Not Always a Rainbow

"Move!  Please!  Quickly!"

Arashi ran as fast as he could, having just scaled the wall to the Palace.  While normally something that was not allowed, right now he couldn't waste any time trying to navigate the packed halls.  No, instead, he was quick to find an entrance into the large structure.

In his arms, and on his back, he held the lifeless body of the Princess he was sent to find.  She was by rights dead, but he had hopes, hopes that Akihana would be able to save her.  He wanted her to, the princess saw him, looked straight into his eyes when he finally found them, and then that bastard decided to end her life right there.  

Arashi still had tears streaming down his face, and he tried to shake off the memories and the tears, running as fast as he could down the corridors of the Palace.  He wanted to go to his room, or rather the suite that both he, Arata, and Akihana shared, but considering the time of the day, his mother would most likely be somewhere else... the infirmary.  The Queen would probably have been treated in her bed today, so there was no worry there, but also Arashi didn't want any of the council members to see him with the princess.  Afterall, at least one of them was a traitor.

Finally, he found the doors and burst through, completely out of breath, but there was no time to rest.

"Mom!  Mom!  Please!  I need your help!  Hurry!" he shouted, laying the princess down on a gurney.  He made sure she was flat on it and then grabbed the cold hand.  

"Hold on, I won't let you go.  Just hold a moment longer.." he said softly, holding back tears, while he waited for her last hope.

The Young Shinobi's mad dash with the woman of royal blood limp in his arms does not got unnoticed, and so Queensman rush off to report the disturbance with grave faces, going right for the throne room and the council...Which thankfully is intercepted, by a Prince, with golden hair, sapphire eyes and silver and black clothes...Bearing the symbol of the Pendragon clan, he halts the man as he attempts to rush past by clasping an arm around his. "Hold Sir Knight, why such haste?" He asks, the Queensman rounds upon the man anger in his eyes for a brief moment, but upon sighting both the Blonde hair and the crest of the Prince..He drops to one knee and explains what he saw. Arthur's eyes narrow and his eyes glance towards the doors to the throne room, where his meeting with the Council and the Queen awaits him...He feels out for a chakra signature and a plan forms, he nods once to the guard and speaks to him in low tones. "You will be silent of this until I relieve you of this burden, go back to the barracks and rest, I will take care of this." He says clapping the man on the shoulder before he sends him inside, whispering to guards, who when entering silently begin whispering the message to Lady Akihana, wherever she may be sat in this meeting with a silent urgent message.

'The Princess is injured in the Infirmary, I'll be going on ahead. - Prince Arthur.'

A Silver cloak is whipped off of his shoulders, wind pulsing around his frame and lightning crackling above his skin for a moment before, before the cloak can even touch the ground, the Silver Dragon is off, exiting through an open window, his body contorting before faster than the mundane eye can see he cuts off his technique as he arrives in front of the infirmary and enters, his pure blue eyes catching sight of the young Shinobi who's distress quickly has him frowning in sympathy...The Lifeless body in front of the boy has him clenching his fists before he steps to the boys side, he remains silent, but his face is clearly saddened by the sight in front of him. He knows of Lady Akihana's technique, perhaps she shall arrive any moment now..But he doubts she can do much about...this. He knew this Princess as well, she was quite Haughty to other nobles, but would sneak baskets of food to her Servants children, she was quite the neat freak as well, so her poor servants often had their work cut out for them..Though she often shared her treats with him as a child. He closes his eyes with a furrowed brow, he is not a medical Shinobi, he can do nothing but judge on what he see's and all he can see is another cherished friend of his with no life in her eyes.
The tears and fear clear on her face has anger burning in his chest, but that comes later...For now he must wait for the eyes and ears of Lady Akihana.

Council meetings was never going to be something Akihana would appreciate, which was why the blonde was alright with being left out of them most of the time. With Den doing most of the participating and decision making, Akihana was mostly left to care for the queen. Only on rare occasions when Her Grace attended these meetings did Akihana did to, as her personal healer and to gauge if they stressed her out more than they were worth attending.

