.-.-.-.
EVANESCENCE - Part One
.-.-.-.
"There's a ball tonight" were the first words thrown at Sakura (courtesy of Tenten) the second they entered their rooms. But when the pink-haired girl turned to look at the princess, she saw Tenten had began ignoring her and instead ordering people around at the speed of light, so said pink-haired girl brushed the statement off and darted quickly away from where Tenten and Hana were shouting unpacking orders to the servants.
.-.-.-.
The Uchiha had given the "sisters" adjoining rooms. For each there was a bedroom, a living room, a sitting room, a study and a bathing chamber, all decorated in the ancient styles with dark carved furniture and sliding screen doors. From the main entrance that led to the wing, there was a corridor which ended in a large general receiving hall they shared, which also served as an area between their respective spaces. A set of French doors on each side of the hall, the only modern thing in the entire wing, connected their living quarters to the hall. After a peek, Sakura realized that Tenten's rooms were bigger than hers.
A set of double oak doors were placed at the far back of the receiving hall, in a back corridor accessed by a sliding screen. It connected Sakura and Tenten's bedchambers. Four doors led from the back corridor to the rather large rooms of Hana, Ayame, and Kikumo. Between and in the middle of them was a staircase that led up into their dressers' quarters, and another that led down to the servants' quarters. Kiba stayed in a room adjoining to Tenten's bedroom, for reasons Sakura could not comprehend. She decided it was for Tenten's protection as the (albeit unwilling) First Princess of Mizu, and put it from her mind.
When she finally returned to the main hall, trunks and baggage was scattered everywhere, the majority still half full, and Tenten was having a seizure.
"This is a mess," she breathed in anxiety when Sakura reappeared at her side, "An absolute mess. People," she now addressed the hordes of servants the Uchiha had given them, "You seem not to understand that we have a goddamn BALL in two hours. If ANYTHING is placed where our ladies can't find it, you will regret it. Every last inch of you will regret it."
Several of them flinched. A few muttered, shooting the princess horrified glances. Many lingered in the hall, waiting for the three ladies-in-waiting to direct them. A few were slacking off in the corner, shuffling around a little only when they believed Tenten could see them.
They underestimated her.
"GET MOVING, YOU DAMN SLUGS!!" she roared. "Two hours. TWO HOURS!! You'd BETTER be done in twenty or I'll rip out all your hair--yes, YOU--and I'll knit myself a sweater!!"
Said slacking servants cowered in terror.
"Whoa," Tenten put a hand to her chest. "What was that? Was that GOD speaking THROUGH ME? GO!!"
The half dozen women scampered off rapidly. Sakura thought if ever it was possible to actually have a sweat drop on her head, this would be the time.
"Tenten," she coughed, "Calm down. We have two hours to prepare, we'll be fine."
"Sakura," Tenten turned with an exasperated sigh. "We only have two hours. TWO HOURS!!"
Sakura stared at her blankly.
"Two hours, Sakura. One hundred and twenty minutes. Seven thousand and two hundred seconds."
The stare did not waver. "That's amazing math, Ten."
"Sakura, we have to bathe, lotion, perfume, facial mask, mani-pedi, have our hair and makeup done, get dressed and be in the ballroom in only TWO HOURS."
"Tenten, blabber all you want, but I still don't get it. Two hours is ages. Years. I could give birth in two hours."
Tenten sighed a long suffering sigh.
"Do you remember when we set off?"
"Yeah."
"You got bathed, perfumed, dressed, and had your hair and face done, right?"
"Yeah."
"How long did that take?"
"…"
There was silence for a few moments. Tenten counted in her head.
Three.
Two.
One.
"Oh, God!"
Sakura had a horrified expression on her face. Tenten snorted.
"Your face is turning fifty different colors."
"Oh my God, oh my God, what are we doing just standing here?!" Sakura shrieked. "We can bathe while they're unpacking! Come on! We'll have Kiba look for the dresses. Where's the stupid hairdresser? Where's the stupid stylist? Where's the goddamn facialist? WHERE THE HELL IS EVERYONE?!"
Tenten grinned in a pleased manner as Sakura yanked on her arm and dragged her to her bathroom, declaring there was no time to run two baths and where the hell was Hana?
Finally.
.-.-.-.
Tenten was dressed before Sakura had the cucumbers peeled off her eyelids.
The brunette was wearing a simple gown. It was a deep navy, low cut, and sleeveless, tight at her bosom, stomach, and hips, and a flaring skirt.
Sakura snorted.
"What?" Tenten demanded.
"It's too simple," She said. "Nothing's ever that simple--at least, not on you."
"Don't we learn fast," Tenten muttered dryly. She turned to the hairdressers, looking herself in the mirror.
