sasusaku month 2020
day 1 - stuck with you
title: Behind Your Curtains
summary: Feudal AU- She's the daughter of the Daimiyou and he was design to be her personal guard. They had already accepted the obligations that came with their titles, but life had other plans for them.
a/n: HAPPY SASUSAKU MONTH! Ahh the best month of the year is finally here and not even the quarantine will ruin our party! I have a lot of nice things planned and I can't wait to see our tag flourishing! Well, enough of my rambling! I hope you enjoy this one (even though it's a little too long). I started this fic a couple of years ago and only now it felt right to continue! Let's see how it goes!
Rated: K+
sudare: are screens or blinds. They protect the inhabitants of the building not only from the elements, but also from the eyes of outsiders. In old tales, a court lady would conceal herself behind a screen when speaking with a man outside her immediate family. She could peep through it and see her interlocutor, but because he had to remain at a distance from it, he could not see her.
.
They were all gathered at the main room of the Haruno palace when he first laid his dark eyes on her delicate silhouette.
Times were difficult in Konohagakure. Due to the new political scenario unwrapping around the village, both he and his older brother had been called that morning by the Daimyou so they could be designated to their new positions within royal guard. Itachi, the smartest, had been promoted as chief of the royal family's personal guard and Sasuke, the fastest, was now only responsible for the princess' safety. Those were very honourable positions and only the best warriors could be selected to be so close to the most important family of the Fire country, and if anything, both the Uchiha brothers knew their parents would be proud of them if were they still alive.
The three men in the room were now discussing new strategies regarding the newly acquired positions, and every now and then, Sasuke caught himself sparing quick glances at the princess who sat obediently next to her father. For she was the newest object of his protection, his objective mind couldn't help but try his best to find out whatever detail he could in order to succeed in his newest mission. Even if she was hidden behind her sudare, it was possible to tell that the rumours that travelled around the village regarding her secret and royal beauty were, somehow, true. Her figure was small and delicate; and if anything, he carefully observed how her body remained still and collected during the entire meeting.
She is a princess, he thought. In the same way he was trained to fight and kill, she was trained to obey and endure long hours without doing as much as take a deep, noisy breath. She could wear the most precious jewels of the entire country, and her ceremonial clothes could've been made with the most expensive silks her father could afford, but still, he knew better than to believe her life was only filled with luxuries and royal pleasures.
No, life wasn't easy for her, he knew. However, the hardships that came with her social status meant nothing to him. Even if he was now bound to stay by her side during long periods of the day, right now, Sasuke had no desire in offering her his condolences or expressing any of his feelings in front of her. He would carry no pity in his eyes whenever he looked at her, for she is still graced with many things normal people can't even dream of.
In his eyes, the only feeling prevailing was his sense of responsibility. He is a proud warrior, and his mission within those walls was solely to keep her safe given the new rebellious rumours that had been growing around the village.
His sword is loyal to the Daimyou, and he certainly had no time to waste on the princess' emotions.
Whenever he looked at her through those bamboo curtains, he wondered if she also understood her part in that whole scenario. Sasuke couldn't tell whether or not she could see what he was doing— what he was thinking— every time his dark pearls drifted to her, but there was an odd feeling growing inside his chest whenever he looked at her. He could sense her own stare on him, and for some reason he couldn't quite name, he could feel a mutual agreement talked through hidden glances.
She is the princess and he is the warrior that is supposed to protect her.
There was no logical reason to cross that line given their positions, and certainly, there was no desire to disrupt the balance created by the rules of their respective duties within the Fire country.
"I'm counting on you to keep my daughter safe." The Daimyou said, his dull, green eyes set on his dark ones as he spoke with all the authority given by his title and all the concern of a father.
Sasuke nodded, bowing his head down in respect. He looked at the princess one more time, and was surprised to see her own silhouette bowing down to him, too. "Thank you for serving my father. From now on, I'll be at your care."
Her voice was soft and delicate, catching him completely by surprise. There were people who said the princess' voice was as serene as the prettiest of the melodies, but if anything, Sasuke believed her voice to be ordinarily enjoyable. The sound felt comfortable in his ear, and judging by her father's expression, her words meant more than a simple courtesy.
There wasn't much he could tell about the princess yet, but he had a feeling that, soon, he would eventually learn more about the secrets she hides behind her curtains.
His eyes didn't leave her, and cordially, he bowed down in respect.
It didn't take long for him to get used to the softness of her voice.
–
By the end of their second week together, Sasuke had already memorized her— and consequently, his— schedule. They would meet every day after her breakfast, and right after that, the maids would take her to first of many lessons of the day. At first, he believed he would eventually end up seeing the princess' mysterious face while she was lectured, but soon, he learned that his eyes would be denied of such privilege, for he would always stay outside of whatever room she was in. Even if he had tried to enter a couple of times, saying he was only following orders, there was this old, crinkled lady that would always stop him in his tracks, telling him that his eyes were not worthy of seeing the princess during the practice of her feminine arts, whatever that could possibly mean.
