This couldn't get any worse.
Howling echoed off the trees, hunting her as she raced through them. Her feet pounded through the dirt, taking her as far away from the battlefield as she could get. They had told her to run, so that's what she did. But, going faster than she ever had came with its drawbacks.
Her feet ached with every step, but she didn't dare stop. Not whilst she could hear them. Her pursuers were relentless, her mind too starved of air to think straight. She couldn't recall how long she had been running, but it wasn't long enough as long as they were within earshot. Her chest had started to hurt long ago, raspy breaths all that came out of her ragged throat, grating her insides with each exhale. The uneven ground didn't help with her fatigue, each misstep costly to her stamina.
She couldn't run forever, and she knew it. What she needed to do was hide. Glancing upwards, she studied the night sky. Her pace slowed as she avoided tripping over her own feet. A specific constellation caught her eye, recognising it as one she had studied long ago. A key tool for navigation, she determined her current location and produced a mental map of her surroundings.
Returning her focus back to the forest, she sidestepped into a sprint towards the northeast. Slipping around the wider tree trunks and skipping over the exposed roots that snaked the non-existent pathway.
A chain of laughter rung through the forest, yet she noticed that it was fainter than before. Good, the next step of her plan was crucial.
It should be around here somewhere.
Gurgling noises drifted into her range of hearing. When she felt the ground underneath her feet begin to soften with every step, she prepared herself for what came next. The trees soon became sparser as she saw the end to the forest biome. The gurgling became louder, growing into a roar of rushing water. Free of the canopy obscuring her view overhead, she witnessed the mosaic of the night sky in its beautiful entirety. Like a crown jewel, the moon glowed. Its dim light competed with the glinting stars to shine brightest.
A new moon. A new life for the night's beacon. She wished her life was that easy, to just return to the brightest moment with a bit of patience.
For a moment, she was concerned that she would be too tired to make it. However, she didn't have much choice due to her current situation. Even more so when she was in mid-air, diving into the river.
Then, she broke the surface. Water roared past her ears, deafening her. Nothing but a few rays of moonlight illuminated the depths of the river. The sediment below her glittered in the low light, refracted in the bubbles that drifted in front of her view. The remnants of her precious air spurred her into action. Her heart worked harder than ever to combat the ghostly chill of the freshwater, warming her core and inciting her to swim for the surface.
Breaking through, she gasped in an attempt to draw in as much breath as possible. She flailed before wiping her brow and clearing her vision. Gaining her bearings, she began to fight against the current. Her muscles burned with every stroke and by about halfway across the river, she found herself paddling. Darkened locks would obscure her vision at times. Whilst at others, she was dragged back under the water.
After what seemed like forever, she reached the riverbank. She choked and spluttered until any water in her lungs was out and spilled onto the dirt beneath her. A few moments passed as she tried to steady her breathing. She shook her head to clear her ears of any water and when her hearing returned, she perked up at the distant barking that came from the forest back across the river. Clambering up the smooth incline, she broke into a jog as she headed for her next destination.
If that was the river that she thought it was, then it shouldn't be too far now. Ahead of her, it was just on the other side of this woodland. Amidst the trees, she caught sight of the first few lights. She slowed down to a halt, her heels digging into the soft dirt. Bracing herself against a trunk, she listened. For a few moments, she could hear nothing but her heaving pants. When she calmed down, there was no sign of anything. Her pursuers were nowhere to be found. Holding back a smirk, she strolled out from the trees.
Wandering into the small village, she must have looked like a madwoman with her drenched clothes and chattering teeth. But, she couldn't care less; she needed a place to hide. Yet, her first priority was dry off before she fell ill. All her shivering was starting to catch up to her now that she had managed to gain a modicum of distance between her and the enemy. Trudging along, her shoulders sagged and her eyelids drooped, trying to force her to rest. Locking eyes on the torch she'd seen from behind the trees, she headed towards the small flame doing its best to provide enough light for the tiny population.
In her peripheral vision, the door to one of the diminutive houses creaked open. An ancient lady stepped out, her curious gaze studying her faltering movements. She locked eyes with the woman, her plea for help wordless.
When she couldn't make out what the old lady's moving lips were saying, she knew something might be wrong. It wasn't until her knees buckled underneath her was she certain that something was wrong. She crashed to the ground with all the grace of a newborn deer. Her last view was of the grey-haired lady ambling towards her. She noticed other movements behind her in the doorway, but her vision was too blurry to make out any details. Her head ached as her eyelids closed, refusing to release her from her subconscious mind.
