Much love to everybody who reviewed the last chapter and a warm welcome to all new readers.
Please check out the Quietus group page for lots of new, wonderful artwork from inshayne, ariadnia, mitsuki0tennyo, MikaraTakato, adinavo and Angel7EagleWolf. If you haven't joined as a member, please do so. You'll be able to receive instant alerts whenever new artwork is submitted, and you'll also be able to read/comment on upcoming/random chapter previews.
Just a note to any readers who might skip over the non-SasuSaku scenes; I urge you not to do this! You'll need to read the other bits in order to understand the entire story as it unfolds. The SasuSaku parts are integral, yes, but they aren't the only elements; another subplot (relating to the important events preceding the beginning of Quietus) will be developed alongside it. If you continue to skim past the other scenes you will be clueless once Sakura eventually returns to the surface, which is about the time when the two plotlines will begin to connect. In order for you to fully enjoy the fic, you must read all scenes.
Be prepared; a flashback in this chapter contains one certain Zeus. You pretty much should all be able to figure out which character represents him, here, as it's practically spelt out… which may or may not alter quite a lot of theories many readers have had up to this point! ;)
A few quick reader responses:
I.P. Nightly, the harpy will indeed feature again. Thanks for your review, it made me smile!
amiinvisableorisitjustme, thank you so much for the beautiful trailer! I love it! Everybody, please visit the group page on deviantart for the link and check it out!
MissGoldenPeach, hold that thought about the slap! Sasuke is soon going to find that Sakura is no pushover.
xHeartofBlazexX, ambrosia is the wine of the gods. It has health restoring effects and can induce immortality in humans when taken on a regular basis and in large volumes. However, in this story the transition from human to god isn't easy; funnily enough, Sasuke's thoughts will explain this further, so let him clarify for you. ;) For Sakura, drinking it causes her to have strange dream sequences and alien flashbacks too, but I can't answer exactly why just yet. All will be revealed in good time.
And finally, to the epic reader don't feed the models… wow, I think that was one of, if not THE longest review submitted yet. I absolutely loved reading every word. Thank you so much for taking the time to write it!
Final IMPORTANT NOTE please do make absolutely sure you listen to the track posted under chapter 21 on my profile page. This starts from the bit when Sakura enters the forbidden door. From two minutes six is when she sees the picture, and two minutes twenty four is when she sees the last person, just so you get an idea about timings. It'll make sense when you get there. This bit is quite a revelation so make sure you listen!
Okay, that's all. Hope you enjoy.
Chapter XXI
The heart that pounds,
In fitful discord,
It quivers and trembles,
As if to afford,
The reason why,
Mine ears could hear,
That resonant pulse,
So thunderous, clear.
Sakura stared, in wide-eyed shock, at the discarded goblet on the floor. Her limbs had locked in place, her head fixed in position against Sasuke's strong chest. Her mind was spinning in a whirlwind of commotion, full of disorderly thoughts that collided violently together. Any attempts to hear the words ricocheting within her skull were hindered by the almost mesmerising sound of Sasuke's thundering heartbeat. She listened, overcome by a rush of conflicting feelings. Disbelief. Alarm. Wonder. Uncertainty. Bewilderment. And beneath it all, a trembling fear.
The death deity possessed a heart. Just like a human. And one that seemingly responded to feelings in the same way a regular mortal heart did. Sakura was not sure why she found the realisation so surprising. Only when the organ's distressed pounding eventually slowed to a calmer, resting rhythm did Sakura finally allow her stunned brain an opportunity to process the possible implications of what she had heard. But in truth, she knew there was really only one logical conclusion for her to draw, and it happened to be the very one that was the most difficult to accept.
The very thought of anything startling or disturbing Sasuke was ludicrous. He was so cold, so aloof, so distant and unsympathetic. Yet for his heart to have reacted in such a manner, and in response to her; what did that mean?
What else could it mean? A little voice whispered in her head. He saw you having the attack. It unsettled him.
Sakura released a quiet breath, scarcely aware that she'd been withholding the oxygen in her lungs. Had Sasuke… had Sasuke somehow been worried about her welfare…? Sakura's mind reeled with confusion. Concern for another required some degree of emotional empathy, and Sasuke's standoffish nature and blunt words toward her told a completely different story; one decidedly limited to disapproval and contempt.
But she once again recalled the smouldering looks. His disregard of personal space. All the lingering touches. The fact that he had stolen her away from the surface to begin with, after watching her for an indeterminate length of time…
Something fluttered deep within Sakura's stomach as her mind frantically worked to piece the opposing pictures together to form an image that was more coherent. And when the jumbled fragments finally cemented together, she was left with a stark reality that was impossible to deny.
Sasuke's racing heart hadto mean he cared about her - to some extent. There was no other explanation. Dazedly, she finally drew back, willing herself not to look up into the death deity's face. Feeling awfully self-conscious, she managed to communicate thickly, "I'm fine now."
The hands gripping her arms did not loosen. Sakura's pulse accelerated when her words were met with a dragging silence. She counted the seconds, until, unable to stand it any further, she snuck a quick glance up at Sasuke – only for the air to still in her lungs all over again.
The Death God was staring straight at her – and staring intently. As if his eyes were somehow seeking to drill directly through her skull. She detected the tension in his tightly clenched jaw, an uncharacteristic betrayal of the internal turmoil that was running rampant within him. Sakura, unnerved by the closeness of their bodies and at being the sole focus of that penetrating gaze, looked away again.
"Sasuke-" she fumbled. "Really, I'm-"
"What was that?" he interrupted, his voice tight, clipped. Alarmed, Sakura fought against the urge to attempt to struggle out of his grasp. She knew he would only release her when he chose to do so, and she did not want to risk irking him further. Besides, she was still feeling disorientated. Perhaps that was why Sasuke had yet to let her go.
He wanted an explanation. It was the final confirmation Sakura did not need of the fact that Sasuke really had been concerned.
Keeping her eyes averted, she began carefully, "It happens every spring."
Sasuke seemed to be waiting for her to elaborate, so Sakura continued slowly, "The doctors aren't sure why, but the medicine makes it go away."
A heavy silence ensued, before Sasuke bluntly echoed, "The medicine."
"Yes," Sakura nodded. "It…" she frowned lightly, before disclosing, "It tastes just like the drink you gave me. But my mother only gives me a little…" her voice trailed off, her throat closing over miserably. She missed her mother so terribly, and her mind throbbed. She wanted to rest, but Sasuke had still not relinquished his hold on her arms. She blinked as a familiar heaviness suddenly weighed her eyelids down. Every episode always left her feeling exhausted, and she would sleep for hours afterwards.