Today was one of those rare occasions. The young blonde wheeled the Queen along the hallways to the Throne Room where such matters took place, though her mind was not on the task. Even the monarch could tell Akihana was worried about something and were they alone in her chamber, the queen would have asked and Akihana would have confided that she was worried about her older son. He had been gone for two days now on what was supposed to simply be a scouting mission. Upon finding out that the guards had sent him instead of a more experienced shinobi, the kunoichi had began to worry but that worry now manifested into a constant, anxious murmur inside her head.

Arriving at the throne room, the first thing Akihana noticed was the absence of the prince who was supposed to be there. For a moment, Akihana wondered if he had decided to skip the tediousness of it all, she wouldn't blame him if he had. As she set the Royal by her throne, a guard passed her the rolled up piece of parchment with a bow. Quizzically the blonde took it and read the short message, her eyes showing more concern with every word she read.

"Your Grace," the blonde dropped into a neat curtsey in front of the queen. "My apologies but I must leave immediately. Please begin without myself or the prince." Not waiting for a reply, the blonde dispersed on the spot, reappearing in the same kneeling position two meters from the door of the infirmary.

I took half a minute to register the scene before her. Arashi, looking hurt but alive, very much alive by the the grace of Goddess Etro, the prince, beside another blonde figure, this one lying prone on the gurney. "Arashi, what happened?" she asked, hurrying beside the princess, not wasting time checking for a pulse. She had seen enough dead people to know what the state looked like, and if Arthur had sent for her...  Akihana didn't want to think on that.

"Please Your Highness, Arashi, take a step back, I need to create a barrier around her," the kunoichi requested, positioning herself around the dead princess. Closing her eyes, Akihana felt the thin golden thread of light extend from her body, multiplying into two, into four, into eight until a gossamer barrier of golden light enveloped her and the princess, connecting them through nature energy.

The young woman knew it wouldn't work the moment she entered the princess's consciousness, trying to look for any remaining signs of life to encourage back into the body. Every human being had a life force, a flame, of chakra, of will, it didn't matter. Akihana specialized in finding that small spark and nurturing it back to life in an accelerated period. But there was nothing she could do if the spark was gone. No memories assaulted her senses, no sensation of pain or joy or indifference. The princess was gone...

And still Akihana kept trying, beads of sweet forming on her smooth forehead as she poured more of her chakra into the barrier, desperately trying to ignite what wasn't there. She could feel herself weaken, pouring more and more of her nature energy into the corpse in hopes of finding a small fragment of existence. her hands dropped to her side, tired, her frame stumbled and yet she still remained focused, pouring healing energy into the girl who couldn't have been much older than Arashi himself. This girl was the hope of Hoshi, she couldn't die. She was the only one who had a hope of uniting the city under one banner again.

And if Akihana didn't save her, she would have failed everyone.

The young ninja shook, now appearing much younger than he was with the fear in his eyes, the look of someone who wasn't prepared for death and just got more than their fair share.  Arashi didn't even notice the blood on him, which came from two different sources.  Three, if you counted the blood that came from him.  He barely registered the presence of the Prince, someone that frankly, Arashi wasn't even aware of.  All he would do is hold the fallen princess's hand, willing her to hang on, to wait a little longer for Aki to show up. 

It was hard to miss the Prince, he was dressed almost completely unique from any other person he had seen, even here in Hoshi.  He could tell there was something familiar about him, but that was just about it.  But while Arthur was feeling anger, Arashi was more feeling shock and fear.  Internally he was starting to sink into himself.

Finally, Akihana arrived, and Arashi's heart skipped a beat with relief, but it was short-lived.  He tried, he tried his best to get her here as quick as he could.  But he felt the seconds tick away with every step he took, and he was in full denial mode... she wasn't dead.  Not yet.  Arashi had to have brought her in at the right time.  Aki was special, his mother was one of the most talented in medical ninjutsu.  She had to be able to.  Even as she walked up to them, Arashi had the princess's hand squeezed tight, fighting the tears in his own eyes.  Again.. he almost didn't register that she spoke to him.

"It.. it was an ambush.  I tracked them down, but by the time I got there..." he said, his voice cracking and shaken as he spoke.  He couldn't even look in her eyes right now.  He had failed.  "I tried.. but it was planned.  They were waiting.  They knew I was out there... he knew..."

