Sakura smirked at Amira who returned her gesture for a moment before they smoothed their expressions and exited the lab. They walked with their quiet armed guards to Sakura's room for their midday meal and the pink haired woman burst into giggles as soon as the door was closed and their captors were part way down the hall.
"We did it!" Sakura exclaimed happily punching a fist in the air.
Amira smiled and nodded. "We did." She answered in her mind. "I am in your debt Sakura. I never would have been able to turn biological weapons into potent cures without your help."
Sakura smiled at her friend and tapped her shoulder gently. "It was the right thing to do." She said before she winced and pressed a hand to her swollen stomach.
"Sakura! Sit down." Amira ordered guiding the expecting mother into a padded armchair.
"It's fine." Sakura assured the silver eyed woman. "The baby is just stretching and apparently, I'm starting to run out of room." She said laying her hands on her stomach.
The dark skinned woman studied Sakura for a moment and then nodded slipping her sandals from her swollen feet. She knelt down on the floor and began to knead her fingers against the pale flesh.
"Oh!" Sakura groaned laying her head back. "That feels so good."
Amira chuckled and then began to hum a little tune as she worked, her hands sliding over Sakura's feet and up her legs. It was like the princess knew that they'd been aching though she hadn't said a word. When Amira had been on her knees for more than ten minutes, Sakura tried to pull away.
"Amira, you don't have to." Sakura protested.
"Nonsense. It's my fault you're here instead of somewhere safe and comfortable. Besides, I don't mind doing this. I did the same for Orpah when she was carrying Ariel." Amira said looking up at her with a warm smile on her face. "I know you'd rather have Sasuke on his knees doing this for you, but until we can get you home safe and sound, you're stuck with me." She said with a knowing smirk on her lips.
Sakura blushed and looked away as Amira laughed.
"Quiet, you." Sakura grumbled.
There was a knock at the door and Amira waved her hand to keep Sakura seated and went to the door taking the trays of food from Subaru. When Raiden appeared next to him with an arrangement of calla lilies and orchids the pair of women were immediately on edge.
"King Farid and Lord Sakamoto just wanted to give you a gift to thank you both for your hard work over the past couple of months." He said carrying the arrangement inside. "This is also for you Princess." He said handing the olive toned woman a jeweled taika. "King Farid requests that you wear this when you return to Solaris." He laid the headpiece on the table near the flowers and the pair of shinobi walked out.
Sakura stared at the door for a moment before she rose from her chair and went to Amira who was visibly shaking as she stared at the hair ornament.
"Amira? What's wrong?" She asked.
"That's one of the crown jewels of Wafir." Amira said quietly her eyes fixed on the large teardrop shaped sapphire that was the center of the elaborate piece of jewelry. "I haven't seen it in more than seven years." Her hand balled into a fist as she lowered her head, her hair covering her eyes. "I was wearing it when I was kidnapped by the mercenaries Farid had hired."
Sakura's eyes widened at that. "Why? Why would he give it to you now?"
"He's telling me that he's taking me back to Solaris with him. That he intends to finish what he started." Amira said. "I won't let him! How dare he threaten what's mine!?" She snarled her voice suddenly warping a little.
Sakura's eyes widened. It reminded her of how Naruto's voice used to change when he'd lose control of Kurama when they were younger. It screamed danger. With shaking fingers she reached out and touched her friend hissing at how hot the skin of her shoulder was.
Amira's eyes whipped to hers and Sakura was shocked to find that the usually metallic silver orbs were now bleeding gold as Amira's lips curled back into a bone chilling snarl. The woman's mahogany hair shifted in a wind that had no place in the locked room, streaks of brilliant yellow and scarlet threading through the waves, the temperature in the room suddenly rising.
"Amira? Amira!" Sakura called out. "What's going on!?"
The princess blinked and focused on her for a moment and took a deep breath pressing the heel of her palm against her chest. She closed her eyes and the wind died, the streaks in her hair receding. Without further warning she collapsed on the floor, panting as sweat beaded near her temples.
