Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Chapter 3

The Pink Pearls

He continued kissing her and forced his tongue inside her mouth. At the same time, his hands roamed around her body, touching everything that is her. He placed his hands atop her full breasts, kneading and squeezing both globes.

Sakura was trying to stay still but the chill of terror continued rising towards every vein in her body. She wanted him to stop what he his doing. Whatever he is doing with her extremely made her feel unclean and foul.

This should not be happening. I cannot take it anymore.

He kneaded her breast. He rubbed her nipples with his thumb, which hardened her peak. Then he placed his mouth on her other breast and suckled it, similar to a child seeking milk from his mother. He continued gnawing it and then looked at her face.

He saw the look of disgust on her face. This immediately displeased him.

There are a lot of women, who without a doubt will graze his bed without a seconds thought and consider it an honor to be with him even for just a night. However, this cowering insignificant girl beneath him deemed him a scourge that taints her. In a way, this gravely insults him.

How dare she felt repugnance towards him. She is nothing but his slave.

"What's the matter little flower, too afraid to speak now," he sneered at her.

He placed his hand on her thigh then palmed them roughly. Then, he surprised her by parting her legs suddenly. And he moved his hand towards her inner folds. He can see that there were still dry blood and fluids around her core. He smirked at this knowing it was his doing. And without any warning, he violently plunged two of his fingers inside her core.

Sakura gasped and cried at his sudden assault. She was still recuperating from what he did to her earlier and now, he is taking her again in a brutal manner. She can do nothing but cry at her fate. And as much as she wanted to escape from his evil ministrations, she is left with no option but to shed tears of lament. This is the only thing that she can do after all.

I can only cry. I am so pathetic. I wasn't useful then, I couldn't save him. How could I, I couldn't even save myself from this wretched of an existence.

He grinned at her while he observed her helplessness against him. He mercilessly continued shoving his fingers into her at a very fast and wild paced. At this, she feebly tried to push him away to free herself from him but to no avail.

"Please, stop. Please stop it. Please," Sakura pleaded for mercy from him.

Ironically her melodic voice stirred him to a greater extent of lust for her. He just ignored her whimpered pleas and sneered maliciously at her.

Instead his fingers reached out to her hair and pulled it none to gently, which forced her to arch her body towards him. He kissed her again this time to shut her pleas. He harshly explored her mouth. Brutally kissing her, he noticed that her lips suddenly tasted like copper. He knew then that he was so hard on her that tickles of blood flowed out of her lips due to his possessive kiss.

He pulled back and look at her once again. Although it is nighttime, and the moonlight only provides a small glow of light, he can still visibly see her.

Once again he marveled at his luck on attaining her. Her perfectly sculpted face, her astounding emerald eyes, her silky pink hair, and her ripe and luscious body, everything in her is exactly perfect.

As he observed her, Sakura too was looking at him. Whereas his expression showed masculine virility and arrogance, she on the other hand conveyed the look of fear and dread, which he knew, was due to him. She can see his face that gleams with malicious intent and frightful delight in her pains. Furthermore, he emanates a look of hunger that wants to be fulfilled, a hunger that he will oblige her to fulfill.

"Damn it," he hissed, clearly overcome by too much lust. Without any warning he once again prodded two of his fingers into her core. This unprecedented onslaught made her scream, which certainly awaken the other soldiers. But Sasuke gave no thought of whatsoever could happen except of the idea of taking her and bringing himself to pleasure. He continued to jab his fingers to her entrance, pumping in and out to which Sakura was crying because of his brutal ministration. Seeing the utter disgust in her face, he punished her by setting a wilder tempo as he continued entering her through his fingers.

Stop it. Stop it. Please. She repeatedly said it inside her head. Without anyway to avert her circumstance, she just bites her lower lip with her teeth to prevent herself from screaming which might wake the soldiers and hear what their lord is doing to her. Providing them another exhibition of their master's brutal assault of her is something she never wished to happen again.

She felt his large hand groped her backside to steady her, squeezing it and at the same time swinging her hips to meet his thrusts at her entrance.

Then he kissed her neck not so gently, biting and nipping without a care if he grazed her flawless skin. In fact, he found delight on the bite marks that he left on her skin much to her consternation.

After a few sobs from her, he became impatient that he replaced his fingers with his cock. Sakura only realized then that he had already pulled down his hakama without her noticing.

She cried out at the hugeness of his member. Unconsciously, due to the pain, her hands slid toward his hair, taking anchor from it. His member is huge that she knew it would rip her apart.