Stay awake, she willed herself. She couldn't fall asleep in Sasuke's presence. She needed to make sure that she didn't…
Sasuke stiffened as Sakura abruptly slumped forward against him once again. He looked down at her pink head, to find that she had fallen into a sudden, deep slumber. Scowling, he held her for a few moments more, before shifting to lower her gently onto the bed. Drawing the sheets over her, he stood back, his eyes fixed on her serenely sleeping face as he contemplated the information she had imparted to him.
According to Sakura, the panic-like attack occurred every spring. Human physicians had been unable to diagnose what the problem was, but medicine that tasted like ambrosia was the cure. The wheels in the death deity's mind raced. Was it possible that Tsunade had been feeding Sakura the wine of the gods? But for what purpose would she choose to do so? Was it simply to soothe the agony of the strange episodes that plagued Sakura? Or had she been giving it to the girl at other times, also?
He had never witnessed Sakura having an attack before. He reasoned that they must have occurred on the scattered nights when he had not visited her home to watch her in sleep. If Sakura suffered from a mysterious ailment that could not be identified, then it was understandable that her overprotective mother would resort to using the drink of the gods to restore her child to health.
But, Sasuke silently argued as he gazed down at his slumbering captive, ambrosia's effects were only temporary when administered in small, infrequent doses. Tsunade knew that the beverage had the power to heal wounds and not serious illnesses, not unless a very great deal of it was swallowed on a regular basis, enough to completely alter the blood chemistry in a mortal's body. However, the transition from human to god was often a painful and unpleasant one. Humans did not simply become deities. The intoxicating and potent effects of ambrosia meant that they became very sick first. Only those who could endure the multitude of side-effects which included hallucinations, fever, night-sweats and nausea were rewarded with the ultimate prize of eternal life.
Even then, when attained, immortality would be a temporary state, unless followed with additional, regular doses. Humans who gained godhood would always need to drink ambrosia to retain their immortality. The more years they drank, the less they would need. Sakura had given no mention of the attack recurring when the 'medicine' wore off; which led him to conclude that her condition was cured by ambrosia – at least, until the following year's spring.
Sasuke's frown intensified. Why would an episode only occur in springtime? It could not be due to a surface allergy, because she was in the Underworld. What other reason was there? How could the ambrosia cure her, if she was only given a small amount?
He remembered Jiraiya's cryptic words about the state of the trees, shedding their petals early in the season. Did that somehow correlate to Sakura's ailment? There had always been something about the girl, something Sasuke had never quite been able to decipher. Now another mystery had been woven into the interconnecting threads that made up the fibre of Sakura's being. And it was infuriating for him to have his thoughts dispersed into chaos over her once again.
She was no ordinary human. That much he had always known for certain. The light that radiated from her screamed so. The way she had somehow managed to ensnare his undivided attention was further proof. And yet, her blood was mortal. She tired like a mortal. She was weak - like a mortal.
A mortal who had managed to call upon her inner chakra network at the first attempt.
The death deity raked his fingers through his raven hair in frustration. She was a contradiction in every possible way. And what he had just witnessed and heard had flung the deductions he had drawn about her into disarray. Understanding her and uncovering every one of her secrets was now no longer something Sasuke simply desired to do. It was no longer a mere whim. He needed to know what she was. He needed to know why Tsunade had sheltered her so much – and why the other surface bound gods and goddesses were so protective of her.
He had always just assumed that it was simply because she was Tsunade's adopted human daughter. But now the Death God's intuition was telling him otherwise.
Sakura, he concluded, as he reached out with an index finger to brush a strand of silky, pale coral hair away from her cheek, was valuable. Or surely possessed something of value, something she did not even seem aware that she had. And Sasuke made a silent vow to do everything in his power to find out precisely what it was.
Tsunade stared down at the rows of phials slotted neatly into twin metal racks, which Shizune had placed carefully onto the coffee table. The slender containers, sterile on the inside, were forged of durable steel.
"You're absolutely certain that you were alone when you input the code?" Tsunade questioned softly.
Shizune nodded. She had taken the night off from working at the hospital at Tsunade's insistence and dutifully delivered the phials that her friend had requested.
"Yes, Tsunade-sama. I'm sorry for the delay; I had to be sure that nobody else at all was around."
Tsunade plucked one of the ampoules out of the rack. "And Kabuto?" she prompted, her eyebrows drawing together to form a frown at the mere mention of the junior doctor's name.
"He has not done anything suspicious yet," Shizune replied.
"Keep watching him," Tsunade ordered. "We can't afford to take any chances."
"Yes, Tsunade-sama," Shizune nodded.
Tsunade sighed heavily, reaching for the small glass cup of sake she had poured herself. "Two weeks," she muttered in a low voice. "And no trace of her. How could I have failed her again…? I did everything in my power to protect her this time, Shizune."
"Please don't blame yourself," Shizune attempted to comfort her friend. "Whoever took her must have been plotting to do so for a long time."
"I should never have let her out of my sight," Tsunade shook her head, holding a frustrated fist to her forehead. "I knew, that night, that something was wrong. I felt a cold presence, Shizune. And still I allowed her to leave the following morning." She downed the rest of the alcohol, before pouring herself another glass.
"She wasn't alone," Shizune gently reminded her.
Tsunade snorted. "I should have known better than to trust her to Ino. That girl is nothing but a conceited little airhead."
"She cares a great deal for Sakura. She must feel terrible-"
"Not terrible enough," Tsunade snapped. "If she had not been so preoccupied with her hairdresser on the phone, then-" Abruptly, she broke off. There was no use in blaming Ino, she knew. The reality was that Tsunade had not been vigilant enough. Sakura's doe-like eyes and sweet smile had always been her weakness. Her chest constricted. How she longed to see the girl again!
Sighing again, she murmured, "The surface is already beginning to suffer from her absence. I am doing my best to sustain flora, but without Spring, flowers cannot truly bloom."
"The trees are already shedding their petals," Shizune agreed sadly.
"Damn that Suigetsu!" Tsunade cursed, glaring vehemently at the unfortunate table before them. "It never crossed my mind that he would actually stab us in the back like this!"
"It seems very strange for him to do so," Shizune remarked. "Especially when he knows that he is so outnumbered."