Akihana told them both to stand back and Arashi wasn't going to do it.  No, he was the last friendly face she saw, he wanted to be there when Akihana did the impossible and saved her life.  But reluctantly, he finally did pull away, letting go of the young woman's hand, and as he watched Akihana push herself to do what she could, Arashi was slowly backing up, feeling the fear that they lost her, and that it was all his fault.  As he saw no results, Arashi backed towards a corner, and slowly sank down, holding his knees to his chest, shaking.

"I'm sorry.. I'm sorry... please.. forgive me... I tried..." he said, softly, mumbling, as his eyes watered and released.

He steps back as the Kunoichi steps inside, his eyes cold and bleak as he stares down upon the pale lifeless form of the Princess, his wrath building but without direction, with danger, so he releases a deep shuddering breath and closes his eyes briefly. The pain in his chest scorches his very soul, but it also allows him to recall a similar pain...As a familiar scene played out before him.

A Young pair of Blue eyes, fill with tears, five or six years old at most stare up at another Princess of Haven, his Father and King standing at his side with a firm grasp on his shoulder as tears run down his cheeks, his Father's Green Dragon can do nothing at this point...It was far too late, a border skirmish ended tragically, one where the Pendragon weren't even involved, so when Arthur's sad face turns into a snarl and he looks up to his Father, his Father is already speaking, before feud and warring could begin he speaks. "A Dragon's Wrath is fire, my Son...And none scorches more fiercely than that of the Silver Dragon's...So you must always take care, direct your Wrath precisely and carefully...So it does not scald the innocent as well." Wise Ulther says, tears of his own leaking down his stoic face, as he watches his Wife die. "Green Dragon, that's enough...We do not need two deaths this day."

His hand lightly rests upon Akihana's shoulder, gently pulling her away. "Enough, Lady Akihana, we do not need two deaths this day..." He asks, tears silently leaking from his eyes now, his face like stone before he asks. "I require a task of you, please make her...presentable." He asks pausing only momentarily which still means he's simply not as strong as his Father just yet. "I must inform the Queen, I'll bring a Priest as well..So that Queen Shiera may say goodbye before the Princess is sent away.." He says, though his mind is focusing on what the boy is saying as well, the time for planning is not now.
But that does not mean a plan isn't already clicking in his head, An Ambush...Someone knew, if this Young Boys chakra signature is any tell he is quite powerful, perhaps more powerful than himself, so...It must have been another Shinobi and because there is no greeting or festival planning happening..He can assume that the Princesses arrival was meant to be discreet..So, someone must have allowed it to slip. There is a snake in the grass here...He turns his attention to the boy, no, the Shinobi that judging from his current appearance...is distraught and has most certainly been in combat. "Genin, I require a report, I must ask you to gather yourself." He asks gently, gesturing for the boy to step off to the side, if all goes as planned...He will be leaving Lady Akihana to her work, gathering information in which to use later and then...He must mourn with his Aunt.
Whom he has still yet to see, he wishes truly that there first meeting in years would not be tainted by the news he must bring...But perhaps it will do good of her to hear it from him, so that she may mourn with someone who understands and will not judge.

Lost in the empty subconscious of a husk, Akihana's search was reaching desperate levels. The kunoichi would have no doubt fainted from exhaustion had the prince not stopped her in time. She could see the sadness in his eyes at the decision, even more so when he asked to prepare the body for her last rites. Akihana had seen that look all too often in hospitals before, on family members struggling with the decisions of right and wrong, desperately seeking out anyone who would decide in their stead. Prince Arthur didn't need the support of another's decision it seemed, he made the decision, even if it was one that would live with him forever.

"I will," she promised, letting go her hold on the barrier and holding on to the gurney for support. The effort required to maintain that jutsu had drained her but now was not the time. As she tried to regain her balance, Arashi's sobs caught her attention, the blonde's eyes swiveling to her child. He needed his mother, he needed her now.

But he also needed to be a shinobi.

"Sweetie, I'm right here," the medic called out even as her hand reached for the princess's throat, working to seal the nasty gash that had resulted in the girl's death. "I promise, it'll be okay. Please tell His Highness what happened so we can find the people who did this," she encouraged, one eye on her son sitting against the wall hugging his knee and the other on the quickly, superficially healing skin on the princess. She could make the young golden haired royal as porcelain and perfect as she liked, it wouldn't bring her back to life.

