Chapter 7: Deceiving

For a long moment Sakura could only lie breathing heavily, attempting to calm her racing heartbeat. Relief slowly replaced fear and after awhile she edged herself out cautiously from underneath her husband. When at last she reached the edge of the bed she stood and looked down on his slumbering form.

The great and mighty Uchiha Sasuke, brought low by a mere woman! She felt a fleeting stab of satisfaction that was almost instantly shattered by the memory of his kiss. She hadn't guessed before that a simple touching of the lips could affect her so deeply. Perhaps it was only because it was her first time; he certainly hadn't felt anything approaching her awe, judging from his later boorish behavior. Or perhaps all grooms acted so on their wedding night. Sakura didn't know, and she didn't care to find out more either.

She strode purposefully to the table, took the flagon of wine and emptied the remainder after checking out the window. A slight snore from Sir Sasuke made her freeze, then grab the goblets and hurriedly empty them in the same manner. She returned to the bed and hesitated before gathering her courage and starting to disrobe her husband. She went slowly at first, careful of waking him, but her movements became less gentle and more hurried as she realized he would sleep on regardless. Finally his clothes lay in a crumpled heap at the floor, as if hastily discarded, and he lay completely naked in the marriage bed.

Feeling somewhat guilty and curious at the same time, Sakura allowed herself to look closer at her husband's body. She started by staring at his face, so much younger in sleep, and repressed a sudden strange urge to smooth his hair from his forehead. As her eyes travelled lower, again the first thing she noticed was how extremely well-built he was, from his powerful shoulders to his long lean legs. As for the other parts of his body- well, she had nothing with which to compare, but she suspected Sir Sasuke was justifiably qualified to brag about that, too.

Averting her eyes and taking a deep, steadying breath, Sakura drew back the bedcovers and exposed the fine white linen beneath. She borrowed Sir Sasuke's dagger and purposefully pricked her finger, squeezing a few bright red droplets of blood onto the clean sheet. Then, sucking her finger, she heaved Sasuke under the covers and pulled them up over him.

But her work was not yet done. Sakura wriggled out of her torn dress and, sighing regretfully, tore the top of her silk shift for good measure before tossing them across the room. She glanced down at her arms and was surprised to see two red thumbprints still visible against her creamy skin. Sir Sasuke must have grabbed her harder than she'd realized. She stared long and hard at the two marks before reaching a sudden decision.

Sakura dipped her fingers into the small bit of wine left at the bottom of the goblets, then rubbed some more spots on her arms, staining the skin so that it looked like purpling bruises. Then she sat in the chair and drew up her knees to her chin, stomach churning guiltily and waiting for dawn when Sir Sasuke would wake.


Sasuke moaned and rolled over, feeling as if his head had been trampled by horses. Big horses. Fully armoured destriers, in fact. What the hell happened to him last night? Though he rarely overindulged in wine, nothing like this had ever happened to him before.

His hand strayed to run across the bed, searching for the warm presence he briefly remembered from last night. Sakura… his wife. He had a vague memory of kissing her, feeling her lips begin to move tentatively against his. Her response, innocent though it had been, was passionate enough to leave him light-headed. He had moved to sit on the bed, astounded by the depth of his feelings for her.

He remembered looking at her once he was safely seated and being surprised by the expression on her face. It was closed off and calculating; he wondered for a moment if the hesitant emotion he'd felt from her kiss was but a fraud. Angry, he had called her to him and kissed her again, more roughly this time, taking delight in her shock. And then… from then on he could remember nothing.

His roving hand found nothing but cold linen. Cautiously he opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was his wife's wedding dress, a disheveled heap on the floor, with a torn shift thrown carelessly atop it. His gaze travelled slowly around the room and landed on Sakura herself sitting curled in the room's lone chair, head leaning against her hand and hair covering her face. Her feet were bare and tinged blue from the cold, peeking out from a plain long-sleeved gown he'd never seen before. He wondered if she'd slept in that position. And why.

