Empty Eyes: Book 1

Chapter 27

After Ino and Sai's wedding, things went back to normal for a few weeks.

I was sore for days after Sasuke and I finally did it, but eventually healed and felt as though our relationship was stronger than ever. The prince didn't change much in how he spoke or acted around me, but something in the air just felt different, like he was being more attentive.

The newlyweds left on a secret honeymoon and none of us knew where they were headed, but my sister assured me she'd be safe in her new husband's care. Sai was immediately enamored by my sister upon her arrival at the castle, but I noticed in the short amount of time that I'd seen them before they left that his adoration had increased even further.

I'd sent a strongly worded letter to my mother regarding her absence from her own daughter's wedding. Ino didn't bring it up and when I tried to talk to her about it she swore she didn't care, but I know her better than that and could tell she was hurting. Of course, I received no response to said letter and Naruto even wrote to me to report she'd thrown it away without even opening it.

Her actions made my blood boil, not for me, but for Ino. She'd taken care of both me and my mother when we had no other source of income, earning money by making and selling clothing. The least my mother could do was send her a congratulatory letter if she didn't want to come to the wedding, but no. She didn't even do that.

I was angry to the point that I made it known to Sasuke that I intended on visiting my old home to confront her on the subject. He, of course, argued that it was stupid to leave the castle for such a trivial matter, but he also wouldn't understand a situation like this since his own mother supported his every decision whole-heartedly.

I made plans with Hinata to visit, happy to be helpful in sneaking her out of her strict home to visit Naruto, whom she finally confessed to Tenten and I that she was incredibly interested in, as if we didn't already know. She intended to confess to him on our little trip to the lower class region of the city and was even thinking about offering him a job somewhere in the upper class area so they could see each other more easily and often.

According to her letter, Neji convinced her father she was assisting him in court, which came as a great shock to me. Perhaps the young Hyuga man was starting to lighten up.

The day finally arrived for our trip and I dressed down in one of the dresses Ino'd made for me from back home so I wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb. As I was braiding my hair over my shoulder in the mirror, I felt Sasuke move behind me and place his hands on my hips. My body naturally pressed against him and my stomach flipped with glee.

I looked up at his reflection and smiled as I tied a hair-tie around the end of the braid and turned around in his arms to embrace him, "You don't need to worry. I grew up in that area."

He leaned down and gave me a chaste kiss on the lips, not replying vocally, but releasing his hold and leading me out of the room and down into the family room area, where Hinata and two members of the Militia were waiting to escort me to my home.

I gave him a small wave before turning and leaving the castle on my own for the first time in a very long time. He'd initially wanted to come along, but his father was having a few guests over that he wanted Itachi and Sasuke to meet.

The militia members guarded us as we rode in a carriage similar to the one that'd delivered me here so long ago. Once we finally reached the decorative stone wall, we ditched the ride, Hinata waved off our guards, and then pulled her hood up over her head so as to hide her hair and unique eye color from any potential onlookers.

We walked in silence for a few moments before I finally took notice of her fidgeting fingers, "Are you okay, Hinata?"

The shorter girl looked over at me with a small blush on her pale skin, "I-I'm just nervous, is all. What if Naruto doesn't want to be with me because of how different we are?"