Chapter 33

They all stared at the boy for quite some time, before the crass language of Gato rang free.

"Calm, Gato. Let us handle this, he'll pay, that much is certain." Her brother sighed, it was clear he was on his last nerve with his business partners. Why he hadn't just killed and robbed them of their riches, she had no idea.

She didn't concern herself further with those useless thoughts, after all this young boy, who looked much better up close was here waiting patiently. "How interesting. That was reinforced chakra steel, I would never have suspected a cute little thing like you to break your way in. Tell me, how old are you?"

"...I need an adult." The boy said nervously she had almost lashed out at him for being scared of her like everyone else was.

"I am an adult." Her smirk tightened, did he think of her as some scary masculine lady as well?

"So, will you answer my question?" She asked, wanting to return to the conversation at hand before they got off track.

"Twelve." At his answer, she had pretty much lost most interest in him. Not only was he way younger than her, but he seemed scared of her as well.

"A bit too young for my tastes, but you sure are a cutie. Tall too for your age, I can just tell you're gonna be a massive hunk. How about this? If you tell me what happened to Ao's team, I'll let you walk." Her words were truthful. The boy was still incredibly handsome, even if he was young, and the fact that he stood taller than her was quite impressive.

As the leader of the Rebels, she needed to know where some of her strongest aids were located.

"They're dead. My team killed them." He admitted and that disappointed her greatly.

"Change of plans, I have to kill you, but I'll be sure to give you a kiss before I do." Ao was a massive game changer to their forces, more specifically, his byakugan was. Being able to see through walls and locate things any other shinobi would miss was huge.

"...How about you don't do that?" He chuckled, but she couldn't let such a thing slide so easily. If Ao was dead, then Zabuza, Kirne, and Thorne were likely dead as well. The latter two were average Jonin, but the former two… were so much more.

"Ah, honey, I wish there was another way, but Ao was my right-hand man. Though I didn't feel much for him, our war effort will suffer greatly with his death. That's not even mentioning how worse off we are now without Zabuza."

"Well…that doesn't mean you need to kill us. More like you feel inclined."

He had a point, that much she could admit. Killing him wouldn't bring her men back, and she wasn't so close to them to the point where she demanded revenge.

"It would honestly be a shame to fight such a beautiful woman such as yourself."

She looked up at him in shock. In all her life, not a single person had called her beautiful. She had been called fiery, deadly, scary, crazy, as we as fucking insane (the man who said that last one was no longer among the living) but never beautiful (At least not within earshot). So long without hearing such words had forced her to think that maybe she wasn't.

Which is why she couldn't stop the blush from blossoming on her cheeks. Had he not actually been scared of her, and instead enraptured by her beauty?

"...Oh, you think so? Stop it, you're just saying that."

"What are you doing, Mei?! Kill this shinobi-" The pig bitch attempted to end possibly one of the greatest moments of her life.

…She wouldn't allow such a thing from such a hideous creature.

"Are you trying to stop me from finding the one thing I want most in life? From finding a loving husband? Try that again bitch and I'll kill you." It was an honest threat, one she had no problem making true on. Internally she smiled as the blubbering bitch pissed herself and fell to her knees.

Trash.

"My ears must deceive me, but did you claim to be unwed? Surely you jest!" His surprise was clear, which caught her off guard. It was true then, he didn't fear her like the others, instead, he was surprised by her beauty!

The way her cheeks heated up, she had to calm herself before she ended up losing herself in the recollection of the many fantasy stories she had read. "Oh, you're making me blush! It's the truth, nobody has come to court me in all my years. It has weighed heavy on my heart for many nights, you are the first to compliment me in such a way. Please, may I have your name?"

Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he approached her, going unnoticed by everyone. As much as she wanted to find love, she was still a shinobi, a powerful one at that, and she wouldn't so easily trust him. She gave him a welcoming smile as he hopped over the gap and stopped in front of her, dropping to a knee and offering his left hand.

She gave him her right hand, behind her back, and she had her left ready to infuse chakra. The moment he tried anything would be the moment he died.

"Fair maiden, my name is Lei Senju. Grand-nephew of Lord First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, Grandson of Lord Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, first and only son to Renji Miyamoto and Haori Kazumi." He explained which caused her body to stiffen, then shiver as he kissed the back of her hand.

She knew each one of those names except for his mother. Hashirama Senju was a man considered to have been the strongest kage ever. That includes all other villages. It is said that he gathered eight of the nine-tailed beasts.

By himself.

Sure his wife, Mito Uzumaki had helped him seal all of the beasts in various items, but it still stands that Hashirama had been the one to challenge and defeat them.

Then theres Tobirama Senju. Perhaps the most well-known man in Kiri from Konoha's history.

Water jutsu is drilled into the minds of all academy students in Kiri, and of everyone in known history, there isn't a single man, or woman who held more control over water than Tobirama Senju did. Capable of producing it from the air itself with a flex of his finger, while also strong enough to create massive constructs of water should he find himself fighting over a body of water.

