Guys! Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews! *_* Over the 200 mark already, which is so epic. I am seriously thrilled that so many of you are finding this story unique and riveting; I will strive to ensure that every chapter I produce will meet these very high expectations you're all communicating to me. Thanks so much again. A special shout to all of those who took the time to leave in-depth feedback - it makes me so happy, and I absolutely love hearing about people's opinions on the characters I am building. Such as Sasuke being scary – that's precisely what he's meant to be xD
I apologise in advance for the amount of descriptions included in this chapter. I hate describing settings in detail; I've always found it difficult to do and I hope it's not too tediously done here. It is a shorter chapter just because it's chunky on descriptions; the next one will be a direct continuation. On with the story!
Chapter V
In the sunless depths,
Where hope despairs,
And warmth weeps,
Trapped within a haze of night,
She blindly flees,
Unaware of the chains,
To which are shackled,
Her mortal feet.
The sun had begun to set. Ino's legs ached and her lungs burned from running so far and fast. Her throat was sore from yelling, and a sick feeling had settled in the pit of her stomach like a dead weight, refusing to budge no matter how hard she tried to unconvincingly reassure herself that Sakura was probably fine.
Because Sakura was a girl who needed looking after – and looking after her was what Ino had always done best. But not this time. This time she had screwed up - badly.
Raising her cell to her ears again, she frantically speed-dialled Sakura's number for the umpteenth time.
Please, she thought frantically. Please pick up. Please, please, please…
Beside her, Hinata suddenly halted, releasing a startled gasp. Ino's gaze flew anxiously to her, eyebrows knotting in apprehension.
"What-?" she began. In response, Hinata's clear grey eyes met hers. It took Ino's agitated mind a few moments to comprehend why her friend had stopped. Then, faintly, she heard it – muffled and distant, yet unmistakable.
Sakura's ringtone.
In a heartbeat, the girls had rushed forward. They tore breathlessly between the trees, their ears straining to locate the precise bearing of the echoing tune.
"Sakura!" Ino cried. "Sakura, can you hear me? Sakura!"
Hinata reached out and grasped onto Ino's wrist with trembling fingers, abruptly changing the course of their direction. "This way!"
They pushed through the undergrowth. Ino hung up then redialled Sakura's number. This time the ringing sounded louder. The blonde's eyes darted wildly through the trees as the image of an unconscious Sakura sprung torturously into her mind. Had her best friend slipped and fallen over? Was that the reason why she wasn't answering?
"Where is it, where is it?" Ino could feel hysteria swelling within her once again. The ringing was so close now; close enough for them to surely glimpse a shock of coral pink hair. They burst into another glade between the trees, and their eyes simultaneously fell upon a small, silver item lying idly on a bunch of leaves, its owner nowhere in sight.
Sakura's cell phone rested on the ground, ringing merrily up at them.
He clutched her tightly against him as his steeds descended into the dark, familiar quietness of his realm. His left hand gripped loosely onto the reins but he paid little attention to the route ahead, trusting in the horses to guide the chariot back to the palace. His gaze was consumed by Sakura. This close, the glow about her was almost a tangible essence. It radiated from her form like a joyous sunbeam, a burst of light that warded away the shadows.
At length, the thunderous pounding of hooves relented to a gentle canter, and finally to the lightest of trots as the stallions drew to a smooth stop before his dwelling place. In one swift, effortless motion, he swept Sakura's motionless body into his arms and strode up the stairs. The imposing, elaborately carved entrance doors swung open at his will, before closing with a resounding thud behind him. Her left cheek rested against the solid wall of his chest, the top of her silky head grazing his jaw. He inhaled deeply, catching the scent of strawberries and something else sweetly feminine that was so distinctly Sakura. He quickened his pace; he wanted to examine her more closely and in utter privacy.
Soon he had traversed up to the large, opulently furnished bedchamber he'd instructed his servants to prepare. They averted their gazes and bowed respectfully as he approached the room, parting the gold encrusted doors for him. The heels of his boots struck strongly against the marble floor as he breezed by, pushing the doors shut with his mind. Alone with Sakura in the candle-lit chamber, he carried her over to the luxuriously spacious bed. With more gentleness than he had known his destructive hands could possess, he lowered her carefully onto the silken sheets and stepped back, his eyes wide as he drank in the sight of her.
Long, silky pink tresses had fallen into her face, and his fingers twitched with the need to remove the obstructing locks. Feeling strangely hesitant to touch her, he cautiously reached out, brushing the strands away with an index finger, allowing him to view her features without hindrance.
