Terms: (1) haori- A short, kimono-style jacket that is traditionally worn over the kimono. (2) Hi no Kuni- Land of Fire

The Carriage Ride

After an evening with a beautiful monster, I couldn't build up the same respect I had for myself.

Kabuto was sitting at the entrance of the cabin, one look at him and I turned myself around to go back and sit in the corner of the bedroom. The snake was in the other room, doing I don't know what, but I couldn't care less. When dawn started to seep through the shutters the shock started to reemerge.

I thought about the consequences of bearing a fetus I was unprepared for. I told myself to be ready for the worst scenario, but hope hung on the side that said I was not pregnant. Not knowing if we had conceived a child scared me... I was helpless over my own future.

I decided to soak my thoughts in hot water, so I grabbed my dress and walked into the tiny bathroom. I forced myself to lie down in the tub until my fingers pruned. It was hardly a bath-there was no soap.

My body was tired, I felt like I broke a sacred promise with my conscience, and my mind was under a lot of stress. Physically I felt like shit, and emotionally I wanted to give up. I didn't care anymore, he didn't, so why should I?

But it was my body after all…

I jumped right out, dressed, not bothering to dry, and stormed into his room. I had a little drive left in me to take control of the situation.

Curious, he raised a brow with a half smile at my unexpected interruption. He sat a table with piles of scrolls, I seemed to have interrupted his reading, but I knew I finally had his attention.

"I don't know."

" I…"

"I don't know what you want with me," I started to whisper.

Then I broke into a flabbergasted scream, "But if you're done, why can't you just LET ME LEAVE?"

"You make me smile when you show that you're still not done fighting," he said.

"Fuck, just answer the question already!"

The chair slid back with a hard scuff on the wood floor, and he beckoned me to come closer with a curl of his finger.

I stayed put.

He sighed. And started walking towards me, "You are so difficult…to think you would have learned to do as I say from the last time." He paused.

I looked down, avoiding his face since he towered over my head. His bare feet looked so silky. His body cast a dark shadow; he engulfed me without even touching.

And he moved so quickly, he and his partner had to be shinobi, because I couldn't keep up with his movements. He had his hand pressed under my inner thigh so that my knee was raised. And his other arm was around the other side of my waist to keep me balanced.

Then I felt it, again. The same yearning that kicked in the night before. I tried to swallow back any lust.

He pressed my lower half closer, and I put my hands on his shoulders to keep some space between our chests.

"Why? Why can't you just let me go? You don't need me anymore."

His head leaned into my neck, and his mouth started sucking on my flesh. I could tell that his teasing was his way of trying to avoid the question and shut me up.

"Just let me go…if you want more sex… just get a whore. Why are you still keeping me here?" I asked, confused about his motives.

"My beautiful girl, you're a toy that is too much to fun to give away…" he continued sucking. His fingers stroked my side lightly, I understood now that he wasn't just a devil, but a crazy one too. I inhaled sharply and clenched his shoulders when he began to leave little bite marks.

"My lord, the carriage is here." Kabuto had somehow entered the room without me noticing.

He let go of me, but I couldn't steady myself in time, and so I landed on my butt. That would total it to two bruises on my ass.

"Pack the stuff and meet me outside," Orochimaru commanded while exiting the study.

All of a sudden a white cloth was thrown in my face. "Put that on, we can't have you spotted in the same clothes as you came with," and Kabuto left me alone. I stood up and noticed all the scrolls were gone; the loyal henchman sure was stealthy.

I removed the cloth and examined it. It was a white haori(1) with detailed embroidery of cranes along the collar and sleeves. The size was large enough which could make it pass as a dress since it barely passed my knees.

And judging from the smell of the fabric, I knew it belonged to him.

I loved how I had no shoes to walk in. My feet were left to walk in the snow; a soft crunch followed each foot step. I tried looking for my boots, but they were nowhere in the cabin.

Kabuto stood waiting with the carriage door open; as I entered I saw a smirk on his lips.

The white snake looked at my feet questioningly, the snow melted into slush on the floor around me. He patted the space next to him, and I quietly sat down.

Kabuto swung the door shut while seating himself across from us. All of a sudden the carriage was jerked forward and we were moving…I don't even remember seeing a horseman outside.

My toes were numb so I decided to wipe off the extra water by rubbing my feet along my legs. I only gave myself goose bumps.

I heard Kabuto cough. "No shoes?"

Orochimaru let out a raspy chuckle.

"Yes. I felt like being a rebel and decided that shoes are unnecessary in thirty degree weather…" I growled at Kabuto.

"Calm down my mouse. Sit on my lap; you need to keep yourself warm. I can't have you getting sick."

I moved onto his lap. I glared at Kabuto. In my mind I pictured myself bashing his head on the window.

My shoes were taken away, and apparently so was my name. My new title was mouse; after a tiny creature that chases cheese. Treating me like they did, I saw them as undeserving of knowing my true identity. My focus snapped back to reality at Orochimaru's whisper.

"Turn yourself around and face me."

He should have just told me to straddle him in the first place. Geez.

I cringed on the inside as I turned around; he brought my legs behind his back. I rested my chin on his shoulder; I didn't want to stare into Orochimaru's gold eyes again. I would lose that game.

The ride was extremely awkward because Kabuto was watching; I felt his eyes on me the entire time, even with my back to him. He was analyzing every single shift of my body while on top of "his" Lord.

I distracted my embarrassment by trying to scan my mind of all the possible places we could be headed. Were we leaving Mizu no Kuni(2)? Or just traveling to another small village?

I couldn't see ourselves at any final destination…I only saw myself tangled up in the snake's embrace every time. My body latched onto his, his eyes tracing my form, and our bodies forming a cocoon of warmth. I knew that this was the only place I would be allowed to go.

A finger ran down my right thigh and stopped at my naked core.

He lifted my face away from his shoulder, and brought me towards his lips until we were almost touching. He loved using seduction to get me to become his puppet. He pulled the strings, and I danced for him. He licked my lips and said, "And no panties?"

And within a second his plan of action overwhelmed me. Two of his fingers followed a rhythm and played me like an instrument. Our sashes were quickly undone, secretly showing each other our skin. His body was a cold fire; it was his fragile bones that needed the warmth, not mine.

And when the monster's lips attacked mine, I felt pity.

He fingered one note over and over between my legs. My body only cared for the climax of his symphony. I squeezed his chest against mine, and moaned when his performance was done.

We sat together—naked chests toward each other—but backs covered by our robes for the rest of the ride. Orochimaru silently looked out the window, and I fell asleep trying to study his expression.

There was no standing ovation; our audience member with the glasses didn't seem to think it five stars worthy.