Title: Lucifer's Wings
Author: kaorulovesyou
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. –sigh- The sad reality.
Pairing: Itachi and Sakura
A/N : I apologize for the late update. I hope you still find this blood and sweat of mine worth reading lol. I spilled a glass of milk on my laptop. -facepalms- It's okay, I don't cry over spilled milk, I cried about my broken laptop though. -sobs in the corner- I did a few changes and improved the three chapters. See? This author here is doing her best. I wish you a happy day—Nu-uh … scratch that. I wish you a happy week. Thank you to those who reviewed, and followed and even to those who are stalking this fic without saying anything XD me lavya~
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"The path known as dreams will lure you to the flames. No cry of any sort will reach the merciless gods above the sky."
Chapter 4: When the Darkness Comes
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All Sakura can see are their boots, but she can tell these men are savages.
They've been at it non-stop ever since she arrive in the manor. The said bandits are rummaging through drawers, overturning furniture, and occasionally harassing the residents from their manor.
Judging from the still neat arrangement of the room they just arrive at the area. Sakura is hiding inside the dusty closet from the next room, which is the maid's quarter. She's spying using the hole from the wall. Sakura watch the scene as quite a mouse.
All she can do is watch their scuffed boots occasionally pass by the open doors. Even in faint candlelight, she can see the fresh blood splattered on the floor, even on the wall. She can't come out and risk being caught.
Sakura clench her teeth.
They found the cook!
'Oh God, No.'
From the sound of it she's trying to ward them off with one of her copper pots but it didn't seem to do any good. She is still screaming when they drag her out of the room.
Only the harsh bang of a pistol could silence her.
The gardener, laundress, and a housemaid met the same fate. Sakura can't help but cry and pray that the rest of the servants who managed to hide well or leave outside the manor – had more time to escape.
The men keep shouting vulgarities to each other, while laughing all the same. Sakura almost screamed when she saw her governess on the floor next to the ruffians, dead and stripped off her clothing.
'Those bastards!' big fat tears are flowing from Sakura's eyes.
Their enthusiasm just grows with every valuable they find, whether it be silverwares or an innocent soul who happens to be in a wrong place at a wrong time, armed with pistol, knives, even sword.
There are three bandits in the room.
Luckily, the room she's in hasn't interested them much. A younger man – by the sound of his voice did come in briefly. Seeing as this is just a poor housemaid's quarters, he quickly left without poking around. Had he done a better job, he'd have found her.
The footsteps are gone.
Sakura slowly opens the closet door, crawling her way out. She pushes herself up on her elbows and toes, gently lifting her body from the cold floor. Slowly inching forward on her stomach, she only hesitates when the cloak-stand near her almost fell down. Her eyes caught her governess, Sakura's eyes then darted at different direction making sure the coast is clear. When she's sure that she's alone in the room she gets up.
She removes her tattered blue gown wearing only her petticoat and corset. She utters a short prayer then covers the expose body of her governess. Turning her back she then head to the library since it's the closest.
Sakura walks stealthily on the empty hall. There's still screaming nearby. She must find her brother and father fast. She's about to open the big oak door in the library when she heard faint footsteps coming to her direction. She pulls her sword but decides to return it to its sheath since it's too risky. She shouldn't engage in combat unless she assesses the situation first.
She's good at swords but physically they are three times stronger.
She should hide.
Feeling unsafe not knowing how many enemies there'll be so Sakura open the door to the library then hid behind a tall bookshelf, her eyes looking through the small crevice between the shelf.
She'll wait.
And if it's necessary to kill, she'll gladly do it.
The sound of heavy footsteps from the hallways gets increasingly louder then it stops in front of the door.
"Did ya check in here?" A figure in the doorway grumbles. The door creaks when a tall, muscular man with brown hair carrying a torch opens the door. The torch he's holding fills the room with not only a soft, yellowing glow but also with the putrid smell of burning pine-tar.
