Chapter VIII
O misplaced child!
Fear not what ye may find,
In the hushed unknown,
Let comfort still,
And soothe thy mind,
For all manner of surprises,
Await to please thee,
Seeking to enchant,
And beguile thy eyes,
So that thou wouldst fall,
In rapt charm,
Into the closing circle,
Of his arms.
The room had plunged into absolute silence. Naruto clenched his jaw, steeling himself against the onslaught of shocked and thoroughly disapproving stares. He met the wide-eyed gazes squarely and with unwavering resolve.
Homura was the first to speak. "You dared to release the seal…?"
Koharu wore an equally horrified expression. "You know it is forbidden! Should you lose control of the power that slumbers within you-"
In response, Naruto's hand lifted to rest over his stomach, and the flames of sunshine-gold light that had been radiating from his body slowly began to retract. The blinding luminosity surrounding him gradually dimmed before waning entirely – as if it had never been there.
"I only used a little of it," he defended. It was the truth; he had tapped into but a small amount of the power that was locked away inside him and no harm had been done from doing so. It had been the only way to scour thoroughly over great distances in a short length of time. Such was his desperation to locate Sakura.
"You should not have used it at all!" Homura exclaimed admonishingly. "Perhaps a youngling like you does not recall the pact we made in exchange for our continued existence!"
"He won't be using it again," Kakashi cut in sharply. Casting a pointed look in Naruto's direction, he added, "I'll make sure of it."
Naruto's gaze shifted uncomfortably. Then, eager to focus on what really mattered, he repeated, "I can't sense her presence on land."
Tsunade's tight voice fought to retain composure. "Are you certain you searched everywhere?" Her agitation increased when Naruto supplied a solemn nod.
"What about the messenger?" Asuma questioned. "Did you locate him?"
Naruto's features darkened. After a slight pause, he said, "Sai hasn't heard anything."
Kakashi briefly met Naruto's gaze, but remained silent at his disclosure.
"If she isn't on the surface…" Iruka began hesitantly.
Kurenai raised a hand fearfully to her lips. "Then that means…"
"Beneath the surface," Guy finished with finality. With a determined look, he said, "Fret not, Tsunade! I will leave no ocean undisturbed in my search for Sakura!"
"I can venture to the Underworld-" Asuma began, much to Kurenai's distress.
"No," Kakashi interjected quickly. At the surprised glances the others gave him, he added with a sigh, "I think it would be best if I go, don't you?"
"You are holding onto a fool's hope," stated Koharu disapprovingly.
"If Naruto cannot sense her on the surface, then the only logical conclusion must be that Sakura is no longer-" Homura began to add.
Naruto inhaled sharply, his gaze flying up to glare furiously at the old man. But Homura wasn't given an opportunity to finish. In three swift strides, Tsunade walked around the table and closed the gap between them, reaching out to grab him forcefully by the collar of his wrap. Jerking him close and lowering her face so that it was level with his, she snarled angrily, "I will not accept that the child is dead until I see her corpse!"
Kakashi finally stood up. He walked over to the outraged woman and rested a calming hand on her tense shoulder. "Tsunade. Rest assured we will find her. I'll leave now and inform you right away if I come across anything." Lowering his voice, he added, "We must remain focused - for Sakura's sake."
Sakura. The girl's joyful face filled Tsunade's mind, and she slowly exhaled. The fingers that had been exerting a choking hold on Homura's neck loosened, and she pushed him back. Without another word to anybody, she turned and stormed out of the grand assembly chamber. Homura straightened his glasses and tried to compose himself with dignity again. He opened his mouth to speak further, but a quick warning look from Asuma made him reconsider.
"Do what you will," Koharu said grudgingly. "But do not come crawling back to us for assistance if he becomes aware of your meddling." With that, she and Homura stoically took their leave.
"Why'd they have to be so cranky all the time?" Naruto complained, once the two were safely beyond the other side of the arched, wooden doors.
