The journey was long and arduous on foot. However, the Uchiha couple made a game using their newly created wedding rings. With his eyes blindfolded, Sasuke focused on the Tungsten ring on his right hand. It was significantly more accurate than the necklace he first gave Sakura. By combining both their blood and chakra into the alchemy the bond was stronger and worked bilaterally.
It was his turn to chase after Sakura. Using his general sense of chakra, Sasuke mentally mapped out the landscape - the trees, the moss growing along them, the birds fluttering about, the grass and bushes as well as the earthy ground itself. It made a sort of gray-tone landscape with a burst of vibrant green representing Sakura's location. His visage would have been violet - same as his Susanoo.
He was able to navigate the distance using the ring as a beacon. During their experiments, they each tried masking their chakra, and then use the rings. If they wore their ring, they could sense the other. Without their own ring to complete the connection, the ring's chakra was masked as well.
Sasuke slipped behind her, a smirk lifted the side of his mouth at the catch in her breath. He kissed the side of her neck and his hand slid over her abdomen, thumb gently caressing the very slight swell where his child grew. "Found you."
Sakura relaxed against him. "Obviously. Are we ready to set up camp for the night? We're pretty close."
"Tired?" Sasuke teased. His wife had less chakra than him, but her diamond shaped seal on her forehead allowed her to access plenty when she was in need. It definitely made her one of the strongest kunoichi.
Sakura shook her head and angled her face towards him. "Not too bad. I certainly have more energy now that I'm past the first trimester. But, I am getting tired of playing chase."
"We'll make a fire, have dinner. We're within range of the Nakayama's scouts. We're looking for employment — not keeping out presence unknown," Sasuke said.
"I don't think anyone is going to have one look at you and not feel threatened," Sakura pointed out.
"Hopefully, that will make him want to hire me," Sasuke said. Sasuke traced his hand down Sakura's arm and held her ring finger between two fingers. "This is significantly more accurate than the necklace I first gave you," Sasuke admitted.
"For these we utilized both our blood and traces of our chakra in the formula. You wouldn't have had my blood when you made the onyx charm. And you said onyx was a more brittle substance," Sakura reasoned. She took a bite out of the wrap - it was nutritious yet bland. They failed to pick up any spices in the last village as they were otherwise distracted.
Sasuke nodded. He'd broken at least four charms before he'd successfully created the one he gave Sakura that night back in Konoha. It contained his blood and chakra, so he was basically able to detect himself in a trace amount, serving as a beacon. It was possible that someone like Kakashi with his contract to the ninja dog pack would be able to trace back the smaller chakra signature to Sasuke's actual position, but it would become more and more difficult with greater distances.
"Well, I'm still keeping the less efficient necklace." Sakura lifted the charm on its chain around her neck. "It's simple, not too flashy— just my style."
"As you should!" Sasuke agreed. It was the first real gift he had ever given her. He stiffened slightly, sensing Hawk's point of view. His avian companion had returned six days ago after delivering the messages back home. There were a pair of scouts wearing the insignia of the daimyo's house prowling the woods. "We will have company soon— if not tonight, then by the morning."
They had agreed to represent themselves as truthfully as possible. A married couple, enjoying one last adventure before the great journey of parenthood. Sakura- with her newly colored blond hair — was a herbalist medicine woman. It made sense that she used a shampoo she concocted to treat her hair. The color would last about two weeks before it started to fade. Sasuke — a leather patch over his Rinnegan and with his prosthetic arm still intact —was a war veteran from a distant land, wanting to escape the ghosts of his past.
As aliases, Sakura would be using Sasuke's mother's name - Mikoto. Sasuke selected her father's name Kizashi. They chose to forego a last name, not everyone had one. They instead chose a location, so they chose Taiga- meaning large river. The Uchiha clan's sector was close to the river back home. So they would be known at Kizashi and Mikoto Taiga. The best lies were seeded in truth.
.
.
.
OoO
.
.
.
As it would happen, the Nakayama daimyo was quite eager to hire the "Taiga" couple. A gold mine had recently been found in the mountainous region and it had been difficult retaining staff — many left to chase dreams of fortune. Most would be back, but some would succeed. Sasuke, also known as Kizashi, was hired as a guard.
The daimyo's name was Haruto- meaning "sun." It felt like a good omen, his name being so similar to Naruto's. He was married and had three children. Normally, their household staff numbered around twenty with three score of guards at the castle. The village nestled at the mountain's base was home to a population of nearly twenty thousand. Compared to Konoha, it was a variable big-city.
