Phantom of His Mask (Kakashi One-shot)
The moon was full and the stars were veil. A thin widespread of clouds crept over the black beauty raised high over the ground. It was so quiet; the sound of crushed earth could be heard. Even the stream flow of rushing water dared not to disturb the peace.
Behind the village, on the border of the Land of Rainforests, lay the pride temple. Its colors camouflaged well with the evergreen texture of the woods. The river ran deep between the wet earths almost all around like a moat; it was never dirty, nor contaminated, but it did have the essence of a swamp. The layout of the trees encamped around the temple almost as if to completely hide its existence. Only those in the Ame village were granted through the Land of Rainforests. However, as its age increased, the forest’s lively power continued to dim.
Guards were spread all around Ame village and inside the temple. Concern and fright showed on all of their faces, but that didn’t keep them from their duties as protectors. Still awake and very troubled was the well watched over priestess, Esther, who sat alone in a dark room barely lit by the moon. She listened attentively to all the pounding footsteps her guards made. Throughout the night, their paces have been calm. She wrapped her arms around herself and breathed silently. It wasn’t professional to show any fear, but Esther couldn’t control herself. She was petrified; daylight couldn’t come any slower.
“There’s somebody approaching the entrance,” whispered a voice outside her door.
“I can’t see,” whispered another.
“It’s a small group. Move your gaze over towards two o’clock.”
“Shall we inform our Lady?”
“Not yet, they still have to be granted permission to enter Ame itself, which is unlikely if they’re outsiders.”
Esther tiptoed over to a window and tried to get a view of these outsiders. All she could see were silhouette figures moving in the dark. She attempted to count, but failed. They moved too closely together. She jumped when she heard the striking volume of the guards outside.
“Halt!”
“The men at the entrance told us we were able to speak with your priestess,” said a soft, calm unfamiliar voice.
“Male,” Esther sternly muttered.
“What business do you wish to speak with her Highness about?”
“We have come from the Hidden Leaf Village,” replied the same voice.
“You have come at a very late hour.”
“So we had some trouble along the way. We’re here now,” growled a raspy impatient ninja.
‘Another male?’ Esther thought. She was puzzled to why the Leaf Hokage sent ninja to the Land of Rainforests.
“Alright,” agreed one of the guards. “But don’t expect a warm welcome. She is weary and will not appreciate being disturbed in the middle of the night.”
Esther scurried over to her chamber and pretended to be asleep. She quickly shut her eyes when the door peeked open; a hesitant head entered and blocked the lamp light.
“Lady Esther,” said the guard.
“Yes, what is it?” her body still lying in her bed.
“Forgive me of the inconvenience Milady, but it seems Hokage Tsunade has sent some of her ninja here,” answered the guard.
“Did they explain why they’re here?” Esther sat up.
“They only wish to speak with you madam.”
Esther pondered on what they could be up to. The ninja world has always stayed away from the forest, especially hers. Then again, the hours have rapidly changed.
“Shall I send them off —?”
“No, bring them to the main hall. I shan’t take too long,” Esther ordered.
“Yes my Lady,” the guard bowed and exited.
II
“I’m so tired. I’m about to pass out.”
“Hush, Naruto, the priestess probably feels the same way. We did come at a late hour.”
“Sakura’s right. We must be respectful to the priestess.”
“Bah, stupid captain Yamato, always taking Sakura’s side,” Naruto muttered.
Yamato turned his focus to the blonde. Naruto’s spine tingled the moment he saw the death glare on his captain’s face.
“Arriving this late was an accident. I didn’t realize the difficulty in finding this village,” Kakashi spoke.
Sitting in the main hall, team Kakashi patiently waited for the coming of the priestess. The sound of frogs croaking echoed throughout the entire temple: crickets talked, and monkeys babbled obnoxiously as well. Naruto grunted and twitched. His tolerance was running low. Then suddenly he snapped; he got up, walked out to the patio and peered at nature.
“SHUT UP!” he screamed at the top of his lungs.
“That will only encourage them. Now that they’re aware of a night owl, they’ll only get louder.”
Heads turned to see the priestess gracefully enter the main hall. All eyes widened and a few faces turned red; the men were star struck at how elegant she was. Even the guards blushed at her young beauty. Her hair was as black as a crow — its length fell past her waist. And her purple eyes gave her a merciless, yet angelic appeal. She looked no younger than a couple years after Kakashi and Yamato.
“Lady Esther, these are the Hidden Leaf ninja,” announced one of the guards. “Present yourselves.”
“Milady, my name is Sakura Haruno.”
Kakashi, Yamato, and even Naruto stammered and slurred with their sentences. They were still caught by Esther’s enchanting looks. She returned their amazement by brushing them aside; one could only guess how many times she has dealt with groveling men.
‘Three men and one female, how peculiar,’ she thought.
Esther kneeled in front of them. Her posture so poise and her hands rested lightly on her lap.
“You may sit down,” she motioned to Naruto.
“I appreciate you taking your time to hear us out,” Sakura respectfully spoke.
“I’m only curious to why your news couldn’t wait until the morning,” Esther told her.
“Ahem,” Kakashi cleared his throat. “Milady, I’m sure you are puzzled at our sudden appearance.”
He blushed even deeper when Esther softened her look; however, not even her insides showed emotion. Her body gave off weariness, but she refused to let that show. She stared at Kakashi, not because of the redness, but because she realized that he was the calm voice earlier.
“As a matter of fact,” She monotonously replied.
She switched her gaze over to Naruto. The poor boy’s eyelids drooped lazily; he struggled to keep them open. Yamato noticed her stare, so he nudged at Naruto.
“Novo has hired us to accompany you.” Kakashi continued.
“Why would Novo send for ninja to stay with us?” the same guard asked.
“That we don’t know,” Kakashi answered.
“Isn’t that important? A ninja should know the details of each mission.”
“Some missions aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, believe it or not,” Yamato defended.
