Umm… I'm back, so I guess I'm not dead. Neither have I abandoned this story. I'm simply… lazy. Yeah. Let's go with that.
When the future marchioness of Spindale was ushered into the parlour of the Haruno residence by a servant the next morning, she expected to be greeted warmly by a serenely smiling Sakura—perhaps still a little smug from the day before, but calm and happy nonetheless.
She certainly did not expect the pink-and-red whirlwind that threw itself into her arms.
"Tenten!" Sakura wailed piteously into Tenten's shoulder. "Thank heavens you're here! I've been going out of my mind since last night!"
"Sakura?" Startled, the brunette drew back to look Sakura fully in the face. She quietly observed the faint shadows under the other girl's eyes and the way her movements indicated fatigue. "What's wrong, dear?"
"My plan…" The reply was given in a mournful tone of voice.
Tenten cocked her head curiously. "What about it?" she wanted to know. "It was going perfectly, last I knew. Or are you regretting it already?"
"Regret it?" Sakura looked taken aback. "Good heavens, no! In fact, that is precisely what kept me up all night."
Abruptly, her sleeve was snatched up and used to drag her into a lavishly decorated sitting room, where she was pushed down onto a gold embroidered couch.
"Explain," was Tenten's only order, but her curt command belied the twinkle in her eyes.
Sakura hid her face in a pillow, which caused her voice to come out slightly muffled. "I keep thinking about it," she moaned into her cushion. "I keep thinking about what will happen if it fails. I'll have to marry Sasuke!"
Tenten's keen ears caught the prickle of disgust in her voice that had certainly not been present the day before; but she said nothing, opting instead to listen and wait for Sakura to tell her on her own.
The day before, Sakura had been all calm acceptance at the idea of marriage to Sasuke; today she was all riled up! What had happened? She thought she had a clue, and Sakura's subsequent words confirmed her thoughts.
"Tenten, what will I do if I've messed up somewhere? If I have to marry Sasuke, I think I'll die!"
Tenten grabbed Sakura's flailing arms and restrained then gently. "I'd tell you," she baited teasingly, "but you wouldn't believe me."
She was surprised when Sakura moaned and placed the back of her hand against her eyelids. "Don't tell me I'm enamoured of Itachi," she pleaded.
"What? You realised it yourself?"
Sakura gave another, drawn-out moan. "I told you not to tell me that! I've been hearing it in my head all night, and…"
Tenten cocked an eyebrow. "Well, if everyone is saying it, then there must be a grain of truth somewhere, sweeting."
"But he doesn't want to marry me!" Sakura wailed helplessly.
Tenten's brow ruffled with irritation. "You do sound so much like a character from one of those sophomoric romance novels," she snapped, losing patience. "If you really think that way, then don't marry him. Tell his mother you won't marry him, and that will be that. He will be happy, and you won't have to worry about him hating you."
As Sakura looked up, she raised a finger. "But wait," she cautioned. "Where will that leave you? You will be unhappy, and your happiness is worth more than his a hundredfold. Be sure that he does not want to marry you, and then—and only then—should you decide."
"Thank you, Tenten." Sakura dried her tears and gave a small smile. "I suppose I should pay him a visit, then. Will you and Neji come with me?"
Tenten hesitated. "Oh, Sakura, I have an appointment with the seamstress for the wedding gown! What should I do…" she muttered mournfully. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "I shall ask Lady Hinata to accompany you! Will that suit you? She is so much better at dealing with prissy heirs than I am anyway."
"It will suit me wonderfully!" Sakura replied. "My carriage will drop you off, and I shall run inside to beg Hinata to go with me!"
Hinata agreed once the situation had been laid out before her (and, knowing the limits of propriety, made sure to take a manservant with them to prevent scandal), and they set off for the Uchiha property promptly.
"Breathe," she cautioned Sakura. "It will not do to have you faint before everyone."
Sakura gave a shaky laugh as they both stepped up to the doorway. "Is the marquess at home?" she inquired of the butler who answered the door.
"And who may I say is calling?" The respectful question went unanswered as Lady Uchiha herself came to the door.
"It is all right," she told him, beckoning the two young ladies in. "Itachi is in here. Follow me, please, Lady Hyuuga, Lady Haruno."
Itachi's eyes widened as they were ushered into the lavishly decorated room. "How may I serve you?" he asked, reaching out a hand a languidly taking a sip of wine. He cocked his head and waited.
"I have come to withdraw my offer to Lady Uchiha," Sakura said firmly. "I will not ask you to marry me."
There was a snort, and only then did Sakura notice the Duke and Duchess of Sixwood sitting beside Itachi.
"Is it not generally the man who asks the woman?" the duke wondered aloud.
"It generally is," Her Grace answered, absently toying with her teacup. She stopped abruptly and put it down, her flat gaze coming to rest on Sakura. "I am baffled."