He tried to argue a couple of times, but in the end, his will didn't prevail against that woman's strictness. Eventually, the Uchiha settled for sitting outside the door with his guard up, blocking the passage of anyone who tried to interrupt the princess or cause her any harm. His so observant eyes were denied the secret image of the Daimyou's daughter, however, due to the thin paper that sealed the walls, his ears captured every word that left her lips.
It was not like he had planned on listening to their conversation or anything like that, but that was the only thing left for him to make sure the princess was, indeed, safe. After a while, he realized that he was able to tell a lot about her simply based on the tone of her voice whenever she answered a question. The changes were barely perceptible, but for a skilful warrior such as himself, her real emotions were hidden within every word she pronounced. He knew when she was sad or when she was angry, but he couldn't really tell when she was happy or excited. Such feelings were harder to detect, he realized, mostly because they seemed to be rare in her life.
The princess wasn't happy. He had never seen her face, but he could bet his own sword that tears were more common on her face than a sincere smile. He had never heard her laughing, let alone giggling, and if he were to be honest, the only time he had actually heard her voice holding some positiveness was when she ended up correcting her instructor after the older woman had mistaken the kanjis. On that day, not even he could suppress the smirk that grew on his lips, for that woman certainly deserved to be countered after the many times she yelled at both of them for stupid things.
For a reason he couldn't quite understand, though, the Uchiha was tired of listening to her mean words towards the princess. No matter how hard she seemed to try to follow the lessons, it was never enough.
That's not how a princess must behave. You'll never find yourself a husband if you keep up with such childish act. Your father would be ashamed of you.
Harsh words left those old, chapped lips every day, and if anything, the princess would always answer politely with a Forgive me, sensei or I'll try harder next time. She didn't deserve such things, but Sasuke figured he was not the one to judge. As a warrior, he had no idea of how she should actually behave or what abilities she was supposed to master. Her world was incredibly strange to him, who saw and heard things from a completely different point of view.
He couldn't care less about things such as etiquette or the proper way of serving tea. Even if those were traits that probably impressed the royalty and the rich people, common men such as himself knew better than to believe women should be evaluated by the way they held a fan. Were the princess able to wield an axe or even heal the wounded, then he would certainly be impressed.
However, he knew he would never have any say in what the Daimyou's daughter should do or know in order to be worthy of her title. He was nothing but a mere warrior whose more valuable possession was his sword.
His opinion didn't belong to her world.
Still, he couldn't help but take the side of the stranger he was destined to protect.
"We should stop here, ohime-sama. The lesson is over." Her instructor said, no sign of empathy detected in her words.
"Hai."
The sadness in her voice was the last thing he noticed before standing up and straightening his clothes. Her next lesson was about to begin, and unconsciously, he just hoped for her day to end already.
The first time she actually called him by the name caught him off guard.
–
After the many complaints received by the Daimyou regarding his daughter's lack of compromise during the lessons in the past few months, the concerned father allowed the princess to take some time to decide on what should be done about that. Her father, for what Sasuke could tell, has always been a decent man, whose number one priority was her well-being. Of course, he also understood the implications of her position and the importance behind every skill taught to her by the old women of the palace; and he knew how that would affect her future in a couple of years. More than anyone, perhaps, that poor man knew how important those lessons were, especially because those women would be able to teach her certain things that, as a man, he could never truly understand.
Sakura needed those women in her life, even if she couldn't really see the reason why, for she needed that kind of guidance in order to blossom into the perfect princess they all want her to be.
She needed to be more feminine. Even a stoic warrior such as himself could understand that. So, imagine his surprise when, on a summer morning, the servants brought her small, bamboo prison to watch the morning practice of the royal guard.
"The princess is watching you, little brother." Itachi started, a smirk on his face as they spared together. "You better not lose in front of her."
"Tch. You say that as if knowing that would make any difference."
"Oh, come on…" He dodged an attack, his long, tied hair dancing in the air. "You have to be at least excited with your job. You are protecting the princess of the Fire Country. All the others are jealous of you."
"If you all care so much about the princess, maybe you should spend more time training in order to take my position."
"Oh, so are you saying it wouldn't matter if someone else took your position away from you?"
At his older brother's words, his glance quickly shifted to the princess. Just like before, he couldn't see her face, but he knew her eyes were on him, and for a reason he could not quite name, knowing those hidden orbs of hers were watching his moves ignited a certain confidence inside him. It was not like it gave him more strength or a new reason to beat his brother, but it certainly made him want to show more of his own world to the imprisoned princess.
