70Okay all, the next chapter is here. I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed and added me to their faves and alerts lists. I am extremely grateful.
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The Prince and The Slave.
Chapter Thirty-Eight.
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The next day in court, Sasuke was determined to hear people's grievances. Dotou's trial, yesterday, had taken a great deal of time, and Sasuke had promised the people could air their grievances before him once a month, even if it took a week to get through those people who wished to see him. Thankfully, there were not so many people as that. The first petitioner was an old man.
"What is it that you come to ask of me today sir?" Sasuke asked. The old man looked worried but he stepped forward and knelt before Sasuke.
"I am an old man, Sire. Six months ago, I had a wife, three married sons and fifteen grandchildren. An army came through, a royal army, Sire. I was out in the fields, working my land with my youngest son, and my grandchildren had come with us. We saw smoke rising from our home and when we returned, we saw the royal army leaving. Our home was aflame and my wife, two of my sons, and their wives, and my youngest son's wife, were dead, their bodies left for the crows. Now I have no home to look after my grandchildren, who are still too young to work themselves. My son and I are managing to plough the land and our crops have grown well. We are lucky. But winter is coming Sire, and we will not be able to sleep under the stars soon enough. All I would ask is for some help to rebuild my home, so that my remaining family will survive the winter." The old man said sadly. Sasuke took a deep breath, feeling terrible that it was his father's army that had caused this man's suffering. Sasuke looked at his brother, who nodded agreement to the truth of the matter. Then Sasuke looked Shikaku and Shikamaru, who also nodded agreement that there were funds available. Sasuke looked back at the old man again.
"I am sorry for your losses Sir. I can't imagine how awful it was to lose members of your family in such a way, and I will do everything I can to make sure that your home is rebuilt. Should the winter hit before that happens, we will find you a home here, near the capital, until the winter passes and work can carry on. As long as I am King, Fire Country will own up to it's mistakes and make recompense." Sasuke said. The old man looked confused for a moment, and then a smile spread across his face.
"Thank you Sire. I will always be grateful to you, for your kindness." The Old man said. Sasuke carried on listening to other grievances. One woman came forward and claimed that her husband was keeping a former slave as a Mistress, and that whether this woman was, or was not, a slave, that this was deeply wrong. Sasuke decreed that he would find out what he could about the Mistress, but firmly told the woman that he couldn't stop her husband from keeping a Mistress in the first place. The only thing he could do was offer her an annulment of her marriage, if she could prove he had been unfaithful. But he also reminded her that this was an equal route. Her husband could also get an annulment from her if it was proven that she had been unfaithful. The woman left and Sasuke carried on with similar grievances until a man dragged in a small boy by the scruff of his neck.
"What is the meaning of this?" Sasuke asked. The man looked furious as he dragged the boy and threw him in front of the throne.
"This boy stole apricots from my stall. I caught him red handed. The punishment for theft is the removal of a hand Sire, and I ask that the sentence be carried out." The man said. Sasuke looked at the boy. He was small, he couldn't have been more than six.
"What is your name boy?" Sasuke asked. The boy looked at Sasuke in confusion.
"I'm called Kyo and I'm a girl Sir." The child replied.
You're talking to the King, you insolent brat." The stall owner stated. Sasuke blinked as he looked the girl over. She in turn looked him over as well, seeming confused.
"Kyo, how old are you?" Sasuke asked her. The child again looked baffled at Sasuke's question.
"I'm seven and one half, your highness." Kyo replied, rectifying her earlier mistake of not addressing him properly.
"Do you know the penalty for stealing?" Sasuke asked her. Kyo looked at the ground sadly and looked back up at Sasuke as she nodded.
"Yes, your highness." She replied.
"Why would you risk having your hand cut off for an apricot, Kyo?" Sasuke asked her. Kyo looked at Sasuke with wide brown eyes. Her dark hair was all over the place and she was a scruffy little urchin.
"I'm starving. A hand won't matter none, if I don't eat and I starve, your highness." Kyo replied.
"What of your family? Do you have parents, older brothers and sisters? Aunts or Uncles?" Sasuke asked. Kyo shook her head.
"No, your highness. I don't have any family. I'm an orphan." Kyo replied.
"Are there other children, like you?" Sasuke asked.
