Author's Note: Okay. I was incredibly bored, and this happens to be what I came up with. Well, my first Victorian era fic, I never written this type before, so I wanted to try it out. Well, I'm not keeping you any more, read on. =)
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Honor
Chapter 1
Fiance? What fiance?
Sakura gasped as her maid gave one last pull on the corset around her waist. She was wearing a simple green off-shoulder number, paired with a matching skirt worn over a petticoat. The skirt was styled in ruffles and layers and the ends had jewels sewn on them in an elaborate pattern. The corset she had on was in a much darker shade of green with a velvety material, very much unlike the silk and satin which her entire dress was made of. She had on long white silk gloves and a pair of silver heels. For her jewelry, all she wore was a simple emerald choker, and a pair of diamond earrings. Her long pink hair was powdered and styled into a French twist on the base of her head, her bangs were curled and left to frame her face.
Her maid stepped back to admire Sakura as soon as she finished tying the corset around her waist. "You look stunning, Sakura-sama."
"Thank you, Matsuri." Sakura replied, not once taking her eyes off her reflection. "You're dismissed."
As Matsuri bowed and turned to head out the door, Sakura watched the reflection of Matsuri's retreating back.
Matsuri was the daughter of their housekeeper and was a year younger than she. They used to play together in the back garden of the Haruno estate. Matsuri had also shared in some of her lessons as Sakura's parents were kind enough and they've taken a great liking to Matsuri. But as they grew older, Matsuri had become more distant. She never once spoke with Sakura unless necessary. Sakura too, refused to play with Matsuri. When her parents asked, her excuse is always, "I am the daughter of a viscount, which means I should take my role more seriously." Her parents would just smile sadly. Up until this day, she still never knew why.
A knock on the door disrupted her thoughts.
"Enter." Sakura said.
The door opened and a voice said, "Good to see you too, Sak."
"Sasori," Sakura sighed, turning around to face him, "What brings you here?"
"What? I can't even visit my little sister?" Sasori said, putting his fist over his chest, feigning hurt. "You wound me, Sakura."
Sakura groaned a very unlady-like groan, "Whatever, Sasori. Back to the point, what brings you here?"
"I can't believe it, I'm unwanted everywhere." Sasori said, shaking his head.
"Whatever do you mean?"
"It's mother, she was screaming her head off at me over my appearance, saying that there's too much of this, and a lack of that." Sasori groaned, "I can't take it anymore."
Sakura walked over and gave a comforting pat to his arm. "But mother is always like that."
"No, this time it's much worse. Father practically had to order guards to hold her down before she came hitting me. Then he told me to go somewhere else for a while."Sasori said.
"Maybe it's because this is the first ball since I came of age and she's determined to marry us off." Sakura said.
"Yes, that must be it." Sasori murmured. Then after a while, he looked Sakura up from head to toe, his head in a small nodding motion. "You look great."
"Thank you. You look quite stunning as well. I'm quite sure that there will be a flank of women chasing after you tonight."
"Don't remind me," Sasori mumbled, groaning.
But it was true. Sasori was handsome. His height passed over six feet, and he was broad with an angular bone structure. His red hair, which was usually a mess on his forehead, was styled and made to stick up. He was wearing black dress pants, a white dress shirt, a gray vest, a black bowtie, and a long black jacket, unbuttoned. His hat was tucked under one arm.
"Why not? If that is the case, then Mother will stop coming after you and threaten you to marry," Sakura offered.
"No she won't," Sasori said confidently.
"She won't?" Sakura asked, quite surprised, "Why not?"
"She won't stop bugging me until you've married off, as she feels that you're my responsibility," Sasori said, then added, "I should tell you though, Sak, you are forbidden to marry any rake or rogue, which includes my gang."
"Of course!" Sakura exclaimed, "What do you think am I? Besides, I do not agree to arrange marriages. I will only marry for love."
Sasori, despite his overprotectiveness for his sister, was a rogue in town. He was in a gang which consists of other men his age. She had never heard of a woman in the group though. Some of them were rakes, others were rogues, and a few were both. In Sasori's case, he was a rogue.
Sasori looked sideways and snorted, "Great words, my dear sister, just great."
