Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Chapter Two: Getting Her Bearings

Flashback

She plopped down onto the grassy field. It picked at the back of her neck. She let out an exaggerated sigh of pure contentment.

"Your Okaasan is going to be so mad."

She rolled her purple eyes just before she rolled onto her stomach and kicked her heels. If she was going to be yelled at she wanted to earn it.

The boy with hair even brighter than the sun frowned. "Your new kimono is getting all dirty."

"Stop being such a girl," she shot at him. She stuck her tongue at his scandalized face for good measure. "The grass doesn't bite," she added as she spread her arms and legs out. She closed her eyes.

The frown on his little face deepened. His blond brow knitted together. The expression in his blue eyes was serious. He leaned forward, his hands were on his knees.

"Someone will see you and we'll get in trouble."

The girl with fiery red hair sighed to the full extent of her lung capacity. She opened her eyes in annoyance.

"Me getting or being in trouble is nothing new." She said dismissively.

"It is for me," he crossed his arms. "Otosama will be so mad. He's always in a bad mood these days."

Kushina pushed her lips to the side. "Must be because of the war."

"You think?" Minato asked her with surprise.

"Duh," she all but snorted. "My Otosan is all serious too. That's why I'm here. They are probably talking about it right now." She made a face. "Blah, blah, blah war! We need more men, blah, blah, blah. The losses are in the hundreds, blah, blah!" She said in a deep voice.

Minato laughed into his hand. "Stop! Someone will see you." He said in between giggles.

Kushina grinned. "Let them. I'm not scared."

Minato's face became solemn. "I hope it ends soon."

Kushina knitted her browns together. "Why? Aren't you going to be a general one day? Like our dads. Don't generals live for war?"

Minato looked up at the sky as he pondered her question. "I don't know." He answered honestly.

"You are so soft," she said with a sigh. She cradled the back of her head in her hands. "I wish I was a boy." She crossed her ankles.

"Why?"

"Then I could cut my hair. Then I could go into battle," she grinned. "I could ride a horse and lead an army and beat the Iwa bastards back into the rocks they crawled out from. The filthy scum." Her eyes blazed with intensity.

Minato rubbed the back of his neck. "You're weird."

"And you're weak." She shot back in a huff. She turned her head away from him.

"I'm glad you're not a boy."

She did not look at him. She avoided his gaze entirely.

"I like you the way you are. I like your hair. It's really pretty."

She froze. It felt like the whole world froze. She saw movement in her peripherals. She blinked at the hand in front of her.

"Here," he smiled at her softly.

"Tch," she took his hand.

Minato's smile fell off his face and his eyes widened. He landed on his hands and knees on the grass.

"Kushina!" He sat down. He inspected the green grass stains in the dark blue silk.

Kushina laughed maniacally. "That will teach you!" She was grinning from ear to ear.

Minato let out a sigh. "Want to battle?" It was too late. He was already dirty.

Kushina tackled him. "Surrender!"

Their giggles vibrated off the walls of the Namikaze Compound.

End of Flashback

She stretched her lips into a smile that she hoped could pass for natural as her heart pounded in her chest. It was difficult to grip the handle of the suitcase on account of how sweaty her palms had become. She brought a hand to cover her eyes as a light shone on her face. It took her eyes a couple of moments to adjust to the sudden brightness.

She must have expected something because what she saw was not it. Sakura blinked, keeping the smile plastered on her face, as she processed the small woman in front of her with more white in her hair than black. Her dark gray kimono was simple but even in the low light, Sakura could tell it was without a crease or hole. If she had to hazard a guess, the woman was in her sixties. There were visible crow's feet and laugh lines in addition to a slightly hunched back.

"You must be the niece, we were expecting you earlier in the day," the woman said in a nonchalant manner as if it were commonplace for strangers to show up at the doorstep in the middle of the night.

Sakura's stomach dropped, it was the women's sleeping wear. She bowed her head. "Yes, ma'am." She looked down at her less-than-white socks. "I'm sorry, the road was in a bad state on account of the rains. It took longer than expected."

