“So this is the orchard from Konoha…” Princess Hanako marvelled at the wide collection of trees splayed out in a wide, open and brightly sunlit area. While I didn’t share her enthusiasm for the growing spurt of trees that had been either transplanted or spliced with the seedlings Kushina had sent, I couldn’t deny there was a freshness to walking amongst them.

“What fruits will they bear?” She asked, plucking another leaf and twirling it by its stem. She wore a simpler dress this time, nothing as ceremonious as the three metre gown flow but nearly as pretty. Her make-up was lighter too and even her general persona was different from before our final negotiations.

I stalked behind her in simple mesh shinobi garb and Kage haori, “I’m not sure but the I’m told the older trees will bring apples and even peaches once they’ve gotten used to the new soil, spread their roots and all.” I shrugged.

There was a skip in her step as she twirled around and smiled at me, “You don’t pay much attention to these things do you, Lord Fourth?” That was another thing, her smile. I don’t think I’d ever seen it before today and yet I was bombarded with one after the other.

But I suppose it made sense. She came to me looking for an end to the threats against her brother the Daimyo and that’s exactly what she got, best of all, she hadn’t even needed to sell herself to accomplish it. I’d be smiling too.

She stopped by a shrub of flowers, yellow, red, blue, all the bright beautiful colours that I truly never paid attention to despite my home and estate being surrounded by them. She tucked loosened strands of onyx hair behind her ears as she plucked a handful and gifted me with them, “For you.”

“Ah, yes, thank you.” I said, unsure what to do with the clutch of flowers, “I’ll find a vase for them, Junichi?”

Junichi hurried to my side at my call, his notepad out and ready to take down any orders but I simply handed him the flowers and glanced back at Ao and the Princess’s odd Samurai-esque guard, “Find a place for these in my office and…” I leaned in to whisper, “Have Ao and that one step back a bit will you?”

Junichi nodded fiercely and got to work without a sound. He’s become more reliable as the weeks pass and I’ve slowly come to appreciate his presence. I turned back to the Princess and found that she was already far ahead than in the orchard than I, playing with a stick or trying to dislodge a fruit with one at least.

I walked up next to her and glanced up at the ripe-ish lime. “Ah! Uh, I can’t seem to reach it…I’d climb but I suppose that’d be unsightly of me.” She blushed and tossed the stick aside to clap her hands free of dirt.

“You need only ask.” She gave me a look that told me she thought first of my medium height before anything else. Ignoring it, I tapped the tree with enough force to loose a rain of limes, ripe or not upon our heads while catching her desired target as she squealed. “Here, for you.”

“Oh, wow, as expected. Thank you.” She warped it up in a handkerchief and set it aside, “So, you wanted to talk?”

I inhaled and smiled up at her, “Yes, I did. I thought you’d like to know or at least report back to the Daimyo how the war is going as well as my concerns.”

Her bliss furrowed away, “Concerns?”

“We’ll get to that but first, I’m proud to say the war is going smoothly, as expected truly…in terms of captured objectives at least. Kurokami-jima has been liberated and the Lord Yakubi reinstated to his position.”

“That’s such good news.” She said, relieved.

“That’s not all. Yureisen and Midoriwara are not under our occupation. There are pockets of resistance from what’s been reported but those will be snuffed out even as I speak.” She nodded along as I spoke, absorbing each bit of good news while we made another round about the orchard. “And there is the matter of Koorijima, we’ve made it to land and even recaptured the capital city but…well, the journey to get there was a costly one. Ships, men, munition, sunken supplies and all sorts, I’m sure you have an inkling of what I mean.”

Princess Hanako’s springy steps slowed as I spoke, her brows furrowed even deeper in thought as she glanced at me, “Speak plainly, as you have before.”

As I have before huh. I let myself have a sheepish smile as I revealed, “Where are the Daimyo’s levies? His army of Samurai defenders, the Named dozen? I informed my shinobi they’d receive reinforcements for their countrymen but thus far…”

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The Princess gulped at that. An appropriate response considering there was very little she could say that would satisfy me. I’ve long since had eyes on the armies of the Daimyo as well as our enemies, it was the foremost preparation for war to do so after all. And so I knew half of the Daimyo’s military might had been pulled away from coasting the seas in nigh constant patrols and were now on the mainland, mere kilometres away from Kirigakure.

What were they doing? Certainly not fighting a war, no, instead they rested, drank, celebrated a premature victory won by Kirigakure’s mere involvement in the conflict.

