Type: Mystery/Romance

Rating: PG-13 (for now)

Pairing: ItaSaku, other minor relationships

World: Alternate Universe

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any persons, places or other miscellaneous odds and ends attributed to the show or manga.

Chapter 6: Curiosity

Sakura woke the next morning to find that she'd slept much better than anticipated. The journey to Yuki was nothing; she'd been through much worse and had to walk every step, and stress was something all ninja lived with. She sighed softly and stood to find the white wolf sitting in the middle of the room. A gray wolf sat beside her, watching her with familiar blue eyes. It was still rather unnerving to be surrounded by wolves, but she figured in time she would become used to it.

"I see you slept rather well for all of the excitement you experienced," said the white wolf. Sakura nodded and stood awkwardly. She ran her hands up and down her thighs in a slightly nervous gesture and looked around the room curiously. "Your things are in the closet to your right, and when you've finished dressing we'll serve breakfast." The white wolf bowed and left. The gray wolf, however, stayed right where it was, tail wagging happily.

"Umm, can I help you?" Sakura asked. The animal jumped up and trotted over to Sakura's side.

"It's me, silly!"

"Arashi? But… you're a human! How can you be-?"

"I'll explain while you dress." Arashi nodded her head towards the closet and Sakura rolled her eyes, turning to gather a few items to change into. In it she was rather surprised to find all of her clothing neatly folded into several drawers. However, what shocked her was the beautiful collection of kimonos that hung in all shades of the rainbow. Some were simple and light while others seemed made for an empress. Another section of the closet was dedicated to winter wear, all in the correct size. Shoes of every imaginable shape, size and color lined the floorboards. It was filled with the things that dreams were made of. She felt her heart leap with every new discovery. Finally, not sure she could take anymore; Sakura turned and gaped at Arashi. Arashi, not at all interested in the contents of Sakura's closet said,

"Just pick something warm and informal. The kimonos are for special occasions and ceremonies. We have your ninja gear stored on the other side of the closet." Sakura looked to find that they had indeed put all of her gear in one large section. Her weapons were aligned by size and item, while her poisons, explosives, scrolls and medical supplies were placed in drawers. Her Jounin vest, skirt, shorts, boots and clan shirt were hung together. Sakura pulled on her thermal wear and reached for a long sleeved red shirt with her clan symbol on the front.

"So, explain why you're a wolf, Arashi." The animal nodded.

"Well, you've read about our people and so you know of our curse. There is a catch to it, however. The Wolf Summoning Clan realized that in order to function with other villages and act as ninja, we must have some human form to take on when needed. Thus, we take our human shape at night depending on the moon cycle." Sakura bent down and reached for some warm and fuzzy socks.

"The moon cycle?" Sakura murmured thoughtfully. "So…you're like werewolves?"

"In a way. We don't all get to turn into our human forms at the same time, and we don't become ferocious angry beasts on full moons. The catch has a catch, you know. The cycle dictates who gets to become human. The Yukikage turns human on the nights of no moon. The rest of us only get to become human on the nights of a full moon, and we only stay human until the moon disappears. The concept is pretty simple, and we follow the moon like the tides of the ocean. But, there is a jutsu we are able to perform. This gives us our humanity for seven days exactly, though it does come with a price." Sakura looked over at the silver wolf and saw sadness in those expressive eyes.

"A price? What happens?" Arashi cocked her head.

"From what I was told, I will not be able to be human again for seven months. This jutsu costs a month as a wolf for every day we are human. That means I can't use the jutsu, and I can't turn on the nights of a full moon. I will have to accompany my team as an animal companion during missions." Arashi immediately saw the forlorn expression on Sakura's face and was quick to reassure her new mistress. "It won't be so bad."

However, her assurances did nothing to alleviate the sorrow Sakura felt for Arashi's sake. She still felt awful, but Arashi jumped up, her tail wagging. It was obvious just from her demeanor that the gray wolf was not going to let anything get her down. It brought a small smile to Sakura's lips just seeing Arashi's exuberance. "Let's go to breakfast! I'm starving!" The girl watched as the large wolf danced away, deciding she would pursue their conversation later.

