Chapter Thirty-Three: The Devil's Table
There was something about being fully submerged in a tub of water that Sakura found relaxing. The weightlessness seemed to not only give a physical feeling of lightness, but it also seemed to ease the heavy burdens in her mind. The sensation of her body being fully embraced by warmth, warming her down to her very soul and giving her comfort.
Like her chakra control, Sakura also had a skill for breath control as well. After centuries of frequent practice of this habit, she was able to stay under for several minutes at a time with hardly any effort. The key was to regulate her heart rate, to conserve oxygen levels as she slipped into a meditative trance, just aware enough to be mutely aware of her senses.
Since coming to the underworld she had done this many times. It was something familiar, something where she almost, just almost, completely forgot where she was as she focused on the senses of her body rather than the chaos in her mind. The warmth of the water, the muffled splashes when a hand or foot broke the surface, the smooth shift of the water against her skin as it moved back and forth against the confines of the porcelain tub each time she moved. A small bubble of air escaped from her nostril and she cracked an eye open to watch it rise to the surface of the deep depth that that bathing tub provided. She would be lying if she said there was nothing praiseworthy in hell.
Everything, in short, was immaculate. It was all made of the finest materials from precious metals to exquisite textiles, rare woods to artful ceramics. All crafted and designed into tasteful and luxurious furnishings, draperies, and everyday functional facilities. And it wasn't just the interior décor that made this world praiseworthy.
While the cavernous structure of the world would not seem an ideal architecture, the way the demons had incorporated refinery into the rocky world was praiseworthy. Where the heavens hung portraits painted with vivid colors and vivid detail, the demons carved the stone walls into murals that told stories with such immaculate skill and detail, even in monochrome the artwork seemed to be alive. And when there was not a crafted engraving within the wall, nature itself seemed to create a masterpiece. Veins of precious metals like gold and silver ran on the surface of the caverns in lightning strike patterns. The metallic lines captured and reflected the orange light of the everlasting flames that lit the tunnels, or glinted with the multiple colors of the iridescent crystals that formed and glowed among the black rock of this world.
As the bubble of air managed to reach the surface, it caused a ripple to stretch out above her. Sakura watched how it bent and reflected the light of the large chandelier that hung on the high ceiling of the washroom. But as she watched the light dance with the rippled water, it was suddenly eclipsed by a dark form leaning over the edge of the tub. Before she could even register what was happening, hands were grabbing at her arms and she was being yanked up and out of the water.
Water splashed over the sides as she was wildly brought to the surface. She coughed as she choked on the inhaled water that she had breathed in panic upon being grabbed and wiped at her eyes. The splatter of water hitting the tile floor filled her ears and was drowned out almost instantly with the roar of a male voice filling her ears.
"Have you lost your mind!"
Sakura blinked up into a darkened face of Sasuke. His eyes were wide, overtaken with a flamed fury and if she did not know better, panic.
"What the hell are you doing?" he roared into her stunned face as he shook her shoulders.
The jostle he gave her caused her mind to catch up and suddenly become more aware. Aware of the sloshing water, aware of his looming presence, aware of his fingers grasping onto her wet and bare skin, and she was more than acutely aware that she was completely naked.
Her hands flew to her chest as she frantically shoved him away from her, chakra escaping in her force and causing him to fly across the washroom where he caught himself upright against the sink.
"What the hell am I doing!? What the hell are you doing!?" she screamed, her face burning from the angry flush that was rising over her face.
"I was trying to keep you from…" his voice trailed off as the panic that he had felt earlier began to fade and he could think clearly.
He had come to her room to tell her to get ready for dinner, only to find that the room was empty. It was then he heard the smallest of splashes and became aware of the gentle tug that directed him to the bathroom door that was left ajar.
He had knocked first. In fact he had knocked several times and even called her name. But when he got no response and heard another splash, his mind jumped to a panicked conclusion. And how else was he supposed to react when he thought she was trying to drown herself? He was more than aware of her desire to escape but he had not imagined she would try to escape that way. Was it so horrible in this world of his, that she felt death was better?
Sasuke stared at her as the reality of a possible mistake on his behalf had been made, induced by the heart wrenching panic that had manifested within him when he came across her submerged under water. With the bleary rage of such an attempt and the panic of her safety now gone, he was suddenly aware of the very naked woman crouching in the tub as her bare chest heaved beneath her crossed arms. She was glaring back at him with eyes that for the first time since bringing her here, did not hold an ounce of dull light. They were brilliantly alight with a burning rage.
Immediately he opened his mouth, to explain his overreaction, to rectify the situation. But she cut him off with her own words. "Stop staring and get out!" When he did not take immediate action, she grabbed a bar of soap and hurled it at him. "I said get out you degenerate pervert!"
Sakura watched as Sasuke seemed to break free from his staring and immediately exited the bathroom in three quick strides, slamming the door behind him with his escape. As soon as the door shut she fell back, staring up at the glowing chandelier above her and breathing deeply until her racing heart began to regulate. She continued to sit there, her attention falling from the light fixture above, to the shut door. And then her face began to burn again, this time with an all different reason.
Her hands came up to her face as she let out a muffled groan of mortification. When she ran out of air to vent, her hands slipped from her face where they splashed into the water. Suddenly far too warm to remain in the heated water, Sakura stood and stepped over the side of the tub. Water dripped from her body as it splattered on the bathmat then the floor as she walked over to where her towel was. Wrapping the soft sheet of fabric around her she walked towards the door, muttering to herself about pervert assholes who had no regard for privacy.