Kurenai sighed. "They still believe themselves to be our superiors, even now."
"But they have a point," Asuma said seriously. "Your powers were sealed as part of the truce, Naruto. If he were to discover that you'd used them-"
"I only took sage form!" Naruto exclaimed, holding his hands up defensively. "It's just a tracking power!"
"That isn't the only ability it holds," Iruka reminded the youth. "Be careful, Naruto."
Naruto's eyes lowered miserably. "It's not fair," he said softly, angrily. "All of it. I don't care if he does find out. He already took everything else away from me. I just want Sakura-chan back."
His elders all exchanged concerned glances. Then Guy walked over to Naruto and slapped him on the back, snapping him out of his disconsolate thoughts.
"Youth never despairs, Naruto. We'll get her back."
"Sage mode, when used for tracking, is a harmless power," Kurenai added. "I'm sure he'll understand given the circumstances."
"I wouldn't hold my breath about that," Asuma murmured to her ears alone. Aloud, he said, "Let's waste no further time. We'll help you cover the oceans," he nodded to Guy.
"Let us depart at once!" Guy stated enthusiastically.
"I'll keep a look-out for anything suspicious on land," said Iruka.
"Kakashi," Kurenai addressed the silver-haired man. "Please be careful, and call us right away if you need any assistance."
"I will," Kakashi assured her, and watched as the four departed the room. When the doors closed behind them, he turned to Naruto, whose expression had completely altered.
"Kakashi. Let me go-"
"No." Kakashi said severely. Naruto bristled and Kakashi noted the way the blond's jaw clenched at his harsh response. More gently, he added, "You're considered directly accountable for what happened back then. Think, Naruto; think about what would happen if you stepped into that territory."
Naruto swallowed thickly. His eyes, plagued with guilt, fell to the ground. "You know why I did it," he said quietly, his voice quivering with emotion. "It was the only way I could…" he broke off, unable to speak further.
Kakashi placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Yes, I know. But others don't see it that way. Don't let your desperation to get Sakura back cause you to act recklessly. Trust me as you always have, Naruto, and let me handle this."
Naruto still didn't look happy, but Kakashi felt the tension in his shoulders relax marginally.
"Now," the silver-haired man said calmly, lowering his hand once again. "Tell me everything about your meeting with Sai."
Upon returning from the river's edge, Sasuke had taken to his private study to think. He needed somebody on the surface, someone who could provide him with precise details about how the hunt for Sakura was progressing. His mind combed through several potential options. Most could not be trusted enough, and the other fools would likely betray their true purpose before long. He sat broodingly in the luxurious, bronze-painted armchair, watching the flames in the grand stone fireplace crackle and flicker hungrily. Sakura, he knew, was likely resting. He needed to find a way to persuade her to eat, or at the very least, drink. Only one food would bind her to remain in the Underworld forever; she didn't know what it was, and he intended that she wouldn't find out until after she had swallowed it from his feeding hand.
A pale face suddenly drifted through his mind, and for a few moments his breathing stilled. When it resumed, a small, wicked, contemptuous smirk graced his proud lips. Of course. He had the perfect candidate to infiltrate into the designs of the others. After all, the little messenger owed Sasuke his very life. How better to be free of his debt than to complete one final service for the god of the Underworld?
A light knock on the arched doors drew Sasuke out of his calculating thoughts. Instead of responding, he willed the doors open with his mind, wordlessly conveying that he permitted entrance.
"Great Lord," the older of the two maids he had assigned to Sakura addressed him in quiet, reverential tones. She had bound herself to Sasuke's service for two hundred years in exchange for her deceased son's soul being granted a place on the white boat. She had served seventy three and a half of those years so far. Sasuke sensed the quieter girl at her side. Ume had been drowned by her wicked uncle, and in a rare moment of compassion, Sasuke had offered the distraught child's soul a deal – to return to her regenerated mortal shell and serve under his command for a hundred years, and in return be permitted to drink from the river Lethe and forget the horrors that had befallen her, allowing her to be reborn to live a longer, fuller life.
