Chapter One

Sealed Fate

The three children's footsteps made no noise as they bounded through the falling snow, leaving fresh footprints behind them. Their laughter and screams filled the chilled air. Their breath puffed into clouds as they chased one another through the estate's courtyard. Snow continued to float down to the Earth from dark fluffy clouds high above their heads.

"Kei! Give Lady Hisako her bunny! Mom would be so angry if she finds out you took Lady Hisako's bunny!" Takun, Kei's twin brother, and Hisako's cousin shouted as Hisako and Takun chased after the high-spirited Kei.

Kei laughed and turned around smiling at the other two children, waving Hisako's pink stuffed animal bunny in the air.

"Catch me if you want it back! But I doubt either one of you can. I am the strongest, and the fastest of all of us," Kei taunted, laughing at the obvious frustrations of the other two children.

Hisako, the youngest of the three by two years was barely keeping up with her cousin Takun. Hisako's short legs pushed through the thick snow, her bright green eyes filled with tears, her cheeks red and puffy. Today, her mother had put her dark brown hair into a tight braid, and her pale skin almost matched the fresh snow. Her hands were in thick white gloves, and she wore a thick blue and white jacket with the Fuyu Clan's symbol of the Fuyu Blossom on the back. Found only in the Hyoga Mountain Range, the Fuyu Blossom is a beautiful crystal-shaped flower that is held in high regard by the whole village

"Kei! Please, it's getting close to dinner time!" Hisako begged as she stepped forward catching her foot on a higher snow bank and tripping her.

She landed in the snow with a soft thud, snow sticking to her exposed face. Takun stopped his pursuit, and turned around to go back to Hisako, his blue eyes bright with concern, his dark brown hair picking up in the sudden gust of wind as he kneeled down next to Hisako, helping her to her feet again.

"Are you hurt, Lady Hisako?" Takun asked as they both got to their feet.

Hisako shook her head no, tears brimming her eyes.

Takun saw the concern and frustration in his cousin's eyes, his frown deepening, "Don't worry Lady Hisako. I'll retrieve Lady Strawberry for you from my brother. That's a promise!"

Hisako's expression eased into a small smile and she nodded her head, "Right! And I'll help,"

"No! It's okay Lady Hisako. Please, let me get Lady Strawberry, you stay here,"

Kei sat back, sitting on one of the steps to the deck of the estate swinging the pink bunny around the air as he watched the two. His blue eyes glimmered with mischief and excitement.

"You hear that brother? I'm coming for you! You're going to give Lady Hisako her bunny whether you want to or not!" Takun shouted, turning back towards Kei.

Kei laughed again, "Yeah-"

"Okay, you three! Come on inside, it's dinner time!" a woman's voice shouted from the other side of the courtyard.

All of the children stopped and turned around to see Hisako's Aunt, Aunt Ashren, Kei's and Takun's mother, standing under the deck waving to the three with a gloved hand. Aunt Ashren had a frown on her face when her blue eyes caught Kei holding Hisako's bunny.

"Kei! How could you take Lady Hisako's bunny again? Give it back to her this minute! You're in big trouble young man!" Aunt Ashren shouted out.

Kei let out a loud, dramatic groan as he stood up, running towards his mother. As he passed Takun and Hisako, he threw the bunny on the snowy ground laughing.

"You know, even if I get into trouble, it was worth it seeing Lady Hisako cry!" Kei shouted out.

"Lady Strawberry!" Hisako shouted, running for the stuffed bunny.

Takun beat her there, and picked up the snow-covered bunny, handing it to her, "Here. I'm sorry I couldn't get the bunny for you soon-"

Before Takun finished the sentence, a loud smack resounded off the new snow followed by Kei shrieking from the shock of the slap. Both Hisako and Takun flinched and Hisako hugged her stuffed bunny tighter.

"He kind of deserved that one though," Takun muttered, but his voice was thick with sympathy as his mother scolded his twin brother.

Hisako and Takun followed after Kei and Aunt Ashren silently, almost as silent as the falling snow.

"It's finally spring," Takun commented quietly, his gaze looking up to the gray sky, "even though it's still snowing, at least we won't have to deal with giant snow drifts and deadly conditions anymore. I also heard that this year's harvest was as great as any! We won the contest in the neighboring villages for the largest produce again,"

Hisako smiled and nodded her head, "and with the weather warming up, the village will have a lot of people here again. Maybe Mom will let us all go on a trip to the hot springs," Hisako mused.

