Okay all here is the next chapter of The Prince and The Slave. I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed and added me to their faves and alert lists. I really appreciate it.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

The Prince and The Slave.

Chapter Twenty-Eight.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Ten Ten's P.O.V.)

I was sat in my room, wondering if Neji would be alright. I also worried about Lee. He was my cousin and I'd just gotten him back. I wasn't sure if I could handle losing him again. A year ago, today, was the day we'd escaped. Strangely enough I had only just realised that. Things had definitely changed in a year. I heard a knock at my door. "Come in." I called out. I saw Sakura come in and sit next to me on my bed.

"Are you worried about them?" She asked me. I nodded.

"Yeah, it's strange, isn't it? We went from being slaves, to being free, to actually caring about what happens to our former owners, and members of our family. A year ago, we didn't have anything." I found myself saying. Sakura nodded.

"Sasuke told me he loved me." Sakura said. I raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" I asked. Sakura nodded.

"Funny thing is, when I met him, I hated him, but now..." Sakura trailed off. I didn't need her to say it. I knew she loved him too, like I loved Neji, and Hinata loved Naruto. Ino was the only one who hadn't fallen head over heels for Shikamaru, but she loved him in a different way. She treated him as a brother, and he treated her as a sister in turn. I hoped that things would be okay as I looked out of the window into the moonlight. Sakura sat with me, and soon we were joined by Ino, Hinata and Temari. She seemed to have slipped into our group so easily. We all looked out into the night, waiting for the return of the people we cared about most.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(General P.O.V.)

The males of Akatsuki were like a small, sneaky army, slinking across the desert to the slave market. The younger boys all felt nervousness in the pits of their stomachs. They knew that this mission was going to be one of the most dangerous missions yet. As they came across the slave market, Sasuke took note that the royal flag was there. Shikamaru had informed him that Itachi had been at the slave market when he left, so Sasuke was certain that Itachi was still there.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Sasuke's P.O.V.)

I was with Naruto, Pein and Ibiki, as we snuck through the slave markets. Most of the merchants were drinking themselves stupid in the taverns, and our journey seemed to be easier then it should've been. I don't think I was the only one to notice exactly how strange that was. I could see it in Pein's face that things weren't right. I know Naruto didn't like the quiet. Ibiki looked as serious as Pein did. That was when I could practically taste my brother's presence. "It's a trap!" I heard myself yell, before we were surrounded by royal soldiers.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Neji's P.O.V.)

I knew we'd been ambushed when I heard Sasuke yell. But it was too late. I was with Deidara, Lee and Kimmimaru. But we were soon overwhelmed. I was fighting three opponents. I managed to dodge three swords as I pulled out my own, but then a sharp pain wracked through my whole body. It started in the middle of my chest. My lungs felt heavy. I placed a hand over my mouth and coughed. It was a wet, hacking cough, and as I took my hand away I saw there was blood in it. I could still feel it dripping from my mouth. I looked down and saw a sword protruding from my chest and I felt myself slipping into darkness, as I heard someone calling my name.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Naruto's P.O.V.)

I saw Neji as he was run through with Kabuto's sword. I heard myself calling him and then I felt angry. "You bastard! Come and fight someone face to face!" I heard myself yell. Kabuto just smirked and ran off. Me, Sasuke and Pein were completely overwhelmed, along with Ibiki. We had no way of escape. I saw Itachi watching sadly from the roof of a tavern. It was almost like he didn't want this to happen. I couldn't question anymore, when someone brained me with their sword and everything slipped from red, to white hot pain, straight into black.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Sasuke's P.O.V.)

I saw Naruto fall to the ground, lifeless and I heard Minato yell for his son. Kyubi was with him, calling to his brother. I was trying to fight, but there were too many soldiers. I looked up as I felt my arms get pinned to my sides, and I felt myself held down in the dirt. I saw Itachi on a roof. He was looking down at me, and I could see tears in his eyes. I felt surprise come to my face as someone smashed something over my head. I kept looking at my brother as I fell into the depths of unconsciousness.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Shikamaru's P.O.V.)