'You haven't even started and already with the excuses.'

The woman clicked her tongue. Sakura's stomach twisted into even more severe knots.

"Well come in," she ushered Sakura inside with a flick of her wrist. "Come in, come in." She added when Sakura did not move.

Sakura lifted her head. She pulled her white head covering down and stepped over the slightly raised edge of the gate. Her eyes widened. The compound was even more regal than she could have imagined. Everything was lit by the low glow of the lanterns. She could see the shadows dancing across the gardens. The shadows of the foliage were reflected back on the walls of the structures.

'Whoa.'

She had only seen or read about something so grand in books. She resisted the temptation to pinch herself. She could not believe she was here.

"Child," the woman's voice cut through the air. Sakura jumped in surprise. "You can gawk tomorrow. Follow me."

"Yes, ma'am," Sakura mumbled half in embarrassment and half in awe. She moved quickly to follow after the woman who despite her small size was covering a surprising amount of ground rather quickly.

"You must be tired from your journey and everything is new so I won't give you the walkthrough now." The woman did not look back as she moved. "You missed dinner. You'll have to go without tonight, I'm afraid."

"It's okay." Sakura brought a hand to her stomach as if a warning to it, reminding it that it needed to behave.

"We're passing by the kitchens on the right, breakfast is at six in the morning. Try not to be late. By six-thirty the portions are much smaller." She gestured with her head to a dark building.

"Right," Sakura focused all her attention on the woman.

"I'll be shadowing you for the first week that you are here." The woman looked over her shoulder at Sakura. "My name is Ambe Tomoha. I am in charge of running the household for the Masters. Any questions that you have or any concerns, you come to me."

"Right. It's nice to meet you, Ambe-sama." Sakura bowed to the woman's back.

"'Sama' is for the Masters. You may address me as 'Ambe-san'." The woman's lip twitched downwards slightly. "These are my quarters." The woman came to a stop in front of the first door of a modest-looking building.

Sakura nodded her head. She followed the woman's eyes.

"There is the bath," she pointed to a building across the way. "The bathing times are from five to six in the morning. And again from eight to nine in the evening." She regarded Sakura closely. "You are responsible for warming your own bath water and keeping the space clean. If you need to bathe outside of those times, come to me and I'll see if the situation warrants an exception."

Sakura raised her hand. "Would it be possible for me to bathe before bed?" She was grimy.

The woman sighed deeply. "I don't have time to teach you how to heat up the water."

"I don't need it," Sakura said quickly. "I would just like to go to bed clean."

"Very well," the woman said almost reluctantly. "I will give you the key after I show you to your quarters."

"Thank you, Ambe-san." Sakura lowered her eyes to the ground between them. It was imperative for her to stay on this woman's good side.

"Follow me," the woman moved down the hall. Sakura's sandals clicked against the wooden platform.

She kept her gaze focused on her feet, she nearly ran into the woman who came to another stop. Sakura watched as Tomoha slid open the shoji doors. Tomoha slipped out of her sandals. Sakura did the same. They stepped into the dark room.

She heard a match being struck, she then smelled it before she finally saw the light. It cast Tomoha's face in a soft glow. Sakura followed the yellow, red flame until it lit a lantern. Tomoha held it out for Sakura. Sakura took it in her hand, the one not holding the suitcase. She set that down at her feet. She moved around the space.

There was a floor mat in the middle of the room. She saw a pillow and a blanket on the mat. There was a small desk and a chair made of wood. There was a wooden cabinet on the same wall as the desk. There were a couple of wooden shelves on the wall. There was a skinny mirror on the wall. It was long enough to provide a full profile. There was one window in the room. It was too small to crawl out of. The space was airy and clean.

"This is where you will be staying," Tomoha said.

Sakura looked at her in surprise. "This is mine?"

Tomoha nodded her head. "Master is very generous. This space is yours. You will not be sharing. That said, anyone can have access. Do not keep valuables out in the open. We haven't had trouble in the past but why tempt anyone? The toilets are by the bath. They are accessible at any time."