“That’s preposterous! Never for the past 100 years have the ninja offered a hand to Ame. The last time they asked for our help was during the first Great Ninja war, but in the end, all they wanted was the sacred power my Lady obtains.”
“Are you calling us liars?” Naruto barked.
“Ninja always crave power! It’s because of them we live behind nature!” argued the guard.
“Enough,” Esther demanded. “Noah, calm down.”
“Yes ma’am, please forgive me,” Noah, the guard, pled.
“I apologize too for Naruto’s rude behavior Milady,” Sakura meekly spoke.
“Its rest you all have not had. If you have been assigned to stay here, then I will provide you with our finest rooms. But don’t think I won’t question your Hokage’s decision.”
“There is one more thing Milady,” Kakashi added. “A detail I almost forgot about. But we have been specifically assigned to watch over you.”
“She will not be a worry, for she will be going on a trip tomorrow. She cannot delay it any longer,” Noah spoke.
“That’s what I meant for watching over her,” answered Kakashi.
III
The next morning, the priestess treated her guests for a mouth watering breakfast. She even joined them to discuss the day’s journey, which she was not looking forward to.
“Let’s get this clear, you’re really here to assure my coming to the Land of Waterfalls,” Esther clarified.
Kakashi choked on his food for a bit. He coughed as he spoke, so Yamato spoke for him. He too stumbled with his words and turned red as well.
“T-That is true, Milady. W-We summoned a messenger back to the Hokage for more details; turns out what you said we’re here to do. She told us a man you’re affiliated with paid the job.”
Esther’s eyes frighteningly widened. If a man asked for ninja to escort her, then it made perfect sense. Once again, she found it hard to breathe and speak. Noah approached Esther and lowered his voice. She shifted her eyes towards him as he whispered in her ear.
“I don’t agree with the ninja, Milady. The fact that he hired them proves they’re just as untrustworthy.”
He nastily glared at Naruto, who was stuffing his face, but he lifted his eyes and returned the glare. Esther motioned for Noah to back away. She didn’t like the situation either, but the chips were down. And besides, there was something amazingly unusual about these Leaf ninja.
“You are the very last of your kind Milady. For the longest time you gave and sacrificed everything necessary for your people. We are aware of the elements you possess, but that is not of our interest. Our mission is to make sure you successfully get to Novo without any trouble,” Kakashi finally spoke.
“Trouble?” she asked.
“We were warned of your adventurous spirit. There is danger lurking around especially near a land so sacred and powerful. It’s important of your survival and long reign.”
“You really are unaware of why you’re here,” she snapped. “Arranged marriage, this event requires my presence.”
None of the ninja ever expected that subject to come up; hence, the shocked faces. All, but Sakura, then sank into a sulking attitude.
“Noah,”
“Yes ma’am.”
“I trust you will lead our people during my absence,” Esther demanded.
“Milady,” Noah spoke astonished. “Yes your Highness, I will do my best.”
“We’ll set out at dawn tomorrow. I know you were expecting today, but my instincts tell me not to be rash.”
Everyone stood up to pay respect for the priestess. Nobody said anything for the longest time; all they heard were the words “arranged marriage” Esther spoke of.
“Did you see how unhappy she was when she mentioned it?” Sakura asked.
“I couldn’t tell what she was feeling with that cold look on her face,” Naruto said.
IV
Kakashi wandered in the temple looking for Esther. He didn’t know what he was going to say to her, but for some reason he needed to see her. Thankfully with the help from the villages’ guards, he was able to find her out in the back patio with Noah. Esther’s face drowned in the rocking waters of agony. Kakashi observed the two; Noah was telling her something, but he didn’t know if it was Noah’s words that were upsetting her, or if it was the conference she had earlier. Shortly after, Noah respectfully left the priestess by herself. Kakashi was too afraid to loom her, so he followed Noah instead. He figured he could get the story straight.
“Novo may be a small village, but it is powerful. It is said that Esther’s ancestors were first bred there. But as history passed, Novo grew insanely greedy of their medical chakra; by that time revival was already possible. However, some villagers were opposed to that because it takes away the reviver’s life,” Noah explained.
“What happened to those who didn’t agree with that lifestyle?” Kakashi asked.
“The founder (and first ruler) of Novo took a peasant from the Land of Greens as his wife. Turns out she had the ability to control all objects of nature: plants, the great waters, and the ground. When he found out about it, he was enraged. All of Novo were to be neutral; if anyone had a power that wasn’t medical, they were eliminated. So she ran far away from the Land of Waterfalls and lived in the rainforests. She used them as a protective shield; she moved the trees all around to keep the intruders lost and eventually die.
“Novo’s former villagers followed her and appointed her as the guardian of their new home. She created her own way of healing, back then it was a lot more pure that it is today. Then one day, a traitor informed her ex-husband of her doing. So he disguised his samurai as peasants seeking healing from Ame. Once she saw this evil plot, she cursed him and all his legacies after him, to suffer the entrapment of never finding eternal life.”
“So Novo and Ame have always been at war with each other?” Kakashi asked.
“Just the rulers, it was until Rayna was appointed Novo’s queen, we gained peace. But this arranged marriage will only break the bonds once again even though they make it seem like a physical peace treaty.”
Noah said nothing more about it. Kakashi sat wide awake that night. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Noah told him. Also, the sound of the noisy animals and rocking Naruto kept him awake, so Kakashi got out of bed and strolled around the temple.
Esther sat on the cold floor curled in a ball staring at the darkness. She kept her head down while she hoarsely panted. She gritted her teeth to prevent herself from screaming — though her throat gradually became sore. Her nose was runny, and her eyes were swollen. Her body shivered whenever the salty streams fell down. Her long hair stuck to her hot drenched cheeks.
“This was not the life I wanted,” she angrily whispered.
For the rest of the night, Esther remained curled on the floor allowing the darkness drift her away into a stiff slumber. Little did she know that Kakashi had soundlessly been keeping her company.
