Chapter 2: The Meeting

The banquet went on yet the young Prince was still as bored as ever. He wished that the party would just end so that he could go back to his room, mind his own business and talk to his new slave.

Of course young Prince Sasuke had had numerous slaves. They were gifts from the leaders of different countries. Most of the young girls were attractive. A lot of them were smart. They were polite and acted so girlish, the way they should. Still, no one interested him.

But the girl he saw earlier, his new slave. Yes, she was beautiful with her long, pink hair, sparkling emerald eyes and girlish, pink lips. But she was different from all the slaves he had. She was a fiery, fierce one. With her hot tongue that was not even afraid to utter a single word of blasphemy against him. She was a brave one.

'I'll deal with the girl later..' He told himself.

Sasuke spotted his servant, Gaara, as he walked towards his direction.

Gaara, the younger Uchiha Prince's loyal and trusted servant. The red-haired boy grew up with him in the palace. Sasuke treated him as his friend. Gaara was a loyal servant as well as a friend to the Prince. An old maid that served his family once told Sasuke (when he was still a young boy) Gaara's story. She said that his older sister and brother once worked in the palace and they had their baby brother with them. They decided to leave the infant in the palace then fled in another country because they cannot support their young sibling. Sasuke's mother, being such a kind woman, decided to let the baby boy stay in the palace. She hired a nurse to take care of the baby boy. Her own youngest son, Sasuke and Gaara, the 'adopted' child grew together. Gaara accepted to work as the Prince's servant and became loyal to him. Sasuke grew fond of his servant and was pleased that Gaara had never disappointed him.

"Master," Gaara said. He address Sasuke as 'Master' when there are other people around but when they were only talking with each other alone, he address the Prince as 'Prince Sasuke' . "Prince Neji of the country of the Wind has arrived."

"Is his cousin, the Princess Hinata, with him?" Sasuke whispered.

"No. He is alone. He brought three servants with him." Gaara answered.

"Good, good. Now, tell him to wait for me at the meeting room. I will be there soon."

The servant bowed a little after saying:

"Yes. I will tell them your message." He then walked away.

After Sasuke had explained his reason of leave to his visitors, he went to what he had said their meeting place would be.

He sat across the Prince of the Wind country, Hyuuga Neji.

The Hyuuga clan. They had been the leader of the Wind country for centuries. The current ruler of the country was Prince Neji. He had a cousin, beautiful and shy Princess Hinata from the main houseof the Hyuuga clan and was supposed to be the leader of the country but because of her 'weakness', her father and the other members of the clan thought that she was uncapable of ruling the country. That was how Neji became the ruler of the Wind country. He organized everything from the problems concerning the country up to the life of his own cousin. He always wanted to know everything about her. He ruled the country of the Wind. He also ruled his cousin's life.

Prince Neji came in the country of Fire, not to greet the young Uchiha Prince a happy birthday and present him exquisite gifts, but to talk about his cousin and the Prince Sasuke's wedding.

Before Sasuke and Hinata's birth, the former rulers of the country of Fire (Itachi and Sasuke's parents) and Wind (Hinata's parents) had decided that their yet unborn children shall get married when both reaches the age of eighteen. They thought that their children's wedding will lead to a stronger relationship of their countries and will lead to a more prosperous life for their people.

Prince Sasuke does not like the shy Princess. Yes, he liked her only as an acquaintance but more than that, no. He doesn't get attracted to girls easily in fact, he hasn't found the 'one' that he was so fond as to the point of committing his life and his whole self to the lady.

"You have reached your seventeenth birthday." said Prince Neji. "As early as now, we should plan for your up coming wedding with the Princess Hinata."

Sasuke hated that topic. Why would he choose to marry a lady he does not like? He had seen the Princess only once but just by a single look, he could tell that he is not interested with her. Besides, he doesn't want to get married yet. He still wanted to enjoy his freedom.

"How is the Princess doing?" Sasuke asked instead, just to change the subject.

"She is fine. As I was saying, when shall the wedding happen? Where shall it be held?" Neji said.

He didn't like that idea of Neji acting on behalf of her. Hinata must act on her own will. Besides, he had that strong feeling that the lady does not like him the way she must, the way her cousin wanted her to.

"I've no idea. I don't mean to offend you but to get married and raise a family are not a part of my plan as of now. " Sasuke politely answered.

The other Prince stared at him for a long while. Disappointment was present on his face even though he tried to hide it. He breathed deeply before saying:

"Think about it. But you must remember that you shall not have an affair with another lady for you are already engaged with Princess Hinata. Even your brother, Prince Itachi, knows about that. We shall meet again sometime, Prince Sasuke." Neji stood from his seat.

Sasuke inwardly smiled. He liked it whenever the Wind country's Prince would just leave. He then flashed Neji a pleasant smile.