Sakura shrugged; she was well aware that they knew exactly what was going on—had counted on their interference, in fact. However, much as she feared Lady Konan's heavy-lidded eyes would see through to the heart of her plan, she still retained her genteel manners.
"I simply mean to say that I am well aware of I—Lord Itachi's reluctance to marry me," she said placidly. "I do not wish to make an enemy of the Marquess of Mirrorwood."
"I daresay you will end up making an enemy of the Duchess of Fanshire instead," Lord Pein remarked dryly, just as Lady Konan gave a smile that did not reach her eyes and asked lightly, "So is Itachi afraid of being tied down to a woman?"
Itachi, taunted by his superior, saw the bait and took it anyway. "Lady Haruno, you may expect me to call on you tonight, after supper."
Three voices broke out into speech at once.
"I refuse to let you court me simply to soothe your wounded male ego—"
"Oh, Itachi, I knew you'd finally come around and see things my way—"
"Mother, may I borrow—" Sasuke shut his mouth and fled before his mother could drag him into the fray.
It was Hinata whose clear voice cut effortlessly through the chaos. "All of you, listen to me, please!" When they all turned to level their gazes on her, she sighed.
"Lord Itachi, Sakura—that is, Lady Sakura—came to tell you that you need not trouble yourself about marrying her. It is quite rude of you to change your mind at this moment; not to mention inconvenient and confusing. If you insist on courting Lady Sakura, you must give your word, here ad now, before the others and myself, that you will remain steadfast in courting her and that you will marry her once the courtship is over. Sakura, calm down. You want to marry Itachi, or have you forgotten? Lord and Lady Sixwood, your comments are accurate as usual but unnecessary at the moment. Lady Uchiha, I believe your younger son was looking for you." Having spoken thusly and addressed each party, Hinata sat down beside Lady Konan.
"Sasuke can wait," Lady Uchiha said dismissively. "What I do not understand is why you two—Lady Haruno and Itachi, that is—insist upon dancing circles around each other. Just when Itachi gives in and decides he wants to court Lady Haruno, she decides she no longer wants him!"
"I would like very much for my lord to court me," Sakura cut in sharply. "However, as of now his only wish is to disprove the notion that he cannot survive being married. Once he succeeds to his satisfaction, am I to expect him to settle down and stay faithful to me?"
"My son has more honour than you give him credit for!" Lady Uchiha exclaimed, unconsciously taking a step toward Sakura.
The young heiress had had enough. "Before me there were at least three married countesses, one betrothed viscountess, and an untitled lady, all seduced and then discarded in one year's time," she recited quietly, counting them off on fingers that shook with suppressed emotion. "I have a different notion of honour. My position affords me some allowances. My lord will court me because of his feelings toward me, or he will not court me at all. Good day."
Hinata stayed just long enough after Sakura had swept grandly out to see Lady Uchiha turn with fire in her eyes to her eldest son.
"Itachi, you are going to marry that woman."
His succinct reply startled the older woman.
"Yes, mother. I am."
Sakura wondered just how fast the man could travel. She had been handed out of the carriage after returning Hinata to the Hyuuga household and made her way upstairs, anticipating an empty room and a chance to cool off—
—only to find none other than Itachi Uchiha standing by her bed.
"I could scream and rouse the whole household, you know," she offered dryly.
"You could," he admitted. "But you won't."
She lifted an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"You won't," she repeated, "because you will have no breath left to make so much as a sound after I finish with you."
Before she could demand an explanation to his words, he swooped down and captured her mouth with his, cupping her face in his large, slender hands as she gasped in shock.
The part of her mind not being submersed in his clear rainwater and pine scent placed her hands on his chest in a vain attempt to push him away.
Unsurprisingly, it was futile; her eyes widened as he closed one of his hands around hers, pulling her even closer.
The thumb of the hand still on her face stroked her cheek gently as he finally pulled back, gazing at her with an unreadable emotion in his dark, fathomless eyes.
Then he smirked slowly, and she could think of nothing but those onyx orbs and his fine-boned, patrician features.
"I trust you will not scream?" he inquired blandly, squeezing her hand.
She smiled back. "I don't know," she replied, panting slightly.
"Then I shall have to convince you," he told her before tugging her back to him, and his tongue swept all the thoughts from her mind but those of him.
When he finally let her go, he steadied her by holding her shoulders until her legs solidified to the point where she could stand on her own. Even when she straightened up, his hands did not leave her, sliding down instead to rest lightly on her upper arms.
"What must I do to prove to you that I court you not in response to Lady Konan's words but out of my fondness for you?"
She trembled slightly as his whispered words reached her.
"Sakura?" he murmured, pressing his lips to her temple.
She sighed and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her cheek against his broad chest. "You need not do anything," she told him softly. "Your word is… enough for me, I suppose."
