Author's Note: Just as a warning, this chapter contains very crude language from a certain character (I'm betting you can guess who it is).

The uncertainty of what would happen to her kept Sakura awake throughout the night, especially since she couldn't let go of the fear that the following day would be her last. Perhaps she was only getting herself worked up over nothing, but when the evening ultimately transitioned to morning - although it was difficult to know exactly when that was, due to the lack of sunlight in Nohr - she did her best to savor the occasion, just in case.

Apparently, Prince Leo had left The Nohrian Rose last night without first pretending to lie with another courtesan. That had surprised Sakura - she'd been certain that the prince would complain about her "services" and seek out another girl, in order to keep his secret safe. But even so, his decision to refrain from choosing someone else wouldn't be enough to save her. It would only be a matter of time before Madam Daniela examined her to see if her maidenhood was still intact, since her mistress would want to ensure that the prince had sufficiently… enjoyed himself last night. And when it became evident that he hadn't…

The outcome of Sakura's fate would ultimately depend on how cruel the madam planned to be. If word got out that the prince was displeased with his selection, it would be extremely damaging to the reputation of The Nohrian Rose, possibly even something that the brothel could never recover from. Maybe that's why Prince Leo had felt comfortable leaving last night instead of choosing another courtesan… yes, the madam could blackmail him if she chose to, but he could blackmail her just as easily in return. Their mutual silence would therefore be beneficial to both parties.

Of course, if that happened, then Madam Daniela would want to take care of any loose ends…

Namely, her.

In any case, Sakura didn't expect Madam Daniela to be very charitable with her once the events of last night were made known.

Would the madam go so far as to kill her, though? Sakura certainly didn't want to die - the thought terrified her, to be honest - but she also couldn't bring herself to be too upset at the possibility. Her life had always been exhausting, and she'd never known much of anything aside from cruelty. She had no family, and because of the constant instability in her life, she'd learned long ago that it hurt too much to make any friends… friends that she would ultimately have to say goodbye to. With all that in mind, she had to admit that there was something alluring about the peace that death would bring.

Even so, she was still afraid to lose her life, however lonely and difficult it had become, and she dreaded facing her punishment.

The door to the courtesans' quarters suddenly shot open, causing the girls who'd still been sleeping to stir. It was Madam Daniela, of course, and as the woman glared at her, Sakura knew that it was finally time for her to meet her fate.

"Sakura!" the madam snapped. "Come with me. Put on that white dress you wore yesterday. And bring all of your things."

Sakura trembled. If she was to take her all belongings, then clearly Madam Daniela did not mean for her to return here. Even so, she obediently did as she was told while the other girls watched on curiously. There was no sense in resisting the madam, after all… it would probably just serve to make her punishment - her death - even more painful.

As she carried her small satchel and followed Madam Daniela into the main parlor, she was surprised to see that Prince Leo's retainer was there. Niles, the prince had called him…

"Well, here she is," the madam told him. "And with not a mark on her, just as I promised."

"Staves can hide marks," the man noted. He then got close to Sakura - too close - and she reflexively stiffened. "Tell me, girl… did this woman touch you last night? And I mean… anywhere?" His eyes drifted suggestively downward, leaving the intent of his question clear.

"My lord was most explicit in his instructions," he continued. "I'd hate to think of what might happen if he was disobeyed. He really doesn't like other people touching his things…"

His… things?

"I already gave the prince my word last night," the madam huffed. "You have no right to insult me in such a manner!"

"I'll speak to you in any way I damn well please. I'm the retainer to Prince Leo, after all," he snarled. "Although, if you're that upset about it, you can try petitioning the prince with your complaint. I'm sure that he'll care - deeply."

Madam Daniela narrowed her eyes at him, but Niles seemed unfazed.

"Now, I'll ask you again," he said seriously, returning his attention to Sakura. "Did she touch you?"

"N-no, she didn't," Sakura answered, blushing as she did so.

"See? It's as I said."

"Ah, but that's too bad," Niles sighed, seeming disappointed. "I was hoping to start off my morning with a little pain… but, it's of no consequence. We should be going now, as it were."

Going? But where?

Madam Daniela cleared her throat. "And what of the matter of the finder's fee? It's the custom when someone chooses one of my girls as their concubine to pay one. I will be losing out on all her future income, after all."

Sakura's eyes widened into saucers. A… concubine? Did that mean that she was… that she was to be Prince Leo's concubine?

But that was… impossible…

She suddenly felt as if she might faint.

