The Empire
-Sasuke-
"You are dead to me." She growled in a low voice. "You took my heart, now I'm taking yours!"
With that she stood up holding the knife high over her head. I closed my eyes, this is going to be it. My whole life I never thought it would end like this.
"NOOOOO, STOP NOW!"
I waited for the pain of the knife to come but the seconds went by and it never did. I dared to open my eyes again. I saw Naruto over me now. Holding Sakura's hands steady, keeping the knife from plunging into me. At that moment she changed, phasing back to her normal self. She was more beautiful than I remembered. I saw those sparkling green eyes again, and her soft red lips. But you could tell she was furious.
"What is the meaning of this treason?" She yelled.
"This is not what we're here for Sakura!" He yelled back. "This was never our objective. We were supposed to bring him home, not murder him savagely on the war field!"
"That may have been the objective of Konoha, but now he has committed war crimes against The Iberian Empire! He's our business now and this is how we handle war criminals!" She protested.
"What's happened to you Sakura? You are so consumed with what happened to you its turned into blind hatred! Look at what you've become. You are a bloodthirsty monster and you destroy everything in your path! What you are doing is wrong and you know it!" Naruto yelled at her.
She glared at him and ripped her hands from his throwing the knife into the snow.
"Have it your way Naruto, but if you pull this kind of shit again I will wreck you!" She yelled, and then she turned her back disappearing into the sea of Iberian Soldiers.
The soldiers holding me let me go. I rolled off the rock onto the snow and then I felt it coming, I threw up. I was gagging on the ground when I felt Naruto put his cloak over me to cover me from the cold. I shivered in shock. Naruto grabbed me by the shoulders and stood me up.
"We're going to take you back to Konoha." He stated.
I nodded. I should have protested, but I didn't really care. I was going to do anything I could to keep Sakura from killing me. We walked slowly back to Konoha. I stumbled most of the way and Naruto kept me standing up.
We finally reached the gates and walked through them. I haven't been here in so long. My vision was getting foggy and everything looked surreal. We made our way to the Hokage tower and I could barely climb the stairs. We finally entered the room and Naruto threw me in a chair. I pulled the cloak close around me and leaned my head back.
Tsunade wasn't facing us. She stood looking out the window. She stayed like that for a couple minutes and then turned around with a very serious look on her face.
"Ok I'm getting straight to business to Sasuke, you're in deep shit." She trailed off. "But I'm willing to offer you a deal. I understand that some years ago your family was deeply wronged by this village. I'm telling you right now those people are no longer with us. I you are willing to forgive what happened to you, I am willing to forgive your attempt to attack on this village and accept you back."
"What if I don't accept?" I asked angrily.
"I was afraid you'd say that." She sighed. "If you refuse I will turn you over to The Iberian Empire for punishment, and I think we both know what Saukra will do to you."
I looked down silently. I was still so angry. How did Sakura get her revenge but I didn't. It just wasn't fair!
"Look Sasuke I'm giving you a chance of redemption, a place to live, and safety from the Ibrerians."
What she was saying was logical. I was also very tired, I had been running for a long time and I just wanted to rest.
"I accept." I said reluctantly.
"Good, now I'll have Naruto escort you to the hospital. You look like shit." She said.
Naruto pulled me to my feet again and we were out the door. On our way to the hospital Naruto couldn't shut up about how now that I was back all the stuff we were going to do. I was only half listening. I couldn't take my mind off Sakura. I couldn't believe she almost killed me. And where the hell did that monster come from?
We arrived at the hospital and I was basically tripping over myself. They got me into a bed immediately. Then I blacked out, the last thing on my mind was a beautiful pink haired girl I once knew.
-Sakura-
We mounted our horses and rode out. Leaving Sasuke and Naruto behind in the snow. I was fucking pissed. Naruto did have a point though. What was I becoming? Every time I phase I go crazy. I just want to kill people and I have no mercy. Is that really me?
We were close to the village and the gates stood open welcoming us home. We rode in at a slow steady pace there were people at either side of the street cheering and yelling for us. They were clapping and throwing rice and flowers.
We were all smiles waving back and cheering to raising our arms in the air celebrating victory. We rode farther into the village crossing over into the Iberian sector. More people met us there. More cheers, flowers, and clapping
There were thousands of them. We rode through the people and we approached a stage made out of stone in front of a huge building made of marble with huge columns. I climbed the stage with Nero and Satoru. Two elder priests were already on the stage sitting in chairs and there was a podium in the front.
Once we were on stage the priests greeted us and one approached the podium. He addressed the thousand of Iberian people in front of him.
"Iberians fortes tui robusti et reversus victor!" He announced.
(Iberians your warriors have returned victorious!)
"Ecce Salvator tuus!" He raised my arm showing me off to the crowd.
(Behold your Savior!)
They cheered and hollered in excitement. We were finally free.
The second priest came up to the podium holding a pillow with a golden wreath of olive leaves on it. The priest took the olive leaves and held them in the air for everyone to see.
"En autem imperatorem!" Then he placed the leaves on my head.
(Now I present your Emperor!)
The people screamed and cheered.
"Haruno Magnum!"
(Sakura the Great!)
I couldn't believe it! I'm the Emperor? Never before in my wildest dreams would I have thought this would ever happen to me. The priest moved away from the podium making way for me to approach it.
I held my arms out wide. "Iberians libertas nostra est!
(Iberians freedom is ours!)
More screaming and cheering.
