Itachi had assumed that his sister-in-law was still taking a nap when he got no answer from her after knocking thrice on her door. He was careful that Sasuke nor his mother would not know his visit to Sakura. He could only imagine his mother getting into a fight with his father after knowing the King's harsh decision to sent the princess away.
Sasuke..on the other hand, Itachi was not sure how his little brother would react after finding out. Would he be mad? Would he be indifferent? He eventually had learned from Tenten that Sakura was already awake, but still refused to talk to anyone except Sasuke. He had also been informed that the princess had been asking constantly Sasuke's whereabouts. Itachi could only guess Sakura was trying to explain herself to his stubborn little brother.
Personally, Itachi could not even imagine Sakura doing something as scandalous like that. In his opinion, his sister-in-law could be considered as someone pure, innocent. He had also seen the devotion Sakura has for Sasuke. However, that did not mean that the pictures did not bother Itachi. He was sure that Prince Gaara was the most likely at fault for putting both Konoha and Suna in crisis.
As someone who would be a king, Itachi could not imagine what was Prince Gaara was thinking right now. In a way, he could patronize with the Sunagakure's crown prince. Much like him, Gaara would be the future of Sunagakure. That only meant that there were more eyes watching his every move. Itachi also considered the possibility of the crown prince's enemies doing this. This could only mean that they were merely using Sakura to get to Gaara. And worse, it could be the common enemies of Konoha and Suna. And making a bigger fuss on this issue would be like hitting two birds in one stone.
Sending Sakura overseas, even if it saddened Itachi, would be the best option right now. With these, the media's attention would shift to Gaara. And as far as he knew, the Sunagakure King was very ill the last time a meeting between Suna and Konoha was held. Considering this, Itachi was certain that it would only take a few months before Gaara would replace his father and take the King's position. Itachi could only assume that the current Sunagakure's king had already prepared the selection for their crown princess.
As he was waiting for the princess to wake up, Itachi decided to pay his little brother a visit. He did not bother to knock and promptly made his way inside the room. He had found Sasuke sitting on his bed, reading a book. Itachi sat beside him, waiting for his younger brother to notice his presence.
When it was obvious that Sasuke had no intention of talking to him, he cleared his throat to gain his attention. "Sakura will be going overseas. I already told her personal assistant to pack her things."
And indeed, Sasuke had frozen in his spot. Sasuke looked into Itachi, checking if his brother was messing with him. Not knowing what to say, Sasuke remained silent. Beside him, he could hear Itachi sigh loudly. "Aren't you going to rebel against it? Father is sending your fiancee away. Is that really okay?"
"It's the King's orders. Then that leaves us no choice."
"Since when did you faithfully obey Father's orders? I get it, little brother. Your complicated and unclear relationship with Sakura. And I hope you don't look at this as me prying, I was just concerned. I think that you should go with her. Once Sakura knows about this, I am sure she will misunderstood it as being kicked out of the Palace.
"But with you by her side, she would be able to pretend that you two are just going on a vacation. Mother must have already told you about this, but Sasuke, let me remind you again. She is having a hard time."
Sasuke's eyes remained glued on the floor. Itachi was studying the change of Sasuke's facial expressions, but found none. After a while, Itachi tried to talk to his brother once again. "You may not say it but I know you are deeply hurting right now. But that does not mean that you will just let Father decide on this matter alone. Sending her away as a sacrifice for the royal family's sake..it sickens me.
"However, this would be the only option we have right now. And I am trying to lessen the burden Sakura is carrying. If you would be by her side at least.."
"I'll talk to Father regarding this. If that's what will put you at ease." Sasuke abruptly stood up and left the room without glancing back.
.
.
.
.
.
Ino was worried sick. She had not stop dialing Sakura's number since early in the morning. Sure, the King and Queen had seemed nice to Sakura, but now Ino could not help but feel uneasy regarding the growing issue between the Crown Prince of Suna and her bestfriend. She could not even think how the King must be furious with Sakura at this moment. Everyone who would see the pictures would think the same thing. Except for Ino. Never Ino.
She had known Sakura since they were kids. And it was the first time Sakura had fallen in love. She had cried too many times because of Prince Sasuke. In addition to that, Sakura had also told her about her plans on that day. Sakura had informed Ino about their improving relationship nowadays. So it was a great shock to find out about the pictures.
It was past noon when Ino decided to pay a visit to Sakura's parents. She found them sitting on the sofa in the living room watching the news. Ino could tell Mebuki had been anxious. When she asked the whereabouts of Mr. Haruno, Mebuki only shook her head. She explained that Kizashi was upstairs resting; Mebuki did not want to let him find out. It would only put Kizashi under stress, she said.
