Something about the way the young woman graciously bends down to lay the clay pots makes Sakura freeze in her spot.

The way her dark open hair falls about her, soft and gentle. Just as her face. The glow of her northern skin and the delicacy of her hands.

When the woman notices her presence, she too stands back up with a frigid posture. An unquestionably fazed air between them that did not have a name yet.

It's Ino who speaks up first in her uncomfortable silence.

"Konohamaru said Kikyo was looking for us..?"

The dark haired woman looked a bit dazed, "Oh yes, for the morning bread. Please come in."

When she speaks, her voice is noticeably soft as well.

"You're kikyo?" Sakura speaks up.

"Oh no." The girl looks back at her with her light lavender eyes. "I'm Hinata. Hyuuga Hinata. Please welcome inside."

Even the food tents are separated for the noble clans, Sakura notices. There's nothing special about it however. Not even the food is any different from what she noticed the lower clans feasting upon in the morning. There is more of it altogether though.

The inside of the tent feels like a warm blanket.

"Kikyo-san left earlier, she had already broke her fast but she suggested it would be a good thing to break ours together. And maybe if you'd like, I could sow you around the village."

Sakura and Ino look onto one another. "Uh, of course. We'd like that. The village looks very big."

Hinata smiles. "Yes, it is. The first line of villages is the main clans. So you mostly only see training grounds around here."

Sakura walks around to sit beside the taller woman. "The first line?"

Hinata occupies herself with bringing out the clay pots and plates consisting of bread, corn, garlic soup and many more tastes. She places it on top of the woven wood sitting on top of the dim fire.

"I've never seen that before." Voices Ino, staring at the fire hearth. "Does the wood not burn?"

Hinata gives another smile to the younger girls. "No, not if you know how to coat them well. It only heats up, enough to keep the clay warm."

Sakura looks at the layer of wood, fascinated herself. "Things are so different up here. I would've never imagined it. The weather really makes a difference, doesn't it?"

"Yes," The hyuuga sets the morning mead down for them all. "But the north have fire in their bones." She says with a knowing smile. "The cold doesn't affect us as much as you'd think."

Sakura brings the hot soup to her lips and tastes the familiar garlic and onions. Soft and soothing. Then the thought crosses her mind, "How do you grow food here? I thought you'd mostly only have meat but…"

"We get them sent here. From some of the Southern tribes. And our dried spices from the desert tribe."

Imports? She thinks. But in exchange for what? Fur?

Their collection of soft furs was definitely something she had never seen before. She wonders if the fur of her own bed may have been made from the north.

"I hear you're getting married soon. Congratulations. You must be excited." Sakura stills for a moment before realising she was expected to reply.

"Um, yes, I've been betrothed for a long time now. It'd odd to finally have the day come around."

"So you know the man?" Hinata asks surprised.

"Why do you sound so shocked? Is that not common around here?" Ino asks before taking a buttered bread into her mouth.

Hinata takes a moment to think about it. "Well I suppose it isn't. It's not like it's forbidden to. It just... doesn't happen."

She notices the confused look of the two girls and proceeds. "Well the villages are quite vast. If you were be betrothed to someone, it's usually from far ends. They don't tend to meet before the ceremony."

"Villages? How many exactly are there?"

Hinata replies casually. "Five hundred and fifty-six."

The pink and the blonde gape at the dark one. "Five hundred and..wow"

Hinata stares at them blankly. "Is that an odd number? We have a hundred and two on this line, a hundred and ninety-six on the second, a hundred thirty eight on the third and hundred twenty on the last."

It's takes a while for the girl's to absorb the information. "But… but I thought the Northern Tribe only had about a hundred clans?"

"Yes, the northern tribe has about hundred twenty clans. But after generations, the clans have intermixed and created branches. Hundred twenty clans split into branches. It's more people than we can count."

"What do you mean.. first line?" Ino catches on.

Hinata doesn't hesitate to answer. "The first line is this village. First line of defense. There's only warrior clans here. And all the main clans. The ones who hunt, protect. The second line are the tradesmen, furbearers. We're the most important part of the north surviving. Then there's the third and fourth. There's far up in the north, and mostly sustain themselves. We don't really go up there. Harsh conditions."

Sakura and Ino listen intently on the story. "So there's people from your tribe, clans, you have never seen even?"

Hinata looks onto the pairs of eyes curiously. "You sound amazed. But you have to remember, The north only consists of one tribe. One clan head that looks after the rest. The southerners have many tribes, less villages, less people. But as a whole, the South is twice the size of the The north.

How many villages does the Haruno tribesmen have?"

Sakura feels oddly embarrassed, as if this had been some sort of competition. "Twenty-six. It's made up of twenty-six clans who live in twenty-six separate sectors. But it's really just one large village to be honest."

