Lycanthropes and Whatnot

Chapter 36

The wind prickled her skin as it breezed past her body. The sun was high but not repulsive. It was a cool day and the weather was nice. Sakura breathed out gently as she looked upwards at the cloudless sky, admiring this peaceful moment of her life.

The Queen had told her to stay in the castle. "You can stay as long as you like. It's now your home." Those were her words and Sakura had been so shocked that she'd ignored the Queen's next words. Mikoto didn't mind though. She had laughed wholeheartedly.

Sakura was given a choice. She could stay in the castle or she could stay with Sasuke. Of course she wanted to stay with him but he didn't come back yesterday and still, Naruto, Shikamaru and Jugo were nowhere to be found. She left the castle the next day to take a stroll in the surrounding.

The castle was wide and large. It had west and east wings. The east wing was where the royal family resided. The west wing was unoccupied at the moment. At the center, there was a big building. It was the palace.

There was a wide shoji far from the castle gates. There, the servants cooked and washed. At the southern part of the west wing, very far away, the noble families lived separately. The northern part was for the King's personal advisor and royal guards and inches away, there was a bungalow which the guards and servants occupied.

There were some parts in the compound that had secret places where people could rest and admire the cherry blossom trees, the diverse flowering nursery and huge shades of fruit producing trees. It was scattered all over the castle.

There were lakes and ponds too. They glowed and twinkled at night. The castle was like a world of its own. At the far end of the castle, there were tall tress. Some were withered and leafless, while some were full and high, allowing little sunlight into the surrounding. It was more like a meadow and Sakura couldn't ask for anything else.

It was quiet here. No one could be seen in sight, which was one thing Sakura was grateful for. She leaned against a dried up tree trunk and looked around before straightening her hanfu and walking again. The dried leaves on the ground scrunched up as she walked on them.

It took two minutes for her moment to be ruined. She suddenly became alert when she noticed the change in the air. Someone was following her. The person was being stealthy but she was too used to this kind of situation that her suspicious feelings couldn't go away. She didn't know how long she's been followed but her peace of mind was no longer intact.

Her heartbeat quickened as she increased her steps and walked further into the forest, not looking back.

It was certain. Someone was actually following her.

Her eyes searched the surrounding, looking for something, anything. When she was sure she'd had enough, she picked up a large plank-like wood off the ground and turned around bravely. Her voice was hard and firm, trying desperately to hide the fear in her. "Who's there?"

The wind replied her as it rustled past her.

She swallowed, raising her chin. "Come out right now and show yourself! You just can't follow someone around all day, secretly. That's basically stalking, you know."

There was no response, still.

She couldn't discern where the person was but she was sure he/she was hiding behind one of the trees before her.

"Show yourself now! Who are you or so help me, I'm going to locate you and I will break your head." Her hands tightened their hold on the wood she was clutching, although shakily.

Silence ruled once again, until someone walked out from behind a tree, ten feet away from her, with his hands in the air.

Sakura's labored breathing decreased as her hand dropped, letting go of the wood. She frowned at the person before her in confusion.