Slowly, he exhaled. She was truly beautiful. She shone even brighter than the candles fixed to their sconces on the walls, and the fire flickering in the hearth. She seemed to illuminate the dimness in the room; so lovely and fair and strange a thing. His eyes lingered on her rosy, slightly parted lips, before trailing down to trace over the soft rise of her breasts. He watched as the mounds lifted and fell in time to her deep, steady breathing, felt senseless desire whisper through his veins. It outraged and unsettled him - how he could feel such a profound physical attraction to the human girl lying before him. It was smothering, overwhelming. He had never before craved anything the way he craved for Sakura.
His eyes followed the flatness of her stomach and abdomen, before stopping again at the slender curve of her hips. Her skirt was tangled up in one corner, revealing a teasing glimpse of a creamy thigh. Unthinkingly, he lifted his right hand, his fingers ghosting over the material. Then he allowed them to slip beneath and trail lightly and slowly upward. Heat throbbed deep within him as he caressed the smooth velvetiness of her skin. Like liquid silk beneath his touch. His fingers moved higher still, tracing the outer contour of her thigh. So soft. For a moment his mind drifted, and he found himself imagining how it might feel to roam his hands over the rest of her exposed body, and-
Clenching his teeth, he fought to suppress his rapidly mounting desire, snatching his hand swiftly back as though the warmth of her skin had somehow singed him. He glared hatefully at his treacherous fingers, and he asked himself the same, maddening question - just what was it about her that commanded his absolute attention?
Onyx eyes narrowed, became callous slits. I will unravel you, he vowed silently to her unconscious form, his eyes roving hungrily over her body once more. He would pick her apart, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually – until he discovered every single one of her secrets. She would be able to hide nothing from him. Her defences would be stripped away and her mysteries disentangled, until he saw everything there was to see in her. Perhaps, if she proved worthy enough of further attention, he would permit her the great honour of remaining with him in his realm. Or perhaps he would tire. And woe would befall her if he did.
He moved to her ankles, brushed his fingertips over the right one, healing the injury she had sustained in her desperate attempt to escape the collapsing earth. Then he held his palms over both of them, speaking an incantation in his mind. When Sakura eventually awoke, he anticipated that she would attempt to escape. It was impossible, of course. He would never allow it, and even if she were, by one of Fate's twisted games, to somehow elude him and reach the mouth of the Underworld, she would never be suffered to pass, living, through it. His hell hound and gatekeeper Cerberus would slay her before she could even draw the breath to scream.
As death that stealeth without a sound,
This mortal coil by my will bound.
At the final word, deep, black-purple energy swirled around her ankles, swiftly taking the form he commanded. The magic cleared to reveal two solid gold bangles, clasped firmly around her skin – possessive shackles that housed within them an ancient and dark power; the ability to locate their wearer at any given time and place. And the ability to halt the wearer's movements, at a mere thought. The bangles would crush any last remaining hopes that Sakura might harbour of ever fleeing back to the surface above. There would then be only one way for her to elude him, and that was something he would personally ensure she would never discover.
And any mortals or immortals who dared attempt to traverse the caverns of the Underworld to reclaim her would find themselves flung into the pits of Tartarus before they had even crossed over the first of the five rivers.
He reached out to the gold-stitched crimson draperies secured to the four, elegantly carved posts enclosing the bed and untied the gauzy material, allowing the curtains to fall between his gaze and Sakura. With one final, lingering look, he turned away and silently exited the bedchamber.
"Attend to her," he instructed the two female servants who waited dutifully in the open hallway.
They curtsied in submission to his command, and he turned away, descending the palace's grand, rolling, royal staircase. As he stepped into the vast banqueting hall, he sensed a familiar presence and looked up to find two winged figures slinking toward him, their voluptuous hips swaying seductively with every step they took forward. So they had returned, which meant that they'd succeeded in throwing Sakura's friends completely off trail.
"Master," the taller of the harpies exclaimed breathlessly, her strange, violet eyes shining with elation. "Did our actions please you?"
"Yes Master, did we please you?" her silver-haired companion echoed.
They encircled him, their clawed fingers-tips reaching out, trailing over his shoulders, his arms. He regarded them stonily, aloofly, as they continued to fawn for his approval.
"We are most pleased to serve you, Master," the lavender-haired harpy cajoled.
"Yes, most pleased," her silver-haired one simpered.
