Naruto the Fairy Tale (BOOK ONE)

Chapter Eighteen - Faded Gold.

Ino's eyes slowly opened and the grass tickled her nose, she sat up and rubbed her eyes, Sai was sitting by the tree trunk. "Morning." Ino smiled "you wake up early." Ino had used her hair as a blanket, it was wrapped around her keeping her warm, even if it was Summer it was still cold at nights. Ino had rolled over onto her front resting her chin on her hands she swung her legs upwards smiling.

"It's a habit." Sai smiled. "Here." He tossed her an apple and she caught it, "we shouldn't be long to Corona so we can get something proper to eat rather than just apples."

Ino nodded, as much as she enjoyed apples and water from lakes she needed something more filling. "We can have dinner together! I think you should order for me because I don't know what food is good." She shrugged.

Sai asked "what did you eat in the tower?"

"Bread and water." Having apples felt like a large leap from bread to her. She looked next to him seeing what she assumed was a sketchbook. It was left open. "Hey can I look at your sketchbook?"

Sai picked up his sketchbook hesitating but then he passed it to her. Ino curiously opened it and her eyes lit up looking through the pages. There was so many landscapes and even floral paintings inside, they were beautiful. 

Ino turned to the next page and saw a painting of a man with shoulder length blue hair "who's this?"

"My older brother Shin." Sai replied.

Ino smiled "so is he living in the Kingdom with you?"

"No. He died." 

"I'm so sorry." Ino looked back down at the painting, when she fully opened the book next to Shin was Sai. And they were holding hands. She opened her mouth slightly and looked back up at Sai.

She decided to flip the page, and then she furrowed her brows "is that Naruto Uzumaki the Prince?" Ino recognized the spiky blonde hair, blue eyes and whiskers easily- they had met as children at an event at his Kingdom.

Sai nodded.

"I met him once as a child, this is how he looks now?" Ino chuckled "he looks much more grown up... Well I say grown up but he still looks like a goof."

Naruto was on the page and had his tongue out looking at someone she didn't know. She flipped the page again and saw a drawing of a palace, "is this the Uchiha Palace?" 

Sai nodded in response.

"It's very beautiful." Ino commented, she had been in the Kingdom for ten years but not once had a view of the palace. Nor did she remember the Corona palace that well, she did remember many golden spires and it was more tall than wide. "You really are an amazing painter."

"Thank you." Sai smiled.

Ino flicked through many of the pages until she reached the most recent painting and her eyes widened "you drew me?"

Sai blinked and then did a face which suggested he forgot it was in there, he scratched his cheek then nodded "sorry I-"

"No it's really good." Ino smiled, " in fact beautiful." In the page Ino was in her tower, she was leaning out with her golden hair hanging out flowing freely. It was so detailed, even the tower was so well remembered.

"I'm glad you like it."

She admired it for a little while longer until a breeze tickled her arms making a shiver crawl down her spine, she rubbed her arms, "is it usually this cold in mornings?" She wrapped some hair around her like a jacket.

Sai shrugged "sometime's." He stood up "I'll get some firewood."

"Oh wait no it's fine!"

"It's alright, besides I'm cold too." Sai smiled turning away.