Much like Ino, Mebuki could not contact Sakura. They also tried calling the Palace, but it seemed like they blocked all the incoming calls. Ino was thinking if she should go there instead, however, in this kind of situation, it would be unlikely for the Palace to open their gates especially for the princess's friend.
In the end, Ino tried to console Mebuki saying that it would be fine, that they should trust the Palace handling the matter. Sooner or later, Ino was sure, that the tabloids would be taken down. One thing she could not trust, it was Prince Sasuke not trusting Sakura enough.
Prior to this incident, Ino was aware about Prince Sasuke throwing accusations to Sakura. He was the first to accuse Sakura with something absurd as this. Ino just could not believe that the issue would be as big as this. She only hoped and prayed that her best friend would be okay.
.
.
.
.
.
Sasuke went straight to his father's office after talking to Itachi awhile ago. Their talk a few days ago had Sasuke hope for a better relationship with his father. Yet, things just could not go on his way. In all honesty, he did not know what to feel about the pictures. He was very well aware of Sakura's feelings for him. But looking at the pictures had him wishing he could punch Gaara in the face.
He had not yet figured out his feelings for the princess. It was still all a mystery for him..loving and caring for someone besides his family. It was a foreign feeling for him. Sakura was the first girl to make his calm and composed demeanor crack. She put him over the edge. She always made him ask questions and confuse him altogether.
He could not explain what exactly he was feeling regarding the pictures. He wanted to scream at Sakura and blame her for this, even so he could not bring himself to see the tears in her eyes. He only hoped that for once and for all, this rumor would die down once and for all. Sakura had been crying too much for the past few days. And it had also affected him greatly.
With King Fugaku's command, Sasuke could see the logic behind it. Sending away Sakura for a while would prevent these kind of issues for the time being. It was already a big surprise for Konoha when the Palace had announced their engagement. Many, still, had not accepted his fiancee. In a way, sending her away means protecting her also. Itachi's suggestion, on the other hand, Sasuke could not figure out if it would be best if he would stay by Sakura's side.
The recent events were..too much even for Sasuke. He, too, needed time and space.
There was already too much damage between their relationship. They could not even define their so-called relationship, and yet, it had already been put into too many trials. They always fought but then again made up after a few days. They had hurt each other without meaning to.
People would always assume that being a royalty means that you can do whatever you want. But in reality, that is not the case. People expect a lot from you. In a way, you should act the way people expect you to be. You could not commit mistakes at all. It was not different in acting. The only difference is that actors and actresses only act for a while, but for royalties, they have to act forever. That sometimes Sasuke could not already distinguish the prince and the true Sasuke within him.
King Fugaku only glanced at his younger son. The King had been busy with the preparations for the upcoming summit. "What brings you here?" He asked, still studying the documents before him.
"Father, do you not think it's too much for Sakura? I am certain she meant no harm after meeting Prince Gaara."
Hearing such an absurd thing coming from his son's mouth, Fugaku raised his brow in confusion. "She had been caught in the act, having an affair. Still, you wish to defend her?"
"She had not lied to you, Your Majesty. She had no feelings for Prince Gaara. I can attest to that." Sasuke spoke calmly.
"Then how can you explain the pictures? Certainly, it was not something just friends would do." Fugaku crossed his arms in front of his chest. He could not help but question his son's intentions for seeing him. How could he side by that girl? She had committed a grave sin, in Fugaku's opinion. Especially to Sasuke, so why.
"I am very much aware of Prince Gaara's romantic feelings for Sakura. Even if it was too much to ask for you to believe in her, I am certain there must be some explanation behind this. That day, Sakura had asked me to come with her. That only proves that she has not been secretly meeting Prince Gaara." Sasuke confidently explained.
"Well then. Do you think we could expose to the public this kind of situation? If you had already known all about this, why did you not take preventive measures? Sakura had not grown up like you. She is new in all this. I thought I made you responsible for her.
"In all honesty, I am very much disappointed with you two. You are not a child anymore, Sasuke. Even if in this case, let us say it was actually Prince Gaara's fault. How do we resolve this? Are you willing to put the alliance with Suna at risk?" Fugaku sighed, clearly not happy with the growing issue.
"I apologize, Your Majesty. I take full responsibility behind our actions. With that, allow me to accompany you to the summit. I must be the one talking to the King of Sunagakure regarding this matter. It would be better if Prince Gaara would be present during the meeting as well."
After taking the time to consider his son's suggestion, Fugaku stood up from his seat and walked until he was only a few meters away from Sasuke.
"Fine. I trust you enough to handle this situation. And I hope you also trust me enough to make such decisions such as letting your fiancee go. I was thinking if we had any mistakes in educating her, if it was all my fault for not finding her soon enough.
