Sakura felt someone pull hard on her arms and was dragged to her feet from beneath Sasuke. Her emerald eyes burned with anger at him, to which he didn't even seem phased. Sakura's face burned with embarrassment and hurt. The only thing that hurt was her pride, she turned her gaze away and cursed herself for wearing her hair up. Loud exclamations of indecency were being made, many old men were whisper behind their hands and pointing at Sakura. Sakura gritted her teeth knowing they were probably calling her the seductress and Sasuke the innocent victim. It made her want to roll her eyes in defiance but before she could Sakura was tugged away from the scene by a tall man with long dark hair, Mikoto was next to him whispering. When they exited the hall Sakura her Fugako explode with anger.
"You ungrateful boy," Sakura flinched at the words and turned her attention away.
She was being hurried along with maids behind her and the mystery man and Mikoto in front leading the way somewhere. Soon she found herself in a beautiful pavilion that had large bathing pools, rose scented steam was raising up from the hot pools of water. The tall man left the room immediately and Mikoto ushered Sakura further in.
"I'm sure you are exhausted from your travels, please relax here and the maids will show you to your room when you are ready to retire for the day," Mikoto said in a soft polite tone. She turned to leave and then quickly turned around sighing slightly. "Please do not be angry with Sasuke. The woman he loves was sent in exchange for you. He's just upset with the situation as I'm sure you are as well. I hope you two can get along," Mikoto revealed. Sakura felt a wave of empathy wash over her for a brief moment.
"Of course, Mother. I understand," Sakura said bowing to her. She then watched her leave and let her shoulders slouch forward. She then reached behind her to untie her obi when a thin woman with dark brown hair approached.
"Do you need assistance ma'am," she asked politely. Sakura gauged that she was slightly younger than herself. Before Sakura could turn down the request the young woman was pulling the cord that held Sakura's obi tightly bound. Soon the woman had her naked and was helping her into the bath.
Once Sakura was sitting the water the woman undid her bun and started to finger comb through her hair. Then there were many maids, some throwing rose petals into the water and others fanning large feathered fans to keep the room cool from the steam. Sakura was being rubbed down shoulder to finger tips in lightly scented oils by other women. It was very overwhelming, Sakura had never been treated to such opulence and found it disturbing these women easily serviced her. Sakura waded further into the bathing pool away from the women.
"Leave me alone," she instructed in shaken voice. She had tried to sound confident but her emotions were becoming heavy causing her to waver in her conviction. When the room was empty of people Sakura let a trembling sigh. She laid on her back in the water letting her body float in the warm water. She watched the steam rise from around her and tried to sort through everything that had happened. Sakura found herself stuck on something Mikoto had said.
Sasuke had lost the woman he loved in exchange for a bride he didn't want. That explained why he had such a cold and indifference toward her. However, that didn't explain the kiss. Remembering the kiss Sakura felt her heart beat faster. She shook her head and fluttered her feet to propel her through the water. Possibly it did explain, hardly a grown man would act out like that rebelling against his parents. Sakura clucked her tongue. But who was their exchange, and if she had to marry the Uchiha son, then most likely the exchange bride would marry Naruto. Sakura bumped her head against the edge of the bathing pool and stood in the bath the steam slowly misting around her. Slowly she hugged herself tightly and let her head sink. This was how her life had turned out, she was so madly in love with Naruto and wanted to only be his forever but now she was engaged to a stranger who hated her and missed the woman his enemy was to wed. She felt almost as if this was more of a hostage situation than an alliance.
Sakura started to feel light headed and leaned her back against the edge of the pool for balance. She closed her eyes and reviewed her memory to see if she had caught a glimpse of Naruto's new bride. Then she paused her memory where she had walked away from the Senju carriage and to the Uchiha Carriage. There was a woman with the same scared look that Sakura was sure she had as she walked away from everything familiar. She had long purple hair and lavender colored eyes. She had been dressed elegantly like Sakura. Except for a black kimono, this woman's kimono was white with sunflowers stitched on it.
Sakura's eye flung open as jealously burned inside of her. Naruto must've known about the exchange and had only told her a half a truth. Had he been so nonchalant because he did not love her like he had claimed and wanted to get someone new. Sakura turned quickly and got out from the bath and grabbed a dark navy silk robe from a rack and tied the sash around her slim waist. The more Sakura thought about it, the more it didn't make sense. Naruto escorted her to the exchange point, however Sasuke didn't come to the exchange point. Was this because Naruto was excited to meet his new lover, or because he genuinely cared and wanted to see her safely off. Sakura's head whirled with many thoughts as she her made way across the pavilion and when she reached the door she was surprised it flung open and had Sasuke Uchiha behind it. Sakura's breath caught and she took a few quick steps back to avoid a collision. When Sakura took him in, he was wearing a tan silk robe that was loosely tied around him.
"Ah I'm leaving, all yours," Sakura sputtered out quickly and moved to the side to pass him however Sasuke blocked her path and stepped through the door and closed it behind him causing Sakura to swallow nervously.
Sasuke was staring at her with an intense glare and then he quickly closed the gap between them invading Sakura's personal space. She tried to step back from him but he put his arm around her waist and held her close to him. Sakura turned her face away from him and pushed with her hands against his chest however his grip proved strong. Sakura's eye brow ticked with annoyance as she was getting tired of being manhandled today. Sakura felt a warm hand palm her breast over her thin silk robe and something deadly inside of her snapped.
She whipped her head to look him in the face and was disgusted to find him frowning.
"How pathetically small," he commented on her breasts. Sakura sucked in a breath and tried to remain calm about the insult but then he looked at her and said, "I got the short end of the stick."