"What was that?" Sakura demanded bending down.
"Don't get on the floor." Amira said breathlessly. "I won't have the strength to get you off of it for a few minutes." She said.
"You're worrying me." Sakura said pulling up a chair. "Tell me what's happening to you?"
Amira simply shook her head. "It doesn't matter." She said waving her hand weakly in dismissal.
"Just a control issue that you don't need to worry about. What we do need to worry about, is the fact that we're out of time."
"Out of time?" Sakura repeated.
Amira nodded. "We've finished our 'job' here and Farid has just made it clear he intends to take me back to Solaris with him. I know him. He's a cocky bastard but he always plans ahead. He's taking me, soon. I'd say within the next thirty six hours at the most."
Sakura nodded. It made sense. Everything she'd seen of the foreign king pointed her to the same conclusion. A brutal memory surfaced and she closed her eyes as it washed over her.
"Come Princess, there's no reason to be shy." Farid said motioning to the empty seat at his right in the large dining room. Amira tensed and glared at him Sakura a step behind the dark skinned woman. "I'm not making you like I could." He said his voice suddenly much darker.
Amira's jaw clenched and she reluctantly strode forward with grace and knelt on the cushion as far from Farid as she could. Sakura sat next to her and could almost see the anxiety radiating from her friend.
"Stand. Let me look at you." Farid commanded in a tone that made Sakura's skin crawl.
When Amira made no move to follow his command, Mina strode forward and pulled the princess up by her hair. Sakura instinctively reached for her friend but was stopped by Abu's blade leveled at her throat.
"Do not interrupt the king when he is speaking with his betrothed." The guard said in a firm voice.
Sakura's jaw clenched, her hands balled into fists as she watched helplessly.
Farid rose to his feet and looked over Amira one hand stroking his beard as his tongue slipped out to wet his lips, his dark eyes hungry. He walked slowly around the silver eyed woman eyeing her like she was a piece of livestock.
"When you first came to me you were just a girl. A pretty girl, but a girl all the same." He said before he stepped close to Amira reaching out to touch her jaw. "Now, there isn't a woman in all of Solaris or Wafir who could match you in terms of beauty."
"Save your flattery for someone who would appreciate it." Amira snarled.
Mina shook her violently but Farid waved her off. In a flash he slammed the princess to the table back first and held her hands in his over her head.
"I'd suggest you bank that lovely fire in your eyes before I decided to remind you just who you belong to in front of your little shinobi friend." He snarled. "You have been mine since the day you first drew breath. Don't you ever forget it."
Amira glanced at the space where she laid noting it was the only part of the table not filled with food.
"You planned this you disgusting snake." She said struggling against his grip.
He smirked at her and then slapped her across the face. "My threat still stands." He warned.
Amira glanced at Sakura who was staring at her with concern in her eyes and sighed.
"As you wish, your majesty." The silver eyed woman said softly.
Farid nodded and released her pulling her from the table then forcing her onto her knees and stood over her.
"What a pleasant picture. The queen on her knees before her king, just as it should be." He purred.
Sakura watched as Amira ducked her head and balled her hands into fists, the slight scent of blood informing her that she'd punctured her palms with her own nails.
"Now, let's have dinner shall we?" The king said settling into his spot once more.
There was no way Sakura was going to let her friend become that monster's wife.
"Go." Sakura urged her. "The mansion is heavily guarded and there are traps set but I'm sure you'll be fine. I'll stay here and distract them."
Amira's metallic eyes hardened. "Absolutely not. You are not putting yourself or your child on the line for me. I vowed to protect you. We royalty take such things very seriously." She explained reaching out a trembling hand to clasp the fingers of the bubble gum haired mother to be. "You're right. We need to escape but we will do it together." The woman hung her head, her mahogany hair tumbling forward to hide her face like a curtain. "We don't have time to wait for Sasuke anymore. Itachi, if you can hear me… please… guide your brother here quickly." She whispered.
Sakura swallowed noisily squeezing her friend's hand tightly echoing her softly uttered prayer in her own heart.