Breakfast was a rather quiet affair as the wolves had eaten much earlier. Sakura picked at her meal of bacon, eggs and toast, slowly sipping her tea from time to time. She missed morning breakfast with Naruto, which consisted of sitting at Ichiraku and trying to down one bowl of pork ramen while her brother polished off his second. Arashi curled at Sakura's feet, her warm fur adding to the insulation of the fuzzy pink socks the young kunoichi wore. Sakura reached down and scratched the animal's ear and smiled when she rubbed her head against Sakura's knee.

"Milady, does your breakfast not please you?" Sakura looked up to see Nadare sitting at the edge of the table. Her face held a look of concern, which surprised Sakura. She was not prepared to see human emotions on an animal. She smiled and shook her head.

"Of course not! This food is great... I apologize, Nadare-san. I am simply not hungry this morning." Nadare snorted.

"I did not think of that. Don't worry, Sakura-sama. If you are not hungry, would you care for a tour of Yuki?"

"Now?" It was mid morning, but one look out the windows and it seemed as dark as evening. The wind howled as it whipped around the buildings. Sakura shivered at the sound, feeling chilled though she was well covered. Nadare laughed.

"Now is nothing compared to late winter. There are days we can't get out of our homes."

"Those are the days we dig to the different buildings in the village. We make tunnels to connect everyone, and then it's like an underground city!" Arashi seemed excited by this while Sakura felt only apprehension.

"The snow gets that high?"

"Yes. Don't worry though. When it is summer, we do not have any snow and the mountains and forests are green and beautiful. You will find that it is not so bad here." Sakura smiled softly, deciding that she would make it to summer. She would learn to love this place and the people here.

"I think a tour would definitely be wonderful, Nadare-san." The white wolf nodded and instructed Arashi to dress Sakura appropriately. When they were gone, Fuyu slid open the door leading to the kitchens and came to sit beside his mate. Itachi followed behind, Hyouzan leading him. Nadare sighed.

"I don't like this, Fuyu. She is an innocent girl. She should not have to sacrifice everything she loves for someone she doesn't know." Fuyu rolled his eyes.

"We've been over this, Beloved. She is a part of the prophecy that has been in our family for generations. Many kunoichi before her have done the same thing, and I am sure many more after her will continue to carry out the tradition. She did not come into this blindly. You must accept that she will be strong enough." Nadare heard the words of her mate and knew them to be true, but she would have her say before it was all over and done with. She then turned to Itachi, watching him with disapproving eyes.

"And you, my son." Nadare raising a delicate paw and pointed it in the direction of her adopted human son. "You must stop avoiding her. This morning would have been a perfect time to greet her. It should be you who gives her the tour, not me. You have bandages and a cloak that keep your face hidden, and I do not believe she will ever guess your identity until it is too late. You must at least introduce yourself before the marriage ceremony."

"I have no desire to become attached to her. As soon as she gives me my sight I will allow her to return to her village. I will not ask her to remain here. It would be better for all of us."

"But the prophecy-"

"The prophecy does not say we must remain together after the marriage. She will be allowed to return home. I have nothing more to say in the matter." The wolves were silent as Itachi stood.

"At least agree to meet with her tonight. It is just poor manners that you have not done so before now. Your mother would have been appalled, Itachi." The chastisement worked as Nadare knew it would as Itachi finally acquiesced to her pleading.

"Tonight then. I will meet with her after the evening meal. Until then I do not want to see her." With that, Itachi was gone. Nadare growled softly and stalked off to find Sakura and Arashi. Fuyu sat alone in the dining room, wondering at the difficulties of life.

Nadare soon found that Sakura was very interested in history and, like most girls, loved the shopping district.

"Konoha's shopping district is pretty small compared to this." Sakura's voice held a note of awe as she took in her surroundings. They had been walking along, trying to remain inside as much as possible. There was so much to see that Nadare had to promise to come back again soon. Sakura, after having stood in the protection of a small café, wandered over to a brightly colored store that boasted ninja gear and weapons. She walked inside without hesitation, leaving Nadare and Arashi to stare after her. After a moment or two the wolves shrugged their shoulders and followed her in.

