This is the second chapter of Promise Me… Thanks and here we go…

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As they approached the wall of Konoha, Kushina looked around by the corner of her eyes and continued to elaborate an escape, but if before it was remote now it would be an even more impossible situation with five men guarding her and as they stopped in front of the wall, she held her breath when she saw the familiar door up close after so many years, memories came crushing to her and she held her baby closer, tucking the soft blanket around his tiny body.

She watched as the door slowly opened, showing two lines of villagers who had been waiting since they heard about the bearer's arrival, slowly their group walked down the path leading to the King's residence, passing by all the people who had their eyes glued on the figure of Kushina and her baby, the most indignant ones spoke loud enough for their words to be heard by Kushina, she covered her baby's face so it couldn't be seen, she kept her head down and followed the feet of Kakashi who was walking in front of her, but still looked around by the tail of her eyes for a chance of escape, the villagers started to become more aggressive and some stepped out of line but went back at once when they saw Kakashi's eyes on them, every now and then another one did the same and pointed his finger at Kushina while shouting together with so many other voices around them, when another villager tried to approached the group with something hidden under his sleeve calling the full attention of the five men, that was when Kushina took the chance to flee, she pushed her way thru the mass of people that were in her route of escape, curling herself to protect the body of her child, receiving some punches and kicks during doing that, when she was near a house that blocked her way she felt a sting on her left arm but didn't pay attention to it and jumped as high as she could to climb to the house's roof, she moved as fast as possible because she knew she was being chased, even if her child was born only ten months ago she was still in good shape and doing so many maneuvers was easy for her, using the shadows that were all over the village she hide on a tree top and waited to see Kakashi and his men, as the five figures passed by the tree she was, she looked in between the branches to find a already closed gate, the night was getting colder and there was no moon which helped her on hiding, she stayed as quiet as possible elaborating what to do for the next few hours, she had come into the village covered by her cloak which meant the villagers wouldn't recognize her, but if she still did try to go out without it, she was sure to be capture by the King's guards, she looked around and tried to find a better place to hide but suddenly her left arm went numb and she grabbed the branch with her legs, but then her left leg went numb too and as she struggled to don't fall off the tree, she heard a voice.

"That sure took long"

Kushina was now hanging up side down with one leg hocked on the branch and her right arm holding tightly to her baby, she looked to the spot from where she heard the voice coming from and saw a shadow detached itself from the many shadows around her, then there was a young man looking at her, he had white hair tied up at the back of his nape and eye glasses, he approached the tree Kushina was and looked to the now uncovered face of the child she had on her arm.

"So this is the bearer…" he said lifting his hand to touch the golden locks.

"Don't touch him!" another voice came from the darkness of the night and Kabuto froze, a pale looking man approached them and helped Kushina to get down the tree and sit on the ground.

"I apologize for my apprentice's behavior" he said slightly bending to Kushina "A royal child is never supposed to be touched without consent".

"You think you can fool me?" She said with menacing eyes.

"I know I did terrible things in the past, but time has changed me" he said kneeling near Kushina "I can be your most reliable ally when time comes" he whispered to her ear.

Kushina looked at him in the dark and noticed the smile he had, his eye never left hers as he stood up and went to stand few feet away, just then Kakashi appeared from another tree top and fixed on both men near Kushina.

"Orochimaru"

"Kabuto paralyzed her, now it will be easier to do your job"

"I had everything under control" Kakashi said getting close to Kushina checking on her condition, finding out that the left side of her body wasn't moving "You didn't have to use that method, it will take days for her to regain her movements" he said looking angrily to the pair standing, he didn't mention the excruciating pain that would follow the numbness of those days, like muscles twisting over and over in an endless cramp.

"The orders were to get them, didn't specify what way to use" Orochimaru said starting to walk away.

"Can you stand?" Kakashi turned to her and held her numb arm, forcing her to her feet, she lost her balance and hit the tree behind her with a strong thud, sliding down its trunk again.

"It hurts" she whispered in pain.

Kakashi waited for few minutes more and tried once again to take her up her feet still with no avail, he decided to stay a bit longer and wait for his companions, walking alone wasn't a very wise decision, as the minutes passed, one by one the four men appeared and Kakashi sent one of them to find help for Kushina, he came back with another advisor and he tenderly took the baby from her arms after assuring her that nothing bad would happen to her child and he waited for her to be lifted from the ground and they started to walk again in the direction of the palace, when the door was opened, the man holding the baby entered first followed by the rest of the group.

They were greeted by the guard captain Ibiki and they were led to the royal hall, where the King was waiting for them, as the doors opened, Kushina held her head up and put her most fierce face to meet the who had destroyed Minato's life.

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The room was heavily decorated with gold; crystals and precious stones, there were candles everywhere on golden stands adorned with rubies and diamonds, vases made of marbles with plants were in line beside the pillars that led to the center of the room where four half naked women sat on a carpet surrounded by pillows of all colors, they laughed and held fruits on their hands while they listened to the man that sat on the golden chair on the center of the carpet, he stole a long kiss from one of the women and grabbed the wrist of the other one to get a bite of her apple, making its juice trace down her arm which he greedily licked with his tongue.

He stopped when he saw the only door in the room open and tilted his head to the side when he saw the faces that one by one came inside, first one of his advisers holding a child on his arms, then two guards, then Kakashi and then another two guards dragging a woman behind them which they dropped on the floor carelessly, his high priest had also entered the room with them together with his apprentice, one by one they fall on line and then kneeled, the King eyed the woman on the floor and looked to Orochimaru, ignoring her fierce glare.

He made a sign to the man with the baby and he slowly stood up and went to the King, removed the cover of the baby's head and kneeled again near the golden chair, the King smiled as his eyes saw the face of the bearer and looked again to Orochimaru, who approached the chair and bent over when the baby's belly was exposed to him, he looked closely to it and walked back to the line he was on and took a small knife he had on his belt and pocked Kushina strong enough for her blood to cover the knife's blade, he walked back to the baby carefully balancing the blood for it not to leave the blade.

"Please watch closely Your Majesty, it will last for only seconds" he said to the King as he placed the knife above the baby's belly, then he twisted his hand up and down, left and right while he whispered in a low tone and before everyone's eyes, the blood on the blade started to float on the air and formed a spinning circle of blood, then four large drops formed from the ball and dropped on the baby's belly, as soon as they reached the delicate skin, tow blues eyes opened in shock and the baby started to cry as loud as newly born as an ancient mark glowed on his belly.

The King's grin widened as the mark disappeared, his eyes filled with evil intentions, he sat back on his chair and Orochimaru and the advisor dropped back on their knees, he looked back to Kushina and there was victorious look on his face.

"You took good care of the bearer"

"His name is Naruto"

"The bearer is not supposed to have a name, nor love or knowledge…it's written and it shall be fulfilled"

"You should be the one who died, not the Queen; she would never allow that to happen to the child of her son" Kushina shouted and Naruto cry intensified.

"You know what to do with her" he looked to Kakashi ignoring the words of Kushina.

One by one, the men stood up and walked to the door, but Kushina fought to free herself and go to Naruto, during her struggle she was able to reach the foot of the man holding him.

"Please take care of him, I beg you" she said fighting back the tears on her eyes and stretched her hand to touch her baby's head, who was now quietly crying.

"Don't cry little one" she whispered, pushing herself with her good leg to get near, but before she was able to, her hair was violently grabbed by one of the guards and she was dragged out the room, her eyes locked on the child until the doors closed.

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End of chapter 2…

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