Naruto: Rise of the Fallen Princess

They crossed the border at dawn.

The air sharpened as they rode beneath towering cliffs, the sky pale above endless stone. The road into the Earth Country was wide and well-paved — too well, Hinata thought. Clean, precise, guarded at regular intervals.

The caravan was greeted by a column of armored couriers, marked with the Daimyō's seal.

Lord Masaru Ishida rode close to Hinata, his tone polite but low. "From here, Lady Hinata, we follow the official roads — those the Daimyō permits for dignitaries. They are… curated."

Hinata glanced at him. "Curated?"

Masaru's gaze swept the path ahead. "You will not see the true Earth Country from these roads. Only what they wish you to see."

They rode on.

Villages appeared at intervals — neat, orderly. Facades painted clean. Merchants displayed fine goods beneath banners. But Hinata sensed it: beneath the surface, something was missing.

Kuro growled softly once. Mitsue stirred at Hinata's shoulder.

In a quiet moment between outposts, Masaru leaned closer.

"This is the land of Earth, Lady Hinata. Not merely in its mountains — but in its hearts and structures."

He gestured subtly toward the horizon. "Here, where you are born defines who you are. The noble lines remain noble. The guildmasters rule their trades. The peasantry — and those without names — remain in their place."

He sipped from his flask. "Knowledge itself is hoarded. The greatest forges and techniques are locked behind bloodlines and guild seals. The common folk are taught little — only enough to serve."

Hinata's brows knit faintly.

Masaru continued. "Even trade is a gate. Foreign commerce is restricted to these official roads — and to artificial towns built for that purpose. Beyond them, you would find… other truths."

Hinata looked to the stone walls of the next town. Guards at every entrance. Streets are too clean. Smiles are too practiced.

She inhaled slowly, focusing her spiritual senses — letting her awareness flow outward beyond stone and paper screens.

And there, beneath the veneer: hunger. Bodies too thin beneath fine robes. Murmured complaints in the alleys.

She pushed deeper — past the walls — and caught glimpses: outer settlements where children worked stone quarries, where soot darkened faces and old wounds went untreated.

Her eyes opened — calm but colder.

Masaru's voice was soft. "You see it now."

Hinata nodded once. "A land where walls are not just of stone."

Masaru allowed himself a faint smile. "Precisely."

The caravan moves on — the city of Kojō ahead, its towers rising.

And as they neared its gates, Hinata kept her senses extended — searching for the unseen truths beneath this land of earth.

<<<< o >>>>

Closer to the capital of the earth, the road led them through winding canyons, the red and gray stone rising steep around them. The air grew drier, cooler — a land older and harsher than the green valleys they had left behind.

By midday, their path opened to a plateau — and there, built upon tiered stone terraces, rose Kojō, the Daimyō's seat: an ancient city of granite and dark timber.

Massive stone walls circled the heart of the city. Towers crowned with iron spires loomed above tiled roofs. The streets bustled with life — merchants in layered robes, artisans with carts of fine wares, guards in polished armor.

Yet beneath the hum of commerce, a tension could be felt — subtle, but present. Eyes lingered a moment too long at Hinata's party. Words hushed as they passed.

Kuro moved with calm dignity beneath Hinata. At her side rode her escort — Emi, Kenshiro, Souta, Ayaka — all alert, hands never far from their blades.

Behind them, Lord Masaru Ishida rode with practiced ease, observing everything with the eye of a seasoned diplomat.

Beneath her cloak, Mitsue coiled around Hinata's shoulders, flicking her tongue in the dry air.

The party was met at the first inner gate by a formal envoy — an officer in stone-gray armor, flanked by a retinue of guards.

He bowed. "Lady Hinata Gin, Princess of the Land of Iron. The Daimyō's court is prepared to receive you. You are welcome in Kojō."

Masaru's voice was low as they dismounted. "Remember — formality first. You will be observed closely."

Hinata nodded, serene but focused. "I understand."

With that, they proceeded into the heart of the city, winding through stately avenues toward the great citadel at its center — where the first true meeting with the Earth Country's Daimyō awaited.

<<<< o >>>>

The Audience Chamber was vast and cold, lined with towering pillars. The nobles and merchants gathered there wore silks and jewels—but their eyes gleamed with ambition, not grace. Their voices hushed as Hinata entered, curiosity mingling with barely veiled arrogance.