The store was large and well stocked with an array of undershirts, pants, regulation flak jackets, sandals, arm and leg guards and other miscellaneous objects. Sakura picked through these, feeling the soft undershirt material and moving on to the dark blue flak jackets.

"Our ninja will find all their basic needs in this store. We have all the required clothing, including traveling gear." A brown wolf spoke from behind a counter off to the side. Pride was evident in his words and Sakura could tell just by the voice that he loved his shop. Sakura glanced up to speak the owner and found that she was still startled to see wolves talking and acting human.

"Do you have any medical gear?" The storekeeper nodded and pointed his nose to a wide opening near the back of the store.

"Most of our medical materials and scrolls are through there. We also have weapons more suited to a medical ninja if you're interested." Sakura smiled and began to converse with the wolf, which made Nadare smile. Arashi followed as the young woman was led into the back room, leaving the white wolf alone in the front of the store. She looked around and sighed wistfully. It had been many moons since she had taken on missions. Fuyu was afraid she might be wounded, and there was nothing more dangerous to their people than to lose a mate. She shook off her melancholy thoughts and padded into the back room to find Sakura perusing through several medical scrolls while the storekeeper darted to and fro in an effort to find more things to please the human. Sakura selected several scrolls and then inquired about weapons. In the end, the three women left the shop with a large stack of packages, much to the delight of the storekeeper.

"You seem to know and understand a great deal of medicine, Sakura-sama." Sakura shifted a package in her arms and smiled.

"Just Sakura, Nadare-san. And yes, I do know quite a bit about medicine. I studied under Lady Tsunade and I trained in the art of medical ninjutsu. I can kill a person in five seconds and then revive them in three. I enjoy studying and this was something I was better at than anyone else. It comes in handy to be a medical ninja on missions."

"You are very fortunate, Milady. In Yuki we do not have an extensive medical corps. We have a large hospital but our field ninja have not been properly trained to act as both medical specialists and offensive team members. Perhaps you might be willing to visit the hospital and give us some assistance in that area?" Nadare was not sure how Sakura would react to the offer, but when the young woman turned to her with a grin that almost split her face, Nadare was sure she'd made the right decision. She only hoped Itachi would not choose to damper the girl's spirit.

It was not unheard of for the wife of the Kage to be a ninja, but it was very unlikely in this specific situation. Nadare hoped that Sakura would not be cowed by her husband in the near future…or ever for that matter.

"I would very much love to do that."

"Good. We can discuss it later. Now it is time to return to the compound and prepare you for dinner. You meet with your husband this evening."

"Tonight?"

"Why, yes! You will be married on Saturday. It seems like a good idea to meet your groom before hand, no? I know it seems like a rush, but our Kage does not wish to delay the union." Sakura nodded slowly, trying to process the information.

"I suppose that's a good idea... well then, let's get going." Arashi barked in excitement and bounded off, packages jarring sharply on her back.

"You are very brave, Milady." Sakura was thankful for the scarf that hid most of her face, including the cloudiness of her eyes.

"Not as brave as you think, Nadare-san."

Itachi sat in front of a wide window and breathed deeply, allowing the bitter winter wind to blast along his skin, soothing the burning of the dark brands that marked him as a Jinchuuriki. The wolf demon in his chest rumbled in peace, happy to feel the biting cold of the ice.

'You are strong, young pup. You will be a most powerful partner for me, and I shall give you a power greater than you have ever known.'

Itachi didn't respond, simply allowing the animal within to bond with the great foreign chakra boiling in his soul. The marks on his face and hands glowed as the bond solidified and Itachi reaffirmed his control over the ookami Jinchuuriki. His sensitive ears picked up the sounds of voices not far from his rooms. He could detect Nadare and Arashi as they joked and laughed, but the third voice was unfamiliar. It must have been his young bride, the girl from Konoha.

He snorted and stood, shutting the window with a snap. He tilted his head as he heard Fuyu and Hyouzan padding towards his rooms.

"It is time to prepare for your meeting with the girl, Itachi."

