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CHAPTER 52: Goodbye Kou Empire
It was always possible to lose track of time when one became too occupied; it was a rule that no one was impervious to, and that included Sakura. The days that went by were beginning to give her a sense of normalcy; her comfort within the palace was increasing, and with those who lived there. She always had something to do with one of Kou's royal children, playing with Kougyoku, Hakuei, and Hakuryuu, lazing about and reading with Koumei, sparring with Hakuren, and she was even getting along with Hakuyuu, who seemed to be a bit off nowadays.
'This is exactly what happened the last time,' Sakura thought, staring at the top of the canopy, her hands folded across her chest as if she were a corpse.
"What happened the last time?" asked Gaap
"Our king has been in a similar situation before, where she had put her own mission on hold for the sake of others," Beleth explained.
"And how long did it take before she returned to her own goal?"
"Five months."
"WHAT"
"Enough," Sakura grunted, "That's not going to happen again, alright, as soon as Kouen gets back, I'll leave."
She then prepared herself for what was to come: endless complaints, questions, and teasing from her djinns.
"Wait, why are you waiting for that prince to return my king?" asked Stolas
"Because she most likely wants to give him a proper greeting," Beleth said
"Exactly," Sakura replied, nodding her head slightly, "The last time I ran off without a word, it didn't go so well."
"Would anyone care to inform me?"
Stolas chimed in, "Her previous companions caught her, and she was chased around town-
Sakura winced when she heard Gaap's laughter erupt in her mind; it was as if someone was hitting her inside her head.
"Okay, okay, we don't need a flashback of haunting memories."
Sakura closes her eyes, Sinbad's face flashed through her mind, despite all the new people that had come into her life and all the old ones that were still connected to her deeply, she would always find a moment before the day was gone to think about Sinbad, it wasn't always long drawn out memories but flashes of his face or his eyes.
'I really do need to see you,'
..
..
As Hakuyuu walked through the palace with a calm stride, his head held high, and anyone who might have looked at him would say that was the face of a leader; however, his brother Hakuren knew that something was wrong. Having come out of a meeting with their father, mother, and the small council, there was rarely any time he came out of there in a good mood, and he was walking with an urgent intention.
Now walking beside his brother, Hakuren dared to ask what had happened inside that room, even though it was technically classified.
Hakuyuu's voice was gruff when he spoke, "I can finally confirm our suspicions."
"What don't tell me that it's true!" Hakuren asked, surprised, but he knew what his brother was referring to.
"What do you think?" Hakuyuu snapped, fists clenched, his posture stiff, "That rumour we heard, about her coaxing the council members, uncle, and father to agree with her."
Hakuren's eyes widened. This had been something that they were discussing for over a month, but they had agreed not to mention this until they believed there was actually something to worry about, and right now it looked like there was.
"Oh, she is not going to be happy."
"I know."
"But the question is… how do you feel about this?"
"Prince!"
Hakuyuu and Hakuren stopped and glanced over their shoulder to see one of their subordinates rushing towards them with urgent purpose, in his hand was a small piece of paper….
…
…
…
"Oh, I'm afraid it's time for me to go now, Kougyoku."
The little Kou princess pouted; her time with Sakura had been cut much shorter since she apparently had multiple places to be. At one point, Sakura was even considering using the shadow clone jutsu, but then decided not to. Her clones could only go a certain distance away from her anyway, and the palace being so large was bound to provide that distance.
"Can't you stay a little longer?"
Laughing, Sakura gently tapped Kougyoku's nose. "You know I can't do that, I have to go and see your brother now."
Kougyoku didn't complain any further. Sakura had told her that she had other obligations, and that included her brother Kouha. They hugged and were about to part ways when a guard appeared behind the two.
Picking up Kougyoku Sakura, turned around to face the guard. "Yes, can I help you?"
He bowed quickly before standing up straight. "Lady Haruno, Prince Hakuyuu has requested you."
..
..
Sakura felt like something was amiss. Hakuyuu didn't send for her during the day; their fake relationship status didn't change his current status as a prince, who had many assignments to attend to throughout the day. Yet now she was being escorted to his office for reasons the messenger himself was unaware of. It was suspicious and frustrating to think that Hakuyuu wanted to see her for no apparent reason she could think of.
"Perhaps he misses you, my king.' Gaap said
'I am not even going to entertain that notion, Gaap.'
Around the next corner, Gyokuen appeared, her usual smile settled on her face. Sakura abruptly halted and bowed in respect.
"Your highness."
"Little dove, always a pleasure bumping into you."
Glancing at the boy beside Sakura, a swift wave of her hand, and he bowed, greeted her respectively, and left without a second glance at Sakura, which she found odd because he was supposed to be taking her to Hakuyuu, though she had an inkling that wasn't going to happen now.
"Um, your highness, I'm supposed to be meeting Prince Hakuyuu-
"I understand, but I need to speak with you; it is quite urgent."
Gyokuen began leading Sakura in the opposite direction of the palace, and it made her wonder if the empress was waiting for her at that very spot just to 'bump' into her, but she quickly disposed of the idea.
'This is uncomfortably familiar.' Sakura thought as she looked around the large palace meeting hall. An uncomfortable bubbling had started in the pit of Sakura's stomach when she recognised the area Gyokuen had taken her. She recognised the hallway of pillars and the large, magnificent doors, instantly knowing where she had been taken, and that bubbling increased when she stepped into the room she had only glimpsed; her footsteps echoed against the floor.
"Your highness, why have you brought me here?"
Turning to face the pinkette, Gyokuen stepped forward until she was right in front of Sakura, "I simply wanted to exchange pleasantries since we will be doing it more often."
Sakura couldn't mask the confusion that set on her face, furrowed pink eyebrows, and creased forehead, disregarding her appearance, she asked Gyokuen, "What do you mean, your highness?"
Gyokuen's face seemed to twist ever so slightly, but enough to have a massive impact on Sakura, the discomfort she felt before now growing to something beyond that.
"You enjoy yourself at the palace, don't you, little dove?"
Uncertain of any other response, Sakura nodded, but she did not voice her answer.
"And you and Hakuyuu are close now, right?"
Again, Sakura nodded, knowing she couldn't give away their act.
"Then you wouldn't have a problem remaining by his side long term, correct?"
Sakura's eyes went wide, her mouth turned downward at the disconcerting questions, especially the last one. There was an insinuation of something greater afoot.
"Forgive me, your highness, but I'm afraid I don't understand." Sakura's voice trembled a little, and she wondered what had caused this sudden tension of nerves.
And then she found out why.
"Although you initially have no social status, the emperor has agreed to broker a marriage between you and Hakuyuu; isn't that wonderful?"
Have you ever had those moments where you were in such a state of shock that you became immobile despite wanting to run as fast and far as your feet could carry you, your voice clumped into a lump at the back of your throat disallowing you to scream as loud as you could that you broke everything that could be shattered, your ears were ringing even though there was nothing but silence around you? That was what happened to Sakura. She couldn't even listen to her djinn's cries of alarm and requests.