"Sakura?" he asked hoarsely, shifting to a sitting position and suddenly becoming aware of his total nudity beneath the sheets.

She shook her head and mumbled, clearly still asleep. He wrapped the coverlet around himself and strode across the floor to touch her shoulder. "Sakura," he repeated, and she jerked awake, nearly shaking off his hand.

"S-Sir Sasuke," she gasped, staring up at him. Her gaze settled on his hand, laying heavy on her shoulder, and she stiffened. "You frightened me."

"Sasuke," he corrected her, annoyed. "Why aren't you bed?"

Her words hit him like a punch in the gut. "Because you were there," she replied. Worse still, her tone was flat and emotionless, as if only a simpleton would welcome sharing his bed and he a fool for asking such a question.

"You are my wife," he said through clenched teeth, trying his best not to betray any feeling either. "It's your bed, now, too."

When her only reply was to draw her knees further up to her chest again, he frowned. Perhaps she was merely upset because of the perfectly normal and somewhat painful consequences of losing her virginity. He had thought to be careful and show enough restraint, but perhaps in his drunken state he'd been more hasty than intended. "Surely the pain wasn't that bad."

At last she raised her head to glare at him. As she raised a hand to push the hair from her eyes the sleeve of her gown fell back and he stared, unwilling to believe the evidence of his own eyes. Purple blotches marred the creamy foreskin of her arm. Purple blotches that looked remarkably like bruises left from fingerprints.

He spun away, truly appalled. Had he done that to her? His eyes took in the bloodstained sheets on the bed and his stomach twisted. Clearly the marriage had been consummated. And, just as clearly, he had been a total brute. By Kami, he'd never hurt a woman before in his life! All throughout his fosterhood with Orochimaru he'd endured taunts for his softness- some called it cowardice, until his fists taught them better- because he refused to rape and pillage those weaker than himself.

"I am going to mass," his lady wife said softly behind him. He continued facing forward, unable to look at her and face the accusation in her eyes. "I will pray for you there."

Angrily he yanked up his discarded chausses. He was furious with himself, with her, with the damned strength of her wine. A fine gift indeed! "I don't want your prayers," he said harshly, trying to cover his flinch at her words.

"Nonetheless, you will have them… Sasuke."

"What the devil do you want?" he shouted, spinning on her at last, enraged by her superior tone. Damn her pity and her prayers. He didn't need either!

She paused at the doorway. "Respect," she flared back, meeting his furious glare without fear. "I am your wife and the mistress of this castle now, and I will be respected by everyone, even you!"

Sasuke laughed harshly and grabbed his boots. "I am the master here, not you," he reminded her. She recoiled as if slapped and he forced himself to come close to her, standing nearly nose to nose even though all he wanted to do was run away like a coward, damn him. "Rest assured, Lady Uchiha," he drawled. "I will not touch you again until you ask it. And you will."

He ignored her indignant squawk and pushed past her, still clutching his boots.


Slumping onto the last stair at the bottom of the tower, Sasuke shoved his bare feet into his boots. The action made his head throb and he reluctantly massaged his temples.

"What's this?" a familiar voice drawled. Kakashi rose from a nearby bench from where he had very obviously slept. "Do my eyes deceive me, or has the mighty Uchiha Sasuke finally been defeated by a goblet of wine?"

"No," Sasuke answered shortly, hoping to defer further questions from his one-time sensei.

To no avail. Kakashi came closer and studied him curiously. "Are you all right? You look sicker than Kiba's old dog that died last night. You look like you should have, as well." Kakashi's one visible eye twinkled merrily. "I'm sure your bride found that attractive."

"Where the devil is Kiba, anyway?" Sasuke asked, ignoring Kakashi's reference to Sakura. He hadn't noticed the huntsman in the hall last night. Granted, he hadn't strictly been paying attention to any of his guests save one.

