I sigh as I dip my bare feet in the water of the river I was sitting next to. It had been a long day of traveling and my clan and I were taking our last break before we get to Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves. I didn't quite want to go, as I would be staying there for a long time.
"Something troubling you Princess?" My guard Masao asked, he's been my guard for all my life and like a father to me.
"You know I don't like the idea of leaving everyone, it doesn't seem right. How will I be able to protect them; or even know what's going on if I'm not here?" I rambled my thoughts, I was scared of what I had to do and he knew it.
"Shinokane, we've been over this dear child. You will grow as a Kunoichi and learn more ways to protect your clan until then I and the other ninja will be here to guard the clan. Your mother has already promised to write to you and let you know everything going on. You will be acting as the liaison for the clan so you will always know what the clan and Konoha need to better each other. It is your duty as Princess to the clan, my Lady." He answers. I have heard all this before but I didn't like the answers.
"I know, I know, and I will do it for the better of the clan, but what if I mess up?" I concentrate my chakra on a small patch of ground and make a Death Bell flower grow. I picked the flower and started to play with it.
Don't get me wrong I was excited to go to Konoha, I was born there and wanted to see what it was like. My clan we are the Hyohaku-sha clan. The Wanderers. We are born to be wanderers as we are not really seen as "true ninjas". You see we are as others like to call us "Vampires" we have to drink blood for our chakra and Kekkei Genkai to work.
"You won't mess up, and if you do just remember we all make mistakes sometimes. We're only human." He pats my head and stands up to attention. Silently letting me know my mother had walked to us.
I got up, turning around and bowing. "May I help you, Joo?" Masao asks giving his own bow.
"No, no, Masao it's ok, I just came to see my daughter. May I have a moment?" She asks smiling.
"Of course, Joo." He answers back and steps away. Still keeping us in view but giving us privacy.
Beradon'na, my mother and the Queen of our clan, was beautiful. Her long dark brown hair cascaded down her back and her purple eyes always seemed to sparkle. She was athletically built but still slim and feminine. She had the aura of a leader and I dreamed of one day being like her. She was a fair and just queen and a wonderful mother.
"Kane, are you still scared?" She asks me leading me back to the river.
"Very, mother. I just don't want to mess up." I answer sitting back down by the river and playing with the Death Bell again. She smiles at me and laughs.
"If I didn't think you could do this I would not be allowing you to Kane. Have I not taught you what you need to know as a trader and a merchant for the last 12 years?"
"Yes, mother of course you have. I…" I stumble on my words and think about everything. Since I was 3 years old I was taught and trained in the ways of our clan, everything from my Jutsu to my bargaining skills. I felt better after remembering this. "You're right mother I do know everything I need to. I will just miss you all."
"I will miss you too, Musume." She moves behind me and starts to play with my hair. Unlike my mother's hair, my hair was white, something I gained from my father who died when I was 6, I am 15 now. I also had light blue, lilac eyes the same color as Death Bell flower I was named after. All of my clan had this eye trait. The flower or plant that you could grow with no problem was the color of our eyes. My mother's purple eyes came from the Belladonna flower. We were also named after our plant.
After a while, my hair was in a braid and I was falling asleep.
"Come Musume, you have a long day tomorrow, let us go sleep." She says and guides me back to camp.
The next morning I dress in a blue kimono with white flowers on the skirt. My hair was waving down my back with a few braids on top of my head, my circlet crown was on my forehead it had a tourmaline light pink gemstone in it.
"Today you and I will travel with a small guard by carriage to Konoha." My mother tells me. I nod to her letting her know I heard her. I was too nervous to speak at the moment. I get in the carriage and sit waiting to get this over with. I knew I would be fine once I had something to concentrate on.
The journey to Konoha was 6 hours and they felt long to me, but the weather was nice today, with some clouds in the sky. We got to the gate around noon, the two guards and one man in a green jumpsuit seemed bored and tired till they saw us and became alert.
"Please, speak your business here in Konoha." One said. My mother answers him in return.
"We are the Queen and Princess of Hyohaku-sha Clan, the Hokage is expecting us today." The guards seem to pause and take us all in. I smile at them and one just stares at me expectantly. I get slightly annoyed as I'm sure he's thinking I'll attack him and drink his blood. Please he doesn't even look appetizing… I giggle at my thoughts and slightly berate myself at the same time. I should not be thinking like this right now.