"Others?" Kyo questioned back.
"Children who are hungry. Children who don't have families? Orphans?" Sasuke asked. Kyo nodded.
"Lots of us. We sleep in the abandoned guard house. No one uses it, since the new guard house was built near the market square... your highness" Kyo replied honestly. Sasuke nodded. He looked at the man.
"I will recompense you for the apricot sir. As for you Kyo, I won't take your hand this time. Instead I'm going to offer you one." Sasuke said. Kyo looked confused, as did the rest of the court. "I am going to convert that old Guard house into a proper orphanage, so that all of you children will have something to eat, somewhere to sleep and someone to look after you all. In return, I expect you all to stop stealing. Is that fair?" Sasuke asked Kyo. Kyo's eyes went wide.
"You'll give us real food and somewhere to sleep?" Kyo asked. She looked so hopeful.
"Yes. Until the guard house is turned into a proper home, I will keep you all here. You'll be well fed and cared for, and I will find someone to look after you, who will be tough but fair. Someone who will actually care for you, instead of lining their pockets." Sasuke promised. Kyo nodded happily.
"If I had food I'd never need to steal. Thank you!" The little girl exclaimed. She leapt forward and threw her tiny, dirty arms around Sasuke's neck. The guards looked agitated by this, but Sasuke showed no displeasure at this small dirty child hugging him. He hugged the child back and then looked at Ino and Sakura.
"Sakura? Ino? I would ask you both to go with Kyo, and find all the orphans of the city, and bring them here. I would like to find out how many children are on the streets, so that I can have a proper budget worked out to feed, house and clothe them. No child should starve, and here in Fire Country it won't happen if I can help it." Sasuke said. Court was convened for that day and Sakura and Ino left with Kyo to find her orphan compatriots, so that they could lead them to the palace and the first hot meal, warm clothing and soft beds that they had probably had in ages.
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One week later, Ino looked at a teenage girl, who balanced a baby boy on her hip. He waved his chubby little arms around, as the girl looked at Ino hopefully. Ino was still helping former slaves, find their relatives and it seemed that the number of people looking for loved ones was endless. "I've found a record for Grigory Alatharin here." Ino said. She looked at Jiraiya. "Is this right?" Ino asked. Jiraiya looked at the information and nodded. He looked at the teenage girl.
"What did you say your name was young lady?" Jiraiya asked.
"My name is Katerina Alatharin." The girl said softly.
"Your brother, Grigory is alive. Apparently, he was a former slave in the Hyuga household." Jiraiya said.
"Does that mean he's here? In this city?" Katerina asked. Jiraiya nodded.
"I'll just go and see if I can find him." Jiraiya said. Before Jiraiya even left the room, Hinata arrived. "Ah, Lady Hinata, this young lady is looking for her brother, Grigory Alatharin. He was a slave in the Hyuga household." Jiraiya asked the young woman gently. Hinata smiled and levelled kind eyes on the teenage girl with a child in her arms. She could only imagine what had happened to this girl for her to be saddled with a child, so young in life, but at least Hinata could take her to her brother.
"If you'll follow me, I made sure that all former slaves from my household had somewhere to stay, at least until they decide where they wish to go. Many have stayed here in the city because other former slaves are coming here to find the records of their relatives." Hinata said kindly. The girl nodded, her eyes filled with tears and she nodded vigorously.
"I'll be so happy just to see my brother again." Katerina said softly. Then she left the room with Hinata. Ino couldn't help the smile that flitted across her face as she thought of the girl being reunited with her brother. A young woman came into the room then. She had hair the colour of honey and eyes the colour of emeralds. She would be considered beautiful, but for a scar that stretched across the left side of her face. It started at the top of her forehead, just below her hairline, and travelled in an arc, barely missing her eye, all the way round to the bottom on her chin. It was an ugly scar, not clean but ragged. The girl looked at Ino and Jiraiya.
"I would ask the speak to the King." The girl said softly.
"Why would you ask to speak to the King young lady?" Jiraiya asked. The girl looked fearful.
"A woman came here, a week ago, to court. She claimed her husband had a former slave as a Mistress. I wish to speak to the King, to clear his name." The girl said. Ino looked at Jiraiya and Jiraiya nodded.