"My king, please!" Beleth cried
"Say something!" begged Stolas
"Don't turn mute now, my king!" Gaap said that even he was not amused by the current situation.
"M-Marry, what?" Sakura stuttered, breathing through her mouth. Then she awakened from her initial shock to give her proper reply. "I can't get married!"
"Why not, little dove?" Gyokuen asked, and Sakura bit her tongue to avoid voicing her sudden disdain for her nickname. "Hakuyuu has been courting you; aside from that, he had no objections to it during the meeting today."
'He knew about this?' Sakura felt a sick twisting knot forming in her stomach.
"With all due respect, your highness, it is like you said before, I am not of high social status, I have nothing to offer to-.
"On the contrary, my husband, the emperor, believes you have much to offer the Kou Empire as well as our legacy. Your skills, strength, unique abilities, maternal skills, all the time you've spent in the palace, you have created a reputation for yourself without realising."
'She can't be serious!'
Hand on her chest, Sakura spoke in a tone that described desperation. "Please, your highness, surely you cannot be considering allowing a stranger into your family this easily! I am nothing more than a traveller; I do not belong anywhere."
Gyokuen appeared surprised, her eyes widened slightly, she placed her hand on her cheek, and cocked an eyebrow. Sakura had rarely seen this woman's expression change, and it was a bit unsettling.
"Now don't tell me you haven't noticed? This has been debated for quite a while. I assumed Hakuyuu or Kouen; perhaps even Hakuren or Koumei informed you of this, although it was meant to be confidential until confirmation."
'THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS?' Sakura mentally screamed; the feelings that filled her were so complex that she couldn't even place them, therefore disallowing her from expressing them.
"My king, calm down," Beleth said, his voice much more stable, which in turn had the same effect on Sakura. "Remember who you are. Do not lose face."
As her djinn's words settled in her mind, Sakura calmed herself, taking a deeper breath, eyes closed, and then opening with shining determination and strength, she spoke with a clear voice.
"Your Highness, I am flattered at the offer, but I decline. Not only am I far too young for marriage, but I have my own ideals of what I want for my life and what I want from this world. I am a simple girl with a simple goal, and even though I may stray from my path time to time, I will always find my way back to it; although this time I feel like I've strayed too far and in turn have created the impression I am willing to take another for that I am sorry."
With that said, Sakura bowed her head, eyes still holding strong as she looked at the ground. Then she heard small footsteps and the points of two silk shoes in front of her.
Soft, feather-like caresses trailed along Sakura's face. Gyokuen looked at her with an unwavering smile as she started murmuring in that same sickly sweet voice.
"You really are quite interesting, to believe that you can still find your path and abandon those you have set on with the others. Tell me, little dove, can you really do that? Can you really abandon all those who are coming to love you?"
Sakura's eyes widened, and her head shot up to stare at Gyokuen. She had the same smile now, but it looked to be nothing more than a mask hiding an ugly truth.
"I don't understand…"
"Hakuryuu, Hakuei, Hakuren, Hakuyuu, Kouen, Koumei, Kougyoku, and Kouha; they are all, if not already, falling in love with you."
There was never a moment when Sakura felt more terrified than to hear something like that, for she knew of the consequences of loving someone and the pain that came when they were no longer there.
"T-That cannot be."
"But it is." Gyokuen's voice now stronger, "There is nothing more unfixable than a broken heart,"
Sakura shook her head in disbelief, but something was settling within her, a conclusion; a part that told her it was true.
"Don't worry, little dove, you will find that any bird can find content in its cage."
Realising her speed once again, Sakura used it all to escape the room. Unable to listen any longer, she felt as if she had been poisoned by Gyokuen's words, and she didn't know how to fix it. Love; it was not a term that Sakura knew not to take lightly. It was a powerful weapon, and it had just been used against Sakura.
..
..
To numb her sense of agonising guilt, Sakura began chanting the words she had used to escape from Sinbad before, yet no matter how many times she said it as she rushed to her room, there was an incredible burning in her chest courtesy of Gyokuen.
"I know that we worked together and for a while I thought I could take that road instead, but in the end I've decided to leave and go home, back to the place where I belong. This place will never be home; home will never be with you."
Reaching her room, Sakura slammed her door closed and went to grab her voyage bag; her hands were shaking as she continued muttering to herself.
I know that we worked together and for a while I thought I could take that road instead, but in the end I've decided to leave and go home, back to the place where I belong. This place will never be home; home will never be with you."
She grabbed a pen and a piece of parchment from her nightstand and started writing a note to everyone; her usually neat writing now showed her nerve-wracked state.
I know that we worked together and for a while I thought I could take that road instead, but in the end I've decided to leave and go home, back to the place where I belong. This place will never be home; home will never be with you."
She sighed her name.
I know that we worked together and for a while I thought I could take that road instead, but in the end I've decided to leave and go home, back to the place where I belong. This place will never be home; home will never be with-
"What are you doing?"
Sakura spun around, her breathing shallow as she looked at Hakuyuu standing in front of her door. Her heart beat began to regulate once again, as if staring into the cooling blue eyes of the prince somehow calmed her nerves.
"Nothing." Sakura replied, folding the paper, "Why are you in here?"
"The messenger I sent told me you had gone with my mother."
Sakura recognized that tone; she hadn't heard it in a while, but it occurred to her that he was only ever like this when the matter revolved around his mother, and if Sakura was honest, she was beginning to think it was for a different reason than she first thought.
"Yeah, she just wanted to speak with me since it's been a while." Sakura was surprised by how well she was able to maintain herself given her recent state. "What did you want to see me about?"
Sakura thought that he was probably going to bring up their apparent engagement, but instead, he produced a scroll from his hand and held it out for her. "Mahir returned to the castle carrying this."
Sakura took it and read through it, and once again she felt distressed.
"This is from Kouen-he wants me to go to the fort?"
Hakuyuu nodded. "The reason for the soldiers not reporting in was because they have all been incapacitated; a mysterious illness seems to have befallen them."
"Where is Kouen?" Sakura asked automatically, without thought.
"He is still at the fort."
"When do we leave?"
..
..
..
"No offense, my king, but you are going to give us whiplash with these constant changes of decisions." Gaap sighed
It wasn't like she could really help herself, and these predicaments weren't exactly enjoyable for her, but Sakura did what needed to be done. She decided not to respond to her djinns, tightening her hold a little on Hakuren's waist when she felt the horse pick up speed.
It had taken nearly all day before arriving at the fort, a tall, structured building made entirely of hard, carved stone. There were several towers, and it could easily be mistaken for a shrunken castle. There was something unusual about the magnificent fort-the silence. It was completely devoid of any and all guards, defeating its purpose.
The gates started opening slowly, taking minutes before it was high enough for everyone to ride inside. The only ones who had taken the journey to the fort were Hakuren, Hakuyuu, Sakura, Koumei, and three other soldiers who were guarding a caravan. Hakuyuu hadn't discussed the details with her, but apparently, they were delivering a shipment of weapons as well. Sakura didn't bother to question either.