She nodded her head to indicate she was responsive and listening.

"Master took pity on your situation. But there are limits to everything." Tomoha's gaze went from head to toe. Sakura could not quite place the look in Tomoha's dark eyes. "You are young. You are unattached. For that reason, I will say this, stay away from the male quarters. Stay away from their bathhouse and the toilets. Do not fraternize with the guards. Intermingling will not be tolerated. I will not repeat myself." Her eyes held a sternness that rivaled Sakura's own mother's.

"Understood." Sakura nodded her head.

"Good," the woman reached into her kimono. She pulled out a key. She set it down on the desk. "This is a key to the bathhouse. Once you are done, slip it under my door. I will see you in the morning."

"Um," Sakura raised her hand again.

"Any questions you have will wait until then." The woman said in a flat tone.

Sakura lowered her hand slowly. "Right," she looked around the room. "Thank you, Ambe-san. I'm sorry for interrupting your sleep."

The woman pressed her lips together. She slid the shoji door closed after she had exited the room. Sakura released the breath she was holding. She lowered herself onto her heels. She set the lantern down on the ground. She opened her suitcase. She did not bring any towels with her. There had not been enough space. She looked over her shoulder at the armoire in the room. She picked up the lantern and made her way to it. She opened the door on the right. She held the lantern closer. Her right hand moved over the rough, thin brown towel.

"I'm in luck," she said dryly.

She tucked it under her arm. She moved back to the suitcase that was still on the ground. She grabbed the first kimono she could get her hand on. They were all more or less the same. Muted in color, simple in design, and well-worn. She grabbed her undergarments and rolled them up in her kimono. They joined the towel. Sakura slipped into her shoes, she used the wall for support. She closed the door. It was the last one in the hall. It made it easy to remember.

There was no light in any of the rooms. She wanted to ensure it stayed that way. She did not want to make any enemies while she was here. She walked towards the bathhouse. She spotted a well on the way. She held up the lantern. She could see a rope, she even saw a terracotta pot sitting right at the base of where the well wall began. She held the handle on the lantern between her teeth.

'Thank Kami no one is around to see me now.'

She began to pull the hemp fibers of the woven rope. It cut into her hands. She felt the strain of the muscles in her sore back as she continued to pull up the tin. She grimaced as the cool water splashed her hands. It was almost frigid. She poured it into the terracotta pot. It took no less than five more repetitions of the pot to fill.

She managed to perch it against her hip once she reached the door of the bathhouse. She turned the handle. It did not budge.

"The key," if her hands were empty she would have smacked her big forehead. "Damn it," she set the pot down on the ground. She all but ran back to her room. She slipped out of her shoes, and she opened the door. She grabbed her key only to close the door and put her sandals back on.

She was more agitated than anything by the time she reached the bathhouse again. She inserted the key. She let out a sigh of relief. She looked around the room. There were dividers. She counted three stalls to her left and four to the right. There were none along the back wall. She moved the first stall on her left. She found a hook for the lantern. She set it there. There were two hooks for her clothes, right at the beginning of the divider. She hung her clean clothes first. Sakura slipped out of her dirty clothes and hung them on the second hook. She would wash them tomorrow when there was still a chance for them to dry with the rays of the sun before the end of the day.

She stood there shivering in the cold. Goosebumps broke out across her body. Some moonlight streamed through the open slits in the wall. Too high up for someone to peep through without drawing attention. She stared at the top of the water.

"Just get it over with," she gave herself the pep talk she needed to pour the ladle into the cool water. Her teeth were already nearly chattering. She bit down on her cheek to keep from screaming as the cold water shocked her system. Her teeth did start to chatter in earnest. She pinched her eyes together as she dumped another ladle of water on her person. She would have to ask about soap tomorrow. In the morning. When there was a prospect of a warm bath. She worked quickly to get the layer of grime that accumulated from her travels off of her skin.