# # #
When she felt the warmth of the sun's rays caress her skin, her eyes fluttered open to offer a blurry view of a cramped living space. Squinting, she made out the plain features of a young man. His face was full of youth, yet to be blemished by the weather of growth. The standout attraction was the pair of azure eyes that looked to be formed from ripples on a calm river.
Recognising his presence, she moved to sit up. However, her body didn't like that much. Joints ached and muscles cramped to restrict her movements, confining her to the bumpy hell of whatever animal hide she was laid on. Her raspy throat croaked out a few groans in reply to her body's refusal to comply with her wishes.
"Mother!" The man called out, craning his neck. Behind her, footsteps approached her one by one. The gaps between each step suggested that the new arrival was carrying something. "She's waking up," he reported to who she assumed was his mother. A perfume of smooth spices wafted past her nose, drawing a soft mewl from her lips and a bestial growl from her belly.
"Good morning," the old lady from before appeared above her, a plate balanced in one palm whilst the other grasped a leathery waterskin. "How are you feeling?" her kind tone didn't convey any hostility. Instead, the hospitality she was offered relaxed her shoulders.
With a fit of coughing, she cleared her throat. "I've been better," she admitted.
"Here, you need to regain some strength."
She found the plate and waterskin handed to her and, without hesitation, she dug into the meal. The hot curry warmed her body and her soul before she washed it all down with ravenous gulps of fresh water. Spilling some water out the corner of her mouth, she licked her rehydrated lips, revelling in their softness. As it settled in her stomach, she began to notice just how invigorating her meal was. It seemed to provide her with a newfound strength, one that picked her up off the floor and steadied her on a pair of steadfast legs.
"How?" she asked, inspecting the ragged clothes she'd been dressed in.
The old lady shared a conspiratorial glance with the young man before giving her a sly grin. "It's a secret ingredient," she tapped her nose.
Noticing the empty waterskin in her hand, the lady turned to her son. "Karashi, go and fetch some more water for her, would you?" she motioned to the door. He took the waterskin from her hand and rushed out the door and into the quiet street.
"Who are you?"
The old woman smiled. "Just an old girl who's looking to help," she admitted before her gaze turned curious. "So, would you like to explain how a young lady like you found herself taking a dip in our river?"
"I… needed to lose them," she recalled, remembering the broader circumstances surrounding her life at the moment. Wiping her brow, she set down the empty plate she was carrying before rushing to the door.
Halfway through the crooked doorway, she heard a commotion down the road. The sun's rays forced her to squint, but soon she could make out the worst outcome of her plan.
Down the dirt path that ran through the village, Karashi was shoved to the dirt. Standing over him, a squad of armoured knights marched past him into the village. At their heels, war hounds sniffed the beaten road before steering their masters in the direction of the house.
She slipped back inside, praying to the goddess that she hadn't been spotted.
"I need to get out of here!" she rushed around, searching for an exit in the back. But, it was just her luck that the only one way into the building was also the way that led out into a band of armed soldiers.
Abandoning her search for the exit, she switched her focus to hiding instead. She scoured the floor, looking for a cellar hatch or maybe a ladder to get into an attic. It took just a couple of glances to conclude that she was stuck in a rudimentary wooden box with an old, weak lady and the squad of soldiers who had pursued her across the countryside outside. All she had at her disposal was a dark gap underneath the one bed in the home. Turning to the woman, she pressed a finger to her lips.
"I was never here," she growled, slipping underneath the bed. Heavy boots trudged up to the door, stopping before a rattling gauntlet rapped against the wooden door. With each impact, she flinched under the bed, desperate for the lady to ignore the knocking in the hopes of the soldier leaving the house alone.
The lady never got the chance. With a deafening groan, the door flew off its rusty hinges and crashed into the room, missing the lady by a hair's breadth. Sunlight flooded the room, creeping around the giant shadow casted by the figure in the doorway.
Ducking their head, the knight entered, their scarlet cape fluttering behind them. The knight scanned around the room, the wings on their helmet almost brushing against ceiling. The elongated faceplate added to the overall image of a proud dire wolf.
"What a shithole," a deep, masculine voice rung out from behind the faceplate.
"Is there some meaning for such a rude entrance?"
He turned to the woman. "I'm looking for a woman."