"I shall go and speak to the King and let him know that you are here." Jiraiya told her kindly. The girl took a deep breath and nodded. Jiraiya left the room to go and find Sasuke.
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Sasuke was holed up in his study, with Naruto, Neji and Shikamaru, all three discussing plans for the new orphanage when Jiraiya knocked on the door. "What's wrong Jiraiya?" Sasuke asked.
"A girl has come to our office asking to speak with you Sasuke. She says, that the woman who came to say her husband was having an affair with a former slave, is wrong. She says she is here to clear the man's name." Jiraiya said. Sasuke nodded his understanding.
"I'll speak to her in the study, here. Naruto, Neji, Shikamaru, take a break. I think it would be a good idea for Sakura, Ino, Ten Ten or Hinata to be here however. Hopefully this girl won't feel so uncomfortable with another woman here." Sasuke said. The others nodded and made to leave the room. That was when Sakura knocked on the door.
"I was just about to come and make some suggestions, about who could look after the orphans." Sakura said as she entered the room.
"We'll be talking about that, after Naruto, Neji and Shikamaru take a break. There is a female former slave who wishes to speak with me apparently. I wanted one of you girls to be here, hopefully to make her feel more comfortable speaking to me." Sasuke said. Sakura raised a brow, looking irritated.
"I don't like being called a girl, Sasuke." Sakura replied sternly. Naruto, Neji and Shikamaru all smirked as they left the room. Jiraiya looked at Sakura. "Alright, I'll stay." Sakura said. Jiraiya smiled and left the room, leaving Sakura and Sasuke alone.
"I'm sorry Sakura. I didn't mean to offend you." Sasuke said. Sakura shrugged.
"It's alright Sasuke. I just... when they took me from my home... the slave traders... I got called girl a lot. I... it feels like having my whole identity ripped away. It may sound silly, but..." Sakura trailed off as the door opened again. There was a scarred young girl standing there with Jiraiya. The girl looked at Sakura.
"Forgive me, for overhearing you speak, but I understand... what you were saying. When I was taken by slave traders they did the same thing to me, to all the slaves. They want us to be property. Giving us names means we're not property." The girl said softly. Sasuke looked at the girl.
"You're not property. No one will ever be property again, so long as I live." Sasuke said to the girl. She nodded and took a deep breath.
"Thank you for seeing me your highness. My name is Sharaiya. The woman who came here, to court, she thinks her husband is keeping a former slave as a Mistress." Sharaiya said.
"He isn't?" Sasuke asked. The girl shook her head.
"No, your highness. He isn't. I am the former slave she was talking about, but I am not a Mistress. Her husband... her husband is my older brother." Sharaiya admitted.
"Your older brother?" Sakura asked.
"Yes. He was a slave. In the Arena. He earned his freedom in Kiri, because he fought so well. He came here to the capital to make his fortune, which he did as a merchant. It took him a long time to find me. I was the youngest of seven children and my brother the eldest. The others... the others are all dead, and our parents too. But he found me and bought me from my... former owner. My former owner is the one who scarred me. I... I had tried to run... this was my punishment." Sharaiya explained.
"So, your brother bought you?" Sasuke asked. The girl nodded.
"Yes. But he couldn't admit this to his wife. He would have had to admit, that he was a former slave himself, and here in the capital, that was dangerous. I've been here for two years, kept in a small home. I've wanted for nothing. But I am not a Mistress your highness. My brother is just trying to protect me and look after me. I just... I wanted to clear his name privately. I don't know if he will tell his wife everything now that the laws are different, but I won't make him do that. I think he's afraid that if he tells her she will hate him for it." Sharaiya said gently. Sasuke nodded his understanding.
"It's alright Sharaiya. Thank you for coming forward." Sasuke said to the girl. Sharaiya nodded.
"I... I should go home now. I've left my daughter at home to come here. I'd rather not leave her, without me, for too long. Thank you for your time, your highness." Saraiya said. Sasuke nodded and Saraiya left the room.
"Well unusual things never cease to happen in the capital." Sakura said. Sasuke couldn't help letting out a laugh at the statement, as he thought of how things would be different now for everyone.
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Okay all that's the end of this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it. Please R&R and let me know what you think. I hope that the next chapter doesn't disappoint.