Call it possessiveness or even an exaggerated sense of care, but deep inside, Sasuke didn't want someone else doing his job. It wasn't because he had grown fond of the princess or anything like that, but the delicacy of their situation had created an unspoken bond between the two of them. In the same way she understood his position, he also understood hers, and in silence, both of them created an intimacy neither of them ever believed to be possible. He was there for her when everyone else judged her, and she was there for him when the world seemed to be comparing him to his older brother.
It was hard to explain for it made no sense, but it was real, nonetheless.
So real that it made him unconsciously want to show her how strong he actually was. And even if he wasn't truly aware of such will, that was exactly what he did.
In a matter of seconds, his attacks grew more precise and aggressive, catching his older brother by surprise. The impact created by their wooden swords created an echo that spread throughout the training grounds, making everyone stop to look at the them. Even with all those amazed eyes on them, Sasuke could only care about hers at that moment. His heart was beating faster, his muscles were perfectly responding to his commands, and for the first time, it became easy to detect Itachi's own openings during his counter attacks.
He was going to beat his brother. He was going to win and show everyone he was the only one fit for his position by her side.
One, final and precise blow was the last thing that took him to defeat his brother. He didn't really know how or when it happened, but soon, Itachi's eyes were looking at him from the ground. There was a surprised look on his face, and dust stuck to his cheeks due to sweat. His wooden sword laid far from his grip, and when a smile crossed his brother's face, Sasuke realized he had, indeed, won.
"You sure didn't let the princes down, little brother."
"Tch, stop with this nonsense. I didn't know the sword had hit your head."
A small wave of happiness took over the younger Uchiha. As he panted, a smirk crossed his lips before he used his free hand to brush away the strands of hair from his face. For the first time in what felt like years, he was the winner of their sparing session, and that felt oddly right considering the unexpected guest that had her royal eyes on him. The princess was there, still hidden behind her curtains, but her presence alone was strong enough to shift the entire atmosphere around them. Sparing in front of her made things more exciting, and even if he would never admit his selfish feelings out loud, having her there made him want to win like never before. She gave him a new sense of duty— a new sense of power— that was, at the same time, fierce and pure.
So, this is how it feels to fight for someone, he thought. So, this is how it feels to fight for the princess.
From that moment on, Sasuke understood the real meaning behind their silent bond. He would fight for her and she would watch over him. He would protect her and she would offer him a reason to win.
All of his victories now belonged to her in the same way her eyes and her attention now belonged to him.
With a new fulfilling sensation taking over his proud heart, Sasuke spared her a respectful glance before turning his attention back to his brother. He helped Itachi get back on his feet, ignoring whatever he was saying regarding his connection with the princess, as he took a deep, relaxing breath. There was a soft breeze brushing his face, and even if he was expecting more sneering words from his older sibling, Sasuke was surprised at the supportive squeeze of Itachi's hand on his shoulder.
"You did really well, Sasuke. You've grown a lot." He smiled, dropping his hand to his side and resting it on his hip. "Maybe I should take our training more seriously from now on."
"Hn, maybe you should or else I'll steal your spot, captain."
The way that last word rolled out of his younger brother's tongue made Itachi turn his attention back to the others around them. The warriors seemed to be dividing their attention between the siblings and the princess, clearly forgetting about their own sparing partners. For the moment, the training session seemed to have reached its end, as the warriors were only waiting for their captain's words to make it official. And at last, that was exactly what he did.
"That's it for today. Good job, everyone." Itachi said, clapping his hands and looking around at his men. "Take a break now and start your own patrolling shifts. A-squad, you'll take the front gate tonight and the others will surround the palace."
"Hai" The dirty men said in unison, politely saluting their captain.
"Oh, and Sasuke…" He started, his voice now slower in somewhat of a mockery tone. "I believe the princess is waiting for you."
All the men with swords, including his brother, started to walk away, heading out to their own dorms. In theory, Sasuke was supposed to follow them, but since the princess herself was mere feet away, the younger Uchiha decided to let her know he was only going to retrieve his sword before starting his real job.
Quickly, he crossed the training grounds and soon found himself bowing down in front of the princess' sudare. Once again, he could feel her eyes on him, feeling proud of the first victory he had dedicated to her. Unlike her handmaidens that looked at him with shallow interest, he could feel that the princess herself was ecstatic to be there.
At least, that was what his heart was telling him.
"Good morning, Ohime-sama. I shall retrieve my sword before I can escort you to your next appointment."
"The princess will be waiting for you." One of the handmaidens spoke, catching him by surprise for he could swear the princess was about to answer him herself. He closed his eyes, then, and started to collect himself in order to walk away. Sasuke turned around, and when he was about to take his first step away from her, his ears captured the ordinary and comfortable sound of her voice.
"You were incredible today, Sasuke-san."