I was with my father, Minato and Kyubi, when we were ambushed. I saw Neji fall, and then I saw Naruto, Pein, Ibiki and Sasuke captured. That was when I looked up to see Itachi. He nodded his head to the left, and I saw an opening. I felt my eyes widen as I fought my way over to Neji. I looked at Deidara, who was a mess. "We need to retreat. If we don't, there'll be no way to get any of our captured men back." I told Deidara firmly. He looked angry but he nodded.

"Retreat!" Deidara yelled. I gestured for Deidara to follow me, and somehow, we managed to get away. Though so many men had been captured or hurt. I couldn't believe it as I looked at Neji, who I had draped over one of my shoulders. He was bleeding heavily and I wasn't sure if we would be able to save him. I hoped so. Neji, Naruto, Sasuke and I had been friends since we were small children and I'd already lost two friends to King Fugaku tonight. I didn't want to lose another friend.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Sasuke's P.O.V.)

I woke in a cell. It was a cell in the castle. After all I'd been through I had ended up in the one place I'd been trying to avoid. I knew my father would execute me. He hated me and I was a traitor to his crown. I was surrounded by stone walls, and a tiny window in the top of the back wall let in some moonlight. Although when I looked up at the window, I thought it looked more like someone had forgotten to put in a large stone. It didn't have bars on it. There was no way that even a small child could fit through that gap, let alone me. I could see the heavy wooden door in front of me. I heard the door unlock and I was face to face with my brother.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Pein's P.O.V.)

I found myself tied to a chair when I woke up. My hands and feet were tied to the arms and legs of the chair. With my feet, I could feel that the chair was bolted to the ground. I looked at the door, where King Fugaku Uchiha stood. "Should I be impressed that you came to interrogate me yourself?" I heard myself hiss. Fugaku smirked at me.

"Do you think I care if you're impressed or not?" He asked.

"I think you place a lot on appearances." I replied. I felt myself struck across the face. Blood leaked from my mouth. I handed it to the old bastard. He was fast, I didn't even get a chance to realise what was happening. "My little sister hits harder." I heard myself say mockingly. That was when I received a punch to the face. I was seeing stars but of course I left a smirk on my face. I wouldn't let Fugaku Uchiha know what I was feeling.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Sasuke's P.O.V.)

I stared at my brother as he walked over to me. I picked myself up slowly. I wondered what his reaction would be to me being in the dungeon. I was surprised when I felt a pair of arms wrap around me. I looked in to my brother's chest. He'd always been much taller than me. "I wish you weren't here." Itachi said softly.

"So, you're not happy to see me?" I asked weakly.

"Don't be stupid Sasuke. But this isn't the way I wanted to see you. I wanted to see you free." Itachi said. I couldn't help hugging him back then. I'd missed him. Despite how cold Itachi could sometimes be, and how ridiculously perfect he was for the role of a leader, I'd missed him a lot. There had been a time when we were close, and it was only now, that I realised that we'd never stopped being close. Itachi was trying to protect me, and for that, I would be forever grateful.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Ten Ten's P.O.V.)

The day after the men had left, I was taking my turn watching out for their return. That was when I saw a group. But it was smaller, much smaller than the group that had gone. I saw Shikamaru at the front with Deidara. He was carrying something over his shoulder. I couldn't tell at first. That was when I saw long brown hair. I felt my heart clench in my chest. It was Neji that Shikamaru was carrying.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Naruto's P.O.V.)

I woke up in a cell, and saw Kabuto staring at me. "Get your kicks out of watching boys sleep?" I asked spitefully. I wasn't going to let Kabuto know that I felt any fear. I knew I was in the Royal Palace now. I recognised the stonework of the cell I was in. I knew what would happen to me now that I'd been captured. Execution would be a small mercy compared to the kind of torture that would be given to me by Kabuto. The only one who could beat Kabuto at the torture game, was Ibiki. I knew that after Kabuto was done with me, that he would head straight to Ibiki's cell and attempt to break him. I also knew that that was impossible. Ibiki wouldn't break. Ibiki was known all throughout the five nations as the impenetrable man. His reputation preceded his name. I hoped I could do half as well under interrogation.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Ten Ten's P.O.V.)