"Yes, I will be expecting your return." said Prince Sasuke but he wished from the bottom of his heart that Prince Neji would just mind his own business and leave him alone. Sasuke watched as the other Prince walked away.

'No other things needed to be accomplished.' He told himself. 'I will go to my room and rest. I am really tired.'

Sasuke heavily sighed before heading straight to his room.

Prince Sasuke opened the big door. What he saw somehow surprised him. The girl, his slave. Her wrists were still tied together. The other end of the rope was tied in the window bars. She looked like a prisoner, a dog, tied in its cage so that it wouldn't escape.

He walked closer to her and saw that she tried to free herself from the rope but was unsuccessful.

The girl slowly raised her head and looked at the Prince with such fierce looking eyes. The Prince once thought that she was crying but no. Not even a trace of fear was present on her face.

"What is your name?" Sasuke was the first one to speak.

"Why should I tell you?" The girl said, almost shouting at him.

"You are now my property. I am your master and therefore, you must comply with my commands."

"Why do you care to know my name? You, the royal family, usually call people like me as 'ordinary' or 'peasant', right?" said the pink-haired girl.

Sasuke got a little impatient. He was tired and he wasn't in the mood of fighting senseless with that girl. He turned his back on her.

"Fine. If that's the way you like it, then so be it." Sasuke finally said. There was silence. He started to walk away.

"Wait!" That call from his slave stopped him. He waited for her to say more. "J-Just call me Sakura.."

"Sakura.." Sasuke repeated the girl's name almost like a whisper. "You address me as Master."

"No, I won't! I wouldn't recognize you as my owner. No body owns me. I'm free!" said Sakura.

"Whether you like it or not, you must address me that way." Sasuke looked back at her. "I own you and you must follow my orders."

Sasuke caught a glimpse at the setting sun. He didn't realize that it was almost time for supper. He wasn't hungry but he was concerned about his new slave. After all, she was in his room for hours without anything to eat or to drink. That was rather cruel of him to do.

"I will send someone to bring your meal in here." That was what he said before he left.

Sasuke met his servant-friend, Gaara, in a hallway near the kitchen.

"What is it that you want me to do, Prince Sasuke?" Gaara asked his master-friend.

"Do you remember the girl, my new slave?" Sasuke whispered. "She is in my room. Bring her some food. I will be taking a bath while you are doing that just to relax. She is stubborn and would not listen to me. I think you could deal with her better than I. She might not take the food you will bring her but see to it that she eats."

Gaara looked at the Prince. The lady was stubborn and wouldn't follow him? Indeed, she was different from the Prince's previous slaves. Gaara wondered why the Prince was concerned about the new girl when he doesn't usually like ladies and think of them as annoying. There was different about that girl and he wanted to know. But of course he can't. That would be betrayal to his master.

"I shall carry out your orders, Prince Sasuke." said Gaara.

"Very well." Sasuke said then walked away but suddenly stopped. He looked back at his servant. "I trust you."

Gaara nodded a little before bowing slightly as a sign of respect. He watched as his master walked to the direction of the bathroom. He headed to the kitchen and asked the cooks to prepare a nice meal for the girl, just as what Prince Sasuke had told him to do.

Gaara slowly and gently turned the knob, opening the Prince's room. He immediately saw the pink-haired girl who was lying on the floor with her wrists still bound together by the rope.

He walked towards her and laid the tray beside her. Sakura slowly raised her head and looked at the red-haired boy who sat in front of her.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"I am Gaara, the Prince's servant." He answered. "And what is your name?"

Sakura looked away then answered:

"Sasuke's servant. I bet you're as bad as him. You serve him and you've been in here for years so therefore you are also as bad as as your master. I wish not to tell you my name."

"But it doesn't mean that I act like the royal Uchiha family members even if I've been serving my master for years." Gaara said. "And besides, you shouldn't be judging my master. You know nothing about him."

There was a long silence.

"I'm Sakura, Haruno Sakura." She finally spoke.

Gaara looked at the tray of foods then back to Sakura.

"Master sent me to bring your food in here." Gaara informed her.

"I know." She said. "He already told me that but I do not want to eat."

Gaara studied her face. Prince Sasuke's prediction was right. She looked like she was lying. She looked as if she hadn't eaten anything for hours. She looked hungry but he decided to keep what he knew inside of him.

"But my master told me to make you eat." The red-haired servant said, not telling her the fact that he discovered. "If you wouldn't eat, he will punish me."

"I told you Sasuke is bad." said Sakura. Her eyes fell on the delicious food on the tray that lie beside her. It looked so tasty and it smelled good. Never in her life had she seen any food as fine looking as that. "I.. I will only eat because I don't want that wicked Sasuke to punish you." She lied. "But.. How will I be able to eat with my hands tied?"

