Saib Kev-Yug [Kumogakure Chuunin]

Saib mentally groaned as she looked up at the Raikage’s Mansion. Flashbacks of the previous week ran through her head...


Saib reached out and knocked on the polished wooden door twice before placing a hand on the doorknob. ”Come on in,” replied her father from within. He was waiting on her? That was a first. Normally he had some of his advisors with him and would send them away once she arrived. Her thoughts brightened somewhat at this, but as the door smoothly opened on the clean wooden floor she saw that he did have his advisers with him. Her cheerfulness faded almost immediately even though she had forced on a polite smile. ”Come, have a seat.” She nodded and strode across the wooden floor in her socks and sat down on a cushion on her knees. At first her father didn‘t pay her any attention, he merely continued to converse with his advisers. Just when her legs were about to go numb, he turned to her and his advisers stopped blabbering about the country‘s current affairs and internal conflicts. ”How are you doing, Saib?”

”I‘m doing quite well, Father, what about you?” she asked, eyes looking downwards, voice polite. She was used to this, the whole ‘good, obedient daughter’ thing. All of this was just mild formalities. She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes and saw that he was stroking his chin slightly, thinking. Cautiously glancing around at the others in the room, she noted that they all seemed... anxious? Why? This wasn’t their first time with her and her father. Well then again... these particular advisers knew more about her than the others among her father’s council members. They were well aware of her tendency to be disobedient and unruly when it... She mentally cursed. I should’ve known. Father’s going to talk about marriage again.

”I’m doing quite well myself. Now, the—” he was cut off as someone rapped sharply on the door. ”Come in,” he replied. And to her surprise, it was Thai. What was he doing here? Wasn’t he supposed to be in Mizu no Kuni? What was going on? ”Ahhh, Fuab-Thai, come, come, sit,” he motioned to a seat next to him. Saib watched as her older brother gracefully took a seat next to her father and cast him one of her ’why are you here?’ glances, but he didn’t react in any way at all. ‘Damn it, answer me Thai!’ ”As I was saying, the reason why you’re here is that I’ve received news of your promotion to that of a Chuunin within Kumogakure, correct?” Saib nodded, even though that had happened almost three years ago. ”Good, good, now then I trust you’ve seen the Raikage?” Again she nodded, dreading where this was going. She cast another sidelong glance at Thai but again he didn’t respond.

”So you know how young he is?” he asked her, and she could feel his gaze on her. Slowly, she looked up. ”... Yes. Father, what are you—” she began to ask, but he quickly cut her off by raising a hand. ”I know that you wish to be a ninja, for some odd reason or other, and I’ve allowed you to pursue such a wish, but now I find it that you are eighteen and have yet to be engaged, let alone have a boyfriend.” ‘Because I don’t want to get married and you won’t even let me have one!’ thought Saib sullenly while maintaining the image of a obedient daughter wanting to fulfill her father’s every wish. ”As such, I’d like you try to attempt to get to know the young Raikage better.”

Saib just stared at her father. ”W-What? You mean you... You want me to... Father!” she cried out in aghast. ”Just because I’ve become a Chuunin doesn’t mean I can woe the Raikage!” she replied sharply as her father started to speak. ”Besides... there are already rumors about him being involved with someone...” she added on quietly.

Her father sighed and turned to Thai. Thai in turn sighed lightly and turned to face her. ”Saib, I know you don’t want to, but its the only way Father will let you stay a ninja. And Saib... you are eighteen. Most girls—” Saib glared at him, going ”Most girls my age aren’t the daughter of a daimyo! Most of them still have a life and don’t think of marriage!” ”Saib—” ”I’m not going to! You—” ”... Sai, please? Just try. You don’t have to marry him. Just get to know him. That’s all Father’s asking. And you never know, maybe he’ll hate you,” he broke in quickly, using her old pet name to keep her from talking again and then trying to present the situation in a way she wouldn’t entire reject.

’... You got me Thai,’ thought Saib crossly. ”Fine... But don’t expect him to like me. I’m not—” she paused momentarily as her father cast her a glance, ”—going to try to make him hate me....” she finished quietly. She would have gotten up to leave, but her father cast her another glance. Sighing she sat on her knees again and crossed her arms. He and his advisors returned to their previous conversation and Thai tried to talk to her, but she promptly ignored him. He should have known better....


Sighing, she walked into the great mansion, hoping beyond hope that she wouldn’t be able to meet the Raikage today. ”Hello, how may I help you, miss?” asked an attendant. Saib mentally groaned. ”Is Raikage-sama here?” she asked politely. ”Yes... I believe he’s in his office right now. Would you like to schedule a meeting? He’s currently busy at the moment.” Saib nodded and then began to answer the woman’s questions in order to arrange for a meeting. ”So why are you visiting the Raikage?” she finally asked after a series of questions to secure the Raikage’s safety.

’... What am I supposed to say? That I’m here to try to seduce the Raikage into marrying me? ... ... ... ... I’m going to hate today,’ thought Saib crossly. ”A friend of mine is the Daimyo‘s daughter and she has some news for him from her father and asked that I deliver it to him since she doesn‘t trust very many others. I‘m not entirely sure what the message is either, she had it sealed,” lied Saib, well it wasn‘t a complete lie...

The attendant raised an eye at her. ”Oh? Is that so. May I see this so called message?” Saib hesitated slightly. ”She doesn‘t—” ”I know you‘re pretty and all, but trust me, other women have—” ’I can‘t believe she‘s thinking that I‘m trying to flirt with the Raikage with this lame excuse! ... Well technically I am, but its not like I want to!’ “I-I‘m not trying to hit on him or anything. I really do have a message for the Raikage from the Daimyo,” stampered out Saib. Reaching into an inner pocket inside her jacket she pulled out a letter that looked extremely offical and even had the Daimyo‘s seal. ”See?”

She blinked once and then nodded. ”Very well, but I don‘t understand why we can‘t just deliver it to him if its just a message.” ”... Its like I told you, my friend has very little trust in others. What do you expect? She‘s the Daimyo‘s daughter, of course she‘d have to be careful in who she trusts. And there are some things I need to tell him that can‘t be written down.” The woman gave her another long, long, looooong look and then at last nodded. ”Very well... report back here at lunch.” Saib nodded and took the small pass before leaving somewhat hurriedly.

’Thai, you are soooo going to pay for this!’ she thought angrily.