"I think I'm a little too old for you, deary."
Brushing her aside, he ignored her and continued to search the room. "She's young and crafty," he rattled off a quick description as he inspected the hide on the floor.
The woman cleared her throat. "I haven't seen anyone like that around here for many summers now."
The knight growled as he spun towards her. "Don't lie to me!" he barked. "I know she's here; her scent's everywhere," he spun his head around, searching for a source.
"Then where is she?" the woman held out her arms, gesturing to the rest of the room.
From her hiding place, she couldn't see much except for the plated boots thudding around the abode as if they owned each and every plank of rotted wood that served as a floor. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop quivering. Her breathing quickened, though she did her best to keep the volume of it down.
"I'm not sure," He clenched his fist. "Whatever you've been cooking is muddling her scent," he turned over the few pieces of furniture strewn about the room.
After flipping over a table, he locked his focus on the only furnishing that was left and wasn't bolted down to anything. Seeing the intruder stalk towards the bed, the old woman spurred into action.
Quite spry for her age, the woman leapt onto the knight's back. He flailed to try and fling her off him, but she wrapped her arms around his neck.
She screamed. "Run!"
Scrambling out from underneath the bed, she rushed past their tussle. She ducked under an outstretched arm without breaking her stride out the empty doorway. When she came out into the street, she heard a crash behind her and the wooden wall splintered. Down the road, the other soldiers had taken to surrounding Karashi, shoving him onto the ground and kicking him whilst he was down. Processing her surroundings in an instant, her next step pivoted her the other way and she broke off into a sprint that a bolting animal would be proud of.
Her bare feet padded against the dried dirt, giving her good purchase and allowing her to propel herself with each step. Behind her, the clanking of armour reminded her of the immediate threat of the squad of soldiers all chasing her through the village.
She made it all the way to other end of the small town before she could start to think about where she was going. As if the lack of thoughts about her direction lightened her body, the moment she considered her mental map, she slowed by not even half a step.
But in that half a step, a large blur burst out into her periphery. A rumbling growl was all she heard before the blur pounced on her, slamming against her and knocking her down under a wall of dense muscle. When her head hit the ground, all her thoughts came to an abrupt halt and her vision faded to nothing.
Taking advantage of her unconscious state, her subconscious piled on her misery with memories of her last few days as a free woman.
It should have been the same as any other campaign. Defending their borders from an invasion force of more than a few thousand soldiers. For her kingdom's armies, that was a sizeable amount of soldiers for just the small goal of conquering the towns and smaller cities situated at the border. But, their enemies seemed to have an endless supply of weapons and armour to equip each of their soldiers with.
As was her duty, she gathered her own troops and marched to the edge of the kingdom. In each village they were inundated with volunteers and cheering supporters offering them food and medicine to add to their supply chain. With every step, the morale of her soldiers grew tenfold. Their encampment was set up within a single day, each soldier pitching in with everything they had before the upcoming battle.
Those high spirits had stuttered a little when the scouts had come back with their preliminary reports. However, she put a stop to the downward slide by revealing all the schemes she had concocted in order to use in the coming battle. All her subordinates were impressed by her tactics, dealing out the orders to prepare for the battlefield. If everything went as planned, they would have had the enemy surrendering within just the first few hours of fighting.
The one issue that bothered her came from some of the soldiers she'd heard amidst the campfires that were littered throughout the tents in order to stave of the chill that followed the moon in the desert. After being well-fed and a couple tankards of ale, there was buzz of chatter about the enemy's commander. She would keep on hearing strange nicknames referring to this figure as some unmatchable tactician. It was enough to sting her pride and spurred her into spending the rest of the night in her tent planning to bury this strategist in a maze of psychological warfare that they wouldn't even dream of escaping.
At least, that was how it was supposed to go…
# # #
She stumbled forwards, losing her balance for but a moment. That was all it took for her to hit the gravel. Her knees scraped against individual stones, eliciting a sharp hiss from her lips. Her elbows suffered the same fate, forced to protect her face at the cost of some potential scars.
The sun bore down on her, harsh in its gaze. She had never noticed it as much back home, since it was always there. Squinting, she watched the first few drops of blood pool around her grazed skin. Seeing her skin moisten and inflame, she felt her dry tongue snake out of her mouth to lather over her parched lips.
