Corruption entertains compassion

The kage of kumogakure walked through the halls of his building crossing through doors and thresholds casually. It was rare for him to be out of armor but it was still a feeling he enjoyed when time permitted and threats on his life were minimal. It was during this time that he now wore a simple black habit with sandals, his slender frame truly visible for once and the lightness of his skin from no exposure to sun for some time.

His straggled red hair was thrown back into a messy pony tail with a few red strands hanging forward constantly getting into his eternal sharingan. As he made it to the dining hall he looked around satisfied that it had been transformed to entertain a gues just as he had ordered. Hands were bussing around him quickly, never looking directly at him but well aware and conscious to give him space. Places had been set at a rather large circular table made of granite which contrasted the soft plush tall chairs very well.

Standing by the door he would wait for his guest to arrive before he himself saw a seat. While he waited, varying foods and drink were being brought in and sat on the table in a very precise way the most things doubled up as to be easily accessible without having to ask nor move much. Epidemius spoke into his mind during this brief down time as well to ensure they were of the same accord.

"We are still going to do what we talked about correct, if anything this will be a bold strategic move that I think we should act on if you truly are trying to be the necessary and not the over bearing."

Mortarion sighed as he listened but knew the beast spoke the truth as usual and for once he was thinking along him instead of always at odds.

"Yes, when the chance and time permit we will begin."

Now all he had to do was play the waiting game.

The accommodations the Raikage had graciously allotted her were... functional to say the least. Not exactly pretty, the rooms were spacious and stainless steel gleamed from enough surfaces to make up for the lack of light, or at least less light than she usually preferred. Granite counter tops, hard marble, flashing tiles and no signs of life that she could see. Back in her own tiny two roomed apartment in Kumo, Akihana had kept plants near the lone window from both habit and necessity. There was no sign of life here, not even paper flowers. Whether this suite was unused or all such units in the building were decorated thus, the blonde didn't know. She did assume though that this would be her residence for the near future.

The realization made her long for her own comfortable flat, for Yaju's rustic cave home carved out of the mountain, for the tower Kuro kept in the forest when he wished to be alone. All of those places had been like home. This... was just a place to keep her things and wander the rooms at night when she couldn't sleep.

Still the young woman would do her best. Upon being ushered in and shown around by Akuoy - the only thing that clone had said was his name - she had invited him in too out of habitual politeness, only for him to decline with a silent shake of his head and take his position outside the door. Her knights had done the same, still out of sight but no doubt guarding her guard so to speak. She would have to thank Ser Otto and Ser Arthus for this later. Braver men would have gone running from what Kumo had become but they had stayed.

Finding herself alone in her new place of temporary residence, Akihana had brought her hands together to form the seal for the wood clones she'd been attempting to create the first time she' stepped into lightning country ready for battle. It hadn't worked, she had been distracted and all she had really accomplished was a half seed that still lay buried beneath the ruin's of Goddess Etro's shrine. Now though, she found herself focusing, devoid of all distractions. With Makona murmuring inductions carefully into inside her, the blonde followed, finally accomplishing what appeared to be a weak variant of a clone.

For a moment, a cowardly thought struck the medic. What if she stayed here all afternoon perfecting the clone and sent it to dinner instead? But she couldn't do that. Only liars hid behind clones and masks, and Youka had - for whatever reason - trusted her all alone in his village. To betray his trust for no other reason than self preservation would be the height of rudeness. Other lives mattered, hers she could gamble with as she pleased.

So instead the kunoichi set the clone to work, hoping that prolonged exposure would solidify it more and help her make the jutsu process easier. The clone set to work inspecting the rooms while Akihana headed to the kitchen where, to her surprise, she found a fully automated cooking station and an almost industrial grade oven. the shelves above were not stocked but that was only to be expected. For a moment, the kunoichi wondered if one did groceries in this horrorscape of a village but she supposed they must somewhere.

The more immediate problem than groceries though was the looming invitation to dinner. Having only her emergency picnic basket sealed in one of her many scrolls, Akihana only realized upon opening it that the container contained not hers but Eva Hozuki's clothes. It made sense really, she had carried those around before her arrival at Hoshi and since they had settled down there, she had left this particular basket untouched in her personal space in Sanctuary. Eva must not have been a fan of formal clothing as the first thing to come out of the basket was the short pink dress she was forced into when she and Arata had shared a picnic with Maku. A wistful glance towards the window was met with a dark, gloomy sky.

