Rye: HERE'S CHAPTER TWO!
Chapter Two: Meeting of Fate
The sun blazed brightly the next morning. Naruto stretched before getting out of bed. He made his to the nursery, but on the way, he stumbled into Iruka, who was heading down for breakfast. The blonde decided food sounded nice.
He sat down at a table with Iruka and some of the other guards. The royal family and the help ate in separate places. He didn't really talk while he ate, instead he listened to the guards.
"They say his execution is today, that rat thief! I still can't believe he tried to steal the egg and its bearer!" One of them said.
"Oh I agree, that was the most ridiculous thing I think I've ever seen. Its obvious that the egg bearer was going to be given the utmost protection!" Added another.
"Too bad he wasn't staying with the harem when the thief struck, it would have been hilarious watching the girls tear him apart." All the guards laughed.
Iruka and Naruto got up to leave. He apologized to Naruto if he the guards had offended him. But the blonde shook his head and smiled.
Naruto finally made it too the nursery. He took the egg of its pillow and held it. It twitched with joy as the blonde's warmth touched its shell. The baby was becoming more and more impatient by the second. He smiled at the shell, running his fingers over it. It was too bad that the shell had to be broken. It was so beautiful. Gaara came up behind Naruto putting his hands on the shell. The blonde jumped, making the egg slip slightly from his grip.
"I didn't mean to scare you..." Gaara said with a slightly apologetic look on his face. The blonde let out a sigh of relief before placing the egg on its pillow.
"Its not that you scared me so much as the fact that if I had dropped the egg now the baby inside would have died. Dragons are extremely sensitive and if they are disrupted at all during their egg faze, its not pretty."
"I will be much more careful now...I don't want this baby to get hurt." Naruto smiled a little at that. Gaara really did care. He felt better knowing the dragon's owner would care for him like it was his own child.
After his little encounter with the king, Naruto decided he needed a walk to clear his head. He went to his room and changed out of his priest robes. He put on the clothes that had been brought to him, feeling like he'd blend in more. He hoped that during this walk there would be no mishaps, such as getting lost. He was pretty sure he wouldn't, but just in case he dropped a smelly powder on the trail he was taking that would never loose its smell. But what he hadn't been counting on was that Suna was a very windy place.
When he tried to return to the palace he ended up following the scent trail into the deeper part of the village. After about a hour of wandering around, he admitted to himself that he was lost.
"You look very lost." Someone said. Naruto turned. It was that hooded man from the tea shop. Naruto rubbed the back of his head and let out a slight laugh.
"Was it that obvious?"
"Shall I help you?"
Naruto nodded and told the man about where he was headed. The man led him in the opposite direction he was originally heading. He felt like a complete idiot. They walked around for awhile and noticed that a lot of the villagers headed the same direction they were.
"The execution is today and finally everyone will see what real punishment will look like." A man said to his son, who sat atop his shoulders. Naruto shuddered a little, bringing a child to such a thing.
The man pulled Naruto closer to his body and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. The blonde looked over at his companion. He removed his hood. The first thing he saw were red eyes with black commas. Then it was his skin, pale as the moon. Raven black hair finished the sight. A slight smirk played on the man's lips.
"Stay close, you could get lost in this crowd." He said. Naruto felt himself relaxing into the touch, almost trusting him completely, even though he still had not learned his name.
They stayed in the middle of the crowd, almost following it, but then Naruto realized that they were headed to the same place. The palace came clearly into sight, but then so were the gallows. The thief was being held, since both his legs had been cut off, as well as his arms. They hadn't spared his face either, it was red, but since he was still so far away he could not tell what else they had taken. The man grabbed his face and pulled it away from the gallows.
"Such a pure soul like yourself mustn't look..." He said, holding Naruto's head to the side. It was almost like he was forcing the blonde to look at him. He could still hear it all though; the roar of the crowd, the sound of the body fall through the hole...the rope swinging in the breeze.