"He is a fool," Tsunade seethed. "He can only avoid us for so long." Then she turned her attention back to the phial in her hand. "We must place these in a secure location. We cannot risk anything happening to her blood."
"Where will we take them?" Shizune asked.
Tsunade stared thoughtfully at the containers, before responding, "I'll seal them in the base. Then," she added resolutely, casting a formidable glance at her friend, "I'll visit the hospital, and monitor that snake Kabuto myself."
"I have a wonderful surprise for you."
Kore felt heat creep into her cheeks at the words, spoken in a smooth, pleasant tone. It wasn't often that Zeus invited her to his palace to converse, and even more of a rarity that she was granted the honour of an audience with their leader alone. She was quite surprised that Hera was not on Zeus's heels, hounding him about something or the other.
They stood on one of the pristine white balconies overlooking the resplendent gardens. Kore snuck a surreptitious glance at the glorious Thunder God who stood proudly beside her, and was overcome by a fresh wave of awe. It was all too plain to her why Zeus was so popular amongst females. She could see why they swooned and clamoured for his attention whenever he happened to breeze by them. His features were finely-sculpted and striking, coupled with unruly, golden hair and piercing, sky-blue eyes that lit up with brilliant clarity whenever he smiled his charming smile, and clouded over ominously if he was displeased.
He possessed a calm and amiable disposition that could only be marred by a burst of uncharacteristic anger or his tendency to inadvertently land himself in a dispute with his hot-tempered, beautiful wife. Kore had heard many tales of the legendary disputes between the pair, which Hera reportedly always won. But despite his gallant, often flirtatious nature and love of all things beautiful, Zeus was a just and wise King who was respected and admired by his fellow deities, and greatly feared by worshipping mortals. None dared to challenge his authority.
Sharp eyes caught her staring, and offered her a playful wink. Kore blushed even more deeply, before courteously averting her gaze.
"This is our little secret, Kore," Zeus allowed his tone to drop dramatically. "Your mother would probably kill me if she found out. I barely managed to convince her to let you spend the day with me."
Kore's heart fluttered with excitement. Was the surprise Zeus's early birthday gift to her? He had always insisted that she call him 'father' - although she knew that he was not truly her biological father - but he was the closest figure to a male parent she had ever had, and she was touched that he had remembered the occasion.
"I promise to keep it a secret," she whispered back, all too eager to find out what lay in store for her.
Zeus chuckled, and reached out to place an affectionate hand atop her head. "There's a good girl. Please do not worry about your mother; let me handle her."
Kore nodded, feeling reassured. The warmth of Zeus's fleeting touch slipped away as he directed his eyes back to the sprawling gardens below them.
"Your surprise awaits you at the stairs leading down the mountain trail. You had better hurry, if you don't want to be late," he added cryptically.
She did not need to be told twice. Thanking a smiling Zeus profusely for his generosity and time, Kore curtsied low before spinning around to depart the balcony. She skipped through the lavish, flowering gardens, and hurried all the way to the majestic, imposing golden gates that hailed the entrance to Zeus's magnificent palace. The Guardian stationed there barely looked up from where he sat on the large boulder directly before the radiant gates, scribbling poetic verses in a little book as she passed him.
Kore was breathless by the time she reached the top of the endless, winding stone staircase that led down Mount Olympus. It was commonly known amongst mortals as the Trail of Peril; a heavily guarded path that featured a fearsome, humungous nine-tailed beast at its base, three sand-wielding warriors who lay in waiting for any foolish trespassers at the mid-section of the path, and a lyrical fighter who commanded seven blades at the summit. It was a track that humans were not permitted to venture, and those few who were had to prove their strength in battle.
Waiting obediently before the first step were four pure white horses with golden eyes, wings and manes. Their bridles were wrought in gold and silver, fastened to a beautiful, solid gold chariot. A glorious, shining crest depicting the sun and flames was blazed across the elegantly carved body of the carriage. Sturdy wheels displaying smaller circular insignias gleamed invitingly at her. Kore gasped in instant recognition, her eyes flying up to find a handsome, golden-haired young god standing casually by the chariot's side.
"Apollo!" she exclaimed, her heart fluttering in anticipation as her keen mind instantly concluded that she was looking right at her birthday gift.
Apollo, dressed in a white toga with a golden sash tied across his athletic chest, grinned at her.
"Want to go for a ride?" His deep blue eyes twinkled mischievously at her.
Kore gawked at him. Zeus had conspired with his son to arrange a tour in the sky for her? And in the very chariot Apollo used to raise the sun every morning, no less! She could hardly contain her delight. She knew her mother would frown upon such an excursion – but at that moment, Kore did not care. She had always longed for adventure and excitement; and adorable Apollo was standing before her, offering both.
"Really? I can?" she asked eagerly.
Apollo chuckled. "Sure. We'd better get moving before your mother notices, though!"
Kore did not waste another second. She jumped into the chariot, a huge smile illuminating her face. Apollo stepped in after her, his arms closing around her sides, and tugged at the reigns. Immediately the horses trotted into motion, circling smoothly around and gradually gaining speed.
As they neared the edge of first step, Apollo called over the sound of galloping hooves, "Hold on!"
Kore clutched onto the front of the chariot, and squealed fearfully as the majestic horses opened their mighty wings and burst into flight. The carriage swerved, and she almost lost her grip, caught off guard by the sheer speed and momentum at which they were travelling through the air. Apollo's left hand released the reigns to rest firmly against her side, steadying her.
"Heh," he chuckled into her ear. "How'd you like it, Kore?"
Kore gulped, her eyes peering over the spacious chariot's edge to glimpse nothing but pure blue sky and puffs of cloud. Her stomach was turning somersaults, and for a terrible moment, she thought she was going to be sick. Thankfully she wasn't, and her body soon began to adjust to the strange, weightless sensation of flying.
"You do this every day," she exclaimed, thinking how very wonderful it had to be to bestow life-giving light upon the earth far below them.
"Yes," Apollo answered. "It gets tedious, believe it!"
"How can you say that?" Kore shook her head, as they passed over a crystal clear ocean. "You have such freedom!"
Apollo shrugged. "Sometimes I'd like to spend more time on the surface."
Kore sighed wistfully. "And I always wish that I could fly."
Apollo laughed. "That makes us ideal friends then, doesn't it?"
She smiled softly. "Yes," she replied. "I suppose you are tolerable."
Apollo released a melodramatic howl. "You wound me, Kore!"