She wondered if Maku had been kidding that day. So many things about him were hard to guess at.

Dropping the pink dress aside, Akihana dug through the basket for something that wouldn't completely offend her host, settling on a purple dress that would have reached her mid thigh but probably was knee length on Eva. Coupling it with a set of black tights more for her own self consciousness than to offend anyone, the kunoichi set those clothes out for the evening. They would have to do.

Next she and her clone went about making the rooms more comfortable and starting on some baking. There were few ingredients to work with but Akihana could bake a cake in almost any condition. It wouldn't be her best work but she did know it was rude to arrive empty handed. Two hours later, a simple sponge cake lay cooling on the kitchen rack as the medic put on the finishing touches to her ensemble. At least Eva had good taste.

Leaving her long blonde hair in golden sheets behind her for lack of imagination and hair styling supplies, the young woman made her way to the kitchen to see if she could find any food coloring for the home made, crude icing she had fashioned out of butter and sugar. Finding nothing, Akihana coated the cake simply using a kunai in place of an icing spatula. She considered writing words on the smooth finishing but decided against it. What did one write on a cake made for a dictator anyway?

It was an hour later when Akuoy knocked on the door, denoting the time to leave. Taking a deep breath, Akihana looked at her clone. "Wish me luck," she whispered dispelling the clone with a seal before picking up the now boxed cake carefully and heading out the door.

The journey to the the venue was a blur made up of Akihana trying not to see everything around her for fear of sadness gripping her heart anew. instead she focused on the chakra signature of her two silent guards following them, as always, remaining out of sight. Upon reaching what she assumed was their chosen venue for the evening, Akuoy ushered her through doors quietly but politely until she was met at the dining room by the Raikage himself.

"Good evening," Akihana greeted the man carefully, making a point not to stare too much at his appearance. Out of armor and in his habit, he looked like... almost any civilian of Hoshigakure minus the eyes. Though it wasn't his eyes that piqued her interest at the moment. Ninja traits were just that, people interested Akihana for more than their shinobi talents. Noting the sallow skin, the frail appearance, Youka almost seemed... sickly. And as with all sickly people she met. the blonde had to resist the urge to help.

Looking around at what appeared to be enough wait staff to service a banquet, the kunoichi looked up at him in mild surprise. "I made dessert," she admitted, a tinge of embarrassment touching her features at the sheer amount of food laid out in the room. "I didn't know it would be such an elaborate meeting."

Akuoy had communicated that they were on their way up through the kage building and heading to his location. Mortarion adjusted his habit once more and patted himself down to hopefully not come off as disheveled as he knew he looked. After all he was the manifestation of decay in the mortal world, yet in decay there was still so much life to be had and in truth he felt better than he had ever felt before. Physical features would just have to take a back seat to actual power this time.

"Quickly everyone, your guests will be here soon, and I will not have you caught unawares and still preparing the meal. You have two minutes to finish before I end...."

He paused for a moment hand still stuck pointing forward at the table as he thought on how he truly wanted to end his statement he had just roughly barked out. As he pondered for a moment so to did the staff stop working, frozen in fear for what they knew was coming. He had killed for much less and looking bad in front of a guest was sure to put their heads on pikes. Noting that they had stopped working he spoke quickly to finish his statement in a more low and comforting voice.

"Before I end up having to help you all finish with this....is what I was going to say."

A clear look of confusion and astonishment covered their faces for just a moment and one male started shaking with fear almost dropping a roast. Kind words were far and rare when it came to Mortarion and his subjects, they had been informed that their lives were forfeit at a moments notice, yet here they stood listening to the kage say he would help them. Their frozen faces and bodies did however begin to annoy him and he snarled just strongly enough to urge them back into motion.

"Quickly...please..."

Turning around just as Akuoy and his guest arrived he heard the back door closing as the last servant set the table perfectly before they all took to corners of the room to wait to accept empty plates and fill low cups. His eyes first set upon his doppelgänger and a swift nod came from both of them before the clone stepped aside allowing the kage to directly greet Akihana. She spoke softly yet it still carried to his ears easily and he'd wondered if his appearance disturbed her to some degree as it had when they met at the temple, she seemed to always want to help. Turning his gaze from her sight for the briefest of moments he reposnded more sheepishly than he had wanted to.