He almost wanted to thank the man for saving his eyes. The sounds were painful enough. The man led him up the stairs of the palace before a guard stopped him. He turned to leave when Naruto grabbed the man's cloak pulling him back.
"Shouldn't I know the name of my rescuer? My name is Naruto, by the way." The man just smiled at that.
"Three times. When we meet for the third time I will tell you my name. But I do think I will leave you with something."
He pulled Naruto to his body. Their lips met softly as the blonde's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates at the unexpected gesture. Naruto's head started to swim and his lips tingled at the new experience. He moaned ever so softly when there was the slightest swipe against his bottom lip. There was no tongue but it was mind-blowing none the less. He didn't want the man to pull back, but he did. The man blew a kiss before he descended down the stairs. Iruka came just as the mysterious man was out of his sight. The way he phrased his last sentence almost made it sound like a promise.
"Naruto, why are you touching your lips like that?" Iruka asked. The blonde let a goofy smile grace his features before he walked past Iruka so he could go to the nursery.
The rest of Naruto's day went by like a flash. He didn't even remember getting undressed, washing, or even getting into his bed. He laid his head against his pillow and smiled again. He pressed his fingers to his lips. If only he had learned that man's name...
~Next day~
The next morning also went like a flash. He spent the entire day preparing for the arrival of the baby. Gaara was excited, he was on pins and needles. And so was the rest of his family. Even Iruka seemed excited, even though the baby wasn't for him.
Meanwhile, Sasuke sat contently. Today was the day, the day he was getting his baby dragon. Kakashi stood faithfully at his king's side. The demon rose from his throne and looked over his thieves.
"My loyal thieves today you will embark on a great mission: You will raid the King's palace and steal the baby dragon that resides there. Also you must find and kidnap the priest, the keeper of the dragon. He is needed for the raising of the baby. Now go make me proud." Sasuke said. All of his thieves bowed before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
~Later that Night~
Naruto yawned as he laid in his bed. The baby hadn't hatched like he had planned. Perhaps he was just a little shy or a late bloomer. But he knew if the baby hatched while he was in his room he would know it. His eyes drooped, but he fought to keep them open. But when Iruka burst through his door; he didn't have to fight the feeling anymore.
"Naruto, you need to stay in your room right now." The blonde raised an eyebrow at his friend. "There are powerful thieves in the castle and they're after the egg and yo-"
Naruto had pushed Iruka out of the way of the door. He was running down the hallway to the nursery.
'Please still be there, please.' He thought as a solitary tear dripped down his face. He ran into the nursery and saw the egg still sitting on its pillow. Relief flooded Naruto and he let out a sigh. He went over and picked up the egg, cradling it in his arms.
"Well, well, looks like the little priest has led us straight to our prize. He's quite the pretty one, isn't he? Grab him and I'll get the egg." The thieves walked in slowly. Naruto backed up, trying to put as much distance as possible between him and them.
"Don't you lay a hand on him." Iruka said rushing into the room, spear drawn. He placed it against the larger thieves neck, making sure to walk around so he could stand in front of Naruto, who was shaking in fear. The thieves both laughed before the larger one snapped the spear in half. Both of the other men blinked.
Naruto remembered the smelly powder in his pocket. He threw it at the thieves, who cringed in pain as their eyes were covered in it. They let out cries of anguish as they rubbed their eyes trying to rid them of the powder. The blonde grabbed Iruka by the arm and pulled him as they ran to the window. He kicked it open, a few of the glass panes shattered upon impact.
They looked over the balcony and Iruka picked Naruto up bridal style before jumping. He landed on his feet like a cat. They looked up to see the thieves standing there. They ran back into the room, daring not to try that stunt. Naruto check the egg by tapping on it. He received a frantic tap back and he tried his best to soothe the baby, but the problem was he wasn't calm himself.
"Naruto, we may have a slight problem." Iruka said, turning away from the priest.
"Why?" He turned to face the direction his companion was and saw that they had jumped into the middle of a group of thieves.
