Prolouge:

"All agreements are contracts,but not all contracts are agreements"

It is empty. Cold. An uncomfortable silence hovers over our descended heros. There, two of them sit as a pair, and the third stands as an opponent. It is insignificantly quite for a family meeting.

A question-lewd, unexpected, and uncomfortable. The kind that forces the tongue up into the cheek. The couple is not embarrassed by it. Although their faces are bashfully scarlet, they are inappropriately intrigued. Neither answers-the question chokes their senses and both of them are aware that there is no delicate reply.

The husband, he approaches the question with an angry decorum, "Are you suggesting that I take a mistress to save my marriage?"

"No," the opponent replies-steady,soft,and swift. His reply sternly sets him apart from the young couple he sits across from. Much like the question,his glass eyes glaze over them easily, "I am suggesting that the two of you take the same mistress-together."

Crescendo on the last word (touchy fellow).

"We refuse."

The woman is keen on keeping her head down. It is proper that the blushing bride allows her husband to speak for her, yet the spiral of thoughts inside her mind are being melded into iron. Outside, her facade remains to be an unfaithful shade of red.

"Three years of marriage, and there is not a heir insight. It is evident to the rest of us that a fruitless marriage is not an issue beyond that of passion."

"Infidelity will not solve the problems of our marriage."

"Infidelity will not, but an consensual agreement may."

"We refuse." He repeats.

"You have nothing to lose." Retaliation.

And of course, as all unfortunate stories end- the young begrudgingly yield to the old.


The same elderly man sits in the same room and proposes the same question. This time, a single young woman is across from him. Her knees are politely clasped together and bent a pale colorless white.

"My Dear, you owe us."

He reminds her.

"Yes," she agrees.

There is not much conversation. The many complicated words and phrases have already been exchanged. They are now working out the details to the contract. Slight pen marks- here and there, it is then settled.

Her hand is heavy lifting the black marble pen.

"I look forward to meeting to with you next week, Tenten. We'll discuss the particulars then when you meet the lovely couple."

"Yes, of course, Hyuuga-sama"

Her voice is clenched as she signs and it rings a definite sound of "no."

"All agreements are contracts,but not all contracts are agreements"


"You are to sit and observe-to be neither seen nor heard"

She understood her directions. Digesting information was never difficult for her; Understanding information was the problem. There was simply too much to process. When one has too much of a simple idea, one is actually in a situation quite complicated.

Diligently, she sat. Bronze eyes peered through the thin window as nothing more than a flicker of candlelight- observing the couple she was to aid.

They were unaware and undisturbed by her presence.

She concluded that they seemed happy undisturbed.

The young wife was casually feeding her handsome husband. Her hand struck a piece of fruit and kindly lifted it to a stern jaw. He took the food rather willingly and reached out to hold her hand.

"How adorable."

To our observer's sudden surprise, it is not her own voice which utters these words. A pass byer- two bystanders have joined her through a distance, but unlike her, they are free to be both seen and heard.

The two bystanders have stopped to catch a glimpse of the lovebirds. They do this solely to fuel their own theories and gossip.

"They're adorable together, but I heard that she's so shy she won't let him touch her any further," the first bystander states.

"Not at all, in fact, I've heard its because he's completely withdrawn and born without any such sexual intention," the second responds.

The third, bites her tongue and prevails as the unseen.


"What have you learned?"

She finds herself in the same room with the same man only to be asked a different question.

"They don't need me."

Silence.

"Sir, they are in love."

He stands and moves himself towards her, circling her. Her takes her by the neck and thrusts her forward.

She is not hurt.

A fledging has fallen forward into his grasp. Tense shoulders in his arms tightly. Claustrophobic is the sensation of human embrace.

"Then why are you still here?"

He asks her, his breath mourning soft humid whispers on her neck.

She cannot respond- he does not allow her. He does not give her the honor to speak and selfishly does the act of speaking.

"You are here because we, as a clan, sense that you have a very special set of skills. The ability to entice, entrance, and enthrall all those who come into contact with you."
A lock of umber hair is taken gently and spun.

He continues.

"You are able to awaken dormant passions. That is why you are here to help the poor couple that cannot concieve."

She is not yet released fully; her cheek is still held captive by a ghostly beautiful hand.

"You are very beautiful, but we see more than your beauty. We see what you are capable of. We'd like to make use of your gift. By the time this is over, you will have helped save the lives of three unfortunate souls."

He caresses her lips, and momentarily releases her.


A/N:
Meh, not quite sure how I feel about this (or if I have what it takes to continue this story).
To be honest, I came up with this after watch Sleeping Beauty and reading up on Margaret Atwood.
That being said, I doubt this will end happily. If it is to continue, I suspect that there'll be a strange amount of dark and mature themes.
At least darker and stranger than this first chapter...
I'm not sure where I'm going with this at all. I may not continue this story because I'm not sure if it exactly holds out that much promise.
Anyway, let me know how you lovelies feel about it! : )
Your feedback is quite essential to me, since it'll decide the fate of this tale (whether it shall be continued or not).
As always, Cyber Butter Beer & Cupcakes to all readers : )