Sakura sat in the Hyuga gardens, playing with the dozens of flowers. They were everywhere in the grounds and even inside the house. Sakura smiled slightly, thinking of the events that had unfolded after the party. Sasuke had found her in the halls, she leading him to the room Neji had given her. There, they had done all sorts of acts that would no doubt get them both in trouble. But she was not complaining. She absently stroked the small swell of her stomach.
Not Sasuke's. It was Neji's kid that grew in her. Neji's kid that she would be having.
Her face fell into a frown instantly. What if she never got out of here? And with a child, what was she supposed to do? People would look down on her for sure if there was no father in the picture.
"Miss Sakura, what troubles you?" The system lord strode through the servant gates. His black hair hung loose around his shoulders. What a frightful looking man. Yet something in him was off… Handsome maybe?
She smiled at him, bowing low. "It is nice of you to come. Is Lord Neji expecting you?"
"No, I have come without him knowing of my presence. Though I did want to speak to you." His eyes caught hers with amusement. "I know you and Sasuke have had a difficult relationship."
"I-" Dear God, what was she supposed to say? If she told him she and Sasuke were having some sort of fling, she would not only get herself in trouble, but the young Uchiha as well. "I do not know-"
"Is the child his or the Hyuga's?" Orochimaru eyed her stomach with a grin. "It is not his. How will Sasuke feel raising another's young?"
"How did you know?" Sakura gasped, feeling her eyes burn with tears. "I don't want Neji's child, but I was-"
"Forced?" He laughed, leaning into her. His tongue licked over her lips slightly, lips caressing hers. She gasped, rearing back. Orochimaru caught her by the waist, forcing her to him as he forced his tongue into her mouth. "Stop fighting me." He growled into her mouth.
"Stop it!" Sakura slapped him across the face, getting out of his grip. "How dare you touch me!" His little cherry blossom wiped her eyes and reorganized her outfit, running back into the house. Orochimaru licked his lips with a grin. How amusing to see her in such a fret.
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Sasuke breathed heavily, trying to break the corroded bars. He had already gotten two broken, but this last one refused to budge. The gap was too small for him to get free from. He glared at the cell he was caged in. "Orochimaru!"
He looked around and found nothing he could use to get out. The only thing he could see to get himself out were the keys… The keys all the way across the floor. His growl filled the entire room. He was never going to get out of here…
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Neji looked up at Orochimaru with a glare. "I will not sell her to you!"
"I would pay a heavy price, of course." The young lord was not listening to what he had to say and it was starting to piss him off. He had nicely asked to buy the young girl of his hands, but he was refusing. Sakura stood behind him the whole time, her hand resting on his shoulder. She looked at the system lord like he was nothing more than a peasant. She was so wrong there. He would not let her think anything of the sort.
"I said no, Lord Orochimaru. With all due respect, she is not up for debate. I have no desire in getting rid of her." Neji rose to his feet, arm encircling her waist. "Lord Fugaku and I already made the trade and I have no desire to break that up."
"Fugaku is dead. I own his estate now."
"What of Itachi and Sasuke? Surely one of them would fall under ownership."
"They are out of the picture." The snake let his eyes gleam at Sakura. He knew she would get the picture. Sasuke and her would not work out anytime in this new life. She must have seen it, because her head turned to the side, away from his sight. "I have taken over."
"Even with that being said, I will not give her up. Not now. So you might as well leave, before I have you removed."
Orochimaru bowed with a grin. "So be it, but I will not let this be the last we meet." And then the system lord was gone.
Sakura sighed in relief. "Thank goodness he's gone. I do not like the way he looks at you."
"I think I am the one who should be saying that, Sakura." Neji smiled, kissing her neck tenderly. "Be at ease. He will not get you in this lifetime. I will make certain of that."
"That is not what I fear." She murmured, running her fingers through his long brown hair. So soft, so heavy. She loved the feel of it. It reminded her of-
Don't think of him right now. But what did he mean when he said Sasuke was out of the picture? He was just here not more than a day ago. He couldn't be gone that fast. He would have said something to her. "How is our young?" He grinned, kneeling in front of her and running his hands over her stomach. Neji had made it a habit to do this. He wanted to feel when it kicks and when it has grown. He wanted to know everything about the baby and her.
