The conversation in the garden stuck with her long after she had lost her umpteenth game against the noble. Every night since, she had listened to the snores of her bunkmates whilst replaying his words over and over again.
This night was no different. Over her shoulder, she could hear the rustling of one of the other slaves. It wasn't something that she thought she'd ever get used to, sharing. All her life, she'd had her own spaces and possessions. Now, she was stuck in a cramped bed, not even half of the size that she had in her royal chambers, with all the other slaves of House Nara dotted around the room in uncomfortable cots. The only light they ever got was when the door to the servant's quarters was opened by the head maid in the early hours of the morning.
Although, this kind of rough sleeping wasn't too much for her deal with. When she had first started to take command of her father's armies, she had picked up a few tricks from the soldiers to help her sleep in the more austere places.
Once the other slaves had gotten settled into a rhythm of snoring, she pictured her homeland. She imagined herself back in the gardens of her father's castle. It was one of the few places in the kingdom that had fertile soil, a true oasis amongst the endless desert. Most of her nights at home, she spent in the garden. There, she could find her favourite view. The night sky, clear of any clouds to give her a landscape of the moon and stars. She had always found clarity in the different shapes of the moon. It always reminded her that nothing lasted forever, yet that didn't mean it was lost for good either. The sky remained the same no matter where in the world she was.
With that reassuring image conjured, she slipped into a smooth slumber.
Her dreams, however, were anything but smooth.
Memories of her childhood streamed through her unconscious. Her running through the halls of her father's castle, not even four summers old. She had known then that her father wasn't the kindest of people. But, she had her mother's warmth to protect her from his cold heart.
That all changed when her youngest brother was born. The pain of her mother's labour could be heard in a cacophony of hellish cries and demonic screams. She had snuck through the castle, unable to sleep through her mother's torture, avoiding servants in order to see her mother. She didn't know why, but even with at her young age, she understood that something wasn't right.
Through the small sliver of the half-closed door to her parent's chambers, she watched as the screams came to an end. Her mother's golden hair was matted down her face, her soft skin glistening with a sheen of sweat. Her father stood over the bed, staring down at her. His face told of the disappointment he felt in that moment. The same disappointment that would follow her and her brothers around the castle for the rest of their lives. In her mother's arms, she held a baby. The entirety of it almost fit in her mother's palm.
Yet, that wasn't the most concerning thing about the scene. Not a single cry had left the babies throat since its introduction to the world. Her mother held her baby close to her chest, her own breathing heavy. Temari wanted to slip inside, but some instinct kept her from crossing the threshold. She noticed her mother's pale skin, it was almost lucid. Something was wrong.
Still, her mother just smiled at her father. He responded with his stern gaze, watching as his queen closed her eyes. They never opened again.
Her dreams drifted to a clearer scene.
It was her brother's birthday. A dozen summers had passed since he'd been born. Some of the worst heatwaves in the kingdom's history spanned that decade, their winters never giving the people of the desert much relief. Her younger brother, Kankuro, was playing with his dolls as she studied. They hadn't seen their youngest brother in a few moons, their father had kept him in isolation most of his life. She had begged the servants to take her to him, enough for the bravest of them to acquiesce her request.
She was determined to help her brothers from the day her father told her about her mother's fate. What she hadn't expected, was that Gaara lack of humanity. His eyes were cold, much like her father's. The emeralds were cracked with veins of scarlet. In them, she could see a glint of something… inhuman. Her father's gaze conveyed reason, he knew of his own nature. Her brother's expression, on the other hand, didn't show any semblance of empathy.
He didn't react when she congratulated him on his birthday. His unwavering stare sent shivers down her spine. With one glance, her instincts kicked in. She left, the conversation she had planned long forgotten in place of escaping.
Upon her return to her chambers, Kankuro had poked and prodded her until she spilled all the details of her visit. It took a while for him to grow bored and leave her alone without learning anything. He was always poking his nose in the business of others, a habit that frustrated each of the castle's servants. Although, it did serve her father well as his son reported on the rare rumours of revolt within his court.
Her distracted thoughts dragged her focus from studying. She watched the sky out the window. A smirk adorned her lips as she laid eyes on rare sight.
A cloud drifting in the breeze.
# # #
Her eyes shot open. A soft hand grasping her shoulder snapped her out of her sleep.
Shiho stared down at her. She had to squint to make her out though, the flashing of her glasses all the clues she had to piece out the figure above her.
The girl shook her. "Come on!"
Temari groaned, rolling over onto her side.
"Temari!"
Her whine was muffled by the one pillow she was given. "What is it? It's too early for this!"
Shiho shook her again. "Do you not remember?" she asked. "The Lord has guests coming today," she said.