Sakura fidgeted for the umpteenth time that minute. She had been sitting in a darkened room for almost an hour, finding the small lamp on the lavish table before her to be the only source of light. Dinner had been eaten and cleared away long ago, and only two cups of steaming tea remained. Sakura had decided to wait until her intended arrived before enjoying the drinks, but it seemed as if he might not come at all. She reminded herself to be patient, but it was difficult when this would be the man she would promise her life to.

Funny how she'd always believed that man would be Sasuke, and later on Kakashi. But neither man had shown the interest she had, and a small part of her hoped this man would not be so indifferent. She fiddled with the hem of her pink kimono and sorely wished for Naruto. He was always able to distract her from her worries and fears, and he made her laugh. He would know what to do in this situation. Suddenly she jerked upright as the sound of a door swishing open cut through the tense silence. She could make out Nadare and Fuyu, along with another silver wolf. Beside this wolf walked a man cloaked in a black kimono. He was tall, but the kimono blended into the darkness, hiding much of his body from his future bride's curious eyes. In fact, he blended in so well it was almost like he was made of the shadows. A creature of darkness that had come to claim his bride, dragging her off into eternity with him.

Sakura shook her head of her whimsical imaginings and focused once more on the man that she had left everything behind for, the man she was going to give her future to. Even though she couldn't see his face she could see that he moved with deadly precision that was oddly beautiful. His shoulders were broad, and while he was cloaked in black, he did not seem overly large or cumbersome. He seated himself deftly, not plopping down like Naruto and Kiba were wont to do, but gracefully, as if everyone movement was choreographed. He was as graceful as the creatures who served him

His hands were bandaged to the fingers, but because the room was dimly lit his face remained a mystery to her. Those hands reached out for one of the tea cups, and Sakura noticed how long and precise those fingers were in the darkness. She tracked the cup as it was lifted up and into the shadows, momentarily lost in the shock of being in the presence of the man she'd sacrificed her freedom for.

"It is nice to meet you, Haruno Sakura. I am pleased you did not find your journey difficult, and I assume my servants have properly seen to your needs?" His voice was rich and smooth and held a world of indifferent politeness, yet that was something she wouldn't notice until much later.

"..Yes, they have. It is nice to finally meet you as well…" She trailed off, hoping he would realize that she did not even know her fiancé's name without her needing to embarrass herself further. He chuckled and took a sip of his tea. He slowly lowered the cup to the saucer that it originally rested upon and Sakura noted that even in that action he made not a sound. For a moment Sakura found the whole situation surreal. This couldn't be her, sitting across the table from her intended. A man she could neither see nor feel any attachment to. A man surrounded by creatures that, while kind, should not even exist.

"You may call me Ookami. I apologize for not meeting with you earlier, but I had… business to attend to. I'm sure you understand." Sakura felt her hackles raise as the man so rudely spoke down to her. She smiled sharply. It's funny how a few words can bring reality crashing down upon your shoulders, Sakura thought sardonically. She suddenly sat straighter in her chair and arched a delicate brow at Ookami.

"Indeed, my lord. It must have been very important for you to snub your intended and possibly incite an international war, but I know this could not have possibly been your intent." Sakura's benign smile slowly began to contrast with the fire in her eyes. At that moment the two didn't match, but that was her intent. She continued speaking just as politely as her intended in an effort make her words hit home. "I suggest, however, that in the future you and I communicate our plans to one another so as to not cause such an…unpleasant situation a second time." She was not at all what he had expected. Itachi was shocked and pleased with her sharp wit and temper. He had hoped to receive a woman who was strong, but he had not accounted for brains. It was definitely a bonus.

No wonder his brother had been so protective of her when they were younger. She was quite a find.

"Again, I do apologize for the slight." Itachi interlaced his hands on the table and leaned forward slightly, confident that regardless she would not be able to distinguish a single feature upon his face. "Now, Sakura, tell me a bit about yourself. What is Konoha like?"