V
Team Kakashi, along with the priestess, had been travelling since dawn. Their pace was too quick for Esther to keep up with, so Kakashi carried her on his back. Her tiny 5’4 body felt like he was carrying a sack of feathers; she was so fragile and light, Kakashi treated her as if she were made out of crystal. Once they stopped, Yamato created a 4 pillar house with his wood style jutsu. Esther had advised to stay inside the many forests so they could avoid any trouble.
“Milady, I’ve made you a custom room just for you,” Yamato spoke.
“Thank you, now if you excuse me, I shall freshen at that small pond we passed not too far away,” said Esther.
“Is it just me, or are you noticing an attitude change?” muttered Naruto.
“Shh, yeah I have noticed,” said Sakura.
Esther ordered Kakashi to let her down, but he rebelled. Instead, he walked over to the pond himself and then let her down. She was confused to why he did that. Kakashi didn’t pay attention to her irritated expression; he only rebelled because he wanted to hang on to Esther a little longer. Since he understood the situation, he didn’t ever want to let Esther go, he wanted to run off with her, and take away her fear. Going back to the first night he met her, judging by her wardrobe, he knew exactly what type of temple priestess she was, and Ame’s history helped back him up.
Esther dipped her hands in the cool pond water and washed her enchanting face. She loosened her hair and let it thickly fall freely down. Before she completely undid her heavy robe, she paused and looked at Kakashi.
“Do you mind?”
“Ugh . . . n-no Milady . . . . I mean, ahem, I’ll head back to the others,” Kakashi blushed.
Esther didn’t respond to him.
“U-Unless, you n-need . . . .”
“That will be all, thank you,” she impatiently spoke.
Esther stood frozen over the pond water. She stared at her full reflection. Everything on her was put on top of the liquid mirror for her to be disgusted by. Without evening removing a single piece of clothing, she saw it all: her chest, lower section, and everything else in between.
‘He saw me. He saw me like this,’ Esther thought.
Looking back at herself made her even more mortified. One by one, tears began to fall; two became four, until eventually they multiplied out from her control. Esther dropped to her knees and hid her face in her hands.
“What if the same thing happens again?” she sobbed out loud.
“I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Esther gasped out of fright at the voice. She turned around and saw Kakashi standing by a tree solemnly gazing at the broken beauty crying.
“You don’t even know what you’re talking about,” she roughly told him.
“Maybe not, but the assumed always comes to mind when I see a temple priestess crying when nobody is around. It’s also helpful, when some research has been done,” Kakashi defended.
“It’s what I was raised to do; it’s my role as the head,” she sniffled.
Kakashi pulled Esther out from the pond and placed her back against a tree. He sat right next to her nervously in disbelief that he was so close to the most stunning creation. He felt like a kid, but with his calm personality, he kept his cool.
“I’ve tried everything, fought to rewrite our laws, but they were written in blood. I’ve trained the other women in line so I wouldn’t be the only one. And I even tried to break off the engagement, but I was so young when it was made. This was long before Rayna took the throne, either way she didn’t know, and I found out just last year. They all want healing, but the worst was the, now, king of Novo.”
“I thought that man was just a samurai?” Kakashi questioned.
“That is true, but his leadership in the military moved him under royalty. He’s the legacy of the very first king. He took the throne once Queen Rayna passed away a few months ago,” answered Esther. “But long before that man was crowned, he would always travel to our village and claim he needed healing. Ironic right, since his entire village is all about medicine. I was only ten when I first met him.”
Esther choked and shivered. She cowered away from Kakashi. He noticed her body language and so badly wanted to pull her into him and whisper that everything would be alright.
“The Head priestess before me tried to permanently remove him from our land. But he wouldn’t give. He never needed healing anyway; he was just addicted. So one night, all and sundry were sound asleep. There was a quick rush in his feet. He licked his lips and his lusty eyes haunted me. At that age, my powers weren’t yet fully developed. He came into my room, kidnapped me back to his home, and . . . . and . . . .”
Esther was seconds away from losing it. Kakashi was dumbfounded by her story; he had never felt this furious ever since the death of Obito. He wished he could do something, but what could he do? If he interfered with a business that wasn’t his, it would start an unnecessary war.
“I was imprisoned in a large bedroom that I couldn’t escape from. That’s where I lived for the next eight longest years of my life. Every night was a nightmare, what’s worse, he was married then.”
“How did you break free?”
“Thankfully one day, he dragged me along a trip; he said I was being hogged. Once we were out on the open road, my people attacked. Noah was my hero that day, for he eliminated him, but a medic must’ve revived him later,” she explained.
“So you’re going back for revenge? Wouldn’t that break the peace between your people and his?”
“Before Rayna died, she and I held a council meeting. She told me about the time she left him to govern during her absence; the villagers begged her to never go away again. She told me that he’s never stopped trying to own me, so I had to be the one. There’ll be no witnesses, because he thinks I’m still weak. Novo will appoint the next legacy as reigning ruler. Otherwise, they’ll ask me to take on two villages.”
“You’re strong and braver than you give yourself,” complimented Kakashi. “You do what’s best for your people. That’s why they nobly follow you. Novo would be foolish to reject your governing.”
Esther gave him a warm look; a small smile appeared on her face. Kakashi returned the gaze.
“I never wanted to take on this life, but I love Ame. I’d be selfish to hide my powers and store them. But I wanted to lose my virginity to a lover, someone I could give my heart to,” she cried.
VI
The night was so dark; it was difficult for Esther to determine whether her eyes were really open. Her breath was shaky. The pitch black traumatized her. She slowly untied the stash from around her waist when she heard the sound of footsteps. Esther held her breath. As the door opened, a faint candle light appeared, but it wasn’t enough to draw out the shadow.
She jumped when she felt a pair of strong hands firmly grip her love handles. Her body stayed tense even when the mystery hands slipped off her silk robe. Esther wore nothing but all natural under it. Normally, during this process, the visitor was to remain anonymous, but she made an exception for the night. She brought the candle light closer in order to see his face.