As they entered the grounds, Kouen stood in front, and Sakura felt an overwhelming feeling wash over her. His appearance was similar to when she first met him, clad in armor, and his demeanor was far more guarded. Next to him was a young man, a soldier with dark hair tied back and sharp grey eyes.
Everyone gave their greetings as they climbed off their horses.
"Kouen, your report," Hakuyuu said immediately.
Just as Hakuyuu wasted no time in demanding a full report, Kouen wasted no time responding, "Two weeks ago, everyone in the fort started to gradually become ill, the physicians were unable to find the cause, and oddly enough, they fell ill as well."
Kouen looked at Sakura, and she knew instantly what he wanted. "I'll have to examine everyone first and compare symptoms before anything else."
"And yet another side project," Gaap sighed.
..
..
In a large, dark room with closed windows a fire place and a cobble stone floor lied dozens of soldiers on tarps under blankets. Pale skinned, dreary eyed and sweat covered, the only thing they voiced was groans of discomfort.
"The reason is unknown, but about twenty days ago, one by one, everyone started complaining about having an abnormality in their bodies. It seems that most of them have lost their sense of balance and experience temporary blindness. Everyone has rashes developing on their arms and sores."
The one explaining this was the young soldier who had been at the gate with Kouen, who had introduced himself as Zaki; he had, for whatever reason, been the only one who wasn't badly affected by this sudden, mysterious illness.
"It sounds like they were poisoned," Sakura said immediately, holding her hand to her mouth.
Everyone looked at her, surprised and curious as to how she came up with her conclusion so quickly.
"You believe this illness isn't a mere coincidence," Kouen stated.
"Falling ill is hardly ever a coincidence," Sakura crossed her arms over her chest, "But I'll need to make sure."
Hakuyuu turned to Kouen, "The weapons you requested…."
"The armory at this fort had been cleared out."
There was an audible gasp from Koumei and Hakuren while Kouen and Hakuyuu continued to stare at one another in silence.
Sakura frowned. "That sounds even more suspicious, a break-in while everyone just happens to be incapacitated."
Then she moved a bit closer towards Kouen. "Speaking of which, why don't you seem to be affected?"
Kouen scoffed, but it was extremely soft; if Sakura hadn't been so close, she wouldn't have heard it. "Do I appear infected?"
Sakura tilted her head to the side carelessly. "No, but you can never be too sure, speaking of which, everyone gets out."
All of the men standing in front of the pinkette had a similar expression of surprise, well, those who tended to actually show expressions.
"Move it!" Sakura snapped, pointing to the door. Zaki, Koumei Hakuren, leapt for the exit, trailing behind them Kouen and Hakuyuu.
Grabbing the double doors' handles, Sakura looked at everyone with a glare of warning, "Until further notice, no one is to enter here, and Zaki." Sakura looked at the young man, watching as he straightened his posture. "I need you to write up a detailed report for me on anything you can remember before and after people started falling ill, the symptoms, the rate at which they fell ill, and, if possible, where certain people were during that period."
"R-right."
Just as she was ready to close the doors, Kouen's voice cut in, "I'll leave them in your hands, Sakura."
The pinkette looked back, smiled, and nodded, and then, with little effort, slammed the doors shut and turned back to the soldiers.
"My king, you cannot be serious," Stolas said
"There are way too many men for you to treat on your own," Gaap added.
"I'm afraid the odds don't appear to be in your favor, my king,"
Sakura smirked; she bathed in the comfort at the thought of needing to heal all these men (and it took her mind off other matters). Raising her arms, bringing her hands together, she began to form signs.
'You should remember this, before a king, I am a medical ninja-emphasis on the term ninja.'
Several puffs of smoke appeared and vanished; standing in place of them were five replicas or clones of Sakura. She may not have had Naruto's superior skill of summoning over fifty to a hundred shadow clones with no effort, but that didn't mean she was entirely without ability, and that aside, she wouldn't need that many.
"Let's get started."
"CHA"
All of the soldiers had been slightly, if not further, distorted at the sight of several pink-haired, green-eyed girls running around tending, but nonetheless, they allowed her to examine them, and all of Sakura's came back with the same symptoms; two were sent to examine the contents of the food for poison. There were a few times she was interrupted by one or all of the princes, but Sakura always chased them away, saying that they would be risking contamination if they remained, and none could open the door when she blocked it.
"Experience of temporary blindness, nausea, headache, burning throat, blistering skin." Reported a Sakura clone, writing everything down.
"Sounds like poison to me. The problem is the source." Sakura frowned, holding a hand to her chin in thought.
The two clones she sent in came back, but with disappointing news: "All of the food is safe, and we checked the water supply as well."
"And?"
"Nothing."
Though it was technically good news that the food and water supply was safe, as they needed to actually feed these men, it didn't help in Sakura's case of finding out the cause of this; it wasn't only the symptoms that pointed to poison, but Sakura was working with the bare minimum at this fort.
'I'll have to go searching for herbs myself once I get these men settled.'
Later that night, when all of the soldiers slept a bit more comfortably thanks to Sakura's healing sessions, she was able to withdraw her shadow clones after two days, but she knew she would most likely be summoning them again. Even though Sakura was able to treat the soldiers using chakra, all she could really do was ease their discomfort because as long as the source was still in their bodies, it would only be a matter of time before they fell ill again.
"My king, please get some rest," Beleth begged.
'I'm fine,' she assured, 'I've had much worse.'
Sakura went over to the fireplace. The room was located on the top floor, so it was extremely cold, especially at night. Gathering some cut firewood, Sakura threw it in; she watched as the fire crackled and burned the wood.
Sakura breathed in deeply, and a wave of dizziness hit her as she stumbled back, her vision turning dark at the corners of her eyes.
'W-What?' She looked at her hand, her vision slowly returning, and she recalled Zaki's report saying that it took a few days before anyone started showing extreme symptoms. Could it have been because she was so close to-she shook her head; that would only count if it was an illness, but Sakura had already established it was an illness.
"Unless…." Sakura trailed, looking around the room 'The poison is somewhere in this room….'
Deciding that she couldn't, or rather didn't want to wait until morning, Sakura left the fort in the middle of the night to search for any medical herbs that could be used to cure poison. Her djinns kept urging her to wait until morning and take this chance to rest as things were finally beginning to settle, but she refused.
Transformed in Beleth's djinn equip Sakura flew across the nights sky, over the vast plains of the land known as the Kou Empire until she reached a mountain area which wasn't too far from the fort itself but still a bit of a distance. Once she landed Sakura immediately started searching, holding a hand of flames for light she walked through the forest with little fear of the creatures that dwelled in it (After all in her current state what would she have to fear?).
The mountain was vast, and Sakura needed to look very closely for the proper herbs, ones that were going to have more of a general effect on the poison than anything else, since she still couldn't specify what kind of poison it was.
"Of course, an antidote isn't going to matter much if I don't figure out what's causing the effects," Sakura muttered, gathering a few herbs, giving them a sniff, and stuffing them into a bag. "Stolas, you're an expert on poison, right? What do you think?"
"I am not sure, my king, to be honest, the symptoms are far too varied to specify,"
'I was thinking the same thing, it's not every day you come across a poison that causes all these different effects.'