All the remnants of her slumber left her in a shock. She jolted upright, her reaction amusing Shiho, if her light giggle was anything to go by. Looking around, she saw that all the other beds were empty. The prospect of being the worst at something, even servitude, was enough to spur her into action.
She followed the serf through their morning duties. Her collar seemed tighter today, but she couldn't figure out why. Instead, she just grinned and bore it as they worked on cleaning the floors. Around the castle, it was all hands on deck. Lady Nara had given them a stern warning the night before, threatening them with a century of lashes if there was even a speck of dust left.
"So, who are these guests again?" Temari asked, scrubbing a window with her cloth. "They better be royalty if she wants it this clean."
For a few moments, she cleaned in silence. Shiho let out a tense gasp. Temari spun towards her to find a terrified expression scrunching Shiho's face.
"His Highness will be arriving later this afternoon!" she swept the tiles with a desperate fury.
"His Highness?" Temari shivered. Since she'd been enslaved in this country, she'd heard even more rumours surrounding the prince of Konoha. Some spoke of him as some sort of monster, whilst others regaled his presence as a divine being. Most of the latter surrounded his prowess on the battlefield, originating from his campaigns into the smaller countries bordering Konoha.
A voice behind her cleared their throat. "Yes, Her Majesty's pride and joy."
Shiho stared past her, quivering. "Lord Nara!" she yelped. "Good morning!"
Temari pivoted on her heel. She tipped her head towards the nobleman, his expression grave. "What do you think of the prince?"
"Temari!"
The lord chuckled. "It's fine, Shiho," he eyed Temari with a thoughtful look. "Leave us and go help the others."
Temari watched as Shiho flitted her focus between them, until she relented and rushed off down the hallway.
Lord Nara sighed. "I suppose I should explain why His Highness is visiting us later."
"That would be nice," Temari smirked back at him.
Outside the birds taking residence in the forest began to announce the days start. Their excited songs contrasted well with the grim air that hung between Temari and the nobleman.
He stroked his goatee a few times. Then, he broke off into a stroll back down the corridor. A glance over his shoulder ordered her to follow. For an instant, she hesitated before pocketing her cloth and strutting after him.
Through the winding halls, she trailed the duke across the entirety of the castle. Around the corners, she caught glimpses of the other servants. They didn't make it obvious, but she could feel their stares on her. They were justified, however. If she was in their position, watching the newest slave spend so much time with the lord and his son, she'd be envious.
Although, it was concerning for Temari. She'd have to watch her back when she went to sleep that night. The politics between slaves was just as terrifying as those amidst the nobility.
When they reached the study, she took a breath to revel in her private safety. Yet, she still kept a wary guard up to face the duke she was now shut in with.
She saw him gesture towards a chair as he took a seat behind his desk. She sat across from him and when she noted the checkered board between them, she failed to smother her groan.
"So, how did you get on with the boy?" the lord asked, sliding one of his weakest pieces forwards a couple of spaces, its ivory colouring denoting his right to the first move.
She picked one of her more powerful pieces, moving it two spaces forward and one space to the right.
The lord quirked an eyebrow at her response. "Not great, it seems," he answered his own question.
They played a few more moves before she spoke up. "That kid, he's something alright," she remarked.
"It's frustrating, isn't it?"
Her narrowed eyes prompted him to continue.
"No matter how hard you work, he'll surpass you soon enough," he said. Memories of her afternoon with the noble's heir seeped into her thoughts. No matter what tactic she went with, every game would end the same. In losses she didn't even see coming. Each time she found herself deep in desperate need of divine intervention in order to win. All her hopes ended up being dashed by one unforeseen move. Every time.
Although, it was Lord Nara's tone that stopped her from being forced to relive the sensation of utter defeat in its abyssal entirety. He seemed to relate to his own observation. Yet, it was more like he was resigned to his fate of being outdone one day. The fiery glint to his eye told her that he wasn't going to let that day be anytime soon.
How admirable.
"I can't imagine you'd think it'd be any different."
He moved another piece, and Temari noted the position he'd forced her into. She was thankful that she could at least understand that he was a much better player than her. Just from this one game, she could tell he had been playing for longer than she'd been alive. His moves weren't impossible to predict, but they were practiced to near perfection. It was a far cry from his son's playstyle, one that left her with no chance of competing. Never mind winning.
"I held out some hope that you'd surprise him," he admitted. "Well, maybe you'll be better off dealing with the prince instead."
For a brief instant, she pictured the nobleman giving her away to the royal family.
Spoils of war can't be returned, right?
When she got over her hyperactive mind's runaway thoughts, she looked at the board. "What's the story with him?"
The lord reached for his most important piece. "I imagine even you've heard about the fourth king of Konoha back in Suna," he said, looking to her for an answer.