I ran towards the group. I had to be sure that it really was Neji that Shikamaru was carrying. I felt tears sting at my eyes as I got closer and realised that it really was Neji. "What happened?" I heard Konan yell behind me.

"It was an ambush. They captured several of us. Too many were killed. We're the only escapees." Shikamaru said.

"Where's Pein?" Konan asked.

"He was captured, along with Naruto, Sasuke, Ibiki and a few others." Shikamaru said softly. I didn't need to look at Konan to see that her heart had dropped into her stomach. I didn't need to see the look of pain on her face as she thought about her fiancé being tortured by King Fugaku's best interrogators. I dreaded seeing Sakura's face when she found out that Sasuke and Pein had both been captured. Or the look on Hinata's face when she realised that Naruto had been captured and Neji had been hurt. I don't know if I can watch everyone's pain.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Ibiki's P.O.V.)

I was sat in a cell. I must've been near Naruto. I could hear him scream in agony. But I didn't hear him speak. From another side, I heard Pein's screams of horror. I was known as the impenetrable one for a reason. I could make my face show no emotion. But I wanted to. Soon I heard Naruto's screams stop. Then I heard Kabuto. "The boy's too injured to be interrogated anymore at the moment. I can't even keep the little shit conscious. I'll start on my next prisoner." I knew Kabuto was talking about me. There was a reason that Orochimaru had kept the man around for so long. Kabuto was only second to myself. His interrogation tactics were almost as legendary as my own. The fact that he could also heal you, whilst he tortured you, was just an added bonus to Orochimaru. I waited for my interrogation to start, wondering who was going to win this battle of wills.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Sakura's P.O.V.)

I heard a commotion as I trained with Tsunade. Hinata, Ino and Temari all looked up as well. We girls had to keep going on as normal. I knew Ten Ten was on lookout duty, but when I saw the bedraggled group that came in, I couldn't believe my eyes. There were so many injured and hurt parties. I saw Lee was wounded. His arm had been sliced pretty badly. Tsunade started sorting out the worst injured from the least. I saw Ten Ten sitting with Neji. He wasn't even conscious, and it was him that Tsunade started working on first. "He's lucky he lived this long." I heard Tsunade say as she worked on him. I saw tears escape from Ten Ten's eyes, and I saw Hinata sobbing. She came over to me.

"Naruto was captured and Tsunade-Sama doesn't think that Neji will last long." Hinata sobbed. I hugged her, and then realised something. Sasuke and my brother were also missing from the ranks. I felt my blood run cold.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Ten Ten's P.O.V.)

I saw the look on Sakura's face as she realised that Pein and Sasuke had not returned. She hugged Hinata, who I could see was sobbing wildly. I couldn't blame her. Her cousin was lying here next to me, half dead, and someone she loved had been captured and would most definitely be tortured. I saw Tsunade working on Neji. Her face was set in determination. I hoped that it would be enough.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Ibiki's P.O.V.)

When Kabuto stepped in to my room, I was horrified to see that he had Idate with him. My little brother. I'd raised him from when he was a small baby, I'd watched him grow up into the teen he was now. I had also told him he shouldn't come on this mission. He had insisted. Now Kabuto would use him against me. I watched as Kabuto threw my brother into a corner and began torturing him. Every scream was like a knife to my heart, but even as he screamed, he begged me to keep silent. He was definitely my brother. I couldn't help being proud of his strength of will at this moment. That was the only thing that stopped me from crying out when Kabuto hacked off one of his fingers. That was the only thing that stopped me from telling Kabuto everything I knew, when Kabuto stabbed my little brother's arms and legs, and left the knives embedded there. But I wanted to give up. I'll never admit that to another living being.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Sasuke's P.O.V.)