The lavender-haired harpy's hand ran over his chest, began to circle lower to his stomach. With reflexes faster than a striking rattle-snake's, he seized both their wrists, fingers closing down hard enough on bone to cause the winged creatures to gasp fearfully.
"Touch me again and I will sever these arms," he threatened coldly. They flinched at the open, malicious intent they saw burning in his eyes, and whimpered their apologies. He flung their hands roughly back at them, dismissing them from his presence. They bowed low, distraught at the harshness of his rejection, before disappearing in a blur of mist. Alone once again, he began to pace the hall.
Sakura's mother, he knew, would leave no rock unturned in the search for her daughter. It would only be a matter of time before the Council summoned and questioned him over Sakura's disappearance. If he chose to answer the call, he would be presented with the option of lying and denying, or being truthful. And if he chose not to respond, the elder gods would be equally as suspicious and likely venture down to search his abode.
He had no fear of them entering his domain. He was the ruler of the Underworld, and all who dwelled within it answered to his will. But he held no claim that permitted him to keep a living Sakura imprisoned in the land of the dead – not unless he bound her, somehow, to him. And if he did not do that in time for their imminent intrusion, there was only one other way to tie her eternally to his realm.
His eyes, which had slipped absentmindedly back to the table loaded with culinary delicacies, came to rest abruptly upon a slender, silver dagger.
Ino sobbed into the protective wall of her father's chest, wishing she could hide away from the world. Inoichi Yamanaka placed a hand lightly on her shoulder, and cast an unreadable look at the young men standing before him. After finally locking onto his daughter's car on the remote tracking system built into his own vehicle, Inoichi had encountered Shikamaru and Naruto on the outskirts of the forest, who had informed him that they were also searching for the girls. When they eventually came across the battered car, Inoichi had discovered his only child in fits of tears, and Hiashi Hyuuga's eldest daughter trying desperately to comfort her.
Ino had blubbered something about being responsible for Sakura's disappearance; something he silently refused to accept. Sakura was a fully grown young woman, who had, from Hinata's account, chosen to venture into the forest. How that made his daughter accountable was beyond his understanding.
Shikamaru, who had been staring quietly at Ino, finally averted his gaze to her father. "Mr. Yamanaka," he sighed heavily. "Please take Ino and Hinata back home."
"W-what?" Ino sniffled, her wide eyes flying to his face in shock. "No! I'm not leaving until we find Sakura!"
"Ino, I've already called the police-" Shikamaru began patiently.
"No!" Ino looked up at her father, wiping wildly at her tear-stained cheeks. "I'm not going anywhere, dad!"
But the look on her father's face was not encouraging. "The sun has set. There's nothing else we can do here. The police will be on site at any minute; they'll continue the search," he said.
Ino wept harder into her hands as the reality of his words registered. An agitated Hinata wrung her fingers restlessly.
"I-I'm certain th-that they'll find Sakura," she stuttered weakly.
"Y-you don't u-understand," Ino sobbed. "I p-promised her m-mother – I promised I'd look after h-her a-and I…"
"Leave it to me, Ino."
Ino caught her breath, her hands lowering as she stared incredulously at Naruto. His blue eyes, which had been cast to the ground, were now fixed onto her. She saw within them a look of anger, and determination and – something else she couldn't quite place.
"I promise you," Naruto continued, a hard-edge to his voice that she had never heard before. "I won't leave this forest until I find Sakura-chan."
She was floating in a haze of grey, feeling strangely detached and weightless. She couldn't see her body, which of course made sense. Her physical shell was gone. Only her soul remained.
So this was what death was like. She had expected the light at the end of the tunnel that everyone always talked about, or a field with smiling, unfamiliar ancestors reaching reassuringly out to her. Was the murky nothingness surrounding her spirit-self the result of the divine judgement that had been placed upon her?
I guess I didn't make it to heaven, Sakura thought a little sadly. But neither did she appear to be in hell. She wondered what she had done so wrong in her short life that had warranted the sending of her soul to the limbo that lingered in between paradise and the fiery pits of agony. She had always tried to be a kind and good person. Evidently, it hadn't been enough.
The grey was slowly starting to darken around her. She didn't realise it at first. But soon she perceived the haze dissipating at the corners, being replaced by thick, oozing black shadows. As the darkness closed in and enveloped her, she felt a surge of panic. She could feel something, something pounding within her non-physical being. It disturbed the hushed quiet, and she fought hard against it, wanting to return to the weightless state she had been in before it had infringed so unpleasantly upon her peace. But the thumping was coupling with another sensation. An incessant, high-pitched ringing in her ears-
My ears…?