The thunderous sound of hooves beating the path came to an abrupt halt ahead of her. Her vision darkened and her eyes flickered upwards to discover that the only reminder of home she had was now blotted out by a giant form on horseback.
A mass of armour, darker than the shadows it was casting onto her, dismounted from an even larger stallion. The knight landed with a thud, shaking the ground enough for her to feel the impact from a few feet away. She watched him move towards her with ease, the forged metal failing to slow down the hulking warrior. What was surprising was how little noise the suit of armour made with each of the knight's strides.
"Get up!" a gruff voice ordered her from behind the helmet covering all but a pair of wild brown eyes.
She tried to respond, but she ended up choking on her rough words instead. The knight grew impatient waiting for her to move, squatting down to grab her by her scruffy locks. His rough hold on her scalp drew a choked cry from her as the leathery inside of the knight's gauntlet pinched her head. She writhed in his grip, wrestling against her bindings, much to the frustration of her captor.
"Kiba!" an echoed voice followed a horse galloping towards them. Over her shoulder, she heard the horse rear to a halt. "Unhand her!" his stern tone commanded respect from all the mounted soldiers around her.
Without warning, Kiba let go of her head, letting her crash back down into the gravelled path.
"Ow!" she groaned, muffled by the dirt she spat out of her mouth.
Kiba rose to his full height to meet his mounted comrade, burying her in shade once more. "Don't tell me how to deal with my prisoner, Hyuga!" he barked, jabbing a fist at mounted knight.
Gathering herself, she pulled herself upwards to balance on her knees. She craned her neck to see the new knight dismount from their elegant white steed. The silver of their plated armour was blinding, mismatching that of Kiba's apparel. Hanging from their belt, two curved scabbards housed the symbols of their nobility. Artistic patterns of wings adorned the pommel and hilt of the twin shortswords.
"Need I remind you, that your orders were track her down and escort her back to the main force," the muffled criticism seeped out through their helmet. "Or can't you Inuzuka mutts follow basic orders?"
The two knights stared off against each other, their capes billowing in the soft breeze that whistled past. The prideful auras that came off them in waves clashed in a silent battle of wills. None of the column of soldiers that waited behind them dared to speak up against their commanding officers, although she could pick out a few murmurs about the nobleman's house's reputations.
After a hyperactive twitch from Kiba, he relented. "You take her then!" he growled, turning back to his horse. Under his breath, she could've sworn he muttered something colourful about bastards. But, it was lost in the wake of his steed's gallop, leaving her with this new knight.
Squatting down beside her, this knight removed their helmet to reveal a mane of chocolate brown hair. They reached out towards her with a slow movement which she assumed was intended to calm her. It wasn't necessary, however, as her brief shot of adrenaline had all been drained in just an instant of reprieve. Facing no resistance, the knight undid the ropes tied around her wrists. Rubbing her wrists, she had to bite back a grimace as the reddened flesh was exposed to the sharp breeze.
Before she could do anything more, she found a heavy waterskin thrust into her hands.
"Drink."
She didn't waste any time before uncorking and pouring the contents down her throat, accompanied by loud gulps. After a few more swallows, she tipped her head back. But, a finger of metal plate pressed the waterskin away from her.
"Slower, it's better to drink a little bit out of a time to fight dehydration," the knight ordered her. Taking his advice, she found herself panting less and the moisture returned back to her lips whilst her throat smoothed to accommodate more drops of water.
When she had emptied almost half of the waterskin's contents, she cleared her throat before turning to the knight. She muttered something under her breath, interrupted by a fit of coughs.
The knight raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"
Her fists clenched around the waterskin, forcing some water to splash onto the ground. "What's your name?" she demanded.
"It's Neji," he answered.
She took a deep breath. "Neji Hyuga," saying it aloud, she noticed his hidden frown. "Thank you."
He stood up, offering her a hand.
"I'm Te—" she was interrupted a scoffed grin.
"I know who you are," he helped her onto her unsteady feet.
Climbing onto his horse, he used his grip to pull her up onto the back of the saddle. Looking over his shoulder, he scanned around the road. And with just a tug on his reins, the small force of mounted soldiers followed him in ranks wide enough to cover the entire road.
As she rocked side to side with each of the steed's long strides, her eyes grew heavier until she couldn't stand keeping them open anymore.
# # #
"Evening."
