Founding Love

Chapter Three

Sakura was adjusting to being manhandled by the Uchiha Clan leader poorly. They were in the process of moving several shinobi legions away to a place he refused to tell her. She fought him tooth and nail, but every time she protested or pushed his patience too far she wound up locked in his genjutsu via Sharingan. Madara was a man of little patience, she added in thought, so she found herself often falling victim to his spinning tomoes.

He routinely had her thrown over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and when she woke he would instantly drop her like dead weight. It was a jarring experience especially since she couldn't catch herself with her arms being bound behind her back. Her body was quite tender and her chakra pathways were in the process of healing naturally which was agonizing. Her only relief was the solace she took in the man Izuna.

Izuna was a man of few words. Stoic and perhaps even unreadable to a degree. Had she not known Sasuke for as long as she did, Sakura doubted she would be able to read Izuna clearly or even at all. Sakura observed him through the corner of her eyes and often noticed the slight frown he'd wear when his brother did something he wasn't too fond of or she'd watch his eyes light up and a small smirk cross his lips when he'd bait Madara into argument.

The brothers were inseparable. Being as Madara's personal prisoner, Sakura was given extra time to study their interactions away from the prying eyes of the clan. In front of the clansmen, both were rigid and firm in their commands and stances. Both were guarded with her, but over the last two weeks they were easing into their own seemingly usual barbs. The brothers were very competitive, and both extremely proud. Between the two though, Madara wasn't nearly as harmonic as Izuna. Izuna seemed to be in touch with his peers and how to manage social engagements in rankings while Madara was a demanding force and a naturally gifted leader.

Iron fisted, but a warrior leader nonetheless.

There were times when Sakura was entertained by the two men. Their banter was light and both were witty. Often though once they remembered her quiet presence, Madara would ruin the moment by resolving to his rough exterior.

Izuna, however, was always studying her. She caught him several times analyzing her and hovering like her shadow. When Madara would release her from his genjutsu, Izuna was never far off to pull her to her feet and steady her. She assumed it was because she had saved his life, but he'd linger too close or he'd skirt around the edges of her awareness long after she was moving again.

So far though she hadn't been interrogated nor had she been terribly mistreated considering her attacks on the clan head. Sakura figured it would have happened already or that she'd been killed, but they only pressed her on with the rest of the clan. Madara was keen on getting to wherever he was headed, and he wasted no time in turning into a slave driver.

She struggled the first few days to keep pace and he made snide comments. Usually along the lines of how the fairer sex wasn't made to handle intensive labor, Sakura ignored these having been used to Tsunade's mysogonistic male council, and then he'd either drag her along or convert to his Sharingan.

Those were times when she caught Izuna frowning. Sakura thought off asking him why he seemed so offended or worried, but she didn't quite know how to approach him. Let alone how to corner him without his peering brother to overshadow their conversation.

Izuna was always the one to take care of her needs. He kept a respective distance for the most part, only coming near to interact with her over food or other menial tasks. Madara though was never too far either. His own all seeing eyes judging her. She swore he was a soul reader with how he looked at her.

Sakura shivered idly at the sensation. His piercing eyes on her even now as they trudged through the forest. Sakura feigned interest in the parting woods in front of her to avoid the urge to turn and face the long haired man. Sakura stretched her fingers wishing she was able to break the hold of the bindings.

"Do you need something, Sakura-San?"

She faced the younger brother with a frown. "I'd love to have my arms released. My fingers are starting to lose blood flow."

"No. Don't try to fool us. I've seen what you've done with those hands." Madara's voice rang out.

Sakura growled low in her throat and she knew Izuna shared the same sentiment when his lips turned down to a small degree. Anger was bubbling beneath the surface of her skin, and Sakura crushed the urge the snarl.

"I have no chakra whatsoever. I doubt I'd be able to fight all of you." Sakura sighed, facing away from Izuna's pale form.

She shrugged her shoulders in an attempt to alleviate the tension along her arms and back. She grimaced when her nerves pinched and the skin pulled taut. Her torn clothes which had caked to her wounded skin now were glued to where her wounds were healing. Her movement caused a wide array of aches and pains to stretch along her back and arms, and she immediately dropped back into position.

