When the first rays of light kissed the sky, the group of rebels finally reached a small forested area with several tents strewn about.

Several were stumbling as they approached. The redheaded woman was being helped by two rebels, and another carried a woman with long midnight hair in a bridal carry under his cloak to keep her warm against the chilly air.

One by one, the soldiers around the firepit in the center of camp stood to receive them.

A young woman with shoulder-length brown hair turned and smiled brightly at the group. "Ah, you made it! Any casualties?"

"None, Hinoki-sama," one of the women bowed to her, taking off her Konoha hitai-ate. "We've retrieved the lady Hyuuga, Himawari-sama, and the Sand princess as requested."

As soon as she was mentioned, the blonde stepped forward. She bowed her head respectfully to the older woman. "Thank you once again for getting my message, Hinoki-sama."

"Oh, now now, you don't have to go around with that 'sama' suffix." Hinoki chuckled, slipping an arm around her shoulders to guide her to the pit. "Just call me Hinoki-san until we get to Ayame, okay?"

"Fair enough." Temari let a relieved smile grow across her face as she sat down on a log with a heavy sigh. "Feels good to properly sit down again."

One by one, the rebel group dispersed. Hinoki helped Karin to the medical tent, her eyes dark with a grim solemness. As soon as the curtain was drawn, Temari looked up to see the soldier sitting down with Hinata in his arms.

"How long will she be unconscious for?" Temari asked, eyes flickering to the peacefully sleeping woman.

The rebel shrugged loosely, pulling his cloak away from her face and situating her in his lap. "Who knows. I think HImawari-sama had the answer to that, but I can't ask her while she's being healed. All I know is that she'll remain asleep until we get to camp."

"And that will be…?" The sandy-blonde trailed off.

"Nightfall," Boruda replied. "Easily."

She let out a quiet breath and nodded, leaning back on the log. "Dammit… how did it turn out like this…?"

"Beats me," the ginger snorted, his pale-green eyes searching the brightening sky. "I used to have a tangerine farm before all this bullshit happened. What about you?"

Temari wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly more chilly in the open. "I… I was an ambassador from Wind. I was supposed to be negotiating peace between Konoha and Suna, but…" her eyes darkened. "... there was an attack a couple of weeks ago, and I was blamed for being a spy. I was taken prisoner until my brothers could negotiate terms for my release, but… well, I guess they don't have to now."

A short bark of laughter escaped him. "Yeah, they almost got me too. They got spies everywhere, apparently. One of my clients was badmouthing the king, and all of a sudden some soldiers show up, kill 'im, and threaten to kill me too. Luckily I already had connections to Mimei, but I very nearly got sent to the dungeons for that idiot. Pathetic, really."

Temari smiled wryly. "Tell me about it. At least the king and queen said I wasn't to be tortured; I still heard other prisoners getting it, though. Those screams will haunt me forever."

"Ain't no therapy gettin' rid of that," Boruda agreed emphatically. "One of my cousins spent a week in the dungeons, and now you can't yell at her without triggering a flashback. She got some pretty rough treatment, too."

Something in his tensing stance made her pause, lips parting gently. The disgust in his eyes deepened as he shook his head.

"I swear they touched her," he growled, clenching his fist. "I don't have any proof they did, but I know they did. She wasn't ever the same."

"That's horrible," the blonde exclaimed. "Was she…?"

"She wasn't a child, no," the man shook his head. "She was young, though - probably around sixteen, so she was legal. The only solace, if you could call it that, was that the perps all got executed for it, but…" he clenched his fists. "Sickens me still. She didn't ever have an interest in stuff like that, and they just… abused that."

Temari felt her stomach twist. "So that's why none dared to touch me... even though we were all isolated down there, and even though some may have come close... it's because they knew it was a death sentence?! What kind of hell-?"


Aika looked around at the group, nursing a warm cup of tea. The group was more relaxed now, although some were walking about, conversing with one another. Shinji seemed to be restless, deep in conversation with an older, rough-looking woman as they paced about.

She didn't blame him. After the night's events, anything would seem boring now that the thrill was gone. Some of them were newcomers, and this was their first dawn away from their friends and family. Of course they would be craving new companionship.

She, herself, missed the friends she'd made in the palace. She remembered Hanako, a petite young girl with hair like the petals of an orchid and sweet ice-blue eyes. Always cheerful Sora, with her bubbly singing each morning as she made the queen's breakfast. Subdued but kind Yuri, arranging the texts in the castle library.

