Sakura's horrified by his cruel words. Why would someone become "intrigued" by someone's rudeness and disrespect? Sakura has realized two things tonight, one she can't understand aristocrats, second to always be respectful towards another. Two words that describe him the most is weird and creepy. She can read Naruto and Lee like an open book. She knows how they will react any moment any place. Mr. Might and Mr. Hatake are the same, well Mr. Hatake can be a bit strange but still predictable; but the Duke is impossible.
She take a deep breath, he still holds her against the wall. "Your grace, I only came here to apologize. I will be more respectful and polite, if we meet again." she tries to keep calm but it's difficult when a man stands looking down at you and has your wrists in an iron grip.
"Oh you can be sure, Sakura. We will meet again." He lets her wrists go and starts walking towards the couch. He sits down elegantly, and looks out the window. Sakura looks around confused; she doesn't know what to do. She thought about leaving, but now that she has promised to behave, she's unable until he allows her permission.
Without glancing at her, he motions for her to sit on the couch by patting the seat. She, reluctantly, walks to him and sit down. She makes sure that she keeps as much distance as possible. He turns to her, studying her face before saying. "What are your villages like?"
She looks at him for a moment before understand what he means. "It's nice."
"Is that all you can say about your home, 'It's nice'?"
"I wasn't done, your grace." She glares at him before she continues. "I prefer it than Oxford, it's beautiful and cozy."
"Cozy? That's the first time I heard that word. Do all people from your village use slang?" Sakura does take some offense by his statement but she feels the humor in it.
"No your grace; just me."
"So no other women then you have a poor vocabulary like you?"
She huffs in response, he, the Duke is actually mocking her. And he said she was inappropriate! "If the Duke finds mocking a young woman better than socialize with his own accompany, he must be extremely bored." She tries to mock him back, but he only smirks and Sakura can see his amusement in his eyes. The anger and jealousy are gone, replaced by amusement and mockery. She doesn't like him, but she prefers this side of him then the one from earlier.
"Not any longer." He smirks at her.
"But I happened to see another young woman in your company?"
"If we are going to talk about them, I rather go back, if that what you wish?"
"Oh, your grace. You really can read my mind." She feels satisfied and shocked when he rises. 'Is he actually going to leave?' Sakura is filled with hope that this will be over soon.
"If you so much wish to talk about them why don't I introduce you to them?" Sakura stiffened, he ended up turning the tables.
"I would rather be with my company, if you don't mind."
"Don't tell me you're sick again. Should I take you home again?" This time she didn't just stiffened but also blushed, she looks like a tomato. The Duke only smirks and offers his hand.
"You can choose. I introduced you for my entourage or me for yours."
With hesitate she choose. "Mine, your grace." She takes his hand and they leave the room. Sakura can feel her heart in her throat. People are looking and whispering. But one thing comes back to her mind that she hadn't thought about. How did he know that Miss. Shizune wasn't married, they could've met but Sakura hasn't heard about it. They come down the stairs and walk towards Sakura's entourage.
"Your grace, a pleasure to meet you again." says Mr. Might as he bows, the other men bows too.
"I had a chat with Miss. Sakura before and she was keen to go back to you." Sakura noted that he doesn't use her first name among the others.
"Your grace I hope you remember that we met this winter, in London?" asks Miss. Shizune. Her gaze shifted to Sakura but returned to the Duke when he answered.
"I do Miss. Shizune. You were with Hashirama and Tsunade, if my memory serves me right?" He wasn't at all amused by the conversation.
"Indeed, your grace. I've heard you and Miss. Sakura have met several times?"
"Yes we have." He looks at Sakura who is standing right next to him. "But not as much as I would like." He has that mocking grin again, and Sakura hates it. A moment passes by until someone speaks up.
The Duke speaks again. Fortunately not to her but another man, whose voice Sakura can't register. She turns around and sees a man shorter than the Duke but very alike, except for his hair, that is in a low ponytail.
"Brother, I didn't think you would abandon me?"
"Don't worry Izuna, I was only planning on chatting with Miss. Sakura and her entourage for a couple of minutes." Not only Sakura felt offended but all of her friends as well. She can bet the Duke feels their angry gaze. He turns towards them, and gestures to Sakura.
"Your grace, it's a pleasure to meet you." Everyone bows and Izuna looks not impressed.
"Come brother, Fugaku are looking for you." The Duke nods and turns back towards them, or rather towards Sakura.
"Before I go, I want to invite you to dine with me this Sunday." Everyone, including his brother, became shocked by his invention. Sakura only nods once in response, and the Duke smirks at her one last time before departing with his brother to find Fugaku.
"What was that?" asks Naruto, more to himself than anyone else.
Sakura answers anyway. "I don't know"
The only thing Sakura can think of is his words. Like last night, she can't bring herself to sleep. It has become annoying to never be able to because of him. She sighs and sits so that her feet are dangling from the bed's edge.
The moon shines bright, it's almost as light as day.
She walks to the window and watches the street, its dead. Not a single person is out. She decides if she can't sleep, it's better to waste time. She takes a paper and a pencil. She looks out the window and tries to draw the city's light in the night.
Sakura feels a hand on her shoulder, she opens her eyes, which she doesn't remember closing. Naruto is standing there and has a hint of concern in his eyes, before his signature grin appears.
"You didn't answer the door when we knocked, so we went in and found you asleep." Naruto knows pretty well how angry Sakura can be if you interferes her privacy.
"I didn't notice I had fallen asleep." She looks out of the window, the city is lively again. "But why are you here?"
