Chapter 9

Sakura requested for a day of vacation, to go home and see her family. The main housekeeper's name is Shino-san. He has been in charge of this household for a few years now. He keeps a forever expressionless façade. Sakura can't figure him out, but found him to be a man of extreme caution and exercise the skill of observation to his full advantage.

He pondered for a few moments when Sakura requested this, and finally said, "I'll have to see."

After Sakura leaves, he immediately walked over to the main courtyard personally, where the Royal Prince was looking at his sword collection.

Sasuke has never been a politician. When the twins were born, legend has it that the sky was dyed into a bright orange hue, signaling prosperity and peace. The infant who was born first has to be the future Emperor, therefore the boy who came later must be distinguished through some sort of physical characteristic. The previous Emperor decided that he would have a seal of the character "Prince" be forged of tin and copper, then burn it until its flaming red, and stamp it onto the upper right shoulder on Sasuke's back.

And 24 years later, the mark was still there, never fading.

The Emperor himself, of course, was never marred by anything. He was born to be perfect, and anything that would leave a scar on his would be profane.

Perhaps it's exactly how for fate has intended, the two brothers were raised separately, against the effort of themselves. Ever since they can walk and talk, they tried everything to be together. Itachi was raised within the confines of High Court, shut in a room all day and learn various political theories and ways of the ancients, while Sasuke had to learn with the other royal children, common knowledges of arts and sciences.

Sasuke showed interests in weapons at a relative young age, and he would always claim over the old oak tree over the court wall, and jump off to find Itachi. Itachi would always be the happiest when he sees Sasuke. The two bothers are so connected they almost have a telepathic ability of knowing what the other person is thinking just be looking at one another. Often when Itachi doesn't feel well, Sasuke would have a headache or throw a tantrum no matter how far they're apart.

When they're at the age of 12, the Emperor decided that they shouldn't meet too much, and sent Sasuke to a temple up the mountains for five years. He also cut down the old oak tree that stood by the court walls for hundreds of years.

When the twins were 15, The Emperor passed away.

The entire palace was in a heavy turmoil. Some people thought it wasn't appropriate for a 15 year old Crown Prince to step up to the throne. The Dowager Empress Uchiha Mikoto along with Uchiha Itachi, seized power over the course of 7 days, while decapitating the heads of over 30 treacherous ministers, cousins and brothers who wanted the seat, their families and countless rebel soldiers, eventually they had a stable control of the court.

Sasuke heard all of this happening, and yet he didn't make a single move. He remained in the temple for two whole years until Itachi one day went up the mountain with a huge flourish of parade to welcome his only live brother home. Itachi then immediately gave him the highest honour a brother of an Emperor could have, many wealth, land, and built him a brand new manor right next to the Jade Palace.

Sasuke knew.

He knew perfectly well that if he had gone back the moment his father passed away, he would be dead before he enters the city, under the orders of Itachi, and buried with all their other brothers.

His love of swords and weapons never wavered. Itachi fulfilled his hobby by scourging the land of the best sword smiths, the best bow master, and have them construct their magnum opus and brought it to him. Sasuke cherished every single piece, and have a pricey little collection of these weapons. He frequently use them during his hunts and into various battles he fought for this country. Each of them have been through life to death and back with him. When he wield them, he could feel their spirit resonating with his, and cleaning them became a ceremonial ritual of some sort. As if there are gods live within each piece, perfection of their kind, and when in battle within his hands, they come alive.

Shino waited until Sasuke finished polishing one of his swords and placed it down, then said to him, "Sakura-san requested a vacation day to see her family. Shall I approve?"

Sasuke frowned. "Did she say why?"

Shino replied obediently, "no".

Sasuke decided she wasn't important enough for him to say no, so he nodded and continue on oiling his next bow.

Shino retreated quietly with a soft, "Yes, Master."

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Sakura went home under the escort of one of the guards, and everyone came to see her. They want to know what life was like in a royal household, what do they eat, what's the master like, and if she has slept with anyone important yet.

All valid questions.

Sakura dodged them masterfully and requested to speak with her father alone after dinner.

After living in Uchiha Manor, coming back home is like descending from a castle to a wood cabin. Despite that, the Harunos are fairly upper middle class compared to most of the other commoners. They could afford 7 to 8 servants, as well as maintaining a large business.

The food they ate was communal, around ten plates on a table, and everyone ate together, talking and laughing about their day. Everyone filled Sakura in on what happened to the other member of the family, which was nothing. They're all alive and well.

After the meal, most of the plates are cleaned out. Even in this large household, waste of food is unforgivable.

Sakura approached her Father in the study after dinner. She expressed her need for 300 silver coins, and wished to take it out as a loan.

"Why?" Haruno-san was surprised.

Sakura made the fatal mistake of telling him the actual reason.

"How dare you think like this!" Haruno-san was furious. So much so that he took his jade paper weight and threw it towards the floor. "Once you enter a Royal Household, you cannot just walk out so easily! Technically you are already married! To the Royal Prince! If he deem it necessary to let you go, you will walk out in shame!"

"But I'm not married to him!" Sakura retorted, flushing red, "I don't have a proper title, I don't stand next to him, I didn't even sleep with him! I am a girl who still have her chastity in tact, and I will do well for myself if I leave that place!"

"You will be disgraced! Everyone in town knew you were escorted into the Prince's Manor, everyone in my business knew that I have a daughter who is the concubine of the Royal Highness, you, on the other hand, is a ungrateful wench that's ruining your future!"

"I will never be his wife!" Sakura screamed, "do you realize your position, and in turn, my position? I will forever stay in the background along his success and status! I am a merchant's daughter! I have nothing, nothing else to offer, and I can't possibly be of any use to you, in business, or to him, in politics!"

Haruno-san looked stunned at her speech. He suddenly felt very exhausted. He pulled the chair towards him and sat down, sighing.

Sakura was still riding that high from screaming. She quickly recovered herself and calmed down.

Haruno-san spoke finally, "you can't leave. You will never marry anyone if you do. Rumours, vicious rumours will circle our house and reputation like death crow, and they will ruin us. A silk merchant with a daughter who is disgraced by Royalty. I will loose all business, Your family will all starve and perish."

For the first time, Sakura looked at the man closely, and discovered him to be old and gray, tortured by age and pressure to be the head of this family.

Sakura stared at him coldly, "life without freedom isn't worth living."

Haruno-san recited the rule that kept him alive all these years, "accept your fate, move on."

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A/N: hard to imagine the life people were living a few hundred years ago. Please review! It's the motivation that keeps me going! Also I'm thinking of dialing this back to update every other day.. mhmm...