“I understand there might be some…exhaustion after defending the Daimyo’s rule all year long but perhaps a show of solidarity? My shinobi number fewer than the Lord Daimyo’s levies, we cannot fortify every fallen fort, city and castle by our lonesome.” A small lie. It was possible to fill take over every noteworthy fief but why would we? My only true concerns were Yureisen and Midoriwara after all.

The Princess did well not to bristle at my words, had she been anyone else surely she’d find my pointed accusation that the Daimyo’s armies were lazy insulting. Instead she measured her reaction with restraint and smiled, “My brother, the Daimyo…he simply wishes to see the main foe put down. Baron Tetsuya and Watanabe’s islands still stand unruly, the Daimyo does not wish to see their insolence go unpunished, his attentions are put forward there…for now.”

It was a fair argument to put forth; ‘The Daimyo brings his wrath to his truest enemies personally.’ and I’d be much impressed if it weren’t for the fact that the Daimyo’s attempts at retaking Umehebi has been naught of success throughout the year of war.

Control of the island went back and forth over the past months, even during the time I became Mizukage it was still being contested with the Daimyo’s forces breaking in and Baron Tetsuya arrogantly sweeping them out time and time again until putting up a blockade was all the Daimyo could do to save face.

I decided not to bring up any of my points against her defence, instead I hummed and nodded, “Very well, if the Daimyo deems them worthy of his full attention…Kirigakure will do want it can to finish the war without his sword aid. However, as we’ve established, the war is not without its costs, it’s one thing to use the funds of the fiefs we’ve liberated but after a year of war some have nothing to give and in no position to bolster my shinobi in any capacity. At the very least, some war relief to these areas as well as to Kirigakure for suffered losses would be much appreciated.”

As of yet there were only fourteen recorded losses and that was between Junko Hoshigaki and Fuguki Suikazan’s forces. They weren’t terrible losses but they were losses nonetheless and I only needed a single casualty to guiltlessly ask for more funds.

While the Princess seemed friendly enough now the Daimyo would not forget the true cost of this war; Yureisen and Midoriwara, two islands too many but not worth losing his head over in the end. After the war I expected absolutely nothing from the Daimyo, not even so much as praise or even thanks, it would be, at best, a cold shoulder for years to come and so I’d milk him dry while I still could.

The Funato Clan war chest was a gorgeous thing to calculate but it paled in comparison to what the Daimyo could offer even in this short term. If those two islands were to see any development, then there was no such thing as too much money.

Princess Hanako seemed to be more keen-minded than I gave her credit for because she outright sneered as she said, “What use will the extra supplies be if the war is to end in two weeks as you promised? But no matter, I will deliver your concerns to my brother.”

I shook my head, “Lives are precious, Hime, those supplies will lower casualties in a manner I’m sure you would appreciate if you understood the beat of war, not to mention, they’ll ensure I keep to my word. Do send him my regards as you do.”

We walked on in silence for a moment before I gave a single to Ao trailing behind me and said to the Princess, “If you have an extra moment, I have a final, more appropriate gift for you Princess.”

She couldn’t hide the sparkle in her eyes at the mention but wordlessly nodded and followed after my steps. I lead her out to a gazebo and fountain where Raiga was waiting in plain shinobi gear, ditching the ANBU uniform for something more civilian friendly. Beside him was none other than Jin, the fighter the Princess had taken an interest in before Mangetsu beat him.

She gasped in recognition and hastened her steps, “You are…a fine young man.” She said, clearing her throat as she took Jin in. He was dressed fully as a civilian with not one thing marking him as a shinobi beyond the scars of Kenjutsu training.

The young man blushed at the attention but Raiga had prepared him well enough and he bowed deeply to greet the Princess, “I am Jin, my Princess, the Lord Fourth has bid me to be your guard and guide throughout his estate and all of Kirigakure if you wish. I will show you everything you wish to see.”

Her jaw hung open for a moment, clearly not expecting him to become a guard for her she looked over at me as she stuttered, searching for a way out but there was none I would allow. I grinned widely at her, “You don’t need to say anything, Hime, you are most welcome! I know how much you long to experience Kirigakure, Jin here will ensure you do so without…drawing unwanted attention.”

I said the last part while eying her odd-ball Samurai-esque guard that radiated an intensity that just wasn’t healthy for a Princess. She smiled and nodded, “T-thank you, Mizukage, this is most considerate.”

It was indeed. Stealing and reading her letters was a waste of my ANBU’s time and a waste of mine, Jin with Raiga as his handler would ensure nothing against the interests of Kirigakure was going through the minds of any royal.

“Say less, Princess, it’s been my pleasure.”