"Evening to you as well, I hope you found your arrangements to your liking."

The more his eyes took in her as a whole the more he did question what exactly she was. He wasn't one that enjoyed female companionship nor searched for it. However he still noted the simplicity of her design and liked her presence to not beauty but a more so sophisticated nature. This was something he held in a much higher regard than just physical features. He was brought back to the living when she looked up and spoke of making desert. His body honestly didn't know how to respond and a swift nod of affirmation came from him before he slightly and rather clumsily attempted to take the baked good and hand it off to one of the servants to cut and plate if she allowed him to take it. He was never good at such things like this and always had Maku to ensure he never had to be apart of these things.

"You look...favorable."

That was the word right, he honestly didn't know and he had blurted it out without thinking and quickly turned and walked towards the table pulling out the chair closest to the head and standing behind it waiting for her to get the hint and sit so he could scoot the chair in. If she did he'd sit as well, shortly after the servants would bring a selection of drink allowing them to choose and pour accordingly. If she noticed, there were also three empty chairs scattered around the table. Akuoy occupied the one further from the kage but at the other head of the circular table to say.

"Your guards are invited to come and dine as well, in fact I would command it. To answer you last statement, this is a necessity as this might very well be your or my last meal if things do not go well for either of us,so live it to the fullest."

Reaching for a piece of bread with his left hand he'd tear a part off with his right and push it into his mouth chewing respectably before speaking once more.

"So what else must we talk about?"

"Evening to you as well, I hope you found your arrangements to your liking."

"They serve the purpose," the blonde answered, honest as always. There was no point telling him "her liking" included warm wooden floors, cozy furniture. a window seat and lots of flowers growing everywhere. Any comfort and generosity she was experiencing here was an unexpected surprise, and one she certainly would never look down on. "I apologize if I sounded ungrateful, that wasn't my intention. I'm just... not used to so much starkness. But the accommodation is very serviceable, thank you."

His compliment, the young woman merely acknowledged with a half smile, not quite bringing herself to manage a full one just yet. "You're very kind to say so," she replied. It was the polite thing to do. And in a world where nothing was certain, small habits like these Akihana found calming to cling to.

At least he didn't laugh at her attempts to bring an additional item to a dinner already overflowing with food. As he tried to awkwardly take the cake, Akihana balanced the box with gentle fingers, showing him silently how to hold it so the icing wouldn't brush against the box. This was a feature she'd witnessed commonly in shinobi. It was often the most talented who were also the most socially stunted in some regards. Akihana had realized a long time ago that to gain power, people opted to sacrifice the most precious part of themselves, the ability to be human and interact with other humans and this was confirmed once again as Youka escorted her to the table, pulling out a chair for her politely. the kunoichi took a seat, following her queue and waited for him to seat himself as well. If they were doing it, they might as well do it with full protocol.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to humbly request my guards do not join us," she began, the tone of hesitation clear in her voice. He had commanded it but for the two knights who had done so much for her, she could at least try to take a stand. "I assure you we mean no disrespect towards you. They come from a culture where it's taboo for them to eat with someone they believe to be of a higher station then them. I've tried to make them eat and sit with me for nearly a year now but I can only insist so much without becoming ignorant of their culture and belief system." Akihana had never been a fan of the code the Queensguard lived by, but it had taken her a awhile to understand that what she saw as inequality and oppression, they saw as tradition and grounding. The blonde had stopped insisting after that. Today though, were extenuating circumstances.

"They are instructed to obey orders however so if you would still prefer to have them at your table, I can order them to join us. i simply try not to make them do anything they would personally be uncomfortable with." That being said, she would leave the decision up to the young Kage. Should he insist still that her guards be present, she would call them forth and they would take their seats quietly beside Akuoy. Should he mercifully let them stand where they were - comfortably out of sight - she would simply continue to choose a drink for herself, something with little alcohol content.

