Chapter 4

Later that day, Sasuke was walking through the garden. He was looking for Hinata, his fiance. It was about time he spend some time with her now. They had to get married soon and they had to know each other better before. Sasuke spotted Hinata on a bench in the garden, staring ahead. He walked towards her and sat down next to her.

"Hello princess." He said.

Hinata looked up to him and smiled slightly at him.

"H-hello my L-lord." She said.

"How are you today?" Sasuke asked as he gave her a small smile back.

"I'm f-fine, I'm e-enjoying the g-gardens." Hinata said. "H-how do you f-fare?"

"I'm doing OK. I wanted to apologise for the past days. I had no time to spend them with you." Sasuke explained.

"It d-doesn't matter." Hinata said, nodding.

"So I figured we could spend time today. If you would want that princess." Sasuke added as he looked at Hinata.

"O-of course m-my Lord." Hinata said. She had to, right?

"Good. So what would you like to do?" Sasuke asked her.

"W-what you w-want my Lord." Hinata said.

"We can do what you want today. I already did all my duties." Sasuke answered.

"W-well what c-can you d-do here?" Hinata asked.

"We could watch the troops train. We could walk through the garden. We could have lunch. What do you want to do princess?" Sasuke asked her. Hinata should really make up her mind soon, this was annoying.

"C-can we walk t-through the g-gardens then?" Hinata asked.

"Of course." Sasuke said and stood up, offering Hinata his arm again.
Hinata nodded and stood. Sasuke looked at Hinata, waiting for her to take his arm. She seemed a little distant though. Hinata doubted for a moment and then finally took his arm. She didn't look at him.

"Is something the matter princess?" Sasuke asked, noticing Hinata's distant behaviour and starting to walk her through the garden.

"N-no it's nothing s-sir." Hinata said.

"You do seem a little in thought princess. Are you sure nothing is wrong?" Sasuke asked her again.

"I j-just didn't get a n-nice sleep.." Hinata softly said.

"Ah. And what caused that to happen?" Sasuke asked.

"I was i-in thought M-my Lord." Hinata said.

"Can I ask you about what?" Sasuke asked and looked at Hinata as they kept walking.

"A-about how it's g-going to be, l-living here." Hinata said, as she stroke some hair out of her face.

"Oh. And what did you come up with, if I may ask." Sasuke asked again. He smiled at Hinata.

"I d-don't have an a-answer yet My L-lord." She said. She still didn't look at Sasuke.

"I'm sure you'll like it here. I will make sure you will." Sasuke said. He saw it has his duty to make this all a pleasant stay for her, throughout their marriage.

"T-thank you.." Hinata said. She didn't knew what to say.

"How was life at your own castle?" Sasuke asked. He figured he should start knowing things about Hinata as fast as possible.

"It w-was good." Hinata said. "I h-had a lot of f-friends there."

"Then we should invite them for the wedding." Sasuke said and gave Hinata another smile.

Hinata nodded.

"Y-yes please." She said.

"You could invite them whenever you'd like after the wedding too. If that will make you happy." Sasuke said.

"It w-would." Hinata said, nodding. "W-what about your f-friends?"

Sasuke was silent for a moment. "I don't have any." He finally answered as he looked ahead this time, his face being all serious.

"Oh." Hinata said. It didn't surprise her though. Not that she was going to say that.

"...When I was younger I would've said I wanted them. But by now, I wouldn't want them to stand in the way of my duties." Sasuke said. Though he knew, deep down, that was a lie.

"Am I n-not standing i-in your w-way then?" Hinata asked.

"No." Sasuke was about to tell Hinata that she was one of his duties, but that would not be smart. "..You are needed in my life." He said.

"To g-get children with.." Hinata softly said, barely hear able.

"No. To support me and the other way around." Sasuke said, hearing what Hinata said all too clearly.

Hinata looked at him, a bit surprised because of this. Would he mean that?

"That's the most important part of being married, don't you agree?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes, it i-is." Hinata said. "I t-thought y-you'd only w-want children w-with me a-and wouldn't even look a-at me.."

"Now why would you think that?" Sasuke asked Hinata.

"I d-don't know." Hinata said. "Y-you just.. w-were a bit.. hard.."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Sasuke asked, a little more snapping involved this time.

"...It w-was like you o-only lived for b-being a good prince.." Hinata softly said, looking at the ground.

"I do live for that for 90%. It's important to me." Sasuke answered.

"I k-know.." Hinata said.

"But it's not my entire life." Sasuke added as he stopped. They had been walking long enough.