Opening the door to her room she let out an exclamation. "Jashin's bloody sauna!" she yelped, when she caught sight of Sasuke sitting on her bed. "What are you still doing here!" she questioned, pulling the towel around her tighter. "What part of get out do you not understand!"
Sasuke looked up at her, his obsidian eyes fixated on her. He watched as she tightened her grip on her towel as she shifted from one foot to the other. "I need to talk to you," he replied, his eyes involuntarily lingering in places.
"Would you stop staring!" she snapped, causing him to realize what he was doing and force his eyes back up to hers. "Actually better yet, why don't you get out!"
He stood, crossing his arms across his chest. "We need to talk."
"It can wait," she deadpanned.
"No, it can't," he said, sitting back down on the chase lounge at the end of her bend and raising a brow at her.
She let out a muffled scream of frustration and turned away from him. Without so much of a glance towards him, she moved over to her wardrobe, all the while acutely aware of his eyes on her. She opened the doors, finally shooting him a narrowed look as she grabbed at her towel again before casting her gaze to the closet.
"If you're not going to leave can you at least look the other way," she demanded, as she began to push aside some hangers. "I think you already got enough of an eyeful to satisfy a pervert for one day."
He didn't say anything but she heard him shift and the weight of his stare seemed to lift. However, she did look over her shoulder to double check and found his back to her as he looked at the opposite side of the room. Watching him warily, she quickly pulled on some underwear before letting the towel fall to the ground. Facing the wardrobe she quickly found a silk robe among the many articles of clothing and wrapped it around herself, tying a firm knot around her waist before turning back around.
Sasuke stared at the intricate carved wall, the filigree pattern gave it the illusion of wall paper but it was all carved out of stone. But he hardly registered what his eyes were taking in as his ears picked up every sound of what was going on behind him. The shift of fabric, the scrape of a drawer, the distinct thud of the towel as it hit the floor…
Sasuke's mind rarely dabled in lustful fantasies. There had only been one person who could truly make him burn with desire and temptation...until now. At the moment, he was struggling with diverting his mind from the memory of the image of water droplets running down the creamy smooth skin of the woman he had wrenched from the bathtub, her heaving chest, the perfect physique. Despite the brief moment in which he had taken her in, it seemed his eyes logged the image vividly into his memory. And now that he was far too aware of every movement and sound that told him what was going on behind him, his mind was more than happy to provide a mental imagery that paired far too sensually to what was really going on.
"You know most people knock before they just barge in unannounced and pull people from the bath," he heard her say just as she came into his line of sight.
The image of her dressed in a silky navy blue robe did nothing to help him control his earlier wild imaginations. He swallowed thickly, averting his eyes. "I knocked and you didn't answer."
"So you just let yourself in? Did you think for a moment that I might have been a bit busy!?"
"I thought you were drowning," he said in hard defense. "I thought you were trying to-" he found himself unable to voice what he had truly thought. His throat tightened at the very thought.
Sakura stared at him for a long moment in confusion. But then clear understanding washed over her features and her mouth opened. "I would never do that," she defended, her voice taking on a hard offense.
"And how am I supposed to know that?" he snapped. "I know you hate it here, you're miserable. You wouldn't hesitate to take the first opportunity to escape this place, no matter what it was."
She glared at him. "I don't take life for granted. It is precious in all forms, no matter how small the organism, or short the life span, it is all valuable and should never be retired before the gods see fit. No matter how unhappy or miserable I am, it would never be a good enough reason to end my own life. I would endure an eternity here rather than do that."
Sasuke was quiet for a long time. He found a strange relief and comfort from her words. However when he looked up at her to find her still glaring at him with accusation, he mirrored her expression. "And how was I supposed to know that?" he demanded defensively.
"Anyone who knows me knows that."
"Tch." He stood up as he let out his scoff and walked a few steps as he ran a hand through his hair. He could feel her eyes moving with him as he strode towards the other side of the room. He came to a stop, then abruptly turned on his heel. "Everything I know about you, is a lie."
The room fell quiet as a sudden tension seemed to fill the air. Sakura stared back at him, her face curiously unreadable as she seemed to search for a response. Finally, after a long pause, she turned her body towards him and strode with a measured pace.
Sasuke could not help but watch as her hips swayed and the lower half of her bare thighs flexed with each step she took. As she came closer, his eyes traveled up her body, taking in the way the silk draped her curves until he finally settled back to meet her eyes. They were piercing and bright as she came to a stop. Tilting her head up towards him, she met his obsidian stare.
He watched as her tongue darted out to wet her lips before taking in a breath before she spoke. "I never lied about who I was," she declared boldly. And it was true. Technically she really was who he thought she was. Or so she had been told. But technicalities aside, when she was with him back on the street in New York, she truly had been her true self. There had been no ploy or attempt to deceive him, she had just wanted to know him. "Believe it or not Sasuke, but you're not the only victim of a lie."
He took a step towards her, his face hardening. "So you mean to tell me," he said, raising a hand to the knot of her robe and toying with the bow. "That there are no secrets between us."
"No, of course there are secrets. Mine and yours. But omitting a secret is not the same as lying," she said pointedly, trying to ignore the feel of his hand against her body when it brushed against the thin fabric of her robe.
At her answer, his eyes sparked with what looked like interest. A finger slipped through the belt of her robe and he tugged, forcing her to take a half step until they stood chest to chest. She was forced to crane her neck even more to keep meeting his eyes, not willing to back down from the spark of challenge that had formed.