To her surprise, suddenly her arms slackened and fell forward unrestrained. She stopped walking to turn wide eyed at the cold face of Izuna carrying her now broken bindings. She grasped at her wrists and rubbed the raw markings and opened her mouth in shock.

"Izuna!" Madara hissed, anger boiling in his words.

"She is of no threat to us." Izuna stated simply depositing his kunai in his holster on his hip.

Sakura shifted to glance at the sneering face of Madara, and she shimmied away slightly toward Izuna at her side. She kept focused with her senses on the steaming man, and she frowned at the implication.

Madara must have been shocked by his brother's defiance, and he clenched his jaw and fists before storming ahead. Sakura glanced around to see several other shinobi rather shocked behind them. She fidgeted slightly before returning her attention to Izuna.

"Thank you." She murmured.

When he did not respond, she followed the path Madara took, unsure of what had just transpired. Sakura was taking hesitant steps forward wondering if perhaps she was being coaxed into a lax state under a false pretense of friendliness. Sakura recalled how Ibiki ran his own interrogations, and sometimes he would employ this tactic himself She felt Izuna's presence a few paces behind her and she felt obligated to find a way to properly thank him later even if there ran a small risk of being coerced.

Madara was several feet away, and Sakura found herself studying his back. His red armor gleamed in the sunlight, and his long hair splayed out behind him. Sakura was struck by how regal he looked, but she dismissed that thought when he turned red fuming eyes at her.

Asshole, she thought, narrowing her own eyes at him.

He must have shared the same sentiment, and he turned back to the forest parting before them. Sakura glanced warily around, fidgeting with her wrists and fingers. She hadn't been lying when she said she had no chakra. Her body was healing slowly, and she felt vulnerable being surrounded by so many foreign chakra signatures. Naturally, being the only female in the presence of a small army, she was extremely cautious not to stray far from the Uchiha brothers even when relieving herself. In her weakened state, she knew she would make an easy target.

Sakura shivered, her fingers curling into tight fists.

She was distracted momentarily, and jumping with a start when she heard many people behind her sighing and whispering. Her eyes moving quickly, she caught sight of the woods opening to a massive clearing. She scanned in awe, and realized it was a small village inside itself. Standing before her was a solid wall leading encircling what she assumed was a compound. There were dark navy doors with the Uchiha fan engraved. All along the walls were flags waving proudly with the Uchiha Clan symbol, and patrolmen guarding the top walls and doors.

Pausing in her step, Sakura's mouth fell open in awe.

This compares to nothing like the accounts in the textbooks, Sakura mewed to herself.

In her amazement, she didn't realize she was standing still until she heard Izuna stopping beside her. She glanced in his direction to see him staring down at her. Averting her eyes, she then caught sight of Madara fixing his dark eyes on her. She held his gaze for a moment before distracting herself with people filtering around her.

The doors opened and the small army proceeded in with a wave from the clan head. She could read the visible relief in their shoulders and the softening of their faces, and she remembered how even her friends felt when Akatsuki was taken down. Sakura felt her heart ache and her stomach tightened into a knot at the thought of how the Clans must be feeling with their constant warring with the Senju.

Based on what she read, she must have fallen in time prior to the Senju and Uchiha alliance. Frowning at the thought, she memorized the guards posted along the wall tops.

War doesn't change with time, does it?

"Just a necessary precaution."

Sakura whipped her head back away from Madara as he suddenly was before her with a blindfold. She reached up to grab at his wrists, the cloth stretching between his hands. She struggled with him for a moment, but he easily overpowered her. With a shout, she rocked her fists against the metal plate of his armor to no avail. She was flailing about trying to keep him from tying the knot behind her head, but another set of hands were suddenly helping his.

"You already led me here without one! Why do I need it now?" She cried once it was knotted.

Someone with warm, large hands were grabbing her wrists and dragging her forward, the heat of the body to her front warming her. Her throat was croaking with a groan when she was pulled along. She dared not drag her feet, but she protested weakly in her throat.

"I don't need to answer you." Madara mocked, his voice deep and ringing in her ears.

"Ugh!"

