High-Fantasy in a modern AU.

Calypso
*
*
*
5. Stray

For all of his curiosity and intentions of helping the Little Rabbit, Sasuke had no idea how to go about it. Normally when he wanted information, he would use his own powers to go wherever he thought answers were to be had, and secure them. Unfortunately, whether he admitted it or not, his recovery was still very much in progress.

"Be careful not to over-do it," her warning floated to him from under her wide-brimmed gardening hat. "It takes time for magic to flow freely after a severe injury."

He practiced in a nearby alcove of the garden, where a massive tree provided gradients of deep shade over a weathered bench. When he had first started, he could only dip his fingertips into the shadows. Now, he could reach in as far as his elbow, but could do little more than spread his fingers into the void beyond before he had to draw them back, tingling with a curious cold.

"Does it hurt?"

He looked up to find her frowning down at his hand, a basket of lavender on her arm.

"Not really," he flexed his fingers. "It just takes some getting used to."

"Hm," she hummed, considering him a moment before sitting on the other side of the bench, her basket deposited on the springy, shade-hardy grass at their feet. "How does it feel?"

"Cold, mostly,"

He stared at her open hand for a moment before holding out his own. She hovered her hands around his, and he felt more than saw the light she poured into him. After a moment she gently turned his arm palm-up, and traced lines on his forearm, concentrating on some subcutaneous map only she could follow.

As she worked, the warmth returns to his fingertips, and spread to his chest. Before it could reach his face, she finished, and looked up.

"There," her smile was gentle. "Try to move it."

He flexed his hand. "Better."

"Good," she smiled, and stood, gathering her basket. "I'll leave you to work in peace."

With that, she went to another plot of life needing her attention, and he was left to dip into the shadows.

Although her warmth stayed with him, he could not extend into the shadow enough to do what he had hoped.

He still couldn't send a message.

He had decided he needed to at least let his brother know that he was safe, and hoped to solicit his help, but then again he did not wish to risk bringing anyone looking for him to Hinata's door.

He therefore settled on trying to figure out more about Hinata to learn how she had come to be bound to this place.

"Tell me more about the village," he asked one morning over their first cup of tea.

"It is a small, quiet place," she said, wrapping her fingers around her teacup. "Greenleaf has always been a sort of hidden gem."

"I'm amazed that it hasn't been industrialized with the rest of the area."

"They tell me," she drummed her nails on the ceramic, "that the geography here doesn't lend itself to development, so all of the modernizing happened a few cities over. Many of the villagers commute for work."

"And I suppose having a very large enchanted garden and forest has nothing to do with the geographical difficulties?"

"I imagine it contributes," she smiled into her tea, but offered no further comment.

"The magic is old here," he looked out of the window and into the garden. "Far older than you or I, and its roots run deep. I imagine there are many things that contribute to the village remaining largely untouched by time. My concern, however," he turned to meet her eyes, "is if the magic is enough to prevent those pursing me from finding your door.

Hinata remained silent and Sasuke turned to meet her eyes.

It was several heart beats before hers drifted up to meet his.

"No one can find this place, if they intend ill will."

"And is that why you tended to me?" he asked, his voice a hush in the early morning. "Because I was permitted to enter?"

"I tend any who come into my care," she answered, and there was a note of something in her voice that spoke of stories never told that only ever ended in departure. "I knew you could not hurt me."

"Could not?" his eye locked into her own. "Or would not."

"Would not," she said, a small smile on her lips. "Moreso than could not."

"Hm," he murmured, and sipped his tea. He had so many things he wanted to ask her – so many questions about where they were and who she was, but he settled for saying "The garden is lucky to have found such an accomplished caretaker."

Her laugh was a puff of air over the wisps of steam – relief tinged with incredulity.

They were companionably silent until the kettle was drained, and she quietly gathered the cups. She finished drying the tea things, a flicker of a smile on her lips as she watched the garden out of her window.

"Keep your eyes on the west wall," she offered, never looking away from the world beyond the sloping glass. "Many of my strays wander in through there."

With that, she gave a small smile, and left the kitchen.