"In the kennel, I expect."

"Hn. Some hunting would do us both good," Sasuke mused aloud. It would serve to distract Kiba from his misery and keep his own thoughts occupied as well. "Fetch me the falconer while you're at it. I want to see how the training of my newest gyrfalcon goes."

Kakashi shot him a shrewd look. "Do you really think you're well enough to ride and hunt today? You truly do look terrible."

"Thank you," Sasuke sarcastically replied.

Kakashi laughed. "Don't mention it."

Sasuke hauled himself to his feet and stifled a moan. "And the baron?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Waiting in the inner yard for his horse. I believe he's leaving soon."

"Good," Sasuke grunted. "Find Kiba and tell him to prepare for a hunt. And ask Sai if he wants to use the new falcon or one of the hawks. I'll be ready in a moment."

Kakashi hesitated and adjusted his tunic unnecessarily. "Well?" Sasuke barked.

"Aren't you going to mass?"

"No."

"What about the Lady Uchiha Sakura?"

Uchiha Sakura. Sasuke wanted to grumble that he didn't have the first notion what to do about the Lady Uchiha Sakura, but he lied instead. "She's still in bed. I imagine she'll find plenty she can do without getting under my feet today." At Kakashi's strange look Sasuke added, "That is, if she gets out of bed at all."

Looking relieved, Kakashi chuckled companionably and set off towards the kitchen corridor, presumably to find the huntsman and the falconer. Once his back was turned Sasuke let his trademark smirk slip from his face. It was too much of an effort to maintain it. He turned his thoughts to the Baron Orochimaru and went to the inner ward, a grim and set expression settling upon his features. If there was one man above all others he did not want to learn the true state of affairs between his bride and himself, it was the baron.

As Kakashi had reported, the baron was indeed there in the courtyard, gazing impassively at the sky. Sasuke squinted briefly at it too before turning his attention to the other man. Whatever his wife thought, their alliance was a necessary one and Orochimaru's presence at his wedding was well-justified. His attitude towards the serving maids, though unsavory, was justified as well. After all, they were just peasants, and Orochimaru was a powerful overlord. Of course Sakura had been right that his castle was not a brothel and shouldn't be treated as such, but it wasn't her place to upbraid the baron. She should have left it to him. Unless if she didn't think him brave or lord enough to protect his own.

"Ah, Sasuke, how good to see you before I go," Orochimaru called out.

Sasuke strode towards him. "I'm sorry you have to leave so soon," he replied. "Perhaps when you finish your business in Otogakure, you can return and we can discuss… matters."

"Perhaps," the baron agreed, grinning. "If your wife will allow me to set foot here again."

Sasuke's mouth thinned and the baron laughed shortly. "My apologies, Sasuke-kun," he said patronizingly. When Sasuke's demeanor did not visibly relax, the baron drew him away from the mounted men and continued. "There's no need to be so angry. In truth she was quite right to protect your honor when I forgot it." He fixed Sasuke with a shrewd gaze. "She seems a very special woman, although I suspect you've already discovered that. Truly, I envy you."

"Hn."

"You had best take care to get more rest, Sasuke," Orochimaru said, abruptly changing subjects. "I rely on you, you know. I would take it amiss if you fall ill, for whatever reason."

Sasuke didn't bother to hide his scowl. The baron was speaking to him as if he were a child again. Patience, he counselled himself. He was well-known for his calculated coldness. At least, he had been before Haruno Sakura- Uchiha Sakura, now- had come into his life. Since meeting her again he felt like cracks had spread across his hardened heart, making room for all the emotions he'd kept tightly suppressed for years to seep free.

A towheaded stable boy appeared leading the baron's magnificent stallion, bearing fine accoutrements of silver and purple. "Ah, ready at last," Orochimaru said before swinging easily into the saddle. "I bid you farewell, Sasuke. Please give my good wishes to your charming bride."