She gave up fighting and grabbed at the fabric on the arm of the man leading her. She stumbled in her sandals a few times, and she could hear the scuff of Madara. Her senses were high strung and she was hyper fixating on everything around her. Several paces ahead, she could hear the low murmuring of a gathering crowd. Around her, sounds of a bustling village reached her ears, but mostly indistinguishable whispers. Her eyes flickered back and forth behind the blindfold, sunlight barely peeking through the dark cloth.

Sakura could feel who she assumed was Izuna keeping pace with them. Instead of lingering at the outskirts of her awareness, he was much closer, the two men almost sheltering her with their bodies. She was trapped without meaning to be.

Great.

Gripping tighter on Madara's sleeve, she let him drag her along for awhile. The murmuring around them faded to a quiet rustle, but she could still feel the pinpricks along her skin where people were staring. She was growing self conscious, her mind sensitive to the idea of what her clothes and skin looked like. She knew she was covered in rags shredded by battle, and she knew she was caked in blood both hers and of others. Bruises littered her skin from as much as she could see, though they were healing in a pale yellow tone.

A warm breeze blew by and her hair tickled her face. She blew a breath out to keep it from tickling her again, but she breathed in a strand causing her to wrinkle her nose. Taking a chance, she shook her head to move her hair from her face. The movement disoriented her and she misstepped falling into the hard backside of Madara as he stopped.

"Sorry!" She squeaked embarrassed.

When she had no response, she tilted her head up in what she thought was his direction. Straining her ears, she tried to listen for any noise. She leaned forward a bit for a few seconds, struggling to hear any noise. Listening, she heard Izuna move away from her, his own armor clinging gently together. She heard some shuffling and then light footsteps on what she guessed was hardwood.

"Take off your filthy sandals." Madara suddenly spit out.

Startelled, she released the grip she had on his arm, and she fumbled to kneel down and undo the clasps of her sandals. She felt along the edges and unbuckled each side before gingerly stepping out of her sandals and toeing the soft ground before her. She went to gather her sandals in her arms, when Madara tugged at her arm.

"Hey!" She shouted indignantly. She dropped her sandals back down and grabbed his arm again, the fabric rustling in her fingers while she tried to release herself.

"You won't be needing those."

"The hell I won't!"

Silence stretched between them, and she gritted her teeth. When he tugged on her forearm again pulling her forward, she bit out, "Will you stop doing that?!"

"If I didn't, then you would be flat on your face."

Sakura snapped her jaw shut, the muscle ticking with the force. Madara pushed her forward again with a yank, his body heat radiating from her left side, and she took a few stumbling steps before knocking her shins on some wood. She grunted and another set of hands were grabbing her arms from a higher position above.

"Step up." Izuna's softer voice guided. She presumed it was his hands now on her forearms pulling her closer.

Lifting her leg, she timidly stepped onto what she would call a porch, the smooth wood cool against her feet. She brought her other leg up soon after, and edged her foot along the front of her to gauge how far he was in proximity to her. He was close, that much she could tell, when she ran her foot right into his own.

"Sorry!" She embarrassingly withdrew her foot, her face warm.

"Step fifty paces to the left."

Sakura frowned, her brows furrowing, as she turned to her left. Izuna stayed behind her, shifting to keep a hold on her forearms. Her fingers spread in front of her and she lifted one foot in front of the other.

"Where are you taking me?" She huffed, trying to maintain a calm, level head, her thoughts running rampant.

"Take twenty paces to your right."

She was counting in her head and cursed herself when she lost her train of thought. She was pausing when she felt his breath brushing the top of her head.

"You still have thirteen to go before you make the right."

She shuffled forward with a jolt, and she felt heat flooding her face and neck. She wiggled her fingers and raised her arms in front of her in case she were to run into something. The motion brought him closer to her, and she figured he had the advantage if they were to grapple with one another. She cursed her luck.

She followed his directions, and was making the right in no time. She could hear a slight echo now, and she wondered where he was leading her. The air was becoming staller as she continued on and she gauged they were moving into some sort of wing of the compound.

"Sixteen paces to the left."

