- Sakura? - I heard a familiar voice and when I looked into one of the cells, I saw Deidara. A wave of emotion washed over me and, unable to contain it, I began to cry. I ran to the bars, begging:
- Is she all right, Sakura? Tell me she's all right.
I nodded and saw Deidara grab his hair in despair.
- Gods...
- Tell her why you're here. - Darui's voice cut through the air, dark and authoritative, coming from the shadows. Deidara cowered at the bottom of the cell, hugging the blanket.
- He hit Naruto.
- HE TOOK MY SISTER! WHAT DO YOU THINK I SHOULD HAVE DONE?! - Deidara shouted, his voice shaking with anger and pain.
- I'm not judging what you did, Yamanaka. - Darui's voice sounded firm, implacable. - I'm saying that your hands are still intact. And according to United Nations law, the punishment for assaulting someone of royal blood is the loss of their hands. And, as it turns out, yours still work just fine.
I understood immediately. Mercy, once again. A crooked mercy, full of flaws, but mercy nonetheless.
- Yamanaka Deidara will stay here for three days. Three days, or he'll lose his hands. If you ask him, you know which choice he'd make.
Deidara threw himself furiously against the bars, his scream echoing in the prison. I let out a cry of fear, and Darui grabbed me by the shoulder in a protective gesture. Two guards pointed their guns at Deidara.
- You bastard, where's my sister? What have you done to her? If she's hurt, I'll kill him, and I'll kill you.
I've never seen Deidara like this, out of his mind, like a beast.
- That's the difference between me and your prince, Sakura. - Deidara growled, panting. - If he said something like that to me, in my kingdom, he'd have his tongue out by now.
***
"Hi, little sister,
I'm sorry we didn't get to say goodbye. The queen thought it would be safer for the families to leave as soon as possible. I swear I tried to find you, but I couldn't. I'm worried about you.
I'm worried about you. I know how much Ino meant to you, she means a lot to me too, but I know it's different for you.
Maybe this isn't the right thing to say, but I want you to know: when you ran up to the stage, I've never been so proud of you in my entire life. You've always been beautiful and talented in your own way. And now I know that your sense of justice is razor-sharp, you realize when things are wrong and you do everything you can to put them right. I think you were born to be queen; I know that now you want to give up, run to us and pretend that the Selection never existed. I'd do that, but I know we're made of different stuff. Don't run home, move on. You can change things, because the prince loves you, and I know, I know that you love him too.
I love you, Sakura. I'm very, very proud of you.
Pain Haruno."
***
I even wished that the Gods would align the stars to form this phrase: "I love you. I'm proud of you."
I hugged the letter tightly, wishing my brother was there.
***
Karin:
He was silent. Worse than a Senju talking, it was a Senju in silence. I wanted to have more time with him, to discuss what we were going to do with Yamanaka. Would chopping off a finger be enough? Or would it be better to give him a few lashes, like we did with his sister? They said he was a turf racer, so he'd need a finger. The lash, on the other hand, would be more effective.
A maid brought us our coffee after eight o'clock. Sakura Haruno didn't show up for dinner, and no one saw her leave the room. That's why he was silent. He was afraid that the next thing he would hear from Sakura would be a request to leave. I was hoping for that. That the girl would ask to leave. Then there would only be Hinata as a good option for him. An elegant, beautiful girl, from a good family and wealthy, a queen in everything except her title.
That's when Itachi entered, followed by two common guards and Sasuke, along with Obito, who were part of the queen's guard.
- Majesties. - They all spoke in unison, synchronized like the ringing of a church bell.
- You were responsible for holding Miss Haruno up on the stage, weren't you? - Naruto asked, directing his gaze at one of the guards. I read his ID: Graves. Private Graves. He had been punched by Sakura's brother, but had still managed to hold him back. An exemplary soldier, no doubt about it.
- Ah, yes, Your Majesty. The girl fought, and her brother is a real savage. - Naruto watched him for a moment, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. Silently, he added two spoonful's of sugar to the coffee and began to stir it.
- You're part of the first rank guards, right?
- Yes, sir. Like my father before me.
The man looked to be in his forties and, from the gleam in his eyes, it was as if this was the first time he had received any kind of recognition.
- Directly responsible for the royal family and, now, the Chosen. After the queen's guard, of course.
He smiled yellow at Itachi, clearly trying to win his favor.
- Would you have broken Miss Haruno's arm if Pain hadn't attacked you like a savage?
I choked on my coffee. Private Graves wasn't drinking anything, but he still choked.
- You tried to break her arm, didn't you? I heard her scream.
Graves opened and closed his mouth a few times, unable to formulate an answer. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he looked uncomfortable in his starched uniform.
- She was crazy, Your Majesty, I just...
- Itachi, please. - Itachi stepped forward, keeping his posture firm. - I need you to transfer Private Graves to the fifth rank. Perhaps dealing with the rebels on the streets, his talent for breaking arms will be more useful. I know that here, between my family and the promised ones, he won't be needed.
- No! Please, my prince, don't do this! - Graves begged, but in the next instant, the soldiers escorted him out of the office.
Naruto took a sip of coffee, impassive.
- Have you gone mad? How can you demote someone from first rank to fifth? Do you know how hard he had to fight to get here?
I was too shocked to speak.
Unfazed, Naruto held up a token.