Sakura's eyes flew open as she gasped down a gulp of oxygen. It took her vision a few moments to adjust, and when it did, she was certain that she was somehow lost within the fanciful clutches of imagination. Because her mind did not recognise the image before her.
She was staring up at a heavy canopy, elaborately embroidered with swirls of golden thread. Sakura then became conscious of lying against something cool and luxuriously soft. She closed her fingers – for she appeared to possess them again - and recognised the feel of silk beneath her touch.
Blinking rapidly, Sakura remained frozen in place, expecting the unfamiliar view to dispel at any moment. When it didn't, and she became distinctly aware of a strange, crackling sound emanating from somewhere around her, she bolted upright, so quickly that it caused her head to spin in protest. After the brief sense of vertigo settled, she found herself sitting on the largest bed she had ever seen. Rich sheets of bronze and gold were thrown upon it, and plump pillows of different sizes were scattered with careless flair against the top and base of the romantically carved, solid gold bedframe. Four thick wooden posts climbed from each of the corners, their semi-transparent draperies drawn to enclose her in a gauzy cage of gold-laced crimson. Beyond the veil, Sakura's eyes located the source of the crackling sound. Strong flames roared in a large, ornamental hearth. The entire room was bathed in the dim, golden glow of fire and candlelight.
I'm dreaming, Sakura thought dazedly, willing herself to wake. No, she corrected. She had died. But if she really was dead, how was it possible that she possessed a body again? And why was her phantom heart pounding to such a slow, sickening rhythm? She looked down at herself, to find that she still wore her own clothes. Her skirt, however, was marred with grass and dirt stains, a harsh, unwelcome reminder of the last thing she recalled before her world had plunged into darkness.
She had been picking flowers in a beautiful meadow. Then the earth had suddenly quaked and rumbled beneath her feet, fracturing and splintering open. She had tried to run, to save herself, and then- then…
Sakura slowly drew a deep breath, swallowing back the remainder of the memory. No. She wouldn't panic. She needed to remain calm, at least until she found out what had really happened to her.
Scooting forward, she reached out to part the draperies, when something else suddenly caught her attention, causing her hand to freeze in mid-air. Clasped around her ankles were two thick bangles, embossed with slender, swirling designs. She stared bewilderedly down at the solid gold ornaments. Where had they come from? She leaned forward, trying to grasp at them. They were cool beneath her touch, but no amount of twisting and tugging succeeded in shifting the bracelets. They seemed to be moulded against her skin. Frustrated, she gave up, and pushed the curtain veils aside, slipping off the enormous bed. She felt her jaw loosen and drop open when she stepped around it and her eyes drank up the rest of her new surroundings.
She was in a large, opulently furnished chamber that made Ino's boudoir-themed room appear outrageously plain and mediocre in comparison. Crystal vases that housed dark red blooms were dotted about the place. The largest wardrobe she had ever set eyes upon stretched along one side of the room, with an impressive and elegant vanity dressing table loaded with shimmering, exotic looking toilette items and pretty hair combs perched against the wall adjacent to it.
Rich, bronze wallpaper woven with gold filigree patterns glinted in the candlelight and a gold-trimmed, crimson rug was thrown on the floor before the massive fireplace. Next to it was a very antique looking arm-chair, and opposite it, a reclining settee. A huge, full-length, oval dressing mirror, framed by what appeared to be mourning angels, stood in the left corner of the room. Another low settee rested by an exquisitely carved table, loaded with curious trinkets. Sakura's eyes lifted upward to find a grand, beautiful crystal chandelier hanging majestically from the high ceiling, its candles unlit. She released a shaky breath of disbelief. Never before had she looked upon such a marvellously regal room. It was enchantingly beautiful, awe-inspiring – and utterly disconcerting.
Sakura then noticed doors; one nestled in the farthest corner of the left side of the room, and a double set located in the middle of the wall to her right. She headed instinctively toward the larger pair and hesitated before them. Did she truly want to find out what was on the other side? Perhaps it would be for the best if she remained in the bedchamber. But if she did that, she would never understand what was happening, or why she had woken up to find herself in such a strange and unfamiliar place.
Reaching out with trembling fingers, Sakura grasped onto the circular, golden door-handle rings. They pulled open inwards. Heart pounding, she stepped through, bracing herself for the very worst – only to lose her breath all over again.
