"The bravest thing I ever did was continuing my life when I wanted to die."

― Juliette Lewis

"But we don't have much time Father!" a painful scream heard that morning.

The blonde gentleman was very furious. Sakura – his very best friend whom he owed a lot of things – has disappeared few nights ago. Her parents were going all-out in search of their only daughter. They couldn't even sleep even for a second until they would found any traces of their beloved rosette.

Naruto couldn't do nothing but blame his idiotic self. Oh, how he hated himself for letting Sakura slip from his eyesight!

"As I have told you, Naruto," Minato calmly began. "We can't rush our every movement now. Her abductor could have set his eyes on us. Whoever he is, I'm sure he will monitor those who will try to take Lady Sakura back."

The future duke only grimaced. "But still, Father. How could you know that it only took one person to abduct my friend? How could you be so sure that this immoral human is observing us?"

The current duke adjusted on his seat and sighed before he looked straight to his son's cerulean blue eyes.

"Lady Sakura was abducted quietly and it was surely done in a place where no one could find her. To do so, a well-developed plan is needed and only one perpetrator if possible. Having some companion would only get the attention of those who attended the party. Also, Lady Sakura is a beauty to reckon with. It is very hard for a nobleman to ignore such otherworldly splendor."

Naruto grunted because he knew his father was right. What could he do this time? What could he do to help the one who encourage him to follow his dreams when everyone did not? What he could do to save the one who believe in his strength when no one could?

"What can I do then, Father?" the blonde asked. "What can I help with? Tell me what I can do!"

Minato sighed in defeat. "You have to stay still and wait for further information. I will demand your presence immediately if there will be news on Lady Sakura's whereabouts."

Even if he didn't want to, the blonde lad curtsied himself before retreating back to his own room.

He needed to take some actions. For Sakura's sake.

When the lady slowly opened her jade green orbs, only faint light from the lamp welcomed her. Sakura bitterly scowled.

'I still managed to live for another day, huh?' she thought.

She tried to teach her legs and only tears flown from her remaining eye. Sakura then realized that a clean bandage was warped around her left orb. 'He must have done this. How cruel…'

The pink-haired baroness swallowed all of her sobs as she pictured the faces of her beloved parents in her mind.

All Sakura could imagine were her distraught parents mourning as if there was no hope in saving her. All she could see were black. The world was dyed in gray… and no one would ever know the truth. Ever.

She couldn't afford to stay like that. She couldn't afford to die in vain. She couldn't fathom how painful it could be for her parents if she died for naught. There must be a way!

The pinkette roamed her green orb around the dark room and fully examined its details. She found nothing until she noticed a small object beside the lamp. Since the lamp was on a small table near the cage she was in, the lady tried to reach it.

A small creak was then heard causing a wild fire of fear to envelop her very soul. Her heart pumped so fast as if it would jump out of her chest.

'He's here… He is definitely here!'

"Sakura… Oh, dear Sa-ku-ra." The very man laughed… A very dubious and ominous laughter.

The raven-haired man walked slowly towards the cage as his piercing onyx orbs carefully observed the lady crumbled in terror.

He liked it. The dark-haired man loved how the pinkette was shaking in fear. It was… enticing. A very beautiful scene to behold.

"What are you trying to do my dear sweet Sakura?"

Sakura tried oppressing the fear that swells inside of her being before speaking almost like a whisper. "I could have asked you the same."

The black noble laughed menacingly as he stared at her trembling body whose jade orb were telling him something otherwise.

"Growing some backbones, aren't we?"

He then brusquely grabbed Sakura's right leg and pulled it out of the cage causing the latter winced in pain. The raven-haired man licked her leg as if it was a very sweet candy causing Sakura to cringe in fear.

"Isn't your leg as sweet as candy? How delicious could it be if it is served on my platter?" he uttered as he laughed ominously akin to a man who already lost the sense of reality.

Sakura's very body was trembling out of fear. She can hear how heart beat so fast that her voice has been shattered and not a sound could be heard.

The baroness couldn't feel her legs anymore; but the lady knew how disgusting and dangerous the man was.

She could die any minute.

The pinkette could have chosen death by now; but she has chosen to live in order to see tomorrow. It was a better choice than naught.

She also desired to know this man's true objective. To know the answer to all of her why's.

To achieve such outcome, she must do something. Sakura must do something so she could save herself from her own pitiful situation.

It would be a mind game between her and him.

That is her vow.

The lady will do everything she could to save her pitiful self. She has to… She needed to.

Her jade orb reflected an emotion burning inside her soul. The very man was shocked as he stared at Sakura's bright eye. It reflected something he couldn't pinpoint what it is. It is something… different. It is something that fueled his crazy side. It is something… his insane soul can't resist.

He laughed creepily. "I didn't expect this. Hahaha! I didn't expect this!"

The black noble then pulled a sharp stiletto out from his scabbard on his belt. Its cold blade touched Sakura's leg, making the latter shiver. She could feel the venom of the man's craziness from the blade's tip as it touched her hind leg.

"You can see this, right? This is my declaration of my love for you, my beloved blossom…"

Within those seconds, the rosette could imagine what her abductor would do to her. She couldn't do anything but to look away. She couldn't do anything just like how she couldn't do anything for her own life.

'Women are supposed to be weak in front of their lords, Sakura. We need to follow only one single rule and it is to obey them…'

She hated herself for it. Sakura never liked the norms of the society.

Few seconds had passed, yet she didn't feel any kind of pain. Instead, a loud scorching scream was heard.

It was from the black noble man.

He was writhing in tremendous pain as he unconsciously dropped the stiletto and her leg. He pulled his raven-colored locks forcibly as he stepped backward before he banged his head repeatedly on the left wall.

Sakura was so frightened of the sight. It was like watching a tremendous demon dancing a song of madness.

The man is the king of demons itself.

The black-haired noble then looked up and stared at the dark ceiling. The small light from the lamp barely lit his face making the poor lady shudder.

She could see… death in his dangerous onyx pools.

Sakura unconsciously crawled backwards using her hands as only support to her trembling body. But after a while, she tried crawling towards the table beside the cage she was in.

'Just a little bit more and I will reach it…' she thought. 'Just a little bit mo– "

"Sasuke."

She froze in her position.

"Sasuke is my name," he whispered using a cold yet tender voice.

The baroness couldn't believe what she had heard. Sakura was utterly shocked. She didn't expect it.

His black orbs shifted its vision to her. Sasuke – as what the man had called himself – smiled lovingly before he went towards the cage and carried the table out of the room with him.

For a moment, Sakura stayed in that position before realizing what just occurred. Horror then took over her soul as realization sink in.

That man. That man said his name. That man smiled as if nothing was wrong. That man was going to do something.

The poor rosette was sure of that.

Sakura could only close her eyes and clasped her hands together. Only dry tears fell from her only eye. 'Mother, Father. Please be safe. Naruto, may the Heaven's guidance be with you and save me from this hell... Let me see everyone once more.'

How wrong she was.

Author's note:

Whoah! Thank you for the reviews especially to anonymousfetishes, ILoveSxS, sasusakulovessarada, misochistSandy, and YoungBlossom. I am really sorry for not having a very intense update. You could say it is like the calm before the storm.

Reply to YoungBlossom: As for the stabbing on Sakura's eye, there is quite a good reason why that happened. There are much more mysteries regarding Sasuke and Sakura that everyone should anticipate.

So once again, thank you so much for the support!

Ciao!

~MaeveArte