"You're mocking me!" Sakura accused.
"I am not." Sasori said.
"What time is it anyway?"
Sasori took out his pocket watch and flipped it open. "A quarter past six."
"Already?" Sakura's eyes widened.
As if on cue, there was a knock on her door.
"Enter," Sakura called out.
The door opened slightly, "Sakura-sama, the viscount wants you down now. She also wanted me to ask you if you knew where Sasori-sama is, as she had the whole staff look for him."
"I'm right here." Sasori declared, grinning his lopsided grin. He then added sarcastically, "My goodness, did she really worry about me? I can hardly believe it."
Sakura flashed him an irritated look, then turned to the door, "Matsuri, don't mind him, he's the world's biggest idiot- "
"That hurt, Sak," Sasori cut in, feigning surprise.
"Would you please shut up?" Sakura ground out, turning her head toward him. "Anyway," Sakura continued, turning back to Matsuri, "As I was saying before my dear brother interrupted me, please tell my mother that we'll be there immediately, and that she need not worry about Sasori, for he didn't disappear into the great unknown."
"Of course." Matsuri bowed, then hurriedly headed out the door.
"Sasori!" Sakura rounded on him as soon as the door was shut, "You made everyone look for you! Didn't anybody know where you were?"
"Nope." Sasori said, "As I told you before, I was unwanted."
Sakura shook her head, "Whatever, come on."
"I'm warning you though, mother is terrifying right now, she could probably scare off an entire army of rebels." Sasori said.
"I'm hearing you, now come." Sakura said, exiting her room, with Sasori right behind her.
"I'm serious, Sakura."
"We'll see, we'll see."
They desended the staircase slowly and when they reached the main floor, a maid directed them to the sitting room.
"Ah, Sakura, there you are." Her mother said. "Sasori as well, I see, I was beginning to wonder if you've actually disappeared from the face of the Earth."
"Mother!" Sakura protested, "Sasori was just with me."
"Ah, yes, so I've heard." The viscountess said. "Stand in front of me, Sakura, I want to see how you look."
Sakura obeyed and stood in front of her. Her mother looked her up and down, the only words she uttered were, "turn around", "raise your arms", "twirl", "look up", "head down". Finally, the duchess nodded, "You look alright, it's a good thing that green complements your eyes. Or it will be absolutely difficult to find a good color for that hair."
"Mother!" Sasori exclaimed.
"I don't like your tone, Sasori." She said in a warning voice, "But it doesn't seem like we have much of a choice, if we have him wash his hair, then we will indeed be late for the party."
The viscountess was a tall and slender woman in her early forties with long auburn hair that fell past her waist. But right now, it was piled atop her head. She had dark eyes and thin lips and a very stern look.
"Sayuri?" A voice called out, then a tall man entered, parting the curtains. "Shall we leave?"
"Yes, of course, Ayame, have the carriages been prepared?" Sayuri asked.
"Yes."Ayame replied.
"Then we shall leave immediately," Sayuri said, standing up.
Ayame nodded, then turned to the other two in the room, "Sasori. Sakura." He acknowleged.
"Father," they greeted simultaneously, lowering their heads.
"Come, both of you, let's leave." Sayuri ordered.
Sasori and Sakura both obeyed quietly.
They arrived the party at exactly seven o'clock. It was held at the Hyuuga's manor, to celebrate the coming of age of the daughter of the count, Hinata. Sakura was quite close friends with her and her cousin Neji, and she had bought her a gift, a pair of lavender colored earrings. Ayame, the viscount, hopped down the carriage, then held out his hand to help Sayuri. Sasori followed suit then turned to help Sakura.
They presented their cards to the butler and he took their coats. And as soon as they entered, Akira Yamanaka, the gossip queen of Konoha, came forward to greet them, pulling her son along. Ino had immediately ran to Sakura as soon as she entered her sight.
"My lord," Akira curtsied to Ayame.
"Yamanaka-san," Ayame nodded back in reply. "I must be off to speak of certain matters with Fugaku then. Have a great evening. See you later."
Sayuri nodded, "Yes, yes, go ahead." As he left to look for Fugaku.