“I want to see the man behind the mask,” Esther silently spoke.
Kakashi brought his hands to cup Esther’s face. He leaned in so the fabric could absorb her tasty lips; even with the mask on, he could feel the sensational wonder she contained. While still in the kiss, Esther slowly pulled down his mask, Kakashi blew out the candle light. That didn’t discourage Esther, for she knew another way to see his identity.
First, she let Kakashi undress himself. He even removed his Leaf head protector and allowed his silver bangs fall on his forehead. Esther pressed her entire body closely against him. Kakashi was a bit stunned, but he loved the feel of her developed chest squish far in his lean, muscular chest.
“You chose the hard way,” Esther teased.
She started with his abs, rock solid. Her fingers counted the number of packs he had. Kakashi grunted.
“That tickles,” he admitted.
Esther smirked. She then moved her hands up to feel his man breasts. His arms were next: broad shoulders, meaty biceps and triceps, she only guessed what his workout was. Lastly was the greatest of all, his face. Her fingers touched and rubbed all over; they came across his perfectly shaped lips, gorgeous cheek bones, and his eyes. They pulled back once she came across the scar on his left eye.
“It was only a battle wound from when I was a kid,” Kakashi explained.
“The fact that I can feel it tells me it was pretty deep.”
“Well, what can you say about my face?”
“It’s all that I imagined,” she smiled.
Kakashi pulled Esther in for a passionate kiss. They both gave in their strength; their tongues dueled inside each other’s mouths. Kakashi wrapped one of Esther’s legs around his back, and then did the same with the other one. Their lower ends were so close to one another; his tip touched her opening. Before Kakashi set her down on the bed, Esther adjusted his hard penis and slipped it inside of her. Already, she moaned out of delight; nevertheless, her toes curled, and her fingers dug deep into Kakashi’s shoulders.
“I’m not gonna hurt you.” He breathed in her ear.
Esther kissed his lips once more before she spoke.
“Push me in,” she told him.
Kakashi’s arms moved to her back. He hugged her so tight, she yelped out of surprise. She never thought a penis could be so long let alone feel so warm and pressured in her. She had never experience that kind of feeling before.
“Lay me down.”
Kakashi gladly obeyed. He started off slow to warm up. And besides, he still had to explore every detail about her. Esther panted when his gentle fingers played with her nipples. Kakashi’s grunts grew louder as his speed increased. Esther couldn’t believe the difference; she and Kakashi were actually . . . . making love. She urged for him to thrust in deeper; his upper body lie on top of hers, her hands stroked through his hair. Kakashi got a better rhythm every time Esther moaned in his ear. Gradually, she turned Kakashi over and gained control. Normally, a priestess would never change roles, but being with Kakashi made her forget all the rules. They smiled at each other and caressed one another.
Esther then sat up and pushed her hands against Kakashi’s chest. Not only did she pump up and down, but she even thrust her hips back and forth. They both were lost in a sea of pleasure and satisfaction; their heads tilted back as their voices told the world of the magic they were making.
“Oh gosh I’m gonna come. I’m gonna come!” Esther panted.
“So am I. I’m ready, ugh,” Kakashi grunted.
Esther’s motions eased. She felt like she had given Kakashi all of her energy. She rolled off and lay right next to him. Her mind was blown away; they had made the thunder roar. But unfortunately, good things had to end, whether she liked it or not.
“Do the men ever spend the night with the priestess?” Kakashi asked. He too was winded.
“No, because then we’d see their identity when it’s supposed to be anonymous,” Esther monotonously spoke.
Kakashi sighed and disappointedly sat up. Instantly, Esther grabbed his arm to stop him. He looked into her grieving eyes. She feared Kakashi leaving her.
“But since I already know your identity, why follow the rules now when we’ve already broken them?”
VII
Naruto, Sakura, Yamato, and Kakashi all gave their respect to both Esther and the Emperor of Novo. Kakashi grew envious and infuriated when he saw the lustful pig eying at his women. Esther’s eyes begged for Kakashi to not get involved.
“I cannot tell you how grateful I am that you brought my precious here,” thanked the emperor. “Sometimes she is so busy she doesn’t have time for her biggest patient, my condition would’ve gotten worse.”
‘I’ll show you how your condition can get worse,’ Kakashi thought.
“I thought you guys were getting married?” Naruto blurted.
“So you were informed? Well, yes we are, the wedding is tonight. Please come and stay, you men will get to see how lucky I am to have the loveliest bride there is,” said the emperor.
“We must return home, we give our congratulations your Highness,” said Yamato.
Esther and Kakashi stared at one another. He was worried about the outcome, but she only smiled at him, letting him know that she’ll be alright.
“Then I guess, farewell, my ninja friends. I speak for Novo, that we are indebted for your help.”
The entire journey back to Konoha was awkward and quiet. Not even Naruto had the courage to tease Kakashi, but that didn’t stop him from muttering. Sakura questionably glanced over at captain Yamato, but not even he knew what was troubling Kakashi.
“It’s nothing to worry about Sakura. The feel of mourning still spreads throughout the Land of Waterfalls,” Kakashi spoke.
“I sensed it too, senpai. Shouldn’t there be another queen reigning instead of an emperor?” Yamato asked.
“The priestess said they couldn’t find her. She was lost when a great disturbance in the waterfalls occurred years ago. The search party never found her,” Kakashi explained.
“Hey, Kakashi-sensei, what was better? You’re boring perverted books or your personal perverted night with that enchantress?”
Sakura’s eyes angrily widened. She could not believe what she just heard.
“Naruto, you sicko! I should break your body for making up such lies! The only noise I heard was your snoring!”
Kakashi blushed and glanced over at Yamato who winked at him; Kakashi sighed out of relief. But that night could never be forgotten. He had Esther all to himself, the goddess whose beauty cast him under her spell. He could still feel every touch, every kiss, and even the fragile sensation of her hands caressing his naked face. But the memory only made it harder. Unless Esther found another kind like herself, she could never be Kakashi’s alone, and he wouldn’t want to share her.
