Humming Rest

"I will try to bring them back to their village but what did you do to their kidnappers?"

I stayed silent not wanting to say anything. Nokiya-san sighed and handed me new supplies of food. I didn't expect him to be in the village Miyana, due to the fact that last I saw him was in the growing village. He must have decided to stay in the different village.

"The war is spreading," he informed.

I frowned at this piece of information. If the war is spreading toward the west, then the villages that I have been to won't be able to defend themselves.

"Do you know if our village have survived, Nokiya-san?"

"I do not know. Neither Takeshi, Yuto, or I have received any news. The miss forced us to go to Miyana and live here."

He didn't want to live in a different village. It bothered me immensely as to why the hag wouldn't let other live in her village.

"Did you not try to return?"

He glanced at me, then looked out the door behind me.

"No...you know as well as everyone else, that she would have made us go whether we prefer it or go against it. She probably knew that it was time for us to go outside instead of staying."

That hag...she try to do too much. I can only wonder how she is doing with that person who has always been at her side.

"I'll be continuing my way now. Thank you for your hospitality and give my respect for Takeshi-san and Yuto-san," I bidded.

He nodded his head in affirmation and we carried on with what we need to do.

U*U*U

RustleRustleRustle

"Where is he?"

"Urg!"

Thump

"Be careful! He's skilled in assassinating!"

"There!"

"W-What!?"

Thump...Thump...CRRACCKK

"Hara! Shi! Where are you?"

Rustle

"Dead...just like you will be."

"U-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

I sighed as I thought of the trouble these hunters have given me. If any of my belonging have been damage, something worse would have happen to them. Now I have to find a place to hide their bodies. From the way the river flow, I may be able to find a place for the bodies.

U~U~U

Splash! Splash!

I took a breath of air after washing my face and used a cloth to wipe it. I'm making progress but I have to make plan on how to proceed with caution. Going to the central capital will be dangerous if the war has intensified but that is the only way I can move on to my destination.

Splat...Gasp...Cough...Cough

I turned quickly at the noise and saw a woman's body near the river bank. I cautiously went to her and examined her. I recognized her instantly. It was the woman from before and from the inn. What is she doing nearly drowning? As I was about to carry her, I noticed red marks on her neck and bruises on her wrists.

U*U*U

"Why!? Why are you taking us with you?" asked the boy of eleven asked.

A man who has a cold air surrounding him didn't look at them and continue to stand guard for the woman. The nine year old boy was afraid of him, standing behind his brother.

"You'll get nothing out of us!" the eleven year old boy continued.
"It is because she is too kind."

Both of the boys were confused by this answer.

"As to warn you of now, if she get hurt in any form, I will hurt you in return."

"Shikamaru! Shikamaru! Help me!"

I suddenly woke to the sound of frightened yell. The woman was having nightmares again. I went to her side to calm her down. She was lucky that I've found her since the day after I found her, she came down with a serious cold. I didn't want to risk the chance of being seen by anybody, thus the best shelter I could use were the trees.

Despite her struggling, I carefully lifted her head to set it on my lap. Then, I began stroking her soft hair softly as to not alarm her and song a tune. I did this continuously despite the scratches, bites, and struggle she has given me. After some time, she calm down and slept without any nightmares for the rest of the night.

U~U~U

My body hurt everywhere. I feel very hot. I groaned as I tried to wake myself. What has happened to me? Fire...I remembered fire everywhere and running. I was running...from something. Teko's face appeared in my mind and I sat up quickly with fear. Where am I?

I then noticed that I was in a forest. I was under a tree with leaves hanging low enough to keep the sun from shining on me and outside from the leaves curtains, I could see a small fire burning. Who...brought me here?

"You shouldn't move, your majesty. You are still recovering from a cold that would have turned into a cold."

That voice...I recognized it right away. My heart was gripped with fear as those men's voice echoed in my head. This man is a merciless killer. He had killed women, children, and men alike. A dirty bastard also, raping the women before doing them in. That feeling...that disgusting feeling is coming back. He'll do the same. I-I'll die.

"S-stay away!"

He stopped coming toward me. I took that moment to hurriedly get up and run. I didn't run far when I began to feel dizzy and tripped over something. I closed my eyes, waiting for the hard impact of the forest ground. I didn't feel any pain but the feel of someone's arms around me.

"You should be careful. You are still weak from the cold," he informed me quietly.

U*U*U

Her eyes was showing fear and panic. I can only speculate the reason and none of them were pleasant. How can I calm her down if she's going to run? Her arms extended themselves toward me and pushed with what strength she could muster. It did not faze me.

"L-let me go!"

"I will not leave you when you are recovering," I said to her, trying not to drop her, "I will promise you that I will not do anything harmful."

She stopped struggling momentarily. That was all I need to quickly carry her back to the makeshift mattress and set her down. She shifted herself to move away from but she stayed on the mattress, thus it doesn't' matter if she is afraid of me. Before she could even say anything, I quickly move away from her and waited.

U~U~U

With many sleepless night, I was at my wit's end. My eyes kept on trying to sleep while my body was very sluggish. I wanted to sleep but I couldn't for fear of that man. I preferred not to go through that experience again. When the time is right, I will definitely run away.

"You should be sleeping, your majesty."

He came back with more fishes and leaves. I was getting sick of them and wished to go back to Yasumi where it was comfortable and there were different kind of foods. I want to go back to his arms where it always made me feel safe and warm.

"Sleep and feel better, your majesty."

Without me noticing, he was near me and I reacted by trying to move away but instead I fell. He caught me again and steady me before letting go.

"I said it once and I will say again; I will not do anything harmful to you. Until you are fine on your own, I will protect you," he told me.

He was next to me and set my head on his lap. I could have push him away and yell at him yet I didn't. I wonder why and thought it was his words that affected me. It has been long since I am myself and vulnerable. I heard him say that he will force me to sleep whether I prefer it or not and began to hum a tune. My mind, tired from everything, slowly made me fall asleep and my last thought was that his humming was nice.

U*U*U

A/N: Sai is reunited with the mysterious woman (though I'm pretty sure you guys know who it anyway) Isn't it nice? You get to see some of his past and some people he know. I was 'yes' for this chapter to be out cause that mean I get to write/type/etc about their adventure. Have fun^^