She giggled as the handsome god steered the chariot down through the clouds, closer to the surface of the ground. They passed over Aphrodite's temple, over a forest and mountains. Kore drank in the spectacular, breath-taking sights painted by nature around them. The horses flew through a flock of birds which swiftly parted to allow them passage. When Apollo directed his steeds even lower, Kore released a thrilled laugh as tickling butterflies broke loose in the pits of her stomach.
"Slow down!" she cried helplessly, but a grinning Apollo, witnessing her obvious joy, only spurned the horses on faster.
"If you think this is fast, you haven't seen anything yet!" he boasted, as they soared over a golden corn field. Kore didn't recognise it as one of her mother's, and leaned forward when she spotted a dark, moving object far below them.
Apollo seemed to spot it at the same time, and, after a moment of intent staring, gave a sudden, triumphant shout.
"Hah! That bastard!" he crowed. Kore's heart leapt into her throat as the chariot abruptly plummeted down further at alarming speed.
"Apollo!" she screeched. "What-?"
The chariot hit the ground roughly, throwing Kore to the left. Apollo's arm caught her waist and swiftly drew her back to safety. But the horses did not slow down as Kore had expected. Instead they galloped on, until they drew up behind the moving object Kore had spotted from high above. Another chariot, black-hued and embellished with swirls of brilliant gold, steered by four imposing yet graceful black steeds, was thundering across the field. Its rider was dark haired, cloaked in midnight blue. Without warning, Apollo yanked at his horses to overtake, and drew up directly before the dark chariot, abruptly stopping it in its tracks.
Kore frowned and opened her mouth, ready to censure Apollo for such an awful landing, when her eyes came to rest on the raven-haired rider of the chariot they had intercepted. The words she had prepared to hurtle at her friend promptly diminished as she was hit with a jolt of recognition.
Hades was scowling at Apollo.
"What do you want?"
His rich, exasperated voice tantalised her senses, and Kore was mortified to feel heat rushing to her cheeks. Her heart was immediately pounding at the mere sight of the mysterious, handsome young god whom she desperately rued Aphrodite drawing to her attention. What was this feeling? She had the senseless urge to hide behind Apollo's back, out of sight of those piercing eyes, but Hades had not even acknowledged her presence.
"Hah!" Apollo grinned. "As cheerful as always! What are you doing out here? Have they sent you on another errand?"
Hades' frown deepened, and Kore could not help but stare, so hopelessly enthralled. He was surely the most beautiful man she had ever seen.
He answered Apollo's question with one of his own. "Why are you on the surface? Being idle, as usual?"
"Idle?" Apollo echoed incredulously. "I work harder than you do, you spoilt bastard! What do you actually accomplish in the Underworld? Your family run it all for you!"
Kore's heart skipped a beat. The Underworld? Hades was connected to that fearsome, loathsome, light-deprived place? Aphrodite had failed to inform her of that!
In response, Hades tugged on the black and gold reigns secured to his red-eyed steeds and stated contemptuously, "Hn. You know nothing."
"I know that you're about to lose."
Hades shot him a sharp look. When Apollo simply flashed a grin back, Hades reluctantly demanded, "What…?"
"You're going to lose the race we're about to have," Apollo taunted.
Kore did not dare to speak. But internally she was screaming at Apollo. He had seemingly forgotten that she was with him. And it strangely irritated her that Hades had yet to spare her so much as a single glance, as though he also thought her invisible.
The dark-haired god snorted. "I'll pass."
"Hah!" Apollo pounced. "What's the matter, Hades? Scared you'll lose when a girl is watching?"
Kore's pulse quickened when Hade's fathomless gaze finally flickered briefly onto her. There was no hint of recognition in his eyes; nothing that suggested he remembered her from the night of the festival. Then, all too soon his attention turned back to the Sun God behind her.
"You're always dead last," Hades quipped back, reminding the light deity that he had lost on the previous five occasions.
"Not this time," Apollo replied gleefully. "Let's race through this field, and into that forest, right now. What do you say?"
Hades looked bored. "I see no incentive for me to do so," he answered flatly.
Apollo snorted in turn. "Bastard. Fine. Let's place some stakes."
Kore discreetly elbowed Apollo in the side. She was ready to dismount the chariot and storm off home, and would have done so, but Hade's magnetic presence kept her glued firmly in place.
Apollo glanced briefly down at her. "Don't worry," he said distractedly, "We'll definitely win."
Kore frowned, and opened her mouth to protest that she did not want to be involved in whatever childish contest he wanted to embark on with Hades, but Apollo was already talking on.
"If I win, you acknowledge that you're dead last, and you'll let me ride your chariot for the day."
Hades rolled his eyes. "Idiot. My steeds do not allow another to steer them."
"You'll order them to allow it," Apollo smiled. "Unless, of course, you're scared of losing!"
Hades shook his head in exasperation, before reluctantly consenting, "Fine."
"Yes! Prepare for defeat!"
'Damn you, Apollo,' Kore inwardly fumed. She made a silent promise to smack the foolish young god senseless the second they were out of Hades' sight…
"And your terms?" Apollo prompted.
Hades seemed to consider for a moment, before answering, "Your chariot…"
The Sun God waved his hand. "Heh. Finally acknowledging that it's better than yours? Sure, you can have it for the day, if you-"
"…With the girl on it," Hades finished.
Both Kore and Apollo's jaws dropped. She was rendered mute with astonishment. Hades had been practically ignoring her the entire time – and now he had decided to string her into the winning stakes?
"Wha-?" Apollo floundered incredulously.
"You heard," Hades stated nonchalantly.
"No, Apollo," Kore hissed furiously to her friend, her heart pounding agitatedly within her. "I refuse to be a part of this silly contest! If my mother finds out I am with a stranger, you know that she will-"
"Unless," Hades' voice cut in icily, sarcastically, "you are afraid of losing."
"Like Tartarus I am!" Apollo tossed back.
"If you do this, I will never forgive you!" Kore whispered fiercely.
Apollo cast a helpless look at her, and then turned his attention back to Hades. "Uh… the lady wishes to be left out of our contest. Let me take her home first, then we can-"
"You waste my time," Hades dead-panned, before swiftly tugging at his horses to steer around them.
"Wait-!" Apollo began, and turned desperate, imploring eyes to Kore. "Kore, Hades is a brother to me. You don't have to be afraid of him. I know he looks and acts a bit scary, but he's just showing off. We won't lose, and it'll be fun. Your mother won't know, I promise!"