Finally, Renji Miyamoto. She had never met the man, but she knew of his strength. Known for his proficiency in earth release, earning the title, Iron Body Renji. If the files are to be believed, as well as his bingo book entry, of all the missions he had taken throughout his life, there was only one where he had taken substantial damage.

The Battle of Kaisho Pass during the Third Great Shinobi War.

A battle where he and the man who would go on to become the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, fought against the future Fourth Raikage, A, and the eight tails jinchuriki, Killer Bee.

It was not specified how he was damaged, but the fact that he survived at all against such powerful opponents speaks volumes of his power.

Her eyes shined as she looked at the boy with renewed light. He was the son of a powerful man, one who may even had been capable of beating her, and the grandson of Tobirama Senju, the greatest water release specialist of all time.

More importantly, judging by that massive construct of his, it would appear he inherited his grand-uncle's legendary kekkei genkai, Wood Release. He would grow powerful, and power was just what her forces needed.

There was also the fact that he was Konoha royalty.

The cherry on the cake

"A man of such note-worthy blood, some would even consider you to be a prince." Her interest in the boy had peaked. He was handsome, strong, and had an incredible lineage, even if he was a child.

Most importantly though, he saw her as a woman.

"They would be correct, but I am not so shallow of a man to request anyone to address me as such."

Humble as well.

"Though the same way many would consider me a prince for my status, I'm sure many consider you a princess for your sheer beauty. Your auburn hair reminds me of the changing of the seasons, and your deep green eyes reflect the rejuvenation of nature itself. I could grow old looking into your eyes and as I breathe my last breath, my one regret would be that I never stole a kiss from those supple lips of yours."

Her heart danced in her chest, her breath hitched, and her mind raced to process his words. His words, each of them pushing her further into the rabbit hole that was her pursuit of a husband. She couldn't handle all of her rushing emotions, her entire body warm in a feeling she had never once experienced.

She dropped to the ground, basking in the feeling for as long as she could. It was at that moment, her mind was made up.

He was the man destined to be her husband.

His age was the only thing holding her back from stealing a kiss from his lips. The princesses in the story always decided when they wanted to kiss their prince unless it was one of those surprise kisses that would make their hearts swoon as they fell deeper for the chivalrous prince.

Her hands reached out, embracing his head and pulling it to her chest. She wanted him, and she would have him. For the sake of the Kiri Rebels -

And herself.

"We're taking him." Her voice was directed at her men, as well as Sento's pawns. There wasn't a force known to man that would stop her from keeping the dreams she held for years clung tightly to her chest.

"No!" Her brother shouted, but he was a non-issue.

"Oh? Will you be stopping me?" There was a dangerous edge in her voice, and Sento knew well not to challenge her on what she decided. Especially when it came to her dream of love, and the betterment of her forces.

"I regret to inform you, fair maiden, that my presence is needed in Konoha. I fear that without your warmth I may not be able to manage the cruelties of life, but alas, my people need me." He said slowly and a frown split her lips.

He would be incredibly useful to them with his wood release, and if anything the civil war would push him to even greater heights.

Though she supposes she got a little ahead of herself. There was no way Konoha would have just let her take their prince. No matter the reason.

So it seems she would have to let him-

Her thoughts came to an immediate and forceful halt as she felt his lips press into hers for a chaste kiss.

Her first kiss.

The thought alone brought hearts to her eyes and sent a warm shiver down her body.

If there was any chance this man wasn't the one destined to be her husband, he had killed it.

"Fear not, my home believes in the cause of your faction. Surely, should you partition our aid, we will accept." He said to her sincerely, and her heart continued to swoon. Even now he was thinking of her home. A man who cared not only about her but about the happiness of her people.

Such a thing was huge for what she wanted in a man. She didn't want some coward who would tuck tail and run when they learned about her life, but instead, a brave prince who charged straight into battle by her side, and when all was said and done, swooped her away from her responsibilities and would live happily ever after. Unburdened by the blood purge as well as the horrid traditions of her home. In a world where her children could live without ever needing to fight if they chose not to.

"If I let you go, would I see you again?" Her lips quivered at how love-struck she sounded, but she didn't care, her happiness was what mattered to her, and she didn't know if she could ever pursue love again if this man left her behind without looking back.

"There is a saying. If you love something, let it go. If it comes back, it's yours forever. Only time will tell if I may hold you in my arms once more." The boy with eyes as green as jade cupped her cheek and it was then that she realized she may have fallen much easier than she had expected to.

Such words were exactly like the sweet words in the books she read. Heartwarming quotes filled with powerful meaning and great wisdom.

"Every moment we're apart, my heart will weep, but destiny shall prevail, we will be together again." She said, holding her heart.