"I hope you trust me in this, Sasuke. I do not mean to punish her. I only wish to protect her and the royal family." Fugaku patted his son's shoulder before leaving the room.
.
.
.
.
.
Sakura was summoned to the King's office that afternoon. She was anxious that she thought she would be sent back to the Land of Snow. There were already many possibilities inside her head like what would happen to Sasuke and who would be his new fiancee. Would her parents be affected in these? Would she have to move to another country?
She knew the King would not take her actions lightly. Because of her carelessness, there were already a lot of consequences waiting for her. She had said her thanks to Tenten, as if already saying her goodbyes. But the maid had been loyal to her, reassuring her that everything will be okay in the end.
She stood there with her head bowed down before the King. She did not dare to raise her head. She promised herself to not cry, but then again, the tears had started to flow down from her eyes.
"Is that all you can do? Weep? Your tears will not erase all your wrongdoings." A scowl appeared onto the King's face.
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty." Her voice had cracked as she wiped her tears.
After a while, Fugaku's tone had softened considerably. "My child, I hope you already know your position. You are the third among most powerful women in Konoha. I would not be mad without any reason. I understand that moving here in the Palace must be too much for you to handle. But you had already been here for almost a year.
"I hope you and Sasuke would sort things out. After a while, you are expected to bear his children. And it would be much difficult if you two would not try to understand each other."
Sakura blushed at the prospect of bearing Sasuke's children. She certainly did not expect to hear such things from the King. "Your Majesty, Sas- Prince Sasuke.. I am nothing but faithful to him. I swear. I am sorry. I do not wish to complicate things."
"Sasuke already told me. You do not have to further explain. I hope you would be able to learn from this experience. You are still young, but you are not like any other normal girl. You are a princess. Please be more careful from now on.
"And I hope you do not take this as a punishment. But I had come up for a temporary solution to our problem. In the meantime, you will be living outside the Palace. Prepare your things. I will personally make sure your safety during your travels. I hope you understand."
Sakura then raised her head to look into the King. "With me leaving, does it mean that I will be able to help the royal family?"
Fugaku did not answer, instead, he informed her that she should already leave tomorrow morning. Moreover, the King had told her that she has the freedom to choose the country she would like to explore. He had also contacted her parents and Ino regarding her departure and that they would be there to send her off.
It took some time for the King's words to register. Taking a deep breathe, she nodded and excused herself. As she made her way back to her room, she took her time to look into the Palace's majestic halls. She had not had enough time to sort her feelings out on how the King decided to let her leave the Palace for a while. For one, she did not even know until when would she be going away, traveling non stop.
Even if the King had told her that she should not take this as a punishment, Sakura felt uneasy. Looking at the brighter side, the King had calmed down. He was back to being a fierce but understanding leader he is.
Apparently, Tenten had already been informed about their immediate departure. Sakura had found her things already packed in her suitcase. The personal maid had pulled the princess into a hug telling her that she would be there for the princess always. Sakura looked around her room; she thought that she would definitely miss the place.
.
.
.
.
.
Come by morning, the royal family had been gathered in the Palace's living room after the breakfast. They were waiting for Sakura to say their good byes. Except that Sasuke was no where to be found. After a few minutes, the said princess was seen walking alongside with Tenten.
The Queen had been the first one to engulf Sakura into a bone-crashing hug. Sakura was stupefied to hear the Queen apologizing to her over and over again. "I am sorry you have to go through this, my love. After finding you, I promised that there will be no day that you are not happy." Mikoto whispered into her.
Looking at the Queen's tears for her, Sakura started to cry as well. She covered her mouth to suppress the uncontrollable sobs that was squeezing the breath from her lungs. She continued to hold onto the Queen's hand even after their embrace. Sakura had learned to love the Queen; Mikoto had been nothing but sweet and caring for her. She was beyond grateful for everything Mikoto had done for her.
"Shhh. This is not good bye, Princess. You are just going away on a trip. Bring back some souvenirs, okay? I will really miss you." Mikoto wiped the tears from Sakura's cheeks, trying to reassure the princess.
Izumi had also flung her arms around Sakura. "Take care of yourself. Do not ever forget to eat right on time. I do not want you coming back here looking like a mummy. Do you understand?" Sakura laughed through her tears after hearing Princess Izumi's reminders.
Itachi had also hugged her. Although Itachi and her could not be considered as somewhat close, Sakura was thankful for his concern on her. She was glad that the crown prince was kind enough to talk to her when she was troubled by something.
On a different note, the great King of Konoha merely given her a stern look. Having been said that, Sakura was surprised to hear such comforting words from the King. "You are a part of this family. Always remember that wherever you go."