The daimyo's youngest son, Hideki, a twelve year old, took a special interest in Sasuke, and so additional duties of tutoring the adolescent in swordsmanship, archery, and athletics in general were added. Sasuke disliked children — but it would be imperative that he find a new appreciation for youth considering he was soon to be a father.
Thankfully, Sakura, or Mikoto, was spared the attention of the daimyo's eldest son and heir, Hoji - a renown womanizer. A pregnant, married woman was substantially less attractive to the unscrupulous successor— especially with her ornery, warrior spouse in residence.
The daimyo's wife, Tsuki, was severely ill and his teenaged daughter, Kohana, was constantly at the mother's side.
Sasuke and Sakura were given a room on the first floor — near the infirmary. They'd had meals with the staff, but hadn't seen much of the daimyo's family. Sakura spent her first three days organizing the infirmary and speaking with the village medicine woman who'd been coming to the castle twice a week for the last several months. The older woman had evaluated Sakura and given almost immediate praise to the family - earning Sakura a great deal of trust faster than Sasuke could earn. Finding good medical care was a rarity compared to finding martial skills.
Sasuke was given shifts of guard duty almost immediately after having some basic skills evaluated by the head guard. He would be working with two others guards at all times — those guards had been employed for years. After he earned a trusted reputation, he'd be given more autonomy.
"How was your day?" Sakura asked, stepping out of the bathroom.
Sasuke stretched out on the large bed in their room. "Hot. Sweaty. Yours?" He watched as she towel dried her hair. It was strange to see it the dark blond color that matched her mothers. The dye she used rinsed out after a few days and needed to be reapplied regularly.
"Lots of organization. I've arranged their herbal stockpile and medical supplies. I'm starting a journal with illustrations so whomever can read it and gather herbs and roots to replenish as needed," Sakura explained. "How goes the training?"
"I hate teaching." Sasuke groaned. "Hideki is like my little shadow." He sat up, brushed his bangs out of his face. "He did talk extensively about the family library where his history tutor meets him for his studies. I'm hoping to get a chance to visit, maybe I can tutor him about battle strategies or meditation. I need to get in there."
"I might be able to explore a library easier than you," Sakura said. "Medicinal reference books are always a good excuse."
"Good thing you have a good memory," Sasuke said. "Top grades in our class," he remembered.
"Lay on your stomach," Sakura ordered, sitting on the edge of their bed. Sasuke did as requested and felt the warm embrace of his wife's healing chakra trickle down into his sore muscles, repairing the microscopic tears and minor bruises he'd acquired that day. The irritation at his prosthetic attachment vanished. He could go to sleep right then. "Go take your shower then come back to bed."
"Are you saying I smell bad?" Sasuke asked arching an eyebrow. He knew he was a little ripe from sweating and working in the dirty courtyard and dingy subterranean levels that day.
Sakura tapped her nose. "My hormones are still all over the place and my sense of smell is heightened right now. I'd rather my husband smell like fresh rain and sandalwood rather than musty dirt."
"Alright, alright," Sasuke muttered.
"I'm going to head the kitchen," Sakura said. "I'd like to fix us a pot of orange and ginger tea."
"Any particular reason?" Sasuke asked, slipping his shirt off over his head.
"Anti-oxidants and anti-nausea. Don't worry, no caffeine. We'll still sleep fine on it," she assured him.
"Good. I need a good night's sleep. Children are exhausting."
"We've been here for one week," Sakura pointed out. "And you'll be a father in a few months."
"Yeah, yeah," Sasuke grumbled. "I suspect I'll tolerate my own children better than other people's children." He stepped inside the bathroom, but peaked his head outside of the doorframe. "If we have a boy, hopefully he'll be calm and attentive."
"And if we are having a girl?" Sakura asked.
"Then I hope she'll be as smart as you, but much less boy crazy." He stepped inside the bathroom and closed the door. "You were so annoying," he added, voice carrying into the bedroom.
.
.
.
OoO
.
.
.
The floor was chilly in the last days of autumn. The days became shorter and the nights grew longer. Sakura never liked cold weather, but now that she had someone to snuggle with in the night, it might become a more tolerable season. Sakura pulled her shaw more snug over her shoulders as she made her way to the kitchen. A nice warm cup of tea would help settle her stomach before bed. It would also help Sasuke have a better attitude when he dealt with his new coworkers and the young Hideki. He'd definitely lost whatever minimal skills he had at social pleasantries over the years. He was trying, but keeping a pleasant front was testing his patience.