The thought of the girls made her homesick, and for a moment she wished she was back in the queen's service, just so that she could be with her friends again. But then she banished the want, the memory of the scar on her neck making the old wound throb. She all-too-well remembered how quickly Mikoto had been to punish her, and although she wasn't left to die, sometimes she wished she had been.

She took another swallow of tea and watched Shinji interacting with the squad leader. There seemed to be something else in his eye - it looked green yet again in the light. Something like trepidation, or perhaps a certain itching anxiety that fitted with a child trying to hide a broken vase from his mother. His bandages seemed to have been changed in the night, because they were a crisp white again over his right side. What on earth had happened to him in the brief interim of their separation?

Her own eyes narrowed. Something peculiar indeed.

She finished her tea and gracefully stood, moving over to where Hinata was lying in Boruda's lap.

She smiled at the two of them, setting the cup down so that she could sign, "I can watch her now, if you need me to."

"O- oh, of course, milady." Boruda blinked and nodded at her, uncovering Hinata and holding her out.

Aika held her with some difficulty, nodding her thank-you before turning and walking to a tree with some soft grass beneath. She gently lay the sleeping girl at the base of the tree, propping her head up in her lap as she settled down against it. She brushed her slender fingers through Hinata's hair, smiling softly down at her sleeping face.

She'd heard rumors of Hinata's beauty, but she hadn't gotten the chance to properly meet her until now. Truly, she was every inch as beautiful as the guards gossiped about, and more. And if the other rumors were correct, then they'd chosen well in stealing her away from the palace. She would be a great addition to the group; her patience would certainly balance out their leader's bold brashness.

She closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the rough bark. Sleep came to her quickly as she absently brushed through Hinata's hair in the early morning light.


At the first sight of the sun, A knock came at the prince's door.

"My prince, your father summons you," a guard announced before walking away.

Sasuke blinked blearily, bags under his eyes and a heavy feeling in his chest.

"Naruto," he called.

A pause. A yawn. "Yeah, I heard 'im."

The two of them got dressed quickly and headed out.

The air between them was heavy with trepidation as they made their way to the king's chambers. Sasuke kept his eyes straight ahead, his face pulled into a frown. Naruto looked back and forth between Sasuke and the hall, a contemplating look on his own.

"Hey, Sasuke…" he trailed off when said boy looked over blankly. "It'll be okay, right? Hinata… Hinata's gonna be fine. We're gonna be fine."

Sasuke paused in his stride, his hair falling over his eyes. His bangs had grown out so that the ends grazed his chin and fell across his cheeks, making it harder for people to see his eyes if they looked directly at him. Part of it was a safety curtain, another was the fact that he didn't care about cutting them or pushing them aside anymore. Naruto hadn't cut his either, so he didn't give it high priority.

After a moment of quiet from the prince, he slowly answered, "I… I don't know."

Naruto's mouth was set in a grim line as he put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder and gripped. "For her family, at least, we should hope that she'll be okay."

For a moment, Sasuke's eyes flashed. Guilt was gnawing at him, but he knew better than to speak to his father about it. His mother wouldn't understand, and neither would Naruto. And ever since Itachi left Konoha on negative terms, he didn't have him to speak to either…

Swallowing his emotions, he nodded briskly and the two continued their way to the king and queen.

Once they got to their chambers, Sasuke knocked twice. After a moment, they heard Fugaku's deep "Enter" and they strode on in.

Fugaku and Mikoto were sitting together one one of the plush couches, papers in hand, seemingly talking about something serious. They both looked up when the doors opened, and Mikoto gave a weak smile to her youngest.

"Hello, Sasuke, Naruto-kun," she greeted, gesturing to the other couch. "Sit, sit. We have a lot to talk about."

"Yes, and it's imperative that we get through the biggest details quickly." Fugaku added with a passive face.

Sasuke and Naruto went to the other couch and sat down - well, Naruto flopped onto it with a satisfied sigh, Sasuke sat down.

"Maaaaaan, I wish you could tell me how you get your furniture so soft and cushy, Aunt Mikoto!" Naruto exclaimed with a goofy smile.

She simply shook her head with an amused giggle. "Now isn't the time to divulge my secrets, I'm afraid."

"Yes." Fugaku gave Sasuke a serious frown. "As of this morning, the lady Hyuuga Hinata has been pronounced dead. Messengers were sent earlier to notify her family."

Sasuke's hands clenched into fists at the same moment his heart dropped into the pit of his belly and the breath was punched from his chest. Somehow he figured he should have seen this coming, yet it still struck him with the intensity of the back of the late Aunt Kushina's hand.