Three hours passed, and by then, Sakura's sack was on the verge of bursting from all the different plants and medicinal herbs she had placed in it.
"I'm still trying to figure this out. First, the soldiers fall ill, and then the armory is reported empty…. No, it couldn't be-.
Something echoed through the forest that had Sakura stopping in her tracks. Her boots started sinking a little in the soft soil, as they often would when she stopped walking. She heard something that did not belong in a forest: laughter, several chattering voices, presumably only a few metres away.
"My king?" called Gaap.
Extinguishing the flame in her hand by closing her hand to a fist, Sakura concentrated her hearing till she pinpointed where she believed the noise was coming from and followed it until finally she caught sight of a campfire and several burly-looking men sitting around, drinking, eating, laughing while sharpening some very fine weapons-ones Sakura had seen the palace guards carrying around.
She narrowed her eyes; she knew they were the ones who broke into the armory.
"Shall we greet my king?" asked Gaap
A mischievous grin grew on Sakura's face.
"Haha, we made quite a hall, I still can't get over it." One of the men laughed, swinging a spear around, his moves spoke volumes of inexperience, yet he did not seem to mind.
"We're going to make a fortune selling these on the black market."
"I would have loved to see those fools' faces as they fall blind!"
"I wanted to see them wheezing for air!"
"Try scratching their arms till it bleeds-
SNAP
"Ooh, that hurts…" a soft voice whined.
Readying their weapons, all of the men stood up, grasping their weapons as they saw shuffling in the nearby bushes, going rigid but only for an instant, till they saw a pink-haired girl stumbling out of the woods and falling with no grace flat on her face. She cried softly, rubbing her nose.
"A girl?"
The men's sense of caution vanished, replaced with malicious grins, leering shamelessly at the pinkette.
"Hey, you lost, little lady?"
Sakura looked up, eyes wide, "O-Oh, yes."
There were obvious snickers of perverse hidden intent that Sakura didn't seem to hear.
One of the bandits boldly stepped up to Sakura, crouching down, "Come here, don't worry, we'll take good care of you-
There wasn't much more the man could say before a swift strike to his pudgy belly had him flat on the ground out cold.
"Thanks, but I prefer my men conscious."
Dusting off the top of her shoulder, Sakura turned to look at the other bandits, "So it was you guys who poisoned those people in the fortress."
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?"
Ignoring the question, Sakura asked her own, "Tell me how exactly you did it? If you confess, perhaps I'll consider being a little more lenient."
"SHUT UP YOU BITCH."
"I'm afraid I can't drag this out since I have other obligations to see to."
All at once, they rushed her. Sakura remained impassive, hands on her hips, as they all came to strike. Sakura vanished before any weapon could make contact, like a phantom; her voice echoed through the forest. The bandits started looking around for her.
"Since you enjoy playing with poison, perhaps you'd like a taste of mine."
All heads looked up, and a slim silhouette appeared in front of the moon, causing an eclipse, taking on a terrifying appearance as a mist of red began to spread across the forest ground. The men began choking.
"So does anyone feel like confessing?"
..
..
..
The halls were silent except for the shallow yet firm footsteps that clicked on the floors. Kouen hadn't been able to sleep in his temporary chambers; it was either the uneasiness of the fortress due to its soldiers' condition or the thoughts of a pink-haired medic that appeared in his mind unannounced but not unwelcomed. 'Ridiculous,' Kouen was not a rash man, and he was not one to make foolish decisions, but when he had requested Sakura to come to the fort, there was an instant when he had not considered the consequences. Sakura's own initial reaction to the situation was proof of that, and now she has isolated herself with the incapacitated soldiers and has yet to emerge.
Kouen stumbled in his next few steps, his vision becoming impaired, and darkness surrounding the corners of his eyes. He stopped and drew his hand up to his face, feeling it heat slightly.
'It seems it hasn't worn off,'
"It's not like you to lose face, Kouen."
A shocking awakening resulted as Kouen turned around to see his cousin Hakuyuu only a few feet away; he had somehow managed to deafen his footsteps on the stone floors.
"Lord Hakuyuu,"
Nodding in acknowledgment of Kouen's greeting, Hakuyuu kept his arms folded under his long sleeves. He had a more casual appearance, but even so, Kouen could still identify the severity of his image that came with age in that context-Kouen didn't compare.
"She is not there," Hakuyuu said, slaughtering the silence.
"I see,"
…
…
"What are they doing?" a hushed voice asked.
There was a soft but audible yawn that went on. "Clearly having some starring contest."
Kouen and Hakuyuu were unaware of the two figures belonging to their siblings peering around the next corner. Hakuei leaned over Koumei as if getting a few millimeters of closed distance would enable him to hear Kouen and Hakuyuu's voices at a marginal volume.
"Kouen, you are not one to speak in tongues; you've always been straightforward, and that's something I find commendable about you."
"Thank you, my lord."
"However," Hakuyuu interrupted, his expression with the slightest hint of a frown, "There is something you have been hiding."
Kouen appeared unfazed by his cousin's accusation, or rather observation, "There is nothing."
"Kouen, tell me honestly; do you want the throne?"
Hakuren and Koumei almost spluttered out loud in panic, which would have given away their location, and they'd rather not have their brother's attention turn to them right now.
"Why do you ask my lord?"
"I don't fancy waging war against my own blood," Hakuyuu replied, simplistically.
Kouen stared at him, serious as usual. As if he was attempting to figure something out, when it finally seemed to click. "This has to do with her."
"I have never been one to question my father's decisions," Hakuyuu started, tilting his head down, eyes closed, and he began replaying in his mind the recent meeting he had with his father and mother.
"Well, my lord, what do you think?" Gyokuen asked, her voice soft with a seductive venom. She looked at her husband with a smile diagonally from the long oak wood table.
"She is rather intriguing." Hakutoku replied, leaning on his hands, "And she appeared to be all you've described her as, but at the same time, I do not believe in being rash about these kinds of decisions, especially what is at risk."
Gyokuen chuckled, holding a slim finger to her chin. "At risk, my lord, I do not believe you should worry about that; Hakuyuu already has the upper hand."
Hakuyuu suppressed all urges he had to speak out against his mother; he had to appear calm and clear-headed before he rejected any proposals, or he would be brushed off as rash, and his words would be unheard. Civil war? Honestly, his mother could be a professional puppeteer the way she pulled everyone's strings in the palace, knowing exactly what their weaknesses were and what to say to set them off or coax them to do what she wanted.
"Then I suppose it would be best to agree to these terms."
"Father, if I may," Hakuyuu interrupted at last. His father looked over at him.
"Yes, son."
"Sakura Haruno is an exceptionally strong willed women and based on what I've observed she will not take well to being placed in this position."
Gyokuen's smile broadened. "If that is the case, Hakuyuu, then why are you courting the girl?"
Hakuyuu fell silent, and he knew Gyokuen had him there. He couldn't argue, or it would give him more discourse and not just for him but for Sakura as well, and he knew what his mother was capable of when she was dissatisfied.