"Careful, Sakura," he practically purred her name as he gave her a hooded look. "One would think that you are trying to entice me. Tell me," he said, running a hand up to where her robe had begun to slip off her shoulder and dragged a finger along the seam of the silk, grazing the skin at her collar bone, "just what exactly would you demand to relinquish such...omissions as you say?"
Sakura's eyes fell shut as his finger ran down to just above her breast before pausing. It took a moment to fight off the dizzying feeling before she was able to reopen her eyes and gaze up at him. Her mind felt a drift after the swarming wave of emotions and desires that were passing back and forth between them, interchanging and mixing so much that she was unsure of what was his and what she was actually feeling.
"Why are you here, Sasuke?" she uttered, just barely above a whisper.
The excited glint that had appeared in his dark eyes slowly disappeared as a glimmer of disappointment shifted into his features. Retracting his hand away from her, he stepped back, then turned towards her wardrobe.
"I came to bring you to dinner," he said, searching through the collection of clothing his mother had managed to fit into the wardrobe.
"Pretty sure I can find my own way there. I have been managing it alone for a few weeks now," she commented dryly. "And I am certain that I can dress myself," she added when she watched him start to pull out an outfit that was far from what she would normally wear.
"Well we are not eating in the usual dining room." Sasuke walked over to her, and held a dress out to her. "Put it on," he instructed.
Sakura looked at the midnight blue fabric in his hands, then she looked up at him. "Why not? Where are we going?"
A twitch of annoyance crossed his face along with something that looked like anxious anticipation. "Madara has requested we join him for dinner."
He watched as she paled at his words. "Why?" she said cautiously.
"He just wants us there," he answered, his tone slightly frustrated. He shoved the clothing into her arms and nodded towards the bathroom. "Now go get ready."
When she made no move to do as she was told, he roughly spun her around and pushed her towards the bathroom.
"Now, Sakura," he said sternly. "Or do I need to dress you myself?"
That had her scampering into the bathroom without any more protest. Though Sasuke did note that she shut the door with a more forceful snap than necessary.
He waited impatiently in her room, striding across the floor, snooping around the desk. He had just noticed something odd sticking out from behind the bed when the opening of the bathroom door distracted him and he turned around.
Sakura stepped out of the bathroom with her head bowed as she seemed to fidget with the dress. She had braided a crown of hair that wrapped around the side of her head where she had neatly fastened it into a low bun that gently rested at the nap of her neck. When she looked up, Sasuke found himself frozen.
The dress that she wore was of the traditional fashion of the underworld. The fabric was the exact shade normally worn by his family as it hung off one shoulder to wrap around her chest. Right above her navel was a split in the fabric that showed off a section of midriff in the front before the high-low skirt of the dress flowed down around the length of her body, the fabric falling to just above her knees in the front before cutting off as it continued to drape down to her ankles in the back. Draped over her arm was the extra skirt layer that was supposed to be wrapped intricately around her waist.
"I don't know how to put this on?" she admitted meekly, staring at him with those green eyes of hers as her fingers fidgeted with the extra draping that was to be wrapped around her waist and flow over the skirt.
Sasuke walked over to her and grabbed the rich red fabric she had in her arms. The navy and gold threading that made up the intricate pattern of the top layer added an elegant texture that paired well with the dark bottom layer. Slowly, he unfolded it and smoothed out the wrinkles she had created in an obvious attempt to put it on herself.
"It goes around your waist," he explained, putting his arms around her as he wrapped the fabric around. "And is supposed to lay over the bottom so it acts as an accent."
For a moment he focused on lining the rich red up so that the blue skirt beneath it peaked out just ever so slightly. Like the fresh petals of a budding flower breaking through from the green sepal wrapping. As he wound the extra length of the caped skirt around her waist and tied it securely at her left hip, he was more than aware of her watching him closely. And despite being aware of her attention, he was not prepared for the look she was giving him when he raised his attention back up to her face.
She was biting at her lip as her green eyes shyly followed his movements, meeting his obsidian gaze at the same time as he met her emerald. Suddenly a hunger began to rise in him which he quickly swallowed down before it managed to leak through their connection.
"Come," he instructed, quickly turning away from her and making for the door. "Madara will not be happy if we are late."
The reality of who she was about to see and be in the presence of did not hit her until they reached the door of their destination. Distracted by Sasuke's intrusiveness and the tense and charged exchanges that occurred as she got ready, the impact of the reason Sasuke had even come to collect her had escaped her. Which only made this sudden realization that she was about to be in the presence of Madara all the more intense. And as soon as it hit her, she came to a sudden stop.
Sasuke turned around to look at her with an expression of annoyance but she could not be bothered by it this time. In fact she had not even noticed it as she stared at the door. Her body trembled beneath her weight and she was afraid they would give out if she even tried to move a step.
"Sakura?" Sasuke called, the smallest hint of either curiosity or concern was in his voice but it was difficult to discern through the annoyance that dominated his tone.
She looked at him. And as soon as she saw the insistence in his eyes, her head began to move. Side to side, she slowly shook it as her feet began to retreat, backing away from the door.
"I-I don't want to go in there," she protested, shaking her head and looking up at him with frightened eyes that silently pleaded to him. "I don'tー"
She stopped speaking when Sasuke walked up to her and grabbed her chin. It was not enough force to be rough, but not tender enough to be gentle, just purposeful. He tilted her face up to look at him as he leaned over her.