Behind the village, on the border of the Land of Rainforests, lay the pride temple. Its colors camouflaged well with the evergreen texture of the woods. The river ran deep between the wet earths almost all around like a moat; it was never dirty, nor contaminated, but it did have the essence of a swamp. The layout of the trees encamped around the temple almost as if to completely hide its existence. Only those in the Ame village were granted through the Land of Rainforests. However, as its age increased, the forest’s lively power continued to dim.
Guards were spread all around Ame village and inside the temple. Concern and fright showed on all of their faces, but that didn’t keep them from their duties as protectors. Still awake and very troubled was the well watched over priestess, Esther, who sat alone in a dark room barely lit by the moon. She listened attentively to all the pounding footsteps her guards made. Throughout the night, their paces have been calm. She wrapped her arms around herself and breathed silently. It wasn’t professional to show any fear, but Esther couldn’t control herself. She was petrified; daylight couldn’t come any slower.
“There’s somebody approaching the entrance,” whispered a voice outside her door.
“I can’t see,” whispered another.
“It’s a small group. Move your gaze over towards two o’clock.”
“Shall we inform our Lady?”
“Not yet, they still have to be granted permission to enter Ame itself, which is unlikely if they’re outsiders.”
Esther tiptoed over to a window and tried to get a view of these outsiders. All she could see were silhouette figures moving in the dark. She attempted to count, but failed. They moved too closely together. She jumped when she heard the striking volume of the guards outside.
“Halt!”
“The men at the entrance told us we were able to speak with your priestess,” said a soft, calm unfamiliar voice.
“Male,” Esther sternly muttered.
“What business do you wish to speak with her Highness about?”
“We have come from the Hidden Leaf Village,” replied the same voice.
“You have come at a very late hour.”
“So we had some trouble along the way. We’re here now,” growled a raspy impatient ninja.
‘Another male?’ Esther thought. She was puzzled to why the Leaf Hokage sent ninja to the Land of Rainforests.
“Alright,” agreed one of the guards. “But don’t expect a warm welcome. She is weary and will not appreciate being disturbed in the middle of the night.”
Esther scurried over to her chamber and pretended to be asleep. She quickly shut her eyes when the door peeked open; a hesitant head entered and blocked the lamp light.
“Lady Esther,” said the guard.
“Yes, what is it?” her body still lying in her bed.
“Forgive me of the inconvenience Milady, but it seems Hokage Tsunade has sent some of her ninja here,” answered the guard.
“Did they explain why they’re here?” Esther sat up.
“They only wish to speak with you madam.”
Esther pondered on what they could be up to. The ninja world has always stayed away from the forest, especially hers. Then again, the hours have rapidly changed.
“Shall I send them off —?”
“No, bring them to the main hall. I shan’t take too long,” Esther ordered.
“Yes my Lady,” the guard bowed and exited.
II
“I’m so tired. I’m about to pass out.”
“Hush, Naruto, the priestess probably feels the same way. We did come at a late hour.”
“Sakura’s right. We must be respectful to the priestess.”
“Bah, stupid captain Yamato, always taking Sakura’s side,” Naruto muttered.
Yamato turned his focus to the blonde. Naruto’s spine tingled the moment he saw the death glare on his captain’s face.
“Arriving this late was an accident. I didn’t realize the difficulty in finding this village,” Kakashi spoke.
Sitting in the main hall, team Kakashi patiently waited for the coming of the priestess. The sound of frogs croaking echoed throughout the entire temple: crickets talked, and monkeys babbled obnoxiously as well. Naruto grunted and twitched. His tolerance was running low. Then suddenly he snapped; he got up, walked out to the patio and peered at nature.
“SHUT UP!” he screamed at the top of his lungs.
“That will only encourage them. Now that they’re aware of a night owl, they’ll only get louder.”
Heads turned to see the priestess gracefully enter the main hall. All eyes widened and a few faces turned red; the men were star struck at how elegant she was. Even the guards blushed at her young beauty. Her hair was as black as a crow — its length fell past her waist. And her purple eyes gave her a merciless, yet angelic appeal. She looked no younger than a couple years after Kakashi and Yamato.
“Lady Esther, these are the Hidden Leaf ninja,” announced one of the guards. “Present yourselves.”
“Milady, my name is Sakura Haruno.”
Kakashi, Yamato, and even Naruto stammered and slurred with their sentences. They were still caught by Esther’s enchanting looks. She returned their amazement by brushing them aside; one could only guess how many times she has dealt with groveling men.
‘Three men and one female, how peculiar,’ she thought.
Esther kneeled in front of them. Her posture so poise and her hands rested lightly on her lap.
“You may sit down,” she motioned to Naruto.
“I appreciate you taking your time to hear us out,” Sakura respectfully spoke.
“I’m only curious to why your news couldn’t wait until the morning,” Esther told her.
“Ahem,” Kakashi cleared his throat. “Milady, I’m sure you are puzzled at our sudden appearance.”
He blushed even deeper when Esther softened her look; however, not even her insides showed emotion. Her body gave off weariness, but she refused to let that show. She stared at Kakashi, not because of the redness, but because she realized that he was the calm voice earlier.
“As a matter of fact,” She monotonously replied.
She switched her gaze over to Naruto. The poor boy’s eyelids drooped lazily; he struggled to keep them open. Yamato noticed her stare, so he nudged at Naruto.
“Novo has hired us to accompany you.” Kakashi continued.
“Why would Novo send for ninja to stay with us?” the same guard asked.
“That we don’t know,” Kakashi answered.
“Isn’t that important? A ninja should know the details of each mission.”
“Some missions aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, believe it or not,” Yamato defended.
“That’s preposterous! Never for the past 100 years have the ninja offered a hand to Ame. The last time they asked for our help was during the first Great Ninja war, but in the end, all they wanted was the sacred power my Lady obtains.”