"No, my lord. Please stop. You're hurting me. It is so huge. You're going to split me."

"Endure it." Sasuke groaned at her.

He continued romping at her, loving the feel of their skin covered in sweat. He is enjoying her silky tightness that surrounded his cock. As he roughly thrusts inside her, he groped her in order to keep her in place as she meet him. He could also see her chest heaving as she panted against him.

"Wrap your legs around me," he then ordered her.

She complied without a question, too afraid to contradict him, too afraid for his wrath if she displeases him once again.

He plunged into her, this time more roughly than earlier. This time she moaned at the pressure of him being inside her. She moved uncomfortable only to be held still by him. He continued penetrating her, enjoyed the feel of him piercing through her silky tightness. Most importantly he enjoyed the distraught and pain she feels.

As he brink towards satisfaction, she closed her eyes as if trying to run away from everything around her. He will not have that.

"Look at me," he commanded her.

And so she did. And he fiercely shoved towards her until he reached his orgasm.

Tears seeped from her eyes and this time the spasm is too much for her that she can no longer control her emotions. She cried and hold onto her stomach as if there lays an anchor for her to support her. Sadly, no one is going to help her. No one.

Sasuke removed himself from her and as he did so, he watched her quiver in anguish. She look so pitiful and fragile that had he been the same person that he used to be, he would gather her in his arms and give her comfort. But alas, that person was no longer here. That person disappeared, the instant his wife was brutally killed. His soul vanished the very moment his wife's life was forfeited.

Even so, he gave his outer kimono, which he lent her earlier back to her and covered her naked body with it.

"Sleep. We still have an arduous travel tomorrow," he told her.

He gathered his clothes and dressed himself with it.

He tried to sleep but it was difficult when one is beside a weeping woman. He knew that she is trying to be considerate enough to him by unleashing her sorrows as quietly as she could. Yet evidently he can still sense her distress no matter how hard she tried to hide it. So he waited until she cease her crying and be able to sleep.

And after a few minutes, thankfully she did. Yet he could sense her shiver from cold. So, he gathered her in his arms and shared his blanket with her. He could smell her sweet fragrance despite the ordeal that he put her through. And as he listened to her steady heartbeat, he somehow felt a sense of ease and contentment emanating from her, which additionally gave him a peaceful feeling too. This surprised him for he considered her as his enemy, one that should be treated with resentment and cruelty the same way that her kind had treated his beloved wife.

But for now, he will hold her this way. Tomorrow is but a different day.

When dawn broke, he was about to wake her but her face fascinated him. He knew that she, beyond doubt, has the most beautiful face in the world and that even his men, were astounded by her exquisiteness. But looking more at her, with the aid of the rising sun, he can presume her innocence and naivety. Well, she was certainly innocent until she met him, that he can strongly confirm to. Nonetheless, she radiated goodness and purity that somehow left him feeling bad that he was he that tainted her.

At this verge of revelry, he stopped himself. He knew that her captive's beauty will somehow affect his sanity and with that his goal of revenge. He had to always keep his guard. He must not let this insignificant compassion overcome him again. It matters not what she looks like. She is the enemy. She may not be the direct perpetrator, but she is connected with those perpetrators. Incidentally, that for him is enough to give him the authority to punish her.

"I thought you were already sated by her last night," Itachi dryly comented.

Sasuke was astounded by his brother's sudden appearance. Apparently, his brother is still skilled in stealth, the best indeed in their nation.

"Exactly what are you pertaining to?"

"Well, considering that most of us here did not have a proper sleep due to your illicit escapade with your captive. All of us can hear her pleas of mercy from you, which you gave her none. The men were having a good time with the entertainment that you had provided," his brother continued.

Sasuke was not happy with this. How dare his men find amusement in his escapades? He was seething in anger.

Itachi decided to appease his brother instantly before bloodshed occurs considering his brother's temperament right now is very volatile.

"Before you create a scene brother, I hope that you know that the men did not intentionally eavesdrop on your activity last night. Who are they to deny themselves of the fun of hearing a beautiful woman's whimper when their lord is taking her, when it is freely provided for them? You have to understand, they are men with voracious appetite after all. Had you left the women you killed for their entertainment they would have other source of distraction then than your pursuits."

At his brother's speech, he was somehow placated.

"So do this captive of yours has a name?" Itachi shifted the topic.

"I'm afraid I haven't asked her yet."