She was standing in a vast, stretching hallway. The floors were constructed with black marble, over which was laid an endless strip of plush, dark blue velvet carpeting. The burnt silver walls were covered with rich tapestries and towered up to arching, painted ceilings lined with even larger crystal chandeliers. Sakura drifted to the intersecting point where the hallway broke off into three different directions, uncertain whether to venture left, right or ahead. After some deliberation, her feet carried her forward and she walked with hunched shoulders, expecting someone – or worse, something – to leap out at her at any moment. As she continued down the carpeted path, Sakura gazed about her surroundings in hushed awe. Large, glossy elegant vases were perched upon midnight columns at regular spaced intervals on both sides of the corridor. Their mesmerising, cobalt and silver colours provided a stark contrast to the darkness of the floor. Candles flickered in their iron sconces on the walls, providing mellow, yet haunting lighting.
At length, the wall to her right ended, tapering off into black marble banisters. Sakura followed them to find herself standing at the top of the most magnificent staircase she had ever seen. It was a pale, stony grey, lined with slender golden handrails supported by swirling iron balustrades. Two separate sets of wide steps wound out from the left and right of the landing she was standing upon, joining at another blue-carpeted section halfway, before becoming one mighty staircase that sprawled out to the vast space below.
Gripping tightly onto the railings, Sakura took the right path and began treading slowly down the steps, gaping at the towering statues placed on columns of varying heights along the way. They depicted what looked like glorious, winged angels, stationed about like imposing stone sentinels. She had only taken seven paces, when the sound of voices echoing in the area below her caused her body to stiffen. Senselessly, she ducked down low, frozen in terror.
"Does the mistress still slumber?" a robust female voice questioned.
"Yes, matron; I checked on her just fifteen minutes ago," replied a softer voice. Sakura had to strain to hear it. In contrast to the first voice, it seemed to belong to a young girl, was almost child-like in tone. She listened, heart galloping wildly within her. Were they talking about her?
"Well, make yourself useful, child. Place these linens away."
"Yes, matron," the soft voice replied. Then, after another moment of hesitation, it added, "She is awfully pretty."
"That she is, my child. I've never seen such colourings," the older voice said, with a hint of admiration.
Sakura's eyes widened and she scarcely dared to breathe when the soft voice asked next, "Why do you suppose the Master has brought her here?"
"Hush!" The older woman's tone had taken on a frightened, anxious tone. "Hush, child! You mustn't ever question our Lord's intentions. It is not our place to do so!"
"I-I know; I am sorry, but it is just that he-"
There was a snapping of fingers. "I'll hear no more. To the laundry room with me at once!"
Panicking that they were about to climb the staircase and would discover her, Sakura began to inch back, when she realised that their footsteps were growing fainter. The sound of a door opening and closing echoed about the space, and all was silent once again. Counting three minutes in her head, Sakura exhaled and slowly stood back up, peering over the railings. The women had gone, and nobody else seemed to be about.
They had been talking about her, there was no mistaking it. Who else had such unusual colourings? Sakura's mind fixed onto the 'master' they had mentioned. Who were they talking about? Knowing that it was hopeless to attempt to figure it all out on her own, she inched down the remainder of the stairs, her muscles tense, expecting the women to return at any moment. When she reached the bottom, she found herself in what appeared to be a grand entrance hall, even larger than the one she had walked into when she'd stepped out of the bedchamber. A colossal black chandelier with crimson crystal droplets adorned the ceiling, throwing red, shimmering reflections of light upon the polished floor. Arched openings lined the far left and right ends of the space, leading off to unknown paths. And directly opposite the staircase were two of the largest and most imposing double-doors she had ever seen. They formed an arch shape and seemed to be moulded from pure iron, wrought with elaborate, filigree designs. Sakura didn't think she possessed the arms to open them, but she had to at least try.
Looking cautiously around her, she approached the doors, her eyes searching for the handles. There were none. She reached out, pushed against them with all her might. They didn't budge. Sakura looked up at the titanic barriers in dismay. The feeling of dread she had woken up with was becoming progressively stronger. She was seemingly trapped in a hauntingly beautiful yet eerie castle that reminded her a little of the ones she'd read about in stories.
Sakura turned to face the royal staircase once again, willing her frayed nerves to calm. She would just have to find another way out. The women's voices, she was certain, had headed right, which meant that she had better not follow that direction if she wished to avoid them. Drifting to the left, she passed through one of the openings and stopped before a much more ordinary-sized door. Taking a deep breath, she turned the handle, and peered warily through the partially open space. The room was brightly lit. Encouraged, she slipped inside, closing the door behind her with a heavy sigh of relief.