She blew into her hands. She was still so cold despite being back in her room and standing close to a heat source. The goosebumps were gone. They were no longer poking through her clothes. Sakura carefully lowered a glass container onto the shelf. It was the third one. She still had four more to unwrap and display. Sleep would not come to her. She was too cold, too hungry, and too wired. She kept both her mind and hands busy with her task.

"There," she put her hands on her hips as she finished setting the last container on the shelf. "Already feels more like home," she smiled sadly to herself.

She scratched her head. She was slightly surprised to find that she was still in her bandana. Sakura sighed. She pulled it from her head. She undid her bun that was being held together with nothing more than a knot. Her thick, pink locks fell to her lower back. She reached for her suitcase, it was resting on the desk now. She pulled out the bamboo comb. She began to brush her hair all the while avoiding her reflection. She moved in even strokes. She grabbed the clumps of her pink strands from between the teeth of her comb. She gathered them into a ball.

Sakura grabbed one of the glass containers from the shelf. She put the hairball in it. Sakura moved to sit at the desk. She grabbed a match. She struck it. She threw it inside the container sitting on the wooden surface in front of her. She watched as the pink stands first turned red before being reduced to ash. She put the lid on the container. The fire died down once it burned through the oxygen.

She pulled out a piece of parchment from the now nearly empty suitcase. She grabbed the brush on the desk. She dipped it into the ink. She began to write. The glow of the lantern was just enough for her to see.

Her internal clock told her it was a little past four. The rooster cawing loudly also was a dead giveaway. She emerged from the covers. Her body had five or so hours of rest in the bed even if her mind had next to none. It was too early for breakfast and it was too early for the baths. Not that she was in any rush to do that again after last night. She peeked through the curtains. There was not enough light outside.

"What now?" She played with the end of her loose braid. "Do I just wait for Ambe-san?" She fiddled with a loose string on her sleeve. She would need to find a pair of scissors to snip it before she gave into temptation and pulled it. "Did Ambe-san say where to meet her? Will she find me? Or was I supposed to find her?"

She wandered around the room. She nearly jumped out of her skin at the pounding at her door.

"Just a minute!" She called out as she hastily coiled her braid into a bun. She tucked her hair under her bandana. She pulled down on her kimono to straighten it before she opened the door. She found her face to face with a scowling Tomoha.

"Ambe-san?" She asked in surprise.

"Key," the woman said with ample irateness.

'Shit! You were in such a rush to get inside after the cold bath… you completely forgot!'

Sakura's eyes widened. "I'm so sorry," she nearly tripped over her own feet as she grabbed the key from the desk. She bowed. "I'm so sorry."

The woman was not impressed in the slightest. "Come with me."

Sakura bit her lip to keep from yelping. She wiped the sleep from her eyes while the woman's back was to her. The rigidness of her frame conveyed her deep displeasure.

'Maybe you should apologize again?'

Sakura shook her head. She trained her eyes on Tomoha's back. The woman was leading her to the kitchens. She followed her through a door. Sakura took in the brick building. It was hot. The giant pit for fire had everything to do with it. The room was empty.

"Sit," Tomoha gestured to the wooden stool chair.

Sakura sat.

"You can cook right?" Her dark eyes regarded the Haruno.

"Yes, ma'am." Sakura nodded her head as she said the words.

"Good. Then you should have no problem washing rice." The woman brought her a large wooden container. "Fill this with rice," she pointed to a sack against the far right wall. "There are two pots of water in the kitchen, use those. If you need more water, get it from the well. And once it's clean, set it aside. Can you manage that?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Don't touch anything you're not supposed to. Don't break anything. I'll be back in twenty minutes." She let out a long sigh. "Yes?" She asked in response to Sakura's raised hand.

"Should I wash all this rice?" She pointed to the sack.

"Wash as much as you can, we'll revisit when I get back. Understood?" She folded her arms behind her back.