Sasuke didn't have time to respond before the baron signalled his men and rode out of the gate, which was perhaps fortunate. For a moment he was tempted to call the man back and tell him to take Sakura, if he found the wench so enticing. Let Sakura see how other men dealt with her inscrutable ways and sharp tongue and unfathomable moods. Let the baron try to decide whether her kiss held genuine sentiment or deceit. Orochimaru wouldn't care if he'd hurt a woman or not, and he certainly wouldn't feel unclean and impure for acting little more than a loathsome beast in his wedding bed.

But the thought of Sakura in Orochimaru's bed caused his stomach to churn rebelliously. Sasuke breathed slowly, forcing his body to stillness. He hated feeling out of control. It reminded him of before, when he had knelt helpless at his parents' bedside, when he'd been abandoned by his brother and bundled off to Orochimaru in the faraway Land of Sound.

A loud groan sounded from across the courtyard, interrupting his reverie. Sasuke spun around and grimaced when his head pounded furiously in protest at the sudden movement. Uzumaki staggered out of the hall as if mortally wounded in ten places, thoroughly dishevelled and clutching his head. "I think I'm dying," he moaned.

Sasuke folded his arms and smirked in a superior, satisfied sort of way. "What's the matter?" he asked, clearly unsympathetic.

"My head hurts, you insensitive bastard!" the blonde idiot shouted, making Sasuke's own head throb worse. "My mouth is dry, too, dry like goddamn desert-"

"Che, didn't anyone ever teach you not to drink so much?"

"And my stomach feels- my stomach feels like-"

Naruto didn't have time to finish describing his stomach, because he was promptly sick all over Sasuke's burnished leather boots.

"Norio!" Sasuke bellowed.


Sakura, on her way to mass, detoured to the courtyard instead, thinking she had heard Naruto's raised voice. She paused in the doorway and hastily scanned the inner ward. As soon as she took in the scene she rushed at once to Naruto's side, ignoring her husband and his steward for the moment and focusing instead on her friend.

"Come on, Naruto," she sighed, helping him to the hall.

Sasuke watched them go with an inscrutable expression. To him, she had been as cold as a brook before the spring thaw. He would never have guessed her voice could sound so solicitous and concerned. And to think none of it was for him, her rightful husband, who had awakened obviously far from well. If only he had been kinder to her last night- fuck, if he could only remember what he'd actually done- he might have been hearing those soft dulcet tones in his own ears.

Sasuke marched stoically to the stables, annoyed. The marriage was consummated and she was his wife, but only that. He didn't need her pity. He didn't need her. And he most certainly didn't need or want her arm wrapped tenderly around him. "I'm going hunting as soon as Kakashi finds Kiba and Sai," he announced, ostensibly to Norio.

Sakura studiously ignored him as she ushered Naruto inside the hall. Naruto groaned pitiably- much more loudly than Sasuke had that morning, who had also woken pale and somewhat green- and she scowled. "You idiot! What were you thinking?" she berated, depositing him on the nearest bench.

"Maa, not so loud Sakura-chan!" Naruto pleaded, attempting to cover his ears with one hand. The other remained around her shoulders and dragged her down with him.

Hinata and Ino came out of the kitchen corridor armed with brooms, clearly intending to sweep away the rushes and the remnants of last night's feast. When they saw her awkwardly bowed down over the bench, they quickly dropped the brooms and came at once to Sakura's side. Together they laid the enfeebled young man down. "Just let me die in peace," he moaned. The women exchanged a quick glance and a smile.

"That can be arranged," Sakura mumbled, causing Naruto to wince and Hinata to giggle. All of a sudden he blanched again, but Hinata was ready with a bucket.

"Leave him to me, my lady. I'll look after him," she offered quietly.