She nodded. "Of course I have," she recounted the mythic tales of Konoha's late king. "After King Hiruzen of House Sarutobi passed without any recognised heirs, the kingdom almost fell into chaos, the Count Namikaze took the throne in order to keep the peace, marrying the last heiress from House Uzumaki to legitimise his claim."
Lord Nara smiled, pleased with her answer. Although, his smile soon turned reluctant. "I don't think Konoha will ever have an emperor like him again," he stated.
Temari had found out a few summers after the king died. But, from what she had gathered, the emperor and his wife were killed in battle against a demon that appeared in the capital almost two decades ago now. Reading through the records of the events, she was surprised. The fourth king of Konoha was renowned as one of the greatest swordsmen ever, stated to have killed an entire regiment of Iwa soldiers by himself in the battle for Kannabi bridge during the empire's expansion into Kusa, a minor nation sandwiched between the two major powers. His skill with the blade was so prodigious that he could take on the current king of Kumo and the kingdom's arch-knight alone. His quickdraw was rumoured to be faster than lightning itself. So, to be defeated by a demon was shocking, yet Temari understood that it would take something hellish to kill the legendary warrior.
Seeing an opportunity to pry present itself, she indulged. "Is it true what they say about the prince?"
He grunted. "Depends on which rumour you're asking about," he slid a piece from one side of the board to the other. With a sigh, he continued. "After his parents were killed, the prince was raised by his godfather, the kingdom's arch-knight and Her Majesty. The nobility and the peasantry spread rumours about his supposed curse like wildfire, leaving him isolated within the palace," he reacted to Temari taking one of his pieces with her own. "One day, I was called to the capital, and I took my son with me. That was when the prince stumbled into him, watching clouds in the palace gardens. Ever since, they've been as thick as thieves," he told the story with a hint of pride in his gravelly voice.
Listening to the father, Temari struggled to picture his son being that close to someone. She also wondered what the person who'd befriend such a boy would be like. The thoughts of friendship spurred another question in her mind, one that triggered an instinct to vocalise.
"So, who are the other guests that'll be joining the prince and your son later?"
The lord cornered her most important piece. "You'll find out this afternoon," he locked his gaze with his own.
Checkmate.
Huffing, she looked around the room. Despite its impressive size, the study was designed to give its occupier the utmost privacy, with just one small pane of glass to serve as a view inside. The grey walls were lined with rickety bookshelves, groaning under the weight of the stacks of ancient tomes adorning the shelves. In front of her, the desk spanned the width of the room, with just a person-sized gap to allow access to the chair behind it. The desktop was long enough to permit a game board space to accompany a world map.
She stared at the crinkled paper for a few moments. The lord caught her staring towards the southwest of Konoha.
"How is Suna faring without me?"
Lord Nara sat back in his seat. "King Rasa has declared war in response to our agreement with Tani. Now, he's been mustering his forces around the capital in relative silence."
She nodded. "And, what of my brothers?" she asked.
"Prince Kankuro has been travelling around the borderlands, recruiting more soldiers for his own cause: making his hatred towards Konoha and his mission to rescue you known to the entire world."
Temari smirked, thinking of her louder brother. Although, there was an element of worry knowing that her brother had a tendency to be a little reckless. The same couldn't be said for their youngest brother.
"What about Gaara?"
The lord frowned. "I don't know: the young prince is hard to learn about," he looked to her for answers, but all she could do was agree with his assessment.
They fell into silence. Temari flicked from the map of her homeland to the game board. Her attention centred on the middle of the map.
"Why did you start all this?" she failed to hide the pain in her voice.
Lord Nara raised an eyebrow. "After the first king passed, his brother saw the other nations grow more confident in our weakened state. For Konoha's survival, he started the expansion of the kingdom, forming the empire to ensure our place as the strongest power on the continent."
Survival.
# # #
Laughter echoed through the corridors, each step bringing her closer to the choir of comedy. Looking down at the ornate jug in her hands, she knew it was going to get even louder. Alcohol never helped anything in such a large volume. She braced herself as she came to the door to the great hall.
Pressing it the slab of carved wood open, she slipped inside, trying her hardest to go unnoticed.
As always, all her efforts seemed to be in vain.
She gulped, her throat retreating away from the honed edge of the blade across her neck. Somehow, she managed to keep hold of the jug in her hands, but she still spilled a few drops onto the floor.
Unless it's blood.
Her expression must have been a real spectacle, as a devilish cackle deafened her. She took a deep breath, keeping her head still and using her eyes to scan the room.
Dangling in the centre of the chamber, a luxurious chandelier refracted the sunset's light through a crowd of diamonds. Basking in the light underneath, cushy sofas surrounded low tables covered in platters of snacks, fruits and desserts. On each sofa, a figure, dressed in the richest silks and tailored clothes rested and chatted with the other sofas' residents.