Sasuke watched her go, his confusion etched between his brows.

He stood where she had stood, peering through the glass to shadow and tangle and life of the garden beyond. "The west wall," he murmured, eyes tracing the distant stone line where he had indeed been discovered. Him and how many others? Were there traces of other guests in this home that might give him a clue as to how long she had been there? How she had gotten there? How he could help her?

He was in the same quandry three days later, when Hinata had once again gone to the village with assurances she would return before lunch.

"Mrrow?"

He was at the table drinking tea when Hex began circling his leg.

"Something to tell me?" he asked with half a smile as the cat blinked up at him. He had meant it as nothing more than a joke, but Hex butted her head against his fingertips a few times before nipping at them and leaning heavily against his leg.

"Mrrow!"

She met his eyes and sat staring up at him while her tail twitched impatiently.

"You want me to move?"

She began to trot off, checking over her shoulder to see if he followed which, curious, but not one to discount the wisdom of cats, he did.

It took him a moment to realize where she was headed, and several more to find what held her focus in the massive tree overhead.

The commotion in the leaves manifested in a flutter of shining midnight feathers, that landed on the west wall.

Sasuke stared at the bird for a moment, sliding a glance at Hex to see if it was in danger.

She was disinterestedly licking her paw and swatting at her ear, so he turned back to the bird.

Its beady black eyes bore into his as its head twitched side to side, inquisitively.

Sasuke did not allow himself to entertain the hope in his chest – not at first – but when Hex batted at the fabric of his trousers, he finally offered. "Are you Brother's messenger?"

The Raven hopped onto his outstretched arm, and Sasuke saw the paper tied to its leg. He moved carefully, but the bird was still as he took the parchment and unrolled it. As Sasuke read the note, the bird flitted away, leaving him a moment to right his world.

The message was simple, cryptic, and short.

"Send the star, and I shall come to you."

"The star?" Sasuke frowned, confused. "What star?"

The raven croaked and then perched on his shoulder, dropping a small, white flower into his hand. Sasuke stared at it a moment, marveling at it's perfect shape. He began to eagerly roll up the note, but he paused.

He looked down to Hex.

"What about Hinata?"

The cat paused in its ablutions, and stared up at him.

It stretched one velvet paw to his leg and shoved him forward, with a bob of its head.

"If you say so," Sasuke breathed, folded the flower into the paper, and retied it to the raven's leg.

It chattered merrily, and hopped back onto the west wall before disappearing into the azure sky.

Sasuke watched until he could see the bird no longer, and turned back to Hex.

"Will she be angry?"

The cat rubbed at his legs until he scooped it up and sat on the bench nearest the west wall.

"If there is danger," he murmured, scratching the cat's ears as it curled into the sunshine on his lap. "Then I shall protect her."

The cat's purrs soon rumbled against his legs, and he supposed he must have fallen asleep, for the next thing he knew Hinata had returned from the village.

"Sasuke?" her voice was gentle and nearby. "Are you ready for lunch?"

He blinked into he wink of midday sun filtering through the trees even as Hex stretched and jumped down from his lap.

In less than an instant, he remembered the raven, and turned to her quickly.

"Hinata – I have to tell you something."

But he paused, because although she listened, there was something melancholy about her, even as she did.

"Ah," her voice was gentle. "So you've had a visitor."

"More like a promise of one," he admitted, his stomach beginning to coil. "It was a raven – a messenger from my brother."

She saw his doubt and concern and waved it away.

"It's alright. Like I said before, Sasuke," she met his eyes. "The garden will not let anyone in with ill intentions. Now come," she motioned to the house. "Let's have some lunch."

He stood to follow, watching her move with a willow-grace, wondering what words he had not heard.

She was not outwardly sad or dispirited, but there was something different in the air between them - something like the inevitability of goodbye.

It rankled him, and his last thought before falling asleep was that he would not leave until he knew how and why she had been cursed, and how he could help. Her comments made it clear that others had come to her for aid, but unlike them, he would not abandon her.

He would see the end of her exile, and hold open the front gate as she left behind her banishment to take her place in the sun.