Disclaimer: Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto

二、It just so happens that many things I mention in this story weren't even invented during the Spring Autumn Period. I'm not talking abut TVs or anything like that; I'm referring to tea, which supposedly didn't become widespread until the Tang Dynasty a couple hundred years later. The point is, even though some things didn't exist in real life back then, they do in this version of the period :) I hope the wait was worth it! Enjoy.

FIDELITY

"Young mistress, I –"

"That's enough, Ten Ten. It wasn't your fault."

Sakura tried reaching out to her handmaiden; instead, all she could grab was a fistful of pitch-black darkness and spine-prickling chill. For a confinement cell no larger than a lavatory, it sure had a lot of space. Outside, they were getting loud, yelling and shouting like the war refugees she once saw fighting over a bowl of porridge. She knew, though, they were more angry than desperate.

"You shouldn't have covered for me," Ten Ten whispered. "I can take care of myself."

"If I got the chance to do it again, I wouldn't," Sakura paused. "Actually, I would. But who knew it would get so out of hand?"

She felt Ten Ten crawl up to her. "Is it true though?"

"What – the reason why they're so upset?" Sakura smiled as she remembered how she got locked up, her fate being decided just beyond the four walls around them.

"Yes," Ten Ten said, her voice suddenly full of anticipation. "Is it true that you've had four other husbands?"

。。。。。

The hostile fingers of spring crept up her shoulder and flicked her on her forehead. It was getting warmer; as the verdant buds sprouted up, all Sakura wanted to do was to crawl back into the ground. She didn't like the season of hope much, but who could blame her? Her past husbands had rather terrible timing – going around winter, leaving Sakura to mourn during spring. It was almost like a schedule.

"I presume you like jasmine?" Mikoto indicated the porcelain tea pot on the table. The soft waft of steam made the cold marble stone beneath seem cozy. Sakura took her eyes off the meek little patch of grass by the steps of the pavilion and nodded, the corners of her mouth curving just enough to form a polite smile.

Silence pressed down on her chest soon after her first sip; she was trapped. Sakura wondered about the number of these afternoon tea sessions she would have to spend with her new mother-in-law. It had been a mere two weeks since the wedding night, and Mikoto had requested to meet with her almost everyday. Then, it began drizzling, and the silent atmosphere that was beginning to crush her was pushed away. It rolled off and shattered like the vase her fourth husband stepped on to reach the rope he used to hang himself…

"Spring is coming," Mikoto stated as she stood up. "I…hope that the weather will not be the only thing that will be warming up."

"It certainly won't," Sakura got on her feet and bowed. Hope was all anyone could have when it came to her distant relationship with Sasuke.

"He should be returning at any moment," said Mikoto, reading Sakura's thoughts. "I shall expect you at dinner later."

With another curtsy, Sakura bade goodbye to her young mother-in-law. She smoothed the creases on her top and turned to Ten Ten. Her usual rosy cheeks were stripped of their color; Sakura felt her forehead. "Are you alright? You look ill."

Ten Ten laughed. "I'm fine, young mistress! Shall we go before it rains any harder?"

"I guess."

As Mikoto had predicted, Sasuke came home not long after Sakura went back to their chamber. The rain turned into a storm and melted what was left of the snow from a few days before. To Sakura's annoyance, Sasuke marched in with muddy shoes.

"Did no one teach you manners?" he asked, glancing at her like she had dirt on her face.

"I was raised to treat others the way they treat me," Sakura said. "Nonetheless…"

– She got up and took his baggage, her stomach contracting as her eyes barely made contact with the blue of his –

"Welcome back."

"Hn…"

Sakura brushed the curtain aside and walked into the bedroom, where she dumped the sack onto the bed and began unpacking for the man. Her mind blanked when she suddenly wondered what if the ribbon in the bag she was untying belonged to Sai, what if Sai never died. She sighed and sat down. Sai never questioned her up-bringing, nor did he leave dirty footprints all over the floor. Sai didn't, however, have an aura of esoteric blue. Yet the two – Sasuke and Sai – were so similar; the more time she spent with Sasuke, the more she realized that.

"Young master has left to greet his parents," Ten Ten entered and said. "Is there anything you need before supper, young mistress?"

"Have you gotten a reply from the silk merchants?"

"No, they – they said the color you requested is rare and hard to produce," Ten Ten answered as she walked up to Sakura.

Sakura pushed Sasuke's bag away. "Of course…" she scoffed and looked at her maid. "You look so sick. Are you sure you're okay?"

"To be honest, young mistress, I…"

Before completing her answer, she fell down to her knees and threw up. Sakura gasped and lifted her legs off the floor. Coughing, Ten Ten waved a hand. "I'm…fine…"

Sakura scurried across the room, grabbed a towel, dipped it in the wash-basin and squatted down by Ten Ten. "No, you're not," she whispered, wiping gently. "You should've said something earlier…"

"Must be something I ate," Ten Ten sighed and took the towel. She began cleaning the floor. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault you don't get proper food," said Sakura after a pause. The nauseous smell seemed to have disappeared as she watched the girl scrub the floor. "You're not feeling well, why don't I take over?"