"It is much different from here…" Sakura's voice trailed off and a smile adorned her face as she thought of her dear friends. At his question she immediately remembered a time in the summer when she and Naruto helped Iruka-sensei out at the academy. As they took some boxes to put away for their old teacher they ended up being locked in a sweltering storage closet. Sitting in that closet, that summer, Sakura had learned the true meaning of heat. Still, she had only been able to bear it because Naruto was there cracking idle jokes and making light of the whole situation. It had turned out to be a hot and rather comical day. "In summer, the heat can be unbearable, but the colors of the village create such a wonderful atmosphere…"

As she spoke, Itachi was swept back into his childhood where the scorching summer sun did nothing to curb his childish joy of the outdoors and the bustling village itself. He had mostly loved the flowing river, going there to fish and think when he was not training and scouting for his father and the elders.

"The water on your feet as you lie on the bridge and listen to the wind in the trees…" He hadn't realized he'd spoken until the silence in the room became impossible to ignore.

"Did you ever visit my village, Ookami?" He shook his head.

"No. I was just imagining summer. Forgive my fanciful thoughts." He stood abruptly, a bit unsettled by his brief nostalgia, shocking the girl before him. "It was nice to meet you, milady. I look forwards to our upcoming marriage, and I hope you will find your stay enjoyable." He turned to leave, almost immediately becoming lost in the darkness that had brought him forth but Sakura leapt forward in an effort to stop him before she had the chance to say more than the few words that had already shared. She still hardly knew anything about him. What was his last name? What did he like to do? What were his thoughts on the curse that plagued him and his people? Did he enjoy reading in front of a fire on cold nights? When it all boiled down to it just what kind of person was he?

If they were going to be married she should at least know the color of his eyes...

"Wait! You haven't-"

"Listen to me, Sakura." He paused in his departure but he did not bother to turn around and address her properly. His voice was sharp and dangerous all of the sudden, and Sakura felt that tingle of apprehension she always got when in close contact with an enemy. What had she done to provoke such a reaction in this man she would soon call husband? "I do not intend to become anything more than your lord and husband. This formality is simply to create a more compatible atmosphere for our marriage. After the ceremony, I do not plan to spend a great deal of time dancing attendance on you. I am much too busy to worry about or cater to a wife. You must understand this. You may go where you wish and do what you wish, but I ask that you leave me to my privacy, which includes the west wing." Sakura opened her mouth to make a reply but before a sound could be uttered he closed the conversation with a firm, "Good night." The silver wolf appeared out of nowhere, and Ookami's hand curled into his fur.

Sakura stood behind him, trembling, embarrassed, and seething with rage. She found herself too hurt and angry to even speak. The meager hopes that she had of finding a companion that would return the affection that she was aching to give to someone died a slow and agonizing death. Hot tears sprang to her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. More than anything in those moments her pride was the most important thing. She would not throw it away for anyone. As soon as he was gone, she stormed out the opposite door, heading towards her rooms. Arashi bounded up beside her, eyes worried.

"Sakura-san?"

"Do you have a training arena I can use, Arashi?" The wolf stopped.

"Well yes, but-"

"Good." Sakura replied, cutting off words that she was certain that she didn't want to hear. "Would you please run ahead and prepare it for me? I need to do some heavy thinking." The wolf was ignored further as Sakura continued towards her rooms to change. Arashi sighed irritably and ambled off to do her mistress' bidding.

Hyouzan walked down the long, dark corridor with Itachi behind him lost in thought. He had seen the expression on Sakura's face as he cut her deeply with his words. It was an expression that should never be seen on the face of one so intelligent and beautiful. The whole situation hadn't sat well with him and so he walked with Itachi, trying to find a way to broach the subject. As they entered Itachi's room Hyouzan realized that perhaps the best approach was the direct one.

"You were unnecessarily cruel, Itachi. The ceremony will never be complete until you have harmony between you." Itachi snorted and unlatched his fingers from Hyouzan.

"As long as we say the words and sign in blood, we are bound. There is nothing in the contract that states I have to love her."

"It isn't in there because it's expected that you have a bond with your chosen bride. This is the way of things." Hyouzan reasoned with the recalcitrant Kage.

"I am not discussing this any further. I do not wish to create more bonds, Hyouzan. Now enough talk of this. Tomorrow you and I will begin training some of the genin. It's time Yuki became a feared village once again."

Many, Many thanks to the wonderfully awesome Juniper11 for beta-ing this for me. I hope everyone enjoys reading!