Chapter Three

The coldness on the front of her dress was the least on her mind while she stood there. The colder breeze brushed stray strands of her hair from her back and onto her shoulder. Anxiety churned in her gut.

What was she going to do?

"Sakura, dear, what's wrong? Oh my, your dress-" Mebuki's hand on her back caused her to jump, startled. Concern flashed across her mothers face. "What happened?" She asks in a low voice and Sakura's lip quivers, just slightly.

"I think someone saw me use it," her voice is quiet. Frightened. She didn't want to be whisked away from her family. This is her home. This is all she ever knew. "I don't want to leave." Sakura meets her mothers eyes. "Please don't let them take me," she pleads. She turns more so towards her mother and Sakura couldn't stand the fear in her mothers eyes. "Please."

It was silly to think that she wouldn't get caught.

She should have known better. She was taught better.

There would be no escaping. None that could be granted without the risk of her families lives. It didn't matter what path she chose - she wouldn't see her family ever again.

She couldn't breathe.

Sakura could barely register the feeling of her mother pulling her into her arms and pressing kisses to her hair. The quiet murmuring - the kind she grew up listening to since she was a young babe.

"We will figure it out, okay? For now, don't make eye contact with anyone and please, don't use you know what," Mebuki sounds out and Sakura ignores the tears in her voice in favor of determination. "Right now, I need you to act like you normally do. Go get more water," Mebuki hands her some coins, "and take it to Great Grammy. Don't speak a word of this to anyone. It did not happen, do you understand?"

Sakura wipes at her tears, a nod the only response. Mebuki presses a kiss to her forehead.

"Run along."

Sakura takes a deep breath and goes to get more water. She ignores the look the people at the well give her when she gets the water for the second time. It wasn't their business. Mentally preparing herself, she takes deliberate and slow strides over to where Great Grammy was sitting with her older sister.

For a moment, she is envious of her sister.

Ichika wasn't able to use her magic like Sakura could. When they were younger, her older sister used to be jealous. That was before they realized what being able to use magic meant. Before they knew that the risk of being taken was greater.

"Hey," Sakura greets with a smile as she helps Aol take a drink of the water. She gives Ichika a warning look when concern flashes across her face and Sakura knows what she is about to ask. 'I'm fine' Sakura mouths and her older sister begrudgingly lets it slide.

"What took so long, dear?" Great Grammy asks and Sakura resists the urge to look away. She needed to be strong. She needed to have faith.

"Oh, you know how it is this time of year. A group of kids bumped into me and I dropped the water, so I had to go back to get more," the lie felt bitter on her tongue. Stung almost. Sakura hated lying - she hated liars even more. Guilt gnawed at her.

"I wish it could be like this more often," Aol whispers and sadness trickles into her voice. Sakura and her sister both wrap a comforting arm around her.

"One day," Ichika says and Sakura nods along. One day, indeed.

….

The festivities were in full swing.

Music, laughter, and dancing. It made it almost easy to forget the real reason they were allowed to celebrate like this. The looming shadows of the royal family hung around but for the most part, they kept to themselves and watched with a watchful eye.

As Sakura danced with her sister, she felt something on her back. Chancing a glance, she met the eyes of the man from earlier. Quickly, she looks away. She drags her sister further into the chaos that is everyone dancing. Soon, they switch partners.

Sakura finds herself placing her hand against the bakers sons. He has the laziest brown eyes and a droopy look to his face. She offers a smile, nodding at him, as he guides her through the next section of the dance.

"Did your mother put you up to this, Shikamaru?"

"She still hopes that I will sweep you off into the sunset," he drawls and Sakura laughs softly.

"What was your response?"

"That she would have better luck wishing for you to drag my sleeping body directly into the sun." He gives her a tired smile and Sakura smiles sadly. He was cursed.

"I wish I knew how to help you," she murmurs and he shakes his head.

"It's fine, it isn't your fault."

"It isn't yours either, though," Sakura protests and he spins her around, pulling her into him and then out again. "Why is your family paying for your grandfather's mistake?"

"He didn't honor a promise, it is how that works."

"But, Shika-"

Someone cuts in and pulls her away. She is met with someone she didn't really know. Sure, she had seen her maybe once or twice but right now her name escaped her. Sakura casts one last look towards Shikamaru but he has since been strung along by someone else. She masks the frown on her face and continues to dance.

She wished she could help him sleep.

Slight anger flushes through her. Anger at the situation in their town and the world around them. Why are the current humans at the mercy of every other kind of creature? They aren't just some kind of thing that could be used as entertainment-

"Ow! What is wrong with you," squeaks the girl that Sakura was dancing with.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Sakura releases the tight grip she had on her hand. She offers an apologetic smile but the girl gives her a dirty look. The song ends and so they bow before parting ways. She finds herself wandering out of the crowd and to where her family is. She gives them hugs - tightly. Her eyes travel to where she felt the stare earlier.

The festival is ending soon.

Her eyes travel from where they were and back to her family. She smiles softly to herself. Maybe she would be okay and they would be okay. Faith. She would keep it and if it came to not be fruitful, then she would take matters into her own hands.

She would scramble the stars and weave new strings of fate.

So lost in her thoughts was she that she missed the parting of the crowd and the whispers. At her family's wide eyes, she turns around. She has half the mind to shake off the strong grip of her mothers fingers and the way her father instinctively stepped closer. Hesitantly, her eyes look up and emeralds meet mahogany again.

"You," he speaks.

Her breath escapes her.