"I assume it's the sort of place where everyone knows of everyone." Hinata says fondly.

"It sounds nice but it can get annoying pretty fast I'll admit."

Hinata laughs sweetly. "I wouldn't know." She presses her lips together as if wanting to continue. "I- I actually was supposed to go there in my younger days. We had a note from your magi, she said I had my loatong sister down there. But father refused of course, we don't like to rely on spells and such."

The girls were unsure of what to say to that.

"I think you would've liked it. Our village. It's very... magical."

Hinata smiles widely and her small dimples complement her beautiful smile. Sakura is taken aback by how beautiful this women in front of her truly is.

"I like the idea of magic. Spells and potions. I always wondered what it'd be like."

"Oh. Well, Ino here is a Yamanaka. A family of soul catchers. It's a very complicated deal."

"That's amazing. And you are from the Haruno clan?"

She knew Hinata expected to hear something extravagant from the heir of the tribe.

"Yes… I'm not like that. I don't have… powers. Everyone assumes I'm like a nymph deity and all because of the hair but I'm just another villager."

"Oh, shut up forehead. Sakura's really good with potions. She can make up a remedy for anything. Magic or not, she's got a big brain!"

Sakura blushes at the compliment.

"I've heard really beautiful stories. Of warm sunshine and waterfalls with trees all around. Birds of all kinds and magnificent creatures. I hear you can see wood nymphs everywhere and if you catch one they'll grant you a wish."

Ino gives a friendly laugh at her words. "Someone's telling you a lot of folklore."

"Well, it's not completely untrue." Sakura begins. "But it's genies that grant you a wish and we've never actually seen one. They're all the way past the Sand Tribes. In the desert. I wouldn't even believe they were real if the magi hadn't told us about them herself.

The wood nymphs on the other hand, they're in the south for sure but you definitely don't want to meddle with one. They're moody as hell. If you upset one, they'll never let it go."

Much of the food had been enjoyed at this point.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" The Hyuuga offered.

"The first step is to understand as much as you can about the enemy. At a glance you should be able to look into your disposition. Your surroundings is your first. What is useful, What can leave you weaker? Your enemy is your second. Learn about them as you go."

Sasuke walks around the muddy training ground, examining the young and their fight stances.

He grabs the hand of a young girl, "put more weight into your fist. Don't push yourself too forward, you'll fall."

At the corner of the training ground, many women watch the trainer with intensity.

"he's so strong."

"and he's so good with children too!"

"Sasuke-kun is too amazing!"

Sakura tries not to throw the rocks from the ground towards their direction. "idiotic girls" she mutters under her breathe, but of course Ino catches it.

"What? You jealous?" she whispers to avoid letting Hinata hear her. Sakura hisses at her direction.

"You are so easy to read, honestly." Ino chuckles.

"shut up! Hmph!"

"Are you ok?" Hinata asks from beside her with a worried look. "Is something wrong? We can leave if you'd like?"

Sakura brings up her hands to furiously shake them at hinata's direction. "of course not! I'm just… amazed!"

Hinata looks away without any suspicion, "ahh, yes, many women do find Sasuke quite.. Impressionable."

Sakura blushes furiously, "ahh no no! I meant the training grounds, they're so vast! So many students here!"

"oh yes! Villages from all over the north try to send their children here to train from the main branch. Sasuke-san is very dedicated to teach the young. He takes the symbol of a warrior quite proudly."

Sakura notices a young konohamaru in the distance, his face in clouded frustration at not being able to balance himself as told.

Sasuke stands beside the young boy, "Put you weight on the left leg before forcing it to the right- That's completely wrong!"

Never heard him talk so much before, Sakura thinks.

"There are many girls here too. Almost half of them here." Ino takes into question. "Are they here to be trained as well?"

"Yes," Hinata answers casually. "We train as many women to be warriors as we can. They don't claim name days of course. But it's nice to have a good number of people to go hunting. Especially when you have to feed Five hundred villages.

Do you not train your girls?"

"only those who choose it," Sakura replies thinking of her mother. She looks at the big breasted, gentle woman. "Are you a trained one as well?"

Hinata does not look at her. "All of the noble clan members must be trained… even if we don't look like it." There's something rested in her eyes, so sad, that Sakura feels the needs to comfort her. But before long, Hinata guides her away from the grounds.

"I'll show you the bathing caves. If you'd like to wash up, it's a good time for a steam bath."

The bathing caves were nothing like what Sakura or Ino had ever experienced. Inside of dark caves, down dark tunnels lit only by the small cracks here and there, led into a steamy room, with water as warm as the toasty rooms of the noble tents.

With their naked flesh pressed against the rocks, the three had enjoyed their hot bubbling bath in the depth of the caves late into sundown.

The Hyuuga heiress had been splendid company. But now standing in front of the blazing fire with his clans people was the man whose company she was actually looking for.