"Well?" he demanded expectantly, his gaze still fixed on the roaring flames before him.
"The Mistress has bathed and requests privacy to take rest," Chizu informed him.
Sasuke blinked. "She has yet to eat." It was a statement, rather than a question.
"She insists that she is not yet hungry, Master," Ume replied nervously.
Sasuke's dark eyebrows drew together to form a displeased scowl. Not hungry? She was a terrible liar, but the foolish females he'd instructed to attend Sakura had obviously taken her word for it. "I see," he answered flatly. When they lingered, as if waiting for him to say something else, he dismissed abruptly, "Go."
"Lord," Chizu said in respectful parting. He waited for the doors to close, before rising from his seat. Sakura was clearly adamant that she would continue to refuse food. She still had no idea just who and what he was. Perhaps it was time for her to find out. Or maybe, for better entertainment, he'd let the mystery drag out and see how long it would take her to discover the truth on her own.
Either way, it was time for them to have another little conversation.
Sakura's eyes followed the endless line of massive chandeliers, hanging like glorious crystal gems from the tall, arched ceilings. They were beautiful, each droplet exquisitely cut, glittering flawlessly in the warm glow of candlelight. She fleetingly wondered how much they cost, how rich Sasuke had to be to live in such an extravagant place. And how disturbed, also, to commission a spectacular house to be built underground, far away from where any living eyes could look at and admire it.
After exiting her chamber, Sakura had decided to head to the left. She already knew where the straight path led – to the majestic staircase and the front entrance of the palace. She didn't want to go there again. She had to try and find another way out.
The hallway stretched on endlessly. Armour-clad statues stood at attention on both sides, armed with extremely sharp looking spears. At least Sakura nervously hoped that the knights were indeed statues. They certainly remained still enough. Placed between them were arched, wooden doors. How could a place have so many rooms, she wondered, and what did they hold within them? She fought against the nagging, curious urge to open each one; that would only distract her from her goal, and besides, opening unfamiliar doors was bound to be an unwise idea. What if something less than friendly leapt out at her? She pushed the disconcerting thought out of her head and continued walking in hushed awe, her eyes drinking in the architectural grandeur of the place. Despite her unhappiness, Sakura couldn't deny the sheer beauty of her surroundings.
She hadn't realised that people still lived in such buildings. How did Sasuke get by without electricity? She thought about all the comforts she had at home – her real home, despite what Sasuke had said - internet, mobile phones, televisions, DVD-players, microwaves, washing-machines, dish-washers, stereos, vacuum cleaners, and everything else – did all those amazing inventions not exist here? But surely it was a lifestyle choice. Maybe Sasuke just hated anything modern. Even the beautiful dresses in her room heralded back to long forgotten days. Even the clothes he wore – long, black, feather lined cloaks – looked completely out of sync with the fashion she was accustomed to donning.
Sakura was starting to wonder how long she had been walking for, and how much further she would have to go until the corridor finally led her somewhere, when she spotted a change in structure ahead. The hallway ended, branching out to another area. Heavy velvet dark-purple curtains were draped at the entrance to the new space, tied back with golden rope to allow unhindered passage into the large, square shaped room that served as a connecting point leading to two different paths. Another statue depicting a glorious, majestic seraph carved from pure, white marble stood in the middle, wielding instruments of war.
To Sakura's left was an arched, wooden door. At the end directly opposite to her was a round-topped, silver door, covered with gold filigree etchings. It beckoned to her. As she approached it and pushed it open, she released a little gasp. She had stepped into what seemed to be an enclosed verandah structure. Stained-glass, once again displaying angelic figures, lined either side of the long corridor. Mounted to the strips of stone walls peeking between the fitted windows were two-headed, golden candelabras. Their flickering flames threw a dazzling array of colours everywhere.