"Sasuke. Hurry."
SxSxSxSxSxS
Sasuke pushed himself faster through the trees as he tracked the small group of anti-shinobi fanatics through the dense forest. The little slime balls thought they had the advantage because they were on horseback, but they were so wrong. He'd been learning to perfect an ability that allowed him to better immerse himself in his own electrical current. If he truly needed to, he could move at literal lightning speed to intercept them. His intel had told him that the man Souten, the one his wife has cast her genjutsu on to lead him to her was with this particular group. He was not going to let them slip away.
His jaw clenched as the group of four started to pull away from him, gaining speed as the trees begin to thin nearing a large lake and he knew if they managed to get to the open fields, he'd have no choice but to reveal himself and potentially put himself at a disadvantage.
"Damn." He hissed kneading his chakra as he prepared to launch forward, however movement off to his right caught his attention.
A flash of pale yellow and navy blue streaked through the air and without warning, a massive wave formed on the formerly calm lake surface and crashed in front of the riders forcing them back.
"What?" Sasuke murmured as he circled around moving cautiously towards the group while trying to put distance between himself and the mysterious figure also appearing to be in pursuit of the anti-shinobi faction.
The lead rider suddenly cried out and clutched at his head and Sasuke's eyes widened. He hadn't cast genjutsu on him, but a quick glance at the man confirmed that he was under the influence of some chakra based power. It seemed so familiar, like the victims of Ino's mind destruction jutsu.
The figure suddenly leapt from the trees and in two swift blows, knocked two of the riders unconscious from their mounts and then grabbed the third by the throat throwing him back first into the dirt.
"Where is Princess Amira?" The mystery man snarled pressing a wickedly curved dagger to the man's trembling throat. "Tell me now!"
Sasuke dropped down swiftly and caught the strange looking shuriken thrown at him.
"Easy. I'm after these guys too. Just wait a second." He said quickly looking over the men. As luck would have it, the one he recognized as Souten was one of those that had been knocked unconscious. "That man there with the scar, he'll be able to tell me what I need to know, and perhaps you as well. Who are you?"
The man straightened and Sasuke studied him closely. His clothing was a little strange. He wore a sleeveless tunic in black and pants in the same shade that were tight at the waist and loose to his knees where grey boots were pulled tight over his calves. A navy blue sash was around his waist and strips of fabric in the same shade were wrapped around his forearms and across the lower part of his face. His skin was lightly suntanned and light blonde hair was gathered into a low ponytail at the back of his head. Pale blue eyes with a ring of magenta around the outside of the iris looked back at him.
The man reached up and tugged his mask down to reveal a chiseled jaw and full pink lips. "I am Hisame. Hisame Yamanacha. I serve Amira Rad-Ganem, the first Princess of Wafir."
Sasuke's brow lifted a little at that. "Amira told me about you." He said.
Hisame's eyes widened and moved closer quickly. "You've spoken with her?" He asked, Sasuke nodded. "Where is she? Is she alright?" He demanded in quick succession.
A Yamanacha through and through, not even giving him a chance to answer one question before moving on to another. Had Sasuke not been so used to Ino, he was certain this man would have irritated him.
"Yes, I've spoken with her and she was well when I saw her, but that was more than two months ago." Sasuke said his fist clenching.
It had been the last time he'd seen his wife as well. He was on the verge of losing his mind. If Souten didn't regain consciousness soon, he was going to burn The Land of Tea to the ground to find her.
Hisame's eyes widened before his hands clenched into fists. "Damn!" He hissed.
"I'm pretty sure I know where she is." Sasuke offered feeling compassion for the man; the desperation he saw in Hisame's blue eyes, reminded him of his own.
"You do? Tell me! Please." Hisame begged.
"She's a prisoner of an Anti-Shinobi faction. Both she, and my wife." He met the blonde man's eyes. "King Farid is behind it all."