"No," Kore said, folding her arms resolutely. Hades' horses looked very fast, and the mere thought of the stoic god driving her around in the chariot caused an unpleasant fluttering sensation to assault her gut. She was at a loss to understand why the enigmatic deity would even desire to do such a thing. The only possible explanation was that he had deliberately included her to irk Apollo. The two certainly seemed to share a bizarre kind of friendship.
"Please?" he shot a look at Hades' chariot. The dark-haired god's horses were starting to trot away from them. "It's been such a long time since we've raced, and I know we can win when we enter the forest-"
Sudden realisation struck her. Apollo wanted her to assist his course, by removing flora in his path, thus giving their team an advantage. She scowled, and shook her head.
"Has your friend cheated before?"
"Hades always cheats. You've just seen how arrogant he is. Wouldn't you like to see him lose?"
Kore opened her mouth to refuse again, but Apollo, who knew her far too well and could sense her resolve wavering, persisted, "I promise you, Kore, that you'll love this. You've always told me that you wish you could go on an adventure. Here is one, right now. Let's beat him together, and then you can ride this chariot alone. I'll be right behind you. What do you say?" He gave her a hopeful smile, one that always managed to pull on the strings of her heart.
"But my mother-"
"Will never know. My father will make sure of it."
Kore pursed her lips. She knew there was no way they would lose, and the prospect of driving her very own chariot was admittedly an attractive one. Maybe she could even surprise Aphrodite. Besides, she thought that she would quite like to see Hades frown a little more. Releasing a heavy sigh, she muttered, "Oh, alright. The things I do for you, Apollo! But you owe me."
Apollo threw his arms delightedly around her for a quick, joyful moment, before turning to call after Hades.
"Hey! Bastard! Not so fast! We'll take you on right now!"
As if he had anticipated this, Hades halted his steeds and turned to regard them over his shoulder. As Apollo's chariot drew up beside his, Kore cast a nervous look at the mysterious deity, who was once again completely ignoring her existence.
"We race to the vale beyond the forest," Hades stated.
"You're on!" Apollo grinned, his eyes burning with the light of challenge. "We'll show you dead last!"
To Kore's amazement, the left corner of Hades' lips tilted upwards to form a faint smirk. The sight made her pulse hurtle faster. She had always been watching him in secret, from afar. It felt strange to be in his presence, without the need for hiding.
It felt… exhilarating.
Apollo counted down from three, and on his signal, the horses surged forward at the command of their masters.
The vivid images faded away to black, and all remnants of memory dissipated into nothingness. Sakura awoke, feeling lightheaded and queasy. She stared blankly up at the canopy for a moment, before recollection struck her. She had suffered an attack, which had been witnessed by Sasuke. The death deity had given her the golden liquid to drink, which had worked in much the same way her mother's medicine did. He had asked her what had happened, and then… then…
Then I must have fallen asleep, she thought groggily to herself. Slowly, she sat up, and looked around – to find Sasuke seated in the armchair next to the flickering hearth. Noticing that she had awoken, his eyes shifted away from the fire to rest upon her face.
Sakura stared back in soundless surprise. Had he been waiting there for the entire duration in which she had been sleeping? Silence roared between them, broken only by the crackling of the steadily burning flames.
Carefully, Sakura pushed back the sheets and scooted forward, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Sasuke rose as she gingerly got to her feet. But the room suddenly whirled, causing her to tilt precariously to her left.
The Death God was by her side in an instant. Sakura inhaled sharply as Sasuke's steely arm wound around her waist, allowing her to rest her weight against his right side. However, the nauseous sensation in her stomach prevented her from dwelling on the feeling of her body pressing against his.
"My head," she managed, squeezing her eyes shut. "It's spinning."
"The ambrosia is affecting you."
The dizzying sensation briefly waned, allowing Sakura to open her eyes again as Sasuke eased her back to sit on her bed once more. Then he stood before her, watching her intently.
"Ambrosia?" she echoed in confusion. It sounded oddly familiar, but her attempts to recall where and when she had heard it were in vain, like the word belonged to a distant, forgotten memory she could not quite place.
Sasuke paused, before uttering pointedly, "Your medicine."
She directed a puzzled look at him, and opened her mouth to ask what kind of drug ambrosia was, exactly, when the room lurched violently again.
"Ugh," she clutched onto her head, willing the unpleasant sensation to pass.
"Sakura." His clear voice seemed to lift the haze from her mind a little, and she forced herself to keep perfectly still. She found that when she did so, the room spun much less.
"Yeah?" she whispered, keeping her eyes firmly shut. It was easier to enact a normal conversation when that charcoal gaze could not ensnare her in its dark web.
After another pause, Sasuke questioned curtly, "How many times?"
Sakura frowned, but kept her eyes closed. "Huh?" she asked. How many times what?
"How many times does it happen?"
Oh, Sakura realised. He was referring to the attack. She found it strange that the Death God seemed to require her to answer. Surely he had the ability to just read the information directly from her head? But evidently he did not, or could not.
He has to care, even if it's just a little, a voice whispered in her mind. He's still asking about it. Maybe he wants to understand…?
She did her best to ignore the tingles that surfaced across her skin as Sasuke's fingers brushed lightly over her forehead. Almost immediately the throbbing pain ebbed, but the displacing feeling of spiralling in a twister remained.
"It's different every year," she replied slowly. "I used to get just one attack. Then it became two. Last year I had three, but the year before, I had four."
Silence met her response. When it began to grow uncomfortable, Sakura said hesitantly, "Sasuke…?"
"Rest," he ordered flatly. She heard him move, then the sound of doors opening, footsteps treading in, Sasuke murmuring something she did not quite catch – and then the doors closed.
When Sakura opened her eyes again, she found that the death deity had left the room. Chizu and Ume stood before her, their faces mirroring mutual concern.
Every year, it was different. And yet it only happened in spring. Sasuke's thoughts cycled rapidly as he descended the royal staircase and made his way to his bedchamber. So he had assumed incorrectly; the attacks were not cured by ambrosia; they were seemingly just soothed until the next episode occurred.
A deep frown weighed upon his brow. What manner of ailment afflicted Sakura? And more importantly, how in the world had he failed to notice it before? He had watched her for so long, yet not once had he witnessed her in such torment. He could not detect any sickness in her body. What was this mysterious illness?
The death deity did not like the feeling of not knowing what was wrong with her. He was a god! How was it possible that he had been unable to connect to her mind in the midst of her pain?