"I think I'll cut my hair," she said plainly.
The head hairdresser almost fainted. "Mademoiselle! Your hair makes my living!"
Tenten grinned and sat down in front of the mirror.
"Then do your job."
Sakura was ushered into Tenten's bedroom, where her feet and nails were shined and painted a light violet-blue sheen. Then Ayame stepped aside and showed her the dress.
It was a simple dress. If came off one shoulder, clinging tightly to hips and waist, loosening a little mid-thigh with the appearance of an insanely high slit. A gathering of white chiffon lace secured at the back of her waist, looped over the strapped shoulder, was pinned again in the front at the waist with a large purple silk lily, and then lined the slit all the way to the hem.
The dress came with elbow length white kidskin gloves and four-inch glass heels, but this was of no interest to Sakura. When she reached forward in wonder and felt the silky material, it was not the design on her mind.
The gown was a flowing, rich, light blue the color of the sky on a clear day.
"Ino…"
.-.-.-.
Sakura rushed out of the room fully dressed, her unstraightened hair flying behind her. She paused at the doorway, taking in the view before her. Mentally, she corrected the image of Tenten in her mind. The woman was not a tomboy. She was the most beautiful, elegant creature Sakura had ever seen.
Over the navy gown, Tenten had a cheongsam number that ended just short of the knee. It was an ivory white, with a dark and icy blue pattern of chrysanthemums and swirls, and an inlay the color of pearl. A foot-wide silk shawl of midnight blue hung from elbow to elbow, the ends nearly touching the floor. She wore several silver and navy bangles on her wrists, and her chestnut hair had been swept up into two discs, the excess hair flowing free and laying flat against her back. Between the two discs of her hair lay an icy blue comb decorated with white and blue flowers. On her forehead, a silver chain with a pearl drop.
"Wow," Sakura breathed. "You clean up so well, Tenten. One day I'll kill you for your prettiness."
Tenten snorted.
And just like that, Sakura thought dryly, The spell is broken.
"You're no less gorgeous, Sakura," the older girl told her. "You need clothes that are made for you. They accent only the positive and cover the negative. For now you're wearing Ino's gowns, but Tadakichi-san is working on your new collection."
"Oh," said Sakura dumbly.
The head hairdresser sat her down in front of the mirror. She smoothed the top foot of her hair and fixed the two locks framing her face right in front of her ears with camouflaged pink pins, letting the rest flow down in fashionably messy waves. The rest she pinned up into a massive updo held in place by what looked like a thin silver crown. The drop placed on her forehead was a sapphire.
Sakura looked at her reflection in the mirror as two women painted her face. How far she had come from that little girl who lived life as she pleased and did everything she wanted. That child was gone, Sakura knew. In its place sat the creature in the mirror.
The creature sat tall and proud. She was dignified and grand, noble and regal. She was beautiful, she was proper, she knew the etiquette by memory, performed it with perfection. She did the best she could, and was not ashamed of herself or her efforts. She would never fall short of expectation. She will never lose face or honor.
Sakura was a woman.
.-.-.-.
Yet again, Sakura, Tenten and their entourage was greeted at the head of the staircase by the two Uchiha brothers. Itachi wore red clouds on black again, this time in the formality of silk, but Sasuke wore black embroidered with silver and navy. Tenten smiled as Sasuke moved to stand within the vicinity of Sakura, commenting, "Now, don't you two look quite the pair," but all Sakura received for her beautifying effort was Sasuke's impassive face.
Itachi offered his arm to Tenten. She took it graciously.
"You look lovely tonight, Yamanaka-sama," he told her with a hint of a smile lingering on his lips. Tenten blushed demurely and murmured a thank you. Unnoticed by everyone but Hana, Kiba tensed.
"We shall enter first, ototou-kun," Itachi addressed his brother with a meaningful look, "Please do not embarrass us by neglecting Yamanaka-san tonight."
With a meaningful glance, Itachi led Tenten to where the announcer stood, before descending.
The French horns blared as everyone below paused to look up at the newcomers.
"His Most Royal Highness Uchiha Itachi-sama, First Prince of our country of Honoo, Duke of Hirouku, Baron of Hiei, Lord of Shizumasa and Baron of Itouku, and Her Most Reverend Majesty Yamanaka Tenten-sama, First Princess of Mizu, Duchess of Milan, and Archduchess of Cairou."
Murmurs spread through the crowd below.
"What an attractive couple."
"Uchiha-sama is quite the handsome young man, isn't he?"
"I'd never seen Tenten-sama dress like that."
"Yamanaka-san is outdoing herself tonight!"
"What a wonderful thing it would be if they were engaged, Mikoto!"
"Yes, what a wonderful thing."