"Sakura Haruno is what would be described as a rare gem, she's intelligent and I doubt it would take much time to turn her into a women fit to be a concert, aside from that she would add strength to the Kou Empire, a strength that no noble women could possibly have to offer. Not only does she is she a dungeon conqueror, she had rare abilities that are phenomenal and would carry to her children. It would be a mistake to let her slip without at least attempted persuasion, we cannot force her, she holds more power than an army of men."
There was no way Gyokuen possibly knew that, but it didn't seem like it was going to matter because Hakuyuu knew-she was going to win.
"I do not believe that she would agree to this, Father," Hakuyuu attempted, but in vain.
"That is why we are letting her decide." Gyokuen said offhandedly, "But Hakuyuu, you need to be aware of the position this puts you in as well."
"Several days ago, a decree was initiated, a marriage proposal for the hand of Sakura Haruno."
Kouen was known for being well composed, but in this instant, Hakuyuu saw his cousin's expression change, the slight widening of his eyes, and raised eyebrows, his mouth turning into a straight line, yet there was so much more behind that expression.
"I should give my congratulations."
Hakuyuu then chuckled, but there was no sense of humor laced in that tone. He ran a hand through his hair. "I suppose that response would suffice in your usual state of being, but I know you are shocked, as was I when I discovered my father agreed to certain conditions. It is the reason why I asked you the previous question."
Knowing that he was going to get further explanation, Kouen didn't reply. Hakuren and Koumei glanced up at each other. They were anxiously waiting for one of them to respond. Despite its brief length, their conversation took a quick turn for an intense dynamic.
"Do you think we should intervene?" asked Koumei
"Are you crazy? That's like getting the middle of a conversation between a tiger and a lion." Hakuren whispered back, frowning.
"That's a little melodramatic…."
"Despite the decree, it can only be officiated-perhaps authenticated would be more sufficient if Haruno agrees to the arrangement, and she must choose whose consort she will become," Hakuyuu said, stepping forward and placing a hand on Kouen's shoulder. "There is one more thing….it pertains to the question I asked you previously-
"KOUMEI, KOUEN, HAKUREN, PRINCE HAKUYUU GET OUT HERE."
Their conversation came to a halt, and Koumei and Hakuren quickly departed before they were discovered by Kouen and Hakuyuu. All to see a pinkette outside the fort.
..
..
"Disturbingly enough, this is not the strangest turn of events since you've arrived," Koumei said, eyeing the group of men, groaning, some with bruises neatly tied together back to back with a rope across their arms, and then Sakura standing next to them, hand on her hip and a grin on her face.
"I'll say," Hakuren nodded in agreement, "Just this afternoon I thought I saw two Sakura."
Snickering, the pink-haired girl held up her bag filled to the brim with herbs. She told the princes about how she went to search for medicinal herbs in the forest and, in turn, found the culprits behind the empty armory.
"That was a real stroke of luck," Hakuren said
Sakura shrugged, "Fate likes to surprise me, anyway, you guys can deal with this bunch."
"Hold on, where are you going?" Koumei asked as she walked across the princes and passed them.
"To do my job,"
The first thing Sakura did when she walked back into the room she had isolated herself in for two days, was put out the 'comforting' fire, then she cleared up the cinders that remained including the sides before gathering up all of the unused firewood and tossing them away-then gathered new firewood outside of the fort, rebuilding the fire in the soldiers resting area-after she went down to the kitchen with all of the herbs she gathered.
"Okay, now it's really time to get to work."
"Really, my king, you are too much sometimes," Beleth said
"I'm tired." Gaap groaned
..
..
"What in the world?" Zaki asked, awe-struck, his jaw slack.
The following day Kouen, Hakuren, Hakuyuu, Koumei and Zaki were awakened in the early hours of the morning due to the chatters of voices they could not individualize; opening the large double doors they were met with the sight of all of their incapacitate-or rather previously incapacitated soldiers moving about the room, talking, laughing, eating breakfast, their figures now holding a difference glow as opposed to their previously pasty complexions. Amongst the energetic atmosphere was a blurring figure shifting through the men, never remaining in one place for too long.
"Alright, now that everyone's eaten and taken the medicine, I need you to get ready for checkups in about an hour. Those who still feel nauseous or are experiencing any abnormalities on the right side of the room!
Everyone didn't dare refuse, moving about quickly to their designated sides; Sakura spotted the five males in front of the door.
"It's alright to come in now, the poisons have been taken care of."
"Really, what was the cause?" asked Zaki
Sakura pointed to the fireplace, a fresh fire burning. "The firewood, when burned, scatters dangerous particles-some trees have poisonous properties, and they can scatter via smoke."
Zaki gasped in realization, "That's right, we received them from this group of travelers who said they didn't want to carry them!"
"That was probably those bandits," Sakura said, "Next time you should be more wary."
"Everyone seems to be in better condition," Hakuyuu observed, looking around again as if he was expecting something to go wrong at any moment.
Sakura scoffed, tossing her head to the side. "It wasn't hard to make the antidote after I figured out the source. Also, the ones who were mostly inside had the worst of the effects, which is why Zaki and Kouen weren't affected as badly."
Kouen spoke, quick to correct Sakura, "I am not-
"Oh shut up," Sakura cut him off, her tone clipped. "If I can tell when you're sleep deprived, I sure as hell can tell when you're poisoned, here."
Zaki and Kouen caught one of two small bottles with a disgusting green liquid inside that Sakura had tossed to them.
"Those dosages should be enough for now."
"Neh…I don't really enjoy bitter things."
Sakura raised an eyebrow and stared at Zaki. "Neither to children, but they still take their medicine." Her attention then fell on Kouen, who seemed to be inspecting the vile. "You'd better drink that if you don't want to end up prescribed to your bed again."
Zaki looked at Sakura, his eyebrows furrowed with confusion. "Will the effects become worse if we don't take the antidote?"
"Oh no, the poison isn't really deadly, and it could work its way out of your system in a couple of days or weeks."
Kouen then knew what Sakura was insinuating by his ending up incapacitated again, and he was not amused, though he did unscrew the lid of the bottle and drink it in a swift gulp. It seemed that Koumei, Hakuyuu, and Hakuren knew what Sakura was referring to as well because Koumei and Hakuyuu were trying and not very convincingly concealing their smiles and snickers.
Clapping her hands twice, Sakura spun on her heel. "Alright, who's ready for their checkups?"
"WE ARE."
Five days since Sakura had come to the fort, five days since she had diagnosed the soldiers of poison, five days since she had captured the people responsible, five days since she had begun tending to all of the soldiers, and five days since she had last slept. Her djinns kept trying to get their king to get at least a few hours of rest before she resumed her work but she said she couldn't do that, not when she had to make medicine for all of the soldiers who were on three shifts in the day and woke up every eight hours so she had to have it ready for them before, Sakura had to take care of the cooking as well with some help from Zaki, she also needed to record their progress and that was a lot of paper work. At first, she used shadow clones to lessen the load, but it was becoming difficult to maintain them with her fatigue; she was excessively using her chakra to do a lot of her work, including healing, which took a lot of concentration and precision.