Just as Ten Ten was about to protest, she froze when she heard footsteps approaching from the outside. Sakura helped her up in time to bow at Mikoto, who appeared from behind the curtains.

"What is that smell?" the mistress asked, her usual serene face scrunching up. "Did you vomit, Ten Ten?"

"No," Sakura quickly denied the truth. "I…did."

Mikoto suddenly appeared delighted. "That – well, I," she laughed and shook her head. "I was going to ask you to come for dinner. You know, Sasuke told me to give the job to one of the maids, but I'm glad I came. Now, let's go."

"Actually, I don't feel very well. I think I'll stay in the living room," Sakura held Mikoto back when they were at the doorsill.

"I'll send the food over then, and some ginseng soup," Mikoto touched Sakura's face lightly with a smile. Before she walked out, she turned to Ten Ten. "When I stop by later, I don't want the scent of that smell to be lingering about, not even a bit."

"Yes, mistress," Ten Ten said, rushing to open the windows as soon as Mikoto was out of sight.

The rain was stopping; Sakura watched the grayish-blue turn bright and clear. She gave the first thought of settling her heart down. Sasuke seemed to have a tight grip on life, so why not?

"What do you think Mikoto wanted to get me ginseng soup for?" Sakura asked as Ten Ten hung the towel by the window.

"You're sick," a curt voice replied from behind.

Sakura looked to the curtains; she felt as if she had heard a flash of blue. There, by the entrance to the bedroom, stood Sasuke with a tray of food. The smell of ginseng bothered her more than the vomit had.

"Who taught you to address my mother directly by her name?"

"No one in particular," Sakura mumbled. Sasuke handed the tray to Ten Ten. After she had set it down on the tea table by the bed, she left.

Sasuke was silent for a while – nothing strange. "…I heard you threw up," he said, back turned to her.

"I'm feeling much better," Sakura answered between sips of the bitter soup. For minutes, the sips were the only sounds audible. Sasuke's footsteps soon joined in as he inched toward her. Sakura's heart skipped a beat when he sat down beside her. Neither said another word for the rest of the night. They sat there, awkward as can be; Sakura thought of sharing her dumplings at one point to loosen the tension, but remembering that he had already had dinner, she let go of the ludicrous idea. The odd evening evolved into a competition to see who could remain awake the longest. Ten Ten came to light the candles and exited with celerity. The windows were shut when Sakura heard a thunder. She soaked herself with memories of how often it would rain in the spring, and how she, Hinata, and Sai would stay out and get muddy.

At thirteen-and-a-half, she dumped the tradition. Master Hiashi bought her a batch of blue silk, and Sakura made a robe out of it – her first self-made piece of clothing. On the only day she got to wear it, it rained. Sai asked her to go out and play, but how was she to show off her new robe in the storm? And so, she refused. A quintessence of misplaced anger, Sai flung some fresh mud onto Sakura's robe. Almost six years later, Sakura still felt irritated. Sasuke eyed her as she crossed her arms, her mind evidently elsewhere.

The candle flames eventually went out. The pair remained sitting in the dark. Sakura let a laugh escape and decided to lie down. In the dark, just centimeters away from her fifth husband, Sakura felt silly, like she was rolling around in the mud when she was young.

。。。。。

"Did you sleep well?" Fugaku asked over the breakfast porridge and eggs.

Sakura nodded. "Quite well," she answered, recalling that, just before she fell asleep, Sasuke had thrown a blanket over her to keep her warm.

"Eat up," Mikoto handed her a bun. She turned to Sasuke. "Son, look at those circles under your eyes. Didn't you sleep?"

"I did, Mother," he said. "But I was worried Sakura would throw up again – this time, on our bed."

Sakura frowned. "I wouldn't –"

"Mother, did you read the letter I gave you?"

Mikoto smiled. "It's from Itachi," she said, responding to Fugaku's inquiring look. "He has to stay for a bit longer up North. Otherwise, he's fine."

"Itachi?" Sakura sat up straighter at the mention of a new name.

"My eldest son," Mikoto said gently. "Has Sasuke not mentioned him?"

"Perhaps I didn't hear him," Sakura shook her head. It was a lie – she wished Sasuke could tell her so much information that she had to ignore some to digest all.

"Sakura," Mikoto began as Fugaku and Sasuke left the table," I know it's only been two weeks since you married into the Uchiha household, but is there any thing I can do to help you adapt better?"

"Mother-in-law, you don't have to put that much though into it. I really like it here."

"Master Hiashi told me you traveled the seven kingdoms. That is quite the achievement."

"Thank you," Sakura smiled. "I've gained and lost a lot on that journey."

"I can tell you've been through a lot," Mikoto patted Sakura's hand. "But, Sakura, as long as you live here, you can put your troubles behind you."

"You're too kind," Sakura looked down. As uncomfortable as it was to have a conversation when maids are all around and clearing the table, she was touched. In truth, Mikoto, besides Ten Ten, was the only one who showered her with regular affection.

Mikoto guffawed. "I must be the best mother-in-law you've had," she joked. "But I am the only mother-in-law you've had."

