of used sake and the bloodied soak and she made her way to clean up. Itachi readjusted his haori, settling on wearing the torn garment temporarily. He stood, following the pink-haired woman to the kitchen. He grabbed his katana and tantō and retied them against his hip.
"You know there is one thing that I do regret. I am ashamed to admit it, but I never paid attention during history classes. I was already focused on medicine and nothing else mattered," Sakura said suddenly as she finished rinsing the bowl.
"I see, and here I was hoping you could divulge some secrets from the what we can expect in the future," Itachi said playfully as a small smirk appeared on his lips.
Was he serious? Or was he teasing her?
"That I won't be able to help you with. All I remember from history classes is that Konoha used to be called Niwamachi around three hundred years ago, so now, and that there was a lot of political struggle and fighting," Sakura replied as she put the items away and turned back to face him.
"That's one way to say it," he chuckled.
"At least I can help you as a physician," Sakura added with a smile.
"That's true. Thank you for that Sakura-san," Itachi nodded.
"Just Sakura."
"Alright Sakura," Itachi smiled gently, as if he was testing the informal speech between them for a moment.
The front door slid open revealing the youngest Uchiha.
"Oniisan! Sakura-chan!"
Itachi turned to look at his baby sister with a gentle smile. He was a hardened warrior, raised to become the best, be the heir of the Uchiha clan from a very young age. He was taught to hide his emotions, for they were considered a nuisance in battle — a weakness that could be exploited by their enemies. And yet, this Uchiha warrior warmed at the sight of his younger siblings, whether it was his brother Sasuke or his sister Satsuki.
"What is it Satsu-chan?" Itachi asked.
"Papa sent me. He says to tell you both to come see him at once. There has been a summon from the city," Satsuki replied.
"Alright, let's go Sakura," Itachi said as he looked at the rosette.
When Sakura and Itachi entered the main Uchiha house, they were greeted by the patriarch who was seated behind a low table, his focus on the lengthy scroll unraveled across the table. Itachi sit down in seiza in front of his father, and Sakura followed suit. Fugaku looked up from the scroll, his gaze focused onto Sakura.
"Haruno-san thank you for coming as quickly as you could. A daimyō's messenger arrived from the city. We are to present the pink-haired demon was before the council by tomorrow morning. It seems old Homura filed a complaint with the daimyō with our clan and the fact that we are harbouring a woman of ill character," Fugaku said.
Sakura was stunned. Is this the old doctor's retaliation because she dared to step in? Or was it simply because she was a woman who was capable of healing? She was unable to utter a sound — already contemplating what was going to happen to her. Would the Uchiha clan give her up? Itachi was the first to speak up.
"That's ridiculous! Is this another attempt at eliminating the Uchiha from the council?" Itachi questioned, his voice calm and steady.
"That is what I think son," Fugaku spoke to his son before turning to the woman standing in front of him.
"Do not worry Haruno-san. We have sworn to protect you. You are a part of our clan and by that oath we will stand. Itachi, I want Sasuke, Nagao, and Keisuke to join us for the travel to the city. I will entrust the safety of our doctor to you. There's no one more capable to do so," Fugaku stated.
"As you wish otousan," Itachi bowed, respecting the command.
"Shisui will stay behind to protect the compound. He is used to leading the men in case of an attack, so he is a sufficient choice. Now, Haruno-san, there's no need to fear. Try to rest, and Itachi will bring you to the stables in the morning," Fugaku added firmly.
"I understand Uchiha-sama," Sakura replied.
"I will escort Haruno-san back to her home, then I will notify the men of tomorrow's plans," Itachi replied.
"Very well. I will alert Mikoto about the daimyō's request. You're dismissed," Fugaku nodded.
Sakura stood and bowed to the patriarch before making her way towards the main doors. She slipped out onto the engawa, taking the steps down, her mind racing as she stepped onto the gravelled path. What was going to happen? As much as she wanted to visit Niwamachi city, this was not the way she wanted to go — paraded through the place like a criminal or worse, a monster as the old fart of a doctor called her a demoness. Even though the Uchiha clan vowed to protect her, would they still protect her if it came down to her or them? If only there was a way to simply return to her own time. Why did the shrine send her to this place? Was it because of Satsuki? The clan? Or was it something bigger?
"I can see it on your face that you are troubled," Itachi commented as he fell into step beside her.
"I just... I hate how the fact that I am a woman and I am skilled in medicine automatically makes me a monster. I miss my home, and I," Sakura began.
"You are valued by our clan. Do not ever doubt that Sakura," Itachi interrupted.
She was not sure why she felt so comfortable with Satsuki's eldest brother. He could read her like an open book, and she held nothing back. She found his presence comforting. She would be foolish not to believe him.
"I... you're right... I'm sorry," Sakura said softly as they arrived at the front of her home.
She walked up the steps up to her engawa, while Itachi remained on the path.
"There's no need for your apology. I understand your anger. It is not misplaced. From what I gather, women in your era have an equal social standing with men. That is not the case here. Our clan is much more lenient to support equality, but you won't find that thinking among other clans," he explained.
"Right, well thank you for walking me back," Sakura said as she gave him a smile.
"Take care Sakura. I will see you in the morning," he said simply, and he turned to leave, making his way towards the stables.
Sakura sighed as she slid open her door. Tomorrow would be a trying day.