Verdandi would be standing on top of the Suna refugee camp on the outlook tower. The kiri soldiers manning the borders and keeping the camp secure. The refugees had been locked in here for many months now and Verdandi had been overseeing them to make sure they were well treated, fed and generally kept in an upbeat mood as far as it was possible. A small portion of them had already left the camp back when Verdandi came to ask for which refugees were willing to stay within mist country territory. Eventually dealing with the refugees from the north eastern islands and dealing with the blood and demon country ones that were being a bit unsocial to their new… allies on common ground. It was impressive how many sunaan people were not the slightest bit interested in staying here. She chuckled to herself. She could relate to them just wanting to go back home. Verd would stroll back down into the camp. She already had full authority from Aya to deal with them as she saw fit. Her talks with the other commanders were fruitful as well, though it seemed that Sero had his personal idea towards what he desired to achieve with the return of the refugees. The basic reasoning was rather simple though. The nations armies have pulled back from the sunaan front and only left behind a miniscule military presence. Mostly Kumo soldiers remained in the wind. Verd was unsure as to what Hastur promised himself from leaving some troops behind there.

She couldn’t really see how Kumo would end up controlling what was left of the wind. But he seemed reluctant to give up the bases his men had conquered during the nations siege. But those were geopolitical matters that only Ayakashi herself had reasons to deal with Verdandi’s primary job as leader of the Kiri ANBU was but only to care for her own nation’s safety and well-being. Leaving the refugees to just rot here in the dusty camp made up of tents was by no means a solution to this problem. They wished to return and Verdandi had promised to care for them. It would speak ill of her character if she wasn’t going to honor that promise and just leaving them here until they even potentially revolted in Kiri territory. Such potential outcome was certainly in no way in favor on what the princess was looking for. Returning the children of the wind back home had many advantages. It removed the resource strain that the feeding of the many refugees was putting on Kirigakure. It’d remove the requirement of soldiers to keep them guarding and the potential daily little troubles that could rise in a camp of the size that would hold over 200’000 people. It would put Verdandi in the good light of her superiors and political contesters as she would show her ability to properly deal with an actual problem of larger scale. It would give the sunaan people, all of these people here, a reason to speak in positive means about their temporary hosts.

Aside from all that. From the gains Kiri had to get by ridding themselves of the potential escalations and resource strains. From the tales the sunaan could spread of the kindness they had faced in the mist. It all also would give the mist perks on the political chess board. The current rulership of suna as a whole was brittle and scattered. There were feudal lords yet that had a certain amount of power within the cities they controlled. After all, Sunagakure had been destroyed and not all the civilian held villages. Verdandi had personally been for a long ANBU mission set in Suna’s capital and seen that, despite certain economical problems they were facing, the cities themselves were still as huge and filled with life as always. These people had leaders. Those leaders had influence and resources. Things that could be traded. Goods that would come in return to a positive influence on Kirigakure economic influence and trade power. An actual certain agreement was yet not really at hand. But the initial gift of returning Suna’s lost children to their shore would without doubt make it clear that the mist was dealing with good intentions on their western far away neighbor. It was all a gamble. Many values that could not certainly be calculated. Too many that would require the knowledge over what Suna’s future leaders were like and how much they cared for peace or preferred the security of utter seclusion and secrecy.

Dandi would drop from the lookout and take her stroll into the refugee camp. She was very aware that not all refugees were happy about being here in the first place. Some still claimed Kiri to be an oppressor to them. But Verdandi had made things clear many times that if any of them wanted to leave on their own accord they were welcome to do so. None of these people here were prisoners. Guests of the mist’s hospitality at best. Waiting until the political situation would finally give means to a return as upon the given promise of the snow princess. Verd would move by the tents. Many of the elders were very kind to her and showed their appreciation. Many of them were not biased by racism and the color of flags and skin. The pale snow princess would stand before the tanned people of the desert. Exchanging pleasantries with them. Sharing food with them and listening to the stories of the good old days. It was heartwarming to see that kindness was not lost here. But she could feel the pressure. The expectations over what was to come. But the day would be finally here. Sero had asked to make this move official during the meeting with Suna representatives in Konoha. The reveal of their plan to return the children of the wind back home. But uncaring of their reaction. The gift would be brought home to their shore.

The day after, Verdandi would rally the people. The elders of each tribe would arrive at her tent and the princess would share the news. “As promised the very day you had arrived here. The situation in your homeland is, despite little disputes and a few remaining bandit fractions left to deal with, in a state that allows you to return back home. The slums have been rebuilt and are capable of expanding. We will leave at the end of this month. The ships are preparing. The officials involved are getting informed. I want you to spread the word throughout the camp. Tell your people to prepare themselves within a fortnight. Tell them to slowly break down their long-term stations here. To pack up what they really need for their journey and rally their belongings. Tell them feed themselves well. As the journey ahead of us will be hard and bothersome. We will travel many days if not weeks into the desert. Through potentially hostile and inhabited, unprotected territory before we may arrive at the sunaan slums. My men will accompany you and so will I. Remember this and make yourselves ready. As the next time you see me. It will be to leave the mist’s port and head back. Back home.”


[EXIT]

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