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry." Mikoto soothed, reaching over to take her son's hand. She squeezed it tight. "Do you need some tea to calm your nerves?"

"What will we be doing next?" Sasuke asked, brushing aside his mother's question. He stared directly into Fugaku's eyes, his own burning with concealed rage.

"Once her family is notified, I'll have to make a formal announcement that we will be in a month of official mourning," Fugaku continued, a solemn look in his eye at the emotion in the teenager's face. "Once June is over, we'll have to begin the search for a proper bride again - and that means we'll most likely have to go into Wind, if the treaty still holds. As far as reports go, Temari of Suna has escaped with the band of rebels that killed the lady Hyuuga."

"A few palace staff are missing as well," Mikoto piped up, letting go of Sasuke's hand to fold her arms across her chest. "One of my maidservants, Abe Aika, and a palace guard, Nozomi Shinji, have escaped, as well as one other."

"Correct." Fugaku nodded his head.

"Ironic," Sasuke thought sardonically to himself with a deeper frown. "Mourning a lost princess-to-be for a month straight… when was the last time Father ordered a proper month of mourning? It's been years since the last time he ordered a mourning period for anyone … and the last one was…"

Shaking off that thought, he tuned back in when he heard his own name. "...Sasuke, and you will have to train up your techniques all throughout this month so that you're better prepared in case of war. Until the month ends you will be substituting some of your regular classes to spar with me."

Mutely, the boy nodded his head in agreement. He wasn't pleased, but still, this was his father. He'd wanted his father's praise ever since he could speak; to give up an opportunity like this was like throwing away a rare gem because it wasn't the one you were mining for.

"What about me?" Naruto chimed in.

"Oh, right. Naruto, you'll assist in negotiations with the Hyuuga clan. You were close to Lady Hinata, weren't you?" Mikoto asked.

"She was a really good friend, yeah." Naruto nodded, a serious frown overtaking his face. "I'm not much for negotiating though… wouldn't Shikamaru be a better choice?"

"Nara Shikamaru is busy," Fugaku cut in, resting his hands on his knees. "Clan business. I know you aren't one for negotiating, but think of it this way: what's the one skill you know better than anything?"

A pause.

Naruto blinked blankly. "Rasengan?"

"He means your ability to talk anyone to sleep, loser," Sasuke boredly commented.

"O- oi! My Talk no Jutsu is a carefully-honed craft, I'll have you know!" The blond squawked indignantly. "I have not talked anyone to sleep! Name one!"

"Captain Kuramasa," Sasuke replied.

"O… okay, well, that was just one-"

"Also the new recruit two months ago, ah, what was his name… Oh! Mitsuki!" Mikoto remembered.

"Okay, that's two, but-"

" And the head housekeeper, Rita," Fugaku finished, a hint of amusement in his voice as he watched Naruto squirm. "In five seconds."

"W- well… she was old! That can't count!" Naruto stammered, looking to Sasuke for mercy.

He gave absolutely none. "I've got a list," he threatened, knowing what the boy was going to say in his own defense.

Naruto heaved a sigh and slumped forward. "Yeah, I got it. I can help negotiate."

"Excellent." Fugaku nodded firmly, pleased. "You both are dismissed. We'll meet you for breakfast soon."

"Hai." Sasuke droned, getting up. "Thank you for your time, Father. Mother."

Mikoto caught his hand as he was about to turn. When he looked questioningly at her, she gave him a warm smile.

"Everything will be okay, Sasuke," she promised.

His eyes softened and he squeezed her hand once before letting go and moving away.

"See ya later, Aunt Mikoto!" Naruto chirped, jumping up from the sofa to catch up to his best friend.

As soon as the door shut (and Naruto's voice was no longer audible), Mikoto sighed heavily, sagging against the back of the sofa.

"This is exhausting, Fugaku," she moaned as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "And just when we thought the search was over…"

"This truly is a tragedy." Fugaku agreed quietly with a frown as he gazed out the window. "Hiashi won't like the news… not one bit. As I recall, he prized his eldest daughter above all."

"Even though she wasn't the heiress?"

"Even still." He confirmed, his countenance darkening more. "I fear that this will kill him. And if it doesn't… well, surely he will not remain on our side for long."

"There must be another girl in the kingdom fit for our boy," Mikoto exclaimed. "But who ? Who's left? Who would he choose now that Lady Hinata is gone?"


The sun was already crawling across a clear, blue sky as a young woman with shoulder-length rose tresses walked down to the river with a stretch and a yawn.