"Alright, you seem to have recovered. Are you still experiencing any pain?" Sakura asked, removing her hand from the soldier's chest, who was complaining about some complications with his breathing.
"No Lady Haruno," the solider said looking slightly shocked, no matter how many times they saw her use her skills they were always in awe. On the first night when she had created shadow clones and every time she healed them, always able to magically take away any discomforts and pains.
Sakura nodded, writing down on a piece of paper and standing up as she had just finished with the last soldier.
"If anyone feels any more pain or abnormalities, alert me right away. I'll be in the kitchen."
The men watched as she left the room, eyes focused on her pink hair that vanished around the corner.
"She is amazing, isn't she?"
"Yeah, for such a young age."
"I hear she is Prince Hakuyuu's consort."
"Huh? Seriously!?"
"Yes, Prince Hakuren confirmed it."
"I thought she was Lord Kouen's," Zaki said, walking up to the group of soldiers. Before the discussion could turn into a debate, the four princes walked into the room and over to them.
"How is everyone feeling?" Hakuyuu asked
"Much better, Prince Hakuyuu," said a man standing up. "Everyone appears to be fully recovered, and we are able to resume our duties to our full ability."
Hakuyuu nodded, "Good, but don't overdo it."
Koumei looked at them. "Are you still taking medicine?"
"Yes, but according to Lady Haruno, we need not take it anymore."
Hakuren had his hands behind his head and glanced over at his family. "Hey, where is Sakura?"
"Miss Haruno has just left, she said she was going to the kitchen."
"That's right, I almost forgot she's been cooking," Koumei said, looking up at the ceiling.
"She also said she finished writing up the report on all of the soldiers," Kouen said
"Already?" asked Hakuren, surprised. He placed his hand on his chin in thought. "She sure works hard,"
"On the first two nights, I do not believe Miss Haruno even slept."
Hakuyuu, Hakuren, Kouen, and Koumei then frowned as the same question dawned on them: when exactly did Sakura sleep?
..
..
Sakura's temporary room was plain, and she liked it. The single bed and desk were different compared to the ones at the palace; some would say it was dull, but she believed it was the perfect place to work, with nothing to catch her eye and distract her. She sat at the desk writing down the last of her reports. She wanted to get that finished tonight since she was told that they would be returning to the palace, and Sakura did not want to delay them.
"My king, please, go to sleep," Beleth begged again. "Even you cannot keep this constant pace."
Sakura let out a dry chuckle, rubbing her eyes, something she did every time they would grow too heavy and battle to close.
'I'm alright, I need to be.'
Gaap sighed, "Why exactly are you working so hard, my king?"
The pen paused on the paper, creating a spot of ink that looked like an enlarged full stop. Sakura ran a hand through her hair.
"Because….
"Are you busy?"
Sakura's head snapped to the side. Prince Hakuyuu stood at the foot of her door, his hand bent against the door, indicating he had knocked, but Sakura didn't hear him. In the same way, she didn't hear him opening her door, which she knew was closed before.
"Prince Hakuyuu," she greeted, "I'm just writing up the final report."
Hakuyuu stared at her, his gaze gave Sakura the urge to fidget, but she wasn't able to ask him about it because he spoke first, raising a slip finger he pointed down in front of him.
"Come here."
Sakura raised an eyebrow but stood up, her sleep deprived state was not in the best position for protest. Now in front of Hakuyuu said crossed her arms, waiting for him to say something but was surprised when Hakuyuu suddenly placed his palm over her eyes shielding them from the dim light of the lamp at the desk.
"Prince Hakuyuu, what are you-
"Don't move," Hakuyuu instructed firmly, causing Sakura's hands to freeze midway between gripping his own and pulling them off.
"What exactly-
"You're tired," Hakuyuu stated
Sakura's shoulder tensed, and she quickly denied, "No, I am fine."
"Prove it then; do not move till I remove my hands."
Sakura opened her mouth, ready to argue, when Hakuyuu intervened again, "And don't speak."
Her mouth closed, and Sakura kept her arms crossed; she wanted to get back to work. Not only was this unusual, but it was robbing her of precious time she could be spending wrapping up her work.
Then a wave of drowsiness washed over Sakura; her head felt light, her eyelids closed under the darkness with nothing to stimulate them, her breathing started to shallow, and Sakura was not able to realize that she was slipping into the darkness that surrounded her vision, much to her djinn's relief.
"No more than two minutes," Hakuyuu trailed starring at the pinkette now leaning against his form unconscious.
….
….
The moon's beams of white light shone through the windows, Sakura's vision blurred as her eyes attempted to adjust to the miniscule supply of light, as she pushed herself up on her arms she felt an external weight and filled spaces between her from under the covers, her mind finally sharpened itself enough for her to comprehend the four lumps surrounding her bed and identified them as a sleeping, Kougyoku and Kouha on her right and Hakuryuu and Hakuei on her left.
'No wonder I feel so cramped,'
Sakura gasped when it finally registered that the only way for the four princes and princesses to be in her room would be for her to be back in the Imperial palace, which meant she must have been asleep for-.
"Awake at last,"
Recognizing Hakuyuu's voice, Sakura wasn't as surprised as she should have been when she saw him sitting in a chair across the room from her bed.
"What happened?"
"You proved yourself to be a fool, that's what."
It was not the most gracious of greetings to receive after awakening from a fatigue-induced sleep, and frankly, Sakura was not going to take it. Shifting carefully out of bed, leaving the four children undisturbed, her walk was like a feline, silent and swift.
"Excuse me," Sakura jabbed Kouen's chest with her finger, voice soft but held a sense of severity, "I'm a fool, that's what you say to me after I healed your soldiers, captured those bandits, and-
"You've been asleep for two days,"
Sakura stopped, her jaw slackened, and her eyes widened. "What- what, I've been sleeping that long?"
"Throughout the journey back to the palace and then an extra day, which resulted in that," Hakuyuu gestured with his head back in the direction of Sakura's bed to the four children. "They've been anxiously waiting for your return, and once they heard of your condition, they stormed the palace and have refused to leave."
Apparently, they were incapable of removing four children, the eldest barely ten, from her room. Sakura tilted her chin down, frowning. It was still hard to believe that they were all right here together. Hakuryuu and Hakuei, Koumei and Kougyoku had never interacted with one another before.
Unable to suppress her giggle, she heard an audible shuffle behind her that caused the two to look back at the bed. They saw Hakuryuu changing positions in his sleep, but he did not wake.
Hakuyuu began making his way to the door. "Come,"
She knew that by the tone of his voice, he wasn't going to give her much choice; it was either they were going to converse in her room and risk stirring four children who more likely than not wouldn't go back to sleep, therefore, Sakura followed after Hakuyuu, mentally preparing herself for a vocal melee.
..
There was no way for Sakura to mask her surprise when Hakuyuu led her to an empty dining hall, similar to the one she would eat with Hakuyuu in, but with a far more gaudy design of red pillars lined with golden carvings of dragons and a shiny light wood table, not much else decorating the room. A servant came in and set a plate of piping hot food in front of Sakura; the aroma went straight from her nose to her stomach, causing a chain reaction resulting in a loud growl, which in turn made Sakura blush.