"Yes, Ambe-san." Sakura stood on her feet and bowed as the woman walked past her. She looked at the sack of rice. It was easily more than fifty pounds. Her eyes moved around the dimly lit space. It would still be a few hours before the light was bright enough to come in through the windows. The dried fish and squid that hung from twine across the room caught both her eyes and nose's attention. Her stomach rumbled.

"I need to find a knife," she began her search.

Tomoha sighed for what had to be the third time in less than an hour. The bathhouse was open. She scanned the area. It was clean. The terracotta pots by the well were all accounted for. As were all the servants. She turned her neck slowly. She was starting to feel every bit of her sixty-plus years. She was not as spry as she once was. All those years ago when she served the first master. She certainly was too old to be chasing after the third.

She nodded her head at the servants she greeted. Her eyes were focused on her destination. There were no plumes of smoke coming out of the kitchen nor were there any shrieking. It all pointed to the fact that the woman had not created calamity or catastrophe.

She opened the weathered, wooden door. She blinked a few times not quite believing her eyes.

"What are you doing?" She asked the younger woman.

Sakura to her credit, despite jumping out of her skin, did not let a single grain of rice escape the bag she was tilting over.

"Washing rice," she answered with a confused look on her face. She lowered the bag back to the ground. She gestured to the second empty wooden bowl.

"That is a fifty-pound bag," Tomoha said with a frown. "You should have used a container," she pointed to the ones on the counter. "You could hurt yourself."

"Oh," Sakura rubbed the back of her head. "I'm stronger than I look." She said sheepishly. "I'll use the container next time." She clasped her hands in front of her.

Tomoha curled her lip. "Let me see," she walked over to the clear water. She rubbed the rice in between her fingers. There were no husks and the water remained clear as she swirled the rice around. "Good," she did not miss the way the girl's shoulders dipped in relief. "Finish up what you have in the second container. Don't add more."

"Okay," she reached for the container.

"Have you eaten?" Tomoha asked with a frown.

"No," Sakura looked down at her feet.

Tomoha sighed. She walked over to where the other sacks of food were. She pulled out two sweet potatoes. She washed them before throwing them onto the fire. Sakura looked at her in surprise.

"They should be ready by the time you finish with the rice." The woman answered simply. She studied them on the fire closely.

Sakura busied herself with washing the rest of the rice so that she could eliminate the possibility of putting her foot in her mouth.

Sakura pulled down her sleeves. She kept her eyes on the ground to avoid making eye contact with any of the other servants, or worse anyone that actually held any influence. They were walking further and further into the corridors of the compound. It was even more breathtaking in the light of day. The gardens were mature and serene. There was a great sense of peace amongst the ginkgos and maples. She had seen specks of color in the koi that inhabited the pounds. She even had seen the last of the lotus flowers bloom before they would become dormant for the winter. The deep reds and yellows that were still on the trees filled her with a sense of ease. She felt like she was back at her father's fields again, getting ready to help him and her mother plant crops.

'Focus! Don't get lost in your head.'

She shook her head to push away the intrusive thoughts.

"Avoid eye contact with anyone. Remember you are not to be heard unless otherwise requested." Tomoha continued on with both the tour and imparting wisdom.

'Not a problem for me.'

"Yes, Ambes-san," she said in a low voice. She pulled the ends of her bandana even lower on her forehead. Her hands moved subconsciously to check that her bun was very much tucked away underneath the fabric.

"Master-sama gives us a lot of leeway so we must work that much harder to prove we are worthy of the trust. Everyone here is an adult and I fully expect you to act like it." Tomoha studied her from the corner of her eye.

"Yes, Ambe-san." She played with the loose thread on her sleeve.

"You get half a day on Sunday off. You are free to go to town and do what you wish with your time. But remember you represent this house. Even on your own time. If your conduct is unbecoming of this house's reputation, your position here will be terminated."

"I understand," she dipped her head in a nod.

"If you work hard and mind your business you can have a job for life here." Tomoha looked at the almost hunched-over girl. "I'm sure that is a relief to you."

"It is, Ambe-san." She kept both her eyes and voice low.

