"But, Lord Kazekage," Senjiro began, "she—"
"I don't care what she did," the Kazekage interrupted. "Just make sure that's she's alive when we arrive at the village."
"Lord Kazekage, what about her eye?" asked Senjiro. "She's got a patch."
"It's nothing. Bring her anyways."
Chapter 7:
When Kokoro finally opened her eyes (She had forced herself to sleep on her journey to the Sand village.), she found herself surrounded by piles of fabrics, all newly washed and freshly scented. She rubbed the sleep dust from her right eye. When she reached to remove her bloody bandage, she felt soft cotton, and the sensation against her fingers startled her.
"Vincent!" she gasped, looking left to right for her lover.
"Vincent?" Kokoro froze. "Who's that?" She slowly turned around, afraid to face who spoke. A young woman with golden hair and blue eyes stood in front of her wearing elegant silks and sheers. "Is he your lover?" Kokoro nodded slowly in reply. The blonde woman held out her hand, and she helped Kokoro stand. "My name's Yori," she smiled.
"Where am I?" Kokoro asked frantically. "Did Vincent make it? Is he alive?" Yori stroked Kokoro's hair while she soothed the frightened girl.
"Calm down," she whispered. "You're going to make yourself sick if you keep freaking out." Kokoro took several deep breaths, listening to Yori's voice. "Now," Yori said, "tell me, sweetie, what's your name?" Kokoro gulped down another breath of air.
"My name's Kokoro Hino," she said, her voice shaky with fear. "I'm sixteen years old from the Village Hidden in the Leaves." Yori smiled.
"That's a good girl," she soothed. "You're far from home, Kokoro. What were you doing so close to the Sand Village?" Kokoro's eyes began to well with tears.
"It's my fault!" she sobbed. "They all died. Vincent, Emi, they died because of me!" Yori gently wiped Kokoro's tears with her thumb.
"Hush, Kokoro," she whispered. "If you keep crying, your bandage is going to get wet and shrink." Kokoro rubbed the damp cloth. Yori took her hand away and squeezed it. "You should get cleaned up," she said. "Lord Kazekage gave orders that you were to see him first thing this morning." Kokoro fiercely shook her head.
"No, I don't want to see him," she protested. "I want to go home."
"Yori, is everything all right?" Kokoro stared intently at Ai, Yori's twin sister who, instead of green, had blue eyes deeper than the blue of her silky dress. "I heard crying. Is she okay?" Kokoro wiped her teary eyes as Yori consulted her sister and together they formulated a plan. They both faced Kokoro at once, mischievous grins on their pale faces.
"Come with us, Kokoro," Yori cooed, taking her right hand. "You must be hungry. There's a feast waiting on the other side of the courtyard." Kokoro felt relief. Her stomach had been grumbling for hours, which had angered Senjiro during the journey to the Sand Village.
"You may eat," Ai informed her, "after you meet with the Kazekage." Kokoro's face drooped at Ai's remark. She didn't want to see the Kazekage. She wanted to eat, and to go home to the Leaf Village.
"Where's Vincent?" Kokoro asked again. "Why won't you tell me anything? Where's Vincent?" Ai sighed as Kokoro began to cry again. She wrapped her arms around Kokoro's shoulders.
"I don't know who Vincent is," she murmured. "You were the only person that Lord Kazekage brought back with him." She stroked Kokoro's hair as her sobbing worsened, and she soothed her cries. "You'll be okay," she said. "Lord Kazekage will take good care of you here." Kokoro wiped her eyes with her hand.
"I don't want to be here," she sniffed. "I want to go home. I want to see my parents again."
"You'll see them soon," Yori smiled, patting Kokoro's head. "There are always genin from the Sand Village who participate in the chunin exams. This year they'll be hosted by the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Lord Kazekage always takes at least one girl with him. If you find favor with him, he'll surely take you with him, and you'll see your parents again."
"But, I can't wait that long! I have sons back home. Who's gonna—"
"What's all the racket?" Suddenly, Yori and Ai dropped to the ground and bowed. Kokoro wiped her eyes again and turned around, coming face to face with the Kazekage. Her face burned bright red with embarrassment, and she bowed her head. "Yori, Ai, why wasn't she in my quarters this morning?" Ai raised her head.
"Kokoro's distressed, Lord Kazekage," she replied. "We were trying to calm her down." The Kazekage softly stroked Kokoro's cheek.
"Don't cry, little one," he grinned mischievously. "You're in my house, a safer place than that forest where I found you." He lifted Kokoro's chin with his finger. "Tell me how old you are, Kokoro." The girl shook her head. She didn't want to speak to him. After all, he had left Vincent's body to rot in the forest
"She's sixteen," Yori chirped, "and she says that she wants to go home." The Kazekage firmly grasped Kokoro's chin.
"Is this true?" he asked. "Answer me, Kokoro." He watched her eyes while he waited for an answer. Her golden eyes so full of fear, full of pain, delighted him. "I said, answer me." Kokoro shook her head again.
"No," she replied softly. "I won't tell you anything." The Kazekage seized Kokoro's arm and pulled her closer to him.
"Disobedience isn't tolerated in my house," he snarled. "As long as you're here, you will listen to me and obey me. Do you understand, Kokoro?"
"I won't tell you anything," Kokoro repeated, this time her voice quivering as more tears came rolling down her face. "I just want to go home!" She covered her face with her hands and began to sob again. "I want Vincent back. I want my boys back. Please," she begged through her tears, "send me home." The Kazekage frowned.
"Clean her up," he ordered the twins. "Send her to my quarters after she's had something to eat and has rested for a little while." Both girls nodded in compliance to their master's demands, and the Kazekage departed for his office.
Once he had gone, Yori took Kokoro's hands and pried them away from her face.
"You can't burst into tears like that," she said. "Lord Kazekage won't take you seriously, and he sees that as a weakness."
"But, I'm scared," Kokoro sniffed.
"That doesn't matter to him," Ai informed her. "He wants you, Kokoro, so he'll keep you here until he doesn't want you anymore. You'll never know when that day will come." Kokoro threw her arms around Ai, clinging like a lost child to his mother.
"I don't want to be alone," she murmured. "Please, don't leave me alone with that man." Ai stroked Kokoro's hair, hushing her occasional sobs and sniffs. She squeezed Kokoro tight, and kissed her forehead.
"You'll be okay, sweetie," she soothed. "I'm here if you ever need anything."