"Wow," Sakura couldn't help but breathe appreciatively, as her feet moved along the shimmering, black-marbled floor. It was as though she had stepped inside a magical, shimmering rainbow. And was it her imagination, or did the air feel somewhat cooler here?
Sasuke came to a stop outside of her room. He reached out to push the doors open, but hesitated despite himself. It was perhaps polite custom to knock beforehand, though he usually gave manners little consideration. And so he tapped lightly, just once, on the doors, and listened intently for a response. All was silent within. Had she fallen asleep? The doors parted at his command, and he stepped into the room - only to discover it to be empty. The bed sheets were perfectly smooth and undisturbed, indicating to him that Sakura had not slept as she had informed her attendants she would. He knew without even bothering to check that she wasn't in the bathroom either.
She had done precisely what he had anticipated of her; gotten rid of who she likely considered to be minders and gone off to explore the palace alone.
"Hn." The sound that left Sasuke's throat was one of disdain. Did she really think she could elude him in his own house? He closed his eyes and reached out with his mind, seeking to connect with the magic fused within the bracelets he had shackled to her ankles. A response flashed instantly in his mind. She had exited her chamber and headed down the left corridor.
He turned swiftly on his heel and stepped back out into the hallway to follow her.
The silver door at the end of the hallway looked to be wrought of solid gold leaves. Sakura reached out hesitantly, running her fingers over them. The leaves made her think of Konoha, her beloved village, and a great yearning to return there filled her. How misplaced she felt in her new environment! The palace was incontestably enchanting, but beyond its protective gates lurked horror and death. How could Sasuke possibly expect her to accept staying in such a place, and with someone she didn't even know; someone whose very stare caused her heart to gallop so agitatedly within her?
Swallowing, she grasped the leaf-shaped golden handle and pushed the door open. She found herself standing at the top of a wide set of eight, white-marbled steps, enclosed within banisters that sloped down to a sight that made her lips part in open amazement.
Lights. Tiny, floating spheres of gold and silver flittered around in the gardens before her, shedding magical dust. Tall and gracefully slender trees lined the walls of the area. They were unearthly, a pure, luminous, milky-white, glowing with strange, eerie life. Their barks glistened with diamond-like intensity. Sakura's lungs forgot to breathe. The trees were the most beautiful things she had ever seen. She couldn't look away from them and her feet were traversing the short set of steps before she consciously knew it, the coolness of the marble banister beneath her left hand the only thing reminding her that she wasn't dreaming.
Sasuke stepped quietly out of the door, watched as the girl walked, as if in a trance, toward the silvery, eternal trees. They were a marvel in his world, an unrivalled miracle of nature; their likeness could not be found anywhere else.
They seemed to please Sakura. His eyes followed her as she reached out to touch one of them. It pulsated in response, and shone more brightly, something that caused Sasuke's eyebrows to draw together in mild confusion. The trees did not even answer to his touch like that. The action seemed to unnerve Sakura also, for she snatched her hand back and retreated, turning to regard the pure-white flowers that grew from rectangular shaped beds in the night-coloured grass, her eyes wide with fascination.
An idea suddenly entered his mind, a way to replace the fear in Sakura's mind with something even more powerful and overwhelming - something that would cause her to lower her defences to him, even if only for a few, brief, transitory moments.
Captivation. Beguilement. Allure. He would entice and enthral her senses, cast a spell over her, the same way she had weaved her wicked magic upon his better judgement. His pulse quickened at the thought of closing in, of touching Sakura once again.
"Charm her," he murmured into the air.
The air sighed quietly in response to his command.