In total, she counted four young men. The one laughing at her was sat the furthest away, his golden hair shining just as bright as his teeth. The fine shirt he wore flowed over his packed frame, the embroidered emblems of the kingdom's royalty and one of its noble houses. Yet, the swirling insignia reminded her of another kingdom's coat of arms, one that was no more than foreign legend.
The heir to Lord Nara's house resided on the sofa perpendicular to the blond, able to catch her gaze in his peripheral vision.
Across the table from him, Temari couldn't believe the size of the behemoth stuffing his face rounded face with a steady stream of food. He didn't even stop to swallow. Although, the satisfied smile stretching his chubby cheeks did amuse her.
At least he's enjoying himself.
Facing away from her, a broad pair of shoulders hunched over the table. Past his wild chocolate hair, she spied the glint of the gilded goblet against his lips.
The cold steel pressed closer to her throat, threatening to draw a singular drop of her life.
She followed the blade's length down to the hilt. For an instant, she lost her breath. Shining silver armour gleamed in the amber sunlight, a violet cape fluttering behind the knight. But it was his face that was the real shock. Forgoing a helmet, Temari was granted a view of a masterpiece from the most divine of artists.
Silky, ebony locks framed a sharp jawline and prominent cheekbones. Piercing eyes, the same shade as his hair, saw red. His bloodlust locked her in place, forcing her to witness his ethereal beauty. His tall and slender build gave him the appearance of what she imagined of a fallen angel.
Then, her instincts kicked in. She bared her teeth, shooting a keen glare back.
"Where's the damn wine?" the figure closest to her shouted, still facing away from her. He waved his empty goblet, trying to draw attention to it.
She recognised his voice straightaway. The slight, primal growl that followed his words gave it away. She cursed her luck.
Why did it have to be him?
The man noticed that his friends weren't paying him any attention and moved to follow their eyelines. He craned his neck, his narrow pupils widening with a gleeful shine when he saw her.
"Careful, Sasuke!" the golden-haired figure called out in a hypnotic voice. "We wouldn't want to chop off such a pretty face now, do we?"
It took a few moments before the knight withdrew his blade, sliding it back into its scabbard in a smooth flourish. His gaze never left Temari, watching her for any sign of hostility. The blond beckoned her forward with a curled finger. She relaxed her shoulders, standing tall as she strutted towards the four nobles.
Despite seeing evidence of three distinct focuses of two nobles and the knight, she felt a strange sensation prickling her skin. She looked at the noble on the right, finding him with two fistfuls of baked goods half-stuffed into his maw. Her shoulders hunched in response to another bout of that stinging feeling. She switched her gaze to the sofa across the table.
His eyes weren't even open. Yet, she could tell he was watching each of her movements without lifting an eyelid.
Her grip tightened on the jug as she passed the first sofa.
That was when a brutish paw wrapped around her waist and dug into her hip. She could just manage to let out a yelp as she was yanked onto the sofa. Wind rushed past her ears, discombobulating her for a moment before she could reassess her surroundings.
"More wine please, bitch," a husky voice snarled in her ear. She tried to move away, but his arm slipped upwards, over her shoulder to restrain her. Turning to face him, she recoiled. The stench of wine on his breath was almost intoxicating.
Thrusting his empty goblet towards her, he waited for her to obey. She scowled at him for a few moments, knowing that was about the only act of defiance she could get away with in her current situation.
His lips spread into a toothy grin whilst she poured the wine up to the rim of his cup. Once she finished, he held his head back, tipping the contents of his drink down his throat in a single gulp.
With his other hand, he became much bolder.
Or more stupid.
He reached for her chest. She drew her arm backwards, about to slap his away…
"I wouldn't do that, Kiba."
The nobleman looked over to the couch perpendicular to his. The boy reclining across the cushions regarded them with one eye cracked open. His woody iris dug into her like a splinter, seeming to glimpse all her thoughts in just single instant of focusing on her.
"Why not, Shikamaru?" Kiba pulled her close to his chest. "She's just a slave."
Biting her lip, she glowered at the reminder of her position.
"It's not her rank that's the issue," Shikamaru yawned. "It's yours."
Kiba let out a confused grunt.
Stretching, Shikamaru jabbed his thumb across the table. "Naruto holds rank over you, even in carnal matters."
Both Kiba and Temari turned towards the couch opposite theirs, like prey being caught in a trap. The prince seemed to take a certain joy in their discomfort.
"At last, it's nice to meet you, princess."
A/N- Hey guys, hope you're doing alright. This chapter turned out to be a little more set up for future chapters, but I guess not every chapter can be super exciting. I don't have much to say except if you liked this chapter then to stay tuned for further instalments where it is going to get a lot more intense. Hope you enjoyed and I'll see you next time.
Yours truly,
Signing off