Atop a broad dais lounged the Daimyō of the Earth Country: a bloated man clad in robes of deep crimson and gold, rings glittering on thick fingers. His face was flushed with wine, his gaze sharp despite the excess.

Beside him crouched a ragged figure in motley garb—a hunched buffoon, forced to perform mock bows and jests at the Daimyō's whim. His thin frame and sunken eyes spoke of a life born in poverty.

The chamber was crowded, including a significant number of those with chakra that could equate them with shinobi. Hinata's senses scanned them: seven out of ten were women, all with potent chakra and refined manners. The glances and murmurs of the nobles made it clear: these kunoichi were prized for their beauty as much as their skill.

As Hinata entered, a ripple of reaction swept the room. A young woman? A foreign heir?

They would indulge her presence—but not with respect.

Masaru guided her to the foot of the dais. She dismounted with perfect grace, Mitsue gleaming upon her shoulders. Her escorts arrayed behind her—Emi, Kenshiro, Souta, Ayaka.

A herald intoned: "Lady Hinata Gin, Princess of the Land of Iron, heir to the House of Gin."

The Daimyō voice rolled out, heavy with feigned warmth. "Ahhh, the famed child of steel and moonlight. Welcome to my hall, Lady Hinata."

Hinata bowed elegantly. "I am honored to stand before you, my lord Daimyō."

She raised her gaze, calm and sincere. "My presence here serves a purpose, my lord. I have sought my father's blessing to journey through the five great nations—to understand their lands and peoples. It is my wish to visit Iwagakure and learn from your nation as well."

A chuckle rumbled from the dais. The Daimyō gaze swept her form—dissecting, measuring.

"Ah, a young one with curiosity. Admirable."

He leaned back. "Rumors have even reached these halls," he drawled. "Of how swiftly your land's artisans have advanced. Blades and tools of unmatched quality—and at common prices? Such disruption is… unsettling to old markets."

Hinata's voice remained steady. "My lord, both my father and I are greatly pleased with the desire of our people to improve. We believe that through skill and dedication, prosperity grows for all."

The Daimyō lips curled. "Marvelous indeed—for your artisans, and for your land. Yet such goods at common prices may cause… unexpected problems in the markets. Therefore, it is my wish that goods from the Land of Iron—those of the finest make—be purchased directly by this court. For stability, of course."

Hinata saw the truth behind the words: avarice. A scheme to buy low and sell high, controlling access.

Her voice remained composed. "My lord, that is… an unusual arrangement. Yet not impossible. If I may, in exchange, I would request that my priestess be permitted to travel your lands, to know your people and their hearts."

The Daimyō seemed to ponder her request, eyes gleaming with greed. After a moment, he laughed richly. "Granted. Let the priestess wander—a fair trade, for a fair gain."

Hinata's gaze remained calm, but inwardly her senses extended once more, brushing lightly across the souls of those gathered. The nobles glimmered as golden husks—polished on the surface, but hollow, greedy and brittle beneath. Even the man at his side, due to the bond they shared, Hinata assumed they were couse siblings or father and son, he shimmered with ambition, echoing the same empty hunger she sensed in the Daimyō.

Still poised, Hinata spoke aloud. "Then, with your leave, I would also ask: may I visit Iwagakure no Sato, to further my understanding of your nation?"

The Daimyō raised his hand with a grand gesture. "Of course. And to ensure proper company on your visit—you shall be escorted by my son, Lord Renji. A fine young man, worthy of great alliances."

The man next to the daimyo stepped forward: tall, clad in rich silk, with the same calculating glint in his eyes as his father.

It was plain—an attempt to push toward a political pairing.

Hinata inclined her head with flawless poise. "I am honored by your trust, my lord. I will be pleased to accept your son's company as escort."

The Daimyō eyes narrowed slightly, pleased. He snapped his fingers. An attendant brought forth a lacquered box.

"A token of welcome," the Daimyō announced. "Ore from our oldest veins—as tradition demands."

Hinata accepted the gift with serene grace. "I thank you, my lord. May our lands walk paths of peace."

"Indeed," the Daimyō purred. "You may proceed to Iwagakure in due course. My court shall watch your journey with great... interest."

As Hinata turned with grace, a whisper caught her sharp ears from a cluster of nobles behind jeweled fans:

"A princess, but still a girl. I trust that Lord Renji can bring her to heel soon, as a woman should."

Hinata's expression remained serene, but inwardly her resolve only hardened.