A/N: (Updated: March 10th 2021)

Hello my lovely readers! I hope this update serves as a nice surprise for you. I was not planning on updating this quickly as I am preparing for fall semester that starts next week, but after receiving so many wonderful reviews, let's just say it totally sparked my inspiration and I just had to keep writing - this story is fully outlined already, just the writing bit is not done =D. That said, please bear in mind that because I am full-time university student, my updates will slow down - I mean it hasn't even started and I already have assigned readings to do, _ annoying. Anyways, A BIG BIG THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HAVE LEFT ME REVIEWS! You guys are amazing! I am very happy that you are enjoying my story. Without further ado...

This story is rated R for a reason - you have been warned!

HAPPY READING! ^_^

Chapter 6. A Shrine of Mercy

"This is preposterous! I am not a Senju! My last name is Haruno, and I have met the Uchiha for the first time only over a week ago!"

"Quiet!" the daimyō demanded.

"I will not be quiet when you are talking about who I am! I am Haruno Sakura. I am twenty-two years old, and I am a physician. My parents are Haruno Kizashi and Sugihara Mebuki," Sakura began as she took a step forward towards the daimyō Adachi.

"Guard!" Adachi called.

"Sakura stand down, you'll only make it worse," Itachi said to her, barely a whisper as he stepped forward with her.

Sakura's eyes flicked from the daimyō to Itachi for a moment. How could he expect her to stand down? They were assuming that she was a Senju and here she was determined to prove that she was not. Her eyes searched his for a moment, as if she were searching for clarity, reassurance that he did believe her, that she could still trust him. When Itachi's gaze softened, her eyes quickly flashed back towards the daimyō.

"How dare you?! How dare you treat me like some criminal?! I have done nothing wrong! It is not my fault that my medical skills made the old doctor feel threatened. I have done my job! I saved lives! I have given my word to the Uchiha matriarch that I will serve as their doctor, therefore the only one I am required to report to is Uchiha-sama, so forgive my impudence but I do not recognize your authority over me!" Sakura declared angrily.

A small chuckle escaped from the daimyō's lips.

"Interesting," Adachi stated, clearly entertained by her outburst.

Suddenly, the main door to the council chamber opened once more, revealing a tall man in his mid-fifties. He was dressed in an elegant silver silk kimono, which was further adorned by colourful depiction of a tiger nestled in grass. He has spiky silver hair and piercing red eyes. His face was adorned with a red strip on each of his cheeks and on his chin. His attire was completed with the elegant white katana that remained attached to his hip. At first, the silver-haired man glanced at the young pinkette that stood between the crowd of Uchiha men. His eyes widened in shock — as if he had seen a ghost.

"Ah! Tobirama, it's about time. I believe there is someone who you'd like to meet," Adachi stated as a tall silver-haired man entered the council room, followed by three Senju guards.

"My little cherry blossom," Tobirama said, still as if in complete disbelief from seeing the young rosette before him.

Sakura took a step forward towards the silver-haired man.

"I'm sorry, but I do not know you. My name is Haruno Sakura, and I am from three hundred… leagues away," Sakura explained.

"Those green eyes and that rose-coloured hair… just like your mother, I'd know them anywhere," Tobirama said, completely disregarding Sakura's words.

"We can verify if she is a Senju by testing her chakra," the Nara clan head suggested.

"I am not Senju," Sakura said firmly, and her eyes fell on Itachi once more.

Their gaze met once more, leaving Itachi to offer a simple and subtle nod to her as he remained quiet. The remainder of the council members began to voice their opinions on the matter.

"The Uchiha are good for nothing thieves!" the head of the Hyūga clan announced.

"The Senju and the Uchiha are nothing but peace disruptors. The Uchiha are thieves whereas the Senju are witchcraft practitioners! They should be both removed from this council and from the city!" the head of the Shimura clan declared.

"The Uchiha stole my daughter from me! I am demanding that she is returned to me at once!" Tobirama exclaimed as he took a step towards the pinkette.

"Get it through your thick head! I am not your daughter and you are not my father! My father was a physician who passed away a few years ago. He was loving, caring man and wonderful father to me," Sakura stated angrily.