"Right I am Might Guy I have been assigned to help you and it will be my pleasure to escort you to the Hokage. You will have to walk I'm afraid but the carriage can stay here in this spot nothing will happen to it." The man in the Green jumpsuit says as my mother and I get out of the carriage and get ready to walk. Masao and my mother's guard Hogo-sha come stand with us.
"Thank you, Might Guy." My mother says as I smile at him. He seemed a tad weird but by his Jonin jacket, I can tell he was a ninja.
"Shouldn't we be on our way mother?" I ask.
"Of course, please lead the way, Might Guy."
"Right this way." Might Guy starts to walk very fast towards the middle of the village. Everywhere people stared at us as we went by. I was used to this, as we were always stared at either because people knew who we were and were curious to see if the rumor was true or if they didn't and wanted to know who we were. We made our way to a big red dome building, inside there was many desk and offices about. Might Guy led us up a spiral hallway and to the last door on the left. He knocked. "Come in." Came a female voice.
"Lady Tsunade the Queen and Princess of the Hyohaku-sha clan are here." Might answers, opening the door to reveal a blond woman.
"Yes Thank you, Guy, please let them in." She says as she looks to us. We walk in and she stands moving away from her desk. She walks in front of us and bows slightly.
"Queen Beradon'na, Princess Shinokane it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Lady Tsunade." We bow respectively
"The pleasure is mine, Lady Tsunade." My mother replies. "Did you have a chance to read the report and contract I sent to you? Is there anything you would like to discuss?" My mother asks getting right to business as always.
This contract was about me staying here to train and be a kunoichi under one of their senseis for a while and in return, my clan would send rare trades and do business with Konoha. I would oversee these trades and make sure they are fair to my clan as well as Konoha. Also, a part of the contract is I will be supplied with blood from the hospital to sustain myself and my chakra.
"I only have one question. Are you sure you want your daughter to be going on missions as well? Some of these missions will be dangerous." Lady Tsunade looks at my mother than to me. I smile at her for her concern.
"That is part of the duties of being a kunoichi, we are aware of the dangers of being a ninja. She may participate in the missions. If something happens in the line of duty all I ask is to be notified. We are a ninja clan, Lady Tsunade." My mother sounded a tad harsh but I knew this was not a subject she liked to discuss.
"Lady Tsunade, I am aware of the dangers and I ask that while I am here under training that I will be treated as one of your respected ninja and not a Princess. Of course while on discussing my clan, the contract, and trading deals I will ask to be treated like a Princess." I say politely.
"Very well then all that is needed is the signatures, then to discuss the team you will be on." Tsunade then moved to her desk. "Shizune the contract, please." Her assistant then came from the back of the room with papers in her hand, handing one to Tsunade who then signs the paper and move it for us to sign. My mother signs quickly, but I pause. I was nervous, I look at Lady Tsunade, she was watching me curiously, she smiles slightly at me. "Are you ok, Princess Shinokane?"
"Yes, just nervous to be moving here and to meet my team," I answer but sign the papers anyway. I hand them back to her and we sign the copy to be kept with my mother.
"Right Shizune please summon team 7."
"Right away ma'am." Shizune then leaves the room.
"You will be on team 7 under Kakashi Sensei, with Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno. There is currently no third member of the team and you will be temporarily filling for that spot while you are here." Tsunade says as she sits back down in her chair.
"Can you tell me about them, please Lady Hokage?" I ask.
"Please as I am now your Hokage just call me Tsunade, no need for formalities, while you are a ninja." She smiles the same smile I gave her earlier. I nod and slightly giggle at how well we were getting along. "Kakashi Sensei is... well, laid back; but a formidable opponent, He graduated the academy early and became one of our Anbu early as well. If you heard of the Copy Cat Ninja of the Leaf that is Kakashi Hatake. Naruto Uzumaki is a crazy knucklehead but he is strong and determined, he is currently gone training under the Legendary Sannin Jiraiya. Sakura Haruno is my apprentice she has amazing chakra control and has potential."
I had heard of the Copy Cat Ninja and of course the 3 Legendary Sannin. Wow, I would be training with people who were trained with these amazing ninja. I was terrified but honored.