"I just checked in on you, because I was nearby and thought why not." Sakura sighs, typical Naruto to visit without a reason.
"Is Miss. Sakura okay?" asks Lee, from the door. He too has a look of worry.
"I'm fine Lee, I just fell asleep late last night." She smiles at him, which gives him permission to enter her room.
"Earlier this morning we got a letter from Ino. She asked if we wanted to come with her to the King Lake."
"Will it only be us and her or more?"
"I think Miss. Shizune and some of her friends will come too."
"I can ask Mr. Jiraiya if we want to come with us!"
"That's a good idea; Mr. Might has gone and look for Mr. Hatake."
"Then this will be perfect." Sakura smiles at the two. She hopes that none of Ino's friends are from the Uchiha family, but that is probably only wishful thinking.
They travel in Mr. Might's carriage to Kings Lake. Sakura, Miss. Shizune, Naruto and Mr. Hatake sit inside. While Mr. Might drives the carriage and gives Lee a lesson about it.
Right now they are talking about how London was and about different people they met. Sakura is interested to hear more but she wants to express her worry when they leave Oxford.
"Where are we going? More exactly." asks Sakura, Miss. Shizune wears an expression that make Sakura regret that she asked.
"The Kings Lake, it lays next to the Duke's home." Miss. Shizune's answer makes her drop her jaw. After the ball she swore she would try to avoid him as much as possible. She found his words disturbing, and wanted to run away.
After he had left them, execpt her answer to Naruto's quetsion, they had been silent but recovered. She spoke with Miss. Shizune again and she told her that she can't avoid him now, that she has become something like a prey for him. She shivers at the mere thought.
The carriage stops, Naruto, and Mr. Hatake steps out first. She recognizes the palace but not everything else; she's probably on the other side. She turns her gaze from the palace to the lake. It's nothing in particular, the sky is grey so the water doesn't shine like you'd expect.
She turns back as she hears Ino's voice. She's coming from the palace's direction and she's not alone. Sasuke, Itachi and Shisui all walking not far behind the maiden. Ino greets them all and gives Sakura a hug. She crooks her arm in hers and walks to the palace.
"I thought we would walk around the lake?" asks Sakura, she starts to fear who she might meets in the palace.
"It was raining a quarter ago, so the grass is wet. Plus you must meet the others." Ino smiles at her and Sakura knows what that smile means.
"And who are these 'others'?"
"The duke, his brother and Lady Mito." Sakura swallowed hard, not even 24 hours ago, she was in the same room as him and for not 48 hours ago she laid in one of his guestrooms and he touched her. The rush of seeing him so quickly unsettled her.
They come closer every minute and Sakura can feel her heart beat faster. She looks up the balcony and there he is. Looking down at all of them, especially at her. She can feel his gaze and his smirk. He knows that he intimidates her and is satisfied. But before they open the doors he walks inside again.
Inside is even more spectacular than outside. The entrance is magnificent. The floor is made out of stone, but the type of stone Sakura doesn't know. The walls are white and big chandeliers hang from the ceiling. She wonders how long this place must have taken to build. All the details must have taken forever, and knowing this is not the only room is even more impressive.
Footsteps from the stairs can be heard, and the Duke, his brother and Lady Mito gracefully walk towards them. They all bow except those three.
"Welcome, I was very pleased when I heard you were coming." says he as he glances to Sakura, but turns back when he continues "But I didn't expect to be so many of you." yet again he glances to her.
He motions for them to follow him and they follow. Sakura is last to make sure she is far away from him. But to her misfortune, they enter a room to take a seat, the only place available is next to him. Sakura panics inside, but she doesn't have much of a choice.
"Did you sleep well Miss. Sakura?" the Duke asks the minute she sits down.
"Very well your grace. Did you sleep well your grace?" She is really not in the mood for talk, so she only answers questions.
"I slept quite well." He subtly smirks at her, and she knows he's plotting something. "Brother do you remember we were in Buckinghamshire? Miss. Sakura is from there."
His brother nods and watches her a minute before asking. "Where are you from?"
"Dinton, your grace." he nods in response and Sakura can feel that everyone's attention shifted on her. The others are quiet as a mouse.
"Well, I didn't believe you all were so interested in Miss Sakura?" the Duke mocks the others. The Duke's snarky remark impresses her. This makes
her understand that he however is very intelligent, to her misfortune.
"Thank you, your grace."
"No need to thank me, I don't think anyone wants to have everybody listening." He is still smirks which annoys Sakura greatly. "Do you ride Miss. Sakura?"
"Yes I do your grace." Sakura is wondering where this is going.
"Are you an experienced rider?"
"I'm not quite sure; I've never measured myself to anyone else."
"But you got one now." He rises and offers Sakura his hand. This is what he was planning; she hopes that someone will offer to come with them. But everyone seems to be in shock, even his own brother. She realizes if she accepts they'll be alone together, and that doesn't sound quite appealing to her.
"But, your grace. I don't have any riding clothes." She is very satisfied her excuse, now she can't come with him. But Ino seems to have other plans.
"Don't worry about that Sakura; you clothes are good enough for riding. And if you get to dirty you can borrow clothes from me." Sakura glares daggers at Ino. What the bloody hell is she thinking; she knows I dislike him very much. Sakura just realized that Ino doesn't know anything about what happened between her and the Duke yesterday. So Sakura once again accepts his offer.
Author note: Well I don't have much to say, execpt to thank you guys for defending me. I do appreciate it, but I don't take the comment personal. And last I want to thank Baesaurus.
yours sincerely