"Ah, a sight for sore eyes, those young ones…"
As the silhouettes of Tenten and Itachi disappeared, Sakura took the younger Uchiha's arm and glided forwards. She looked up at Sasuke's face to find a concentrated, curious expression on his face, his eyes fixed upon someone in the crowd. Sakura followed his steady gaze, finding only Tenten and Itachi. Shaking her head gently, she set her green eyes on the floor.
The horns blared yet again, the one on the right shooting its black right down Sakura's ear. She flinched, and, instinctively, Sasuke steadied her. She murmured a quiet thank-you before the pompous announcer opened his large mouth.
"His Royal Highness Uchiha Sasuke-sama, Second Prince of you country of Honoo, Archduke of Hirouku, Archduke of Maien, and Lord of Takanari, and Her Royal Highness Yamanaka Sakura-sama, Archduchess of Milan, Archduchess of Cairou, and Archduchess of Mizuno."
Mizuno. The estate where she had grown up, where she had played, where there was okaa-san, and otou-san. She pictured their faces in her head, their silhouettes clear yet their features blurring. Sakura squeezed the images from her eyes.
The couple hit the marble floors seconds later. Immediately the murmurs, the music and the dancing resumed. King Fugaku and his wife sat on twin thrones below canopies of red velvet across the room.
Sasuke impatiently led Sakura to the middle of the room, where a circle had been cleared for dances. Most of the couples left the floor, but for Tenten and Itachi. The orchestra paused in their interpretation of Beethoven's Surprise Symphony, and began sliding their bows across strings in an eerie, sharp piece.
Mozart's Lacrimosa.
Sasuke took her hand gently, keeping his eyes fixed above her head. Sakura sighed to herself. Their wedding night was going to be interesting.
A woman in a purple and aquamarine ensemble leapt onstage. A blue velvet scarf edged with dangling gold pieces lay on her head, covering her face, but several locks of long blonde hair showed from underneath. Stepping in front of the orchestra in their second bar, she began to sing to accompany the dancing.
Out on your own
Cold and alone again
Can this be what you really wanted, baby?
This was nothing like the music Sakura had heard before. It was haunting…heart wrenching. As they swirled around the room, Sakura looked up to Sasuke's face.
His expression was strange. There was the impassiveness, but layered underneath was some sort of tormented feeling washing over his features, lined with traces of red hot anger.
Blame it on me
Set your guilt free
Nothing can hold you back now…
He was clenching his teeth now. In their proximity, she could hear the grinding of molar on molar. Sakura's heart quivered, and she felt herself lift the hand that rested on his shoulder and cover his eyes. He started for a moment, staring at her blankly through the spaces between her thin fingers, before obliging reluctantly and leading her blindly.
Now that you're gone
Feel like myself again
Grieving the things I can't repent, and willing
To let you blame it on me
And set your guilt free, honey, I don't want to hold you back now, love…
"Excuse me," he said suddenly. It was the first time she had heard him speak. His voice was a smooth baritone, pleasant, but the tone was cold, uneven, and bitter. She shifted them towards the edge of the crowd, slowing their pace.
"Please excuse me, Yamanaka-san."
I can't change who I am
Not this time, I won't lie to keep you near me and in this short life
There's no time to waste on giving up
My love wasn't enough…
He pulled away from her in one swift motion and pushed through the crowd. As he disappeared, tracked and stalked by disapproving whispers, Sakura stood where he had left her, following the invisible trail of him in the sea of bodies.
And you can blame it on me,
Just set your guilt free, honey
I don't wanna hold you back now, love…!
The applause roared. Tenten, her worried eyes fixed on Sakura, quickly passed off a curtsey to Itachi that should have been a complex obeisance and rushed over.
"What just happened there?" she question sharply. "Did anything--?"
"No," Sakura replied evenly. "It's fine."
The crowd milled around them, already pairing up and swirling to the next song the royally-colored gypsy was crooning.
Oh, I do believe
In all the things you say
What comes is better than what came before…
And you better come come, come come to me, better
Come come, come come to me better run
Run run, run run to me
Better come…
"That's strange," Tenten's sharp eyes tried to pick out the black and silver of Sasuke's robes in the surrounding bodies. "I've never seen him lose his cool like that before." Shaking her head, she suddenly started, digging around in her sleeves.
"Here," Tenten held out a bracelet-like object. A set of twenty thin tablets were strung on a silver chain. Sakura could make out one in the shadows of Tenten's sleeves.
"It's your dance-card," Tenten explained in undertones. "It's filled out with the names of men who want to dance with you tonight."
Tenten took off hers and showed it to Sakura. The younger girl accosted it and flipped through the tablets, making out Itachi's name seven times, Kiba's once, five names of noblemen Sakura had not met, one of Sabaku no Gaara, one of Lord Dosu, two of the thick, clear strokes of Hyuuga Neji, and surprisingly, one of Sasuke.