When he mentioned this being perhaps the last meal for one of them, Akihana finally raised her golden eyes fully to his own. The latent sharingan was a sight she was familiar with but it wasn't the dojustsu she was looking at. the medic was trying to look deeper, as if trying to assure him of her intent with both her words and her eyes. It wasn't surprising that he hadn't believed her the first time. Ninja who thrived on violence found the idea of peace the most disconcerting. "I have never meant you harm," she spoke clearly as she gazed up at him across the table. "Not when I arrived in Kumo and not right now. I doubt I ever will. So if there truly is a threat in this room, it has to be from your side." The words were spoken matter of factly, she wasn't accusing him nor making him feel bad for wanting to harm her. She was an enemy after all, a possible hostile who had wondered in uninvited into his domain. People have been killed for less.

As they began their first course in earnest, Akihana sampling her food out of courtesy than actual hunger, the kunoichi listened as he spoke, nodding where needed and replying where appropriate. When he broached the subject of their conversation, a hopeful spark entered her golden eyes.

"May I know what happened to my friends? Yaju Hayate, Misaki Ametsuchi, Kurokon Shikyo and Alice Hyuuga."

Her first reply to him attempting to show some type of humanity struck him awkward and caused a small twitch in his left eye. He'd given the woman something other than a jail cell and it was simply just "serving a purpose". The words tasted bitter in his mind as he replayed them hoping to only have had misunderstood what she meant. This new thing of not acting as he felt in the moment was quite trying on him to the point of grinding his teeth slightly.

Luckily everything that he had taken as scorn and not being appreciated was corrected as she spoke once more to further expand on what she truly meant. She was simply just used to more humble lodging it seemed and unfortunately that was something he didn't have in the third district. Clearing his throat he spoke softly yet still sternly allowing his natural slightly higher pitched voice to be heard for once without his rebreather attached. 

"If you'd like somewhere more....manageable we can escort you to the second district which is likened to old Kumogakure more so than anything. While your comfort and sense of warmth are not my main concerns, I can attempt to try and make these deliberations as smooth as possible."

She did half smile slightly, he couldn't tell honestly. It did look like she attempted to forge one for him complimenting her. Though his words must have come off as thorns as she sat about to have dinner with the one responsible for everything being wiped out from this village. He didn't feel remorse nor wish to console her, it'd be a mockery to himself and also unwanted repentance to her ears.

The reasoning shared with him on why her guards didn't sit with them while infuriating he understood. In his earlier time they'd be forced in no matter what and even forced to eat, well ok never mind they'd just be dead. Though he was learning and with learning came acceptance, with a mental command Akuoy stood up and made his way to the threshold where he would stand watch from the shadows as well. Mortarion sighed and rattled his right hands fingers on the table as if playing a piano before speaking.

"Very well, I'll honor this request, I know much about servitide and morals. For one who believes in freedom to the extreme that you do I'd hardly think you'd bring guards with you in the first place, putting their lives in danger just to protect your own...it seems to go against these principals you speak so fondly of."

As his gaze lingered on her after he spoke of their last meal minutes later her eyes caught his and the shimmer from hers kept his attention tunnel visioned to her. They hadn't made eye contact like this yet and the look she gave almost came off serious and hard. It still carried the air of peace but he could feel her demeanor shift as if she felt wronged by being accused off hand.

" I didn't mean to offend you, I merely stated facts. Right now, even as you sit close and we dine together we are still enemies. You cannot say you have meant me no ill will either. Your friends are on pikes because of me. Your village has mirrored my beliefs or suffered their eyes removed and applied to a wall. If you bare me no ill will then you are not the compassion I envisioned you were and more so hypocrite and this dinner is over."

He'd wait for her answer before continuing on with their conversation. The servant brought him his usual mixture of poisons and venoms to drink and the Kage downed two of them before she once again asked about names he knew. Off ha deadly he spoke plainly and simply with an air of non caring.

"They're dead,all of them."

He didn't look at her he just continued to eat.

At his offer to give her better accommodations, the blonde shook her head, a lock of silken gold spilling over her shoulder with the action. "Oh no, I would never inconvenience you so," she managed hastily, now wishing she had simply thanked him earlier and moved on. "I'm well aware that I live and breathe through your wishes alone. And if given enough time... I'd like to try and make my current accommodations more homely. I always believe it is the people in a house that make it a home." Despite his assurance that the second district was more like Kumo, Akihana had to decline the offer. He may have thought it was like the old Kumogakure but she knew better. Nothing was the same anymore.