She had wandered into a vast, stone-floored banqueting hall of sorts. Vivid tapestries and paintings adorned the walls, and in the middle of the room was a long, sprawling table. It was draped with rich crimson and gold embroidered cloth, and upon it were laid a countless variety of culinary delights, many of which Sakura did not recognise. Platters loaded with appetising, exotic looking foods lined the entire length of the table. Large bronze goblets and crystal decanters full of clear, red and gold liquid were spaced between the dishes. Sakura felt her stomach growl in protest as the scent of something delicious wafted to her nose. She curiously approached the table, noticing that only two chairs had been placed at either end. Her eyes then came to rest on one of the fruits lying on a gleaming silver tray. Red skin had been broken open, spilling forth plump, glistening crimson beads. Sakura had never seen such a deeply hued pomegranate. Her mouth watered. It looked irresistibly juicy and sweet.
A sudden echoing sound caused her to release a startled gasp, and she whirled around, eyes frantically seeking out the source of the noise. When they found nothing, when the door remained closed and all was silent for another tantalising minute, Sakura turned back to the table – and what she found standing on the other side caused the air to leave her lungs and her heart to plummet to her feet.
Staring at her with searing onyx eyes was the guy from the carousel ride.
Sakura was so surprised to see him there that at first she could only manage to gape in open-mouthed astonishment. She had to be dreaming, she told herself. There was no possible, conceivable way that he was really, truly, actually on the other side of the table – and yet when she blinked, he was still standing before her.
Oh, God. Was someone playing a cruel, twisted joke on her? Why would he be there when she was dead? Sakura could feel her lips moving, but her cowardly tongue had abandoned her. She couldn't form any words. She could do nothing but stare at him, as she had on the carousel. Beneath the golden glow of the chandelier's light, he was even more frighteningly handsome than she recalled. He was clothed once again in black, with a long flowing cloak fastened about his shoulders. Its collar was lined with raven feathers. It made him appear all the more regal and striking.
When he began to take slow, measured steps toward the table, Sakura's body finally broke out of its trance. She tensed and stepped instinctively back. In response, the stranger casually placed his right hand on the table's surface, running a long, silver-ring clad index finger along the edge as he began to walk down its length, his gaze still locked onto her. Sakura didn't know what exactly it was that instructed her to keep the food-laden barrier between them. Perhaps it was the way his eyes were smouldering into hers. With every pace he took to his left, she moved to hers. She only became aware of how hard she was gripping onto the table when she nearly stumbled over a bundle of overflowing cloth on the floor.
Say something, she ordered herself frantically. But it was difficult to think, let alone talk, when he was looking at her like that. He didn't even seem to be blinking. It was unnerving and unsettling, and her heart just wouldn't stop pounding.
"You-" her voice, when it had the decency to return, was little more than a whisper. "You're from the Festival."
He didn't respond, just continued to stalk around the perimeter of the table, causing Sakura's discomfort to escalate further. Swallowing thickly, she continued, "C-could you please tell me where I am?"
Still he did not respond. Her eyes slipped involuntarily to his finger, tracing smoothly over the table's edge. Her heart palpitated within her, and she tore her gaze back to his face, as her stunned mind tried to discern why he was standing before her. Had the heavens taken pity on her untimely death, and sent her an angel fashioned in the form of a guy she hadn't been able to get out of her head since first laying eyes on him? But that was outrageous, and made no sense. Besides, with his dark eyes and sinfully good looks, the stranger seemed more comparable to the devil than a seraph.
"I'm dead," she said dazedly, willing herself to believe the words. This was all an illusion, somehow. He wasn't really there at all. "I'm dead, or I'm dreaming-"
"You are neither dreaming nor dead."
Liquid silk assaulted her ears and Sakura felt another ripple of shock. His smooth voice was cool and sensuous, like rich black velvet. She felt every bone in her body freeze.
"I'm… not…?" she said stupidly, still trying to negotiate how someone could look and sound like him. She almost wished that he hadn't spoken. Because now the dream or death or whatever messed up state she was in had suddenly begun to feel alarmingly and horrifically real.
But that just wasn't possible.
The stranger, who had reached the far end of the table, stopped, watching her intently with fathomless obsidian eyes.
"You live," he affirmed.