Hisame's hand shot out, a thin stream of water lashing a nearby tree in half, sending it crashing to the forest floor as a stream of strange words Sasuke had never heard before flew from the blonde's lips. Hisame's body trembled, his rage easy to see brewing in his eyes. Sasuke knew in a moment where that wave had come from and was curious. The Yamanaka clan wasn't known for any water jutsu.
"Take me with you." Hisame said moving closer to him. "You said Princess Amira was with your wife who is also a captive of Farid and his henchmen. I will help you rescue them both."
Sasuke immediately nodded. Hisame was Amira's trusted servant and appeared to be quite powerful. He likely knew more about Farid and his soldiers fighting styles. The man was an asset and would allow him to go in without Suigetsu and Jugo. Though he trusted the two, it wouldn't be the best thing to have him linked to Orochimaru's organization in such an obvious way. Besides, if he was being honest with himself, he was still quite angry with Suigetsu.
Hisame breathed a sigh of relief and bowed to him. "Thank you very much."
Sasuke nodded and knelt next to Souten. "When this man wakes up, he'll be able to lead us to the Anti-Shinobi headquarters where Amira and my wife are being held." Hisame nodded and settled on his knees beside the man.
Sasuke studied the blonde for a few minutes before his curiosity got the better of him. Amira had mentioned that her servant would likely be happy to hear that his clan was still alive and well. Maybe Hisame would want to reconnect with his people. He certainly wished that he had the chance to.
"Amira told me a little about you." He began carefully.
Hisame's lips turned up into a smile. "She is very kind."
Sasuke nodded. "I'm Sasuke Uchiha, from The Village Hidden in the Leaves."
The blonde's eyes widened. "The Village Hidden in the Leaves?" He repeated. When Sasuke nodded he looked down. "Father spoke of that place. It's where he was born and raised."
"I know." Sasuke replied. "The Yamanaka clan, right?" Hisame nodded. "They're still thriving."
Sasuke said. "If you'd like, I could arrange for you to meet with them after all of this is over."
Hisame blinked a few times and shifted as though he was uncomfortable. "I don't know about that." He replied before lifting his eyes again. "Do you know anything about The Village Hidden in the Mist?"
Sasuke nodded. "Yes, though I'm not as familiar with them as I am with other Hidden villages and their people."
The blonde looked over at the nearby lake. "My mother… That was her home village."
Sasuke's eyes widened at that and studied the man a little closer. Both he and Amira appeared to be years older than himself and Sakura. If he had to guess, he'd say that they were just a bit younger than Kakashi, in their mid to late twenties though appearances could often be deceiving. That would mean that Hisame had been born sometime during the third great ninja war. A war that pitted The Leaf against The Mist. His parents should have been enemies, not lovers.
"Why did your father leave the village?" Sasuke asked.
Hisame glanced at him and then sighed picking up a pebble and examining its grey surface. "You want my family history?" He said with a knowing gleam in his eye. Sasuke nodded. The blonde took a deep breath. "I don't know the entire story since my parents died when I was quite young. What I do know, is that my parents met when my father was sent on a mission to infiltrate The Hidden Mist village. My mother intercepted him and they fought. Their fight ended in a draw and they returned to their own villages. This happened several times with neither of them gaining the upper hand. Over time, their rivalry became less dangerous and more… playful." Hisame said a small smirk playing at his lips. "Eventually, my mother pinned my father down during a fight and instead of pushing her off, my father kissed her. The rest, as they say, is history."
Sasuke shook his head. It was never that simple. Particularly in war time.
Hisame glanced at the sky. "My mother was one of the daughters of the Village Leader and my father was a member of the ANBU. Each one knew that the other was taking massive risks but they decided to continue their relationship. When it came to light, they each abandoned their respective villages and began moving from place to place. When I was young, only seven or so, we were about to board a ship when a bunch of ninja appeared. My parents boarded me and turned back to fight them but…" His head lowered. "They didn't survive the battle. My mother used the last few minutes of her life to push the boat into the open water to protect me. My final memory of my parents is of my mother clutching my father's limp body as she screamed for me to stay alive."
Sasuke lowered his head. It was terribly wretched really. Their union could have been used to bring the two villages together. Lord Third was in charge at the time. Given his love of peace, it was strange that he hadn't used that to their advantage.