"Listen to me very, very carefully," he began sternly. "You will go in there, you will remain silent unless spoken to, you will refrain from drawing attention to yourself, and you will not say anything that will get you into trouble. If you are not sure, just do not say anything at all. Keep your answers short, yes and no as often as possible. If you do this, if you heed my advice, you will be fine. Understood?"
Sakura swallowed. She wanted to take comfort in his advice but at the same time, it only seemed to make her anxious. What happened to the man who just moments ago, so intimately and obligingly helped her dress as if it was the most natural thing in the world?
"Please...Sasuke."
Her plea was barely above a whisper but Sasuke caught it just fine. He took her in, scanning her face, noting her trembling form, replaying the way she said his name in his head. For a brief moment, he was tempted to grant her wish, the lingering feeling from their domesticated moment still fresh in his mind. But it was just a moment and the desire was gone.
Who was she to make requests of him? That was what he asked himself but the true convincing force was one simple and plain fact. It would be worse for her if she did not come. Madara was nothing like his sister. He did not share Mikoto's patience and understanding. He was seemingly patient at first, but beneath, he had a temper that bubbled and boiled like a volcano in dormancy. There was no telling when it would erupt with the slightest disruption.
Rubbing a hand across his face he let out a long sigh before grabbing her shoulder and pushing her towards the door. All the while, he did his best to ignore the hopeful look that was eradicated from her face, as well as the surging anticipation that was seeping into him from her end of their connection.
Just as he opened the door, he could not help but murmur, "I will be there too."
Whether or not she took comfort in that he did not know. In truth, he was not sure himself if he had offered it as a comfort, or just a stated fact that he too had to endure what was to come.
With the back prodding help from Sasuke, Sakura's feet managed to carry her into the room. It was not the usual family dining parlor, yet Sakura knew that it was not meant for grand feasts and banquets that she imagined the ruler of a realm to host. Instead it was set in a casual, yet intimate setting. This only served to heighten her anxiety than calm them. The less people in attendance meant the more likely she would be under Madara's attention and closer proximity.
"Sasuke, Sakura," came the low timber of said man.
The moment her name was announced in Madara's deep voice, her attention was instantly drawn to him and in response, her body reacted. It was just as the first time she had met him. Her first instinct was to cower and run away as the Lord of Demons approached her with his arms spread open. The gesture on anyone else would be seen as a welcoming greeting, but presented by Madara, it only looked like a cage ready to trap her.
She moved to shuffle backwards but was only met with the sturdy warmth of a different Uchiha who had followed her entry. Despite her disinterest and distrust of this second Uchiha, she did not resist the urge to grab ahold the hem of his shirt as her hands hid behind her back and she leaned back against him as Madara came to a stop right in front of her.
Madara's dark eyes looked over her head to a stoic looking Sasuke whose eyes were surprisingly blank, despite warped feelings he felt as Sakura hiddenly clung to him. There was a curious observation in the ancient seraph's face just before his eyes dropped down to Sakura and it shifted. His mouth curled into a warm smile that was too welcoming as he tilted his head and placed a hand on her cheek.
"Don't you look like a vision befitting the underworld," he said as if she was to take it as a compliment as his eyes raked up and down her body, taking in her attire. "I am so pleased to see that you accepted my invitation," he said, giving her cheek a pat before coming around to her side and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Come you shall sit beside me as the guest of honor." He looked at his nephew who had a displeased look on his face as Sakura was guided away from his domain. "Sit wherever you please, Sasuke."
Sasuke sat himself to Madara's left, directly across from Sakura who sat to Madara's right. Next to her, his mother was already present as his father settled into the end of the table opposite to Madara. Not long after they were seated, Itachi arrived, delaying any conversation as he settled down. One seated and seeing as everyone to be expected had arrived, Madara called for the first course to be served.
Throughout the appetizer, Sakura sat stiffly and quietly to Madara's right. Her green eyes flickered here and there but never ventured in his direction. She didn't need to look at him to be aware of his every move, as her instincts filled every movement he made. When he shifted in his chair her ears marked every sound from the shift of his clothing to the creak of the wood he sat on. Her feet picked up the vibrations in the ground each time his foot slid across the floor or the leg of his chair scratched against the stone it sat on. And she was more than aware of his breathing. It was efficient and calm at the moment but she calculated every shift of his breath, noting for any indication that his calm was about to shift, not that him being calm put her at any more ease. And while her eyes never ventured to him directly, she kept him constantly in her peripherals, watching him closely each time he reached for his wine glass or cut a bite from his plate.
He was speaking with Fugaku at the moment. She tried to follow the conversation but they were speaking of places she had no knowledge of, people and clans she was unfamiliar with, and they used underworld jargon that sounded more like tongues than an established language. Sakura knew the moment they were done speaking of business of the underworld because Fukagu ceased replying and Madara's attention fell heavily onto her.
She stiffened under his gaze. For a long moment, she did not dare to even risk the movement of breathing, hoping that maybe if she took no notice of him, he would continue to ignore her. However that hope was crushed when he sang out the three syllables of her name.
"Sa-ku-ra," he said in a deep timber of a voice.
She waited for him to continue but when no other words followed, she realized he was waiting on her to look at him, to acknowledge his call. Swallowing thickly, she slowly raised her head, her green eyes moving to Sasuke who sat across from giving a warning look, then to Itachi sitting next to him. He looked grim and even in his face there was a warning look. Finally, she managed to turn her head and look up at the large man occupying the chair at the head of the table.