The sound of his name rolling out of her tongue caught him by surprise, making him stop in his tracks. He knew he should just turn around and bow respectfully, but somewhere in the middle of his bewildered thoughts, the Uchiha forgot his manners. Once again, he turned to face her curtains, and apart from the surprised expression he wore, Sasuke couldn't control his own mouth.
"Sasuke…san?" His lips were parted and there was a tender look on his eyes. He was confused, for sure, since he had no idea that she had memorized his name, but somehow, he also felt honoured.
"I-I… Forgive me for my manners." She started rambling, clearly caught off guard by his words. "I took the liberty of calling you by your first name since both you and your brother are Uchiha and… Please, forgive me."
Through the bamboo curtains, he could only see as she messily shook her hands as she spoke, and the clumsy way her words came out brought a soft smile to his lips. For the first time since he started working with the princess, Sasuke could tell she was feeling comfortable around him. She seemed to be happy and excited, and it was not like being called by his first name would be enough of a reason to demand a royal apology from her. If anything, being called like that by her felt quite nice.
"You don't need my forgiveness, ohime-sama."
"O-Of course I do. I—"
"Just Sasuke is fine." He said, softly, making her stop in her tracks at the same time. He offered her a comforting expression, and waited for her to settle for their decision regarding his name.
"Hai. As you wish, Sasuke."
A sudden, easeful sensation took over him, making his heart skip a beat at the sound of her soft voice. He bowed down his head once more, and with that light feeling surrounding them, the Uchiha finally made his way back towards his companions.
The first time he sees the colour of her hair, he understood the reason behind her name
–
It was still early in the morning when his ears captured a ruckus that suddenly shook the great walls of the palace and scared the birds that were still comfortably asleep in their nests.
He had just finished his daily rounds and was on his way to meeting the princess when the pristine silence was broken by an exasperated and loud voice coming from the chamber where the princess was supposed to be meeting her tutors. By the time he reached the sealed doors, he could hear a certain commotion going on inside, and even if he was quick to identify that it was only that old woman's cranky voice lecturing her again, the Uchiha couldn't help but notice there was something odd going on in there.
"What did you do, ohime-sama!? This is not unacceptable! A disgrace! How could you!?"
His eyes widened in surprise at such harsh words, and he wondered what on earth could have happened. Though he sensed no imminent threat in her voice, he couldn't help but feel his overprotective instincts taking over his body. His hands clenched, he bit his lower lip, his eyes held a glare and even if he had no idea of what the princess might have done, it only felt natural for him to take her side.
He wasn't going to let that woman speak to her like that, no. No matter what might have driven such words towards the young girl, people shouldn't be treated like that.
He took a deep breath, then, and quickly, he opened the door, his skilful eyes surveying the place. The princess was behind her curtains, scrolls were spread across the floor and the filthy woman stood right above them, an irritated demeanour taking over her features. She was mad— really mad— as her glaring eyes were still set on the princess.
"What is happening here?" He asked, the tone in his voice as stoic as ever. "Is the princess in trouble?"
Her head turned so she could face him, and the Uchiha couldn't help but feel goose bumps running down his spine. "The princess is fine." She stated, lifting her chin as if trying to recompose herself. "Or, perhaps, she has lost her mind completely."
"And what makes you think like that?"
"See for yourself! Or, even better, ask her since she seems to be having a string of arguments lately!" She said, and at that moment, Sasuke could tell she had lost it. Never before had he seen that woman losing her balance, but apparently, the princess had driven her to the limit. Still, he couldn't find it in himself to neither judge nor blame her just yet.
"Whatever might have happened, there's no excuse for the way you've spoken to the princess."
"You're but a simple warrior, raised to fight. Who do you think you are to speak to me about manners?"
"I am a subordinate of the royal family, just like you. I am making sure no one speaks ill of the ohime-same, therefore, be sure I'll inform the king about your words."
"You little—" Her face grew madder at his words, and if she didn't hate him before, she certainly did now. "Don't waste your precious time. I will go inform the king myself and I will tell him to find his precious daughter a new tutor. I hope the next one can make a real woman out of this child before she embarrasses the whole country. Before she—"
"I will not tolerate another word against the princess." His voice came out strong and without hesitance, cutting the older woman before she had the chance to conclude her speech. His eyes were intensely glaring at her as he held eye contact, but she didn't seem intimidated by his imposing presence.
"You should know your place. Just a lowlife who'll never—"
"That's enough!" Her voice— usually so soft and polite— sounded mature and powerful as it echoed across the big chamber. Two hearts were caught by surprise and eyes widened as all the attentions were now set on the girl behind the curtains. "Not another word about my protector. Leave, at once."
A deafening silence took over the room after her words, and his heart skipped a beat. The princess made herself heard, and for the first time, she had decided not to stay silent and simply accept such harsh words. Sakura was not going to just listen as she said those words about him, and even if he was more than capable of defending himself against a woman, it felt good to see her fighting for both of them.