"Send your bill to the castle - it'll be paid in full," Niles promised. "But if I were you, I'd take care to ensure that it's a fair price. My master can be quite unforgiving when he finds cause for it… "

His mouth flipped upward into a mischievous smile as the madam huffed once more, yet Sakura couldn't help but shiver at his words. Last night, Prince Leo had been kind to her… but could that change if she one day angered him? And now that she was to apparently be his concubine…

"Come now," Niles then said to her, and Sakura barely had the wherewithal to even nod. Without even sparing as much as a goodbye to the madam who'd always been so cruel to her, she followed Prince Leo's retainer outside where a carriage was waiting for them.

He took her satchel and handed it to the driver, then helped her inside.

As the carriage began to move, Sakura's anxiety started to grow. What was happening? Why would Prince Leo take her as a concubine? He clearly had no interest in bedding her, and it was ridiculous to think that he might have developed tender feelings for her after one night. So then… why?

"I can't even imagine what that woman is going to charge for her 'finder's fee,'" Niles scoffed, garnering Sakura's attention. "After what she charged for you last night… well, I could have fucked half the whores in Nestra for that price, and their mothers."

Sakura turned bright red and looked away.

"Now, now, you can quit being so coy with me," Niles snorted with amusement, inching slightly closer to her. "Do you really expect me to believe that a virgin could have fucked my master as competently as you did last night? Please, woman, I know your game. So, tell me… what tricks of seduction did you use to manipulate someone as shrewd as my master into making you his concubine after just one taste, hmm? A skillful blow job, perhaps? Or… maybe you even let him in through the back door, you naughty thing?"

She didn't think it was possible for her face to grow any warmer, but it did, and Sakura abruptly wished that she were anywhere else right now than with this odious man.

"Ah, I see now," Niles practically purred into her ear. "You were playing hard to get, then… and of course, my master would have loved the challenge - the conquest. Truthfully, I would, too… in fact, I'd pay your ridiculous fee and fuck you myself just to see what all the fuss was about, if only my master wouldn't have my head for it."

He winked at her then, as if he'd only been trying to be flirtatious and playful this entire time. His behavior was inexcusable and he truly disgusted her, but she quickly came to the realization that Niles believed she was a con woman, some kind of coquette.

In any case, Sakura was relieved when they finished their descent toward Castle Krakenburg and the carriage ride finally came to an end. Niles told her to leave her meager belongings behind - they would apparently be delivered to her chambers - and he led her into the castle.

Although the decor was rather grim and dark, as if to intimidate its visitors, the Nohrian castle was more luxurious than anything Sakura had ever seen. She tried not to gawk as she walked through its ornate halls, but she had to consciously remind herself to keep her mouth closed.

… She also tried very hard to ignore the stares and whispers of the Nohrian nobles that she passed.

Strangely enough, Niles brought her to a library, but it seemed to be a small, private one. In fact, as she glanced around at her surroundings, she realized that it wasn't even a library at all, but someone's personal study…

… Someone who must really love books.

"Wait here - Lord Leo will be with you shortly," Niles told her. "But, a word of warning to you first. I have no issue with you utilizing your - ahem - talents to better your station. If you simply seek to enrich my master's life with such carnal pleasures, then who am I to complain?"

But his impish gaze hardened in a mere instant.

"However… if you ever hurt my lord, physically or otherwise, then I won't hesitate to end your life. Don't ever forget that."

Even though she had no intention to hurt the prince, Sakura shivered at the threat.

The man then walked to the door, but turned to her again before exiting.

"… Oh, and in case you're wondering… should my lord need some instant relief today, then that desk over there is quite sturdy. I've tested it out myself on several occasions."

He winked at her before leaving. Only after the door closed did she grasp what he meant, and she turned a deep shade of red. She then came to the conclusion that if she never saw Niles again, it would still be too soon. Merciful gods, perhaps she might have even been better off facing whatever Madam Daniela had planned for her than coming here…

And for the second time that day, Sakura found herself fearing what the future would bring.

Leo entered his study to see that Sakura was there waiting for him, just as Niles had promised. But even though her presence wasn't a surprise, her reaction to him was. Once he closed the door, she started to back away from him, as if she were afraid of what he might do to her, and he raised an eyebrow at her curious behavior.

Perhaps erroneously, he'd thought that they'd come to something of an understanding last night - she'd even told him at one point that she found him to be kind - but he supposed her situation and station forced her to always be wary of others.

"You needn't fear me, Sakura," he assured her, trying to put her at ease. "I realize that you must be confused right now, but I promise you that you'll come to no harm here."