Sakura rose from where she had been examining the pretty flowers. They seemed to belong to the narcissus family, but she couldn't be certain, because they were unlike anything she had ever seen before. As she looked appreciatively around, she glimpsed a silver path that wound deeper into the gardens. It formed a wide circle around the marble fountain in the middle of the sprawling first section. As she walked by it, she found herself looking up at a frighteningly beautiful mermaid-like creature that was spilling water from an ornamental jug. She passed the fountain, and saw impeccably trimmed hedges, sprouting more milky-white blooms ahead of her. As her eyes turned up to the sky, she found it to be perfectly clear and scattered with clusters of stars that twinkled playfully against a dark, midnight-blue canvas. Sakura blinked in confusion. It looked deceptively like the sky she loved gazing upon at night. But how come there were stars here, and none in the sky at the palace's front entrance?
It was yet another mystery which she supposed only Sasuke could resolve. Her heart quickened a little at the thought of confronting him again, but she pushed it quickly to the back of her mind. She didn't want to worry about him at that moment.
The lights floating before her eyes radiated warmth as they brushed by her cheeks. Sakura thought she heard them whispering to her, but couldn't quite catch what they were saying. She followed the path through an arch-shaped opening in the hedges and into the next section which made her gasp once again. The floating lights in this area were purple. She stepped beneath a long, wooden, pergola walkway, covered with what she was certain were relatives of the honeysuckle blossom. Curtains of white flowers draped down on either side of the openings, and Sakura was lost in the sweetness of floral scents.
How could such a wonderful place exist after every awful thing she had seen outside of the gates? Sakura's eyes were dazzled by the lights and the sheer magnificence of the gardens. The vine-draped pergola ended, leading her onto a small, gently arching bridge. It was black and wrought with the same golden leaves she had seen on the door earlier. She stood, staring down at the water rippling beneath the bridge, which streamed out to the left and right sides of the garden. The fairy-like lights illuminated her reflection, turning her hair lavender. Sakura was just ready to continue along the bridge, when music suddenly drifted to her ears. She froze, listening intently, trying to discern where it was coming from.
It certainly wasn't from behind her, which meant that it was coming from somewhere deeper in the garden. Just how far did it stretch on for? It seemed to be more reminiscent of a park in its jaw-dropping expanse. Sakura hoped it would never end, and resolved that if she couldn't find a way out of the Underworld as soon as she liked, then she'd spend her days outside, pointedly avoiding Sasuke, and exploring the gardens.
As she wandered off the bridge, she strained to hear more clearly. Strings and wind instruments and something else unidentifiable, coupled with the sweet, echoing humming of a chorus of females singing carried across to her. Sakura stepped into an open, grassy area, surrounded by large circles of moonlight coloured blossoms. She stopped as she drew closer, drawing a sharp intake of breath. In the middle of the innermost circle were four tall young women. They were identically clothed in thin, shimmering white gossamer gowns, slit at the legs and low-cut at the neckline. Their alabaster skins seemed to possess a magical glow. The hair atop each head was luxuriously long, falling to curvaceous hips in gently waving ripples. One was blonde, another flame-haired, the third, to Sakura's astonishment, blue-haired, and the fourth silver. Their eyes were all an unearthly shade of amethyst. They wore crowns of flowers and held wreathes in their hands. Sakura watched, entranced, as they danced in tune to the sensuous melody they were humming. Their movements were lithe and seductive, and they put to shame the mediocre dancers she had so foolishly admired at the Spring Festival.
The silver-haired girl suddenly looked up and glimpsed Sakura, who tensed. She'd been caught staring red-handed. Before she could do the sensible thing and retreat, the smiling group of young ladies began to prance lightly toward her. Their song filled Sakura's ears as they drew closer. She had never heard such sweet voices before and was powerless to move as they surrounded her, trailing welcoming hands over her arms. Overcome by how captivatingly beautiful each girl was, and how very bright their gazes were, Sakura scarcely noticed when they reached out to untie the sash of her robe, allowing it to slip from her form.
She didn't understand what they were singing to her. They circled her over and over again, humming, dancing, and placing flowers in her hair, around her neck. The red-head and silver-haired ones grasped her hands with cool, insistent fingers, tugging her gently forward.