She awakened to find cloudy pupils staring down at her. Realising they belonged to another person, she shot upwards, scrambling off the bed of straw. She resisted the urge to scratch the itchiness that tingled down her spine, in order to focus on her current surroundings. Patchworked leather suggested she was in a tent whilst the lack of luxurious items suggested that it was purposed for military use.
Outside, she heard the bustling of soldiers. From the erratic footsteps, she guessed that they were drunk. The ground underneath her feet was soft, covered in verdant grass which tickled her raw flesh.
"Where are we?" she asked.
The knight stared at her for moment, his blank stare a little unnerving. His arms were crossed across his chest, covering most of the finer garments he wore.
"Tani."
Her eyes widened at his answer. "How? We would've heard word of their defeat," she rose to her feet, trying to ignore the headache caused by the lack of intelligence on her enemy's movements she had received.
"We signed a treaty that allows us to use their lands as a staging ground and in return, we won't be taking up arms against them for a summer or two," he explained, his stern expression didn't offer any more to his words.
She shook her head. "It doesn't make any sense!" she complained. "Why would you even think about signing a non-aggression like that? You could take the kingdom in under a week of crossing the damn border!" she argued.
He stared back at her, unbothered by her rise in volume. "It wasn't my call," he shrugged. "The commander didn't think it was worth the manpower."
"The commander? Is that this stargazing fawn I've heard so much about?"
Moments passed, filled with nothing but the ambience of an army camp. Drunken laughs and slurred conversation buzzed all around them outside of their tent.
Neji let out a small chuckle before smirking. "I haven't heard anyone call him that before."
"Who is he?" she asked, looking to learn more about the foe who had bested her. If she could create a profile of him then she could apply it into future plans to give her an incredible advantage.
"Not someone you'd want as an enemy."
She groaned, annoyed at how little this knight was offering her. But before she could pry for more, a chorus of laughter erupted from outside the tent to coincide with an increase in foot traffic past them. From the direction of the voices, she guessed that they were all headed in towards the same place.
"What's going on?"
Neji's regal features pulled into a grimace. "I imagine they're going to make the prisoners fight."
It didn't take long for her imagination to torture her with scenes of the bareknuckle fighting her soldiers would be forced into. The barbaric ceremony was a common one amongst soldiers, watching and taking joy in making comrades beat each other to the brink of death and sometimes even further. A few of the poorest serfs made enough money through well-placed (or lucky) bets to buy their own land and elevate their status.
Although, it wasn't the idea of the gruesome spectacle that bothered her.
"You don't seem to be all that excited by the prospect," she remarked, quirking an eyebrow at the knight.
"No," his shoulders tightened. "I'm not one for needless brutality."
Listening to him, she couldn't help but take in the breathtaking sight of Neji's pearly eyes staring off into space. For some reason, she could brush aside the minor fact that they were enemies. She found herself wanting to comfort this man and pull him away from the grim aura that burdened his tensed shoulders.
She reached out her calloused hand, but she faltered.
The knight noticed her outstretched arm and his lips pursed in response.
That was when her belly decided that it was high time it was filled and it chose to voice this desire with a deafening grumble that pained her to her core. That wasn't the worst pain though. The burning heat that rushed to her face took that title for its own.
Surprised for an instant, Neji smirked. "I'll go find you something to eat."
She clutched her stomach as she watched him leave, taking note of the night sky. The crescent moon peaked down at her, daring her to make a break for it. For a brief moment, she debated accepting its invitation. The sound of soldiers around the tent deterred her from taking such a bold risk.
Instead, she lay back down and waited for the luxury of military rations to grace her tastebuds.
Anything to survive.
# # #
When she saw them, she couldn't believe her eyes. She had just been able to catch the first glimpse of the noon's sun after they had travelled through a dense forest for an entire week. Under the thick canopy, she spotted the rare beam of sunlight peeking through the verdant coat. The little amount of sun offered just enough light to illuminate the way ahead, and the swarm of soldiers all marching in perfect sync.
And then they broke out from the forest. Over the shoulder of the knight's silver armour, she watched as the regiment they were riding with rejoined the brigade that had defeated her on the battlefield on the main road. The few serfs who travelled on the worn dirt scattered to allow the army to pass, but not without the merchants trying to flog their wares to the returning soldiers.
From her vantage point over those without a mount, she spied the variety of banners that the proudest soldier carried. Different crests adorned vast swathes of fabric that couldn't have been easy to control when the wind was more than just a smooth breeze. In total there were six emblems, yet only one of them matched the banners that hung from the walls.