Sakura nodded gratefully. She knew there was nothing seriously wrong with Naruto, just as she had known there was nothing seriously wrong with Sasuke. The effects of the wine would wear off quickly and both noblemen would soon be restored to themselves. Suppressing a sigh, she got up off her knees and was about to leave when Ino laid a detaining hand on her arm. "My lady!"

"Yes?" she queried, looking into the big blue eyes of Sasuke's one-time mistress.

Ino gulped. "Thank you," she said softly. "For last night, I mean. I… I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't helped me."

Sakura tried not to blush with guilt. In truth, she hadn't been thinking so much of Ino as she had been trying to show both Sasuke and the baron that she was now the mistress of the castle and deserved their respect.

"And- and I wanted to tell you-" the conversation paused as Naruto vomited noisily into the bucket behind them again- "that I won't cause any trouble. Not that I think I could," she paused, and Sakura heard the bitterness in her voice before it picked up strength again. "That is, he's your husband now, and I won't go near him again. I promise." Ino sucked in a deep breath and waited expectantly.

Sakura thought that this particular maidservant, with her beautiful blonde hair, sumptuous figure and sultry manner could surely cause problems for any sort of man if she wanted to, but refrained from saying so. "Very good," she said, unsure how else to respond, but it seemed that Ino expected more.

"You won't send me away, will you?"

"Not unless you give me cause."

The two women weighed each other with a long, measuring stare. Finally Ino smiled and swept a deep curtsy. "I won't," she vowed, and Sakura smiled reassuringly back.

Sakura left Naruto in the two maidservants' capable hands and went outside. A brace of scenthounds and other smaller dogs strained eagerly at their leashes, held by a man she hadn't noticed before. The mussy-haired, dark-eyed man spoke to his charges as if they human, cajoling some and kindly berating others until the brood grew quiet. She caught sight of several squires and boys saddling horses in the stables, and several of the wedding guests waiting with their hunting weaponry. Sakura suppressed a sigh that was both weary and disappointed, surmising that she would have to spend most of the morning with the men's wives sewing or in idle chatter.

She dreaded such a day, and not just because she would much rather follow the hunt herself. She had so little in common with the lives of other noblewomen. Her life as a poor knight's daughter had been too difficult, her days so much like those of a servant, that she suspected she would have more to share with Ino and Hinata than with any of the fine ladies currently visiting. Fortunately she understood most of them were leaving today or tomorrow, so she wouldn't have to put up with them for long.

"My lady," a friendly deep voice said behind her. "May I present Sai, your husband's falconer?"

Sakura turned to see Kakashi coming from the kitchen stores nearby, a piece of piping hot bread in his hands, judging from the way he juggled it. At his side walked a slender young man who looked almost as if he could pass for Sasuke's cousin. A large, hooded gyrfalcon perched on his wrist.

"That looks to be a fine falcon, Sai," Sakura said kindly.

"Sir Sasuke likes the best, my lady," Sai promptly replied. Then he fixed her with his dark, blank eyes and fell silent. Like Sasuke, his hair was dark, but it fell more tamely about his face. Sakura wondered why he was so silent. Was it awe because she was Sir Sasuke's wife? She tried to subdue a twinge of dissatisfaction. Wasn't that what she had wanted? Surely it was expecting too much to be respected for herself alone, yet. Or ever, she conceded wryly, in a world that set store in sons and not daughters.

"Best wishes on your wedding day," Kakashi interrupted the awkward silence.

"Thank you." She turned her attention to the silver-haired knight who had been nothing but kind and polite to her. A glance from the corner of her eye showed that Sai remained impervious and still as a statue. "I take it Sir Sasuke is not attending mass?"

Kakashi shook his head as Sai sidled off towards the horses. "He says not, and I don't suppose we'll be back before the noon meal, either, so I decided to help myself."

She moved a little closer to him and lowered her voice. "Sai seems a rather… unnerving fellow for a falconer. Does he not upset the birds?"