"Yes, sir. Just an empty room," a kid responds with a slight quiver in his voice.
A massive boot takes one step inside. "So if I were to find somethin', you'd be mistaken?"
"I can check again," the boy offers.
"No! This one's mine," the other immediately rebuffs.
'Two' Sakura counted mentally. Sakura holds her breath as he comes closer to her hiding place. The man takes his time, putting one, large foot in front of the other with deliberate calculation. Sakura can feel every thud reverberate in her chest.
'Closer…'
'Just a bit more…'
As the man edge closer to Sakura , she muster all of her strength to thrust the blade on the man's chest. She's surprise to slice nothing but air. Adrenaline suddenly flares up as her sense alerts her of the presence behind her. Before Sakura could attack the man knocks her sword away sending it flying across the room. A strong hand yanks her arm too as the man leans down, exhaling a warm, rotten smell that makes Sakura want to vomit.
Without a sword, she'll be weaker.
She mentally screams colorful profanities.
His face twisted into an ugly grin, showing off a mouthful of blackened and missing teeth.
Sakura's heart is beating feverishly and glares at the man showing nothing but courage and anger. She'll never let the man be satisfied by showing her terrified expression.
A few feet away is the boy, gripping the torch tightly… fear visible in his eyes. Clearly he doesn't have the nerve of a bandit.
A new recruit perhaps?
"Let go of me, you filthy pig! " Sakura struggles, but his clutch just tightens.
"Who are ya, my sweet?" the man asks while scanning her from head to toe. Sakura doesn't like the dark twinkle in his eyes. If her plan works, she might escape this place unscathed.
"S-S-Sakura. H-Haruno Sakura" Sakura stutters, unable to meet his eyes.
'Act weak and by the time your enemy drop his guards, go for the kill.' That's what Touya taught her.
Sakura take a small step back pretending to be slightly dizzy and shaken. The man tilts his head and looks at Sakura suspisciously.
"Sakura Haruno, you say? Come here kid." He gestured the boy carrying the torch to stand beside him. "Does she look like the daughter of the master of the house?"
"Aye, she does look like her and she shares the same name too." The muscular man tugs on Sakura's hair, "But what would a delicate young thing like you be doing her? Looking like that nonetheless." He licks his lips which looks really disgusting to Sakura's opinion.
Sakura panics at the question and ends up not saying a word.
"I can't hear ya, darlin'. You gotta speak up so I can do … something about it." The man grinned lecherously. He cackles, releasing his grip, but pushing Sakura too hard that she landed a few feet away from her original position.
Sakura groans. She just hit her forehead…
And it's bleeding.
Slowly, the man climbs on top of Sakura, she stifle the urge to scream. Her thin, body however, follows its natural instinct to protect itself. Sakura starts fighting back by shaking her head from side to side and using her legs as leverage against the assailant.
But he won't budge.
Pinning her pulled-up knees against her chest, he easily clamped both of her wrist in one hand. Holding them above her head, he leans towards her again.
"I-I was looking for my father, and brother." She manages to form the word before his grimy face reaches her.
"Hiding, were ya?" he licks his lips. "From what, pray tell? We don't bite! Do we kid?"
"Y-Yes sir." The boy is scared but he wants to help the lady so bad but what can he do? "Sir, she is the lady of the house, Leader told us, you know… anything with value must be delivered ousid—"
The man, annoyed by the boy's words stands up to give the boy a lesson he won't forget leaving Sakura behind. The muscular man backhanded the boy and kicks him repeatedly.
'Chance.'
With stealth and speed that resembles a cheetah, Sakura with her sword hack the man's neck with all her might. Blood sprays and splatters on the white floor. The man's head is now rolling away not attach to its neck anymore. The boy is so shaken; he stared at Sakura with eyes big as a dishware.
Sakura loves the feel of sword in her hands, but not as much as she realize now. Scary but she love the way it cut through flesh from the people she loathe.
With a sword, she can do anything, be anything.
Be strong.
