Chapter 6

The moon was beautiful. It was always beautiful, but today it felt… special. Standing with half her body submerged in the pool of clear waters of the small ground tub, big enough to fit at least a dozen people, but that is a perk of being in the home of those with power and riches.

The glass roof allowed the glimmers of light cover her body with the shine reflected by the moon, nigh baths were not her favourite, but tonight felt special. - "What are you thinking of?" – the woman asked her. – "It's a full moon, but I've never seen it shine this bright." – A smile crept on her lips as she answered. Normally, the young pinket would feel uncomfortable to be watched as she took her bath, as many years passed, and the blond woman had become more as a shadow asking her questions instead of just supervising her rituals. – "May I ask a question?" –

- "What is your question, Sakura?" – the blonde was curious, but her voice showed how displeased she was, she hated being asked anything.

Without turning or locking eyes, the pinket kept her gaze upon the moon. – "If there is a Moon Goddess, is there a God for the Sun?" – she always wondered why her people only worshipped the moon Goddess and could never find a single book or story about any other deity.

– "There is a God for everything, don't you remember?" – the blond always answered with questions.

That was obvious, but she wanted to know more. – "Do you think the Goddess of the moon cares for the God or Goddess of the Sun?" – the pinket pried.

A couple of second passed, she did not mind. Her gaze never left the moon unless she needed to, the blonde owner of the Castle would only stare back at her if she turned her way, Sakura always felt uncomfortable when they made eye contact… - "What does the moon mean to you, Sakura?" –

Without a beat she answered. – "Hope." – a few seconds of silence told her she was expecting her to continue. – "The moon shines because of the Sun, we know there's hope for another day with its magnificent shine. We would be lost in the darkness without the moon." –

- "How do you know that?" – Her question was laced with controlled anger. – "You spoke with the foreigners, didn't you, Sakura?" –

As a curious cat that she was, the pinket would listen intently to what others said, especially when it was about the ways other cultures and people saw the world, discoveries, stories, history. She wanted to listen and read all about it.

This angered greatly her blonde host, influence from the outside of her beloved land and citizens caused her great displeasure. – "I heard it, yet I did not think it would anger you, it's something they call science." –

There was no question made, therefore no answer was given…. They never entangled in conversation, their only communication was based on the blonde asking Sakura questions, what she learned during the day, the newest book of herbs she read, meditation, anything that had to do with her teachings and preparation. Sakura knew nothing about the woman that her village didn't already knew.

Tall, long blonde curls, blue eyes, fair skin that looked to have never been touched by the sun, a face that has never aged since she took on her crown.

The woman was beautiful and elegant, she walked in the finest silk and enchanted anyone with her voice. Anyone, except Sakura.

She did not like the woman, not because her beauty was unreal, that is the thing. She did not look real.

In her eyes, with her own ears, even when the finest scent of the blonde's perfume. All seemed so… fake, almost as if there was no person behind her, watching her, asking her questions.

An empty vessel of what used to be a woman, long ago. Even her expressions felt and looked forced. Something was not right with her, but she could not voice her concerns with anyone.

Because, everyone loved Daphne.

No one would ever speak ill of her, not even think of it. She protected her people, she was their everything, festivals were in her name and their very land was heaven on earth because of her power.

Why does it feel like nothing made sense?

Foreigners would come and visit the land of Aysu, the moon waters of their land could not be seen in other places and the minerals are said to have healing properties…

All too good to be true in a place that held no darkness, Sakura could not believe the very land she was born and raised in was as perfect as it was said to be. – "I'm starting to believe you don't see the moon as important as the sun, Sakura." – that was not a question, for the first time since she entered the castle of the current ruler, she could feel her spirit.

Cold, retched and almost fowl smelling, but she held herself together. Only her legs felt like jelly, but they were under water… good. She felt suffocated by something, something she could not describe. All she wanted was to run.

Suffocation burning in her longs, her eyes filled with unshed tears, her body was numbed from fear. "Do not turn and look at her" her mind screamed at her.

- "I am devoted to the moon." – the pinket firmly announced. It was not a lie. It had been years since she pledged her forced devotion.

- "Good." – the woman was pleased. – "Now finish up, we have more work to do, remember?" –

Just then, she could finally breath.

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Her head was hurting… no, everything was hurting! She wondered if she fell off a cliff, her body screamed to her in protests each time she tried to move even just one bit, her fingers twitched and her eyelids felt heavier than ever. – "Are you awake?" – she heard someone whisper, a woman. – "Hey, can you wake up?" – worry was laced in those words.

No, she could not wake up, her body was completely in pain and, apparently, she could not even muster any words… That can't be good. – "Twitch your pointer finger if you're in pain." – that she could do and so, she did. – "Do it again if you can't move." – she did it again.

Movement could be heard and warm hands pressed on her chest, a welcoming feeling of warm air filled her lungs as she took a deep breath. Something tickled her nerves in a way she could not describe or remember ever feeling, but whatever the woman did, it caused her pain to lower. She was very grateful. – "This should help. Please drink before you sleep some more." –

Forcing herself to drink that unknown liquid, Sakura felt the need drift back to sleep. Maybe later she can find out what happened, last thing she remembers was… those men.

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Madara was no pleased and everyone knew it, but Izuna was not going to be pushed away. They had a mission to complete, and it seemed like it had failed before they even knew it. He was completely baffled when he saw Hashirama appear with a woman in his arms.

He did not expect a person.

Both Uchiha brothers knew they would be facing monsters, discussions with the Senju and even the possibility of a soldier dying in The Valley of the Lost. They were not pessimistic men, just realistic and well prepared. A flower or even a fruit that can do miracles is the closest he would call to madness and lies for fools in the harsh reality they lived in. People die, people get hurt, they get sick and die. No one can escape death.

But his brother found a curious little creature that sparked suspicion and even anger from the Senju, and Izuna had to find out exactly what happened.

He found his older brother pacing back and forth in his tent, agitation was not normally expressed by the man built from the steel of his ancestor's weapons. The older Uchiha stopped dead on his tracks once the younger man fully entered the tent to face him, but he did not even make eye contact with Izuna. Why?

- "It's complicated to explain." – he admitted, it was obvious to Madara, his brother wanted answers, but he was having difficulty finding the words.

- "Let's start from the moment you stepped in that place. Did you feel something." – Izuna was a patient soul and knew how hard it seemed to be for his brother to explain.

- "It felt wrong to be there in the first place." – he started to let lose a little bit and Izuna was going to let him continue and listen intently. – "There was a tree." – Madara gazed at his brother with uncertainty. – "It was beautiful, a Sakura tree." –

After a few moments of silence, Izuna was getting more confused. – "You found the objective? Where is it?" –

- "It disappeared." –

…. What?

- "And that female appeared." –

Oh…

He used the term "Female", Izuna understood the reference. They were not to treat her like a person, she was no human.

And they would get the answers from her.

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