And the walls…
It was as if the goddess herself had built them. From one end of the horizon to the other, they spanned. Weathered stone towered over them from so far away, casting an abyssal shadow over the countryside. The skyline of bastions mirrored that of a mountain range, breaching the clouds and offering no chance for attackers to scale the walls without serious risk to their livelihoods.
By the time they had reached the main gate, she had to crane her neck to stare upwards at the raised portcullis, allowing the stream of soldiers to filter in their wide columns. From inside, whistles and cheering echoed throughout the city streets as waves of citizens regaled them on their victory parade.
The further they rode into the city, the more she hid behind the rider. She hoped that she wouldn't attract too much attention. That hope was squashed when she heard the first round of booing from the poorest serfs in the lower district of the city. Stumbling drunkards took note of the heavy cuffs around her wrists and the ragged clothes she wore before joining in, spilling tankards of beer into the air. Guardsmen saluted their comrades whilst scantily clad women showed off their wares with sly grins.
In the middle district, she took note of all the shopfronts that situated along the bustling streets. Handmade signs announced the stock for sale whilst the items in the windows tempted passersby.
For a few minutes, they came to a halt at another set of walls. The soldiers had filtered off, heading towards the barracks and the taverns afterwards. That left just a small party of officers and their most trusted escorts. She spied the few bannermen that remained, standing tall as they carried the symbols of their lieges' heritage to match those emblazoned on the capes of the noble knights.
After dismounting, she found her chains hooked onto a longer set of links designed to be used as a leash to guide her through the courtyard of the palace. Rows of vibrant flowers adorned the garden, cutting through the emerald shade of the well-maintained shrubbery.
Reaching a set of giant doors, she was handed over to the doormen. Whilst the others entered without any hesitation, she turned to Neji who had returned to his horse.
"Where are you going?" she called out.
He climbed onto his horse, turning to face her. "I must return back to my family's lands," he announced. His gaze hardened. "Make sure to watch yourself in front of her majesty."
That was all the warning he gave before spurring his steed into a steady trot.
A tugging on her chains urged her inside. The officers they had rode in with had vanished, leaving her with the two guards. Their armour suggested that they were of higher status than the ones she had seen throughout the streets in the lower districts, but still it was quite dull compared to the apparel of their superiors.
Through a maze of lavish halls, she was herded towards an orchestra of chatter. The raised voices revealed some argumentative personalities deeper in the palace. The walls, lined with gilded paintings and fine-crafted furniture, echoed booming commands and a deafening knocking. She took note of the carved oak doors that seemed to all converge on one chamber.
The linens wrapped around her feet didn't stop the raw skin from aching with each step. Although, the fabric muffled the noise of her footsteps whilst the clanking of metal soles reverberated from her captors' boots. At another set of doors as tall as the trees they were sculpted from, they had to wait for them to be summoned by a powerful voice on the other side.
In recognition of the voice, the doors swung inwards without so much as a squeak from the hinges.
The guards wasted no time, stepping inside and dragging her behind them.
All conservations ceased the instant she passed the doorframe. The padding of their footsteps echoed more around what seemed like a tunnel. She studied the stone, ancient but pristine. It was a wild contrast to the marble of the palace halls they had just walked through. No, this rock was more akin to that of the mountainous walls on the outskirts of the city.
A sheet of light at the end suggested an exit and revealed a monumental chamber. Glancing around, she counted a dozen or so balconies with flags and banners denoting the noble house it belonged to. Staring down, well-dressed men and women watched every step she took with curious gazes and wide grins.
Avoiding them, she craned her neck and took in the breathtaking sight on the ceiling. Far above her, a skylight of stained glass filtered the midday sun through depictions of the goddess and her godly children. Engaged in divine combat, the sons sealed the mother of creation in what would come to be called the moon as a part of the story she had been told when she had asked her mother about the moon as a child.
When she stood underneath the central pane presenting the goddess between two crescents, a heavy clang called the entire room's attention to its source.
Reclining against a towering throne, a magnificent woman stared down at her. The guards she was escorted by knelt down with their heads bowed until she snapped her fingers, the sound signalling the pair to return to the exit of the tunnel to stand at attention.