"Quae res viderat annos facta, resurrecto novum imperium. Pugnavit enim gens populus propter. Vicimus apud Deum testem inimicis! Iberian Magnum imperium surgit ex favilla hodie. Principem non solum magnitudine sed ex hominum animis et spe! In vestry Iberian hereditas tenetis sodalicii, et munditia de sanguine qui unit vobis. Quia nihil unquam nobis in mundo. Ut de imperatore populi intrabimus virtute novi saeculi! Nos scient fortissimum et miximum imperium in saecula! Grando Iberia!"
(What we dreamed for years has now become reality, the rebirth of a new Empire. For the sake of this great nation's people we have fought. With God as our witness we have conquered our suppressors! A greater Iberian Empire rises from the ashes today! The greatness of this nation comes not only from its leader but from the courage and hope of it's people! In your Iberian heritage you hold the comradeship and the purity of the blood that unites you. No power in the world can ever take that from us! As your emperor and by the power of our people we will enter a new era! People will know we are the strongest and greatest Empire in the world! Hail Iberia!)
I held my arms out again when I finished speaking. The people were roaring in applause and cheers. I smiled. I had built this empire and I was going to make sure we were the greatest! I was going to make sure these people were safe.
-Sasuke-
I sat up in the bed listening to the nurse. She was reading some stuff to me I didn't really understand. It's not like I was going to pay attention anyway though. I had been in the hospital for two days witch was two days too long for me.
"Ok so we can go ahead and discharge you then!" She gave me some last paperwork and then turned to exit the room.
"Wait!" I started. "Doesn't Sakura work here?"
The nurse laughed a little. "She has a much more important job now."
"And what's that?" I asked.
"You didn't here? When her army returned the Iberian elders named her Emperor of the Iberian Empire." She stated.
My mouth hung open. The girl smiled and left the room. Emperor of the Iberian Empire? Was there anything she couldn't do at this point? I mean I guess it would make sense she is a successful war hero, it does seem logical she would be named leader.
I pulled on my shirt and left the hospital. I sure didn't want to be there anymore. I walked outside and I got angry and weird looks from everyone who passed me. I can't blame them though I was expecting this kind of reaction anyway. I walked the street with no direction just wandering. Then I saw the blonde hair jumping through the crowd, waving his hands.
"Sasuke, Sasuke!" Naruto yelled.
He finally made his way up to me out of breath. "I've been looking everywhere for you its an emergency!"
I glared thinking he was just up to his stupid antics again.
"Lady Tsunade demands our presence immediately!" He breathed out.
I raised my eyebrows. Shit this sounds kind of serious. "Ok we're running then!"
"Argh! Wait the hell up!" Naruto yelled running after me.
We ran over rooftops to the Hokage tower and swung inside the office through a window. Tsunade stood at her desk tapping her fingers on the desk.
"Well it's about damn time!" She yelled at me.
"For what?" I asked
"Come on we're going to court!" she said grabbing some papers.
"What for?" I demanded.
"The Iberian Emperor is demanding we turn you over to them." She stated.
My heart fell. She was after me again. What had I done to make her hate me this bad?
"Lets go now!" Tsunade yelled.
Then we were out the door to the courtrooms. We entered on the side of the building. We walked in and the whole house was full. I saw some of my fellow shinobi. Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino, Neji, Ten Ten, Lee, Kakashi, Guy, and several Konoha and Iberian citizens. Tsunade sat at one end of the room in an elevated chair with a huge desk in front of her with papers on it. At the other end I saw Sakura sitting in an elevated chair as well. She was wearing nice polished armor. Deep navy blue platted with gold leaf designs. A crown of golden olive leaves sat on top of her head symbolizing her authority. She was currently occupied smoking a fat cigar, with two Iberian soldiers at either side of her. Then a small man entered the room and took a seat at a desk in the center of the room on the main. He cleared his throat.
"Alright now that we have both parties here we can start, will the defendant please take a seat next to Lady Hokage."
He looked straight at me. I nodded and sat in the chair next to Tsunade.
"Plaintiff you may start." He motioned to Sakura.
She began to speak. "Sasuke Uchiha has committed war crimes of murder and genocide against people of the Iberian Empire and as a Nation we are demanding you turn him over to us!"
Tsunade frowned. "Saukra you know I-
One of the soldiers cut Tsunade off. "You will address the Emperor as your highness!"
Tsunade was silent a moment from the outburst and then began again.
"Your Highness I am not able to turn this man over to you because I know you are surely going to kill him.
Then Sakura lost it throwing her cigar on the ground she let the beast out slightly roaring and slamming her fists on the table and smashing it. The whole room gasped.
"This village owes the Iberian Empire their lives, without my army you would be destroyed and it would be because of him!" She pointed an accusing finger at me. "And now you offer him protection?"
"Emperor I cannot turn him over we have a pre-existing deal in place." Tsunade stated coolly.
"Your actions suggest treason against your own ally!" Sakura spat.
"I assure you this is not treason, but may I remind you that when the Iberians first came here I granted them asylum, feed them and let them build their own city next to ours." Tsunade said.
Sakura was quiet for a moment.
"I am willing to negotiate a deal with you, since I like to keep everyone satisfied I will turn over Sasuke for one punishment only and then you must return him back to the leaf village." Tsunade offered.
Sakura hesitated. "Your deal sounds plausible. The Uchiha will be returned to you custody by this time tomorrow."
"And one more thing." Sakura added. "If he ever sets foot near my palace I will have him executed!"
Tsunade nodded. Everyone stood up the hearing was over. I panicked what kind of punishment? I looked at Tsunade.
"Don't worry they can't kill you, and it's just one day alright." She whispered.
I nodded but my heart was sinking. Sakura was out for my blood and at this point I had no idea what she was capable of. Two Iberian Soldiers came over and hand cuffed me. What the hell was going to happen to me?