Sakura's face became like stone and quickly she pulled her head back and smashed her forehead against Sasukes nose hearing it crunch under the intensity of her attack. Sasuke shoved her aside hard enough to make her fall onto the ground and when she caught herself her hands slipped on the wet wood and she smashed her own head hard against the wood cutting herself open. Sakura reached up quickly and her hand glowed green while she healed the gash and reversed any brain damage to avoid a concussion.
When she looked up Sasuke was glaring at her with dark intentions hidden behind his eyes. "Fix me or else," he warned blood oozing down his chin and staining the tan silk robe.
Sakura sat up and shook her head, "You deserve more than a broken nose. You've grievously offended me." Sakura was calm and collected.
Sakura saw a blur of movement and then felt the sting of a slap across her cheek. Sasuke roughly grabbed her face and pulled her face close to his so they were eye level. "I don't care if your offended. Fix me, or I'll inflict more than slap," he threatened and Sakura reluctantly healed his broken nose.
Sakura let her hand fall to her side and sat there awkwardly thinking of the woman and Naruto. Sakura only had the one snapshot of the woman in her memory and she cursed herself for being so wrapped up in herself that she didn't realize this sooner. Tears streamed down her face as her heart wretched with pain. She grabbed her chest and fell forward her breathing becoming ragged with sobs.
"I see you've finally grasped the situation all four us find ourselves in," Sasuke said cooly he was sitting on the dark wooden floor leaning back on his hands.
Sakura looked up surprised, "you knew?"
"Of course, I was there at negotiations. Naruto tried to convince your council that you were wrong choice. However, they had their minds set. As for Hinata, my father believed her to be a distraction for me and sent her away. I was powerless to stop this," Sasuke admitted looking up at the ceiling. "Though the Senju clan sure didn't disappoint, they did send a beauty by any other mans standards."
Sakura hiccupped trying to curb her emotions. "Hinata?"
"My woman, I loved her. She was everything, beautiful, kind, graceful and powerful. And now your man has what is mine and I have what it is his. A cruel twist of fate," Sasuke sighed out with disappointment.
"You don't find me beautiful," Sakura asked. She knew she was setting a trap for herself but she couldn't help it, no man had ever stated she wasn't beautiful.
"I am used to dark hair and light-colored eyes. I like my women quiet. Something tells me you are not quiet," Sasuke clicked his tongue and turned away from her avoiding her initial question. Sakura smirked it was her turn to be the cat and for him to be the mouse.
Sakura crawled over to him letting her shoulder slip out from the navy silk, she crawled between his spread legs and put on a pouting face. "You really don't find me beautiful?"
Sasuke could feel heat flush his neck as he pushed her roughly away. "No I don't, now leave," he ordered as he stood and walked further into the pavilion.
Shocked at being pushed away Sakura smiled as she watched him disappear into the steam. She stood tall proud of her small victory. She now knew that her husband to be had a weakness for being close to a woman when it wasn't on his terms. She chuckled and left the pavilion, the maids showed her to her room and while they offered to help her dress she refused.
Having people to attend her was not something she was accustomed to, even her own room made her feel uncomfortable. Where she had a one room small house with the Senju clan, she now had a room that was four times the size of her previous home. The Uchiha were a very wealthy and powerful clan so of course they splurged on the finer things. The Senju clan had a problem with money, mainly on the Senju's side where it was known several of clan leaders had gambling debts.
Sakura walked around and took in the grandeur of her room, it was filled with beautiful paintings and her bed had silk sheets on them with white curtains tied back. Sakura felt like a desperate peasant breaking into a palace to steal something of value. Something white caught Sakura's eyes and when she turned her head she looked on in horror taking in the view of her wedding dress hanging on a kimono stand. Her heart pounded in her chest and she turned her back to the scene. It would only be a few more days until she was married to Sasuke and she would become an Uchiha herself.
Sakura gasped realizing she would have to share a room with Sasuke once they were married, let alone everyone knew what happened on the wedding night. Sakura curled her fists as despair, anger and jealously gripped her. Her feet padded across the wooden floor and she flung open a truck full of clothes. They weren't hers but they looked as if they had been prepared for her. There were an array of reds, pinks, grays, tan and whites. She grabbed a red top that zipped in the front, above the breasts it switched to a white color and had a red high colored the sleeves flared upward. She then grabbed a pair of tight black shorts that stopped below mid-thigh and a long light pink gray skirt that had four panels zipped together. She unzipped the panels to give the skirt more agility and got dressed. She opened another trunk and found a pair of calf length boots that zipped in the back.
Sakura quickly got dressed and did a once over in the mirror in her room. The ensemble fit together nicely. She also found a pair of black gloves and slipped them on and turned away from her room. She needed to clear her head and the best for her to do so was to get in some training.
When she opened her door Mikoto was there holding a kimono dress and behind her was the same man from earlier.
"Oh, I see you've found some clothes. Well I guess you won't need these then," Mikoto chuckled and gave Sakura quizzical look. "Going somewhere?"
"I have so much on my mind and being cooped up in a room is only making me crazy. I need some hard training to clear my thoughts and relax," Sakura explained fearing Mikoto thought that she was trying to run away.
"Oh! Itachi can take you to the normal training grounds," Mikoto said turning around to talk to the man. "Itachi can you take her?"
"Yes Mother," the man whose name was Itachi replied with a sweet smile. Sakura put her guard up ready to fight if this Uchiha son tried to manhandle her as well.
The two made their way from the back of Uchiha manor into the woods where the soon reached a gate being guarded by two men. No words were exchanged as one of the them let them into the fenced in area.
"In this area you are free to take out your frustrations no one will question you," Itachi said as he walked to a tree and leaned against it. "Let me know when you are ready to leave."
Sakura was surprised that Itachi wasn't going to train with her. She shrugged her shoulders and punched a tree as hard as she could causing it to break towards the bottom, destroying something felt great.