She felt lethal, empowered, and as strong as any man. She could fight until her blade grew dull. Sakura paused to catch her breath, anchoring her weapon into the hard ground.
"Kid." Sakura then face the still shaking boy.
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Sakura have killed four men on her way to her brother and father's direction. She scared the kid to reveal whatever he knows about the attack in the manor. She can't believe what she just heard. She needs to hurry; she has to run faster …
Brother…
Father…
A child's testimony may not be sufficient and may be a trap but she'll take her chances. The kid stated that the group of bandits named "Root" is hired by someone to attack the Haruno manor and kill everyone on sight. The kid assured her that her precious persons are still alive but she needs to hurry since they might not be for long.
She's on her way to the courtyard.
The rain finally stops but the thunder and rain is still at it.
Another strike of lightning – this time directly overhead – illuminates the training ground. The sight of the nearby pile of bodies reminds her of their impending fate and the thought of that makes her want to break down.
Her boots was tossed away awhile back. Her small feet got no protection against the rocky ground. Sakura see a streak of red blood mingling with the dirt on the fabric of her petticoat.
Right.
She injured her right leg, it should be throbbing but oddly enough, she can't feel pain.
The realization saddens her. Is she going to die any minute, but the sensation of feeling has already been stripped from her. Tears threaten to fall from her eyes… she looks up at the sky with a sorrowful face.
'God, I may be asking for a miracle … but please, just let me see them alive. I promise, I won't ask you for anything in this life for as lon as I live, just… don't let them die.'
A stray tear fell from her eyes, but her long pink-hair's flapping so wildly in the wind that it obscures them from view.
'Mother, don't take father and Touya with you yet. If you will, take me with you too.'
Other men are running around her, carrying anything of worth in their arms. It's not just precious metals and antiques that interest them. One has a sack of chickens and another's leading the sheep off the property.
"Move along, girl!" One said after bumping to her.
For the first time, Sakura feels less like a human being. Does no one recognize her anymore? Everything she have … it's gone.
Their manor…
Their riches…
Her pretty dresses…
Their people….
Sakura quickly head past the stone wall that divides the training ground and the courtyard. She's running without a care for his injuries and her aching feet. Suddenly, a sense of hope fills her when she recognized the familiar white hair from the distance.
She's almost there.
"Brothe—"
Sakura stops dead on her track.
Her burning emerald eyes meet his lifeless ones.
The scene brought her to the time when her brother and her use to sit under the big cherry tree. His head on her lap as he took his afternoon nap while she reads him a story.
The time he let her put flowers on his hair when he sleeps.
Those annoying games of chess in her sanctuary, he really suck at it that he never ever won a match against her since birth.
The warmth he gave with those charming smile of his while teaching her the art of swordsmanship.
That time she left the dining hall with a heavy heart, without even saying goodbye.
Her dear brother that she loves so much...
With his bloody clothes, he's hanged on her favorite cherry tree along with her father and the other servants.
Devoid of life…
Sakura finally succumbs to her emotions… something inside her just snap that she starts screaming and crying like she never did before.
"B-Brother … Father… don't leave me alone. Why?! Take me with you." Big fat tears roll down on her cheer her hands clawing her chest to take out whatever it is that causes her so much pain.
With their wagon already full of treasures, the leader of the bandits approach Sakura with his face akin to sympathy
"Sorry missy, a job is a job."
Something hard hit the back of Sakura's neck engulfing her world with darkness.
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End of Chapter 4
A/N: It was tough writing that. It's 1:03 a.m now, I'm hungry and sleepy. Good news! Itachi will appear on the next chapter. Yay ~ I hope this chapter is not so gloomy. Nah, jk it's supposed to be heartbreaking. XD I have a sadistic side of me. –sigh- Anyway, I hope you liked it. Post some reviews on how I can improve this fic. English is really tough people; I almost put a crack on my skull by slamming it on the table for more ideas. T^T Thank you for the wonderful reviews. Have a super duper nice day!