"They brainwashed her!" Tobirama exclaimed in anger," They stole my child and turned her against her own clan! I demand justice!"

"Haruno Sakura is under the protection of my clan Tobirama, and I will not permit you to besmirch my clan anymore," Fugaku growled as he stood from his seat once more.

"Your clan is the reason my daughter has been missing for more than two decades! You brought this on yourselves!" Tobirama snarled.

"Calm yourself little brother," Hashirama attempted to ease his brother's anger.

"I will not calm down! This here is proof of the Uchiha's treacherous actions twenty years ago!" Tobirama declared.

"You and your clan slaughtered my brothers!" Fugaku exclaimed in anger.

"Izuna and Madara had it coming, AND SO DO YOU!" Tobirama exclaimed angrily as he unsheathed his sword, followed by the Senju guards behind him.

In split of a second, the present Uchihas unsheathed their blades and pointed them towards the Senju. Itachi maneuvered Sakura to stand right behind him, as he watched Tobirama's sword-hand carefully. Hashirama stood from his council seat and made his way over to his younger brother, as if to attempt to assuage his brother's anger and hatred towards the Uchiha. This was madness.

"ENOUGH!"

"Tobirama put your blade away. This is no place for bloodshed," Hashirama attempted to calm his brother.

"They stole my daughter from me! They are still trying to keep her from me. Don't tell me what to do brother!" Tobirama snarled.

"ENOUGH! GUARDS!" Adachi yelled out and suddenly the council room was stormed with several guards.

"Sheathe your blades at once! There will be no bloodshed in this council room!" the daimyō exclaimed in anger.

"But Adachi," Tobirama started, raising his blade towards the Uchiha.

"That's Adachi-sama to you Tobirama! Do not test me! I have had it with your disrespect. The Uchiha and the doctor are free to leave. There is no crime here. The council is dismissed until further notice. Guards, escort them out," the daimyō stated and he motioned with his hand for the Uchiha to leave.

"This is not over," Tobirama said as he sheathed his sword.

"It's over," Fugaku replied, and he made his way towards his party.

"Let's go," he added as he looked towards the Uchiha formation.

As they descended from the castle, each step taking further away from the heated council chamber, Sakura felt her chest tighten. She was angry. She was frustrated. Her eyes glanced over to the Uchiha brothers. Did Sasuke see her as a Senju? It seemed that Itachi did not believe her or did he? That single moment, that single nod in silence when she declared herself not to be a Senju. Or did this Uchiha party of five now believed her to be a Senju? What was this feud between the Senju and the Uchiha? A child stolen from the Senju twenty years ago, a child they assumed to be her? It was as she said preposterous and impossible. She wanted to leave. She needed space to clear her thoughts. She needed answers but more than anything, she wanted to go home. Perhaps the shrine would offer the answers she sought. There would be no prayers, just demands.

"I'm sorry, but I need some time to clear my head. There's somewhere I have to go. I'll return to the compound on my own," Sakura said as they came towards the horses.

All of the Uchiha men glanced at her as they began to ready their horses.

"I don't think that's wise Haruno-san. You heard Tobirama. The Senju will not let this matter go. It's best for us to return to the compound at once," Fugaku replied.

"No, I need a moment alone. I need to pray," she glanced towards the gated shrine a little way off down the gravelled street.

"There could be bandits on the road," Nagao added.

"I do not care," Sakura replied.

"You do not know how to defend yourself," Itachi commented.

"I do not care!" she stated.

"If you require to visit the shrine Haruno-san, then I must insist that one of my men stay with you," Fugaku stated as he climbed on his horse.

"That's fine by me," Sakura agreed.

"Father, I will stay behind to make sure she returns home safely," Itachi offered.

"No, you are needed back at the compound," Fugaku replied, and he looked to his younger son.

Sasuke nodded and disembarked from his horse.

"I will stay with her, and I will make sure she returns back to the compound safely," Sasuke said.

"Very well. I expect you back before the nightfall. Let's go," Fugaku ordered, and he trotted off towards the city gate, followed by a reluctant Itachi, Nagao, and Keisuke.