"Dance with us," Sakura heard the whisper in her ears. Overcome with confusion, she looked to the young ladies, who were still happily smiling. Their eyes were fixed keenly onto her. She fought the urge to shudder beneath the strange gazes. They weren't being unfriendly. There was no reason for her to fear them – was there?
Her heart was racing regardless.
"Dance with us," the voices repeated again. Somehow, the fey-like women were talking to her through their minds. Their alluring whispers implored her to join them. The blue-haired girl took both her hands and began to perform a swaying, unfamiliar dance.
"I can't-" Sakura began to protest weakly, but the blue-haired young woman twirled her out, and then her legs seemed to move of their own accord. It was as though a spell had been cast over her body, and it was now beyond her mind's direct control. Or as if her legs were remembering steps she had once known, from long-ago times she could no longer recall. The young women joined hands and danced joyously around her, singing in perfect, contented harmony.
What was happening? Sakura felt breathless and disorientated. Her hair had come undone from its braid somewhere along the way. Their otherworldly, enchanting song permeated through her ears and fed straight into her soul. It was doing something to her, something that caused her heart to pound. What was this feeling?
Sasuke watched, wide-eyed, as Sakura followed the movement of the wood nymphs. The garlands set upon her head and around her neck transformed her into one of them, but she was the loveliest of all. The lights that danced around her illuminated her body with an ethereal glow. He clenched his jaw and sardonically acknowledged that his intention to entice her had at least partly backfired. For Sasuke himself had been spellbound. The silver nightdress clung so seductively to her form, accentuating the soft femininity of her curves.
The hymn the wood spirits had selected was mesmerising, and he could see the effect it was having on Sakura's mortal soul. She was mesmerised, yet it wasn't enough. He wanted to displace her mind even further. He sent out a silent command to the silver-haired nymph, who instantly broke away from the circle and bowed low in acquiescence of his will, before reaching out to take Sakura's hand, luring her away from the others.
Sasuke waited until they passed through the vined curtain leading to the next section of the gardens before following.
The silver-haired girl, still humming, led Sakura by the hand through the white-blossomed vine and into a garden that was even more magical than all the others. Spheres of light were floating everywhere, pale pink, gold, blue, purple and silver; Sakura's eyes darted between them in dazzled bewilderment. The silver path split, branching left, right and ahead. She heard the tranquil fall of water from somewhere around her, but her attention was much too fixed on the singing young woman to seek out where it was coming from. The silver-haired girl guided her left, kept casting reassuring smiles back at her. Sakura's muddled mind told her she ought to try and stop, for she had no idea where she was being taken, but her body didn't seem inclined to obey.
At length, the girl drew to a stop before a cave-like opening in a rock face. Sakura glimpsed luminous light from within, and hesitated, looking to the beautiful stranger standing beside her.
"Enter, maiden," the girl spoke to Sakura without moving her lips. Then, after reaching out to touch Sakura's cheek, she stepped back and skipped blithely away. Sakura opened her mouth to call after her, but the girl with the silver-hair had swiftly vanished.
Sakura slowly released a breath, trying to regain a sense of composure. She returned her attention to the opening in the wall and after another moment's hesitation stepped through it. She found herself on a rocky path that seemed to spiral down in a wide, naturally constructed helix. The walls of the cave were formed from glinting, green-grey rock, illuminated with strange, pale green light. Rippling reflections danced on the rock-faces around her and the faint sound of cascading water grew louder as she slowly descended the winding route. Sakura kept her right hand placed firmly against the uneven rocky barrier that enclosed the path against the wall to her left.
Faintly, and so quietly that Sakura was at first quite certain she was imagining it, music began to float up to her ears. It resonated more clearly as she continued down the path, and soon grew loud enough to discern in tune. And what Sakura heard caused her to freeze in her tracks as recognition slammed into her with enough force to render her breathless.