His frustrated thoughts then turned to the liquid which he had administered to her. Sakura's medicine was ambrosia; there was no question about it. Nothing else compared in flavour. Sasuke recalled that he had allowed her to drink more than usual, following her consumption of the wine during training and again when she was having the attack.
But he had not given her enough to induce debilitating side-effects. A normal human would require another two full goblets at least, to result in the light-headedness she had complained to him about. It seemed that Sakura was particularly sensitive to ambrosia's effects, which was another oddity. Mortals often had to wait for at least ten minutes before the wine began influencing their system. With Sakura, it took effect almost immediately.
Questions; he had so many damned questions. Asking Sakura about it, he knew, would yield unproductive results. The girl did not have a clue what was wrong with her. But surely Tsunade would know? She specialised in health and medicine, after all. It seemed inconceivable to Sasuke that the overprotective woman would turn a blind eye to her daughter's health problems. He was almost completely certain that Tsunade knew what was responsible for Sakura's attacks, and had chosen, for some inexplicable reason, to have the girl believe that doctors had never found a cause.
Did the other deities who flocked around Sakura know about her condition, also? Or had Tsunade kept it concealed from their eyes too?
But why would she hide it? What was it about Sakura that required such protection and secrecy?
The question returned him to the same, maddening starting point. He always circled through so many thoughts, only to arrive at the very one that lay at the heart of his desire to understand her; what was it that made Sakura so different?
There was no way he could question Tsunade about it. But perhaps, if he asked another…
Sasuke stopped abruptly before the lone, shimmering tree in the courtyard overlooking his quarters, as an idea slowly began to take form in his mind.
Sakura watched absentmindedly as Ume carefully folded freshly pressed laundry away. The dizzying sensation in her head had finally, blessedly, diminished. Her attendants had stayed dutifully by her side, anxiously asking her every other minute whether she required anything. Sakura had wanted only water, which Chizu had just left to fetch for her.
The maids had helped her change into a flowing silver gown, with pleated gold straps and a golden girdle wound around her slender midriff. Her hair was worn loose and free. Ume was chattering pleasantly on about wanting to show her mistress the rest of the palace. Sakura listened, her thoughts distant and focused firmly elsewhere. More specifically, they were centred on a certain Death God. Despite his clipped, reticent tones, Sasuke had handled her so carefully.
How was it even possible, Sakura found herself wondering once again, that his destructive hands were also capable of such gentleness?
"-the throne room, is it not, Mistress…?" Ume was saying.
Sakura blinked, ashamed that she had been caught being negligent, and shook all musings of Sasuke out of her mind.
"I'm sorry… what?" she asked.
Ume blinked large eyes at her, and then giggled. "I hope I am not being too bold in saying that you seem distracted, Mistress."
Sakura sighed heavily. A part of her desperately wanted to confide in somebody about Sasuke, and how much he frustrated and confused her. But she knew that Ume and Chizu were not permitted to talk of their Lord, and trying to speak to them about the enigmatic deity would only result in awkwardness for both parties.
"I'm sorry," she apologised again. "You're right, I was just thinking-" she abruptly broke off when she suddenly became aware of a jingling sound. She realised that she must have heard it earlier, but in her preoccupied state had paid it no attention. Her eyes lowered to Ume's small waist, where she spotted a set of keys attached to a large silver ring, fastened to a black sash.
Ume, who was still busy folding clothes, did not notice her staring.
Sakura immediately remembered the mysterious, locked door and was overcome with instant curiosity all over again. Did one of the keys Ume carried open it?
Mindful of the fact that Chizu would walk back in at any moment, Sakura thought quickly, and casually asked, "Is there a master key for the rooms in this palace?"
This time, Ume was the one who was distracted as she smoothed over a freshly washed dress and peered at it. "Hmm? Oh, yes. I think that this must be pressed again. There are crinkles here."
Sakura's heart fluttered hopefully. There was a master key! The question remained , however, whether or not the key was currently in Ume's possession.
Her mind formulating a hasty plan, Sakura said lightly, "I don't suppose I could borrow that key for a little while?"
Ume glanced back over her tiny shoulder and gave her a muddled look. "Forgive me for asking, Mistress, but… why would you require the key?"
Sakura thought of the place in the palace that Ume was least likely to go to, and blurted unthinkingly, "The training dome. There's a locked door there. Sasuke meant to show it to me earlier, but we didn't get time."
Ume looked puzzled. Sakura didn't blame her. She knew her words were making no sense.
Oh, God! You didn't get time? Are you listening to yourself? Her inner voice groaned. That's just lame! Think of something else more convincing!
With a false smile plastered onto her face, Sakura amended, "Do you know the door?"
Ume shook her head. "No, Mistress. I confess I have never ventured there."
"Oh," Sakura said, thinking it remarkably lucky that she had guessed correctly. "Well, I really would like to open that door, and since Sasuke gave me permission, I thought that you wouldn't mind lending me the key. I would bring it straight back." Deciding to take a gamble, she bluffed, "Maybe we could even go down there together?"
Ume looked uncertain. "I…" she began. "I think, perhaps, you ought to wait for the Master…"
Damn it, Sakura internally fumed. Ume wasn't buying it! It was little surprise. Her cover story was utterly deplorable. Where was her sharp wit when she needed it?
Then a sudden idea struck her. She hesitated, feeling horrible for even considering it. But her desire to see what was behind the locked door prevailed.
"Alright," she sighed, waving a dismissive hand. "It doesn't matter. I'll just tell Sasuke that you didn't give me the key. I'm sure he'll just show me later, when he isn't too busy."
The effect of the words was instantaneous. Ume's eyes widened, and she seemed to blanch.
"O-oh," she stammered. "Please do not tell the Master that I did not give you the key. If he has granted you permission, Mistress, then please take it." She unclipped a large silver key from the ring at her waist, and held it out to Sakura with a tentative smile. Sakura, feeling rotten for essentially resorting to emotional blackmail to gain the object, accepted it.
"Thank you," she said softly. Ume was so sweet and trusting. She reminded Sakura so much of Hinata. Plagued by the guilt of lying, she almost handed the key right back. But the doors parted, and Chizu bustled in, carrying a tray full of hot, steaming food. Sakura instinctively shoved the key into the small skirt pocket of her gown, safely out of sight.
As Ume turned back to fold the remainder of the clothes, Chizu placed the tray beside Sakura and said, "I thought you might be hungry, Mistress."