Her regal features were ageless, her golden locks framing her stunning coffee brown eyes. The jewelled crown adorning her head glowed in the sunlight like a halo. A broad, verdant cape rested beneath her, its creaseless surface revealing the fabrics' rarity. She sat, relaxed in a set of polished armour. Resting against her armrest, a mighty warhammer demanded the humility of all those who witnessed its brutal beauty.
"At last," her voice was smooth, but commanding. "It is nice to meet you, Princess Temari."
"Your Majesty," she stared up at the monarch of the Konohanian empire.
The empress smirked. "You're a lot prettier than I'd thought you'd be," she remarked, giving her a once over. "Despite conducting yourself like your father."
Temari had heard something similar almost all her life, ever since her mother had passed. Everyone had regaled her with tales of her mother's beauty from the time she learned what the word beauty meant. After the birth of her youngest brother, she couldn't leave her chambers without receiving a comment comparing her to her mother. It drove her to bury herself in constant training, she would be valued for more than just her likeness to the dead queen.
The chain squealed under the strain of her wrists being pulled apart.
"Well, now that you're here," the throne's occupant crossed one of her armoured legs over the other before she surveyed the room with a grin. "We can commence with the council meeting."
Raising her hand, a young woman stepped out from beside the staircase leading up to the foot of the seat of power. In a practiced movement, the raven-haired woman bowed before clearing her throat.
"Your Majesty, after the recent campaign into Suna, the army has suffered minimal casualties and the treasury has taken a small hit after the equipment they looted from the enemy is sold."
The empress drummed her fingers against her armrest. "Thank you, Shizune," she dismissed the woman with a tap of her plated heel. "Now, what's this I hear about a treaty with Tani?" her voice echoed as she looked to the balconies, expecting an answer.
"It was that Nara boy, Your Majesty."
The empress sighed. "Of course it was," she shook her head. "And, what do you have to say to that, Lord Nara?"
Temari followed the blonde's gaze to the darkest segment of the room. Standing over a balcony, a nobleman met his liege with a curt nod. His shrewd features, marred with a trio of vicious slashes, refused to provide any clues to his thoughts. With a composed tone that reached the ear of everyone in the room without the need to raise his voice, he answered.
"Your Majesty, my son believed that it was in the Empire's best interest to come to an agreement with the kingdom of Tani, allowing us to use it as a staging ground for our war against Suna."
The noblewoman who voiced her disdain earlier slammed her fist against the railing. "Which prevents us from attacking Tani for more than two whole summers!" she growled. Her spiky hair bounced in a crass rage.
"A necessary delay that allows us to prioritise dealing with greater threats to the empire," he explained.
Temari stood witness as the entire chamber broke out into chaos. Nobles resorted to bickering with each other, bringing up old mistakes in an effort to sway the others to the sides they had taken.
Scandalous rumours were thrown about without hesitation, more than she had ever heard in her life. Back home, rumours never lasted too long with her cold-blooded father on the throne. There were just a few that managed to survive his scathing wrath, those that surrounded her youngest brother.
The cacophony ended with another round of the empress' hammer pommelling the ground.
"Silence!"
All eyes turned back to the furious face of their monarch.
"I shouldn't have to remind you all of your noble status, and of the respect that is required to carry," she spoke to them as if they were children. "What's done is done, so we will act in accordance with our agreement with Tani until it expires."
Temari watched as all of the nobles bowed their heads, even the fierce Lady Inuzuka. "As you wish, Your Majesty," they called out in response.
The empress turned to Shizune. "So, what other fruits has this laborious endeavour bore?"
"The army managed to capture almost a third of the Princess' force, around a thousand soldiers and a few hundred servants and a couple hundred more slaves," she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "What would you like to do with them, Your Majesty?"
Temari's breath hitched. She stared at the sovereign, desperate to know what fate awaited all those who followed her into battle. As much as she hated that the empress was the one who was deliberating on what to do with her soldiers, her citizens, she knew that if the roles were reversed, she wouldn't have shown much in the way of mercy.
The ruler pursed her full lips in thought. Her proud stare locked with Temari's. For a instant, Temari found herself glaring back in a silent contest of wills. The chains on her wrists groaned as they battled, searching for any weakness in the others character. The empress seemed to find hers first, giving her a smug look before turning back to Shizune.
"Assign the prisoners to their usual posts; the young men to the fields and the mines, the women to the houses and for those that disobey, the whorehouses," she rested her chin in her palm. "And send the officers to House Yamanaka, execute the rest."
Temari bit her lip.
"What of the princess, Your Majesty?"