One of them reached out to grabbed Naruto, but received a well deserved kick to the jaw. The blonde hid behind Iruka, who was trying his hardest to fight off everyone. He could hear the bones splitting, the blood falling, and the gurgling of crushed windpipes. Naruto actually shut his eyes. He couldn't look at something so...sinister. Iruka huffed as he stared down at all of his defeated enemies. The blonde opened his eyes again when he didn't hear anymore sounds.
"I think we're safe now." He said still panting a little. The original two thieves started to clap slowly.
"Now that was impressive. I do believe the second-in-command would love to have you as part of his harem. He loves it when they have a good fight in them." One of them said. Naruto knew Iruka didn't have the energy to fight off another two thieves and back up was no where to be found.
"Naruto, please run. I'll die before I let them get you or the egg." The blonde nodded before he took off.
"Go get the priest if we fail now the King will have our heads." One of the thieves took off running after Naruto. Iruka knew he wouldn't be able to stop him so he let that one pass. The other one stared him straight in the eye.
"You look so very tired, why don't you go to sleep?"
"Sleep?" Iruka asked. His vision started to blur and his mind became muddled.
"Yes sleep and have many pleasant dreams." He fell onto the ground and the thief smirked throwing the man over his shoulder. Kakashi would be pleased with him...
Meanwhile, Naruto could almost feel the thief's breath on the back of his neck. He was running much faster than the blonde ever could. He turned a corner sharply, trying to loose him, but he kept on his trail. The blonde thought about diving into the river next to the palace, but he feared the currents would smash him and the egg against the rocks. Naruto looked behind him and saw no one, he stopped. He smiled and turned again. The thief was standing in front of him, he tried to pull the egg out of Naruto's hands, but the blonde bit his arm.
"Why you little shit!" The thief growled punching him in the face. He had never been hit so hard before in his life. As he fell to the ground, the egg fell too. The last thing he saw was the egg hitting the unforgiving earth and the long crack that ran up the side of the shell...
~Hours Later~
Naruto woke when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He shot up immediately into Iruka's arms. He sobbed into his friend's chest, letting out a string of mumbled sentences. Iruka, being new to the whole comforting thing, awkwardly placed his arms around Naruto's shoulders.
"Um there, there. Also could you repeat that last part?"
"The egg...I broke...the...egg! It's shell...crack...baby dead." Naruto let out in choked sobs. Iruka's eyes widened and pulled the blonde closer.
"It's okay. I bet you the egg is with those thieves, they can use magic so it could have been an illusion to try to break your spirit."
The door burst open to reveal a gray haired man, whose face was mostly covered. He had two different eyes; the red one had a scar running through it. Iruka tried not to stare at the scar, but found himself not staring at the scar but examining the face as a whole. He couldn't deny that the mysteriousness made him more attractive.
"If you come without a fight, I won't hurt you." The man said.
Iruka pulled Naruto to his feet. They walked out of the dimly room into a well lit one. A man with a hood covering his face sat at a table. He had his right leg resting on his left and his hands were folded together, like he was observing the two. Iruka swallowed hard.
"Tie the blonde to my horse. Kakashi; do what you see fit with the other one." The man said getting up from his chair. Naruto could feel himself being pulled from Iruka and he began to struggle.
"WHERE IS THE EGG?" He screamed. The man in the hood turned back around to face him. He brought a hand to his face, like he was thinking.
"I ate it." He replied. Naruto's eyes widened before fresh tears burst from his eyes. The man came back to his prize and wiped the tears away with his thumb. When he was finished he brought his hand to his mouth and licked them off. He let out a dark chuckle before Naruto fell limp again.
Sasuke smirked as his men carefully put his prize onto his horse. His other prize, the egg was secured in a saddle bag. He looked to his second-in-command, who was ducking and dodging the servant's every attack. The man was very strong and fought very well, but Kakashi must have gotten tired of this little dance. He dodged the last punch, grabbed the servant and was carrying him, bound and gagged, over to his own horse. The other thieves, who were not killed in the raid or caught mounted their horses and road off behind their leaders...