'I've been asleep for two days, it's not like I can help it.' Sakura thought as she carefully began picking at the food, taking in small portioned bites, it wasn't that she wasn't starving, but when you could feel a piercing gaze on you as you eat, it made it so much easier to maintain control over your appetite.
"You really are a fool." Hakuyuu's voice gave a silent echo through the room.
Sakura rolled her eyes. "How original, yeah, that's been established."
"You are; you are a physician who ironically did not see to her own health and well-being."
There was no denying that point, but Sakura felt a jab of insult to her profession in the manner he said it.
"I am not a fool, Prince Hakuyuu," Sakura hissed. "As a medic, my concern goes to those I have been entrusted to care for; hence, my own well-being becomes irrelevant."
"That is a foolish notion."
There was a calm silence that fell between them once again, a few minutes they just stared at one another, until Sakura decided to break eye contact and started eating with an eager deliberateness; she did not take her eyes off her plate until it was cleared of every morsel, leaving nothing but remains of what would be considered dog food, after she gulped down a cup of water, feeling relief from that irritating burn one gets in their throat after waking up from a long sleep.
"You should have said something," Hakuyuu finally spoke, "It would not have done anyone any good if you had passed out before completing their treatment."
"Prince Hakuyuu, I am a medic for a reason because I am committed." Sakura said starring at her reflection in the silver goblet, she swirled it around. "So much to a point where it can be considered unhealthy but that doesn't matter to me. I thought you would understand that."
Hakuyuu looked at her, his eyes questioning, "I do not."
Looking back at him, Sakura set down the goblet, folding her arms over her chest. "You don't know what it means to be committed?"
"I don't understand the notion of your statement," Hakuyuu corrected, his tone harshened.
"Putting the needs of others before yourself and before your personal feelings. That is what it means to be committed." Sakura stated, gesturing with her hand to herself, "I am a medic, and I know I would rather risk my own life than the life of someone else. You are a prince who will one day lead an entire country. You cannot tell me you don't expect there to be times where you will have to set aside your own personal preference and feelings for what is best for your country."
"And if I were to say that I do?"
"Then I'd call you the fool, a prince unworthy of his name." Sakura said, but then she smiled, a genuine smile of contempt, "Of course….I would never believe that to be true."
Hakuyuu's eyes widened in surprise, his mouth opening slightly as he took in her expression. He felt his heart begin pounding again. Standing up quickly, which startled the pinkette, as he made his way around the table, ignoring Sakura's questioning gaze.
"You are right," Hakuyuu said, a smirk on his face. "I would never make a rash decision based purely on emotions unless it was for the good of my country, and I did not think there would come a day when both would correspond together so well."
Sakura's eyes raked over Hakuyuu's form, and she felt a shudder of nervousness when she noticed the strange flutter of the rukh around him…. It was odd.
"I need you to do something in order to confirm my suspicions," Hakuyuu said, leaning over Sakura's chair. She leaned back and wanted to protest, but she caught the seriousness as well as a hint of desperation in his eyes and nodded slowly, although she instantly regretted it.
"Call me by my name,"
"What?"
"Address me without a title, then I will know for certain," Hakuyuu leaned closer, and in order to dispose of the awkward position, Sakura quickly complied. She cleared her throat and looked him straight in his eyes.
"....Hakuyuu...."
"Now I know,"
Sakura let out a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding when Hakuyuu pulled away; feeling that she had quite enough excitement for one night, Sakura quickly stood up, almost knocking the chair to the ground.
"I-I'm going to bed, good night." Sakura didn't know what to call him anymore so she chose rather not to address him in that sense at all and walked passed him.
"Sakura."
She froze. There was something in Hakuyuu's tone that made her unnervingly anxious, against her better judgment and inner screaming at her to escape immediately, she remained, perhaps out of curiosity, as she had never seen the prince behave this way before.
However what happened next was far more than she EVER expected, in her current state of her mind she wasn't able to process nor react fast enough-much like the time with Sinbad as Hakuyuu's face neared her own and the familiar pressure was felt below her face-just as before Sakura's mind went blank, all intellect and logic erased for a few seconds only this time instead of disappearing in a state of initial shock she would remain-right in front of the man that was kissing her-and that notion terrified her. Yet, as if she was bound by chakra to the floor, Sakura remained as Hakuyuu pulled away, opening his eyes, but there was something different now. The rukh around him was fluttering with excitement.
"I am certain," Hakuyuu said, even though he was staring right at Sakura; he was speaking more to himself.
Finally, Sakura regained feeling in the rest of her body and stepped back from Hakuyuu quickly. "W-What the hell was that!? Why did you kiss me!?"
"I needed clarity," Hakuyuu said
"About what?!" Sakura attempted to screech, but it was more of a light shriek
"Is it not obvious?" asked Hakuyuu, appearing slightly annoyed
While Sakura may have been a strong fighter, an excellent healer, and a gifted intellectual, she was a bit of a novice when it came to matters such as romance. Despite claiming to be in love with someone for many years, it was not as if she had actual, physical practice in these kinds of affairs. It was an untainted innocence that was a great weakness.
"N-No," Sakura said. She wasn't sure if it was because she truly did not know the answer or if she was too afraid to draw that conclusion.
Hakuyuu appeared to be thinking really hard, his eyes never leaving Sakura's, "It would seem you need to take some time for yourself. I'll take my leave, goodnight, Sakura."
She jumped a little after he said her name, but without doing anything else, Hakuyuu turned around and left Sakura standing in the room, still recovering. She sank to the floor and looked at her trembling hand.
"What the hell is wrong with the people in this world?"
"They are falling in love with you."
Gyokuen's voice ran through Sakura's head, and she quickly shook it to dispel the memory.
'That can't be, it just can't!'
Sakura then had an epiphany about a certain issue she was yet to address….
..
..
..
"You're awake."
Sakura stared, hands at her sides, her expression had her balancing on the verge of crying or destroying everything in sight, at least that's how she appeared to Kouen with her eyes brimming with tears, frowning hard, and her lips pulled in a straight line.
"Can I come in?" Sakura asked, her voice contradicting her expression; it was calm, stoic.
Kouen stepped aside, allowing her to enter, closing the door behind her. He watched as Sakura went deeper into his room before coming to an abrupt halt. Kouen turned, folding his arms and waiting for her to give him the explanation he knew she would know to give him-otherwise, there would be no reason for her to be here.
"Your cousins an idiot."
Kouen didn't reveal any sign of reaction, but he was taken aback by the pinkette's statement. She sounded very genuine, as if stating a fact; it was void of any emotion, which usually controlled those kinds of accusations.
"You are referring to Hakuyuu."
"Who else?" Sakura's knuckles were white from how hard she was clenching them.
"Is that all you came to tell me?"
Sakura spun around, glaring at Kouen. "That's all you have to say? Do you have any idea of what's been going on since you've been gone?"
"How would I know if I've been gone?"