She was surprised to find Kohana, the daimyo's daughter, was in the kitchen. She appeared to be brewing a loose leaf tea. "Good evening, princess. What are you doing?" Sakura asked.
The dark haired girl jumped at the unexpected company. "Oh, Healer Mikoto, good evening. You scare me. Please, call me — Kohana."
"Okay, Princess Kohana, what tea are you making?" Sakura asked. She could detect faint hints of jasmine and green tea.
"My mother is not feeling well," Kohana explained. "She and father sleep on opposite wings when she's having one of her episodes. I'm making a tea to calm her nerves. She is upset when she doesn't sleep with father."
"Would it be okay if I evaluate your mother? I am a very skilled healer." Sakura started to gather the orange and ginger for her own brew. The nausea was mostly resolved at this point, but she enjoyed the calming aspects.
"I suppose that would be okay," Kohana said. She tapped her index fingers together — oddly reminiscent of a young, shy Hinata. "It will just take a few minutes for my tea to finish." She gestured towards Sakura's pot of boiling water. "Yours too?"
"Yes, I'll just drop off my pot with my husband and then I can accompany you to visit with your mother." Sakura took the powdered oranges and ginger she'd prepared earlier in the week and added it to a seeping pot, then poured in the hot water. She took two cups from the cabinet and added it to a tray.
After dropping off the hot tea in her bedroom, Sakura followed Kohana upstairs to the western wing of the castle. There was a great collection of silk screens along the way, depictions of the Nakayama family going back centuries.
"When mother isn't feeling well, she takes the adjoining room to mine," Kohana explained. She knocked gently and then opened the door to the second room in the wing. It was an elegant room - decorated in soft grays and warm yellows.
"Lady Tsuki," Sakura said, dipping her head in respect. "I am the healer - Mikoto Taiga." She allowed the door to close behind her as she followed Kohana further into the room. "I would like to evaluate you. I believe I can help you."
"No one can help me," Tsuki whispered. She sat at a tablet near the large window. She braced her palms on the table and struggled to stand, her arms wobbled under the effort, before she sat heavily in the chair. A frustrated whimper escaped her lips.
"Please, remain seated," Sakura requested. She knelt beside the woman — maybe fifteen years older than herself, yet she seemed very aged. She laid her hand over the back of Lady Tsuki and allowed a small surge of chakra to gently explore the woman's circulatory, pulmonary, nervous, lymphatic, muscular skeletal system, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary systems. She then massaged the woman's lymph nodes in her neck, doing a gentle physical probe, turned her head side to side, tested the strength of her arms and legs. It didn't take long to figure out the condition. It was certainly easier to do a diagnostic on regular medical ailments than on strange poisons and attacks from ninja battles.
"Lady Tsuki, you have a condition of the nervous system. I have seen it before. It comes and goes," Sakura explained. It was called Multiple Sclerosis - a neurologic disorder that was caused by a common viral infection. Only a small amount of people that had acquired the virus would have the condition. "It is important that you have a well balanced diet, regular exercise, proper sleep. An exacerbation of the condition will occur with even a mild urine infection or respiratory virus. When that happens, you will become weak, often times collapse. Your brain cannot communicate with your muscles."
"Mother, I made you a tea," Kohana said quietly. She set her tray on the table.
Tsuki looked at Sakura. "Go ahead, the tea will be good for you," Sakura assured her. So would the surge of healing chakra Sakura sent to treat the bacterial urinary tract infection as well as the soothing chakra to calm the inflammation along her nervous system. "I will work on gathering the proper herbs to make medications to treat future infections. The sooner you treat, the sooner you will recover."
"I wish to know which herbs." Kohana's dark eyes flashed in excitement. "May I help you acquire them?" She looked towards her mother's disapproving frown. "Mother, I will work on my singing, dancing, and embroidery later. Do you not think it will be a useful skill to know about healing herbs and medicine? I will be a better mother to my future children if I do not have to relay on a stranger to help when they become sick." She looked towards Sakura sheepishly. "My apologies, Healer Mikoto, I meant no disrespect."
"I understand. I may be biased, but I feel it is important to educate anyone willing to learn." Sakura smiled, enjoying the girl's enthusiasm. It reminded her of the excitement she felt working for Master Tsunade. "I already started an illustrated journal to help identify the herbs and roots in the area and what healing properties they have and how to brew certain teas."