"Top it off, spring means it's your birthday. You're gonna be another year older tomorrow," Takun paused with a laugh, "feel any different?"

"No," Hisako muttered as Aunt Ashred stopped.

"Alright Lady Hisako, go tell your Mother I said hello. We'll see you tomorrow for your birthday celebrations," Aunt Ashred told Hisako, stopping in front of the Main Family's dining hall.

"Sleep well, Lady Hisako," Takun added, giving her a gentle smile.

Hisako nodded, "thank you, you too Takun," she bowed to them as they bowed to her and she entered the dining room.

"Dad! Dad! Has my cake come in yet?" Hisako shouted as she ran into the dining room.

Her father laughed, kneeling down to pull her into a warm embrace, "Not yet little one, it's coming tomorrow morning. But I promise it'll be exactly like you want it!"

Hisako smiled. She loved her Father, and admired him and his strength. Especially the love he had for mother, and the love she shared with him. Hisako wanted to kind of love they had. Their love was forbidden, a love that was never meant to be. Two clans, from two different villages. Neither was supposed to fall in love with the other.

"Dad, could you tell me the story of how you and mom fell in love again? How the Uchiha Clan disowned you for it and mother made sure you were accepted into the Glacier Village? How you knew it was love at first sight, and-"

"Come on you two, Chef made roast duck just for you Hisako, and we don't want it getting cold," Hisako's mother called out, interrupting Hisako as she waved to Hisako and her father ushering them over to the table.

Hisako's mother's neck glittered in the evening light, the source was a beautiful crystal necklace. The necklace was an heirloom to the head family of the Fuyu Clan. Whoever had the necklace, was known as the high lady, or lord, of the clan, and the crystal was said to hold mysterious powers. Hisako had always been fascinated by its powers, by its presence. She had always felt a sort of pull to the necklace like it was calling to her.

Hisako and her father took up their normal seats on the pillows in front of the table, little Hana was securely strapped to her mother's chest in a baby wrap sleeping quietly.

"Roasted duck! Yay!" Hisako shouted, picking up her chopsticks as one of the servants placed her plate in front of her.

Even though she was excited about her birthday tomorrow, she sat quietly as she ate the roast duck. Her mother and father held most of the conversation at the dinner table like they usually did. It wasn't often that Hisako was permitted to speak over dinner. Her parents typically used this time to discuss the state of the village since it was usually the first time they saw each other.

"I've heard some concerning rumors about our current Hyogakage," Hisako's father started, "I was wondering if you've heard of any of them yourself, Hana?"

Her mother's expression immediately grew concerned, and she set her chopsticks down, "I've heard the rumors myself. Rumors that she's left the village a few times, and has refused to say where she's gone to,"

"Can you confirm if those rumors are true?"

Hisako's mother shook her head, "I don't watch over the Hyogakage like that. When she gained that position over me, she gained the responsibility to protect the village and its people. That was the oath she took. However, I do know that the village is becoming restless. They haven't enjoyed life with her in the position and are eager for a chance to bring in someone new. She has been raising the taxes to fund her own lifestyle, and the personal training of her daughter in the hopes that her daughter will succeed her and the villagers are becoming tired of her encroachment on their normal lives,"

Hisako's mother took a long pause and picked up her chopsticks again, "I've even heard a rumor of revolt," she said this last part in a whisper, and Hisako's gaze dropped as her mother's blue eyes went to her.

Hisako knew the role she played in this. Traditionally, the position of Hyogakage went to the son or daughter of the two most powerful clans in the village. The person who was chosen for this role was the candidate that showed the most promise for the village's future. There was a public vote, but also the Elders had their say as well.

"Hisako, I need you to look at me," Hisako hesitated at her mother's demanding tone.

She didn't want to. She didn't want to look up and face her mother's demanding expression, face the responsibilities that lie on her shoulders. The destiny that her mother was trying to force upon her. A destiny she never wanted.

"Hisako," her mother's voice became harsh and stern.

Hisako winced like she had been struck by her mother's words, but she caved to her mother's demands and looked up to her mother.