Reaching for a soup spoon, the kunoichi scooped a tiny bit of broth into her spoon, bringing it to her lips as the Kage spoke. The food would have been noticeably delicious on any other day but unfortunately for the people who had worked so hard on this meal, the aromatic flavors were far from her mind on this particular day. She did watch respectfully as Akuoy left the table though, leaving the two alone to face each other without distractions. Akihana would have to offer the clone a baked treat later in lieu of an apology, even if he would probably refuse it.

"Caught red handed, or so the term goes I think," she managed, trying to inject some amusement into the situation despite his comments. "I did not ask them to come with me. In fact, I pleaded with them not to... But they have the right to choose, and they choose to come here with me. Which is why one of the first things I asked for was a guarantee of their safety. They are good men..." she trailed off, eyes flickering towards the door behind which the two knights stood, ever watchful. They had spent their entire lives protecting a Queen and with that Queen now dead, they needed a purpose as much as Akihana did. She had never wanted to become their purpose but she didn't have the heart to deny them either.

"The people in my service are free to leave whenever they wish," she finished, leaving the other half of the sentence unsaid. Unlike the ones in your service.

More food weighed down the table, this time a salad finding its way to her place setting. Assured that if Youka mean to poison her, he would have done so by now, the kunoichi reached for a fork, taking the obligatory bite as she listened to his ideals on compassion and hypocrisy. Had the same words been spoken to her even six months ago, she would have agreed completely. As it was, the blonde had learned something about herself in the wake of her village's destruction and her inability to hate the man responsible.

"Perhaps I am a hypocrite," she finally admitted, putting her fork down with a small clink of silver on china. "I certainly thought I was for a long time. A hypocrite or just someone who didn't care enough. You see, I spend the larger part of last year trying to hate you. It was... different because I don't know what that emotion feels like. We're so used to the idea that compassion must equate to despise of the person who brought about the atrocities but I guess I always missed that integral part of the whole cycle of revenge." When Echo had died, Akihana had truly wanted to hate the world. She had wanted to hate Maku, Youka, the weak village defenses and anything that would make the pain of losing him lessen somehow. And she couldn't. At first she had seen it as a failure on her part, not managing to do the one simple thing everyone could do, hate a monster.

But she had never believed in monsters, so how could she possibly hate one? It was only months later that she had realized she needed to feel that pain, to mourn Echo. To distract herself from missing him, from crying over his death, would have been a disgrace to his memory. The process had repeated itself with Maku. She needed to grieve but she couldn't give into hate, not even if she tried. "I can only hope my friends will forgive me for not wanting to avenge their deaths. You call call it foolishness, or just poor judgement on my part but I truly mean you no ill will. I've tried, for a long time. But I just can't be your enemy." Honesty rang clear in her soft, unobtrusive voice as she spoke.

If her answer angered her to the point where he would leave the dinner table, she would attempt an honest apology. However, if he stayed, she would listen to the fate that had befallen her friends. She had known they were dead, the words from his lips didn't make her hurt more with their confirmation. But she wanted to know if their bodies had at least found some honour. "Were they buried? If so I would like to know where so i could pay my respects. And if it's not too much trouble, I would also like to visit the ground of the former Tekiatsu clan. Do any of them still survive?" she asked politely, her gaze still lowered to her food. The blonde could feel the difference of opinions and ideologies hanging between them like a gossamer veil and she wondered if he could see her through his own preconceived notions as clearly as she saw him.

Dinner was, well very interesting to say the least. There was a woman sitting next to him eating just for the sake of being polite. Even if she tried to hide it it was clearly visible that this situation was anything but favorable for the both of them. Then you had the plague prince, a being that hardly ate in the first place merely picking at the food and mimicking a slight hunger overly chewing the food never really enjoying the flavor. The awkwardness in the air only elevated itself to new levels, even the servants seemed to try to blend further into the dark corners hoping to not become a subject of misplaced anger. Examining a small piece of meat before setting it back on his plate he spoke with a raspy voice from the toxins running down his throat.

"I'll allow you to make the changes you need for the time being as long as they do not go against our codes here. Worshiping false idols will not be tolerated, if you must pray you will do so in the mountains in seclusion away from the general population. Guarded of course."

As she spoke more on their topics of discussion his agenda rolled through his mind and he played the cards he had throu his mind multiple times each before speaking and answering her questions and responding to statements. Epidemius as well helped by repeating what she said back to him so he'd have a second chance at catching things he'd miss while strategizing himself to further sway her to the corruption he could see in her. Indeed she was a shining light almost infalible he'd say, but everything had darkness and he was perfect t finding those small specks and emboldening them to grow to fruition.