"But… w-why am I here, my lord?" she wondered, unable to meet his gaze. "Madam Daniela, and your servant… they said I'm to be your c-concubine. Yet, that can't be t-true… can it?"

He smirked at her. "Yes, it's true… well, in a manner of speaking, I suppose. It was the only thing I could think of in such short notice, at least, to get you away from that wretched place."

"Get m-me away?" she echoed, clearly confused. "But, why would you… ?"

"If you recall, I got you into something of a predicament last night while trying to eschew my father's wishes, so getting you out of said predicament was the least I could do," he explained. "I didn't know what that vicious harpy - your madam, I mean - would do to you if she discovered the truth of what happened, so I reasoned that it would be best to just remove you from the situation entirely."

"I-I… you… um, that was very c-considerate of you, my lord," she told him, looking a bit shell-shocked. "But… what will happen to me now?"

"Well, I suppose that you'll have to decide whether or not you wish to be my concubine - in name only, of course," he told her. "If I had any desire to bed you, I would have just done so last night and saved us both this headache. "

"I'm to decide?" she repeated. "But, you already agreed to p-purchase me from the madam, my lord. Or… do you intend to return me to the brothel if I refuse to be your concubine?"

His eyes softened at her evident terror. "I'll pay that woman's fee, regardless of what you choose to do," he assured her. "As long as you don't want to, you'll never have to return to that brothel - I'll see to that much. Yet, that doesn't mean I own you, Sakura. Slavery is forbidden in Nohr, after all. If you choose to leave here and seek out other prospects - perhaps you have a family somewhere that you can return to? - then I won't stop you."

"I… I have no f-family, nor any other prospects, my lord," she admitted, bringing her gaze to the ground. "But if you don't wish to bed me, then what would being your c-concubine entail?"

Leo considered the question. "Well, unfortunately we'd need to put on a convincing charade in order to avoid raising any eyebrows around court… mainly from my father," Leo told her, sighing slightly. His father could be hard and unforgiving, and if he came to find out the lengths that Leo had gone to just to help a prostitute, then King Garon would find a way to punish him and kill the girl just to teach him a lesson.

"Initially, I may need to spend a few nights every week in your chambers," he continued, watching as she paled. "Don't worry, Sakura - it will be a sleeping arrangement only. And after some time, perhaps even within the year, I can visit your room less and less until the visits stop completely. It isn't uncommon for a nobleman to tire of a concubine eventually, as it were."

"I s-see, my lord," she responded, appearing relieved by his assurances.

"However, as inconvenient as it will be for you, don't forget what you'll be gaining," he continued. "Generally, a concubine holds less status than a legal wife; however, because I'm not married, you will be the de facto wife of a prince, and will be treated as such. You will be free to spend your days seeking out whatever activities may please you. Furthermore, you will have riches and comforts beyond what you would ever need, and you will never go hungry. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you will have the protection of my name. You spent your days at the brothel living in fear, but no one would ever dare touch or harm the concubine of a prince of Nohr."

All of this information seemed to overwhelm her, and for a moment, he worried that she might faint.

Just in case, he stepped closer to her. But she didn't faint, and instead her wide eyes met his, as if she were desperately trying to read what was in them.

"And you, m-my lord?" she then asked. "This arrangement must b-be an inconvenience for you as well. So what will you gain from it?"

The question surprised him, and because he'd been caught off guard, it wasn't long before painful memories started to surface.

He knew exactly what he was seeking to gain… redemption. But that was as far as he let himself consider it before burying such agonizing thoughts.

"That's none of your concern," he answered, perhaps more harshly than he'd intended. But considering how timid she'd been, he was surprised that his tone hadn't scared her. Instead, her expression was one of concern - concern for him - and he suddenly found that he was unable to look away from her.

… Foolish. He scolded himself internally for getting caught up in the moment, and went to his desk to grab the paperwork he'd drawn up last night. He then beckoned her to come to him, clearing his throat before he again spoke.

"Like a marriage, the relationship of a concubine and a noble is legally binding," he told her. "Fortunately, a ceremony is not required. However, documents must be signed in order to demonstrate each party's consent. So, have you come to a decision yet, Sakura? Do you consent to being my concubine?"

She nodded, blushing as she looked away. "Your offer is v-very generous, my lord."

"Leo," he corrected. "If you're to be my concubine, then you will need to use my name."

He couldn't help but smile as her blush deepened - it was an endearing mannerism of hers, to be sure - but eventually, she nodded again.