"I wish to know as well," Lady Tsuki said. "May we both accompany you tomorrow?"
"I am at your service," Sakura assured both ladies. She excused herself and made her way back to her husband. It had been a very productive evening. She'd just endeared herself to the ladies of the house. The chances of discovering a link to the daimyo's mysterious benefactor were increasing.
.
.
.
OoO
.
.
.
Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and before long Sasuke and Sakura had been living the the Nakayama family for nearly three months. The Konoha pair had proven their worth to the family- the wife and the two youngest children. The eldest son seemed intimidated by Sasuke and avoided him. The daimyo himself wasn't particularly accessible - so it was hard to determine if he had an active relationship with the Otsutsuki clan.
Sakura was able to spend time in the great library with the wife and daughter - finding books and creating journals to help build their healthcare system - information on well balanced and nutritious diets, which foods had which vitamins and minerals, and the necessary daily value of such. Lady Tsuki and Princess Kohana were eager and intelligent students.
It afforded Sakura frequent opportunity to browse the large library. The Nakayama family had been in power for centuries, so it made sense that their library would be both massive and eclectic. The organization of the library left a lot wanting.
In the last couple of weeks, Sasuke was occasionally called into the daimyo's office. He was often called to visit Lord Haruto along with Bosu — the head of security for the royal family. Apparently, stories told by Sasuke's fan Hideki had caused the father to grow curious about his newest employee.
Covertly, Sasuke did the best he could to see if there was any connection to the Otsutsukii clan. The opportunity arose for Sasuke to express his interest in the daimyo's family, having learned of his reputation overseas. Haruto Nakayama was eager to talk about himself and the accolades of his ancient family. The more Sasuke learned, the more a connection with the Otsutsuki clan seemed likely- but it wasn't the proof he needed.
The real opportunity to endear themselves to the Nakayama came after the Uchiha couple had been in the mountainous castle for fourteen weeks. Hoji Nakayama, the daimyo's eldest son had been riding a horse along a trail in the woods, following after his hunting dogs, in search of sika deer. It was an unseasonably warm week during the month of December, so a few previously slumbering serpents were active, instead of hibernating below ground.
Sasuke had been with the younger son, Hideki, as usual. The elder son had ordered his guards to stay away as he didn't want his hunt disturbed by additional bodies. So his two accompanying guards kept themselves at a distance.
Had Sasuke been present, the ensuing drama wouldn't have unfolded. One of the guards rode back to the training grounds, his face pale and anxious. "The prince has been injured," the man panted. "Snakes. There were snakes everywhere. I could not get to him."
Sasuke almost hooted at his luck. It was almost too easy. He took a horse, so as not to be too obvious, though he could have just run using his chakra. He found Hoji deep within the woods, his dogs whining quite loudly. A few other guards arrived shortly after Sasuke — the horsemanship not being Sasuke's strong point.
Sure enough, Hoji and the other guard were both unconscious. The heir was surrounded by vipers. The guard had knocked his head when his horse spooked. Sakura was going to be busy.
"Wait!" Sasuke called out, stopping the daimyo's men from rushing to the scene and creating more victims. "Those are poisonous snakes. I have an immunity to most snakes. Stay back and I will retrieve the heir." The other men waited anxiously on the bylines while Sasuke crept easily past the sunning snakes. One started to strike, but then seeming to smell Sasuke, settled back into a coil. Like recognized like. Sasuke probably should have worried about being considered snake-like, but he respected his contract with Aoda and the wildlife did too.
He scooped up the unconscious heir. Hoji had several bite marks and the skin was already turning mottled as blood vessels began to rupture. He handed the young man to the fastest rider. "Back to the castle. He needs to see my wife. She has experience with treating poisons. Make haste, we do not have much time."
Sasuke then made his way towards the guard. There were no snake bites. He felt for his pulse - it was steady. Hopefully, the concussion wasn't too severe. He'd leave the prognosis up to the medical expert. He picked up the man and carried back to his horse and started back to the castle.
.
.
.
OoO
.
.
.
Sakura had been enjoying a nice session with Lady Tsuki and Princess Kohana. The three of them sat at a table in the kitchen with the head cook, blissfully unaware of the heir's dangerous situation. They had pestles and herbs and were creating powders to store for future use. A journal with illustrations of the medicinal herbs with the type of areas in the forest and fields they could be found lay in the center of the table. Sakura felt pretty good about her service to the Nakayama — even if she'd not discovered any link to the Otsutsuki clan.