"I need to send word to my village." Sasuke said pulling a scroll from his bag.
"I understand." Hisame replied.
Sasuke penned his message quickly and sent it with one of his hawks and returned to the man's side.
"What do you plan to do once you've rescued Amira?" Sasuke asked.
"We will return to Wafir and hopefully put an end to this tedious war for good." Hisame said firmly his eyes narrowing dangerously.
"I asked you what you planned to do, not you and Amira." Sasuke said studying the blonde. "You have a clan here, this is your homeland."
"My place is with Princess Amira." Hisame said. "I owe her my life and she has earned my loyalty."
Sasuke studied the man's strange eyes recognizing the same look he'd seen in Sakura's eyes when thinking of him. "You love her. You're in love with her."
Hisame glanced at him his eyes sharpening a little. "It is forbidden for a servant to covet his master in any form."
"Yet you don't deny it." Sasuke retorted.
The blonde looked like he was about to reply when Souten groaned and stirred, his eyes blinking slowly open.
"Finally." Sasuke sighed immediately moving into the man's line of sight. "Do you know who I am?" he demanded as the young man's eyes met his own mismatched gaze and widened.
"Sasuke… Uchiha…" The man rasped fear sliding over his features for a moment before they went blank as Sakura's genjutsu took hold of his mind.
"That's right. Now you're going to lead me to my wife before I reduce you and the rest of this nation to ash." Sasuke snarled.
Hisame's eyes narrowed as Souten mechanically pulled a map from his shirt and handed it to Sasuke before mounting his horse and waiting expectantly.
"What is this?" The blonde asked.
"He's under my wife's genjutsu. It's a form of mind control." Sasuke explained as he mounted one of the other horses and motioned for Hisame to do the same. "She's instructed him to lead us to the hideout where Farid and his henchmen are holding her and your princess captive."
"I see." Hisame replied mounting a nearby steed. "Why the violent threat? Not that I don't understand the feeling, it just seemed a little intense."
Sasuke's gaze darkened as he glanced at his companion. He didn't want to expose Sakura's obvious weakness but knew better than to keep such crucial information from an ally at a time like this.
"My wife is carrying our first child." He said softly.
Hisame's eyes widened. "She's been a prisoner this entire time while…" Sasuke nodded and the blonde snarled something in a language he did not understand. "I understand." Hisame said his eyes narrowing. "We will travel as quickly as possible."
Sasuke nodded and urged his horse faster the Yamanaka keeping pace with him easily. "Do not fear my friend. If my Lady knows of your wife's condition, I have no doubt that she is protecting her with everything she has. We will save them."
Sasuke nodded. Absolutely they would, failure was not an option. If the man's map was accurate, they were less than six hours from the hideout. They would arrive around nightfall, the perfect time to launch a covert attack.
"Wait for me Sakura." He whispered in his heart. "I'm coming for you."
SxSxSxSxS
Sakura took a deep breath and focused her chakra into her pointed and index finger. It was difficult to manage with the massive amounts of Chakra that were being siphoned off by her unborn child, however she had to push through the temporary exhaustion to accomplish her task. As she exhaled, she snapped her hand forward and snapped the lock off the door with her precision blow.
"Great work." Amira said adjusting the sheath that held a set of strange looking throwing knifes at her hip. "Let's slip out now. It'll be impossible for us to escape completely undetected, but there are few guards on duty right now. It's our best chance."
Sakura nodded and slipped out behind Amira allowing the older woman to shield her with her taller form as they made their way down the hall. It was nearly twilight and the watch was about to shift. The pair of warriors had watched long enough to know the watch coming on was strongest but also the least observant. If they worked carefully, they'd be able to reach the ground floor fairly easily.
They slipped down the first two sets of stairs and were rounding the corner to start on the third and final set when a brand new guard that had only arrived at the hideout one week prior and was clearly running late suddenly appeared at the bottom of the stairs. His eyes widened and Sakura drew a kunai ready to strike.