"It s-seems very i-important.. life f-filling.." Hinata said as she stopped too.

"It has been. And it will be the rest of my life." Sasuke said and looked at Hinata.

Hinata nodded. "I k-know." She said.

"But it's still not my entire life. There's more to life then being a prince. I just never feel like attending to them." Sasuke explained.

"What a-are 'them'?" Hinata asked as she turned to look at Sasuke.

"Things important to my life besides being the best prince I could possibly be." Sasuke answered as he looked back.

"What a-are those t-things then?" Hinata asked as her hair was being blown back by the wind. Storm was coming up.

Sasuke looked at the sky. "You right now, are one of them." Sasuke answered.

Hinata nodded.

"W-what kind o-of wife do y-you expect me to b-be?" Hinata asked.

"As long as we can support each other, all should be fine." Sasuke said.

"A-alright.." She said. What kind of answer was that?

"Just stay who you are. I wouldn't want you to change." Sasuke added.

Hinata smiled.

"T-thank you." She said.

"Now, we should get into the castle. It won't be long until a storm hits this place." Sasuke said.

Hinata nodded.

"L-let us go i-inside then." She said, as she stroke the hair out of her face again.

Sasuke offered his arm again and when Hinata took it, he walked her back into the castle. On the way, he wouldn't hesitate to send the servants back inside too.

Hinata looked at Sasuke some more and then blushed. He was pretty handsome.

"Can I ask you something, princess?" Sasuke asked all of a sudden.

"O-of course." Hinata said, still looking at him.

"Do you know why you are supposed to marry me and not my brother?" Sasuke asked as the two walked into the castle.

Hinata shook her head.

"T-the only t-thing I heard a-about this marriage i-is that I h-had to m-marry you." Hinata said. "I d-don't know the r-reason."

"Oh. Ok thank you." Sasuke said, a little disappointed in the answer.

Hinata nodded.

"I t-think I'm g-going to fresh u-up a little." Hinata said.

Sasuke nodded back. "I have duties to do. Is it OK if I let you go to your room alone?" Sasuke asked.

"O-of course." Hinata said. "I'll see y-you at dinner then."

"Yes. Thank you princess." Sasuke said and bowed before walking away. He had gone too far with sharing his life with the princess. He had to go back to his room to prevent something like that from happening again.

Hinata sighed and walked away too, towards her room. Why was he so.. strange?

That evening, Neji was sitting in his room, with only a candle on. It was a bit hard to read with this small amount of light, but he couldn't get more. He kept reading though. All of a sudden, someone knocked on his door. Neji looked up. He was only wearing his night tunic now.. but well, whatever. It covered his whole body, so it didn't really matter. He opened the door and then he saw Sasuke standing there.

"...Oh. Hey." he said.

Sasuke let himself into Neji's room and then turned around, hands on his sides. "How can you live like this?" He asked.

"Like what?" Neji asked with a frown. Why was that guy entering his room, again?

"Like with just one candle on. You got more of them you know." Sasuke said.

"Well I didn't." Neji said. "Else I'd have lit more of them on."

"You should ask for more." Sasuke said as he crossed his arms.

"This is the first time I needed them, so I'll ask tomorrow." Neji said. "Why are you here?"

"My father told me to tell you that you are not allowed to go outside the castle." Sasuke explained. At that moment, the door of Neji's room fell shut.

Neji looked at the door for a moment and then looked at Sasuke.

"Why can't I?" Neji asked. "Because of the weather?"

"Yes. Because of the storm. You are not allowed to go out until further notice." Sasuke answered.

Neji nodded.

"Alright, thank you." He said, and walked towards the door to open it for Sasuke.

"Also.." Sasuke continued, although he stopped for the moment. Would he really do this?

"Yes?" Neji asked as he turned around. What else did Sasuke had to tell him?

"..I wanted to apologise for my behaviour earlier." Sasuke said, closing his eyes in annoyance. Why was he saying this?

Neji looked at him for a moment silently.

"...Well thank you." Neji said. "I appreciate that."

Sasuke eyebrow twitched. Is that all he would get for apologising? Neji at least should apologise right back to him.

"..And I guess I'm sorry too." Neji said. "I never had the right to act like that towards you. It was rude."

Sasuke looked at Neji. OK...so Neji did apologise. "Good. It was..." Sasuke said, not knowing what else to say now.

"I guess we could... well.. try to battle once." Neji said, looking back at Sasuke.