If an immortal clan of powerful beings were related to this distant clan it would reveal itself in time, but possibly not before she needed to head back home.
Absently, she rubbed at her belly. She was now six months pregnant and started to experience the aches from the swelling. Her baby was actively kicking and jamming its foot in her lower rib, it had turned head down in the last couple of days. Then the baby would take advantage of the ample space in the uterus and be feet down, kicking on her bladder. Two more months left before the baby was head down all the time. Then she'd be kicked in the ribs and have the bladder pressed down at the same time. She was looking forward to the sensation.
Sakura tried to focus on the tedious work of grinding herbs. Her mind drifted absently to her wedding band. Sasuke was moving quickly away from the castle and then almost as quickly heading back.
There was a commotion at the front gates. The swiftest of the estate guards ran into the kitchen. "The heir was been found! He's been bitten by a venomous snake." He turned his attention to Sakura. "Mikoto, your husband said you must act fast before he succumbs to the poison."
"Bring him immediately to the infirmary," Sakura ordered. It was the guest bedroom downstairs, furthest from the kitchen so as to keep any illnesses apart from the food supplies. "I'll need two bowls - one empty and one with warm water." She grabbed a couple of the bottles of herbs they'd packaged and started for the room without another word. She probably wouldn't need to use anything other than her chakra, but it would be good to show the non-shinobis how to treat such injuries.
She set up in the infirmary. If she knew what kind of snake, it would be easier to treat. Not like having to come up with an antidote to an unknown poison. Though, she'd treated poison by simply removing it and not bothering with antidotes. She'd done it to Naruto during the war. It should be fairly easy for her. However, there was a good chance the heir could be septic. He'd been away hunting for a few hours.
Prince Hoji was placed on the sick bed by another guard— this one capable of carrying a grown man by himself — and Sakura began inspecting Hoji's vitals immediately as well as the wounds. She slipped into surgeon mode, sending her chakra to evaluate his circulatory system and nervous system. She still had time.
"It was a Russell's viper," Sasuke said, stepping into the room. "At least three bites I could see."
"That would be 100-200mg of venom per bite," Sakura estimated. "He's already started hemorrhaging." It was more important to heal the boy than to maintain her cover. The diamond seal on her forehead throbbed. She exchanged a quick look with Sasuke and he nodded. Using her precise control, Sakura created a scalpel with her hand and made a small incision in Hoji's saphenous vein. She began to remove the poison manually, setting it inside the empty bowl. After she was sure she'd removed approximately 600mg of venom she began to focus on the next phase of the procedure. She sent rounds of healing chakra to repair the burst blood vessels while using the water as a medium to replace electrolytes. The kidneys had already been affected, but the pituitary gland was still spared.
It was now quite clear to the Nakayama household that she was no ordinary person.
Twenty minutes later, Sakura stepped away from the patient and smiled at his mother. "He'll be fine, but his kidneys will need additional time to recover. It will be an adjustment, but it's important that he reduce his complex protein intake - a predominantly plant-based diet for at least the next six months."
"I think he'll manage," Lady Tsuki said. "Thank you, Healer Mikoto."
"And we have a concussion over here." Sasuke pointed out the unconscious guard he'd carried back and set on the other bed in the infirmary.
Sakura washed her hands and then went to inspect her next patient. "Concussion," she agreed. She smiled across at Sasuke. "You've been reading about medical conditions?"
"I figured it would make for stimulating discussion at our next book club," Sasuke deadpanned.
"He sustained substantial trauma in a fall, hitting the back of his head. There is an accumulation of blood." Sakura didn't like the swelling in the man's brain that began with the injury. She was able to repair the broken vessels and heal the bruised areas of the brain. It was another injury that would have been fatal without her intervention. There were not simply medical conditions. Both patients needed surgery and frankly the technology was lacking in most of the regions compared to the use of chakra. Prince Hoji would have needed a vascular surgeon and the guard would have needed brain surgery — both surgeries had high mortality rates without medical ninjitsu.
Sakura leaned against the wall after she'd finished. She was out of practice because two surgeries should't have fatigued her so much. Maybe it was the pregnancy too. Sasuke started to take a step towards her.
"Kizashi," Sabanto, the daimyo's retainer, called.
Sasuke turned towards the older man. "Yes?"