"Growing well." She frowned. "I am gaining weight."
"That is what happens when pregnant." Neji looked up at her with this pale eyes. "You will be able to loose it again when the child is born." He kissed her stomach and stood.
"Let is go to the dinning hall. I am craving something to eat. And after the system lords visit, I would much like to be with you while eating."
Neji watched as his love ate through most of the food that was served. She had eaten ham and salad, a hunk of bread that had been freshly baked, a chicken, and dessert. She was ruthless with the food. But even with the bad table manners, he found himself laughing. He was liking her more and more. Though she was hardly noticeable with the pregnancy, she showed all other signs. There was no more than a small bump along her stomach. At first he had thought it was bloating.
"I want to marry." Neji stated the fact when she had a full bite of food in her mouth. When she made no move to talk, he went on. "I think it is only proper now that we are having a young together and since I feel… Since I have become accustom to you, I feel it needed to marry."
She swallowed in a rush, dabbing her mouth with a linen napkin. "This is so sudden."
"I know. But I couldn't wait any longer to tell you this. I have talked to my father already and he has agreed that marriage would not be a bad idea. If anything it is the best thing to do."
"Neji, I am not like you. I am a servant in this house."
"One that carries my child."
"Yes, but a servant none the less. What will the others think if you show up with me on you're arm instead of a royal girl? What will they say when you share this wealth with me? It is not something people smile upon." Sakura bit her lip, looking down at her hands. "I do not want you to bear such a burden."
"I have made up my mind. You are the one I want to take as my wife. The child within you is going to be raised by both of us, not just one. And I will not keep you as a servant. What say you?"
Say no. Sasuke is waiting for you. Sasuke will be back for you! Do not say yes to him, do not do it!
But Neji could help with this child. It is his after all, who was she to take that away from him? She had to say yes.
No.
Yes. No. Yes. No…yes…no….
God help her with this! What was she to say?!
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The footsteps made him wake. He was laying on his side facing away from the door that led to freedom. Someone had come finally.
Sasuke turned his head to look at what it was that came. Orochimaru stood with his body in front of the bars of the cage. He smiled at the broken ones that lay on the stone floor. "You had tried to escape, hm?" He laughed abruptly, shaking his head.
"I am surprised you came." The raven let his stare fall back to the wall he had been facing all day. His spine stiffened at the sound of that sadistic chuckle.
"There is no reason to leave you here in the cold is there? Come now, I have a job for you." The rattle of keys made Sasuke sit up. So he was getting out.
"What is the job?"
"Hyuga is trying to get more than just a child from our sweet cherry blossom, I want you to take care of it. I will no longer be able to be here, but I will help you." Orochimaru walked over to him, holding the young Uchiha's face in his hands. He closed his eyes in concentration and slowly breathed out. His body began to shake increasingly fast as he began slipping into Sasuke's flesh. Sasuke sat frozen and starring at nothing. He couldn't move. Orochimaru was being absorbed into him! When a flashing light happened, Sasuke was thrown against the cold floor. Orochimaru was gone. Totally gone.
He looked at his hands and frowned. The skin was paler. Like that snakes. He thought of Sakura and what he had heard of Neji wanting more than just the child. The young lord was growling again, tasting the bitter hate that ran through him in a rush. His instincts told him to go kill Neji for even thinking he could take what was his. Now that his father was gone, there was nothing holding him back from getting the things he wanted most. Everything he was deprived of could now be his.
His feet carried him up to the throne room, where he sat in his father's chair. No, not his father's, his. It was his to control now.
But where had Orochimaru gone…? He could still feel the system lord close by. And that scared him. The man was to be feared. Sasuke stroked the wooden arm of the chair, smiling absently. His. Now there was something he was going to have to get used to. Tomorrow he would have to go see Sakura. Bring her back to him here. Make her his wife and then his queen. They would have free rein over the kingdom. Wasn't that just the perfect story book ending?
He thought so too.
Sasuke raise his eyes to look at himself in the mirror across the room. Starring back at him was the look of a devil. His black hair tousled and spiky. But not black eyes. Starring back were the eyes of a snake. Yellow and piercing with hatred.