Sasuke looked at Neji confused. "Why do you want to do that now all of a sudden?" He asked.

"Well, my opinion about you changed all of a sudden." Neji said, shrugging. "Don't you want it anymore?"

"I don't say no to battles." Sasuke answered and looked at Neji suspecting something from Neji.

"Alright." Neji said. "We'll battle then as the storm is over."

"We could battle now." Sasuke said, impatient.

"How?" Neji asked. "We can't just battle in the castle. And I'm already in my nightwear."

"..Oh yeah..We could battle in the castle, we got a place for that. But you can't battle like 'that'." Sasuke said and smirked.

"Exactly." Neji said. "So it's better to do it tomorrow."

"Can't you change?" Sasuke asked. He never was one to wait for challenges.

"I don't want to change with you here." Neji said. "And I was planning to go to bed soon."

"..Oh." Sasuke said. Why was he not just leaving right away? Neji was not someone he would want to spend any unnecessary time with. Or was he?

"..So can you leave?" Neji asked. Why was Sasuke staying here? Well he didn't really care, but he just wanted to know why.

"No." Oh god what was he saying? No? Why not? Why couldn't he just leave? What was wrong with him right now?

Neji glared at him.

"Are you going to say that it's your room again?" Neji asked. If he was going to act like a toddler again then he'd... what would he do?

"Well it is, but…no.." Sasuke said as he looked at Neji. Why was Neji staring at him like that?
"...What then?" Neji asked.

"I..don't know OK." Sasuke snapped as he crossed his arms again and looked away. He wasn't frustrated with Neji though. He was frustrated with himself.

Neji looked at Sasuke for a few moments and then, before he could stop himself, he grabbed Sasuke's head and kissed him full on the lips. It wasn't a hard kiss, but a sweet kiss. But there was still some hunger in it where Neji got afraid of.

Sasuke's eyes widened at it and even if he did not completely found it disgusting he still pushed Neji away slightly. "What are you doing!?" He snapped, feeling himself becoming red.

Neji was red in a second too.

"..I.. I didn't m-meant to..." Neji stuttered, not being able to say something useful. "...Sorry.. shit.. s-sorry.." He quickly backed away from Sasuke, with a hand before his mouth. Shit, why in heavens name did he do that?

Sasuke stared at Neji for a while as he touched his lip. Why had it felt so good? No, he had his duties. Neji was a boy. This was wrong. Sasuke kept staring though and started walking towards Neji.

"..I'm r-really sorry, I really didn't meant to.." Neji softly said, as he only kept walking backwards, his face still red. Why didn't Sasuke just go? This was embarrassing enough. Why did he like Sasuke much while he hated him too?

Sasuke backed Neji up against a wall and stood in front of him. He then removed Neji's hand from his mouth and to Neji and his own surprise he kissed Neji back. He had no idea why he did it and for some reason, right now, he did not care.

Neji looked at Sasuke with a confused look on his face. Why was Sasuke kissing him now..? He slowly closed his eyes and started to kiss again. He didn't dared to move an other part of his body then his lips, this felt too strange. But good too.

Sasuke placed his hands on the wall behind Neji, barely touching Neji's sides. He just continued the kiss. He liked it. A lot. But he wanted more.

Neji slowly brought his arms up and finally laid them around Sasuke's neck. Sasuke wasn't the only one who liked this. Neji enjoyed this too, as he brought Sasuke closer.

Sasuke placed his hands on Neji's hips to get closer. He then softly licked over Neji's mouth, without any clue why. Maybe he just felt like it. He wasn't thinking straight anyhow.

Neji frowned as Sasuke did this, and then, without thinking of it, opened his mouth and Sasuke's tongue slipped into his mouth. He had no idea what would happen now, but he just... felt like doing it.

Sasuke pushed his tongue in and licked over Neji's. By now, he was only working on instinct and lust. His brains were no longer active in this part.

Neji moaned as he loosened himself from the wall and turned them around, walking backwards. He felt like laying down now. He started to answer on this strange kiss, by licking back. It felt strange, but good.

Sasuke let Neji pull him with him, not knowing what Neji was planning and not caring either. He wanted this...kiss..to continue. Even if he never even really kissed someone before, he knew he must've been doing something right.

Neji now let himself and Sasuke fall back on his bed, which was big enough for three persons to sleep in. He kept holding on Sasuke tightly.

Sasuke kept himself close to Neji. He kept licking over Neji's tongue and then his hand started to move on it's own too, moving over Neji's legs, pulling up Neji's nightgown.

