Chapter 10
A woman stood defiantly beside her small child and looked up to the man who controlled her life.
"I will NOT let you use myself or my daughter to hurt the Kazekage."
The man with cold, golden eyes looked down at his wife "You foolish woman, do you think I allowed you and your bastard to live out of the kindness of my heart? You will do as I say or I will have the girl murdered where she stands."
Taken back at his harsh words she stared blankly. True, her husband had never loved her and had grown to hate her when he had found out that not only had she been unfaithful, but her infidelity had produced a child, but she had never known him to kill an innocent child. Looking up to his eyes however, she knew that he meant it.
"Very well Katsurou, I will do as you wish as long as you spare Mae."
"Oh course, she has a bigger role to play in the end than even you know"
Katsurou looked to his men and nodded. The three men who were guarding him walked over to the two females.
Desperate, the woman looked to her daughter. "Mae, you have to do what Katsurou tells you now. DO you hear me? You must follow ever order he gives you. No matter what happens to me just know that I love you. I will always love you and I will watch over you."
Quickly kissing her daughter on the forehead as silent tears rolled down her face she nodded to the man she knew would be her end.
He looked at her with a knowing smirk "Goodbye Kana, you will not be missed."
Without another word he nodded to his men. He saw fear flash before the little girls eyes before she was struck from behind.
There would be no need for her to see her mother beaten to death. She would play her part regardless.
It was only a matter of time before the elusive Kazekage was drawn out into the open, and then he would take his life just as the ruthless man had taken the life of his father.
"I will avenge you father, and then you will rest in peace."
He looked once more to the guards. "You need to rough the girl up, she will need fresh wounds if the Kazekage is going to be flushed from his hole."
Mae was shaking as she remembered the chilling night that her mother had been torn from her. She knew what her job was. She was to gain her fathers trust and then lure him out to his demise. She had no love for the man who had fathered her since she hadn't even known his name until hours ago, but something didn't feel right.
When Mae looked at Gaara she could see the possibility of what her life could have been like, but she could never forgive him for abandoning her mother.
Mae had never anticipated that someone else would be so close to her father. Everything she had ever been told of the Kazekage made him out to be some evil monster that ruled over Sand with an iron fist and an unyielding will. Never allowing anyone or anything to be close enough to get past his defense.
She hadn't been prepared for the beautiful pink haired woman who was so different from her own mother that it was night and day. Where her mother had been cold and jaded this woman was bright and vibrant.
Mae had never doubted her mothers love for her, but they had learned long ago that showing affection would only get them beat by their oppressor. Whenever Mae had been beaten and her mother had tried to soothe her aches she had been beaten again along with her mother.
Mae might have been only 5 years old but she probably had more broken, reset bones in her body than most gennin level shinobi.
Mae had been informally trained to become a kunoichi since she was 3 years old. She had been made to fight children twice or three times her age and was never shown leniency.
She was probably now at Chunnin level or perhaps higher. She had killed before and she knew that she would be made to do so again.
When she was told by Katsurou that her father was a monster she had had to hold back a smirk. Was that not exactly what they had trained her to become.
Mae was not stupid, she knew that she very well might die to complete her mission. The irony that the man who had fathered her would likely be the one to kill her in the end was not lost on her. If only she could trust in him enough to reveal her mission and ask for his assistance to take down her tormentor, but she had never met a shinobi alive who could stand up to Katsurou's justsu.
If she could not trust Gaara to help her defeat Katsurou then she could at least hope that when he found out of her betrayal he killed her swiftly and put her out of her misery.
With much more world-weariness than any 5 year old should ever have to muster she pulled the covers back over herself. Snuggling into the bed once more she thought about the man who had the same eyes as her. The chill of fear and regret gripping her heart she whispered to no one in particular.
"...forgive me father."
A/N: Hope you enjoyed that bit of insight into Mae's past. There will be more to come soon.
