Naruto The Warlord

Chapter 24

It was with a hollow look that Naruto looked down on Asuka, his former lover, as she laid dead on the bedroll in his tent. A lamp glowed next to them, casting a soft light over the girl's features. It was a peaceful, warm day and Naruto could hear birds singing outside.

She would have liked being outside. She always loved to feel the wind in her hair.

She looked so peaceful now. A blanket laid over her otherwise naked body, tucked neatly beneath her chin. Naruto had long since moved the hair out of her face to properly look at her in order to burn her image into his mind. The flower of a daylily rested at her ear, plucked and tucked into her hair by Naruto himself.

He never wanted to forget her.

After the battle against Kugimiya, when Shou and his reinforcements charged across the field and sent the Royal Army fleeing to the woods, Naruto had carried Asuka to the medics who waited just outside of the battlezone. They had taken the girl off his hands and assured him that they would do their best to save the girl.

They had spent nearly an entire day trying to save her life. Sometimes, it simply wasn't enough, no matter what one did.

Naruto had no idea what he was feeling. He had been angry during the battle, but no longer. He had been worried sick in the beginning of her treatment, but that had faded when the inevitable had happened. He had been sad the first couple of hours after they informed him that she was gone, but that too had faded. Now, he felt completely hollow. He felt nothing.

And he hated it.

"Warlord.", the familiar voice of En called from outside. His tone was demure and somber, which was unusual for the rough man. Naruto merely grunted a non-committed sound that he was barely aware escaped his lips, but it was enough of a confirmation for En as he slowly entered Naruto's tent. He paused by the entrance for a long moment, before he seated himself on his knees next to Naruto, a couple of feet behind in deference.

The silence stretched on between them for several minutes, but it was anything but awkward. Such was their bond, having suffered through events that would have killed less capable men.

"You know, I always wondered.", Naruto murmured, his voice as flat and dead as the expression on his face. His eyes remained locked on Asuka, even if the words were clearly meant for En. "I always wondered how you picked the candidates for the Iron Guard. You never picked the strongest, the fastest or those with the most proficiency with combat. I found it odd as I was unable to wrap my head around your selections, but I never questioned it." Naruto took a deep breath. "I finally realized what it is that you were looking for, when you made your picks among the potential candidates."

Naruto let the silence fall over them again, feeling no need to clarify whatever he'd resonated. He already knew he was right and En probably did too. The older man merely sighed and shuffled a bit in his position, adjusting his armor uncomfortably; En was still wounded, like most of the Iron Guard after the battle. Only Naruto was healed due to the Kyuubi within.

"Back in 'Wind'...", En began with a heavy sigh, his eyes closed with a grimace. "...The members of the Royal Army is taught the arts of chakra, combat and tactics, but there is one thing that is valued above all others." En paused, glancing over at Naruto before he stood, groaning from his painful injuries. "I knew you and Asuka were intimate, but I couldn't bring myself to confront you about it, despite the implications of it. It wasn't my place to tell you, our leader, who you can or cannot take to your bed. But I knew your relationship was only going to end in tears."