Itachi studied the girl beside his brother. Looking at her, he felt pity towards her possible future in his brother's hands.

He knew that his brother was once a just man. Like him, he abhors war. They never resort to violence. They tried to bring justice and protect the people who needs safeguard.

But it all changed for Sasuke. When his wife was slaughtered, all the emanating goodness inside him was swiftly overcame by the darkness that resides in the deepest recesses of his nature. He was distressed with what that tragedy has made his brother into. Maybe there is still hope for him, yet that hope is slowly flickering away as Sasuke gradually descends to the darkness in his soul.

"You said that she looks familiar. Do you now remember where you have seen her perhaps?" Sasuke interrupted his brother's silent scrutiny.

"I haven't remember yet, I'm afraid," Itachi answered his question.

"That's strange, you never forget. The great Uchiha Itachi falters now?" Sasuke riled his brother and at the same time smirked at him.

"Well, contrary to what others regard about me, I am after all just a mere fallible human being. I make mistakes like anyone else. The only thing that makes me different from other men is that I refrain from committing the same mistakes again."

"So have you noticed it?" Sasuke changed the subject.

"Yes, I believe they are two hours ride from us. We better hurry and prepare ourselves to avoid any casualties."

They arrived too late. The once lively city was massacred in a most horrid way possible.

Corpses of children, women, and men scattered everywhere. Decaying flesh of livestock and animals also littered the place.

There are burnt houses everywhere.

It was as if life was plucked from this once picturesque city.

"We are too late. Far too late." A man with red hair spoke.

"Has the men seen any sign of our sister?" Another one with shimmering red hair asked.

"None. The temple where she stays was burned to ashes. Perhaps she is already . . . "

"Our sister is not dead. She is still alive, Gaara!"

"Then where is she? There are no traces of her." The man named Gaara argued. "You are not like this brother, you never rely on false hope. I want our sister to be alive but if we are only relying on the anticipation that she was perchance miraculously saved and then later only to be proven false, it will hurt us even more," he continued.

His older brother was about to disagree with him but one of their men approached them.

"What is it?" he inquired.

"My lord, one of the men found this," he said as he presented the torn pieces of fabric.

"A priestess's clothing," Gaara expressd everyone's conclusion.

"Where did you find this?" he immediately inquired.

"At the clearing, my lord. There was more of where this came from," the soldier answered his lord's query.

"Lead the way then," the older brother interjected.

"As you wish, my lord." the soldier answered as he abided.

When they reached the clearing, they saw the other pieces of the torn clothing.

"Could this be our sister's?" Gaara asked his elder brother.

"There is a great chance that it is hers . . . . " he was about to say something else, when something caught his attention.

He saw a glittery object, which undeniably belongs to her sister, something that he himself purchased during his travel in the southern part of the country. He gave it to her when he arrived from his travel. He can still clearly remember her enthusiasm when she received it from him, even if it happened five summers past.

"Your back!" Sakura shouted from the window of the castle.

"I knew it. I knew you'd be coming today. I kept telling Nana, but she was only hushing me. She wouldn't believe it." She continued rumbling, without a care at the propriety that she was violating.

Seeing her sister's uninhibited antic, he laughed at this.

Then, as if in the whirlwind, she just rushed out of his sight and then he saw her running like she was caught on fire. Then she came out of the main door and toppled him to the ground.

"Ugh, little sister, I knew you are a hellion but I never take you to be this brutal," he commented while he was beneath her.

"So how was your journey? Did you have a lot of adventure? Did you saw monsters? Did you slay many of them? Did you kill a dragon? Did you get a new weapon? Did . . . " he put his hands on her mouth, covering it to stop her from speaking further.

"Slow down you little minx. One at a time. How am I suppose to answer everything you want to know when you asked me several questions at a time," he told her. "And I believe Nana has been teaching you the proper etiquettes on how a lady should behave. Does her teachings include toppling your brother when he arrives from his long journey," he deliberately ask her.

"Absolutely not, Lord Sasori. I always make sure that she understands the proper manners and etiquettes a lady of her station must conform to. Unfortunately, even if she grasped those concepts, she refused to abide them," Nana, his sister's governess replied.