Madara grinned at her with a strange fondness that one would have for a pet. "I apologize for boring you with all of this technical talk," he said in a farce tone. "I hope you were not feeling neglected, after all, I invited you especially because I wanted to get to know you better." He leaned on the arm rest, his body consuming more of the safe spacing between them. "So...tell me about yourself."
She could not help herself, she looked to Sasuke, then to Itachi. It was as if she was expecting them to answer for her. And it seemed at least Itachi understood because he gave his mother a look.
"Sakura is a bit shy," Mikoto spoke, putting an arm on Sakura's shoulder and playing with her hair with an affectionate gesture that Sakura felt was an attempt of comfort as well as an attempt to deter Madara's interest. "But she is being well taken care of and adjusting-"
"I think she can answer herself just fine, Mikoto," Madara interrupted. His dark gaze was dangerous as he looked at his sister, then shifted when he looked back to Sakura. Leaning over, he grasped Sakura's chin and turned her head to look away from Mikoto and to look directly at him. "There is no need to be shy, Sakura. You are among your own kind now."
He leaned back in his chair, his eyes not leaving hers as he took her in. "From what I recall your family lived in Konoha, the earthen city of the seraphim."
Sakura wasn't sure of all the powers that went to the leader of the underworld. Could he detect a lie? Could she even lie to him, seeing as she was bound to him by the Will. Able to lie or not, she chose to answer in silence to be on the safe side. Silently, Sakura nodded, going along with the story Tsunade had told him. .
"And they were lost during the unfortunate destruction, correct?" Madara continued when she made no effort to vocally answer him. " That is how you came to be in the care of Tsunade, right? She found you."
Again she nodded.
Madara did not seem pleased by her lack of volume but he nodded all the same. "Such a shame...the fall of Konoha. There were a lot of good families and seraphim that were lost. It was once a beautiful place to behold."
"I wouldn't remember," she dared to say, earning her a glare from Sasuke but she knew Madara would not be satisfied with silent answers forever.
"Ah yes, I recall Tsunade claiming you had an injury," he said, even though Sakura doubted he had forgotten such a thing. "If I am to understand it correctly, you do not remember anything of life prior to the seraphim sanctuary?"
Sakura may not have been fully familiar with this man, but she knew what manipulation looked like in all shapes and forms. As a guardian she found many of the wayward souls she was charged with, usually became lost as a result of being manipulated. At the moment Madara was playing ignorance, a mighty tool in the art of manipulation. With this in mind, Sakura cautiously nodded her head, trying to understand where he was going with this conversation.
"It is a pity you do not remember, such a glorious place, with so much potential. It is unfortunate that it had to be cleansed. Too many skilled seraphim were lost but the city had become tainted, but that is the result of poor leadership."
There were many things Sakura had on her tongue to reply to that. But she didn't need Sasuke's foot nudge to remind her that voicing them was a bad idea. So instead she looked down at her plate.
"What powers do you possess?"
Sakura looked back up to see Madara still looking intently at her, obviously not finished with speaking to her.
"Powers?" she questioned timidly.
Madara gave her a look. "Yes, what are your unique powers or skills that are not of the standard of our kind. As I am sure you know, certain families possess traits and powers only unique to the clans. Like here in the underworld, we Uchiha possess the sharingan and the Hyuga possess the byakugan. Those are the more well known of the fallen. But given that you have spent most of your time in the heavens it would be like the Nara clan with their abilities to manipulate shadows or the Yamanaka with their mind manipulation….or the Senju with their higher skills in healing."
Sakura stared at him closely, trying to read his face and understand his motives behind this inquiry.
"I only ask because I have a full knowledge of all the families of the underworld and all of their clan abilities. If you had something that stood out, perhaps we could identify to whom you truly belong to," Madara explained, seeming to read her thoughts. "Not that you would be no less welcome in ours," he quickly amended. "However, I am sure knowing your origins would be a great benefit."
Sakura did not fail to notice that Madara failed to specify as to whom it would benefit. Something told her he was not as genuine in identifying this for her sake either. Reuniting her with her long lost family was the last on his agenda. However, she could not figure out what his true agenda was.
"Of course, there is always the chance that your clan of origin is one that has sadly become extinct. A lot of good clans were lost and whittled down with our warring past, with your family having perished in Konoha, there is always the chance that you are the last. Which would make your return to use all the more valuable," Madara finished with a glint in his eye. "The resurrection of a lost clan would be very beneficial to our world."
Sakura did not so much as blink as her mind raced to know what to do. She already knew she was not of a clan from the underworld, as she was not from the underworld at all. Her origins were mortal. How she came to be under Madara's Will, she did not know. Yet...despite this, she did have abilities that were not what others would consider a standard of their kind.
The most obvious was her ability to manipulate chakra for healing purposes just as Tsunade could. Then there was also her affinity to resist the sharingan as she and Kakashi had learned. But was that an ability? Or was that just a fluke from Kakashi being not full Uchiha. And just how high could she resist?
From the corner of her eye she saw Itachi shift and he gave her the smallest of head shakes. Suddenly she was reminded of their conversation earlier that morning. The one in which he told her it would be wise to keep her abilities hidden.
Sakura moved her lips into what she hoped was an appreciative smile. "That is a kind offer, my Lord," she addressed in a polite tone. "But I am sorry to say that tracing my lineage would be impossible that way. You see...there is nothing special about me."
Madara was silent for a drawn out moment, his eyes fixated on her as his face hid any hint of if he believed her or not. Something within her told her he knew more than he let on, however, she also believed he was trying to get her to confirm what was only a hypothesis. For a long moment Sakura could barely let herself breathe, afraid that even the quickest of breath would give her away. She was already worried that the pounding of her heart could be heard across the table as she waited for some sort of response. Finally, Madara's mouth curled into a mirthful smile that did not fully meet his eye.