All eyes fell on the chained princess.
Her ears picked up a few murmurs coming from the nobles. The mood amongst them had shifted into something more serious, as if everything before had been child's play. The hairs on the back of their neck stood on end. She felt a strange gaze prickle her skin, a foreign feeling to remind her that she was now in enemy territory, like prey. Although, she refused to be helpless. With her head on a swivel, she fired a glare back at the source.
Confused, she studied the marred face of Lord Nara who was awaiting the sovereign's decision. Someone else was watching her. But, the Nara's balcony was submerged in darkness. The only light in that segment of the room was a dim glow of flame over the nobleman's shoulder.
"Your Majesty, it was my son who captured the princess so she should be handed over to my house," the gruff voice of Lady Inuzuka bellowed around the chamber.
Temari's mind supplied her with the image of the knight who had chased her for so long. And, that gigantic beast he called his partner.
"Yet, it was a knight of House Hyuga that escorted her to the palace," the empress argued. She turned to one of the balconies. "Do you wish to claim her for your house, Hiashi?"
The princess noted the long hair of the nobleman. Its colour reminded her of the knight who'd accommodated her all the way to the capital. Their faces were quite similar as well, their eyes the exact same cloudy tone. But their differences begun at the hardened expression this noble wore. Not an ounce of pity could Temari find in his unwavering stare.
She held her breath, hoping that this would be the least unpleasant outcome.
At least that knight will be there.
"No, Your Majesty,"
The monarch raised an eyebrow. "So, what would you have me do with her?"
Furrowing his brow, the man stood still for a moment, stuck in thought. "How about gifting her to His Royal Highness?" he suggested. Around the other balconies, Temari could hear muffled snickers and restrained scoffs at the idea.
One of the few rumours about the empire that had reached her was the story of its archduke's lifestyle. A chill breezed through the room, sending a shiver down her spine. She stared up at the skylight once more, focusing on the goddess' sons, praying that they would save her from a lifetime of servitude to the devil prince.
The empress shook her head. "No, it wouldn't be wise to spoil him," she grimaced. Staring back down at Temari, her lips curled upwards. "And, I do believe that the rewards of battle do belong to its champion."
Sitting up in her throne, she glanced towards the darkest segment of the room before returning her attention to the captive Temari.
"Princess Temari of the Kingdom of Suna," she announced. "By the power vested to me by the God-Prophet's grace, I, Tsunade of House Senju, High Queen of the Kingdom of Konoha and Empress of the Konoha Empire, sentence you to lifelong servitude to House Nara!" she declared. Using the pommel of her warhammer, she cracked the marble tile by her feet three times, sealing Temari's fate.
The chamber erupted into a deafening salute to Her Majesty, despite some of the voices offering a subtle gripe at her final decision.
All she could do was set her jaw, holding herself together as she stood proud despite her rampaging thoughts. In the corner of her vision, she took note of the scarred nobleman peering down on her. In his dark eyes, she could've sworn she witnessed a flash of pity.
Her wrists ached as she strained against her chains.
He doesn't get to feel that way.
"Your Majesty, what about the intelligence she carries?"
The queen shot a sly smile towards Lord Nara. "I'm sure that the Nara will figure something out," she looked around, waiting for any objections. "If that is all, then we can dismiss this council meeting."
One by one, the nobles bowed before making their exit.
Standing up, the imposing blonde strolled to the edge of the steps leading down to Temari. "It was nice meeting you, Your Highness," she snapped her fingers at the two guards from before.
The monarch and her advisor watched as she was led back down the tunnel by her pair of jailors. Walking back through the palace, Temari did her best to hold her chin up as she was escorted through the opulent corridors.
As defiant as she was, she knew that her homeland couldn't help her anymore. There was no way for them to defeat the might of the empire's army in open battle. They would need a devious strategy to have any hope of winning, her strategies.
She knew only one thing.
She was not going to spend her life as a slave to someone else.
A/N- Hey guys, I hope you've had a good start to the week. I've quite enjoyed planning this story and writing this first chapter, despite how long it is, so it'd be awesome if you enjoyed it as well. I'm still not sure if I want this story to jump around with different perspectives or stick with a contained narrative surrounding a smaller main cast. So, let me know what you'd prefer with that. I'm just glad that it's gonna take a while before I need to decide.
I guess I'll leave you to it. Have a good rest of the week.
Yours truly,
Signing off