As the rest of the Uchiha party disappeared, Sakura turned on her heel and began to walk away.

"Now, where are you going?" Sasuke asked as he looked at the pink-haired physician while holding the reigns to his horse.

"Home!" Sakura exclaimed, and she walked towards the shrine.

The moment they returned to the compound, Fugaku exhaled, his nerves finally calming down after the rather erratic experience in the daimyō's castle. He tried his hardest not to think of the Senju and their wild accusations. For him, it felt like he was reliving the nightmare from twenty years ago – how he lost his older brother Izuna at the hands of Tobirama, and how eventually this feud cost him his eldest brother Madara. He was not ready to delve into another vicious altercation with the Senju, but in his mind it seemed inevitable. The Senju would never give up, especially now when Tobirama declared Haruno Sakura as his child in front of the entire council. He exhaled deeply as they trotted through the compound. When they reached the stables, Fugaku was greeted by a familiar sight. There they were as usual, his wife and daughter, awaiting their safe return.

"Where's Sakura-chan?" Satsuki asked.

"She's with Sasuke in Niwamachi. They'll return before nightfall," Fugaku replied as he gave the reigns to his horse to the stable boy.

"I see. Well, I'll go finish preparing the herbs. I'm sure Sakura-chan will be happy when she comes back," Satsuki said cheerfully, and she quickly rushed towards the physician's home.

As Satsuki left and Nagao and Keisuke went about their duties, Fugaku turned to Itachi.

"You have a meeting with the nakōdo and the elders in the main hall. Be respectful when she presents you with the several potential choices for your bride," he said to his son.

Itachi got off his horse and exhaled," I understand."

With that simple statement, Itachi made his way towards the meeting hall. Shisui followed in step with him, accompanying him to the wolf den. As soon as Itachi disappeared with Shisui, Fugaku turned to his wife.

"How did it go?" Mikoto asked as Fugaku walked towards her.

"I'll tell you inside. Come," Fugaku said, and he extended his hand to his wife.

Mikoto gladly took it and together they entered their home. As they came to their room, Fugaku untied his blades and set them on the floor. Mikoto made her way towards the small table with the sake bottle and two empty cups. Fugaku sat down next to her, enjoying their moment of privacy.

"Homura has been taken care of. He dared to insult the Uchiha out in the open, and our Sasuke nearly struck him right there," Fugaku said with pride.

"That child. He's far too eager with that sword of his. Perhaps, it's time you do take him with you when it comes to fighting," Mikoto said as she took a seat and poured them a cup of sake each.

"I guess you're right. We can't shelter him for much longer, not with Itachi being married off and becoming more involved in clan head responsibilities. Especially now when it seems we will have to deal with Senju once again," Fugaku nodded as he took the filled glass and brought it to his lips, taking a sip.

"What do you mean?" Mikoto asked.

"Hashirama demanded Tobirama's presence at the council. They believe that Haruno is the child Izuna stole," he explained.

"What? That's ridiculous," Mikoto said shocked by his revelation.

"Yeah, that's what I said. Especially after I witnessed Haruno's reaction to the Senju claim. She was outraged. She stood up to the daimyõ and that ass Tobirama. She's a firecracker, like you," Fugaku commented which only brought a smile on Mikoto's face.

"Good, I'm glad to see that she can stand up for herself," she replied.

Prayers. That was something she did not need to think about right now. But maybe, the shrine would send her back. Besides, she was not here to offer any prayers. She was here to demand answers. As she reached the shrine's gate, she glanced up at the carved sign nestled at the top of the torii entryway.

This shrine is dedicated to the goddess Kannon.

"You have got to be kidding me," Sakura muttered under her breath.

How did she not notice that sign before? Then again, she was already so stuck in her routine that she did not even bother to see at who's shrine she was praying at. It might have been due to the fact that she was not a regular visitor to the shrine.

As she reached the main shrine, she noticed that she was alone. She ventured farther in, not collecting an incense but instead she took a step forward towards the statue of the goddess.