"Oh, I highly doubt that," he said. "Perhaps we shall find a different method in which we can trace your origins. And I think you shall prove yourself very special."
Sakura swallowed, not exactly content with his persistence. However, despite this, she gave him another smile that she hoped was grateful looking. "That would be appreciated," she said with a nod, before putting on an innocent expression. "But please, do not feel obligated to go to too much effort on my behalf. I assure you, I have made peace with the loss of my family long ago and made a new family at home in the heavens."
The words flowed from her mouth naturally without a thought and she realized too late that she had said something wrong. From the corner of her eye she watched as Itachi's head fell into his hand and she could feel Sasuke's eyes burning a hole into the side of her head. But the biggest indicator was the look on Madara's face. It twisted into a vile expression as a red tint began to take over his dark eyes.
"What did you just say?"
Sakura swallowed.
There was a loud scraping across the floor as Madara pushed his seat back and he slowly rose from the table. In her own chair, Sakura shrank down as he stepped around the edge of the table. Placing one hand on the back of her chair, with the other he shoved her plate of food aside. There was a clatter as dishes hit against utensils and there was a distinct shattering of glass as her barely touched crystal of wine toppled over and shattered against the table. All occupants of the table jumped and startled at the sudden outburst, with the exception of Sakura. The pink haired seraph was too frozen with fear as Madara turned her chair outward from the table and loomed over her.
"What did you just say?" Madara growled. Sakura remained silent. From over Madara's arm she could see Sasuke staring at her with either an angry or panicked expression, but her fearful mind could not be bothered to try and read it. Instead her eyes drew back to Madara as he spoke again. "Do you not like it here, Sakura? Has my hospitality not been kind enough? Have you found yourself wanting for anything?"
Her entire body was trembling and she found herself feeling very much like a child. "I-I just want to go home," she said in a trembling voice, just like a homesick child would say.
The hand that was on the edge of the table moved, knocking a utensil to the ground with a clatter before he grabbed at her jaw, his thumb digging into her jawline as his fingers pressed into her cheek on the other side.
"You. Are. Home," Madara said darkly as his eyes bloomed into a blood red pattern of a flower.
Instinctively Sakura began to thrash, she heard someone call out to Madara but the roaring in her ears was too loud for her to tell who had said it. Perhaps Itachi or Mikoto, she was even desperate enough to think Fugaku would maybe speak on her behalf. She would even wish for Sasuke to have said it, so long as it saved her from whatever was to come.
"Why don't we bring some of those lost memories to the surface. Shall we? Perhaps a small jog of your memory shall help you remember where you truly come from."
Like a magnet, her eyes became locked into place just as the flowered irises she was staring into began to swirl. At first it was like the small pressure of thinking too hard, like the beginning of a small headache as he seemed to prod through her mind. But then it began to become uncomfortable as he dug deeper and the pain began to intensify. Instinctually she tried to look away, but it was not so easy. Between Madara's firm grasp on her face, and the pull of his bloodline, it felt impossible. She felt him find the seal that was buried in her mind, just as Kakashi always did, Madara seemed to put pressure on the barrier. But he only touched it briefly before seemingly retreating for a moment. Sakura uncomfortably questioned what he was doing until suddenly he attacked, ramming into the locked partition of her mind. When the blinding pain hit her and as her eye sight seemed to go white, an image flashed into her mind.
It was as if she was sitting in a room, the walls made of clay mortar and lined with shelves of what was obvious copper and iron cooking wares, hanging from the wall and ceiling where herbs and dried foods. There was a tugging on her head and she looked behind her to find a blonde woman standing behind her with her fingers threaded into Sakura's own hair as she braided her rosette strands. The woman was smiling fondly, as her bright green eyes, which matched Sakura's own, shined with warmth.
As soon as she registered the woman's eyes, Sakura was greeted again with Madara's blood tinted eyes as he looked intensely at her, his face pulled into a slightly unhinged expression. She tried to look away, tried to break free but her earlier fear was making it difficult. Suddenly another image hit her and Sakura lost focus.
She was standing in a grove of trees. Olive trees to be specific. Someone called out her name and she turned around at the sound, to see a man with strawberry blonde hair that had a similar pink tint to her own, just not as vibrant.
This image was gone faster than the previous and she was greeted by Madara's eyes before suddenly another blinding light and another image took over, this time a round of multiple flashes, sometimes so fast she could not even process the surroundings, only the face. The face of the same person over and over again. Sasuke.
Sasuke looked at her with a heated lust, all she could tell was that they were in a body of water before the image changed. Sasuke circled her with a smug look on his face outside of what looked like a mortar stone home. Sasuke looking content, as his head lay in her lap. Sasuke reaching out to touch her sweaty face as a look of relief was expressed.
Sasuke. Sasuke. Sasuke.
Finally she found herself looking up at Sasuke, the night sky acting as a backdrop with a splattering of constellations as he looked down at her with an expression that could only be described as complete bliss. He was smiling, his dark eyes shining brightly with joy as they conveyed a warmth one could only give off if incandescently happy.
The shock of the image was enough to break her out of the rapid waves and again she was able to find herself staring into Madara's spiraling irises again. Immediately she began to concentrate, she could feel her breaths becoming ragged as her body perspired with concentration.
Focus, Sakura, she told herself. It is just like with Kakashi.