His chuckle reverberated through her. "You sound unsure."
"I was wondering if perhaps I should take my words back," she quipped back with a cheeky grin. "And wondering just how many people will drop dead of shock. This is unexpected, after all."
He smirked back. "I suppose we shall find out tonight. Expect me at your door around dusk."
"You came here just to tell me this?" She looked at him enquiringly.
His eyes fluttered closed for a moment. "I also wanted to kiss you," he admitted. "I will be doing all I can to be on my best behaviour, but you must not tempt me, Sakura."
"Oh?"
"Your parents would not be pleased," he warned her sternly. "I would not object at all, mind; but I think I have a better chance if I do not… misbehave."
She blushed at his tone and averted her eyes to escape his smouldering gaze.
He chuckled at her discomfort and gathered her even closer in his arms. "I have a feeling this evening will be very interesting."
Sakura smiled up at him. "You look so expectant," she whispered. "How can I disappoint?"
"You look much better than you did this morning," Sakura's father remarked in faint surprise when his daughter appeared for the midday repast.
She glanced up at him quickly, but only shrugged with a somewhat resigned air (she supposed she really must love Itachi, if the anticipation of his visit affected her enough that her father noticed) before taking a seat.
Patting her lips daintily with a napkin, the countess gave her daughter a knowing look, her eyes twinkling. "Your father and I are planning to visit a few friends—"
"They are not friends," the earl said stiffly.
"—acquaintances, then," the countess amended. "I would like it if you could finish the embroidery on the cloth that I gave you a while ago. I have yet to see it completed. However, you may expect us back in time for supper. I trust any visitors you may have will arrive after supper?"
Sakura wondered briefly if her mother had some way of knowing her thoughts. Startled, she stammered out an apposite reply and excused herself.
The earl looked back and forth between his wife and his rapidly retreating daughter before deciding he needn't care and returning to his food.
His countess hummed thoughtfully, pondering on her daughter's abrupt exit. The way Sakura had reacted to a casual set of instructions given more out of habit than necessity implied that she was, indeed, expecting a visitor. The flush on her cheeks told the countess it was probably a male visitor.
But whom could it be? The Marquess of Spindale was really the only man Sakura saw on a daily basis, but he was engaged to be married to Lady Tenten. Could it be Sasuke Uchiha? Lady Haruno pursed her lips in concentration. Or Kabuto? He was a fine match for Sakura, but something told her it was not the best choice.
She shook herself and told herself firmly not to worry. Whomever it was, they would find out soon enough. With that thought in mind, she rose from her seat and drifted upstairs to get ready to go out.
Sakura listened to her mother muttering to herself as she walked past. She raised an eyebrow curiously but said nothing. While she loved her mother dearly, sometimes it was better to leave her to her own devices.
Upon hearing her parents' departure, she dug the embroidery her mother hand mentioned from the rest of her projects, which were all of varying levels of completion, and sat meditatively by her window, her fingers flying automatically. The pattern was relatively simple, and she had only to glance down once in a while to ensure that she was following the lines her mother had laid down on the cloth for her to follow.
She would have loved dearly to let her imagination wander with the thread, but this was a sleeve for a gown her mother was designing, and it had been emphatically repeated that both sides must match perfectly; therefore she was not, for any reason, to stray off the pattern that had been painstakingly marked on the pristine, pearly cloth.
It was beautiful, with a sheen that glistened like shimmering mother-of-pearl; when she had expressed a wish for a gown of the same cloth, her mother had merely given a smile that Sakura had taken to mean that it was too expensive. Her fingers stroked the cloth lovingly as she drew the silk thread through it, reveling in the texture as she smoothed out the edges.
She had been embroidering pieces of the gown but had never actually seen the pattern, the rest of which was hidden in Lady Haruno's room. Time slipped past her as she tried to imagine the completed dress, and the slam of the door that announced her parents' return startled her out of her reverie.
Carefully setting aside the sleeve, she was just joining her parents at the base of the staircase when a soft knock at the door prompted a manservant to hurry to answer it.
Lady Haruno gave a muffled gasp and her husband stiffened at the sight of the notorious Marquess of Mirrorwood standing in the doorway. Sakura caught her fainting mother, gestured for a maid to bring smelling salts, and patted her father's arm absently as she smiled brilliantly at Itachi.
"Won't you come in?" she asked him sweetly.
He glanced at her now-revived mother and statuesque father, his eyes sparkling with amusement, and looked warmly at Sakura.
"Why, thank you," he nodded, and stepped inside.
You know, she was supposed to shout at him and make this huge dramatic scene: "Fine, then, let's get married!" "Fine, then, I'll marry you!" "Fine!" And it was supposed to be this whole shouting match between Itachi and Sakura… But look how they ended up. He seduced her. They have a mind of their own, I swear…