"I am not here to offer a prayer. I am here because I want to go home. Why did you send me to this cruel time? Aren't you supposed to be the goddess of mercy? MERCY! How is this a merciful act? I wish to return to my time. I do not belong here. I don't feel safe. I miss my mother, my friends, even my teacher at the hospital," Sakura began, her voice cracking weakly.

"Why am I here? Why? Is this some kind of a test? Or am I just a scrawny pawn in your game? Thrust into the middle of a feud between two clans? There's this crazy Senju who claims I'm his child, while the clan that actually took me in probably believes that I am some sort of spy. I need to go home, and I need to go now so please, work your magic or whatever it is and show me the gate!" Sakura yelled at the carved statue of Kannon.

She heard footsteps on the wooden floor that came to a stop when the person reached her. She glanced slightly to the side, noticing a messy raven-haired man next to her.

"I thought I made it clear that I do not wish to have company Sasuke," Sakura stated.

"If you haven't noticed, I tend to not listen to people's requests," Sasuke replied.

"I have noticed. You're rude, short-tempered, and very eager to swing your blade nearly at every opportunity," Sakura said as she looked back to the statue of the goddess, still hoping for a miraculous escape.

"You are under our clan's protection," he stated simply.

"Yeah, I've heard that many times. It didn't seem to matter when some other man claimed I was a part of their clan. I saw the look you gave me. Both of you," Sakura said, not even trying to look at him.

"What look?"

"The look that showed that you believed me to be a Senju. You looked at me as if I was a traitor," Sakura replied.

"If my brother or I would have believed you to be a spy, your pretty head would no longer be attached to your body Sakura."

His voice softened as he nearly whispered her name. A memory of his blade against her neck flashed before her eyes. She did not meet his eyes. Instead, she kept her focus on the stone shrine before her. Her eyes wandered towards the direction of the alley of torii gates — the same gates that transported her to this era. Perhaps, if she ran through it again, would it bring her home?

"Look, you may not like me and to be frank I do not care. I'll keep my distance if you want, but I'll make sure that you arrive home safely," Sasuke said as he turned to leave.

"Home? This place is not my home," Sakura blurted out.

"Hn, of that I am aware. However, you have been granted a place among our clan. Do not take this lightly. We do not bring outsiders into the compound. We haven't for a long time," Sasuke stated firmly.

"Now let's go Sakura," he added.

Sakura sighed and she turned to leave, falling in step with Sasuke. There was no path for her to take back home — she was stuck in this time period, and that was something she would have to come to terms with. It was best for her to stay with the Uchiha clan. She was already forming bonds with them – Satsuki, Mikoto, Itachi, and even this hot-head Sasuke.

"What did you mean when you said you wish to return to your time," Sasuke broke their silence as they made their way towards his horse.

"It's rude to listen in on someone else's prayer!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Usually, prayers are whispered to the gods. You on the other hand …" Sasuke trailed off for a moment before he continued," besides that didn't even sound like a prayer."

"Fine, fine, let's just get back to the compound. At least there's one Uchiha who's company I actually do enjoy," she mumbled.

When they reached his horse, he climbed on and then lowered his hand to her to help her get on. When she did not take his hand, he ran it through his messy hair, trying his hardest to remain calm — but this woman was simply frustrating.

"Will you get on my horse or are you insisting on walking all the way to the compound?" he asked impatiently.

"I'd rather you very much," Sakura replied.

He hopped off the horse and grabbed her with ease as he tossed her over the horse like a sack of potatoes.

"You are an annoying woman!" Sasuke stated as he got back on the horse and he held Sakura in place in front of him to make sure she would not slide off.

"I am not a sack of potatoes you can just fling on your horse," Sakura argued as she tried to turn to face him.

"You gave me no choice. Now, I'll help you sit up but do not waste more time. Let's go home," Sasuke said.

When she did not complain, he quickly maneuvered her to sit up side-saddle right in front of him, and he grasped the horses reins, motioning for it to go.

"You ass!" she mumbled under her breath.

"How very unlady-like of you. Such foul words leaving your mouth tsk. Now hold onto me unless you want to plummet off the horse," he smirked as she quickly grasped onto him as he made his way towards the Uchiha compound quickly.