This caught him by surprise; clearly the old bat is ever so persistent in her watch of his sister. Oh well, this should have not surprise him. After all she was once her governess too, and he can remember how she would callously lectured him of his misdeeds in the past and even up to now. Oh how he put the adults around him then, into several hysterias whenever he did something. And he created havoc most of the time during his childhood. And Nana would be there, scolding him like there is no tomorrow. She neither gave a care of her station nor his power that he holds and his social status. She doesn't give a care if he is a prince of the realm. She does her work thoroughly.

But the old bat had wormed her way inside his heart, as was to his brother and sister. She might be strict and very firm with them yet she is a very loving person. She loved him and his other siblings, as if they were her own. She protects them from all the cruelties that their station entails. She might not admit it, but despite her brash manner towards them, she actually spoils them. And he knew that she will never admit this to anyone, but Nana actually loves his sister best among his siblings. And ironically, her sister is the most hellion among the three of them.

"Oh, I do follow them Nana. Not just with my brother," Sakura countered.

"And I suppose, you learned that you have to be poised all the time?" Nana tested her. "And that lying on the ground with your brother beneath you is an act that is thoroughly frowned upon?"

"Oh, that . . . I'm sorry. I was just excited."

Hearing her answer, Nana just raised her right eyebrow and thinned her lips. When will she ever grow up? I'm already afraid of what her antics might bring her to.

Sakura pulled herself up and so did her brother.

"Where's my kiss sweetheart? Don't you love your older brother anymore?" Sasori urged his sister.

"Oh!" and immediately Sakura put a smack on her big brother's left cheek and acting even more generous, she hugged him tightly.

"So you really missed me, you little imp," Sasori observed joyously.

"Of course I do. I can't go out all the time when you're out traveling. And right now Big Brother Gaara also left. He has been gone for a week already. When you two are not here, Nana won't let me roam the village and the nearby forests," Sakura complained.

"Well, Nana is right. She is afraid that with your ability to attract trouble you might destroy the whole village," he teased her sister.

"That is absolutely untrue. I can't possibly do that!" she denied with indignation and pouted at the same time.

Looking at her, he laughed at her expression. Yes, her sister is definitely growing up into a very beautiful woman. Pretty soon, he will be having a hard time chasing men away from her. But that won't be a problem, with their father's extreme protectiveness of her, it will be she who will be having a hard time meeting a man that she will favor. Their father will incontestably choose a man that will be fitting of her social rank. And sadly, she will be entered into a marriage that is not that of a love match but a marriage for political alliance.

The person who will marry his sister will surely be one of the most blessed person. But will he be favorable enough for his sister? That is a question he is not yet willing to delve for the time being. Yes, for now, he will just enjoy the time he has with his hellion of a sister.

"So where is my gift?" her sister demanded from him.

"Dear sister, is it actually good to demand something especially from a man of my status," he derided his sister.

"That is right if one is only demanding from his brother, right Nana?" she offset him.

"I am not going to participate in your infuriating debate with your brother, child," Nana argued irritably.

"Oh Nana you're no fun at all."

"Fun?" Nana asked with her eyebrows twitching.

But Sakura did not mind her. Instead she focused her attention once again to his brother.

"So where is it now? Give it to me." She demanded impatiently while stomping her left foot and placing her hands on her hips.

Truly his sister is very challenging. He thought and laughed at the irony of his station. Many people throughout the nation bow before him, he commanded respect and reverence, and the people give it to him. Most men are afraid to stand against him yet this lovely little sister of his is certainly doing what many would never do so.

"Oh you're stalling. Or wait, you don't have one?" she asked with a voice full of indignation.

"I don't have one?" he leered. "How can I forget to bring my little sister a gift? If I do not so, she would give me hell that might bring me to the brink of madness. Well here it is."

He pulled a box from the inside of his kariginu. When she saw the box, all she wanted was to pull the box immediately but she knew that Nana would frown at her unfeminine manner. So she waited patiently for his brother to give it to her.

Sasori was enjoying his sister's discomfort of not being able to grab it from him. He can see the impatience in her eyes and the twitching of her lips, and her control to not kicking him for not giving the box straight away to her. Taking pity on her, he reached it out to her.

"Here little sister. I hope you like it." Sasori said as he extends the gift.

"What is it? What's inside it?" she eagerly asked him, all the while shaking the box, trying to decipher it's inside through the sound that the box will produce.

"There's only one way to find it. Open it." he advise her.

And so she did. She ripped the ribbon that holds it in place. And open it. Once she did, her mouth gape in awe.

"Wow." She slowly said.

"So do you like it?"

"Like it? Of course I do. These are pink pearl. Where did you get it?"

