An Assassin's Legacy

Royal Dramas and Wayward Godmothers

Naruto's dreams only get worse as days pass. It has been weeks since he got a good night's sleep and the only thing keeping him functional is the Divine Touch. He wants, desperately, to tell his family but something holds him back.

Naruto wasn't foolish. It wasn't just his inhibition and fear holding him back, it was something else. Something he found hard to explain.

Every time he tried to talk to Kurama, Yuki or Nagin about the dreams, the words would slip past his tongue and he would forget what he was trying to say. They would listen to his hastily made excuses and would not question him further, not because they didn't know something was going on, but for Naruto's sake. They were waiting for him to go to them but each day he found it more and more difficult.

At nights the dreams would come and every abandonment and fear would reflect at him and chip away at his resolve until he couldn't say anything to anyone.

It feels like ages since he had a peaceful sleep uninterrupted by the dreams that felt so real that he cried every time. It wasn't always his fears reflected at him, there were other dreams, the strange ones that left the mark on his skin feel like burning.

The sound ruffling feathers that got louder and louder with each dream.

Naruto was scared. Truly, utterly terrified because he wasn't sure he wasn't going insane. After all that's what he was cursed with.

The Curse of Eternal Madness.

Naruto didn't want any part of this role he had been given to play but Fate was unfair.

"Naruto!"

Naruto was startled out of his trance by his Mentor's call.

"Aya! When did you come in?"

Naruto asks startled.

Aya took in the sight of the tired young man. He looked like he barely got any sleep in months. He was also skinnier.

Aya was worried, so were the others. But while they decided to wait for Naruto to come to them, Aya wanted to tackle the bull by the horns. She would've done just that if Nagin hadn't convinced her to give Naruto his space for now. She relented since Naruto's family knew him more than Aya did anyway.

"Kid, you look like a mess."

His little office was also a mess. Not the usual organized chaos that was Naruto's room but truly a mess. It was obvious that his care wasn't the only thing he was skipping out on.

"I am sorry."

Aya sighed, "Kid don't apologize... Just take better care of yourself. You're more than just a student to me, okay? I'd hate to see you get hurt."

Naruto looked anywhere but at Aya. He knew her worry was justified but the thought of telling the truth made him panic like nothing else.

"I am fine Aya," he says and hopes he's not as unconvincing as he thinks he is, "The last few days have been a little tough that's all..."

Aya doesn't answer him but looks at him with a piercing gaze and Naruto has to look away.

"I am fine..."

He mumbles not even sure who he's trying to convince anymore.

After a moment of suffocating silence, Aya sighs.

"Alright kid, I'll believe you for now... If you ever need anything don't hesitate to ask me."

Naruto nods with a smile.

"Well," Ays sighs, "I came here to say I'll be leaving tonight. You would have to run the clinic for the next few days all by your lonesome."

Naruto was confused momentarily before he remembers that Aya's daughter who lives with her husband in the neighboring village fell ill two days ago.