But it would help if the queen did not see her cousin in the state Arashi had brought her in.

Akihana would listen to Arashi recount the tale of his mission to Prince Arthur, all the while healing small cuts and lacerations, wiping away blood and closing gaps in the skin. Finally, she combed her fingers through the young princesses hair, making sure they lay smooth and regal right to the end.

It would be as Arashi finished recounting the details of his mission that the door to the infirmary opened, Before Akihana could open her mouth to object, Councilmen Nadran would have thundered in, followed by no fewer than a dozen guards, all with swords drawn.

"Arrest that traitor!" the councilman shouted, his weapon pointed towards Arashi, making Akihana react instinctively. Closing her eyes for a moment, the kunoichi dispersed into light, reforming two meters in front of Arashi. Her dispersion had achieved the small distraction before she reformed in front of her son, standing her ground defensively.

"Explain yourself please, Lord Nedran?" She spoke, with respect but firmly nonetheless, her eyes darting to the prince's. Was he a part of this too?  Would he lean towards the council's decision as he was a royal. "Your Highness, please don't let them harm my son."

Deep in his heart, Arashi knew.  He knew from the moment she looked at him that this would be the end for her.  All he did was hasten her death, but at least it went relatively quick.  There was no telling what Luther would have done to the poor girl.  If anything, there was solace in the fact that Arashi spared her from the horrors that would have occurred.  Death was no where near a good outcome, but it was better than torture.

Of course, Arashi wouldn't realize this for a while, not until he calmed down.  Right now, he was shaken by not only what had occurred, but what he had done.  It was self-defense, it was an act of protection, and it was his sworn duty.  But the boy had never before used his training to end another's life.  And that is exactly what occurred.  THAT was what he was shaking about.  He never really received the mental training due to the nature of their world.  It wasn't anyone's fault but his own, while he used Aki as a mentor, he spent a lot of time training himself, so much so that he had no idea the consequences of his actions. 

The Prince, of course, seemed to notice this, but he too was struggling with emotions.  There was a clear indication of familiarity between himself and the late girl on the table, and he seemed to want to find a course for his own feelings to proceed.  For a moment, just a moment, Arashi scrambled up, fearing that the Prince would consider him the prime suspect, but why would he have been so distraught and bring the body back?  No, the Prince seemed to understand, and wanted a full report.  Evidently, he had spent a lot of time with shinobi.

Arashi didn't really know how to respond.. he wasn't really sure of the facts himself, but he had to say something.  Luckily, it was the calm voice of his mother, despite the fact that she was also distraught, that started to work her magic on him, and relax him.  He pushed through the Prince, looking at the fallen princess, and then turned towards him.

"My mission was just to find her, escort her back.  There had been no communication, it stopped right after she crossed the border.  They thought that something might have happened, like an injury or something, or bandits were making things difficult.  We hadn't been able to really secure the southern roads yet.  I made it to the border, and then traced her route using the tracks of their cart.  At one point I found small slices of their wheels, like someone expertly removed them.  It must have weakened the cart, but not enough to break it immediately.  Further along, they took out a tree to block the road, forcing her to take a smaller, more secluded route.  I had to make camp then because it was getting dark, and that's when-"

Arashi's debriefing was interrupted by the entrance of Councilman Nedran, as well as armed guards who moved to surround Arashi.  Akihana moved to step in between them and him, but the damage was done.  He was accused.  The councilman sneered, looking around Aki towards her son.

"I would be happy to explain, m'lady, but I would rather not have to do so with you jailed for aiding and abetting." he said, snapping his fingers to tell his guards to move in.  He sheathed his own weapon, and opened a pack that he was carrying.

"The simple matter is that your son was part of the attack and murder of the Princess and her royal party.  We have witnesses, but also evidence." he said, reaching into the bag and gathering objects in it.  "The biggest piece is the thunderstorm that formed outside of the city, or are you going to try to say that he didn't create one.  Its well known that he uses storms as part of his arsenal.  Plus we have these." he said, throwing discarded and bloody kunai on an empty table in front of the two of them.  They were tied on the end with blue thread, something that Arashi had carried to distinguish his own weapons. 

"We had recently gotten information of shinobi planning an ambush, something that was clarified when we questioned one of the fallen guards before he passed.  It would seem your son was the leader of this group." he said, to the wide eyed shock of the young boy.