Sakura's lips parted, her breaths escaping in short, rapid, panic-stricken bursts. Was this the 'Master' the women had mentioned? And if he was, why did he look like the young man she had met the previous day? The Carousel Guy had just been a regular Festival worker – hadn't he? Her mind was racing, buzzing with so many questions. When he began to advance again, Sakura shook her head senselessly at him, feeling dizzy and smothered as she stumbled back to retain distance between them. She wasn't imagining it. She really had woken up in an unfamiliar place.
"I…" she gripped onto the table, hard enough to cause the tips of her fingernails to whiten. "I don't understand…"
"Then I will enlighten you," the stranger stated, his voice wrapping around Sakura's senses like a dark caress.
The blistering intensity with which he was regarding her made Sakura's heart pound so hard and fast that she feared she would collapse. But the thought of fainting there, when she was alone with him, frightened her more than anything. There was something unmistakeably unnerving about the young man standing before her. He was too vivid, somehow, too overwhelming to look at and listen to; he sent her mind spiralling in confusion, and she had never felt so perturbed and anxious in her life. Goose-pimples had surfaced on her arms, as if in response to the invisible, crackling current that was hanging heavily in the space between them. The stranger exuded an air of something, something that made her stomach feel as though it were knotting in a thousand places. She didn't feel safe, she realised. With those eyes on her, the way they seemed to consume her, she didn't feel safe at all.
"Who are you…?" she whispered.
The young man in black stopped again, his dark gaze boring into her as he uttered curtly, "Sasuke."
She stared incredulously at him. That was all he was going to offer her? No other explanations? Just Sasuke. Sasuke. It certainly hadn't been one of the names she'd come up with, she thought wildly to herself. But of course that was what he was called. He couldn't have been named anything else.
"Where am I?" Sakura could feel her body shaking. Part of her, she realised, didn't want to know, dreaded finding out.
"In my abode," he answered, just as succinctly as before. His eyes fell away from her briefly, roaming idly over the exotic dishes laid between them. Sakura found that she could breathe a little easier without their weight bearing down on her, and quickly followed up with another question.
"B-but why? Please, my friends must be worrying- and my mother-"
His gaze narrowed and rose swiftly up at that, locking onto her again. Tilting his head back slightly, he answered coldly, "Because I wish it."
Sakura's eyes widened. Her mouth hung open in disbelief. She wasn't certain she had heard correctly. He couldn't possibly have said- and yet, she knew that he had.
Because he wished it? She was here on a whim?
He's crazy, she thought. He had to be insane. Yet he stood looking so composed and unruffled about the entire situation – as if his acting on a whim was a perfectly acceptable enough excuse - which it absolutely, incontestably, wasn't.
When she next spoke, she was frightened by how small her voice sounded, even to her own ears. She could barely get the words out, but forced herself to say them. It was an impossible notion, but she had to know. She needed to know how she had woken up in his abode. "Y-you brought me here…?"
He remained silent, his face a perfectly blank slate, neither confirming nor denying it. Sakura's heart raced harder and faster than ever before, as she whispered, "That flower... you…?"
She saw something flicker fractionally in his eyes, a silent confirmation – and sharply sucked in her breath. He had done it. He had, somehow, caused an earthquake. It made no manner of sense and went against all the laws of science; yet it was indisputable. She simply knew, just by looking at him, that he was the one responsible for what had happened in the meadow. Reality struck her like a physical blow, leaving her horrified and stricken. She had been kidnapped. Abducted. All because the young man before her wished it.
The world she knew was crumbling away, and hysteria was surging up to drown her within its asphyxiating depths. Sasuke took another step around the table, and Sakura's body, fuelled by the desperation to escape from him and the living nightmare she had woken up to find herself trapped in, acted on pure instinct.
She turned her face away from him and bolted straight toward the door.
His eyes followed after her fleeing form. She was afraid, which was to be expected – but her actions were blind and foolish. Senseless. She couldn't escape him, no matter how far she ran. There was nowhere for her to hide.
He fought against the urge to engage the charms binding her ankles and halt her in her tracks. Instead he chose to do nothing, silently wondering how far she thought she could manage to get before her emotions overwhelmed her, and she collapsed.
It was out of curious interest alone that Sasuke allowed her to run.
"Sakura-chan!"
The desperate voice cut through the night air, reverberating clearly through the trees.
"Slow down."
Naruto barely heard the word. His gaze remained fixed resolutely on the path before him, as he called again, "Sakura-chan!"
"Naruto."