Scratching her lower back, she smiled at her reflection in the clear water. On top of a beautifully warm morning, no one else was down by the river, so she could wash her face in peace.

Tying her hair back, she dipped her hands into the water and splashed her face a few times. Adding soap next, she rinsed it off thoroughly. Pulling a small towel out of her back pocket, she gingerly dabbed her face until it was dry. She stood, untying her hair, and walked back to camp, humming a tune under her breath.

When she got to the fire pit, she found a kettle above the fire and some cups nearby. She grabbed one and poured herself a cup, settling on one of the logs.

An older man with sleek black hair came out of a nearby tent and sat beside the fire, his coal eyes flickering to the teenager. "Good morning, Sumire-san."

"Morning to you, Itachi-san," she politely replied. "How was your sleep? Better?"

"Better than last," he nodded slightly. "Thank you for the checkup."

"Oh, it's no problem!" Sumire laughed lightly, rubbing the back of her neck.

The two of them sat in a comfortable silence, the crackling flames filling the space between.

Itachi had been a helpful ally as of late. When he'd first come seeking asylum six years before, Tsunade had been understandably concerned - he'd been the prince, of course, and could be a spy for the royal family. But when he offered to join Akatsuki - and was very heavily vetted, ending with a sparring match with one of their other members - he was deemed worthy enough, with the thinly-veiled threat that should he ever defect the punishment would be a swift death at the hands of Pain, a rather intimidating man that stood as Akatsuki's leader. In exchange for joining the rebels, Tsunade had one request: become a spy on the capital. He had seemed hesitant, but he was willing.

Sumire had since become something like friends with the taciturn man. Ever since she joined the cause he had been a small comfort, as she remembered him from her childhood at the palace. Granted, him being five years older was a bit of a stumbling block, but on the nights when he was in camp and they both couldn't sleep, he would come to her for private health checks. Everyone in camp knew how important it was to keep her busy, as it distracted her and gave her a positive outlet for her grief. She'd spent too many nights before crying herself to sleep, so when an opportunity was given, she took it readily. Ever since their first checkup, she found herself wanting his company more and more. He was like the older brother she never had, and on nights when he allowed her more insight on his own feelings, he sometimes admitted that she brought back fond memories of his younger brother, Sasuke. The revelation made their hearts ache, but there was an indescribable feeling of intimacy that was shared between them now due to it.

He was first and foremost loyal to his family, but in times like these, sometimes those bonds had to be set aside. He realized that, and so did she. While she knew his betrayal of his precious brother wounded him deeply, she knew that had he not defected, they would have been worse off.

Itachi was a lot different now, especially in looks. He still bore a resemblance to the missing 17-year-old prince Uchiha Itachi from yesteryear, but you couldn't really tell unless looking at him from the front. His hair had once been long, straight, bangs parted in the middle, and down his back, but Itachi's hair now was short, grazing the bottom of his earlobes, and his bangs side-swept his face, barely obscuring his left eye. He was taller than before, too. While measurements for the ex-crown-prince had him standing at 5'6" or so on his birthday, Itachi now stood at 5'10. The ex-prince had lost any semblance of baby fat he'd once had, instead sleek and muscled. (His abs were very tempting to the younger ladies when he was being treated - they'd had to rely on either older women or jaded warriors to heal him now, in Tsunade or Sumire's absence.) The biggest addition to his appearance had been stress-induced creases on either side of his nose, around his eye area. They only ever popped out when he either frowned or smiled (which, for the former, was quite a bit) and did a lot to both make him look older and disguise him a little better.

"How is your seal coming?" He inquired, looking pointedly at her forehead for a moment.

She touched the tips of her fingers to the smooth skin there and chuckled. "It's coming! I can feel the tension even more now. I don't imagine it'll take too much longer."

"Aa." He nodded again. "Good. You may need it sooner than anticipated."

"E- eh? Really?" She frowned, looking up at him. "Bad news?"

"I imagine the king is planning something," he quietly replied, eyes flickering to red several times before going back to black. "Something horrible in response to the lady's defection."

"Dear, dear, I'd forgotten…" Sumire breathed, her troubled expression deepening. She took another sip and finished the cup. "How long do you suppose it'll be before it's safe to go back, then?"

"Who knows." He shrugged his shoulders lightly. "At the present time, I don't feel that Morino is safe anymore."

Humming in response, Sumire thought back to the little forest town on the way to Konoha. It was one of the royal family's favorite vacation spots, as it was close to a natural mountain hot spring. As she recalled, Sasuke often talked animatedly about going to their private villa on the mountain in their youth. A grim smile spread across her lips when she remembered the day of her own defection.