"So even in the end when you speak of free people and free choice these men still choose to be lead and be followers, Slaves to your will. You might cover it with niceties and the facade of choice and it seems you wipe your hands clean of admission by placing it all on their choice to be led. Very interesting indeed, you aren't much different from me, Akihana, your words might swim and try to float a different tune but the outcomes are the same. We both own humans."

His form relaxed in the chair as his head rested on the back, his red hair falling from in front of his face as he sighed out. Servants removed the extra plates and dishes that were not being touched and scampered back to where they had been. Her answer for not hating him seemed flimsy and only served to stoke the fire in his pit. Hate was a needed emotion in everyone's life and she denied her self the chance to experience all spectrum of life by pushing it aside, for what? He could t understand it but he'd revisit it potentially at a later time. She had asked to k ow where her friends were buried, a part of him wanted to lie and tell her an unmarked spot in the ground where she could lay her worries and grievances to rest. However that was not his true self. Lifting his head from the back of the seat he straightened up once more and looked her plainly in her golden eyes speaking as coldly as he could.

"We don't waste anything in kumogakure, they are forever looking over the village as its protectors. On the outside walls each one occupies a stake in all four corners kept in stasis of un death but for all intents and purposes they are no longer among us. Their minds of course rotted away. Most of the old village clan homes were left as we still use their knowledge to further our growth, so yes it is still there."

Picking up his goblet once more he sipped the vile drink slowly attempting to gauge her reaction to this news to see truly how much "friendship" ment to her. It was such a foreign concept and always carried such weak values that he'd never really thought to use it except with Maku. The time seemed right to go for the kill now, while her mind was more than likely pacing through its own process on herring about her friends and e eruthingnelse they'd talked about. Not giving her a chance to speak again he say his statement which caused a gasp from the servants, and even the stalwart Akuoy even stepped forward one step with a look of pure confusion on his face. A plate dropped, breaking, as a servants had trembled from what they had heard.

"Akihana Akari, marry me."

"I thank you for your kindness," the kunoichi spoke at the offer of still being allowed to pray. It was progress. This morning the Raikage had refused to acknowledge the existence of false idols, now he was at least acknowledging her need to keep her faith in one. Praying in the mountains was a habit she had developed as a young mother of seventeen, no place gave her more peace. To his conclusions of her enslaving her gaurds, Akihana chose to refrain froma  reply. He would never understand the difference between what he did and what she did. And that was the reason she was here.

As she quietly placed her fork down, an indication that she was done with the salad after merely two bites, she had to correct herself. no, he would understand. not now, but maybe some day. If belief in others was all she had, it would be a rather poor show on her part to discount him as incapable of understanding. Instead she simply looked up at him with earnest sincerity. "If I might be forgiven my boldness, I hope to show you the difference some day. but more than that, I hope you comprehend it as it is." Should her words require an apology to be followed, the blonde would offer one forthwith as the next course was placed in front of her, some form of meat cooked to unidentifiable perfection.

The knife sliding through her food might as well have been through her heart as she heard the fate that had befallen the people who had been family to her. Dead yet keeping watch over the village they once loved. Though she said nothing, Akihana waved internally to find them and bury them the first chance she could possibly get. On the topic of the Tekiatsu clan however, she spoke up. "If allowed, i would like to visit the clan grounds. They were true warriors of Kumogakure no Sato, and even if none exist in the village, they deserve a tribute. It would count as praying for me, to be able to walk among the grounds they once trod."

Akihana lapsed into silence after her final request, giving her friends the moment of silence they deserved. She couldn't help the grief that clouded her expression at the thought of what they had been reduced to but greif was something this man was used to, used to causing, used to witnessing. The first bite of food through het nearly trembling lips proved that this course was salmon. It may as well have been raw for all the effect it had on the young woman. Swallowing it down slowly, the kunoichi reached for her glass the same moment as her companion spoke up next.

"Akihana Akari, marry me."