Amira beat her to it. She leapt from the top of the stairs, her hand gripping the handle of a long bladed knife. The princess flattened the palm of her hand over the man's mouth to muffle his cry and plunged the knife deep into his chest.
Sakura stared in awe and a twinge of envy as the princess tugged the blade free leaving the man's cooling body on the floor and cleaned her blade on the dead man's sleeve. Being pregnant had robbed Sakura of most of her speed and agility and as much as she cherished the life growing inside her, she desperately wanted it out so that she could fight properly.
"Come quickly. They'll notice his absence quickly." Amira spoke in her mind.
Sakura nodded and didn't protest when Amira supported her arm as she hurried them down the stairs. Amira pushed the door open and then turned, wrapping her arms around Sakura, and leapt out of the door as an explosive tag detonated.
Sakura winced at the blinding light and searing heat and braced for impact. Amira took the brunt of both the explosion and the landing, slamming to the ground with a grunt.
"Are you ok?" Sakura asked as she rose to her feet.
"It doesn't matter! Go!" Amira replied springing to her feet smoke still rising from her clothes.
Sakura nodded and took off in the direction of the nearest settlement. The sounds of shouting erupted behind them.
"Damn!" Sakura hissed as a sudden searing sensation slashed across her hips.
She stumbled at the pain and gasped as a pulse of chakra throbbed hard against her coming from the child within her.
"No…" She whimpered as her knees hit the damp ground her arms wrapping around her middle. "Not yet. Please baby, please! Wait for daddy to get here. I can't do this without him. Baby please." Sakura gritted her teeth and released her seal and desperately worked to slow her body's approach towards labor.
"Sakura! What happened?" Amira demanded kneeling down beside her a bloodied katana clutched in her hand.
"The baby. She's coming." Sakura replied pressing a hand to her swollen stomach. "I'm using my power to keep labor at bay but I have no idea how long I'm going to be able to keep it up."
Amira's eyes widened before they closed and she heaved a long sigh. "Can't catch a fucking break." The princess muttered startling Sakura with the crude language.
Amira stood to her feet and adjusted her grip on her sword. "Escape isn't a viable option anymore. Not in your condition." A tiny smirk touched her lips and a hard glint settled in her odd metallic eyes. "It looks like I'm going to have to do this the hard way." She glanced back at Sakura. "Don't worry. I will protect you and Sasuke is on his way, I can feel it. Just be patient a little longer."
Sakura nodded and hissed as her baby's chakra pulsed again, almost like the little girl was protesting her attempts to keep her inside. Sasuke was coming. Amira had said so. She would hold on until he arrived, no matter what.
Amira took a deep breath and deflected a series of kunais thrown at them and crouched low spreading out her limbs to shield Sakura more effectively.
She pulled her throwing knives from their sheaths and attached wire to the ends. The princess took aim before launching the deadly projectiles with pinpoint accuracy. After taking down her first targets, she yanked them back with the wire rearming herself before letting them fly again.
An infuriated Lord Sakamoto suddenly appeared and roared in rage.
"Shit!" Amira hissed as she pulled her knives back.
Subaru and Raiden landed next to their master flanked by Abu, Mina and King Farid.
"Amira," Sakura called our immediately realizing that her friend was out matched.
"Change of plans, we're running." Amira said shoving her knives into their sheathes before she turned and scooped Sakura into her arms.
"You can't possibly hope to outrun them!" Sakura exclaimed as the princess ran.
"Raiden and Subaru are just hired muscle who have bonded with us over the past couple months. They don't want to hurt us. We can use that to our advantage since they'll be sent after us first. It's Abu and Mina I'm worried about." Amira replied as she cut away from the main road and into the trees weaving through the undergrowth as footsteps and shouts followed behind them.
Sakura gritted her teeth and nodded. She knew that Amira was right and hated that they were in such a dangerous position, but she had to protect her baby and stay alive.
Amira hissed and stumbled as a well thrown kunai sliced across the back of her knee. A battle cry of defiance flew from her lips as she continued forward and Sakura noticed the temperature of her companion's skin heating up.