After penning his own signature, he pointed to where she should sign. "Just an 'X' will do if you don't know how to sign you name," he told her.

"I can sign my name," she informed him. "I know how to read and write, my lo- … Leo."

That surprised him, but it pleased him as well, and he watched as she put her name on the document.

"And so it's done," he told her, collecting the papers with little fanfare. "I'll file these with the court today. In the meantime, I'll have one of my retainers show you to your chambers."

"… Niles?" she inquired, and his eyebrow rose once again as she started fidgeting.

Leo bit back a sigh. It probably would have been better for him to have sent Odin to collect her this morning, but he'd needed someone that could appropriately handle the ruthless madam. Yet apparently Niles had come on too strongly, as he often tended to do, and now it seemed that Sakura was terrified of him…

"Niles is busy at the moment doing some other tasks for me," Leo lied, the words coming out smoothly even though they were false. "I'll send my other retainer, Odin, to you instead."

Her countenance calmed at that, and he took that as a promising sign.

"I'll take my leave of you now," he told her. "You'll have a few days to settle in and become accustomed to your new life here, but I'll have to visit your chambers by Friday night to avoid raising any suspicions. However, if you have any issues or concerns, don't hesitate to find me. We may be bound to each other on paper only, but I still plan to take my responsibilities toward you seriously."

"Y-yes, my… Leo."

He could feel his face warm as she called him "my Leo," even though it was obvious that she'd only been correcting herself after starting to call him "my lord." Still, it had sounded so… intimate.

As she realized her blunder, her own face turned bright red, and then she refused to even look at him.

Without even realizing it, he smiled.

"Goodbye, Sakura."

Sakura… it still felt strange to call her that. Whenever the name passed his lips, he had to resist the urge to chuckle, knowing that his amusement would only serve to offend her, like it had last night. But then again, everyone knew the tragic story of the youngest Hoshidan princess, Princess Sakura, who'd died when she was only an infant. The princess and her mother, Queen Ikona, had been mercilessly killed by bandits while traveling by carriage through the Hoshidan countryside - however, the body of the princess had never been found.

With the futile hope that his sister was still alive, the heir to the Hoshidan throne, King Ryoma - who'd been a mere boy at the time - had offered a handsome reward for any information regarding the whereabouts of his sister. As a result, there had been a slew of infant girls taken from orphanages and renamed "Sakura," whom greedy swindlers tried to present as the princess in order to claim the reward. But once it became evident to Ryoma that all the girls introduced to him were only products of these despicable cons, he'd cancelled the reward and held a funeral for the princess instead, declaring her officially dead.

It was apparent to Leo that his Sakura was one of those girls meant to pose as the Hoshidan princess… and when the tricksters who'd adopted her eventually came to find that they wouldn't get a payday for their efforts, they'd just ruthlessly abandoned her at the Nohrian border… or perhaps they'd sold her directly to black market slavers instead.

Yet even though she was just one of many Hoshidan girls her age who'd come to be known as "Sakura," Leo had to admit that the name suited her. Having been to Hoshido before on several diplomatic missions, he'd seen the beautiful pink trees that the late princess Sakura - and the resulting orphaned imposters - had been named after. But his Sakura's hair almost matched the color of the alluring cherry blossoms, as if in tribute to the stunning trees.

With a start, he realized then that he'd just thought of her twice as his Sakura. Leo scolded himself once again… and yet, he couldn't seem to deny that he felt oddly drawn to the girl. For Sakura to possess such a strength of heart in light of all the adversity she'd faced… he had to admit that she fascinated him. When she'd insisted to him last night that he not worry about her, even after she'd realized the danger of her situation… the truth is, he'd been moved by her selflessness. On a daily basis he encountered such filth within the Nohrian nobility, greedy aristocrats who took no issue with ruining the lives others, and those were people who'd been born with every advantage. In contrast, she was…

He scoffed at himself. Surely there was no point in entertaining such idle thoughts. Even if he did wish to court her one day in the future, to make her his concubine in more than just name only, that was the last thing Sakura needed. She'd already been through so much, and he didn't want her to end up like…

No, he had to ensure that their relationship remained one of convenience only, that he never overstepped his bounds. Sakura had earned a life of peace and comfort, and he'd see to it that she had it. That was the least he could do for her, and less than what someone like her deserved.

… And maybe someday, that would be enough for him to finally be able to forgive himself.

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, but I've been putting most of my focus on Portal. Even so, some of you said really nice things about the story, so I had to make sure to get another chapter out. If you're still enjoying it (or even if you're not!), please let me know :).