Sakura forced a smile. She wanted to say that she had about four others – she wondered, Will Mikoto ever know?

"It doesn't look like it's going to rain," Mikoto said, beaming at the blue sky outside. "Shall we go for a walk?"

"As you wish," Sakura jumped up, glad to be able to move. They passed the cleaning maids, Ten Ten walking in front of them to open the doors. Mikoto studied Sakrua's handmaiden and stopped when she saw a glint in her hair.

"Ten Ten," the mistress said slowly. "Where did you get that hair pin from?"

"I gave it to her," explained Sakura.

Ten Ten took the pin out. "Mistress…"

"It doesn't matter how you got it," Mikoto grabbed it from her and put it in Sakura's hand. "It's not yours."

"I don't think it's that big of a deal, Mother-in-law –"

"She needs to be punished.

"But…"

Sakura panicked. When Hinata warned her about the strictness of the Uchihas, she should have listened. Mikoto was ready to call the guards and condemn Ten Ten to who knows what kind of retribution; Sakura needed to create a distraction.

"M-mother-in-law, I…" she closed her eyes and allowed herself to fall forward – feint fainting was her plan.

– "Sakura?"

"Young mistress!" –

It backfired, however, when no one caught her in time, and she hit the floor. The steel blue of the pin in her hand was the last she saw before she lost consciousness.

。。。。。

Sakura knew she was dreaming the moment she felt someone grab her hand – the moment Sai grabbed her hand. His grip was tight, kind of like Sasuke's grip on life, she thought, amused. Sai looked slightly different; maybe she believed that because she hadn't seen him in years.

"Am I dead?" she asked, not really meaning it. Around them, nothing existed. Sai had on the annoying fake smile that she couldn't help but miss. When he pressed down harder on the veins in her wrist, she bit her lip. "Are you dead?"

And then she woke up. Gazing into her eyes was not her first husband, but an elderly man with a long, gray goatee. She looked at her wrist – the man had his hand on it, checking her pulse. Sakura smiled: no wonder the dream felt real.

"Young mistress!" Ten Ten cried. "Mistress, she's awake."

"Thank goodness," Mikoto stood up from the stool by the window. They were in her and Sasuke's bedroom.

"I'm dizzy," Sakura croaked, regretting her attempt to faint.

"Hn."

Sasuke.

He was next to his mother, who swooped to the doctor as soon as he lifted his hand off Sakura's wrist. "How is she?" Mikoto demanded.

The doctor stroked his goatee, chuckling. "Congratulations, Madame Uchiha."

Sakura raised an eyebrow and stared at the old man. Mikoto, like Sakura, understood within a second. She was delighted.

"You mean…?"

"Your daughter-in-law is pregnant."

"Sasuke! Did you hear? Isn't that wonderful?"

"No."

"Wh-what? You're going to be a father!"

"It's impossible."

Mikoto's grin disappeared like an ice cube under the hot summer sun. She looked from her son to Sakura, whose face was paler than the clouds in the sky.

"You two…you still haven't…?"

"No."

"Then," Mikoto whispered, "How can she be pregnant?"

。。。。。

"Four husbands! Four previous husbands!" Mikoto hissed. "Four other men who have touched her before my son!"

"Didn't your son say he has yet to touch her?" Hiashi said, his tone anything but warm.

"Hyuuga, you said she never married," Fugaku said.

Sakura and Ten Ten sat in the Uchiha courtyard, protected under Hiashi's shadow. Mikoto, furious, had called the head of the Hyuugas for some answers. Sasuke stood alone in the corner, his silence louder than any other's shouts, his rage hotter than any other's anger.

"Perhaps I did."

"I cannot believe you failed to mention her history. What happened to all these men? Did she walk out on them?"

"They," Hiashi's voice echoed, "walked out on her."

The tears swelled up once more in Sakura's eyes as they continued to argue. The guards took Sakura and Ten Ten to the confinement cell – Ten Ten, for taking someone else's possession, and Sakura, for infidelity.

"It does not count if it was before their marriage," she had heard Hiashi say in her defense.

"She," Sakura listened to Mikoto right before the cell door was shut, "is dirty."

。。。。。

"The husbands," Ten Ten choked up, "they all died?"

"They all…died."

"No one can blame you, young mistress."

"I can; they certainly can."

"What do you think will happen to us?"

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Sakura held her maid's hand.

"You can't let them punish you for your husbands' deaths."

"Worry about yourself, Ten Ten. None of this would have happened if I didn't give you that pin, if you think about it."

"They shouldn't get rid of you. I think young master is starting to like you."

"Never mind that. Don't the Uchihas kill adulterers –?"

The door flung open. Hiashi, light surrounding him, appeared. It was like the day Sakura's mother died, when Master Hiashi showed up at the doorway to take her away. The smile on his face meant one thing and one thing only: she was saved.

二、Sakura - pregnant? It's not impossible, because it's only been a month since her 4th husband's death. I don't think the belly shows that early, does it? She might not be pregnant though. Next chapter? :) Leave a review to tell me what you thought about this chapter! Thank youu!