"The trials will start in a few years. When you're fifteen. You must be ready by then to take part in the trials, and prove to the villagers and the Elders that you are fit for the position of Hyogakage. The entire village is depending on you to overthrow the corrupted Yukigafuru Clan. Lady Hyogkage is taking the same approach to training her daughter as they did to win last time. They're going for power. Immense power. I believe you must gain that sort of strength, but you must also learn how to run a village to earn respect not by fear like they have done but by earning it. You must fix the errors of my ways. You must rise to the challenge and become someone who I was unable to become,"

Her mother's voice was demanding, frightening, and absolute. She chose Hisako for this task. She chose her own daughter to fulfill a destiny she herself could not rise to meet. And now, Hisako must do it. Her training in this position was difficult and painful. Her mother held no mercy for her daughter with her training and all of her expectations fell straight on Hisako's small shoulders.

"Hana, please my dear, Hisako will be turning six tomorrow. Can't this wait?" her father urged her mother, placing a kind hand on her shoulder.

"My love, Hisako must understand the gravity of her situation. The dire state of this village requires that she takes her training and this responsibility seriously. It is her destiny," her mother insisted.

Her father frowned and his eyes held a sort of sadness and desperation. Her mother saw the look in his eyes, and she sighed finally dropping the matter.

The rest of dinner was spent mostly in silence, and Hisako was grateful for the quiet. The maid, Mei, came around and cleared the table when they were finished eating, and her father even convinced her mother to play a board game as a family.

A little while later, Hisako was warm in her pajamas, her little sister was in the nursery sleeping soundly in her crib and her parents had just finished reading a book to Hisako about a noble shinobi who lived many years ago.

"And that is the story of the Sage of Six Paths," her father finished, rolling up the scroll.

Hisako rolled her eyes as she pulled her blanket back, "I know father. You've read that story to me a million times. Isn't it just some dumb legend?"

"You don't know Hisako, that dumb legend may come in handy one of these days," her father warned, setting the scroll down.

"One last thing before you go to sleep, Hisako," her mother told her, sitting down beside her, her hands went back and unlatched the crystal necklace from around her neck.

Hisako sat up, her green eyes wide in surprise as she raised her hands up to take the necklace from her mother as her mother handed it to her, "But, mom, why? I'm only turning six tomorrow," Hisako said, hesitating as she held the necklace up so she could see the milky white of the crystal, watching how the light from the lamp bounced off of the ridges of the necklace.

The necklace had some kind of an odd chakra to it, an odd presence she couldn't explain. As she was looking at the necklace, it felt like the necklace was looking back. The energy felt welcoming, it felt as if the necklace was approving Hisako, and Hisako immediately felt an attachment to the stone.

"Consider it an early birthday present," her mother told her, taking the necklace from Hisako to place it around her daughter's neck.

The rock felt heavy, and Hisako's hand went up to grasp the cool-edged stone now hanging around her neck, and a thought occurred to Hisako as her mother tried laying Hisako down. Hisako sat up again, pushing her mother away.

"But, mother, when you got this crystal, didn't grandma die the next day? Doesn't it mean, when someone else gets this necklace, the person who had it last-"

"Hisako, my dear, your grandmother died of an illness. I am not ill. Do not think of such legends in this family to be true, don't worry your head over this nonsense little one. Your sixth birthday is tomorrow, and it will be a big day. Get some sleep," her mother interrupted, kissing her daughter on the forehead before standing up.

Her father gave Hisako a small smile, and kissed the top of her head, "sleep well, my daughter,"

"But you told me that the story about the Sage of Six Paths could come in handy someday and that's a stupid old story too!" Hisako argued from her bed as her parents shushed her before walking out of her room.

Hisako saw their shadows from the lamp they carried, and Hisako shivered at the muffled words she was able to overhear.

"Don't you think you should have told her, Hana?" her father was asking her mother.

"No. At least my death is inevitable tomorrow, that much is certain, but, we cannot worry her. She is far too young to worry about her mother's death," her mother's voice dropped to a whisper, and there was a heavy sadness to her next words, "And she is far too young to gain the responsibilities that bearing that crystal comes with. I only wish she were older so she could be better equipped to handle these responsibilities,"

A lump formed in Hisako's throat, and her hands shook as she grasped her blankets tight around her. She wanted to chase after her parents, demand an answer for why they believed her mother was to die tomorrow, on her birthday, but she knew she couldn't. She knew they would never answer her questions.

That night, early in the morning, she finally fell asleep, her eyes red and puffy from crying, with intense fear and the sadness that gripped her heart. Her family necklace, the one she has spent years dreaming of the day when she would finally receive it, now felt like a giant weight pressing down on her chest, almost like a curse was just sealed onto her. Sealing her fate forever.