“Are you calling us liars?” Naruto barked.
“Ninja always crave power! It’s because of them we live behind nature!” argued the guard.
“Enough,” Esther demanded. “Noah, calm down.”
“Yes ma’am, please forgive me,” Noah, the guard, pled.
“I apologize too for Naruto’s rude behavior Milady,” Sakura meekly spoke.
“Its rest you all have not had. If you have been assigned to stay here, then I will provide you with our finest rooms. But don’t think I won’t question your Hokage’s decision.”
“There is one more thing Milady,” Kakashi added. “A detail I almost forgot about. But we have been specifically assigned to watch over you.”
“She will not be a worry, for she will be going on a trip tomorrow. She cannot delay it any longer,” Noah spoke.
“That’s what I meant for watching over her,” answered Kakashi.
III
The next morning, the priestess treated her guests for a mouth watering breakfast. She even joined them to discuss the day’s journey, which she was not looking forward to.
“Let’s get this clear, you’re really here to assure my coming to the Land of Waterfalls,” Esther clarified.
Kakashi choked on his food for a bit. He coughed as he spoke, so Yamato spoke for him. He too stumbled with his words and turned red as well.
“T-That is true, Milady. W-We summoned a messenger back to the Hokage for more details; turns out what you said we’re here to do. She told us a man you’re affiliated with paid the job.”
Esther’s eyes frighteningly widened. If a man asked for ninja to escort her, then it made perfect sense. Once again, she found it hard to breathe and speak. Noah approached Esther and lowered his voice. She shifted her eyes towards him as he whispered in her ear.
“I don’t agree with the ninja, Milady. The fact that he hired them proves they’re just as untrustworthy.”
He nastily glared at Naruto, who was stuffing his face, but he lifted his eyes and returned the glare. Esther motioned for Noah to back away. She didn’t like the situation either, but the chips were down. And besides, there was something amazingly unusual about these Leaf ninja.
“You are the very last of your kind Milady. For the longest time you gave and sacrificed everything necessary for your people. We are aware of the elements you possess, but that is not of our interest. Our mission is to make sure you successfully get to Novo without any trouble,” Kakashi finally spoke.
“Trouble?” she asked.
“We were warned of your adventurous spirit. There is danger lurking around especially near a land so sacred and powerful. It’s important of your survival and long reign.”
“You really are unaware of why you’re here,” she snapped. “Arranged marriage, this event requires my presence.”
None of the ninja ever expected that subject to come up; hence, the shocked faces. All, but Sakura, then sank into a sulking attitude.
“Noah,”
“Yes ma’am.”
“I trust you will lead our people during my absence,” Esther demanded.
“Milady,” Noah spoke astonished. “Yes your Highness, I will do my best.”
“We’ll set out at dawn tomorrow. I know you were expecting today, but my instincts tell me not to be rash.”
Everyone stood up to pay respect for the priestess. Nobody said anything for the longest time; all they heard were the words “arranged marriage” Esther spoke of.
“Did you see how unhappy she was when she mentioned it?” Sakura asked.
“I couldn’t tell what she was feeling with that cold look on her face,” Naruto said.
IV
Kakashi wandered in the temple looking for Esther. He didn’t know what he was going to say to her, but for some reason he needed to see her. Thankfully with the help from the villages’ guards, he was able to find her out in the back patio with Noah. Esther’s face drowned in the rocking waters of agony. Kakashi observed the two; Noah was telling her something, but he didn’t know if it was Noah’s words that were upsetting her, or if it was the conference she had earlier. Shortly after, Noah respectfully left the priestess by herself. Kakashi was too afraid to loom her, so he followed Noah instead. He figured he could get the story straight.
“Novo may be a small village, but it is powerful. It is said that Esther’s ancestors were first bred there. But as history passed, Novo grew insanely greedy of their medical chakra; by that time revival was already possible. However, some villagers were opposed to that because it takes away the reviver’s life,” Noah explained.
“What happened to those who didn’t agree with that lifestyle?” Kakashi asked.
“The founder (and first ruler) of Novo took a peasant from the Land of Greens as his wife. Turns out she had the ability to control all objects of nature: plants, the great waters, and the ground. When he found out about it, he was enraged. All of Novo were to be neutral; if anyone had a power that wasn’t medical, they were eliminated. So she ran far away from the Land of Waterfalls and lived in the rainforests. She used them as a protective shield; she moved the trees all around to keep the intruders lost and eventually die.
“Novo’s former villagers followed her and appointed her as the guardian of their new home. She created her own way of healing, back then it was a lot more pure that it is today. Then one day, a traitor informed her ex-husband of her doing. So he disguised his samurai as peasants seeking healing from Ame. Once she saw this evil plot, she cursed him and all his legacies after him, to suffer the entrapment of never finding eternal life.”
“So Novo and Ame have always been at war with each other?” Kakashi asked.
“Just the rulers, it was until Rayna was appointed Novo’s queen, we gained peace. But this arranged marriage will only break the bonds once again even though they make it seem like a physical peace treaty.”
Noah said nothing more about it. Kakashi sat wide awake that night. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Noah told him. Also, the sound of the noisy animals and rocking Naruto kept him awake, so Kakashi got out of bed and strolled around the temple.
Esther sat on the cold floor curled in a ball staring at the darkness. She kept her head down while she hoarsely panted. She gritted her teeth to prevent herself from screaming — though her throat gradually became sore. Her nose was runny, and her eyes were swollen. Her body shivered whenever the salty streams fell down. Her long hair stuck to her hot drenched cheeks.
“This was not the life I wanted,” she angrily whispered.
For the rest of the night, Esther remained curled on the floor allowing the darkness drift her away into a stiff slumber. Little did she know that Kakashi had soundlessly been keeping her company.