As they reached the middle of a clearing, Sakura's eyes widened as she realized that they were completely surrounded. Her jaw clenched and her hands balled into fists. She was useless. If she used her power to fight, she wouldn't be able to stall her labor. If she continued to stall, it could become dangerous for both she and her daughter. The situation they were in was as dire as they came and a few traitorous tears slid down her face. This was it. The end.
"Don't lose hope." Amira said setting her down gently in the clearing. "I swore to protect you until your husband came for you." She offered Sakura an angelic smile her metalic eyes almost apologetic. "I will honor my oath to you no matter the cost."
"Get them! Attack now you useless sacks of garbage!" Lord Sakamoto shouted.
"Sakura, stay close to me, and no matter what happens, know that this is my choice and that spending these weeks with you has been a joy. You are going to be an exceptional mother one day, your daughter will be beautiful and Sasuke who loves you more than anyone will always come for you." Amira said her voice serine even as a wind that felt hot and dry as the desert she'd talked of whipped around her.
Sakura watched wide eyed as streaks of yellow and orange erupted in Amira's mahogany waves. Her eyes flashed from metallic silver to molten gold and she hunched over as though in pain.
"Amira?" Sakura whispered reaching for a kunai as Raiden rushed towards them flanked by Subaru with Abu and Mina circling around from the other side. "What's going on?" She turned at the familiar sound of a kunai being thrown and turned to defend herself, her lips pulled back into a grimace as she realized she wouldn't be able to counter in time.
Suddenly, a pair of flaming wings burst from Amira's back knocking the deadly projectiles away with a blast of heat so intense that the grass around them began to smoke. Sakura watched in awe and horror as her friend was enveloped in flames and a blood curdling shriek that sounded like the warped cry of a hawk left the lips of her friend.
"So it's true." Mina whispered falling down on the grass her eyes wide with shock as Abu froze in place behind her. "She truly does carry the soul of the Roc within her. No wonder our king is so desperate to get his hands on her."
Sakura took advantage of the distraction and let shuriken and kunai fly hitting her targets and forcing her opponents to retreat even further.
"She's glorious!" King Farid exclaimed taking a step towards them. "A prize worthy of me. Take her!" He shouted at the gathering mass of soldiers behind him.
Sakura gasped and then stared at Amira as she screeched again and lifted her hands massive waves of flames exploded from her body incinerating the nearby trees and the few fools that had automatically followed the king's orders and has moved in to attack.
The flames were as hot as Sasuke's Flame Control and just as potent; though Sakura noticed Amira was physically distressed, breathing heavily and shaking.
The flaming princess stood her ground for an hour in the deepening darkness, defending Sakura with everything she had while their enemies hurled every water based attack they could muster at her.
Amira's demeanor began to shift and her flames grew exponentially. The princess sank to her knees and clutched at her head soft birdlike sounds of distress leaving her lips.
"Amira? Are you ok?" Sakura asked reaching towards her friend wincing at the searing heat.
A bird like shriek left her lips again and flames licked at Sakura's hand forcing her to pull back.
Amira's flaming fingers tangled in her smoldering locks and tugged hard a wisp of steam rising from the corner of her eye as her tears evaporated her gaze fixed on the healing burn across Sakura's hand.
"My Lady!" A voice suddenly called out drawing the two women's attention.
A man with light blonde hair pulled back into a high ponytail landed just inside the clearing.
"So the princess's loyal guard dog has arrived." King Farid snarled. "I swore my men had killed you."
The man ignored the king and strode confidently forward. "Princess Amira? It's me Hisame. I'm sorry I took so long to return to your side." The man extended both arms and spread his fingers, water appearing and swirling around them in ever growing waves. "You've done well. You kept your promise. Sasuke will be arriving any moment, he's just doing a little cleanup." He raised his hands and pointed them at the flame covered princess. "It is time to come back now."
A massive spout of water exploded from his palms and washed over Amira extinguishing the flames that were burning out of control engulfing the clearing in a cloud of steam.