The woman turned on her heel and faced Sakura. "The Master is young, the Master is handsome. The Master is the subject of much gossip in town. Do you have any questions regarding him?"

Sakura remained steadfast under the scrutiny of Tomoha's gaze. "No, Ambe-san."

The woman raised a raven brow. "Is that so?"

"I'm only interested in doing a good job and having steady employment," Sakura answered levelly.

"Very well," the woman started moving again. "Are you squeamish around animals?" She asked almost offhandedly.

"Not at all," Sakura's lips pulled into a smile.

"Good. You will collect the eggs in the mornings. That will be your job." The woman made a right turn.

"I can also cook them, Ambe-san." Sakura offered helpfully.

The woman shook her head. "You will not cook until you earn the right." Her dark eyes peered straight ahead. "Your aunt vouched for you. That was enough to convince the eldest Master you were not a spy. That got you in the door. You must earn everything else. Work hard and maybe you can cook for the servants. I am the only one that cooks for the Masters."

"Why?" She asked before she could stop herself.

"I've been serving this family for forty years now. They trust me." She answered tightly.

'Poison.'

Her eyes widened as the realization hit her. Her employer was a general. A general during a war. He probably had no shortage of enemies. Enemies that were not above using women like her as a means to an end.

"Ambe-san?"

"Yes, girl?"

"I don't need to cook," Sakura said in a small voice. She could have sworn she saw Tomoha smirk.

Sakura looked at the porridge sitting in her wooden bowl to avoid looking at anyone else. She was warm. She had just taken a warm bath. Her belly was about to receive some food. She was particularly excited about the egg. It had been days since she had any actual protein. She moved the furthest stool chair in the room, it was away from the light murmur-level conversation happening. She felt their eyes but she played the none the wiser fool.

She crossed her legs neatly. She grabbed her wooden spoon. She broke the egg over the porridge. The runny yolk coated the rice. She stirred. Her mouth watered all the while. She raised the spoon to her lips. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh of contentment.

She could hear laughter all around her. It filled her heart with indescribable joy. She was weightless. She knew instantly who the laughter belonged to. She ran towards the sound. Her smile grew in size. She was getting closer. She ran through the rows of apple trees. The blossoms had just bloomed last week. There were so many pink flowers against the brown branches. It would take all day just to clear one tree. She could not wait. Her mother made the best desserts with apples.

The bees buzzed overhead. They paid her no mind. They were busy pollinating away. Sakura hiked up her lavender kimono even further. It was up to her knees now. Her mother would give her an earful if she saw her. She did not care. Her giggles joined those already in the air.

"Where are you?" She called out in pure giddiness.

"Here!" The voice laughed.

Her pink cheeks were the same shade as her hair. Hair that was hidden away from the eyes of the world. The sun was warm on her back. The wind was gentle on her skin. Her bare feet pushed against the soft loamy soil.

"Where?" She spun around. All she saw were trees. Rows and rows of trees. It was endless.

"Here!"

She furrowed her brow. She stopped moving. She could not catch her breath. The bees were buzzing angrily.

"Where?" She called out with more urgency. It was getting darker.

"Here!" It was growing more distant.

"This isn't funny," the smile was completely gone from her face.

"I'm here," the voice sounded like it was coming from everywhere and nowhere.

"Come back!" She ran to her left. She ran until the row ended. She did not find what she was looking for. "Come back!" She screamed.

"Sakura!"

She bolted upright. Her shoulders moved up and down and she struggled to catch her breath. She felt a bead of sweat move down the length of her back. She panted. Her heart had migrated to her throat. It was pounded away painfully. Tears stung in the back of her eyes. She fisted her hands to her closed eyelids.

"Damn it," she was already crying. The wetness on her face was not from sweat.

"Damn it," she threw off the blanket. She pulled her knees to her chest. She lowered her head in her arms. She rocked slowly back and forth. The cool air coming in from the slightly cracked open window did nothing to alleviate the burning inside her.

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