"For us to one day cross paths, our mission needs to be completed. The people of this land have suffered great oppression thanks to the businessmen behind you. Konoha will not work with thugs who create violence for the sake of violence." He explained and it made a great deal of sense to her. Konoha was a village that tended to cast aside its violent past and look for ways to be better, as was the way of the will of fire. She wasn't surprised that they wouldn't want to work with her rebels if they were oppressing a land for the sake of their war.

"...I see." Her frown returned as she pushed away from him gently and stood up. She faced her brother and his disgusting pawns and started infusing chakra.

"Mei, you can't be siding with him!" Sento shouted, but she ignored his words, sending a lava shuriken at the trash and taking their heads. Their necks were cauterized the moment they were cut, so no blood got on her brother's rug.

What a good sister she was!

"Those two were nothing more than your pawns anyway. Just get some more that aren't so trash. Take their riches and start over somewhere without oppressing anyone, that shouldn't be too hard?" Mei shrugged. Sento was being overdramatic, they were filth that paid him to hide them from people coming for their heads. This only would be better for him, he could make so much money by adopting their companies into his own.

"It'll set me back a great deal of money, but I'm sure I can recover." Sento groaned.

That was her brother, a stubborn man who could never be knocked down for long.

"Good. Don't forget who it was that gave you the investment to start your business in the first place. Clean up the mess you made here and head back to base." She smirked at her brother. She always loved teasing him, considering how she lacked friendships for most of her life, she and he were very close. There was no one in the world she loved more than her brother.

She wrapped herself around her prince's arm, waving goodbye to her brother and gesturing for her men to follow. They stepped past the Konoha jonin and made their way outside, passing the bodies of her men as they did.

It was disheartening to view their corpses, but then again, if they couldn't handle this much, they surely would have died on the bloody battlefield of the war.

They walked the bloody beach full of the corpses of Sento's hired men, but she couldn't help but find it all so romantic, almost like a story-book love story.

The prince, Lei Senju mounted on his trusty stead, stormed the wicked men's castle in hopes of meeting the beautiful princess and taking her hand in his.

Mei enjoyed every moment they spent together as they made their way back to town. Her body pressed into him to feel his warmth. He was young, but he wouldn't stay that way forever, and she couldn't wait to see the man he would become.

As they reached the town, they were forced to say their goodbyes, even sharing a more lasting kiss before they departed.

Once they separated, she felt a sinking hole in her heart.

His clone was still with them and would remain with them even as they made their way back to Kiri, which did bring comfort to her heart, but she still longed for his true self's warmth and touch.

They made their way to Zabuza's grave, and they took the Executioner Blade that acted as a headstone, replacing it with a stone with a message engraved on it.

'Zabuza Momochi, a powerful man who died as he lived, fighting for the sake of his home and it's future.'

She had a great deal of respect for the man, and she would make sure that no one would ever come to desecrate his grave.

With Mangetsu now wielding the Executioner Blade with unrestrained glee, like a child in a candy shop, they made their way over to another of Lei's other clones, who was sitting with the child Zabuza would travel with, Haku.

The girl looked like she was pondering on something as she slowly consumed berries. A sad smile formed on Mei's lips as she stepped towards the girl. It was good to see she still had the desire to live.

"How are you doing?" Mei asked as she sat down beside Haku. The Yuki girl gave her a quick glance before staring back off into the forest.

"...I don't know. My purpose is gone, but I am trying to find another." Haku answered slowly as if every single one of her words held great weight.

Realistically, they did.

"Perhaps I could help? It may be harder to find a lasting purpose in life, but how about helping the rebels take Kirigakure? It was something Zabuza had tried to do earlier in life, yet never accomplished."

Haku pondered on that for a moment. "Would…he want that?" Her voice was quiet, barely even a whisper.

"He would," Mei answered with absolute certainty. Zabuza wanted to bring an end to the blood purge, perhaps more than most people in her rebels.

Haku remained quiet for several minutes. No one rushed her to answer, they would wait until she decided, and should she decide that she didn't wish to return, they would give her food and money and see her off. Perhaps Sento could take her in until she decided what she wanted to do.

"I'll go." Haku Yuki said softly, rising to her feet and staring at Mei with a frown. "I will see Zabuza's will fulfilled, only then will I find true purpose in life. I am but a tool, a broken one, but one that will get the job done."

Mei sighed at her words. She was beyond happy that Haku had decided to return, but the way she looked at herself left her wanting to bring Zabuza back from the dead just to slap him. She would change that attitude within the young girl, she promised that much to herself.

"Splendid. Then let us depart."

They made their way through the forests of Waves, and back to the beach where Sento's mansion was on the east side of the island. The Land of Water was further east across the ocean so they would need to spend quite a bit of time running over the water.

In the time it would take to get back to return to her home, she fell into her thoughts. Thoughts about her rebels, thoughts bout her enemies, thoughts about war strategies, and as she looked at the boy running beside her, thoughts of her future happiness flooded her mind.

Lei's hand gently grabbed hers, their fingers locking together as they ran.

It would be a long run back, but she would enjoy every moment.