As Neji felt the air on his naked legs, he suddenly woke up and his eyes snapped open. He pushed Sasuke's upper body off of him and looked at Sasuke shocked.

"....W-we didn't just do this." Neji said.

Sasuke looked at Neji and snapped out of it too. He jumped of Neji, almost falling of the bed doing so. "...I...we...I...err.." Sasuke stuttered, not knowing what to say. What had he done?

Neji was tomato red by now and quickly pushed down his nightwear, and went off his bed too.

"...Perhaps you should go." Neji stuttered.

"..I...think I will.." Sasuke said, lost in thought. "..But don't you ever do that again." He snapped at Neji as he got of the bed and walked towards the door.

Neji looked at him, too ashamed to answer, as he sat down onto his bed. Damn it.

Sasuke quickly walked out of the room, even forgetting to slam the door close behind him and practically ran to his own room. What had he done? Kissing another boy that was...unacceptable. Why had he ever done something like that? He was a prince he should know better. He was engaged, he should not do things like this. And yet...he barely even regretted it..What was wrong with him!?

"Well everyone have a nice breakfast." Mikoto said, the next day, at breakfast. The whole Uchiha family and Hyuuga family were sitting there, together with the wizard, Kimimarou, and some other Royalties.

Everyone wished each other a nice meal and started eating. Sasuke was sitting across from Neji, feeling awkward. The night before had been...the biggest mistake of his life to put it gently. And yet he couldn't just set it aside. He was just as guilty as Neji was.

Neji was staring at his breakfast, feeling exactly the same as Sasuke. He didn't dare to look at Sasuke. He felt a bit scared of his feelings. He'd better cast those away soon.

"Something bad has happened." Fugaku said all of sudden and everyone turned to look at him. "Things were stolen."

"Oh no. What was stolen?" Kimimarou, the wizard asked, shocked. All the others looked at Fugaku patiently, waiting for an answer.

Neji looked at Kimimarou with a frown. That sounded too fake for his liking.

"A few books from the library and a few maps." Fugaku said with a frown. "And lots of weapons. I already sent some guards after it."

"Really? Who would do such a thing. Books are the knowledge of the world." Kimimarou said, obviously 'acting' shocked about the matter.

Neji kept looking at Kimimarou entrusting. He was sure now that Kimimarou was the one who stole them. But why?

"I have no idea." Fugaku said. "But the thief will be heavily punished."

"Of course. I shall see to that personally." Kimimarou said as he gave Neji a look.

Neji looked Kimimarou in the eyes for a moment, like he was telling Kimimarou that Neji knew, and then he looked at Fugaku.

"Thank you." Fugaku said, as he continued his breakfast.

The rest started eating too and Kimimarou narrowed his eyes at Neji before resuming his own breakfast with a smile too. Sasuke was staring at Neji.

"Father, one of the villages in the south has been raided this morning." Itachi said all of sudden. "I know you don't want to hear this at breakfast, but-"

"We'll talk about that after breakfast." Fugaku snapped.

Itachi looked at his father and then at his breakfast again, while Mikoto sent Fugaku a glare. She hated it when her husband was snapping at his sons so much. Especially on Itachi.

"...Father can I be excused?" Sasuke suddenly asked. He couldn't bear to be in Neji's presence like this. It was unbearable.

"Depends on your reason for doing so." Fugaku said as he looked at his son.

"..I...have to clean the stables before my other duties." Sasuke said, looking away from his father. That gaze was hard on itself, but with the betrayal he practically placed on his father, he just couldn't look at it any longer.

"Good." Fugaku said. "You may go."

"By the way, Kimimarou." Fugaku said. "Do you have any idea what happened with Mikoto's horse? That one disappeared too."

"I have no idea your majesty. The last one with the horses was Sasuke." Kimimarou said and looked at Sasuke who had just gotten up.

"Well, do you, Sasuke?" Fugaku asked.

"Why would I steal mother's horse?" Sasuke asked offended. That was ridiculous.

"Don't feel offended so quickly, brat." Fugaku snapped now, his face red with anger. "The question was if you have seen it." This was the first time that he'd called Sasuke 'brat', Mikoto realised with a frown. She looked at Sasuke to see his reaction.

Sasuke looked at his father shocked. He then hung his head.

"...I'm sorry father.." He softly said. He felt like crying, but no prince would ever cry. Hearing his father call him a brat was not gonna make him cry...not now..

Now Mikoto had enough. She stood, glared at her husband and then walked towards her child.

