Chapter 20
Sakura quickly dropped the brush and went to grab Sasuke's fur cape.
It was approaching dark and the temperature dropped drastically within minutes as the sun sets. The sand on the ground which experienced scorching heat has now turned to little icy pieces.
Sasuke didn't notice what she was doing. His eyes softened at her presence and he stood still to let her hung his cape and brush off the dust on his robes.
"There's going to be a feast tonight." Sasuke said to her, "I've sent a pigeon to the Capital asking for reinforcements."
"That's wise, my Lord." Sakura replied obediently. While silently praying he would wuyalk straight to his bed instead of his desk. She could feel her heart pounding louder and louder.
Sasuke thought for a moment before continuing, "It occurred to me, that the Oto-"
He stopped talking, because he saw the drawing on his desk.
Sasuke didn't speak at first. He observed the piece of paper, puzzled at first, then he saw the crumpled up paper, and picked it up and smoothed it out with his hand. His eyes widened from astonishment for a second before quickly reverting back to his usual cold gaze, all warmth gone from his entire body, and his voice was distant and sarcastic as he looked up slowly at Sakura, "Did you do this?"
Sakura opened her mouth before closing, for she doesn't know what to say and she feels powerless and foolish at the same time. She could only nod slightly.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her, and hissed, "how?"
His voice wasn't particularly loud, but it carried so much weight that Sakura immediately knelt down onto the ground and quickly explained, "Royal Highness, When I was young, my father took my to various trips in and out of the nation, and I learnt to read many books and met a lot of scholars.. I know some distant languages, broken bits and pieces. As for this, I can assure you it's a image I saw from an ancient text, it's nothing of crucial importance. And.. and..."
Sasuke raised his eyebrow.
"I have always been curious about the sciences and design, like weaponry and machines. I've taken apart our horse carriage just to see how it moves, and I've made crude slingshots when I was young. My father spoilt me and let me have my hobbies.. which is why I have fallen behind in instruments, embroidery, painting and chess..."
For a mastery of any of the four important areas are considered perfection.
Sasuke did nothing except to look at her for almost three minutes. During these few minutes Sakura's heart pounded louder and louder, fearing for her life. Sasuke on the other hand, was looking at her in a brand new light. He has never met a female who is interested in these sort of things. In his impression females only separate into two categories. The first being girls who wants to sleep him and use him, and second is his mother. Almost every girl he has ever met wants to sleep with him, use him in someway, or a combination thereof.
"Stand up." He said.
Sakura did, her eyes watering.
"Come here." He told her.
She walked over next to him.
He pointed to the page, "show me your thought process."
Sakura immediately calmed down and begin to comb through her logic, "You see there's no way to protect the cart itself with all its weapons shown in broad daylight.. also according to the landscape it might be a good idea to paint it in the same color as its surroundings..."
Sasuke listened intently, asking many questions along the way. Sakura was smart enough not to divulge all of her information while making some basic pointers that could have come to him after he tested out the machine do the first time.
They talked late into the night.
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The next day, as dawn approaches, all the soldiers begin to lace up their amours and grab their weapons. Sasuke stood on the tall wall and watched as the enemies stood a few hundred meters away, chanting in a strange sound. Both Sasuke and Sakura wore earmuffs to protect themselves, and even so Sakura felt a bit dizzy.
All soldiers were equipped with earmuffs, and it wasn't an uncommon thing to them anymore. They have expertly inserted a clean and sanitized thin film, then shoved a lump of sand clay mixture into their ears, and on top of that a layer of thick earmuffs. Needless today their hearing is completely cut off, therefore fighting with a sense gone is a skill one must equip with when fighting the Oto nation.
Sakura saw clear as day as a row of puppets guard the wall, another row was firing the arrows, and the third is a row of soldiers hidden within puppets and driving the massive tank like machine.
She suddenly realized that the machine have already been built, and some of her suggestions were implemented over night. Either way, the machine is going to be used in battle.
The machine fired a large bomb right into the center of the opposing army.
Immediately, there was screaming and running everywhere. The Oto soldier
The Oto soldiers were quickly dispersed. Those who came forward are killed by puppets, and those who turned back ran like hell.
This all happened within half an hour, and even when Sakura was watching on the wall, she couldn't help but shiver at the sight.
Then Sasuke took her down to the doors, and they exited through a horse carriage without curtains. The army in front of them was moving at a rapid pace. The tank machine itself was moved by 20 different soldiers and their puppets.
They drove on.
Sakura asked Sasuke, "where are we going?"
Sasuke said calmly, "to demolish their city."
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A/N: holidays are here! I have more time to update. Please review! It gives me strength to continue.
