Chapter 31

Sakura discovered she still have so much to learn about life here, just like how much she had to learn in her previous life. A lot of common sense she had to explicitly being told before it makes sense to her. This was made explicit to her when the Dowager Empress assigned a team of half a dozen elderly maids to look after the newlyweds as a way of "teaching the new bride a lesson or two of managing a household". Sakura naively thought it was actual to teach her something useful, but in actually it was to recite old manuscripts and traditional values of what it means to be a woman, which was outdated even by today's standards, let along a girl who came from a thousand years into the future.

Sakura is by no means an idiot. She can't start verbally gallivanting modern ideologies and expect everyone to be enlightened. Humans by nature need to be introduced and takes baby steps at a time, but at the same time, Sakura found herself extremely annoyed by the elderly maid, especially one named Chiyo, who does everything in her power to find some faults with Sakura, and eventually it has gotten to the point that Chiyo was in charge of delivering Sakura's medicine each morning, regardless of whether Sakura had been intimate with the Prince of not.

Sakura took it all in, because it was not in her nature to start causing riots, also she believed in fate and destiny. If she was not meant to be here one day she would be back to the future, and she would be ok with that. Her love for Sasuke is similar to a stream, flowing peacefully and quietly. She has not felt the passion of life and death for someone in a long time, and perhaps she never will. It was one of those things she pondered about when she had a moment to herself, wondering where has the years gone and why is she a woman in her twenties but trapped in the body of a 17 year old bride. At her age she should be falling in an out of love and have multiple dates, but she's married.

Tenten decided to one day to summon up the courage and ask Sakura what she should do about any potential dancers. She and a couple other girls are the only elder dancers left. She felt it was her duty to do something about it. Especially when nowadays the manor rarely has dancers performing during dinner. Only on the rare occasion when guests come, and Sasuke has been notoriously private about guests. Perhaps it was in his best interest not to entertain major political figures, but he frowned upon guests almost all the time.

Tenten stood in front of Sakura, only sitting down when she invited her to. Sakura found in dismay but as well as relief that after her marriage everyone sort of fell into their own perspective place. Everyone had a new level of respect for her and everything they do including the gestures heavily emphasis on that. In such a rigid and traditional focused society, Sakura felt suffocated, which is why she immediately asked Tenten to sit down, and the dark haired girl's eye shone with brightness and gratefulness as she sat down in a wooden chair lined with silk cushion next to her, and cleared her throat.

Sakura understood and sent her maids in waiting away.

"I was thinking, your highness." Tenten got all the pleasantries out of the way and Sakura waved as she said to motion for her to continue, "the dancer girls, as you know the manor hires in two waves. Once during the spring and once during the fall. We do our fair share around the household but we are dancers nevertheless. Some of the younger girls are getting impatient, and they've..."

Sakura understood. She has seen on the rare occasions when the younger dancers are allowed to show their face to the guests and main household they dress up so lavishly just for a chance to be noticed.

"Please don't get me wrong, we're not ungrateful, it's just that I feel like we might have better uses elsewhere. So I'm asking if there's any possibility to let us go-and we get to chase our own paths. Also from now on, it would be quite unnecessary to hire dancers as it is an extravagant cost without performances every night."

Sakura thought about this for a few minutes, all the while Tenten was sipping tea nervously. Tenten was having doubts about her visit now. She thought that coming from Sakura's perspective it wouldn't be in her best interest to have young girls hanging around the manor all the time, but then again, who doesn't have dancers in their manor? Dance troupes, along with stone statues of lion and gargoyle carvings are a sign of prosperity and a way to show off wealth. Especially the Royal Prince who has more wealth than what he knows to do with.

Sakura's thoughts were on the girls and Tenten herself, "I am inclined to let the dancers girl if that's what they wish. I need to discuss it with the Prince tonight, but at the same time, what will you do? You mentioned that you're arriving at an age where you are thinking about retiring from being a dancer?"

Tenten was touched that Sakura's thoughts were with her, "I was thinking about going back home to my village. I've been sending money to my family every month and all was well, my parents may need some help around the farm, if my brothers wants to go to school..."

She didn't finish her thought but Sakura understood what she was hinting. Going back to a rural village usually meant being set up by the village matchmaker and being married off. If you're lucky then you'd marry someone who uses their brains for a living, but if you're not that lucky then you might marry a butcher or a hunter whose living is fickle and dependent upon luck.

"How about you stay with me?" Sakura asked finally. "It might be a step down from what you usually do, but if you stay by my side and help me, I would treat you like a sister. You're the only one I trust, and you're one of the first friend I've ever made. I don't want to be without you."

Tenten nodded. Tears welled up in her eyes, but Sakura understood.

Sasuke came home that night with a furry little surprise inside his coat pocket. He thrusted the little fella in Sakura's embrace when she stood up to take his coat. She was taken by surprise and found out its a tiny but chubby little bunny. The bunny is obviously terrifies and its shivering in Sakura's hands. She was delirious, "Oh, where did you find it? It's precious!"

Sasuke hung his coat up himself and smiled at her, "during the hunt today, one of my men discovered it in a burrow. The mountains near the capital doesn't have big games anymore. I remember when we were young the Emperor would take us on these long hunting trips to catch exotic animals... Maybe I'll suggest it to my brother for the upcoming birthday..."

Sakura quickly fussed over the tiny thing by building a temporary little nest made from old rags and and a teacup of water for the bunny. She even found a few carrot scraps in the kitchen and brought it back to feed it. By the time she got back, Sasuke was speed reading the scrolls of the day.

Each day political figures likes to write each other letters discussing the future of this country. Sasuke occasionally gets some scrolls and most of the time he doesn't bother to reply to them. They're mostly for his brother, but out of curtesy they had someone replicate another copy for the other twin to keep him in the loop. He needs to be an clueless individual, but not an idiot. No country needs a prince who is an idiot.

Sasuke finished with the boring stuff and moved onto the scrolls Sakura wrote each day. She has a habit of keeping a journal of things, big or small, of the day and report back to Sasuke.

Sasuke read it with a teasing smile in his eyes, "release all dancers? Was this an executive decision?"

Sakura pouted but quickly composed herself and said, "I told Tenten I would talk to you about it, and if you agree, she would stay by me. I need a friend."

She was clear and succinct, Sasuke looked up from her journal and into her eyes, then smiled, "Alright then."

He leaned in to kiss her, and hugged her tightly within his arms.

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A/N: Sorry again for the late update and the late chapters. Please review to remind me to update more! This story is easier to write...