She was standing her ground, like a princess should. She should be proud of herself.
A scoff left the older woman's lips before she looked away from the Uchiha, finally deciding to leave the room. Her heels clicked across the floor as she made her way out, and even if he didn't turn to see her leaving, the door loudly shutting behind them indicated she was gone. They were both left alone in a large chamber, and even if it was normally considered to be an inappropriate situation for a princess, neither of them could deny that the atmosphere felt lighter than ever before.
There was no telling what kind of consequences her actions would have, and chances were her father would scold her for driving that woman away, but the warrior figured that was not the right time to worry about that. His brother has always told him to be proud of his choices, and even if he couldn't see her face, something told him she was aware of that.
The raven-haired warrior, then, took a deep breath and took a few steps until he was standing closer to her, just next to the scattered scrolls. He still didn't know what had started that whole thing, but he figured it was none of his business and decided that gathering those things would, at least, help them move forward with their day.
He kneeled down on the ground, his hands carefully took the scrolls. For what he could see, they were all about medicine and medicinal herbs, and he thought that, maybe, that was one of the reasons why that old lady was so mad. Based on all the times he had heard her scolding during their classes, the Uchiha could imagine she didn't like seeing the princess reading about such things. Women don't need to know about those things, she probably said, and it was as if he could hear her voice saying such things while taking them away from the young girl. She should be allowed to read whatever she wanted to without being scolded, and if anything, he believed everyone should know a thing or two about herbs and medicine.
Life is really unpredictable, he knew, and he believed she knew it, too.
There was nothing wrong about learning new things and—
His eyes widened once he reached out for the last scroll and saw all that hair on the floor. The colour tinging that long, pink ponytail resembled the Daimyou, but it was prettier and more filled with life—probably due to years of brushing and soaking it in bath oils. It reminded him of the cherry blossoms that flourish on the spring, and perhaps, that was the reason behind her name. Apparently, it had been cut by a clean blade, and now, well, he thought he really understood what went on between those two.
A princess with short hair and peculiar interests. Such an unusual girl, he thought, a soft expression taking over his face.
"Sasuke-san…" She started, making him shift his attention. His eyes were now on her silhouette, and even if it was hard to see, he couldn't help but imagine those pastel-pink strands now falling just above her shoulders. "Thank you for those words. I'm sorry you had to witness that."
"Hn, it was not your fault, Ohime-sama." He finally took all the scrolls, standing up so he could assume his position next to her sudare. "I should be thanking you, as well, for defending me."
"Oh, save your modesty. We both know she wouldn't stand a chance against your sword."
"Your majesty is probably right." His lips lifted upwards at her words. Judging by the tone of her voice, her heart didn't seem troubled anymore, and such thing also brought him some unexpected peace. He placed the scrolls in front of her, so she could retrieve her belongings. "Also, if I may intrude, I think short hair is more practical for a princess."
A warming silence spread around the room, as she slowly took the scrolls with her tiny, delicate hands. Since she was clearly not having any more classes any moment soon, he figured she could resume her reading while they continued sharing that comfortable moment. "Thank you, Sasuke-san."
The first time he heard her laugh made him realize she was no longer that princess he had met 5 months before.
–
After spending so much time following her routine, it was inevitable for the Uchiha to feel bothered by certain obligations forced on her by of her position. At first, he had decided that nothing could be worse than the hours spent on marital lessons, but now, he realized that enduring actual marriage proposals were a lot worse than that.
Whenever the Daimyou received an offer from one of his allied landlords to marry their children, the promised finance ended up traveling all the way to the palace so the princess could somehow interview the candidate. They would spend hours listening to the first-born-sons of whatever land they came from, as they would talk unstoppably about how much of a great candidate they were. They would brag about their lineage, their conquers; and more importantly, they would brag about how much money and gold they could offer her if she accepted the proposal.
Not once had the Uchiha heard any of them actually asking things about the princess. They didn't seem to care about her interest or her qualities, focusing only on trying to buy her with their fathers' fortune. It disgusted him to listen to all futility, especially when it came from a person who had the power and position to make her happy. Those men had the chance and the status to actually offer her some company worthy of a princess, and they could show her a life different from the one she has at the palace.
They could give her a reason to smile and be free— or as free as a princess could be.
But they were no good. None of them could actually understand the woman she is, and because of that, Sasuke knew she would probably grow even sadder were she to marry any of them.
Those men were all useless.
And he saw no good reason to believe the newest candidate that had arrived from the Wind country would be any different.
His hair was dark brown, his eyes were blue and he had spent the last hour or so bragging about his ability to hunt desert frogs. The Uchiha believed he had explained anything interesting about the animals at the beginning of their conversation, but in the end, he had just resumed to talking about himself.