He sat on a log with a stick of charred meat in his hands, watching the men stomping their feet to the sound of the drums.

"What's going on there?" she asked her new friend.

"The usual late night scuffles."

She looked at the woman confused. "Fights? They look like they're having a celebration."

Hinata looks at her, "they are. It's more of a friendly brawl. You dance to provoke the one you want to fight during the feast.

I don't really enjoy watching it. But you're more than welcome to sit by and feast along."

And Sakura didn't have to be told twice. Without another thought in her head, she walked all the way next to her target.

"Sakura! Wait!" Ino followed behind in rushed steps.

There's no one sitting beside him, the men around him too caught up in the newly started brawl and drunk from their spiced rum.

"Could I sit beside you?"

He glances up from his cup, looks into her eyes then slowly looks away before slightly giving a nod. She takes the gesture to mean allowance and brings her body next to his.

He silently offers her his tusk of spiced rum.

"Thank you… Sasuke-kun." He only looks on to the fight before him. She holds a smile secretly behind her sip of the rum. The burn it creates is stronger than she's used to and she can't help but cough.

There's a small smirk on his face when she does.

"What are you laughing at?" she mumbles, pouty.

"Don't take more than you can handle."

She looks at him. The fire lighting the side of his face, the sharpness of his features. The fire reflected in his eyes.

"I can handle it." She says strongly.

He turns to his left, turning back to meet her eyes from his hunched position, but does not voice any words.

"You didn't tell me that day. You were a prince. From the north none the less." She takes another sip of the rum.

"I am not a prince. That's not how it works here."

She looks back at the two men fighting, bloody at this point. "You fight for it. Warriors." She states.

He doesn't give her a confirmation.

"I like the sound of that. Those who deserve it, get it."

He smirks at that. "Power. Strength. What could you possibly know about that?" She takes another sip.

"Are you insulting me?"

"I am asking a question. What are you made of? Witchcraft? Spells and potions? Or are you still a lost nymph deity?"

"You underestimate magic, don't you? You don't understand the potential of it."

There is a subtle look in his eyes. Something Sakura thinks could possibly be desire.

"Depending on magic is weak." She wants to wipe that smirk off his face but first takes another sip of the rum. The last brawl had ended and the winner approaches the two with his feet drumming to the beat.

Sasuke does not turn to take notice but he asks, "Would you like to see real power?" before standing up to the fight. The crowd ushers and cheers for what they know with be Sasuke's win. It is the first time Sakura has seen a real good fight. It doesn't take long but she's amazed by the form of speed and strength every movement he holds takes. He wins without a scratch but the other man passes out on the floor.

He turns to her to give her a knowing smirk.

She takes the last sip of his rum.

The crowd urges for another fight, for someone else to dare to this champion.

She takes off the fur robe Hinata had given her. Her outfit inside made of the summer hide from home. It must have been the rum heating her body from the inside, the crisp cold of the air around her was welcoming to her skin.

Then she rose up, her hips shaking slightly to the rhythm of the drums, the fur coat to the floor. She didn't leave his eyes for a moment.

Fight me. She said. Oppose me.

His eyes look into hers, amused. The smirk never leaving his face.

It's not the dance of the northern men. But it's still a sight of provocation. If only a bit more seductive.

She comes closer and closer to the Uchiha heir.

The men around them laughing and cheering the bold girl in their even further drunken state.

He takes slight movement around her, as if predator on prey, taking in the course of her actions. Before he finally gives a strong tug to her arm and pulls her close to him. "Don't take more than you can handle." He tells her firmly.

She smiles at him artfully. "I can handle it." She whispers.

"You must really be a nymph deity."

She smiles wide at his implication.

She loves the ferocity of his eyes, the intensity radiates off of him. The crowd about them do not take notice of their form, too busy in the art of the celebration as another fight takes place.

She can smell the rum on his breathe, realising she wouldn't have noticed his drunken state without it.

She brings her lips closer to his, just enough to slightly brush upon it, her intensions very clear.

He doesn't reciprocate. Instead—

"Congratulation, Princess," he tells her. "On your wedding day." And he leaves with a teasing smile.

The air is suddenly colder around her. She takes notice for the second time how oddly warm the other man's body was.

But the real cold seeps in when she turns around to face Ino behind her. Not with a teasing face at the least. Instead she is only shocked.

But worse is the boy much further down, in shock and disbelief.

"Konohamaru." Sakura says softly when he takes a couple steps back.

"Konohamaru!" she yells after him as he runs away.

Ino doesn't say much beside her on their shared fur. She had taken to pretending to never had seen it. For the time being, Sakura leaves it at that as well.

.

In a small part of the mountain ranges, a loud sound cracks the silence. The ground breaks up slighty. The pinpoint of new trauma.

"It is done."