Queen's Landing

Sayuri had made landfall a few days prior in the dead of night. Leaving instructions that the ship should remain as long as they received no word otherwise, or they ran into any issues, the Destiny stayed anchored offshore as the Ice Queen wandered inland. In truth she had absolutely no idea where she was going, she hadn’t really thought this far ahead. She’d imagined that it would be easy to spot the site of a massacre; the bright red blood and musical screams would be a beacon that would draw her in. But here there was only sand and heat and a few struggling plants that she didn’t recognize.

The sand was burning hot on her bare feet, or at least it would have been if she could feel it. She couldn’t sense the temperature very accurately but she at least knew it was hot and she wondered why anyone would choose to live here. Her long blonde hair whipped in the desert wind having long since come free of the braid she’d secured it in. She’d had the presence of mind to bring real clothing with her, since maintaining her Hyoton variety as she searched for a village would have been quite taxing. On her belt she had her daggers and a small pouch of money, but beyond that she had nothing.

‘You could have at least brought food.’

‘I did. I brought you, food for my soul.’

‘As amusing as the sentiment is, my Queen. I am quite serious, you need sustenance.’

‘I can make my own water, food can wait until we find Sunagakure.’

Jareth was truly concerned. He had the ability to keep Sayuri safe from quite a lot of things, but dying from hunger wasn’t one of them. She was correct in that she could create water herself, so dehydration wasn’t an issue thankfully, since that would take place over a much shorter time period than starving would. He encouraged her to create ice and snow when she could, making for an interesting scene as she travelled. Flurries of snow and the occasional ice sculpture made her path not so secret.

The Iwagakure Jounin that Chen had sent out in the wastes of the Wind Country was intrigued by a set of what looked like snow prints. The land around the Oasis was a desert so it was strange to find bits of snow and ice in an environment such as this. The Iwa-Nin was tanned and sported a long beard that reached his belt. He knew that the existence of ice in this area meant the presence of Ninjutsu. The only question was whose Ninjutsu was this?

The Jounin searched until he found a blonde woman wandering the desert. He thought this woman to be familiar but he couldn't be sure. She clearly wasn't interested in hiding her presence which meant she probably wasn't part of some strike force. He called out to her but kept his senses alert for any trickery.

"You there! Halt! You are in Earth Country territory. State your name, rank and purpose."

Sayuri hadn’t bothered activating her sensory, she feared no one. She casually strolled through the desert, spreading snow and ice wherever she went. So when eventually a man’s voice called out to her she was pleased, she had come here to find someone after all. She heard the order to halt, and although she did stop and turn to the man, it wasn’t out of any sense of respect or adherence to order. She was curious. Her movements were slow and deliberate and a smile spread across her face as she slithered towards her new distraction.

She would walk within a few meters of the man before answering, looking him over with interest and paying close attention to his long beard.

‘I wonder how strong it is. . .’

‘As strong as the hair on the top of his head I imagine.’

‘Yes but. . . how much weight can it bear?’

Jareth didn’t reply to the obvious bait, clearly Sayuri had been alone for too long and was seeking a diversion. In the face of a lone Shinobi it was probably not dangerous, but it wouldn’t help her to begin her journey by murdering a local.

‘A question for another time, my Queen. Weren’t you looking for someone?’

“Oh! Yes.” She grinned as she remembered her purpose in the arid environment and drew herself up to her full height as she replied, her voice carrying easily in the barren space.

“I am many things. I am the right hand of the Abomination and the Princess of Azrael. I am Sayuri, leader of the Yuki Clan, Princess of Kirigakure. I am named Ice Queen and Servant to the King of Lies. And I am here in search of the one named Chen, the artist responsible for the tales of power and subjugation I have heard. Who are you?”

It was a speech she often gave, and as she spoke her eyes would frost over, the wind around them whipping the gently falling flakes to match the intensity of her words.

This one has a few screws loose the Jounin thought to himself as he gazed into the blonde's unfeelings. She genuinely looked lost and confused. He was about to deport her when she introduced herself as Sayuri Yuki, a Princess of Kirigakure. The Iwa-Nin suddenly nodded in recognition of the world leader. Sayuri was a part of that bizarre three-person Kage system in Kiri. They called it the Princess Triumverate as he recalled. She wanted to speak to Chen regarding his works of late which fell under the "talks" category. The Jounin looked her up and down before nodding. This woman represented one of the Great Nations. One of Suna's former allies in-fact.

"Very well. Follow me. Lord Chen has instructed me to take anyone of significant rank to him. I'd say your status as Princess of Kiri qualifies. Stop shedding that snow immediately. I won't have you leaving a trail to the Oasis."

The Jounin then turned around and led Sayuri to the village formerly known as Sunagakure.\

[Exit to Suna]

As expected, the jounin in front of her recognized her authority and offered to guide her to her chosen quarry. And then the man tried to give her an order. Her mind darkened and the snow around her increased in intensity and she very nearly spoke the words ‘How dare you. . .’

And then Jareth stepped in.

“A wise choice.”

His words held a double meaning that he doubted the man would pick up on. Jareth had just saved his life. Sayuri had been pulled back abruptly into the recesses of her mind as he could feel her bloodthirst rising. The last thing that would be helpful would be murdering the only guide they’d found thus far to take them to Sunagakure. She was angry of course, but he soothed her with visions of delicious carnage as he walked after the jounin. The snow stopped as they walked, since Jareth hadn’t been the one controlling it at all, and with Sayuri no longer in control and suitably distracted the desert would return to its usual state of unwelcoming heat.

[Exit to Suna]