~Back in Suna~
Gaara was furious, ever since Naruto and the egg arrived he had tripled the security of the palace and the city. Everyone went through a costumes check; so how on Earth did a group of thieves get into his city and even worse into his palace!
"Gaara, I know you are upset, but please, calm down..." Neji said from his place on a medical cot.
He had tried to protect his children while they ran for the chapels, but one of the thieves had landed a lucky hit on his side. Right now the priestess, his cousin, was treating his side as Gaara continued to pace. He sent the servants and guards to search the palace for his children and Naruto.
"Daddy!" He turned and was bowled over by his daughter, Temari. She had her grandmother's hair and eyes while her brother had his mother's hair and their grandfathers eyes.
"Temari, what's wrong?" He asked her seeing that she was in a hysterical fit at the moment.
"Naruto-san was kidnapped and-and the baby dragon smashed on the floor!" She sobbed. Gaara's eyes shot wide as everything clicked in his mind. The thieves were after the egg and Naruto! But since the egg was smashed in the raid, what was the point of taking Naruto?
"Dad! There's a group of thieves below the nursery balcony! They looked like they got beaten up by a wild animal! But a few are still alive." His son said, looking in disgust at the thieves he ordered the guards to bring into the room.
"This one said something about a second-in-command wanting the one who killed the others as well as bring Naruto-san to their king."
Neji held a hand up to his cousin and she pulled him into a sitting position before he stood, a hand pressed firmly on his wound he grabbed the thief his son indicated and he pulled him so close his breath was fanning his face.
"What was it you came for, speak the truth or you will learn that in my clan, a liar and a thief meet unfortunate ends." Neji growled out, his white eyes bleeding red with his anger.
"Our job was to get in, take the egg and get out. The others were sent to get the priest. Though the one who took him is dead anyway for hitting the child."
Gaara got up, sending his children and their aunt out of the room as he nodded to the guards. Neji didn't even flinch when blood splashed over his face and clothes.
"I want the egg found and prepared for burial. And I want Naruto-kun brought back safely, Gaara... We can't send him back to Fire with the news that the egg was smashed, Danzo may order another genocide..." Neji said, his eyes downcast watching the blood pool around his feet before he looked at his mate.
"As you wish, my love..." Gaara said, ordering the guards to search every inch of the palace and city for the thieves, Naruto and the egg...
~Back with Naruto~
Naruto groaned, his head hurt and he was bouncing around too much. He opened his eyes slowly before they shot wide and he tried to get up, but something pushed him back down. He tried this several times before a voice over him laughed and yanked him to sit side saddle and leaning into them.
"Finally awake, my little priest?"
"I am not little! Nor am I yours! Let me go!" He cried wriggling, but the man held him firmly, his hand dangerously close to his privates. "Move your hand!"
"No."
He jabbed his elbow back causing him to pull on the reigns, stopping the horse. Naruto tried to get away. but he held firm.
"My King, are you alright!" Kakashi called as he pulled up along side him with an equally vicious Iruka.
"I'm fine... the priest is a bit more violent than I thought."
Naruto glared at the man and tried to wriggle out of his arms, but he grabbed the back of his neck and put pressure on one of his pressure points, stopping his struggling and making him whimper in pain.
"Settle down. I don't want to drop you... And you, servant, I suggest you behave as well, I can easily snap this child's neck." he warned and instantly Iruka fell limp, glaring at him from his place in Kakashi's lap.
"Why'd you do that for? I was having fun with him moving about my lap!"
"PERVERT!" Iruka shrieked as he laughed at him and then took off as the king kicked his horse and was off as well.
Naruto, for the most part held still on the horse, but still every now and again tried to get free. The sun was rising and he was forced to bury his face into his captor's chest to protect his eyes. He jerked awake, not realizing he had fallen asleep and looked about the dark place they were in, there was no way he slept the day way! Just as he had thought this, brilliant light filled his eyes before he could see a vast valley surrounded by mountains.
"Oh my, so pretty..."