Sakura gasped and closed her eyes lifting her arm to shield her face from the onslaught. Her mind began to race remembering the stranger's words. Sasuke was here? Where?! She needed to see him again. Needed him to protect her and take her someplace safe to bring their child into this world. She needed him to hold her close and tell her everything would be alright because she was so scared and lonely. It was a feeling that hadn't been eased by Amira's kind companionship. These negative feelings could only be quelled by one pair of mismatched eyes.
Sakura's eyes slowly slit open as the stinging heat around her began to recede and her gaze fixed on Amira who swayed only to be caught by the blonde man.
"You took your sweet time Hisame." The princess said her voice wispy.
"My apologies." The man replied with a smile as his hands cupped her elbows. "You should punish me for it later."
"Masochist." Amira said with a laugh.
Sakura's own lips twitched into a smile for a moment before she gasped at the cold sensation of a blade across her throat.
"Alright princess, the jig is up. Come back now or your pregnant shinobi buddy dies." Abu snarled angry burns visible across half of his face and torso.
Amira and Hisame both turned towards her their hands pulling knives from hidden sheathes when a sound, that Sakura knew from both her happiest dreams and worst nightmares, leapt to life from the edge of the clearling. The electric chirping of a thousand birds.
"Sasuke."
In a flash of blinding light the blade at her neck was gone with Abu screaming in agony. Sakura sank to her knees on the ground breathing hard and touching her neck to make sure that the blade hadn't left a wound.
"I warned you that if you aimed your weapon at my wife again that I would remove the limb wielding it."
Sakura could not hold back the sob that left her throat when the dark figure of her husband knelt in front of her his amethyst and ruby colored eyes meeting hers for the first time in months. He was so handsome with his angular features, ivory skin and jet black hair. Gods how she'd missed him.
With little hesitation, she reached for her husband and wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face to his chest inhaling deeply his masculine scent that was somehow just a little smoky and electric at the same time. The steady beating of his heart echoed beneath her ear and his arm came around her his fingers gripping her tightly.
"Sakura." He murmured softly so much emotion coloring his rich voice that he didn't need to say another word for her to know that he loved her and was relieved to see her.
"Sasuke. Sasuke." Her emotions and tears bubbled over as she sobbed. "I was so scared!" She wailed. "I hurt so much!"
She was a little embarrassed by how childish and weak she sounded but the majority of her, fueled by pregnancy hormones and pain, didn't care. He husband was back and damnit after months of hell alone she'd whine to him all she wanted.
"I'm so sorry Tsuma." Sasuke said shifting his head to press his lips to her temple. "You've done well. Stay here and let me finish these guys off and then we'll go home together."
Sakura nodded and he shifted to stand but she held him tightly.
"Wait!" She said. "There's something important you need to know."
"What is it?" Sasuke replied his irritation bleeding through in his tone.
Sakura took his hand and pressed it to her swollen stomach and then leaned forward until her lips were touching his ear.
"Our baby is a girl." She felt Sasuke stiffen at her words.
"You're sure?" He replied.
"Positive and she's coming, right now. I'm keeping labor at bay with my seal but I have no idea how much longer I can hold out." Sakura said making sure his eyes were on hers so that he understood the seriousness of their situation.
Sasuke paused for a moment before he dipped his head pressing a brief but passionate kiss to her mouth.
"Give me ten minutes." He said before he stood simultaneously drawing his katana and funneled his electric chakra into the blade lengthening it so that he could decapitate Abu and Mina in one strike.
King Farid took a shaking step back while Subaru and Raiden quickly leapt back their hands raised in surrender.
"We were just doing our jobs." Raiden said in a coaxing tone. "You understand right?"
"And I am doing mine." Sasuke replied aiming his blade at the two rogue ninjas.
Author's Note: I'm back! Sorry it took so long. My life took an insane turn a few months ago and I had zero time to write for a long time. Now I'm back and hopefully will be able to power through and finish this story. Thank you so much for sticking by me and again I'm sorry for how long this update took!