What a waste of time, Sasuke thought. Just another noble and egocentric man. The Uchiha would love to see his reaction when he eventually realized the princess was probably more interested on the frog than in him.
Perhaps they should've just sent her the rare creature instead.
"Oh, but enough talking about me!" He said, though neither Sasuke nor the princess believed he was, indeed, tired of talking about himself. "I've also brought you a gift, Ohime-sama!" The man stated, looking at his servant that was holding a small chest. The other man approached them, offering the said chest so his master could take it.
The Uchiha's dark eyes followed the chest, his instincts now telling him to keep his guard up in case that gift could offer the princess any harm. He took a step forward, then, making sure that his presence served as a warning to their visitants.
"Worry not, my dearest guard. I mean no harm to your princess, believe me. My gift is but a mere plant that grows in my country." The man said, opening the chest to revel, indeed, a small, green plant. Her leaves were incredibly thin and pointy, her veins drawing a peculiar pattern the Uchiha just happened to know quite well. During his missions, many times has he seen those leaves, and many times has he seen some fools touching them and suffering the consequences.
That plant was an urtiga. And though it seemed harmless, there was no way he was going to let the princess anywhere near that thing.
"This is a very rare medicinal plant from my country, Ohime-sama. I've brought it to you as a proof of my feelings. This plant is said to cure the wounded and it does wonders to the skin! I myself can't spend a day without them in my bath!"
That fool had absolutely no idea of what he was talking about. He was obviously lying as if to try to impress her, and at that moment, he just feared the princess was actually believing that nonsense. The urtiga wasn't an uncommon plant outdoors, but for someone who's spent her entire life surrounded by walls, maybe it was quite easy to believe such lie.
Maybe she would actually be fooled by that man and be charmed by the idea of a plant with such miraculous properties. Maybe she would even accept—
"What a delightful plant you've brought me, Ōji-sama." She started, and for the first time, her voice actually seemed thrilled about something. "I've heard stories about this plant a couple of times by my tutors, but I had never really seen them with my own eyes. I thank you for that."
"There is no need to thank me, Ohime-sama. This is just one of the many wonders of my land that I would love to show you, were you to accept my proposal."
"How extremely kind of you. I'm certain your land has many wonders like this, but for now, let's focus on this plant. What's the name of it?"
"The name?" He repeated, caught off guard by her sudden interest. At that moment, the Uchiha couldn't quite understand her intentions anymore, and he could feel his curiosity growing on him.
"Oh, yes. Such a wonderful plant must have a name, I presume."
"Yes! A name! It's called… Uhm… Divine Branch, right?!" He looked at his servant, and the other man barely managed to nod in agreement. "Yes, this is the name. Divine Branch"
"… Such a wonderful name for such a wonderful plant." She said, her voice soft as silk. There was a mix of bewilderment and joy, and if he didn't know any better, Sasuke would have believed that voice to be mirroring her feelings. After spending months by her side, he unconsciously knew how read her emotions through her voice, and at that moment, he knew she wasn't been honest with that foolish prince.
Those emotions were untrue, he was sure. She was faking them elegantly, and he almost fell for her lie. Almost.
The princess knew about the plant. She knew he was lying, but instead of exposing him, she had decided to mock that man who believed her to be yet another naive girl.
That poor man, he thought, suppressing a smirk that tried to make its way to his lips. He really had no idea of what that girl was capable of.
"Yes, it is, indeed! And now I'm giving it to—"
"Oh, but please, before you give it to me, would you mind showing me how to use it?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Don't be so modest, Ōji-sama! It's just us, here. Please, show me how to apply it on the skin."
"D-Do you… Do you want me to rub it on my skin?"
"Yes, of course. You've ignited my curiosity now. I want to see the effects of such miraculous plant with my own eyes. Unless there's a problem with that, of course."
"Ōji-sama, I don't think—" His servant started, but the prince didn't listen, determinedly reaching out for the plant with his bare hand. Then, he lifted his sleeve, rubbing the plant up and down his arm. His servant's face showed a mix of horror and concern, and the prince, being fully aware of what he had just done, did his best to maintain a straight face.
"T-This is how the plant must be used, Ohime-sama." He started, then, his arm growing redder. "Just rub it and wait for its miraculous effects."
"O-Oh… I see." She started, and Sasuke could swear she had just suppressed a laughter. "And this redness is normal, I presume?"
"Well, indeed." He said, his voice crackling as he began scratching the red area. "Y-You may also feel a bit itchy, but it's also normal."
"How wonderful, indeed." She started. "Thank you for showing me such wonderful plant. I shall try it myself one day."
"Y-You really should, O-Ohime-sama."
The young prince tried to be short with words as he scratched his arm more vigorously. His expression seemed very troubled and his now red arm seemed to be growing as red as a tomato. The Uchiha has never seen that plant causing anything other than an immense discomfort, so they figured there was no real danger to the foolish prince.