For a moment, the blonde was sure the sound of shattered crockery was from her. Had she let go of her glass, leaving it to smash to the floor in a thousand tiny shards meant to cut and draw blood? Golden orbs widening in panic, the medic looked up at her host once more, trying to understand if he had misspoke or she misheard. A glance at the servants showed that they were just as surprised as her. That she hadn't dropped her glass. instead, Akihana Akari had frozen in place, hearing those words for the first time in her life.

"I.. I'm afraid I don't understand..." she managed, doing her best not to stammer. Only years of politeness training forced her to replace the glass carefully on the table, her eyes slipping to the knife in as she would need to defend herself. An absurd thought but not as absurd as the Raikage's spoken aloud. "I can't imagine a scenario in which that would be something you would want."

The entire room was silent save for the breathing that could still be heard to the kages sensitive ears. No one moved and only his guest was brave enough to attempt to move a muscle as he noted her eyes darting from the knife back to him. She more than likely took his words as some kind of trap or form of "go" word to initiate something. A light laugh left his voice as she spoke and managed to still retain a semblance of control in a situation like this. His gaze never leaving her golden eyes as they locked together he spoke once more keeping his voice low but still allowing it to carry to her.

"Something I want, no, something that is a necessity, yes. you see, I have come to terms with what I am and exactly what it is that needs to be done to reach where I must go. Everything you see here is a result of pain for the sake of death and decay. I now attempt to move beyond something so one dimensional and spread my name through a much more....civilized manner."

He paused for effect and allowing her to process all he was speaking before he would continue. The servants began slowly moving again once more. One made their self busy by cleaning up what they had dropped while others still cleared plates.

"Marry me and you will have what you desire, a free people and a playing role in the future of Kumogakure. You will be seen as the savior of this village, pacifying the beast to say. However it will be all to my designs. The village needs to have a figurehead that shows care and warmth where I have shown none. the union will be in name only I assure you, I want nothing else from you. You will gain Kumo as an ally for your village and vice versa, I see this as a winning solution for all parties. Villages working together usually always breeds growth."

Now all he had to do was wait for her answer as he glared into her, his sharingan ever glowing.

All pretense at food forgotten, Akihana's cutlery lay on her late, ignored for the moment in favor of the words rasping from Youka's lips. Like much of his philosophies, it didn't make sense to Akihana. Was he offering her something he had denied her that very day? A free people? Or was this simply another attempt to play with her emotions, showing her what she could have and keeping it just out of reach? If he was true to his words, she would have accomplished the goal she set out with, to better the lives of the ninja and civilians who dwelt in this dystopian version of Kumogakure. And all he asked in return for his magnanimity was... her life.

But the real question wasn't the one he asked, the real question, when it finally dawned on her, was whether she had a choice in the matter. The nature of his cruelty struck her then. She had proclaimed to do whatever it took to free her people and here he was, offering her the very chance. She had been willing to give herself to the prisons as a hostage should that be required in exchange for the lives of those trapped within these walls. Was this any different? She would be a hostage, the status of First Lady only artificial, a ruse for the masses, all by this vile man's design.

"I'm afraid I on't understand why you require a wife for this plan of yours. I could very well play your figurehead without matrimony being involved." the words were laced with both confusion and hesitation. Absurdity aside, Akihana wouldn't have been able to imagine a less conventional proposal had she sat down and tried. Scholars and poets alike said life mirrored art and in that instant, the only thing that came to mind was Hades dragging Persephone down to the underworld. The blonde shook her head, a feeble attempt to shake off the mental image of dark arms grasping at her, pulling her down somewhere dark where it was impossible to breathe.

"A free people are a people who can leave, Lord Raikage," she reminded him politely, not quite meeting his gaze for fear that he would see the indecision lurking in them. Indecision and shame that she was finding ways to unsay the words he'd said. She had been ready to do anything for her people, but now she knew there were some things she would not so readily submit to. "A free people have no walls of eyes watching them, a free people bury their dead and worship the Gods of their choosing. If you truly mean what you say, Kumo will not remain the same as it is now. More than the alterations in infrastructure, there will need to be a change in the chain of command. Would you be willing to oversee such a significant... overhaul?"

She made no motion to acknowledge his offer of an alliance with a village she had yet to name. She may be ready to give up her own life for her cause but Hoshigakure was an entirely different story. For Hoshigakure, she would do what she wouldn't for herself. For Hoshigakure, she would fight, to atone for the sin of not fighting for Kumo when it mattered most.