Konoha Spider

Land of Snow Part II

It was later that day that the ship was able to make it to the docks. While the rest of the crew prepared the equipment Team 7, Director Makino, Sandayū, and the assistant director all gathered in the mess hall on the ship. It had been converted somewhat to allow people to eat, but to also hold board meetings. There was a long table in the middle of the room and some booths built into the wall of the ship. Kakashi stood at the head of the table while the movie people sat on one side of the long table and the Gennin on the other.

Kakshi turned his eye to look at Sandayū in annoyance. "You've known all along Sandayū, haven't you?" He stated more than questioned in a noncommittal voice.

"Yes." Sandayū admitted softly

"Didn't you ever consider the risks if she ever came back to the Land of Snow?" Kakashi pressed him.

"You're right of course." Sandayū acknowledged to the Jonnin. "But this was the only way that I could think of to get the princess to return home." He explained to the silver haired man.

Naruto started chuckling at that. "C'mon Sandayū, you don't have to keep calling her that. She's only royalty on the big screen right? I mean, it's not like she's really a princess." The blonde stated confidently. His tolerance for their principle having begun to fray. The fact that Sakura got hurt because she was acting as a human shield for someone that had refused to move making it even worse. None of the Ninja doubted that he would do his job, but he might do so reluctantly.

"Actually she is." Kakashi told the group flatly, causing them to all stare at the man in surprise. "Yukie Fujikaze is only an alias. We're guarding Princess Koyuki Kazahana, the rightful heir to the Land of Snow's throne."

"What?" Sakura, Naruto, and Peter asked while even Haku looked surprised by the revelation.

"I first met her a long time ago." Sandayū explained to the group. "I was her aide when she was just a little girl. I don't blame her for not remembering, it was years ago."

"So does that mean you're also from the Land of Snow Sandayū?" Sakura questioned.

"That's right." Sandayū confirmed. "I served the princesses father. The former leader of the clan. Lord Sōsetsu Kazahana. The Land of Snow was not a large nation, but served as a haven of peace. Lord Sōsetsu, he absolutely adored the princess. Those were idyllic times." The man said with a longing voice as he thought of the past. "But ten years ago, on that accursed day Lord Sōsetsu younger brother Dotō hired a group of Snow Ninja to instigate a revolt. It was a coup d'état. The magnificent Kazahana castle burned to the ground and I feared that the princess had perished as well."

"And driving you away from the Lonely Mountain until you could return and take back what's yours." Peter quipped at the man.

"There was no way that we could defeat them." Kakashi told the group solemnly. "We had to keep running. We had to get away."

"The day that I discovered that our beloved princess was still alive I was practically beside myself with joy. She was alive after all these years." Sandayū choked out.

"I should have died back then." Koyuki told the group from the doorway. Everyone turned to see that the Princess was standing in the doorway in her pajamas with a coat draped over her shoulders and a necklace on display. She might have cut an intimidating figure if she hadn't just come out of her bed.

Naruto scowled at the Princess, but managed to hold his tongue for the moment.

"You mustn't say such things Princess." Sandayū pleaded of the dark haired beauty. "We feared the worst, you can't imagine how frantic we all were. We never stopped praying for your life."