I could hear the screams of my comrades. I heard Naruto's screams stop and another set of screams begin. I assumed they were Idate's. I'd seen him captured and from what Itachi had told me, Ibiki was in the cell across from mine. I hated my father then. I hated him so much, I wasn't sure how I could control my own rage. What kind of man allowed another man to be tortured by listening to the screams of his little brother? I knew it had to have been my father's idea. Kabuto, while intelligent in some ways, had no real ideas when it came to the human psyche. I felt bile build up in the back of my throat, as all I could hear around me were the screams of the tortured, and the damned. I wasn't sure whether to be grateful, that I never saw my father's torturers, or whether to be angry that I never saw them. Either way, left me with too much time to think.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Sakura's P.O.V.)

I bit my lip as I listened with Konan, to Shikamaru and Deidara's report, of what had happened. So many had been captured. Gaara had been hurt also. I considered him my friend and the fact that someone had managed to hurt him, had made Temari furious. She had been at his bedside ever since, scolding Kankuro for not keeping a better watch on their brother. I knew Ten Ten and Hinata were still with Neji and Lee. I'd asked Tsunade to put them side by side, to make things a little easier for Ten Ten, and after a little grumbling, Tsunade had agreed. I knew she had a soft heart under that tough exterior. As we listened to everything that had happened, something clicked in my mind. We couldn't sit here and do nothing. My brother may not snap, Ibiki, Naruto and Sasuke may not snap, but sooner or later, someone would. Someone would reveal the location to our hide out. There were only escaped and freed slaves living here. We only knew about fighting, what we'd been taught by Tsunade, and many of the group who had come back, had been injured. I stood up from the chair I'd been sitting on and I looked at the occupants of the room. Konan, Sasori, Deidara, Kankuro, Shikamaru, Minato, Kyubi, Jiraiya and Shikaku all looked at me. "We have to go and get them back." I heard myself say. I was surprised that I'd managed to say it without a tremor in my voice.

"Do you have a plan Sakura? Because I can't think of one at the moment." Shikamaru quipped.

"If we don't think of something, then sooner or later someone is going to crack under interrogation. If they do, this place will be revealed. Do you want to wait for soldiers to come here and slaughter us? We might last a while. We could probably even last a few months, if we barricade ourselves in here, but what then? We'd have to fight our way out with no food, no water, and a whole desert to cross for supplies if we win." I said back. Shikamaru nodded. All the others nodded their agreement.

"Sakura is right. We do have to find a way to get them all back, or better still, to get rid of Fugaku Uchiha." Minato stated.

"Maybe I can help you with your plans." We all looked at Mikoto. Her eyes were puffy and red. I knew she'd been crying for Sasuke.

"How can you help us your highness?" Minato asked kindly. He still addressed her by her title even though she didn't really want a title anymore.

"I know every secret passage in and out of the castle. When I was very young, my marriage to Fugaku was arranged, and I was sent to live at the castle a full year before the marriage was to happen. I was fifteen then, and learning the castle's secrets seemed as good an entertainment as any other. If you have a map of the castle I can mark every passage and every hiding niche that exists in that place." Mikoto told us. Konan nodded and went to a shelf. There were piles of rolled up maps, and she pulled out six and handed them to Mikoto.

"These are maps of every floor of the castle. If they're not accurate please feel free to change them. They're about ten years old. Pein got hold of them when he was a soldier in the King's army." Konan stated. Mikoto nodded.

"I'll make sure they're accurate." Mikoto said. Then she left the room. Now we needed to find volunteers for this new mission, a mission of certain suicide, a mission to break in to the lion's den and steal its captives. I hoped that we'd be able to succeed, but even if we failed and died, it would be better than waiting for death here.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

Okay that's the end of this chapter. I hope you all liked it. Please R&R and let me know what you thought of this chapter. Thanks for reading and I'll catch you all at the next chapter.