"Thank you, my people and I enjoy a lovely forest. Much like the one back in Fire..."
Naruto looked up at him, but he kicked the horse into another run down a wide mountain path, from rock and snow to rock and trees to forest and then open fields, the horses of the thieves traveled fast and hurried along the paths until reaching large stone walls and huge wooden doors with an uchiwa carved into the wood. The doors opened and the horse slowed to a trot as the people inside the gates cheered and bowed. He could hear woman screaming names, but the one that caught his attention was when a large gathering of women stood before them and screamed:
"Welcome home, Sasuke-sama!"
He heard the rider behind him snort and watched him wave them off as they split to let him pass. Naruto watched as these people welcomed these thieves as if they were war heroes returning home. He had no idea how right he was.
They arrived in front of another set of stone walls, these were thicker and a bit taller than the first set and a grand palace rested someways behind it. The metal doors opened and they road in. Naruto noticed that the other thieves either turned off and headed back to the city as others went down other paths from the main one leading to the castle. Once in front a man with white hair and light gray eyes took the reigns and steadied the horse.
"Thanks, Suigetsu... Sorry I couldn't bring you with me this time."
"Don't worry about it, Sasuke... Eh? Is that-?"
"Danzo's most prized possession? Yep. Dragon tamers are hard to come by since he wiped out most of them during the war. This one's going to be my queen. Is Aniki up?"
"Yes, the doctors took care of him, I came out to greet you since he couldn't... I see that Kakashi's missing again."
"Found himself another piece for his harem."
"Heh, a firm follower of the old traditions."
"If it means survival of the clan he'll fuck as many people as he can to bear his children, breeder demons are horny as hell you know- Unh!"
"Let go, you beast! Let me go! I have to save Iruka!"
"How, little priest? You couldn't even save the egg you were to protect."
Naruto glared at him, his blue eyes darkening as he shoved his hands at his chest a burst of light sending him flying off. Naruto smirked at him, but that was short lived when he was pulled from the horse by the king of thieves.
"Smart move, Suigetsu! Next time let him hit me." He called as he carried the small priest into his palace, the saddle bag slung over his shoulder. The blonde struggled in the King's arms the entire way.
"Let me go!" Naruto screamed.
The man calmly walked into the palace as he screamed and scratched. Servants stared nervously at the pair. If the blonde were a demon, the king might have already been murdered. When he reached a second flight of stairs Naruto had given up on struggling since it had gotten him nowhere, but closer to the king. Naruto thought back to poor Iruka and the fire was renewed in his belly.
"LET ME G-" He was cut off by being dropped onto a very large bed. Panic ricocheted through his chest as the king cuffed his wrists, pinning him. Naruto's eyes began to water with fear.
"Sasuke."
"What?"
"My name is Sasuke, this is our third meeting after all. I hadn't expected that you were the egg bearer, well it just makes things easier." Naruto's eyes widened, it was that man who had kissed him.
The king pulled off his hood while he leaned in and connected his lips to the blonde's neck making him whimper. That only fueled him to go further. He ran his hands up and down the blonde's body, trying to make him moan. Sasuke removed the priest's undergarments, meeting with a great deal of struggle.
"Why are you doing this?" Naruto asked, eyes blurry with held in tears. Sasuke's eyes flashed with lust, but then he shrugged.
"You are my bride-to-be, which entitles me to that perfect body of yours...perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself, you must want to wait until our wedding night. I respect that decision."
"WHAT? I'LL NEVER MARRY YOU!" Naruto continued to struggle against his bindings. Sasuke grabbed the blonde's face, smirking as he whimpered in pain.
"Know this, you will be mine, no matter how much you struggle or scream or deny that you feel what I do. You humans may not fall in love as fast as we demons do, but as soon as I laid eyes on you, I knew that I would do anything to have you."
Sasuke let go of his face and exited the room. The blonde looked down and then back up. The room was well furnished and the bed was very comfortable. Naruto laid back and rested his head on the soft pillows. He wanted to cry out his frustration, but felt that it would only be temporary relief...