But it wasn't. Madara's pull was far stronger, his eyes more evolved.
Just do what it takes to survive. We will do our best, but you may have to save yourself for awhile. But I wouldn't worry too much, you are strong enough. The words of her silver haired teacher floated across her mind and she latched onto those last four words. You are strong enough.
Narrowing her eyes, she concentrated on breaking free. She felt a pulse in her mind again and at the edges of her vision, a flashing of white light began to surface, signaling she was about to be pulled back. But she fought it. Gritting her teeth together she vocalized the affirmation in her mind. You are strong enough!
She physically wrenched her head from Madara's grasp, breaking away from his stare as she leaned over the armrest of her chair and panted. After a moment, she slowly raised her head. Looking anywhere but at Madara, Sakura found herself looking at Mikoto, then Fugaku, and Itachi.
All of them had similar expressions of surprise as they watched her panting form. Normally she would feel conscious of being stared at with such attention, but she was too weary to be bothered and she had other things on her mind. It was as if the processing portion of her brain had been buffering and suddenly it caught up to her as the reality of what had just happened hit her. Those people...those images…
The woman with similar green eyes, braiding her hair in a kitchen. That was her mother. It had to be, she had the same eyes. And the man, the kind looking man among the olive trees...was that her father? However the fact that she had just recalled the faces of her own parents was suddenly overshadowed when her mind jumped ahead to the third person who she had seen.
Sasuke.
As the name molded in her mind along with the now fading memories she had seen, Sakura's eyes shifted to look at Sasuke sitting on the other side of the table. And she looked at him, truly looked at him. As she stared his face became skewed into a plethora of expressions. But even as those features contorted, Sakura could only see the features that made up the final expression she saw in her memories.
For some reason, she always had a twinge of doubt that what she had been told of her past connection to Sasuke, had been false. It had just been so difficult to believe that the fairy tales Sasuke had spun and told her on the pier, could match up with the vicious man that tried to pull Naruto's wings from his back and torpedoed her down from the sky, where he had nearly plunged a crackling fist into her heart. But after seeing the expression that Madara pulled from her locked memories, she believed it.
"Interesting," he said and Sakura felt his fingers begin to reach for her face again. "Seems you are not so ordinary as you claim. Let's see if you can do that again," he said, beginning to force her head towards him.
As her head turned, her eyes remained on Sasuke as she stared at him, looking at him in a way she had never done before, recognition. Until the last moment she kept her eyes set on him before Madara shifted and blocked Sasuke from her line of sight. Just as Madara's face came into her vision and the fear began to rise again, a scrapping of a chair sounded, followed by a voice.
"Madara, that is enough."
Madara paused, his eyes taking in Sakura with a hungry look before slowly turning his head to look at the person who had spoken. As his head shifted Sakura found herself able to gaze past the side of Madara's face to see Sasuke standing tall with his eyes locked onto his uncle.
Sasuke nodded his head to gesture to Sakura without actually looking at her or giving her any real acknowledgement. "You are damaging my property," he declared. "And I don't take kindly to those who break my things."
Madara's eyes glinted dangerously at Sasuke before his mouth slowly turned up into a living smile. "Of course," he said, turning his attention to Sakura. He gave her a smile that made her skin crawl. His hand loosed on her jaw and he gave her cheek a gentle pat before withdrawing from her completely. "I apologize," he said, turning back to Sasuke as he moved to sit down in his seat. "From what I heard, you haven't been showing her much interest, so I assumed you were done with her."
Sasuke's face hardened. "I'm not," he said stiffly. Finally, his eyes snapped to Sakura. "Come, Sakura. I think you are finished eating," he said, glancing at her upturned plate and spilled wine.
Sakura did not even fight his commanding tone. She was on her feet and walking around the table to him without hesitation. He grabbed onto her arm the moment she was in reach. Briskly he made for the door with her but not before Madara's voice caused him to pause.
"Sasuke," Madara called, causing him to stop and face the table. Madara sat alone on his end as he went about cutting at his meal as if nothing happened. As Madara took a bite and swallowed, he looked to him. "Be sure she learns of our ways going forward," he warned more than said, pointing his dinner knife at Sakura who had shifted to stand slightly behind Sasuke. "Going forward, it would be in her best interest that she is to know that this is her home. And she will be contributing to it...understood? I will not be so lenient in the future. She may be yours, but down here, ultimately everything is mine. And I dictate everything's purpose the way I see fit."
Sasuke's eyes flashed to the other side of the table where his mother was sitting with panic in her eyes. Even his father looked worried. Itachi's back was to him, hiding his expression, but he could tell his body was tense. Looking back to Madara, Sasuke nodded then swiftly turned, grasping Sakura arms tightly as he tugged her quickly from the room.
Sakura's legs tripped and stumbled over the uneven passageway as she tried to keep up with Sasuke's long strides as he marched quickly down the hall. Each time she tried to take a longer stride to better pace herself, she found it was still never enough to keep up with his long gait. Each time she stumbled it was to just barely catch herself from crashing to her knees.
His hand was clamped down on her forearm and he dragged her along with him, preventing her from altering their pace in the slightest. After nearly tumbling to the ground for the tenth time, only to be tugged sharply by Sasuke, Sakura had had enough. She let herself fall, doing her best to soften her landing but still managing to hit her knee hard enough that she knew it would leave a bruise.