"Or are you going to deny that you were there.  Or that the princess was murdered with a ninja tool?"

Arashi couldn't believe it.  After all of that, he was being told that he was responsible for her murder.

Arthur listens to the boys mission report, staring into his eyes he entire time with a neutral expression as he lists off his report, anger is clearly boiling under the surface of his skin several facts being picked out and confirmed as logical as he continues onward. He makes a small mental note to be sure to help clear these roads once the Other Dragon's arrive which will be a deterrent, the Shinobi he'd rather stay in Hoshi so that they may provide better defenses, it seems someone was attempting to slow the Princess down, all of this is very strange...But the boys grief is true, he feels true loss, there is no satisfaction in his eyes and for now he will trust his gut. Unfortunately, Lord Nedran bursts in just at that moment and begins accusing people, Akihana pleads with him briefly but he says nothing, simply watching Lord Nedran with a blank expression on his face...Perhaps the Shinobi and some Queensman are perceptive enough to watch how his eyes suddenly transfix on the Kunai before his eyes narrow dangerously, fury beginning to bleed off of him like waves wash over a cliff side, he raises a hand and lightly grasps Akihana Akari's shoulder, slowly pulling her behind him as he steps forward...Before he raises his eyes to stare directly into Lord Nedran's and speaks one damning piece of evidence against this case, his voice like brittle glass. "The boy just arrived...You're telling me...We have a Queensman that can clear that distance faster than a Shinobi..? And gather evidence..?" He asks as a display of power begins to shine around him, as his, perhaps to a Shinobi, minuscule power is laid to bare, but to a civilian? The Pendragon Prince must be a sight as he begins to glow silver and the air turns heavier under the pressure of his wrath. "Queensman sheath your blades, Lady Akihana...Find out whose blood it is upon that kunai." He orders, stepping forward now, his eyes have never left Lord Nedran since he began speaking and now his cold bleak sapphire eyes are but a foot away as he speaks. "How did you get those Kunai Lord Nedran? I have the fastest Horse in the Land and covering that distance would still take me hours, the roads are too harsh and the grounds are too perilous..A Shinobi however can fly through the tree's, you do not have a Queensman under your employ that could even outrun me, let alone a Shinobi trained from birth." He speaks louder now his eyes aflame with rage and his teeth grit "It is my understanding...!! That The Jaws of Grima hire Shinobi Mercenaries, lawless and honorless Warriors who unlike the Shinobi in Hoshi, do not fight for a cause..!! So Lord Nedran, how did you get those Kunai? But without the Help of a Shinobi!?" He asks, snarling once more, the Queensman around him perhaps realizing the flaw in this story, more likely others already have but because of this man's standing they could not speak against him without fear, he was prepared to cut the man off as soon as he entered, but his gut spoke to him, and he instead began listening to Nedran as closely as he began listening to the young Shinobi named Arashi, he was prepared to pick apart Arashi's story as well...But Lord Nedran in his haste, left more holes than poor young Arashi.
So he suddenly seems very suspicious to the Silver Dragon, thus he awaits another response..And the excuse to tear Lord Nedran apart if the Queensman do not drag him to a cell fast enough.

The prince's gesture, though reassuring, was nowhere near enough to make Akihana stand at ease. Despite Arthur moving in front of her and providing Arashi with a double layer of protection, Akihana stood her ground, adamant that nothing more would happen to her son today. Throughout Arashi's account, the blonde had had to resist the urge to go to him several times but now that someone actually stood accusing him of murder, Akihana had no intention of leaving his side. Even if that meant being falsely hanged alongside the boy.

"You will watch how you speak of my son, Lord Nedran," she warned, her voice firm even if there was no hint of a threat in it. The kunoichi did not make threats, it was not her style. She simply informed and was a believer in giving multiple warnings, forever hoping that people would change because of them. The councilman however only sneered, until the prince began to speak.

Akihana was aware of the display of power, a tactic many shinobi used to appear more frightening . She herself had never employed it but she could certainly see the skill's merit as the Queensmen shrank back from the thick silver aura, one even eyeing the door desperately. She watched as they followed his command, sheathing their weapons as if under a spell and obliged to do as he commanded. His next questions seem to leave the councilman stunned.