Sakura had bowed her head in respect. She glanced backwards hoping still to at least catch a glimpse of her fiancee. And as expected, she was only hurting herself, only seeing the body guards in the hall way. Tenten had lead her way to the car outside afterwards.
But even before Sakura could step out of the Palace, she had caught sight of Sasuke leaning over the side of the limousine. He had his hands tucked into his pockets; his eyes cast down. He was wearing a suit and tie, looking as handsome as ever.
A wave of the prince's hand had been enough for all the body guards to back down. Tenten had also excused herself. Swallowing hard, Sakura took a few steps forward. She was careful enough to put some space between them. When she stopped, that was the time when Sasuke raised his head to face her.
They had not talked after the King had scolded her about the pictures. Sakura had no idea what was going through her fiancee's mind right now. She did not know if he still would not listen to any word she would say. But replaying the King's words yesterday, that Sasuke had actually defended her from this allegations.. it all confused her.
During the King's confrontation, she was sure that Sasuke must had already hated her. The look he was giving her that time..the way he was clenching his fists. Sakura was certain that Sasuke had really believed what the tabloids had been saying about her.
"Sasuke? What changed your mind?"
Sasuke shrugged in return. "I had already arranged everything you need in your stay in Kumogakure. This time, the Palace is making sure that you will be free from the paparazzis. There will be five body guards tailing you everywhere. Do not leave without them." He tried to change the subject abruptly.
Sakura then shook her head. "I had been with you for a long time but still..I can not understand you. Why do you always avoid talking to me? Why can't you be honest with me?"
"Sakura.." He started, but was cut off by her.
"No. Are you mad at me? Then why did you defend me? I want answers, Sasuke! I will go crazy thinking about the answers to my questions for the next months or even years knowing I cannot even see you or the least talk to you."
Sasuke had surprisingly raised his voice as well. "You are my responsibility. What do you expect? That I will tell Father that you were trying to be a queen of Suna? To affirm his suspicions about our failure of a relationship?"
A gasp escaped from Sakura's lips. She put her hands over her heart as if trying to shield it from further pain. "Heh, is that what you truly feel? Is that how you think of me, Sasuke? Will anything that I say to you not matter at all?" Tears started to escape from her eyes once again. In a matter of a few seconds, she lunged forward hitting Sasuke's shoulders repeatedly.
"You asshole! Fuck you! I hate you! Do you have any idea how much it is difficult for me?! I am trying my best! Damn you Sasuke for being an inconsiderate, insensitive brat! Fuck you! And I fucking hate myself for being stupid enough. Because I will still miss you! I fucking hate you. You are such a damn pain in the ass!" She started to sob loudly. She had stopped hitting him. She hid her face from his view, covering her face entirely with her hands.
Sasuke had not said anything. He had only observed the girl crying for a few minutes. He tried to touch her shoulder only for her to lash out at him telling him to fuck off. When she had seemed to calm down, Sasuke carefully slipped his arms around the girl. "Sakura.."
Sakura had started to cry once again after that. They stayed like that for a while. She started to put her arms around him as well. Her cries had even become louder when Sasuke kissed her forehead. "Are you keeping my hopes up once again?" She asked. She looked up to meet his eyes. Her eyes questioning his intentions. "I still hate you by the way. But I am not going to see you for a while and I don't want to part ways having a fight with you." She quickly added.
When Sasuke got considerably close, Sakura had anticipated for a parting kiss. She closed her eyes waiting for it, but much to her disappointment, she had only felt a flick on her forehead. "Maybe next time, I'll come with you."
When she opened her eyes, she blinked twice before gazing at Sasuke who looked at her with a somewhat serious expression. "We'll talk after all these. And just so you know, I am also mad at you for being too close to that prince. I had already warned you too many times to not be too friendly." A scowl had immediately appeared on his face.
"Now, your parents and your best friend are already waiting for you to the airport. You had already wasted enough time. Make the best out of your time visiting each country. Call me once you get there." Sasuke continued.
"And Sakura, you are important to me. I am not good at words-" He added quickly, but he was not able to finish what he was about to say when the princess had thrown her arms around his shoulders once again for a last hug. Once Sasuke had felt the tears slowly making its way to her eyes once again, he immediately scolded her. "Stop those tears already. It's damn annoying."
She had laughed after hearing such ridiculous comment. Sasuke had afterwards opened the car door for her.
With a heavy heart, Sakura left the Palace not knowing what the future lies ahead for her and Sasuke.
.
.
.
.
.
A/N: I changed the ending of this chp considerably. Originally, Sasuke was supposed to not see her off but it's just that my heart can't handle it. Haha! I know that I promised one week so forgive me. I had been busy with school stuff and other matters as well. Hope you enjoyed this one!
Please leave me a review?