Sakura turned abruptly to stay on point with his directions, storing the information away in case she needed to navigate her way out. They continued for another few moments with him leading her like a blind woman. She let him guide her, and much to her relief she had yet to run into anything.

"We're here." Izuna said squeezing her forearms to halt her.

"Where is here?" She asked tentatively. She was beginning to feel nervous and she shuffled her weight back and forth between her feet in an unconscious effort to rock herself.

"This room will be your quarters for the meantime. Madara issued that you were to stay close." She felt the weight of his words settle thickly. "I wouldn't stray far if I were you."

Sakura felt him release her arms, and he unknotted the blindfold. She blinked at the shoji door before her and she turned to look into Izuna's face. She stepped away from him, and turned slightly towards him.

"Why am I here?" Sakura pried, curiosity and fear leaking into her. She shuddered at the implications of having a 'quarter', but she was unfamiliar with captivity in this era.

"Madara will decide to answer you on that, Sakura-san." His heavy gaze weighed on her like a ton of bricks, and she reached up to fold her arms in front of her as a means to soothe herself.

Anything can happen, Sakura swallowed down a bundle of nerves, stroking the inside of her arms with her fingertips. She could be killed or worse yet be turned into a slave or a concubine. Not that she thought the Uchiha had accounts of those things, but she had heard other clans sharing similar tales while she was in the Academy as a young girl. She shuddered at the thought. While in the Academy, all kunoichi were expected to take a course on such tender topics. She was no fool to what kunoichi were designed for, but thankfully Tsunade-Shishou never assigned her any missions requiring her fairer sex to be used.

She was hoping to hold onto her virtue for as long as possible, and she would not like to lose it any time soon. In this time or the other.

Sakura felt Madara's intense chakra signature nearing, and she visibly watched Izuna shoulder a proverbial mask. His shoulders tensed and his posture straightened. He was moving silently away from her and his charcoal eyes left hers to glance at the shoji door behind her.

Taking her queue, Sakura tilted her head in respect."Thank you."

She shuffled to open the door when he paused her.

"A handmaid will be by to assist you with tending your wounds. Madara-Sama will see you after."

With that, he made a swift exit as Madara rounded the corner. She stared off at Madara before bowing her head slightly in his direction before skirting into her designated quarters. Sakura managed to hold her chest quietly, his presence still imposing to her. She listened listlessly focusing on his presence which lingered for a few moments before dispersing.

Sighing in relief, she turned to look around. The room was quaint and lightly furnished. She assumed it was a guest wing as she couldn't find any substantial chakra signatures in the vicinity beside the Uchiha brothers. There was a small cot in the center of the room, and a couple mats around a small wooden table to the side.

Sakura fidgeted, wringing her hands around her wrists as she stepped further in lost in thought. When the door squeaked open, she gasped and turned around instinctively reaching for her pouch on her legs which no longer was there thanks to having all her weapons confiscated at the beginning of this escapade.

A young woman was kneeling beside the door bowing slightly. Her hair was a dark brown characteristic of the clan, and Sakura relaxed ever so slightly when she realized the woman had enough chakra to only be considered her life force. The woman raised her head and blinked at Sakura who fumbled to dip her head in a polite greeting.

The young woman was an adolescent based on what Sakura could read in her face, her cheeks still full and rosy. There was no sense in her being over thirteen years old, Sakura gauged studying the small hands pressed to the floor. She had thin lips and brown eyes which were averted downward on Sakura's face. Subconsciously, Sakura licked her chapped and busted lip.

"Ma'am, I will be escorting you and assisting in your care per Madara-Sama." The girl, Sakura corrected mentally, bowed again timidly.

"Sakura. Haruno Sakura." She stated with a gentle smile. Sakura nodded slowly in show hoping not to scare the poor girl.

"Yes, Haruno-San." The girl shifted on her knees to part the shoji door further beckoning Sakura forward.

Sakura took small steps and stepped out into the hall, eyes darting around in case Madara was hiding behind a corner. The girl closed the door and stood with her head tucked to her chest. She shifted down the hall in what Sakura presumed was the opposite direction of where she originally entered the hall. Sakura kept pace a few steps behind the girl.