V
Team Kakashi, along with the priestess, had been travelling since dawn. Their pace was too quick for Esther to keep up with, so Kakashi carried her on his back. Her tiny 5’4 body felt like he was carrying a sack of feathers; she was so fragile and light, Kakashi treated her as if she were made out of crystal. Once they stopped, Yamato created a 4 pillar house with his wood style jutsu. Esther had advised to stay inside the many forests so they could avoid any trouble.
“Milady, I’ve made you a custom room just for you,” Yamato spoke.
“Thank you, now if you excuse me, I shall freshen at that small pond we passed not too far away,” said Esther.
“Is it just me, or are you noticing an attitude change?” muttered Naruto.
“Shh, yeah I have noticed,” said Sakura.
Esther ordered Kakashi to let her down, but he rebelled. Instead, he walked over to the pond himself and then let her down. She was confused to why he did that. Kakashi didn’t pay attention to her irritated expression; he only rebelled because he wanted to hang on to Esther a little longer. Since he understood the situation, he didn’t ever want to let Esther go, he wanted to run off with her, and take away her fear. Going back to the first night he met her, judging by her wardrobe, he knew exactly what type of temple priestess she was, and Ame’s history helped back him up.
Esther dipped her hands in the cool pond water and washed her enchanting face. She loosened her hair and let it thickly fall freely down. Before she completely undid her heavy robe, she paused and looked at Kakashi.
“Do you mind?”
“Ugh . . . n-no Milady . . . . I mean, ahem, I’ll head back to the others,” Kakashi blushed.
Esther didn’t respond to him.
“U-Unless, you n-need . . . .”
“That will be all, thank you,” she impatiently spoke.
Esther stood frozen over the pond water. She stared at her full reflection. Everything on her was put on top of the liquid mirror for her to be disgusted by. Without evening removing a single piece of clothing, she saw it all: her chest, lower section, and everything else in between.
‘He saw me. He saw me like this,’ Esther thought.
Looking back at herself made her even more mortified. One by one, tears began to fall; two became four, until eventually they multiplied out from her control. Esther dropped to her knees and hid her face in her hands.
“What if the same thing happens again?” she sobbed out loud.
“I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Esther gasped out of fright at the voice. She turned around and saw Kakashi standing by a tree solemnly gazing at the broken beauty crying.
“You don’t even know what you’re talking about,” she roughly told him.
“Maybe not, but the assumed always comes to mind when I see a temple priestess crying when nobody is around. It’s also helpful, when some research has been done,” Kakashi defended.
“It’s what I was raised to do; it’s my role as the head,” she sniffled.
Kakashi pulled Esther out from the pond and placed her back against a tree. He sat right next to her nervously in disbelief that he was so close to the most stunning creation. He felt like a kid, but with his calm personality, he kept his cool.
“I’ve tried everything, fought to rewrite our laws, but they were written in blood. I’ve trained the other women in line so I wouldn’t be the only one. And I even tried to break off the engagement, but I was so young when it was made. This was long before Rayna took the throne, either way she didn’t know, and I found out just last year. They all want healing, but the worst was the, now, king of Novo.”
“I thought that man was just a samurai?” Kakashi questioned.
“That is true, but his leadership in the military moved him under royalty. He’s the legacy of the very first king. He took the throne once Queen Rayna passed away a few months ago,” answered Esther. “But long before that man was crowned, he would always travel to our village and claim he needed healing. Ironic right, since his entire village is all about medicine. I was only ten when I first met him.”
Esther choked and shivered. She cowered away from Kakashi. He noticed her body language and so badly wanted to pull her into him and whisper that everything would be alright.
“The Head priestess before me tried to permanently remove him from our land. But he wouldn’t give. He never needed healing anyway; he was just addicted. So one night, all and sundry were sound asleep. There was a quick rush in his feet. He licked his lips and his lusty eyes haunted me. At that age, my powers weren’t yet fully developed. He came into my room, kidnapped me back to his home, and . . . . and . . . .”
Esther was seconds away from losing it. Kakashi was dumbfounded by her story; he had never felt this furious ever since the death of Obito. He wished he could do something, but what could he do? If he interfered with a business that wasn’t his, it would start an unnecessary war.
“I was imprisoned in a large bedroom that I couldn’t escape from. That’s where I lived for the next eight longest years of my life. Every night was a nightmare, what’s worse, he was married then.”
“How did you break free?”
“Thankfully one day, he dragged me along a trip; he said I was being hogged. Once we were out on the open road, my people attacked. Noah was my hero that day, for he eliminated him, but a medic must’ve revived him later,” she explained.
“So you’re going back for revenge? Wouldn’t that break the peace between your people and his?”
“Before Rayna died, she and I held a council meeting. She told me about the time she left him to govern during her absence; the villagers begged her to never go away again. She told me that he’s never stopped trying to own me, so I had to be the one. There’ll be no witnesses, because he thinks I’m still weak. Novo will appoint the next legacy as reigning ruler. Otherwise, they’ll ask me to take on two villages.”
“You’re strong and braver than you give yourself,” complimented Kakashi. “You do what’s best for your people. That’s why they nobly follow you. Novo would be foolish to reject your governing.”
Esther gave him a warm look; a small smile appeared on her face. Kakashi returned the gaze.
“I never wanted to take on this life, but I love Ame. I’d be selfish to hide my powers and store them. But I wanted to lose my virginity to a lover, someone I could give my heart to,” she cried.
VI
The night was so dark; it was difficult for Esther to determine whether her eyes were really open. Her breath was shaky. The pitch black traumatized her. She slowly untied the stash from around her waist when she heard the sound of footsteps. Esther held her breath. As the door opened, a faint candle light appeared, but it wasn’t enough to draw out the shadow.
She jumped when she felt a pair of strong hands firmly grip her love handles. Her body stayed tense even when the mystery hands slipped off her silk robe. Esther wore nothing but all natural under it. Normally, during this process, the visitor was to remain anonymous, but she made an exception for the night. She brought the candle light closer in order to see his face.
“I want to see the man behind the mask,” Esther silently spoke.