"Lord Nakayama would like to speak with you and your wife," Sabanto explained. "Will she be okay to meet with him now?"
"I'm fine," Sakura answered. She wiped her knuckle over the sweat that had broken over her brow. It was very obvious that the new hires were more than they appeared. Most healers didn't have chakra control — only shinobi had that ability.
.
.
.
OoO
.
.
.
Sasuke and Sakura sat on the overstuffed couch in Lord Haruto's personal study. The walls were lined with bookcases and countless books. The daimyo sat across from them in a matching overstuffed armchair.
"I want to start off with expressing my gratitude. My son, Hoji, would surely be dead if it wasn't for the combined efforts of the two of you." Haruto tapped his fingertips on both of his armrests. "I don't know who you really are, and I am not asking for a biography. I understand I am only a waypoint."
"We are glad to have been of service," Sasuke answered. "We will have to leave in a few weeks, so it is good that Hoji's injury happened while we were still here."
"Good? It was fortuitous." Lord Nakayama leaned towards them. He shifted his weight onto the edge of the seat. He was a stout, solid man. The chair creaked under his bulk. "You see, I understand about fortune. My family has connections with an ancient, immortal clan. Which is why I assume you are here. The golden mountain in my lands is not an accident. There was room in my household when you arrived for a reason. It appears that my benefactors were interested in the two of you."
"Sir?" Sasuke pressed, after the daimyo fell silent. "Who does your family serve? I admit, I read about your clan and was fascinated by the mystery."
"Oh, I think you know!" Lord Haruto shouted with a chuckle. "There is no reason to feign ignorance. The Otsutsuki are an ancient, other-world clan. I believe you are familiar with a branch of the family - Kaguya Otsutsuki. Only descendants of Kaguya are able to weld chakra. Her descendants are the shinobi from the East. That is why you are here — is it not?" Nakayama asked.
Sasuke exchanged a quick glance with Sakura. "It is true that we come from the East," Sasuke admitted. "And we had encounters with the rabbit goddess, Kaguya Otsutsuki. She wasn't pleasant."
"She is an outcast from her family - a low level clan member meant to be a sacrifice. However, she betrayed them and sought to obtain power that wasn't hers to take," Nakayama explained. "Most of the clan considered her demise by mere humans a fitting end. Others have taken a newfound, worrisome interest in our world."
"It is pretty foolish to assume just because someone is low ranking that they will agree to be sacrificed. All life is precious," Sakura said.
"Ah, you're one of those all lives are equal sorts," Nakayama scoffed. "It's simply not true. Some lives hold more value. Some people are smarter, stronger, have more resources. My son would be dead if another healer had been here. He is alive because you were here."
"We get your point," Sasuke said. "What did you want to discuss with us?"
"The Otsutsuki are a large clan, originating on another world in a different galaxy. I serve one branch of the family — they are fairly benevolent towards humans. Our specific arrangement isn't your business. There are other branches, that are somewhat hostile." Nakayama leaned back in his chair. "If you thought your troubles were over with Kaguya, you were mistaken."
"We came for information about additional threats from their clan," Sasuke admitted. "I am concerned about future harm, even if they take a hundred years to actively threaten our world."
"Oh, it will be sooner than a hundred years, have no worries about that," Haruto said with a dark chuckle. "The names to remember are Momoshiki, Kinshiki, and Isshiki Otsutsuki. There are over a dozen branches in the clan and most are uninterested in humanity. It's a big universe and our world is but a speck to them." Nakayama stood and walked over towards his liquor cabinet. He poured out a small glass of amber liquid. "I have told you these things because you have done a great service to my family. My heir is alive and my wife is stronger than she's been in years. Not to mention my other children are quite fond of you both." He sipped from the glass. "You are both welcome to keep working here." He gestured towards Sakura. "I know Mikoto is expecting."
"We would like to stay a few more weeks," Sasuke answered. "Then we will need to head back East. My wife wishes to give birth closer to home."
"That's reasonable," Nakayama said. "If either of you wish to return and need employment, there will be room here."
"Would there be a chance that your benefactor would speak with me?" Sasuke asked.
"Possibly," Nakayama said. "As you hold no contract with him, you would need to bring an offering. And it would need to be at a certain point in the lunar calendar— a blood moon on a Winter Solstice — which the next one won't be for two years."
"That's a long time from now," Sakura murmured.
"Not to an immortal being. It is not even a blink of the eye," Nakayama countered. "The sacrifice will need to be unique."
.
.
.