"I refuse to be questioned like a common thief," the man finally spat out, unable to provide answers to the prince's questions and settling for looking indignant instead. "Had this been the Hoshi we love and swore to give our lives for, I would not stand here being questioned by a prince on the words of a whore."

The insult was completely ignore by Akihana, the kunoichi already bent on th task she'd been given, examining the blood on the kunai that looked like Arashi's. Her own blood she knew too well, Arashi's too from all the multiple healings she'd performed and there was no trace of it on teh blade. There were however traces of the princess blood, only recognizable to Akihana because the princess was the last one she had tried to heal. The other spatter, on the hilt, was unfamiliar to her, almost as if it had not been caused by an injury utilizing this kunai but suggesting that some foreign blood had landed on the weapon as a result of battle conditions. Akihana knew about blood transference enough to know that a battle field was one of the most contaminating areas to go through and this seemed no difference.

"Your Highness, the princess's blood cakes the tip and the spatter pattern on the blade shows it was plunged into her jugular, as was evidenced by the corresponding injury I healed," she reported as Lord Nedran continued to rage incoherently about ideals and evils of the world. "There is also another's blood, I don't recognize it but it's thin as well as residual warm, as though the wielder held fire and water chakra both within his veins."

"Of course you would claim that," Nedran glared, his eyes bright with fury despite the effort of remaining in motion under the prince's powerful display. "Tell the truth, you and your shinobi are evil creatures of hell. Nothing has gone well for us since your arrival and now our princess is dead. By that boy's hand!"

Akihana simply shook her head, instead of replying to the man, turning to Arashi instead. Arthur had the Queensmen subdued so there was no immediate danger from the half dozen men. Reaching to grasp his arm securely, the medic asked. "Arashi, sweetie, what happened after you made camp for the night? We need to know so we can set Lord Nedran straight and clear this up."

Letting out a great bellow of rage, the councilman rounded on his prince. "She dares call this a misunderstanding? With all due respect Your Highness I don't know what disgraces this holy land more. That shinobi be allowed to explain themselves after murdering a royal or that a fellow royal lets them. Never did I think I would live to see the day a prince side with a ninja."

Arashi was understandably scared; it was a standoff between his own mother and one of the most feared councilmen.  The main vocal voice against their presence, he was just waiting for a moment, a moment that Arashi appeared to have given him. Still.. he was a shinobi, and more that the man mentioned it, the more confidence it gave him.  He wasn't a kid anymore, he would need to start standing up for his own beliefs.

"I went to grab the essentials for survival, it was when I was gathering wood that I nearly stumbled into the ambushers.  I hid in the trees as someone came out and spoke with their leader... wait, he mentioned me.  Said that I was out looking for the Princess." he said, looking up at Councilman.  He looked a little more uncomfortable, but quickly regained his composure.

"Is that what they teach you?  How to lie to others?  You've spent so much time in the Palace I'm sure you had access to all sorts of information to help plan this." he spat, looking towards the group. 

"Your Highness, with all due respect, they were not that far from the gates.  We found the site within a short distance, and my men left before this worm did." he spat, trying every trick in the book. 

"Wait.." Arashi spat out, reaching into his own jacket.  He remembered something in his haste.  "The meeting was about changing the parameters of their mission.  They were going to kidnap the Princess, but after I was sent out, they changed it.  It was a member of the Council!" he said, now glaring at the Nedran.  The man glared back, crossing his arms, as Arashi pulled out the scrolled up letter, with specs of blood from the carrier bird.

"I found this.  A letter written by her.  A private letter to the queen thanking her for sending a member of the council to meet with her at the border, and stating that per her orders, the councilman would relay the message back to the Queen herself.  A message that we never got." he said, handing the letter to Arthur despite the councilman reaching for it. 

"The meeting, he said something about needing it to look like a shinobi attack.  Said it was absolutely essential that it shows the evils of being a ninja." he said, now glaring at Nedran with just as much zeal.

"And how convienient that the son of Akihana is the one sent out there, that way best case scenario, you got rid of me, or worse case scenario, you can frame me." he said, stepping towards the man.

Nedran has a look that would melt steel.  "You dare accuse me, you little worm!" he said, reaching out towards the boy.