Sasori immediately said that he will look for his friends as soon as his father left. Deidara, Akira's son, excused himself too, then they left to look for the other guys in their group.
Ino and Sakura followed suit, arm in arm.
Ino was tall with long blond hair, curled and braided. She was wearing a midnight blue dress, which complemented everything about her.
"Sakura!" Ino said, as soon as they were out of their mother's hearing range, "Long time no see. How have you been?"
"Great," Sakura said drily. "But just to refresh your memory, the last time we saw each other was the day before yesterday."
Sakura and Ino have been the best of friends ever since they can remember. They always hang out together in each other's houses when they were young. And as they grew up, they met Hinata and Tenten, who completed their little group of four.
"Whatever. So, have you found someone you want to marry yet? I'm willing to bet my new diamond necklace that you're mother has been pressuring you into it ever since you came of age." Ino said.
"No, I haven't." Sakura sighed. Ino was only a few month older than she. "What about you? Find someone you like yet?"
"Well, I do like someone. It's just that, well, he hasn't shown any sign of interest." Ino sighed, "Mother has been pestering me into marriage ever since. I always tell her that I'll wait until the time comes when I find the right guy. I told her that I want to marry for love, not just for money. Then she always says that she wants me married before the season is out."
"So, who is it that you like?" A voice said from behind her.
"Tenten, Hinata!" Ino turned around and exclaimed, "How lovely to see you guys. Which reminds me, happy birthday, Hinata! Your present is on the table together with the rest."
"And mine is with mother."
"Thank you." Hinata said, "So who is the lucky guy, Ino?"
"Don't sound so amused, Hinata," Ino warned, "After tonight, your mother will immediately drag you into husband hunting."
"Ino, you make it sound like we're looking for seafood!" Sakura scolded.
Tenten laughed, "No kidding, my mother has been complaining that my first season is nearly out and I haven't found a suitable husband."
Tenten was a year older than the three of them. Her long brown hair was styled into curls and pulled up, she wore a pink dress.
Hinata, on the other hand, has her dark hair down and in ringlets. She wore an extravagant lavender dress adorned with pearls.
Sakura complemented them, "You both look lovely."
"Thank you," Tenten said, "You guys too."
"Thank you. But anyway, who is this lucky guy, Ino?" Sakura asked.
"Oh, well, it's Shikamaru Nara." Ino said shyly.
"Nara!" Tenten exclaimed, "That guy has got more brains than Albert Einstein. I'm amazed, Ino, great choice."
"But exactly what made you like him?" Hinata asked.
"Well, there was a time when I was out for a stroll at the park, and suddenly, my bonnet fell off and the ribbon disappeared. Shikamaru saw me panicking and ran to help, but then it went into the lake. So he bought me a new one instead. I haven't been able to stop thinking about that guy since."
"Wow, congratulations then, for being the first among us to fall in love." Sakura said.
"Well, yes, but he's the one I want, not those damn idiot suitors who fall at my feet with brains the size of a pea."
"Ask him then." Tenten suggested, "on a date."
"Tenten!" Ino shook her head. "You know perfectly that a woman can never ask a man out."
Suddenly, a voice called them, "Sakura!"
"Mother?"
"Oh, happy birthday, Hinata. Best wishes." She said.
"Thank you, My lady." Hinata said.
Sayuri nodded, then turned back to Sakura, "Come, I have someone I want you to meet, Sakura."
"Alright, mother." Sakura said, "See you guys later."
"Mother, what is it?" Sakura asked as her mother pulled her along through the crowd.
"You'll see," Sayuri said.
Finally, they arrived a corner of the room.
Sayuri said, "Sakura, my dear, may I introduce you to your fiancé."
"Fiance?" Sakura echoed, her eyes wide. "I don't have a fiancé, mother."
"As a matter of fact, you do, from this moment on." She said firmly, "Now, as I was saying, may I introduce you to your fiancé, Itachi Uchiha."
Author's Note: Soooo…..what do you think? Please tell me! Review please! Also give me some suggestions regarding this fic. The number of reviews I get will be my basis on how soon I'll put up the next chapter. Just please, review! =)