That beautiful, melancholic melody… it was unmistakable. She knew it. She knew it from long forgotten days, from hazy, sunshine memories she could never quite distinguish, of her mother stroking her hair and humming softly to her, a song so deeply moving that, despite not having heard it in countless years, Sakura's heart had never quite forgotten.
The voices singing it now were even sweeter than the ones belonging to the dancing girls, so achingly sweet that her body began to tremble. She stood, anchored to the spot, her heart pounding within her as the enchanting melody wrapped her in a devastating cloak of otherworldliness and nostalgia. Forcing her legs to move, she inched toward the low wall and peered uncertainly over it. What she saw stunned her mind more than anything else she had glimpsed since entering the magical gardens.
The path spiralled down to a deep, crystal clear, glistening spring. The base of the rock-face at the bottom was brilliant, shimmering emerald, and it seemed to pulse with luminous veins of light. As if it was somehow alive. Large boulder-tops sprouted from the depths of the waters, and upon them sat slender yet voluptuous young women, with long, fair hair - gold and silver and white. They were naked, carefully arranged locks the only things preserving their modesty. In their hands were golden harps, which long fingers plucked with masterful expertise. Some of the women were swimming in the spring, others sitting beneath the cascading waterfalls. And all of them were singing and humming, their voices joining harmoniously to weave a spellbinding refrain.
The song called to Sakura's soul. Tears blurred her vision. Her feet carried her along the path, and she soon found herself at the bottom, standing by the overhanging rock that overlooked the sparkling waters.
"Mother…?" she whispered, lost in the memories her mind could still not grasp.
Their echoing voices ensnared Sakura, pulling her forward. Sorrowful, turquoise gazes noticed her standing by the edge of the spring, and some of the mysterious young women exchanged surprised glances, suddenly roused and excited. They spoke without words, moving their lips soundlessly to one another and gesturing to Sakura, as though she were a long awaited visitor. The others continued to hum and sing as one of the golden-haired girls dove off a boulder and swam over to Sakura. Her body moved with such effortless grace that she seemed to be one with the water. Other female heads were surfacing from the depths, regarding Sakura with impossibly wide, curious eyes.
Sakura released a quivering breath. How was it possible that they were singing the same melody her mother had to her as a child? It made no sense. She opened her mouth to ask them, to speak, but her throat choked off with feeling as the voices grew higher and even sweeter.
'You have come,' she heard a voice whisper in her mind. She blinked confusedly through her tears, realised that the young woman staring up at her was the one speaking. 'We have been searching. Waiting.'
Sakura felt fresh tears trail down her cheeks as she fought back the sobs that were weighing heavily upon her chest.
'Weep not, spring child,' the golden-haired girl communicated through her eyes.
But Sakura couldn't help it. She began to weep uncontrollably. The melody was so heart-wrenchingly beautiful, so unbearably sad, reminding her of her mother from whom Sasuke had stolen her, so very heartlessly, away – a fitting lament for something that could not be attained. She was lost, a stranger in a world that went against everything she had ever been taught to believe in; a disconcerting, magical world of undeniable splendour and frightening terror.
I'm so afraid, she thought out, wondering if the girl could hear her too. The saddened look in her turquoise eyes seemed to suggest that she had, or perhaps it was just Sakura's wishful thinking.
'We can return you,' a white-haired young woman swam up to her, looking eager.
The golden-haired one glanced at her companion and nodded, her beseeching eyes returning to Sakura as she added, ' Come with us, maiden.'
Sakura's breath hitched as she stared down at them in stricken disbelief. How? How could they possibly return her? How could they do it here, in a spring, and without Sasuke's knowledge? What they were saying made no sense. And yet she wanted, more than anything, to believe them. Their pleading gazes pulled her to her knees at the overhanging rock's edge.
'Come with us, quickly,' the golden-haired girl lifted a pale, slender arm. Her gaze was desperate, insistent. Something about it drew Sakura in, and coupled with the hypnotic humming surrounding her, succeeded in gaining her trust.
'Yes, let us take you,' the white-haired one sighed in her mind, raising a hand in turn.