Tenten snatched hers back with a blush. "I have to dance with Itachi half the night," she said hurriedly. "A round with most of the nobles, and then me and Dosu take turns bitching about Kin." She tucked her dance card away just as Itachi found her again. Then she was swept away into the milling bodies around them, and Sakura was left to peruse her own dance cards.
Not surprisingly, Sasuke's name was on a good deal of them. Four of her dances were filled by Prince Naruto, whom she had spotted dancing with a white-eyed girl who could only be his fiancée, Hyuuga Hinata, two by the name of a stranger, one by Neji, and one by each Sand male. As the current dance was to be filled by Sasuke, Sakura turned to make for a corner, only to have the song end.
The shock of blond hair that was Naruto bowed to Hinata, whispered something to her, and darted for Sakura just as Sasuke reappeared at her side.
"Heeey, Sasuke-teme!" the blonde barked with a grin, taking Sasura's arm. "Ya missed out, sorry, bud. Guess you'll have to sit out on this one."
Play gound school bell rings…again…
Rain clouds come to play…again…
"On the contrary," Sasuke replied blandly, looking even more uncomfortable as he did while dancing with Sakura. "Have you seen Temari-san?"
"Nope."
"She'll find me, then."
And just as the words left his mouth, Temari appeared in a little cocktail dress the colors of violets.
"Come on, pretty boy," she huffed at him, "Let's get this over with."
Naruto grinned at Sakura, who smiled back, and led her to the middle of the dance floor. The gypsy swayed slowly in the middle of her song, looking reluctant. Finally, she settled.
Has no one told you she's not breathing?
Hello:
I'm your mind
Giving you someone to talk to…
Hello…
Unconsciously, Sakura's eyes drifted to Sasuke. He was dutifully sweeping Temari across the room, but his eyes were still closed and jaw still stiff.
"Ah, Uzuma--um, Naruto-kun…"
The blonde followed her gaze.
"Oh."
Sakura pulled her eyes from her fiancé and focused instead on her partner.
"What's wrong with Sasuke-kun?"
Naruto looked at her strangely, then laughed. "Sasuke-kun? Wow, nobody's called him that since--"
He paused.
"Well, um, this is kinda hard for me to say, Sakura-chan."
Sakura nodded understandingly. "He's my fiancé, though," she stated matter-of-factly, "I need to know things."
Naruto sighed.
"It's the music," he explained, "It makes him uncomfortable. And if you look at Mikoto-kaa, you'll see she's not so jolly either."
If I smile and don't believe
Soon I know I'll wake from this dream
Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken
Hello:
I'm the lie
Living for you so you can hide…don't cry
Sure enough, Mikoto was looking sullen and lifeless in her seat, her hand trembling gently in her husband's comforting grasp.
"Why?"
Naruto sighed again.
"Well, it's hard to say. Just…well…" he paused. She begged him with her eyes. He relented.
"Before Sasuke, after Itachi, Fugaku-tou and Mikoto-kaa had another kid. A baby girl. She was two years older than Sasuke, and I remember she was really pretty, and really nice, and really sweet. She had dark hair, dark eyes, but the palest, smoothest skin…kind of like Snow White. When I was little, I'd live here for months on end, and she'd always play with me, even though I'm...well, a freak.
"Sasuke and his sister were really really close. Itachi was always off training, or studying, and I'm sure you know how the kids here in this family are raised. She was the best big sister anyone could have, and spoiled Sasuke tons.
"Well, one day when Sasuke was twelve, he was out with Itachi, and they were hiking. When they came back the whole compound was in black, screaming, in chaos, crying…I remember, I was there. Itachi knew something was wrong, so he grabbed Sasuke and made for their parents' room...and there on the bed was that fourteen-year-old girl. She wasn't moving. She wasn't breathing. Mikoto-kaa was in a little ball on the floor, crying her eyes out, and Fugaku-tou was just standing over his daughter.
"Sasuke, of course, was completely destroyed. He wouldn't eat, wouldn't speak, and wouldn't come out of his room for weeks. They still don't know what she died from. It wasn't poison. She wasn't sick. They found her cold in her bedroom in the afternoon. She was...so young. It was such a short time ago...and...well..."
Naruto stared right into his partner's horrified eyes.
"Her name was Uchiha Sakura."
Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping
Hello, I'm still here
All that's left of yesterday…
.-.-.-.
The songs used were Lacrymosa and Hello by Evanescence. Happier music will be coming in Part Two.
Note: 7/29/08 Uchiha Sasuke and Sakura's ages were changed from three and five to twelve and fourteen due to plot conflicts.