Breathing deeply, she stared down at the ground, one hand bracing herself as she leaned forward, the other stretched above her head as it remained caught in Sasuke's grip. She felt him tug at her arm. It wasn't a painful yank but there was enough pull to make it uncomfortable. Still breathing heavily, she lifted her head and glared up at him, yanking her arm back as she reached up and pried herself free from his fingers.
He let out a growl. "I do not have patience for this, Sakura," he snapped, moving to grab her again but she slapped his hand away.
"Would you just give me a minute to breath!" she snapped, sending him a venomous look from where she sat on the ground.
He stared down at her, his own breaths heaving but she was certain it had little to do with exertion and more to do with the loss of his temper. He let out a loud swear and ran a hand over his face before grasping at his hair. He began to pace, casting glances at her as she breathed. Finally he came to a stop, his hand falling down from his dark locks.
"What the hell is wrong with you!?" he berated. "Did I not make myself clear? She gave no response and he let out a huff as he started pacing again. "So annoying," he muttered under his breath.
"If I annoy you so much then why am I even here?" she questioned. "And don't you dare give me some shit story about how you're punishing others and I deserve this."
He didn't answer her. She wasn't even sure if he had heard her as he continued to pace, muttering to himself. "Why is he even so interested in you?"
"I don't know, you're the one conniving with him! Shouldn't you be telling me that?"
There were tears in her eyes and Sasuke didn't like that. And surprisingly it was not because it was annoying or he didn't know what to do. It was because he didn't want to see her doing that. He didn't want to see tears coming from those eyes, not after the way she had looked at him. That look, that recognition, he could not stop playing it in his head. There was something she knew, that he wanted...needed to know.
"What happened?" She looked at him with a failure to understand and he found himself crouching down next to her and grabbing her shoulders. "What did you see?" he demanded with a shake of her shoulders. "I know Madara brought something forward from your memory, what was it?"
Sakura stared at him, her eyes flickering back and forth as she swallowed. Already the flashes of what she saw seemed to be receding back into the locked piece of her mind and it was like waking up from a vivid dream, only to remember bits a pieces minutes later. But of what she could manage to grasp onto, they were grainy images of Sasuke. Sasuke and her in a world that she had no memory of living, yet felt so natural to see.
"Just flashes," she admitted. "Things that I didn't remember, things that I assume happened before…"
"Of what?" he pressed.
She shook her head. "I don't know what to make of it," she said. "None of it made sense. It was like pictures of moments without context. Just the emotions that were felt."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, obviously becoming frustrated with her lack of clear answer. It was obvious he could tell she was holding back. His hand on her shoulder tightened hard. "Why did you look at me like that?"
She avoided her eyes and looked down at the ground.
"WHY!" he bellowed.
"I don't know!" she screamed back, shoving his hands away from her shoulders. She was frustrated and angry. Frustrated with herself for not being able to hold onto everything nor to understand what was her own memories. And angry with him, for being the way he was now. "I don't know why I looked at you like that because you are nothing like I rememberー"
Her mouth clamped shut as her heart pounded wildly within herself. She stared at him, wide eyed and horror stricken as his head, which had dipped down in his own frustration, slowly rose up to look at her, his face slightly ashen from what she had uttered.
"What did you just say?" he said, looking at her with a wild expression.
She shook her head vigorously. Causing his face to redden with rage and it contorted into anger. He reached out to grab at her but she quickly retreated back, scrambling on the floor as her legs kicked against the stone to push herself out of his reach. For a moment he grasped at air, occasionally grappling with her legs when he managed to grasp onto her before she pulled out of his grip. After a moment he gave up, and let her retreat farther without pursuit until she paused a few feet out of his grasp. He glared at her for a long moment before standing up with a growl. He began to pace before her, curses and heated looks being cast down at her as she sat on the floor.
Suddenly Sakura felt hot tears begin to escape her as a choked sob escaped her trembling lips. She had spent weeks wishing for her memories back, thinking it would help deal with this mess. But now, after a brief glimpse of them she was not so sure. She had thought it would make things better but it only made his severe tone more difficult to endure. That image of him, looking down at her with such tenderness in his now always seemingly cold black eyes. She never imagined such a warmth to be possible.
Sasuke came to a standstill in front of her. For a long moment he was silent before finally, he let out a heavy sigh and crouched down in front of her. He watched her for a moment before reaching out to touch her face. She took in a couple startled sniffles and hiciped as her wet eyes looked up at him.
"Are you okay?" he asked. He watched as her brow crumpled and her teeth bared back in a snarl. Her mouth opened, most likely to let out a sharp retort but he silenced her with a thumb against her lips. "I mean physically," he clarified. "He didn't hurt you did he?"
Her hard face remained frozen for a moment before finally softening slightly. "No," she answered with a shake of her head, taking in the small look of relief that came to his face.
"Good," he responded. There was a long, drawn out silence before he gently held out his hand. "Come, I will take you back to your room."
It took her a moment, but finally she shifted onto her knees, reaching out to his offered hand as she began to stand, only to pause a moment later. "Why did you do that?" she asked, her hand paused mid way in taking his. She looked up from where their fingers were nearly touching, to look at his face. "Why did you stop him?"
Sasuke closed the distance between their hands and grabbed onto hers as he stood, pulling her up with him. Immediately he released her and turned away from her to lead them down the hall.
"Taking responsibility," he muttered so lowly, she missed his answer.
Hope you enjoyed the update! Probably my last update for any of my stories this year but I have been on a role these past couple of weeks and the month is only half over so maybe there will be a surprise update!
But until then I thank you all and wish you all the best in enduring the last of 2020! Here is to being excellent and taking care of yourselves!