Kakashi brought his hands to cup Esther’s face. He leaned in so the fabric could absorb her tasty lips; even with the mask on, he could feel the sensational wonder she contained. While still in the kiss, Esther slowly pulled down his mask, Kakashi blew out the candle light. That didn’t discourage Esther, for she knew another way to see his identity.
First, she let Kakashi undress himself. He even removed his Leaf head protector and allowed his silver bangs fall on his forehead. Esther pressed her entire body closely against him. Kakashi was a bit stunned, but he loved the feel of her developed chest squish far in his lean, muscular chest.
“You chose the hard way,” Esther teased.
She started with his abs, rock solid. Her fingers counted the number of packs he had. Kakashi grunted.
“That tickles,” he admitted.
Esther smirked. She then moved her hands up to feel his man breasts. His arms were next: broad shoulders, meaty biceps and triceps, she only guessed what his workout was. Lastly was the greatest of all, his face. Her fingers touched and rubbed all over; they came across his perfectly shaped lips, gorgeous cheek bones, and his eyes. They pulled back once she came across the scar on his left eye.
“It was only a battle wound from when I was a kid,” Kakashi explained.
“The fact that I can feel it tells me it was pretty deep.”
“Well, what can you say about my face?”
“It’s all that I imagined,” she smiled.
Kakashi pulled Esther in for a passionate kiss. They both gave in their strength; their tongues dueled inside each other’s mouths. Kakashi wrapped one of Esther’s legs around his back, and then did the same with the other one. Their lower ends were so close to one another; his tip touched her opening. Before Kakashi set her down on the bed, Esther adjusted his hard penis and slipped it inside of her. Already, she moaned out of delight; nevertheless, her toes curled, and her fingers dug deep into Kakashi’s shoulders.
“I’m not gonna hurt you.” He breathed in her ear.
Esther kissed his lips once more before she spoke.
“Push me in,” she told him.
Kakashi’s arms moved to her back. He hugged her so tight, she yelped out of surprise. She never thought a penis could be so long let alone feel so warm and pressured in her. She had never experience that kind of feeling before.
“Lay me down.”
Kakashi gladly obeyed. He started off slow to warm up. And besides, he still had to explore every detail about her. Esther panted when his gentle fingers played with her nipples. Kakashi’s grunts grew louder as his speed increased. Esther couldn’t believe the difference; she and Kakashi were actually . . . . making love. She urged for him to thrust in deeper; his upper body lie on top of hers, her hands stroked through his hair. Kakashi got a better rhythm every time Esther moaned in his ear. Gradually, she turned Kakashi over and gained control. Normally, a priestess would never change roles, but being with Kakashi made her forget all the rules. They smiled at each other and caressed one another.
Esther then sat up and pushed her hands against Kakashi’s chest. Not only did she pump up and down, but she even thrust her hips back and forth. They both were lost in a sea of pleasure and satisfaction; their heads tilted back as their voices told the world of the magic they were making.
“Oh gosh I’m gonna come. I’m gonna come!” Esther panted.
“So am I. I’m ready, ugh,” Kakashi grunted.
Esther’s motions eased. She felt like she had given Kakashi all of her energy. She rolled off and lay right next to him. Her mind was blown away; they had made the thunder roar. But unfortunately, good things had to end, whether she liked it or not.
“Do the men ever spend the night with the priestess?” Kakashi asked. He too was winded.
“No, because then we’d see their identity when it’s supposed to be anonymous,” Esther monotonously spoke.
Kakashi sighed and disappointedly sat up. Instantly, Esther grabbed his arm to stop him. He looked into her grieving eyes. She feared Kakashi leaving her.
“But since I already know your identity, why follow the rules now when we’ve already broken them?”
VII
Naruto, Sakura, Yamato, and Kakashi all gave their respect to both Esther and the Emperor of Novo. Kakashi grew envious and infuriated when he saw the lustful pig eying at his women. Esther’s eyes begged for Kakashi to not get involved.
“I cannot tell you how grateful I am that you brought my precious here,” thanked the emperor. “Sometimes she is so busy she doesn’t have time for her biggest patient, my condition would’ve gotten worse.”
‘I’ll show you how your condition can get worse,’ Kakashi thought.
“I thought you guys were getting married?” Naruto blurted.
“So you were informed? Well, yes we are, the wedding is tonight. Please come and stay, you men will get to see how lucky I am to have the loveliest bride there is,” said the emperor.
“We must return home, we give our congratulations your Highness,” said Yamato.
Esther and Kakashi stared at one another. He was worried about the outcome, but she only smiled at him, letting him know that she’ll be alright.
“Then I guess, farewell, my ninja friends. I speak for Novo, that we are indebted for your help.”
The entire journey back to Konoha was awkward and quiet. Not even Naruto had the courage to tease Kakashi, but that didn’t stop him from muttering. Sakura questionably glanced over at captain Yamato, but not even he knew what was troubling Kakashi.
“It’s nothing to worry about Sakura. The feel of mourning still spreads throughout the Land of Waterfalls,” Kakashi spoke.
“I sensed it too, senpai. Shouldn’t there be another queen reigning instead of an emperor?” Yamato asked.
“The priestess said they couldn’t find her. She was lost when a great disturbance in the waterfalls occurred years ago. The search party never found her,” Kakashi explained.
“Hey, Kakashi-sensei, what was better? You’re boring perverted books or your personal perverted night with that enchantress?”
Sakura’s eyes angrily widened. She could not believe what she just heard.
“Naruto, you sicko! I should break your body for making up such lies! The only noise I heard was your snoring!”
Kakashi blushed and glanced over at Yamato who winked at him; Kakashi sighed out of relief. But that night could never be forgotten. He had Esther all to himself, the goddess whose beauty cast him under her spell. He could still feel every touch, every kiss, and even the fragile sensation of her hands caressing his naked face. But the memory only made it harder. Unless Esther found another kind like herself, she could never be Kakashi’s alone, and he wouldn’t want to share her.
