Sown

thirty

"Then I guess it would be a bad idea to break his legs."

"That would be a bad idea regardless!"

It was his turn to laugh, a warm rumbling sound rising from the depths of his chest. The woman in front of him slapped his thigh and puffed her cheeks. Behind their playfulness he could see a dark cloud of worry fogging his daughter's mind. It was obvious something other than his loss of limb was bothering her, but he didn't want to press the issue in case it caused her more stress than she was already experiencing.

"You know," Hanae continued. She wasn't looking at him anymore. Instead she stared out the window at his side, catching a single snowflake and watching it fall below the frame. "Sometimes I think it was a mistake leaving here. Maybe if I had stayed things would have been different. You would still have your arm, the Land of Iron wouldn't have been attacked, I would be spending my life protecting the people closest to me instead of worrying about my crops getting enough water. I know Momma's been worried since the day I left. It wouldn't be that way if I had just stayed." Maybe if I had stayed I wouldn't be so painfully in love with a man that is so carefully guarded, she thought wearily.

Tadou grasped her arm tightly. His expression was stern again but without the warmth that it had hidden before. "My Hanae, do you know why I gave you that name?"

She quirked her brow from his grasp, "because I was your blessed first child. Isn't that what you always told me growing up?"

"Yes, your name does mean 'blessing' and you will always be my blessed daughter. But Hanae has another meaning. It can be read as 'blossom' and I named you this because from the moment you were born I knew you weren't meant to stay here. Maybe it's just a father's intuition but I could just tell from the way that you were crying that you were destined to branch out of this snow covered land and bloom in a faraway place. I don't know if I'd call Konohagakure a faraway place, but that's beside the point. It hurt to see you leave, but your mother and I both knew it was for the best. And look at you now ; you're happy, you made your hobby into your livelihood, and you're in love. The only mistake you could have made would be staying somewhere that made you unhappy when the entire world is open to you."

Hanae stared at her father, stared deep into the eyes that mirrored her's perfectly. Tadou Umu, while goofy and unassuming, was wiser than she could ever hope to be. His words made it clear why she had fallen so hard for Kakashi. They were so alike, yet so different. Protective, caring, learned, clever, and oh so handsome in their own ways. They knew what to say and when to say it, and when they ran out of words they knew how to express what she needed so perfectly it was surreal. She realized she had been searching for a man like her father, and their subtle differences had caused the doubt in her heart to grow. But it was those little differences that separated the two men and made Kakashi what she really needed. Someone to help grow from their cloistered past and bloom like they had done to her. The journey would be rough, but just as Tadou said, it was necessary. Meant to be.

"Thank you, Papa," she hummed with a soft smile, patting his rough hand still clasped around her forearm. "You're right. You're always so right."

Tadou, seeing the effect his words had, broke into a large grin, "of course I am, I'm your father." He relinquished his grasp and settled back into the bed. "And I'm tired, too. All these pain killers really take the life out of you. We'll cross paths again soon, I can feel it, but for now you should go visit your mother and brother."

Taking the cue, Hanae bid her father goodbye, setting off to find the room her brother was housed in.

-

"Well, none of this would have happened if you were a little less stupid."

"Hanae, that's no way to talk to your brother."

"Well, maybe if you weren't off living like a hick among shinobi you could've helped."

"Tatsui, watch your mouth."

Both of the siblings looked to the woman sitting in the stiff plastic chair and peeling a large apple with a small knife. She flashed them a threatening glance only a mother could muster - it was effective at quieting the bickering duo. Natsuo returned to her actions, smiling at the fruit when the two shortly apologized to each other. The always doting mother was not afraid to lay down the law when it came to her children and husband.

"Hanae Umu-san."

The young woman turned to the gravelly voice emanating from the door. Okisuke stood in the frame with one hand resting on the red scarf wound around the lower half of his face. Hanae and Natsuo stood before bowing deeply. Tatsui attempted to do the same from his resting position in the bed.

"Okisuke-bansho," the siblings greeted. All three straightened as the lieutenant did the same. "Did you need me for something, bansho?" Hanae questioned.

The bald man nodded, turning his body out of the door frame and towards the hallway. "Yes. Lord Mifune needs to talk to you. Follow me."

Oh shit, here we go. She knew she was going to be getting into trouble now for leading the group of chunin into the country. And the earful she was about the receive was going to be from Mifune himself, the head honcho and strongest person in the Land of Iron. She could feel her chest twitch with apprehension. Hanae turned to her family and bid them a quick goodbye before following after the scarred samurai.

The tattooed man led her out of the hospital and to the Samurai Tower. They passed the shattered bottom floor where many of their allies had lost their life in the battle with Sasuke. Her father's arm was in here somewhere, pinned under a chunk of ceiling that had fallen on his squadron. The room reeked of blood and death, and it made the woman stare at the waving end of Okisuke's red scarf as a distraction until they made their way to the top of the spiraling stairs.

She waited outside of the door until called inside. Mifune stood tall in the center of the room with his hands clasped behind his backs. Okisuke and Urakaku stood at either side of the man. Hanae settled onto her knees and set the flats of her palms on the tops of her thighs, bowing her head in front of her leader. "Lord Mifune, let me first apologize for my actions."

Mifune's chuckle resonated from above her. "I appreciate the apology, but that is not what I called you here for, Umu-san." She lifted her head but remained kneeling. "I've called you here to ask for your help. The shinobi world is facing an impending war and the samurai have agreed to offer our assistance. As a citizen of the Land of Iron and Konohagakure, I request that you take the role of delegate between the two lands. You will play an imperative role in the alliance formed between the countries."

"I would be honored, Lord Mifune." It wasn't a lie. Hanae was being asked by the man she respected above all to aide her countries in a way perhaps only she could. It was beyond an honor, it was an ineffable privilege and one that she would not let slip through her fingers by any means.

"I expected no less from a member of the Umu Clan. Your family serves a vital role for the Land of Iron, and I am privileged to have you as citizens." The leader motioned for her to stand and she followed the order, mimicking their stance of standing tall with her hands behind her back. "Kakashi of the Sharingan has been informed of the change and has agreed to work alongside you in the continued efforts. We have prepared a new suit of armor and Tadou-san has gifted one of his swords to your care. Return to Konohagakure after having time with your family." The smile he gave her was stiff and powerful. It was an expression she had never seen but cherished nonetheless.

Hanae returned the gesture followed by a deep bow, "yes, Lord Mifune."