Gaara looked at her tied wrists and sighed. His master had forget to untie the rope... Or maybe he did that intentionally. Gaara hesitated at first but he untied the rope rope in the end. Sakura nursed her swollen wrists.

"Hey, thanks for that." She said with a grin. "That filthy Sasuke forgot to untie that rope."

Gaara had noticed that he kept calling the Prince only by his first name and that was being rude.

"You must be a very brave girl enough to call him by his name. They punish anyone who calls master by his name. Only his brother, Prince Itachi, could call him by that." Gaara told her. He was quite surprised when he saw the girl holding the spoon and started munching the food prepared for her. She swallowed the food before saying:

"Who cares? He doesn't deserve to be called 'Prince Sasuke' or even 'Master'. Besides, Prince Sasuke and only Sasuke are just the same. Sasuke's name added with his title as the Prince only make him sound good and powerful." She put another spoonful of food in her mouth. "If that is being rude, then he should punish me if it pleases him. To see people like me being hurt. But no matter what happens, I will never call him 'Prince Sasuke' and bow down in front of him."

"But you should also learn to respect your superiors." Gaara said as he watched her eat some more.

"How will I be able to respect him if he does not respect us, the ordinary people?"

The girl had a point but like what he said, she didn't know anything about the Prince. He thought of explaining her things she must know but he also knew that he was not in the right position to do so. He just kept his mouth shut about that and just said:

"I respect your opinion."

Gaara then watched her in silence as she finished her meal. She was indeed different.

"That was nice! Thank you again!" She said with a contented smile like of a child's after a deep sigh.

Gaara nodded a little before tying her wrists back.

"Why are you doing that?" Sakura asked, quite annoyed.

"The Prince did not order me to untie you." Gaara plainly answered. He got the tray then stood up. He saw her trying to untie herself, but to no avail.

"Don't you have any mind of your own? Can you not act by your own? Why do you keep on following that Sasuke?" Sakura said.

Gaara was silence for a while before answering her:

"Because I have to."

Sakura stared at his standing figure. Gaara continued to walk away and got out of the room.

Days have passed. Prince Sasuke had continued living his normal life. He ate breakfast with his brother. After that, he attended his classes. With his brother, he also attended meetings with the leaders of the other countries. That was the Prince's daily routine and day by day, he grew tired of them.

He entered his room one night. He was terribly exhausted and he wanted to rest right away. He looked at his slave whose wrists were still tied and was lying at the corner of his room. He turned his attention to his bed-- his inviting bed. He turned off the lamp, laid on his bed and immediately fell asleep.

A sound woke the young Prince. Although it was quite faint, he knew it was a woman crying. Paying more attention, he realized that it was the voice of his slave, Sakura, who was crying. She was whispering some names.

"Mother... I-Ino..." She cried.

Then he heard her humming a lonely tune. Her voice slowly faltering.

The girl must be home-sick, he concluded. He suddenly grew worried about the girl. He didn't realize that she was missing her family and friends. He wanted to help her but what could he do? Comfort her? The girl wouldn't even let him touch her. He could do nothing. He just laid there, listening to the girl's voice. It would not let him sleep.

Hours have passed but still the Prince can't get himself back to sleep. He kept on thinking about that girl. Staring at her still figure. She had ceased crying and was now fast asleep.

With so much gentleness, he stood up, untied the girl and scooped her in his arms. He could smell her sweet scent that gently caressed his nose. He admired her face for about a minute. How beautiful and gentle she looked while asleep! She also looked beautiful when awake-- beautiful but dangerous.

He laid her on his bed. It must have been hard for her to sleep on the floor for days. He laid beside her and just kept on looking at her face. The girl stirred a little but didn't wake up. He was surprised when she snuggled closer to him, seeking his warmth. He never felt that nervous for quite a long time. What was making him feel that way?

Sasuke slowly placed his arms around her. Sakura buried her head on his chest. He could feel her warmth. Never in his life had he been so 'kind' to a slave. He never let anyone sleep on his bed. What was with his sudden change? There was something in her, he knew, but just didn't know what. Something special.. Something different.

Moving against his own will, he gently took her chin and placed a light kiss on her nose. Her skin was soft. Was she really a peasant? How did she maintain such flawless skin?

"Sakura, you are indeed different." He whispered. "But why?"

He held her closer to him. He inhaled her sweet scent before drowning into another sleep with that special girl.

OMG! Thanks for the review! I never thought that you'd like it! It's so encouraging. Announcement: Since a lot of reviewers voted for SasuSaku, I officially declare this a SasuSaku fic! (That's why I'm gonna change the summary)

I hope you'll keep on supporting me! I love you all!