"At the Shell Village. I won it at a tournament. I wasn't planning to join but when I saw the price that is to be awarded to the winner, I decided to enter. That pearl has the same color as your hair. And I knew you'd like it. They said that it has a dark history. It was once a white pearl but when the lady who previously owned it was betrayed by her lover, she killed her self and her blood transformed the pearls color into pink."

"Oh. That is indeed a sad story. Maybe this pearl should be given to her lover. I think she would want that." Sakura suggested.

"Sakura, that story is just a myth or if it is true, it probably happened hundreds of years ago. You should stop concerning yourself with things that no longer mattered," Sasori patiently advised her.

"Your right. I shouldn't. But I really like your gift brother. These pearls are beautiful. Thank you for your thoughtfulness." And she kissed him on the cheek.

"Here let me put it into your ears," and he gathered the pearl earrings and placed it in each of her ears.

And he looked at her, he was correct after all. The pearl earrings really suit her.

"Oh, I'm going to wear this everyday." She promised him.

That pearl, he knows it is hers. He will never forget it for it was he who gave it to her. Sakura was definitely here. And so he rushed toward the pearl and pick it up.

"Brother what is it?" Gaara inquired.

Thus he showed his younger brother the pink pearl.

"A trinket. That will help us solve this problem. It will certainly help us find our sister," Gaara commented sarcastically.

Sasori ignored his derision, instead he explained his action to him. "This pearl is Sakura's. I am absolutely certain. It was I who gave it to her. Our sister was definitely here."

"Then this clothes were hers too. It is torn to several pieces. Could it be that they defiled her before killing her? Where is her body then?" And then he examined the ground. "There is a sign of struggle."

"My lord," a soldier spoke.

They look at him, silently gesturing for him to continue.

"The village was thoroughly searched. So far, there is no sign of where the princess could be and her body was not found among the dead."

"If that is so then, there is a great chance that Sakura is still alive. And she is probably in the Fire Kingdom now as this trail bespeaks." Gaara remarked.

"Yes, she is probably there now, held prisoner by those bastard Uchihas." Sasori snarled angrily.

"Forgive me, my lord, but don't you think that it is too early for us to deduce that the Uchihas are the main perpetrators of this carnage," Yura, one of Sasori's subordinate boldly stated.

At this Gaara's composure cracked. "What is not here to conclude that this butchery is their doing? They left flags with their revered crest." He picked one flag and shoved it to his face.

"Tell me Yura, what is this you see. Whose crest does this flag carries? Whose clan does it represents?" he challenged him.

"Forgive me, my lord, it is the Uchiha's symbol." Yura conceded.

"But there is wisdom in Yura's reasoning, Gaara. I think that there is more to this, than the Uchiha attacking us. If they want war, we'll give it to them but we have to know the root of the problem first." Sasori reasoned.

"The most important thing is to save our sister first." Gaara agitatedly argued.

"Yes that is what we will do. We have to find her. But we have to do it by stealth."

Gaara raised his eyebrow and was about to ask his brother for further explanation but he was interrupted by the sound of the horses' hooves.

Some explanations I would like to share:

I know that some are certainly against my decision for making Sasori and Gaara as Sakura's siblings. But I couldn't find any other characters suitable. The defining qualities that made me decide them to be his brothers were their hair color. Since Sakura's hair is pink, which is a shade taken from red. At first I settled on just creating a new character but decided against it. At least with a character that is already in the manga and anime, it will not be difficult for you to imagine them and have a clear perspective. However, there is a downside on this decision, since there is a great chance, as I know I already violated, for them to be out of character. But nevertheless, I would stick to my decision. I am sorry if it displeases you.

Since there are a few people asking me on who, Sasuke's wife could possibly be. Well, that is a question I cannot answer yet. Not that I am being stingy but you see I don't have a draft for this story. When I make this story, I type whatever plot I can conceive at the moment. So as for now I still don't know who his wife was or who will it be. I still am trying to find one that might be possible. Or if I can't, I'll probably just create one.

Another thing, this chapter was not thoroughly edited. But I assure you that the next time I post the next chapter I will edit everything from the beginning. I am really sorry because I am busy at the moment. I was trying to convince my friend to do some retouches on this story, as he is a good writer, but unfortunately she doesn't have the time to. I can really say that it is really hard to edit your own story. Don't worry I really give it my best shot in editing.

Once again, thanks for the wonderful reviews. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing them.

Do inform me on how you feel about this chapter.