In response, Naruto sped up. His heart was hammering within him. Something had happened to Sakura. He could sense it. The question was what? After finally persuading Ino to return home with her father and Hinata, Naruto hadn't waited for the police as he'd promised. Their arrival would only mean losing even more valuable time. They would ask too many questions, and when they eventually made a move to search for Sakura, he knew they were unlikely to find anything. If Sakura had dropped her phone, then someone, or something, had caused her to do so. And he wasn't going to go anywhere until he discovered who or what that was.
"Naruto!" A sudden yank on the back of his orange, hooded jumper forced him to stop. He turned his head to stare at Shikamaru, who was shining a flashlight right into his face. "We've covered most of the forest already. Its unfortunate, but we've got to accept that Sakura -" he abruptly broke off when Naruto jerked out of his grasp and whirled to glare at him with furious blue eyes.
"Something's happened to Sakura-chan, Shikamaru. Do you understand what that might mean?"
Shikamaru's face was sullen. "Yes," he answered. "But losing focus won't help anyone. Get a hold of yourself. It could've been anything. We can't jump to conclusions."
Naruto shook his head in frustration. It hadn't been an animal; of that much they were both certain. If Sakura had been involved in a struggle with a wild beast, there would have likely been traces of blood, Shikamaru had pointed out. But Hinata and Ino hadn't found anything else with the cell phone. Which meant she had either accidentally dropped the item, or someone had grabbed her.
A sick feeling churned his stomach. The thought of something, anything, happening to someone who was as pure and innocent as Sakura filled him with an overwhelming, irrational sense of fear. He had never told her, of course, how much he really cared about her. He'd never had the chance. And now there was a real possibility that he never would get one.
I'll find her, he internally vowed. He would find her, and he'd rip whoever had taken her to shreds.
Without a word, he turned away from Shikamaru, and continued along the path. With fluid ease, he jumped down a steep, rolling bank, landing in a bed of crushed, crumpled leaves. Shikamaru joined him a few seconds later, and they walked in silence for a while, flashlights darting in all directions. Unexpectedly, Shikamaru halted, and shone his light to the left.
"Look, Naruto," he said quietly.
Naruto's gaze moved to follow the specified location. Frowning, he stepped forward, pushing past low trees boughs and thick undergrowth. When he eventually made it through the entanglement of greenery, he found himself standing at the outskirts of a vast meadow. Shikamaru came to a stop beside him, and for a minute they both stared out at the view before them. Their flashlights danced over early-budding carnations that swayed in the night's cool breeze.
It was a field. Full of flowers. One of the things Sakura loved most in the world.
Naruto inhaled sharply, sudden recollection striking him like a bolt of lightning. He recalled a drawing he had glimpsed somebody pondering over several days earlier. Sai. Sai had been staring at a picture depicting a field – a picture that Naruto had dismissed as nothing but one of Sai's many meaningless creations.
Had he made a foolish mistake?
Without another second's hesitation, he leapt forward, Shikamaru right at his heels. They dashed through the field, flashlights moving erratically over the swaying grass. Naruto's heart raced as his eyes darted left, right, in front, again and again. Had Sakura drifted into the meadow? Was this the place?
"Sakura!" Shikamaru's shout travelled over the grassy plain.
Their feet carried them over slightly dipping crests in the earth. Breaking away from one another, they headed in opposite directions to cover ground more swiftly. Where was she? Where was she? Naruto was ready to go out of his mind with frustration and helplessness and grief at the possibility that he would never see Sakura rolling her beautiful eyes exasperatedly at him again – when Shikamaru's voice suddenly reached his ears. Its tone, laden with a trace of uncharacteristic anxiety, caused both Naruto's blood and body to freeze. In a flash, he had rejoined his friend to find him standing with his flashlight pointed at the ground.
Shikamaru back at him over a shoulder and slowly exhaled. Heart thundering within his chest, Naruto took three steps forward, his eyes falling to rest on the illuminated patch of grass. And he felt a riptide tear through him, leaving him breathless and devastated.
Sakura's bag lay on the earth, buried beneath a cluster of plucked flowers and scattered petals.
Author's note
Someone has to tell Sauce that being creepy is not the way to win a girl over. Even if you're insanely hot. Hope I conveyed Sakura's fear/confusion well enough! And I had to break it up here, because otherwise there would have been even more lengthy descriptions and I had more than enough for one chapter. Please review? xD Pretty please with scary Hades Sasuke on top? Thanks for reading everyone. I'll try and get back to reviews and messages ASAP, am lagging behind right now, so apologies! See you next update!