"... I guess not," she slowly said.

Footsteps made them both look over, and the rosette smiled widely when she saw a woman with long blonde hair in low pigtails approaching. "Good morning, Auntie."

"Morning to you, Sumire, Itachi-san." Tsunade's eyes crinkled as she smiled at the both of them. She sat down next to the girl, pulled her own cup, and took a long swallow, ending in a satisfied sigh. "What a beautiful morning this is."

"It's the perfect weather for traveling," Itachi agreed.

"Speaking of traveling, any word on the group from Konoha?" Sumire's eyes were sparkling with curiosity as she leaned into her mom's shoulder.

"Last I heard was from earlier this morning." Tsunade reported, her face taking a serious look. "They all got out successfully, no casualties, but Karin was wounded badly. Third-degree burns, I believe. We'll have to give her a proper check when they get here."

"And that'll be…?"

"Tonight." The blonde confirmed, throwing back another swallow. "After sunset."

"They received the lady Hyuuga safely?" Itachi chimed in.

Tsunade nodded, folding her arms across her chest. "As of now, everything has gone according to plan. She'll be unconscious until they arrive tonight."

"Excellent." The man nodded simply and stood gracefully from the log. "I should report to Pain-sama about the disturbance near Hakikyu. Please excuse me."

The blonde woman waved him off, and as soon as he was out of sight, she let out a heavy sigh and rested her head on Sumire's.

"I can't wait to see Hinoki again," the rosette commented with a small smile. "It's been too long."

"It's been boring without her and Shizune buddying together," Tsunade agreed with a chortle. "What do you say we get breakfast? I think one of the guards brought back some duck."

Before Sumire could reply, her stomach took the opportunity to make itself known, growling loudly. The two laughed together, Sumire patting her stomach with an embarrassed flush of pink on her cheeks.

"I guess that answers that," Tsunade joked, standing with her. "C'mon, lest you starve to death on the way."

"H- hey!" The girl exclaimed, nudging her mother in the arm.

Even with the jab, she had to smile. It was just too nice to stay slighted. The warm June air hit her nose and she inhaled deeply. The scent of pine and campfire smoke seemed to stick to everything, but she never minded. It made everything feel more real.

"This is the life," she thought to herself happily as they approached the spot where a couple of the more experienced staff were cooking, the smell of roasted duck hitting her next. "Sure, I'm a fugitive now, but I'm able to be free to go anywhere I want to. I don't have to worry about anything tying me to a certain village anymore…"

A flashback of her family's faces came to mind for a moment, but she forced the image away with a firm shake of her head, sitting down on a blanket with another soldier. She gave him a smile and he nodded politely back.

"No, I made the right choice," she firmly decided. "If I had stayed, I would have been miserable. My life is better this way."


A young girl clutched her hands to her throat, trembling fingers stained with bright ruby blood. She opened her mouth to speak, but violently coughed up more of the liquid, causing the blonde woman to panic.

"Don't try to speak!" She ordered, grabbing the teenager's shoulders. "Let me see your wound."

Hesitantly, she shook her head. She mouthed the word no, her body shaking.

"Please let me see," The older woman soothed, brushing strands of hair out of her sweaty face. "I can't help you if you don't let me."

The girl's eyes flashed with fear, but as they met the burning amber she slowly nodded, taking her bloody hands away.

Immediately, the blonde woman shouted an expletive, gingerly tilting the girl's chin back so that she could see the gaping hole widen. When the girl began to squirm she let go.

"And they'd do this to a girl this young?" She shouted, punching the wall. "FUCK!"

The girl tried to whimper, but the pain made her clutch her throat tighter with a wince.

"Don't worry, I can help you." She promised firmly, ignoring the warmth that seeped into her cloak. "I can help stop the bleeding, but I fear the damage is too great - you may never speak again."

The girl let out a breath, and when she looked up her eyes were watery.

The woman's own eyes softened and she pressed a hand to the girl's warm forehead.

"You're safe now," she declared. "I won't let them harm you like this ever again."

The girl pulled one of the woman's hands into her own and wrote with her nail. "Thank you so much."

"You don't have to thank me," she promised with a grim smile. "This group is dedicated to justice. You're free now. You'll never, ever have to worry about being trapped like this again."

"A small price to pay for freedom… but to give up my voice forever? Small it may be, but heavier is it for me to bear."


A/N: Please tell me what you thought!