The Princess Bride

NaruSaku style

Chapter 7: The Dread Pirate Roberts

The man in black went to Sakura and untied her hands.

"Who are you?" she asked as he pulled the blindfold away from her eyes.

"I am no one to be trifled with," he said in a harsh tone. "That is all you ever need know."

Sakura looked over at her dead captor. "And to think," she though aloud. "All that time it was your cup that was poisoned. The man in black pulled her to her feet.

"They were both poisoned," he said. "I spent the last few years building up immunity to Iocane powder." And with that, the man in black lead the princess away.

Not far away, the Prince was inspecting the very same stretch of rocks that the man in black had fought Chouji near. He looked around.

"Someone has beaten a giant," said Sasuke. "There will be great suffering in Suna if my princess dies."

Along a grassy ridge, the man in black tossed Sakura aside.

"Catch your breath," he said. Sakura glared at him.

"If you release me," she said. "Whatever you ask for ransom, you'll get it, I promise you."

The man lauged. "And what is it worth the promise of a woman?" he asked in a humored tone.

"I was giving you a chance! It does not matter where you take me!" barked Sakura, standing up. "There is no greater hunter than Prince Sasuke. He can track a falcon on a cloudy day. He will find you!"

The man in black only looked at her.

"You think your dearest love will save you?" he asked. Sakura grew steadily more furious.

"I never said he was dearest love!" she cried. "And, yes, he will save me, that I know!" Sakura glared at the man. What did he know of her dearest love? She felt a pang of agony at the thought of him.

"You admit that you do not love your fiancé," said the man in black.

"He knows I do not love him," said Sakura, folding her arms.

"Are not capable of love is what you mean," muttered the man in black. But she heard him. Angry, she went towards him.

"I have loved more deeply than a killer like you could ever dream!" she yelled. The man in black glared and went to slap her in the face, but caught himself. She flinched away. He put his hand down.

"That was a warning, Highness," he said. "The next time my hand flies on its own, for where I come from, there are penalties when a woman lies." And with that, he grabbed her hand and resumed running.

Back at the table where Sai lay, Prince Sasuke sniffed the vial left behind by the man in black.

"Iocane," he said. "I'd bet my life on it."

He got back on his horse and turned to the Count.

"And there are the princess's footprints," he barked. "She's alive, or was an hour ago. If she is otherwise when I found her, I shall be very put out." Again they set off in the direction the Princess and the man in black headed.

The man in black and the princess came to a particularly grassy hilltop with a steep side that would land them in a ravine if they fell. The man tossed Sakura aside again and watched her.

"Rest, Highness," he said. Sakura gasped for air. She was exhausted, but that didn't stop her. She glared at the man.

"I know who you are," she hissed. "Your cruelty reveals everything. You're the Dread Pirate Roberts, admit it!"

The man in black smiled.

"With pride," he said, bowing. "What can I do for you?"

"You can die slowly, cut into a thousand pieces," she growled. The pirate clicked his tongue.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, that's hardly complimentary, your Highness," he said. "Why loose your venom on me?"

"You killed my love," she growled.

The pirate nodded. "It's possible. I kill a lot of people. Who was this love of yours? Another prince like this one, ugly, rich, and scabby?"

Sakura continued to glare at him, furious with his confident air.

"No," she hissed. "A farm boy. Poor. Poor and perfect. With eyes like the sea after a storm." She looked off into the distance for a moment, remembering her sweet Naruto's face. She turned back to the pirate. "On the high seas, your ship attacked. And the dread pirate Roberts never leaves prisoners!"

Roberts plopped down across from her and raised his arms lazely. "I can't afford to make exceptions," he said. "I mean once word leaks out that a pirate has gone soft, people begin to disobey you and it's nothing but work, work, work all the time."

Sakura stood up. "You mock my pain!"

"Life is pain, Highness!" barked the pirate. "Anyone who says any different is sailing something!" He got up from his seat and walked towards her, thinking. "I remember this farm boy of yours, I think. This would be what, five years ago?" He looked at her. "Does it bother you to hear?"

"Nothing you say could upset me," she said, looking away.

"He died well," began the pirate. "That should please you. No bribe attempts or blubbering. He simply said 'Please….please I need to live.' It was the 'please' that caught my memory. I asked him what was so important for him here. 'True love', he replied. And then he spoke of a girl of surpassing beauty and faithfulness. I can only assume he meant you. You should bless me for destroying him, before he found out who you really are."

Sakura got in his face, angry. "And what am I?"

"Faithfulness he talked of, Madame, your enduring faithfulness!" the pirate retaliated. "Now tell me truly, when you found out he was gone, did you get engaged to your prince that same hour, or did you wait a whole weak out of respect for the dead!"

Sakura's fury was unmatched. "You mocked me once! Never do it again! I died that day!"

The dread pirate Roberts glared at her, but heard a herd of horses galloping toward them. He looked to see the prince and his men coming closer to them. Sakura used this distraction.

"And you can die too for all I care!" she hissed, and pushed him down the steep hill into the ravine.

And as he rolled haphazardly down the hill and landed crumpled at the bottom, Sakura heard something she thought she would never hear again.

"As you wish."