He was certainly going to learn his lesson. In the worst possible way.
"You seem troubled, Ōji-sama." She asked, knowing very well what was happening to him. "Is there anything wrong?"
"Ohime-sama, if you'll excuse me, I believe I need to be going now." He said, quickly standing up, trembling as he held himself not to scratch himself like a stray dog with fleas. "I'm afraid we're going to settle our matters in another occasion."
"Certainly. I wish you a safe trip back home, then. And thank you for showing me how to use the… Divine Branch."
"I-It was my pleasure. Excuse me."
After clumsily bowing down his head, the man rushed out of the room, his servant running after him so they could try to help him somehow. The large doors were closed once they were out, and as soon as they were out of their sights, the Uchiha allowed himself to relax. There was a sly smile on his face, now, and were he not by her side, he would be laughing out loud at that moment.
He couldn't lose his composure in front of her, no. However, as the princess, she couldn't seem to care about that at that moment.
The silence of the room was ruined by a wave of laughter that escaped her lips. It was silly and pure laughter— much similar to a child— and it was undeniable that she was having a great time. The was probably the best reaction he had ever seen from her, and at that moment, he just wished to hear her laughing more often. She had been a great actress during the whole thing, and right now, she just couldn't hold back the satisfaction of a well-done job.
"I can't believe he actually rubbed the urtiga all over his arm!" She said, still laughing to her heart's content. "Divine Branch!? What did he take me for? That fool!"
"Your majesty!" Her handmaiden said, surprised to actually see such reaction coming from her.
"Oh, please, every person in the room knew what that plant was."
"Still, this is no way for a princess to behave. I shall inform your father immediately."
The maid spoke, firmly, quickly leaving the room so she could go inform the Daimyou of what had happened. That woman was supposed to have stayed by the princess' side, and yet, she was just another one who didn't really care about the young girl.
How sad, the Uchiha thought. Such a woman with no sense of loyalty to her princess. He just hoped the princess wouldn't let those words discourage her laughter.
"Tch." The princess sighed, taking a deep breath and recomposing herself. Silence took over the room for a couple of seconds, until she decided to speak once more. "I don't think I've ever seen someone rubbing an urtiga so vigorously against their skin. He's going to keep scratching for at least two days, don't you think, Sasuke-san?"
"At least three, your Majesty."
"Yeah… I believe he won't forget me anytime soon."
"Certainly not, your Majesty."
"And my father will also be quite mad, too." She said, but her voice was still filled with joy.
"I'm afraid he will."
"Did you think it was too much? Be honest with me."
"If I may, Ohime-sama… I don't think you should worry about of anything that has happened in this room. You were simply curious about the Divine Branch. We all were, so I believe your majesty was great today."
Another silence took over the room, and though he couldn't see, he knew she was smiling. She shouldn't blame herself for making a fool of that man, especially when he was the one trying to impress her with that lie.
She really was great that day.
She had played the prince's own game and won in all the best ways possible. He didn't even know what hit him, but the princess—oh— she knew exactly what she was doing. Her father would be furious once he heard about what she had done in order to get rid of yet another suitor, but it had certainly been a pretty fantastic trick.
Fantastic enough to make her laugh.
The first time he saw her tears, he knew he could never let her go.
–
And though the rumours had stopped and peace seemed to have prevailed, the castle was soon attacked.
It happened at night, when most people were asleep and no one was expecting an attack. Over 300 men carrying swords and spears invaded through the gates, killing everyone that stood between them and the Daimyou. Royal guards were down, maids were slaughtered, and in the middle of that bloody mess, the rebels set the palace on fire. Screams composed a symphony of despair, and at that moment, both of the Uchiha brothers knew what they had to do.
They had to save the royal family. While the rest of the guards took care of the masses, they had to take the king and his daughter out before it was too late. They were asleep in their rooms when they heard the commotion, and they had barely any time to say goodbye before heading out and mixing themselves amongst those warriors. Itachi went after the Daimyou and Sasuke went after the princess, and even if they had been together for a long time, eventually, the two brothers were separated.
Each of them had their own orders to follow. Each of them was bound to their own person. And though they didn't want to part, the Uchiha brothers knew what they had to do.
In order to reach the princess' chambers, Sasuke had to fight his way through a lot of men that were trying to kill him. He swung his sword, landing precise hits and dirtying himself with the blood of his enemies. Eventually, he got cut on the arm by a spear that came from behind, but thankfully, it was really just a scratch. He kicked that man backwards before stabbing his stomach, trying his best not to take too long to reach her.
He had to be fast. At that moment, when the moon seemed to be tinged by the blood of innocent people, he could just hope for her to be alive. She still had her whole life ahead of hers, and the gods would be unfair if they allowed her to die before even living. There were still scrolls she had to read, stories she had to tell and places she had to meet.