Suigetsu looked up at the familiar sound of approaching feet stomping over stone. Finally, he told himself, rolling his eyes in exasperation. Karin had a knack for being completely unpunctual – just like all the other women he had ever known.
"You think it's sexy to keep a guy waiting?" he demanded, folding his arms across his chest in displeasure. "Well it isn't. It's lame."
Karin shot him a contemptuous sneer. "Why would I want to act sexy in front of you, idiot?" she glared.
The Sea God flashed a sharp-toothed, suggestive grin at her. "We both know why."
Karin was furious to feel heat creeping into her cheeks. "I-idiot," she stuttered. "You're disgusting!"
Suigetsu merely tossed her a knowing look, and chuckled. Then, deciding that he had already wasted enough time, he mentally communicated, 'Sasuke's agreed to train Sakura. Which means we've got to start planning how we're gonna get hold of that potion.'
Karin scowled in displeasure. She didn't like the idea of Sasuke 'training' Sakura; it sent all kinds of paranoid, insecure thoughts whispering through her head.
'I told you I'll handle it,' she snapped telepathically at him.
'You'd better get a move on, then. The sooner you get it to Sakura, the more chances she has at pulling this off.'
'The little pink-haired freak will probably blow it.' Karin stated derisively. 'She looks like she's good for absolutely nothing!'
Suigetsu snickered. 'Jealous much? Just because she gets to spend so much time with your precious Sasuke-kun? You're right though; she probably will blow it right in front of that bastard's face. Bet he'll enjoy it, too.'
Seconds trickled by as the penny dropped. Karin's jaw promptly followed. 'You- you're so gross!'
Suigetsu blinked innocently at her. 'What did I say?' he asked, feigning ignorance.
'Ugh!' Karin placed her hands on her hips. 'I'll go visit the hag as soon as I can get clear of Juugo. Stop bothering me all the time!'
'Hey, I never told you to come. You didn't have to come here to talk to me.' After a pause, Suigetsu remarked sneakily, 'Not my fault you miss me so much.'
'Hmph!' Karin glared daggers at him. 'In your dreams, idiot! Now don't bug me again, or you can kiss that potion goodbye!'
'Bitch. You'll kiss your life goodbye if you stab me in the back,' the water deity's eyes glowered menacingly at her. 'That includes Sakura. You betray her, you betray me. We're leaving together. Got it?'
Karin looked away. 'Whatever,' she snarled. Then, shooting him a sour scowl, she bit out, 'She'll get the potion when I'm ready.'
With that, the water nymph turned and stormed away, leaving Suigetsu gazing after her, his luminous eyes narrowed with distrust.
Sakura's stomach formed apprehensive knots as she crossed through the art gallery, silently praying that she would not be intercepted by any servants, or worse, Sasuke himself. After she had forced herself to accept warm soup and bread, as well as the water she had requested, Sakura had informed Ume and Chizu that she needed more rest. The maids had left to allow her some privacy, and after waiting for what she deemed to be an ample enough time, Sakura had snuck out of her room. A part of her still felt absolutely awful for utilising deceit in acquiring the key. She had always been so good and honest, and considered lying to be an abominable, shameful act. What was happening to her?
It had been the only way, she fiercely defended. If Sasuke was going to insist on keeping secrets from her, then she had to take necessary action to find out things for herself; how else was she supposed to understand her captor and her situation better?
As Sakura neared the end of the gallery and stepped into the corridor that led to the mysterious door, a tremble of anxiety seized her. What if there was a good reason why Sasuke didn't want her to see what was behind the door? What if she did not like what she saw? What if something horribly frightening lay in wait beyond it?
What if Sasuke found out she had entered?
Chickening out? Her inner voice taunted. What would Ino say if she saw you getting cold feet?
Shut up, Sakura snapped at herself, and did her best to crush down her jittering nerves. She hurried through the arched opening on the right, and stopped before the innocent looking golden door. Her pulse raced as she cast a guarded glance back over her shoulder. Nobody was around. It was then or never. She retrieved the key from her pocket, and without allowing herself another second's hesitation, slotted it into the keyhole. Her heart leapt when she felt the lock give way in a single twist. Taking a deep breath, she twisted the knob and pushed the door warily open, her body tensing in anticipation of the fact that anything could leap out at her.
Nothing did. She was met by the sight of a long, ordinary, rectangular shaped, candle-lit room with yet another impressively arched, vaulted ceiling. Quickly, Sakura stepped inside and closed the door firmly behind her. The sound of her falling footsteps was subdued by the rich, deep crimson carpet beneath her. Lining both sides of the room were gold cloth-covered tables. Books and parchments were arranged in tidy piles over them. Sakura spied ancient looking scrolls. Her curiosity ignited, she drew closer to them.
The room was dimly illuminated by tall, twin-headed, bronze floor candelabra, which made it difficult to see everything clearly. Sakura reached out and picked up a scroll, angling it toward the nearest flickering light source. It contained writing that was illegible to her. Placing it carefully aside, she picked up another, and gently unwound it to find herself staring down at a very faded picture.
For a long moment, her eyes couldn't make anything out about it. Then, slowly, she recognised the lines of faces, and hair. Black and gold. Two people, she strained to see, seemed to be standing beside each other. The parchment was so badly worn that it was impossible to make out their features clearly. Sakura gave up trying to do so, and moved onto another open parchment. A sun crest was drawn onto it. Sakura supposed that it might have looked magnificent once, but again, the colours were washed out, all details damaged.
Wow, thought Sakura appreciatively, the bookworm within her delighted at her unanticipated discovery. How old were these scrolls? Her fear had completely diminished, leaving nothing but fascination in its wake. She was fully absorbed, felt as though she had stumbled upon ancient artefacts that belonged in a prestigious museum. She desperately lamented that she could not understand the characters scrawled onto the parchments and in the pages of the heavily bound books before her. Sakura trailed to the right side and examined curious looking, pretty trinkets and even more mystifying scrolls and books.
She gasped as she spotted a beautiful, authentic red and white uchiwa fan, adorned with precious garnet gemstones, resting by one of the parchments that depicted a map of sorts. Feeling almost afraid to touch it, Sakura reached out and grasped the fan by its handle. It was truly magnificent, a delicately constructed piece of art that was solid in its weight in gold.