"Sai is only nervous around people, my lady," Kakashi explained quietly. "Around hawks, though, he is in his element. I've seen one try to claw his face nearly to ribbons, and he stood there just as calm as we are now."

"He certainly seems quiet," Sakura remarked.

"You can see why he gets on so well with Sasuke," Kakashi said. Sakura's eyes widened and she chortled. Kakashi found himself chuckling with her, the arpeggio of her laughter too infectious to do otherwise.

"Kakashi!" Sasuke barked across the courtyard, shattering the friendly mood. They both turned to face him as he strode out of the stable, leading a magnificent black stallion. "What the hell are you doing?" he glowered. "Get your horse."

Sakura felt as if she were invisible, or worse, an insect beneath notice as he blatantly ignored her presence and walked briskly away. "At once, Sasuke," Kakashi said, but he lingered to grace Sakura with another kind smile. "I understand a grumpy groom the morning after is a good sign," he whispered, then winked conspiratorially before following Sasuke's lead. Sakura could only gape as they swung into their saddles and turned their prancing mounts to the gate. Seeing no need to remain, she turned her steps towards the chapel.

Whatever else Sakura thought of Sir Sasuke as she slowly walked to hear Father Eiji mumble through the mass, she had to admit he was the epitome of a proud nobleman. It was true that he was arrogant and vain, but not without some cause. Her face flushed as she remembered his muscular, toned body in their bed and she promptly turned her thoughts elsewhere. He was stern and harsh, but he lacked that disturbing, nameless quality she had glimpsed in the Baron Orochimaru. He must have a friendlier side, too, else why would a person like the kindly Sir Kakashi remain with him?

What was more, she thought Sasuke had been truly dismayed to think he'd hurt her. For a moment she thought she had seen such powerful anguish in his eyes that she'd been tempted to tell him the truth, but a strong instinct of self-preservation held her back. After all, who knew what Sir Sasuke could- and would- do to her if he discovered she had lied to him?

He had mentioned a physical pain. Sakura hadn't known that losing her virginity would hurt- the Queen had been surprisingly reticent on the matter- and she was relieved to have avoided further harm last night. After all, hadn't she already endured enough? As she knelt in the chapel and bowed her head, Sakura told herself she was relieved to still be a virgin and proud to have outfoxed Uchiha Sasuke.


Naruto clutched his stomach and fought down the urge to retch again. He'd never drunk so much in his life- and never would again, he silently promised. At first he drank last night because the Sir Kakashi challenged him to a competition, and then he drank to keep thoughts of Sakura in Sasuke's bed upstairs away. He thought he'd long since reconciled himself to the fact that she loved him like a brother, but still, it had hurt seeing her swept into another man's arms.

A surprisingly gentle hand wiped a cool cloth across his brow. He forced himself to open his eyes and met the startled gaze of one of the maidservants whose name he couldn't recall. "Arigato," he groaned, and she turned beet red.

"Ah-ah-my pleasure," she answered, dropping her pale purple eyes to the ground.

Naruto highly doubted it was pleasurable to clean the sick off an inebriated nobleman, but he let the comment pass. "What's your name?" he asked, amused.

"Hinata, my lord," she whispered, so quietly he barely heard her.

"Hinata," he repeated, and watched her face go from bright red to deep crimson.


Author's Notes: I realize I haven't been very nice to Sasuke lately. He's been drugged, deceived and puked on all in less than a day! (Maybe I'm taking out my subconscious anger that he left Sakura AGAIN with nothing but a forehead tap. I mean really buddy, would it have killed ya to kiss the poor girl?! At least for the sake of all us faithful shippers?!)

As always, many heartfelt thanks to my followers, readers and especially my reviewers! You guys seriously ROCK. I am so lucky to have such wonderful readers who give me so much feedback. I love reading your comments and they always make my day! I am awed by the amount of reviews I received last chapter. Seriously, you are all so kind and inspire me to keep writing away. See you soon with the next chapter!