No, the princess could not die that night. He wasn't going to allow that.
His tired feet had finally arrived at the corridor that lead to her room, and much to his apprehensive heart, there was an assassin trying to force his way inside. Though the door seemed to be holding up for now, Sasuke knew it would be just a matter of time before that man could get to the princess. His bloodshot eyes were seeking to spill her blood with his blade, and he knew there would be no stopping that man without taking away his life.
A man who's driven by hatred will stop for nothing, his brother would say, and at that moment, Sasuke really understood the meaning behind those words.
"Open the door, princess! It useless to run away! Come outside and take responsibility for all the things your father has done to us!"
"Stand back from this door!" The Uchiha screamed, right before storming towards the bandit. It didn't take long before they engaged in a sword fight, and though he was not as fast as his brother, it was undeniable that his opponent knew what he was doing.
Their blades clashed multiple times, and even if the enemy was trying to distract him by badmouthing the royal family, Sasuke gave him no ears. Both the Daimyou and the princess were good people, and whatever it was that those bandits were trying to obtain, murdering a father and his daughter was not going to get them anywhere.
They weren't going to get what they wanted. He was not going to let them.
In a swift move, then, the Uchiha purposefully offered his enemy an opening, and when that dirty man decided to take advantage of that and pierce his left arm, Sasuke took the opportunity and stabbed him in the heart. His left arm was bleeding now and it certainly hurt, but at that moment, as his enemy fell onto the ground, he knew there was no time to worry about himself.
He had to save the princess. He had to get her out of there.
"Ohim-sama, open the door! I need to get you somewhere safe!" He said, banging against the door, his teeth gritted in pain.
"Sasuke-san!?" Her voice sounded exasperated, and at that moment, he was glad to know she recognized his voice.
"It's me. Hurry, you're not safe here!"
In a blink of an eye, the door was opened, and even if he had expected things not to be as calm and serene as they usually are, he couldn't help. but be taken aback by the sight of her.
The princess was right there, standing in front of him, and for the first time, there were no curtains hiding her features. His dark eyes widened at the scene, and though he had many times wondered how she looked like, not even in his sweetest dreams would he have pictured such a beautiful woman.
At last, he saw her face.
Her skin was pale and delicate like porcelain, her short hair covered her ears, and her eyes— her emerald-green eyes that have observed him so many times— though clouded by tears, were probably the prettiest things he had ever seen in his life. They shone brighter than her father's and it was as if they were incapable of holding any secret behind them. They clashed against his dark orbs, looking relieved and scared at the same time.
They were begging him for help. And he would gladly risk his life for those eyes.
"Sasuke-san! Y-You're bleeding!" She said, immediately reaching out to inspect his arm. Her touch was warm and soft, and even if his arm was sensitive, her touch didn't hurt him.
"Don't worry about me, Ohime-sama. We need to get you out of here."
"What about my father? What about your brother and the others?"
"My brother went after the Daimyou. You are my priority now."
"But if you come with me, they will go after you, too! Sasuke-san, get out of here!"
"What are you talking about, Ohime-sam—"
"Stop calling me that!" She screamed, leaving him speechless. "If my father's lucky, his title as the Daimyou will be the only thing he'll lose! I'm not a princess anymore and you are no longer a royal guard! You're free!"
As she spoke those words, his eyes could see the way her hands were trembling. The young girl was scared— of course she was— and yet, she was doing her best to protect him. She knew he would have better chances if he didn't have to protect her, and if that meant he could live or just focus on helping his brother, then she wouldn't mind staying behind. Sakura was looking after him, like a princess looks after her people. If not for that rebellion, perhaps, she would've become a terrific leader.
"Sakura." He said, firmly, his eyes looking directly into hers. She was certainly caught by surprise by the way her name had rolled out of his tongue, and her green eyes widened at that. "I'm not leaving you behind."
"B-But why? I've told you that I'm not—"
"It doesn't matter. Even if you're no longer a princess, I want to save you. So, please, come with me, Sakura."
His eyes were still on her as he spoke those words, and he reached out with his right hand so she could take it. At that moment, the world she knew was turning into ashes and the people she knew were losing their lives. The former princess was about to begin a new life and he was the only one who would be by her side. They have gone a long way together already, and as she took his hand, they both realized that they still had a long way to go.
Together. The former princess and her former guard.
As they escaped through the narrow corridors of the burning palace, they were leaving behind everything they knew. A new life was about to begin and they didn't know if her father and his brother would be able to join them one day.
From that moment on, they only had each other.
And that would have to be enough.
fin.
a/n: So, I got inspired pretty much by The Tale of Princess Kaguya and Akatsuki no Yona, if you can tell XD This is my first time trying something like this, so I hope it worked haha Hope you've enjoyed it, and please, let me know what you think :)