"Come Sasuke.." She said, as she put an arm around Sasuke's shoulder and started to lead him away, out of the room. Fugaku just continued eating his breakfast.

Sasuke grabbed his mother's shirt and they walked out of the room, leaving everyone but Fugaku behind in shock. Nothing like that had happened before.

When they were outside of the room and the door was closed, Mikoto hugged her youngest child strongly.

"..Oh darling.." She softly said.

"..It's nothing.." Sasuke said as he fought the tears away. He was a prince. And he had to do anything to regain back to being a real one as hard as he could after what had happened with Neji the other night. No more mistakes. No more weaknesses. He wouldn't cry.

"Even kings cry Sasuke..." Mikoto said as she stroke over his back. She knew he needed her.

"..Father doesn't cry.." Sasuke softly said as he bit his lip and hugged his mother back. Even if he wouldn't let the tears fall, he knew he still needed his mother.

"Even he does..." Mikoto whispered and gave him a kiss on his head. "..He has no heart, and that's the reason why he sometimes cries..."

"..I don't believe that." Sasuke softly said. "..But thanks..." He added and gave his mother a small smile.

Mikoto smiled back at him and stroke over his cheeks.

"You should let more emotions out.. you're such a beautiful boy Sasuke.. you could be so much more beautiful if you showed how beautiful you are from the inside." Mikoto said. "..Do as your heart tells you. It makes me so sad to see you living only for the image your father wants you to be.."

"...I want him to see me too...not just Itachi." Sasuke said and his face turned angry. He looked to the floor.

"He's more proud of you then of Itachi you know.." Mikoto said. "..And if you want to be like him.. you won't end up happy... if he dies you'll have no one left.."

"..I don't need anyone..And Itachi's still the crown prince...so that leaves me nowhere unless I please father." Sasuke said softly.

Mikoto looked at him sadly and then looked away with a sigh.

"...I already guessed that.." She softly said.

"..I have stables to clean..If I see your horse I will tell you." Sasuke said and then walked away. Talks with his mother used to do him well...until he started to devote his life to his father..

"..Thank you.." Mikoto said and after she stood there a few seconds she went towards her own quarters to cry.

That evening, a knock was being heard on Sasuke's door. It was his mother. Mikoto was standing before the door, dressed in a white dress. She was very concerned because of Sasuke's behaviour, his obsession with her husband. She had to help him.

After a while, Sasuke opened his bedroom door and stared at his mother. He didn't say anything as he laid back down on his bed, but accepted her to walk inside.

Mikoto closed the door behind her and then sat down next to Sasuke.

"Honey.. I need to talk with you.." She said as she looked at him. He was her only hope.. the only one who she lived for. She had to help him to become a good person.

"I don't want to talk to you mother." Sasuke snapped. He really wasn't in the mood. He had other things on his mind right now.

"Why not?" Mikoto asked, as she looked at him a bit hurt. Why did he never call her mom? "..Honey please, I'm concerned." She let her hand go through his hair.

Sasuke pushed her hand away. "I'm not in the mood ok. I don't need your advice." Sasuke snapped, feeling himself becoming angry.

Mikoto looked at him.

"..What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothing's wrong! What part of 'I don't want to talk to you' did you not get!?" Sasuke suddenly yelled as he had snapped once again. He sat up straight and stared at his mother furious.

Mikoto looked at him startled, a bit taken back from this sudden outburst.

"Honey why won't you talk to me?" She asked. "I'm your mother, you should tell me what's bothering you.. please, I'm only trying to help you."

"I don't need help! I don't need it from father, not from Itachi and especially not from you! Stop bothering me!" Sasuke yelled. Oh yeah, he had definitely snapped. Something he had never done in front of his mother before.

"...You don't want me to talk to you?" Mikoto asked, hurt by that comment. 'especially not from you'... Would he be serious about that...?

"NO! Wasn't it obvious the third time I said it!? Just go away and leave me alone for once!" Sasuke yelled, becoming red from anger.

Mikoto bit her lip now.

"..Honey I just love you so much, I just.." She softly said, trailing off.

"I don't wanna hear it! Just leave dammit! I'M FINE!" Sasuke yelled even harder.

Mikoto got tears in her eyes now while she shakily stood. She placed a quick kiss on Sasuke's head tough.

"...I'll leave then.." She softly said.

"Thank you!" Sasuke yelled and turned around on his bed violantly. Finally, he could get his rest.

Mikoto let the tears fall now.

"..G-goodbye." She whispered and then she opened the door and softly closed behind her once she was outside.