It was a rational reason, and Sakura knew it clearly, yet at the same time, logic just wasn't something she wanted to hear. "Of course you wouldn't, and that's what pisses me off! You leave while I'm being 'courted' by your cousin, then I am told I have been accepted into becoming a prince's consort! I never agreed to marry anyone, and here the empress is telling me I am getting married to him!"
"That is not the case," Kouen cut her off.
"Oh really, I believe empress Gyokuen's exact words were 'Even though you have no social status, the emperor has agreed to broker a marriage between you and Hakuyuu!'"
"You were courting him."
Sakura threw her arms up into the air. "THAT WASN'T REAL. WE WERE ONLY DOING THAT BECAUSE HAKUYUU TRUSTS HIS MOTHER LESS THAN ME."
Taking a few breaths to calm down, she could feel the beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
As expected, Kouen revealed no true reaction, "That isn't the arrangement."
"What?" Sakura snapped
"You were misled; you do not have to marry anyone. The only declaration the emperor has made is that he will give his blessing should you decide to wed anyone from the royal family."
Sakura's face turned to shock. "W-What about what I was told?"
"From what I understand, Empress Gyokuen told you that because she wanted you to believe you would have no say in the matter, you would not think to leave."
Sakura's face turned red, and she stomped her foot on the ground, effectively cracking the floor. "Why would she do that!? It's not like there would be any way to keep me here besides that, just encourages me to leave."
"You are right, there is reason to believe she is the root cause of this arrangement; she is the only one who could have convinced the emperor to make the declaration at the risk of his own line of succession."
Sakura frowned deeply, her forehead creased. "What are you talking about?"
Closing his eyes, Kouen spoke, "At the fort, I was informed about this arrangement allowing you to choose a husband from the royal family; an additional factor to perhaps coax both you and your consort to accept would be the additional condition-whoever you decide to marry will be declared the next emperor of the Kou Empire after the current, regardless of seniority."
It happened again for the second time in one night-Sakura was struck speechless; she had to take several heavy breaths to find her voice. She understood clearly what Kouen was saying; should she decide to actually marry one of them, be it Hakuyuu, Hakuren, Koumei, or Kouen, they would become the next emperor of Kou. Now, what Sakura really wanted to know was what possessed them to agree to something like that, all to have her stay in the Kou Empire and join their family.
"You have got to be kidding me,"
"You find it hard to believe," Kouen observed
Sakura ran a hand through her short hair and started tugging at the ends. "Of course I do-look at me! You said it yourself, I wouldn't last in the royal court! That and the fact that I wouldn't even consider!"
With a heavy sigh, Sakura flung herself back, landing onto Kouen's bed and sinking into the soft material, without care, one hand over her eyes. The room went silent once more.
"I'm leaving,"
Sakura could hear her heart beating drastically in her eyes; she peeked from under her arm to look at Kouen, who was standing in front of her now. She knew she didn't have to say anything else because he would understand what she was saying; she was leaving tonight, right now.
"You won't find a boat."
"I don't need one," Sakura muttered back.
"You are running."
"Call it what you will, I just can't stay here any longer. I can't get tangled up in everyone's affairs like this." Sakura hissed under her breath.
"You didn't seem to have a problem with it these last few weeks," Kouen stated
Sakura shot up, glaring at Kouen, both hands clenching the sheets under her. "I was only trying to help. I don't turn my back on people who need me, but this is an entirely different matter; it's unnecessary. The only reason that decree was even made is that I'm wanted for my power and abilities, it wouldn't make me any different than those noble women who get married based on their political offerings to their families."
Kouen's eyes narrowed. "Why exactly are you telling me this? Why not discuss it with Hakuyuu?"
"Because he isn't going to listen!" Sakura said surely
"Is that what you truly believe?" asked Kouen. "What exactly could he have done to merit that belief?"
Sakura's mouth closed tightly; she did not want to tell Kouen about her recent encounter with Hakuyuu. She was still recovering from it. And after five minutes, when Kouen knew she wasn't going to give him a reason, he decided to speak again. Sakura's eyes met his when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder.
"You have no obligation to Kou or anyone here; you are at liberty to do as you wish, which includes leaving," Kouen said
Sakura smiled. Even though Kouen said so little, it meant a lot. He wasn't against her leaving; he wouldn't make her feel guilty for doing something like this. It was a bit ironic and yet at the same time suitable; he was the one who brought her to the palace in the first place, and now he was the one reassuring her that she could leave. In his own way, he had comforted her.
Standing up, Sakura wrapped her arms around the red-headed prince's shoulders, "Thank you, Kouen."
And she was surprised to feel arms encircling her waist, "That is not necessary, Sakura."
..
..
"So we are finally leaving my king," Beleth stated
Sakura nodded, setting down the quilt and glancing over the piece of paper on the desk where she had written her farewell note. Sakura then went to her bed and gave Hakuei, Hakuryuu, Kouha, and Kougyoku each a kiss on their foreheads and tucked them in; she wasn't sure what was going to happen to them from here, and she was a bit nervous to leave them behind, but she was certain that they would eventually shape their own paths.
'It's up to you now,'
With that, she left, closing the door behind her without a creak. This would be the last time they ever saw them-or so Sakura believed.
Hey, love
So, you just read that chapter.
And now you're sitting there. Staring at the screen. And thinking about bookmarking till the next update?
Well you don't have to wait.
Right now, over on my Ko-fi, there are 3-6 chapters ahead of what's publicly posted. That means that moment you're dreading or hoping for Sakura? It's already written. Sakura has already walked through what comes next and I promise you, she does not disappoint.
What's waiting for you over there:
The chapter directly after this one
The plot reveal I've been building toward since chapter one
3–6 full chapters to binge
And coming soon: My author notes-the unhinged behind-the-scenes commentary only Ko-fi readers get.
I write this story because I love Sakura the way you love Sakura.
If this story has lived in your head rent-free, made you feel things you weren't ready for, or made you want to throw your phone across the room in the best possible way the early access chapters are for you.
Thank you for reading.
Check out the SCHEDULE POSTS On Tumblr, and if you like my stories, want to give me some extra support to help the creations of new stories and can't wait for the latest chapters consider joining me as a special member of my seedling troupe:
TYPE: Katsura369 into the Search Bar Or www. Tumblr . com / blog / katsura369
EARLY CHAPTERS FOR MEMBERS NOW: BUYMEACOFFEE
-Kunoichi amongst Heroes chapter (103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108)
-Kunoichi amongst Pirates chapter (47, 48, 49)
-Crossroads of Fate chapter (39, 40, 41, 42)
-Through the Looking Glass chapter (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
- (Bleach crossover) Kunoichi amongst Reapers: (4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-Commission: Demon slayer x My hero academia (PART 1 & 2)
- Kunoichi amongst Benders (Avatar x Naruto crossover) (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-Kunoichi amongst Heroes WHAT IF SPIN OFF: Dorms and Exams
-SPECIAL HALLOWEEN CHAPTER: Shinigami amongst Shinobi
THANKS FOR TUNING IN BUT NOW I'VE GOTTA TUNE OUT