Sakura noted how quiet the corridors were, and she wondered how secluded she was. As she glanced about memorizing each shoji door, though exactly all the same, she counted how many rooms between each side of the hall and how many to her destination. Sakura was impressed. The Uchiha manor where Sasuke had lived was immense and beautifully decorated, ornate in detail and how impeccable in how each space was designed. It seemed it was a tradition handed down with the beauty of the craftsmanship. Sakura was reminded distinctly of how high standing the Uchiha Clan were.

They paused in front of another shoji door where the young girl drew open the door and bowed. Sakura froze with a frown and waited for her to enter, but when she didn't, Sakura grasped at the edge of her green flak jacket. The girl raised her hand, palm up and waved Sakura in. Sakura took a few timid steps in and realized she was in a makeshift changing room.

To the side of the room was a thin screen and the other side of the room was a low, long bench. Beside the bench was a small basket with some towels of various sizes and another basket which was empty. Sakura glanced to the back of the room and saw a separate shoji door. Sakura shifted back when the girl came in and closed the door behind her. The girl rolled her sleeves up and motioned for Sakura to turn to the bench.

Sakura followed her over, and the girl kneeled down, her hands folded in her lap. Sakura shuffled on her feet, and looked on confused.

"Haruno-San, if you would please remove your clothing." The girl asked shyly with a small pink tint over her cheeks.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Sakura flushed running a hand through her shoulder length hair.

Sakura began to unzip her jacket and frowned with how worn the material was. The girl took her jacket from her and set it in the empty basket. Sakura fumbled with what was left of her black shirt and and stumbled to remove her pants. Her binding which were once holding senbon and her weapons pouch easily slipped off, and Sakura set to work on removing the dirty, ragged bindings on her feet. The young girl was patient with her though and took each item gently.

Sakura shifted uncomfortably when the girl looked expectantly at Sakura's chest binding and underwear. Sakura tore through the material of the chest bindings, and slipped out of her underwear with a grimace. The girl didn't flinch or grimace. She simply took the items and again set them in the basket. She then handed Sakura a small white towel, and gestured to the screen.

Sakura, having been to a few onsen and sento with Ino, unfolded the towel and draped it lengthwise in front of her body for modesty. She padded behind the screen and saw a bucket already filled with water and an empty one beside it. The young girl came from behind her and began to fill the empty bucket under the faucet. As it was filling, the girl took the towel from Sakura and wet it in the filled bucket before lathering it with soap.

"Please, you don't have to, miss." Sakura cooed.

The girl disregarded her and continued on before turning off the water. She raised the full bucket and motioned for Sakura to sit. Sakura sighed and sat on her heels, dipping her head forward. The girl dumped the warm water over Sakura, and she shivered on impact. The girl set the bucket to fill again before grabbing the towel to lather Sakura. She had moved behind Sakura and was soft in her ministrations. Sakura hissed a few times when she ran the cloth over torn skin or bruised muscles, but she made no move to protest. The young woman was silent, but worked over her wounds softly. Her dipped the towel in the full bucket several times to remove the blood and dirt from her skin, and she never stared at Sakura's aches.

Sakura settled her nerves and let the girl pour more water over her to rinse her before repeating the process. The girl did it several times until Sakura was no longer covered in grime. She then handed Sakura a larger towel which Sakura used to dry herself. Sakura glanced down at her bruised thighs and torn skin with a deep sigh. Sakura felt herself deflate as memories of the fight with Kaguya played across her mind's eye.

Sakura hiccuped as a silent sob broke her, tears spilling down her cheeks when she thought of Sasuke's final moments, his smile permanently ingrained in her heart. Her shoulders shook from the force to hold in her anguish, and her teeth clenched together. Sakura squeezed her eyes shut and her head fell further forward.

The girl didn't make a sound, but quietly continued working while Sakura finished grieving. For a long while, Sakura barely registered the girl drying her. Sakura tilted her head up and breathed in deep through her nose, eyes closed.

"What is your name?" Sakura asked breaking the silence while the girl spread a medicinal ointment across her back.

The girl didn't answer immediately, but responded nonetheless. "Aoki."

"Thank you, Aoki."