The candlelight around her shifted and flickered, and something in the corner of her vision caught her attention. Still gripping onto the fan, Sakura turned, her eyes widening in surprise. At the end of the room was another low table, with many small candles lit atop it. The same uchiwa fan insignia was stitched into the black cloth that covered it. Sakura drew closer, noting that fans were also painted onto the bare stone walls of the room. She reached the table, to discover a beautiful bouquet of freshly assembled, fragrant flowers. She recognised chrysanthemum, xeranthemum and lilies; all mourning and remembrance flowers. Coupled with the candles before her, Sakura had the unnerving feeling that she had walked into a shrine of sorts.
The strange, unsettling sensation of being watched suddenly befell her. Sakura glanced apprehensively behind her, but all was quiet, and she was most definitely still alone. Then she turned her attention back to the table, and her eyes, which had been engrossed by the flowers, lifted to regard the wall directly before her.
What she saw caused the air to abandon her lungs.
Set within a solid gold frame was a massive portrait that had been concealed from view by shadows when she had first entered the room. Her gaze immediately fell onto the person who took central focus in the striking painting – and she was hit with a jolt of unexpected recognition.
Sasuke. It could not have been anybody else. Yet he seemed different, and she could not believe that she was looking upon the very same god who had kidnapped her. His raven hair was longer, his face clearer and somehow brighter. And Sakura realised why. A genuine half-smile was gracing his lips – and Sakura was left gawping at the sight. He was seated on an impressive black upholstered, gold lined chair, dressed in hues of dark blue and rich gold, with a sapphire droplet in his left earlobe. He looked every inch the regal and haughty prince.
Sakura's dazzled eyes rose to regard the astonishingly beautiful woman standing to his right, her slender, creamy hand resting lightly on Sasuke's shoulder. Her dark features were almost a precise carbon copy of Sasuke's. The woman was dressed imperially in a luxurious midnight gown, her long, black hair adorned with braids and tiny silver, star-strewn pearls. She was smiling softly, her dark, long-lashed eyes shining with open love. Her heart-shaped face looked so young, and yet Sakura dizzily thought there was no mistaking who she had to be; Sasuke's mother.
Her focus shifted to regard the tall, handsome, stern-looking man standing directly behind Sasuke. His hair was a dark shade of brown, worn loose to his shoulders, his eyes dark and intense. Heavy, weary lines marred his brow, and he was dressed in grey and black, his high-collared, rich cloak bearing delicate silver chains and detail. The man looked formidable and imposing. There was no trace of a smile on his face.
His dad…? Sakura thought to herself in amazement. She could certainly see a slight resemblance in the way Sasuke frowned.
Then her eyes moved to the last figure in the painting, standing to Sasuke's left. Clad in deep crimson and gold, with raven feathers lining his black cloak, was a young man with features so arresting that Sakura felt the air physically leave her lungs. The angled, sculpted lines of his strong jaw were so very reminiscent of Sasuke's; the aristocratic nose; the proud, graceful posture. The stranger's long, dark hair was pulled back atop his head, wayward strands falling to frame his chiselled, handsome face at the sides. A crimson droplet glinted in his left ear. He, too, was unsmiling. Unlike the others, however, he was armed, the bejewelled case of a sheathed sword held firmly in his left hand.
Sakura then turned her attention to the final feature she had bypassed at first glance, and she lost her breath all over again. The stranger's eyes seemed to stab directly though her skull. They were heavy-lashed, piercing in their intensity; vivid crimson depths that were taking over her senses. A strange, foreign sensation was creeping up over her. Her heart was pounding, and the lightheaded feeling was swiftly returning. The more she stared up into those eyes, the more she was overcome by a terrible, ominous feeling of foreboding. A choking, irrational fear. All at once, the room seemed to be closing in on her. Something white suddenly flashed across her vision, and her mind was overcome with searing pain.
Strong, merciless fingers gripping her chin. Words she could not hear. Spinning, bloody kaleidoscopes…
Those eyes. They were blazing right into her soul. She senselessly and frantically thought that she could not let them, that she had to look away, because otherwise… otherwise…
It will happen all over again.
What…? Sakura thought in alarm, feeling smothered, incapable of drawing oxygen into her heaving lungs as unintelligible whispers reverberated deafeningly in her head. What was happening? Any attempts to piece together the chaos that had ensued at the sight of those eyes only resulted in further pain. Another agonising flash assaulted her, leaving the imprint of crimson burning into her brain. Tears blurred over her vision, causing a gasp to escape her lips as the room lurched, her stomach tilting along with it. She reached out to steady herself, but her clumsy hand knocked into something – a candle, which fell off the table and rolled onto the ground. The edge of the cloth was set immediately alight as it came into contact with the flame.
It caused the last remnants of rationality to flee from Sakura's panic-stricken mind. Without thinking, she backed away, the only coherent thought resonating in her skull being that she needed to get away from those eyes.
Escape. She had to escape, to keep them from seeing her, from dooming her all over again…
With incredible effort she tore her gaze away from the silent stranger's. Sakura whirled around, panting, ignoring nausea's attempts to floor her. She burst out of the room – and collided straight into a warm, solid body. Her right hand lost its grip on the uchiwa fan, which fell with a resounding clatter onto the marble ground. Dizzily, Sakura looked up into Sasuke's face. His hands automatically reached out to seize her by her trembling arms, and he opened his mouth to say something, when, abruptly, he stopped, his breath catching sharply in his throat as his gaze shifted from Sakura's sobbing face, to beyond the open door behind her.
The sight before him caused the Death God's eyes to widen in pure horror.
The table at the end of the room. It was on fire.
Author's note
Lots of things to take in this chapter! I hope you all listened to the track in the part specified; the scene isn't the same without it. Any thoughts on the effect of a certain character's eyes on poor Sakura? I'd love to hear your theories!
Check the Appendices for another character addition!
Wondering what happened after the end of the race dream sequence? Did Apollo and Kore win, or was Hades victorious? That'll be covered in the appendices as an outtake. I could have written the rest of it here, but I felt it was getting too long, and the rest of it wouldn't have really been relevant to the plot. If enough readers express so in their reviews, I could do a follow up in a main chapter, but if not, I will keep it an outtake as intended.
Yes, Ume is too trusting and a little dense, but that's part of her character. Also, she doesn't actually know that Sakura knows about THAT forbidden door. So yeah. Of course she trusts that Sakura is telling her the truth. Sasuke isn't going to be too happy next chapter though (with both Sakura and Ume), oh dear!
Anyway, hope you enjoyed this. Please do leave me a review! I'd love to read your feedback! Thanks for reading and see you next update. It will probably take a while like this one did, but I hope you'll find it worth the wait. Ciao for now!