'To the surface we will bear you,' the golden-haired young woman tilted her head, 'to your mother.'
Sakura's lips parted. They knew her mother. She didn't stop to question how. Without another thought, she reached out and placed her hands into theirs. Their fingers were cold as they drew her forward, lowering her with great care and gentleness into the spring. The water was surprisingly warm, and any misgivings she might have had disappeared when the young women tilted her back to float upon the liquid's surface. Others joined them, surrounding Sakura with reassuring gazes. The golden-haired girl kept a supporting hand against the back of Sakura's head as she began humming once again to the same tune.
'Close your eyes, maiden,' her strange eyes silently communicated. 'When you awaken, you will be returned.'
Their beautiful song lulled her into security, filled her with the memory of her mother's warmth and love, and Sakura fell into enchanted sleep.
Such was how Sasuke came upon her – on the verge of being drowned, surrounded by a circle of floating, sweetly singing sirens, whose eyes were glowing far too brightly for his liking. They immediately noticed him and broke off their song, released high-pitched, alarmed wails. The deceptively beautiful creatures on the boulders dove back into the waters in terror. Those surrounding Sakura parted and shrunk away, driven back by the frightening intensity of the death deity's icy glare. The golden-haired siren who had been cradling Sakura's head hissed, baring pearly teeth at him, before seeking hasty refuge beneath the water's surface. Sasuke reached over the edge of the rock and grabbed onto Sakura before she could sink down in turn, hauling her drenched form out of the spring and into the cradle of his arms.
His heart thumped as he stared down into her face. He lifted a hand to push back the dripping, limp strands of hair that had plastered against her forehead. She was so fragile, so vulnerable - like a delicate glass doll that could shatter all too easily in his hold.
"Sakura," he murmured. She remained motionless in his arms, lost within the depths of siren-induced slumber. He inwardly cursed. He had commanded the foolish nymphs to charm Sakura, not lead her to sirens who would have had her killed. He ought to have known better than to call upon their mischievous wiles. But he had expected Sakura to be immune to the music of the sirens. After all, it was only mortal men who were in danger of falling prey to their melodies. What had their song spoken to her heart that had caused her body to react in such a way? What had they whispered in her mind to bewitch her so? Sasuke frowned down at Sakura's sleeping face, searching for the answers to the questions that troubled him. Then he became aware of the coldness of her skin. She required warmth.
Shooting a furious glare back at the submerged sirens, a scowl that silently promised that his business with them was, by no means, complete, Sasuke lifted Sakura's limp body and transported them both with blinding speed back inside the palace grounds.
Her attendants were already waiting in the chamber when he flickered into existence before them. Chizu took one alarmed look at Sakura and grabbed a thick towel from the bathroom, hurrying back to spread it on the bed. Sasuke lowered Sakura carefully onto it and stepped back to regard her for a long, silent moment. Then, with one wordless glance at his servants that instructed them to care for her, the ruler of the Underworld turned and exited the room.
Kakashi raced through the night at breath-taking speed, the earlier conversation he'd had with Naruto in the assembly room echoing through his mind. Sai had claimed that he hadn't heard or seen anything of consequence, but Naruto hadn't been fully convinced. And based on Naruto's account of the exchange, neither was Kakashi. Which meant that he'd have to pay Sai another visit right after his current mission was complete.
The path he was treading through the misty wood was one that he hadn't taken in longer than he could remember. Well. That wasn't entirely true, he internally reasoned. After all, he still recalled the exact day and the precise hour when he'd last traversed the dreaded route that led down to the eerie entrance of the Underworld. He expected to receive the same chilly welcome from the realm's faultlessly hospitable host – if not chillier.
Kakashi released a tired, mental sigh. How had it even come to this? He desperately hoped that he would discover nothing of significance in the land of the dead, for his sake – and for its ruler.
He pushed resolutely onward, his swift movements soundless and indiscernible to mortal eyes.