Chapter III: My Little Pet

Disclaimer: Don't break my heart.

Sakura: She doesn't own Naruto.

RikusChika778: Heartbreaker!

Recap:"Sasuke-kun, I want you to meet my bodyguard, Rock Lee, and Lady-in-waiting, Sakura Haruno." Karin pulled Sakura up to Sasuke. He was smirking and Karin was laughing.

"Prince Sasuke." Sakura said, never taking her eyes off him while she did a curtsey.

"The devil you know." Sasuke said as his smirk grew wider. This girl would be very amusing around here. Sakura had no idea what she was in for now.

You've got to be joking! Sakura gagged to herself. While she felt her stress levels rise at the idea of being near Sasuke the entire lapse of the party, she mentally slapped herself when she remembered he could tell Karin then and there about earlier.

She was bought back to reality when Karin caught her attention. "Sakura, entertain me by dancing with Sasuke-kun for this song," She ordered her, never making it sound like a request as the pinkette gaped at the redhead. She turned away from Karin and looked towards Sasuke, praying for that sword to stab her right now between the eyes.

"You're joking… right?" She asked as Karin's smile faded and was immediately replaced with a furious scowl. "I mean, it's only fair that the fiancés dance together!" She quickly covered up, laughing shakily and flicking away the sweat forming at her brow.

"True, but it was an order, Sakura. So go dance with Sasuke-kun!" Sakura turned from Karin and came face to chest with Sasuke. He was taller, no doubt, which made her a dwarf in comparison. She literally had to look up to him, and likewise for him having to look down upon her. How ironic. "Don't embarrass us, either!"

"Yes ma'am…" Sakura said begrudgingly. Karin heard someone call her name from the other side of the room and immediately left to find them. Lee followed along, having the job to guard the princess, and left Sakura all by herself with Sasuke. She sighed and looked at Sasuke. "Are we going to dance or what, Prince?"

"Hmm… I don't like your sarcasm… Maybe I should skip the limbs, and cut off your head first." Sakura gulped as Sasuke placed his hands on her hip and began helping her move to the rhythm, swaying her from side to side.

"You're a trained dancer, right? This should be easy then." It wasn't because she was too mesmerized with the prince in her presence she stumbled a couple of times. At least, that's what she told herself. "Or not, but I don't believe that. Maybe I should let you perform a dance in front of everyone, or me privately." Sakura blushed at the response and hoped no one was eavesdropping on their conversation.

"What the hell do you think I am, prince?"

"My little pet." While Sakura flushed a deeper shade of red, Sasuke smirked devilishly.

Hinata had not planned on Tenten helping her carry food out to the dinner tables, even though the brunette told her she could do it. So now, here so was, unsurely wavering on her decision to help her friend or possibly screw up the job.

"Come on Hinata, don't be such a wuss," Tenten snapped. "I have another important matter to attend to. Where is Ichigo?" Tenten looked around in the bustling kitchen for the attendant.

"Why? So you can yell at her again like earlier?" Hinata defended the currently absent girl.

"I don't want to, but she has to stop being a klutz or Karin will get to her before me. I'm basically protecting her from the consequences. My yelling would pale in comparison to what Karin would have in mind for a punishment."

Just as they were talking, a girl arrived, carefully walking with a cake in her hands. Her hair was jet black and silky; her bangs were cut neatly across her forehead. The black hair was straight with a few strands were placed in a side ponytail on her left, and her eyes were lavender purple. Her skin was pale, but unlike Hinata's creamy shade. "There you are, Ichigo." Tenten quickly took the cakes from her and placed them on the rolling cart.

"I'm sorry," Ichigo apologized while looking down at her feet. "I tried to get here as fast as I could, Tenten."

"It's fine. Here! Take this out there to the table and be careful." Ichigo nodded before rolling the tray outside. "Okay, Hinata, we're next."

"But…!" Hinata stopped in her tracks of protest when Tenten sent a glare her way yet again. The second they exited out of the kitchen, they ran into a person.

"Holy hell!" Hinata said before slapping her hands over her mouth with wide eyes, shocked at what flew out of her mouth. Tenten realized it was the same person from earlier who was on the horse. She narrowed her eyes as she scrutinized him close-up and was surprised that his eyes looked just like Hinata's.

Tenten looked back and forth from both Hinata to him, feeling the almost tangible tension. His hair was long, but instead of leaving it down like she saw earlier, it was all pulled back into a loose ponytail. He was glaring not at both of them, but just at the Hyuuga girl, and an aloof aura rolled off of him in waves. "Excuse me, can I help you?" Tenten asked, slightly worried about her friend.

"We're sorry!" Hinata apologized, evading his sharp eyes when he gave her a suspicious look.

"Where are you from?" He interrogated.

"The land—"

"That is none of your business," Tenten interrupted, stepping forward.

"Sir Neji, your parents are wondering where you are," A servant intervened in an almost urgent manner. Neji gave the man a nod before looking back at Hinata and Tenten.

"I was talking to the shorter girl, nosy brat." Tenten seethed with anger as Neji smirked. They heard a small crash come from the dining area, and Tenten wasted no time in hurrying over there. She found Ichigo being carried bridal-style in the arms of an unknown male.

"Ichigo!" The figure put her down, and she glanced around at her surroundings, scared. "Are you okay?" Tenten noticed that Ichigo ran into the glassware and the deep cut running all the way down her elbow, oozing out blood. Taking notice of the person who was staring next to her, she knew it was Prince Itachi. "Thank you, my lord," She bowed humbly in gratitude.

"It's fine, but she needs to have this bandaged immediately." Itachi held Ichigo's arm up as he kept a pressure on the wound with a cloth a servant had bought him. Wrapping it around slowly as red slowly sank into the white makeshirt-bandage, he excused himself and the servant girl just as Karin arrived with Kumi hot on her heels.

"What happened?" Kumi looked around frantically and noticed Karin's accusing eyes directed at Tenten.

"Tenten, what the hell! You broke the glass?" Karin accused with a snap as Tenten gaped in disbelief. "Don't act so surprised. You knew what the consequences would be if you embarrassed me!"

"Yeah, a bitch fit. Ooh, so scary…" She sang sarcastically. Neji and Hinata approached her from behind the same moment Karin rose her stiff arm into the air, palm outstretched. Neji caught her hand just inches away from Tenten's face.

"She didn't do it. It was someone else from princess Kumi's attendants," The Hyuuga prodigy lied. He blamed one of Kumi's attendants for Tenten's sake. "Besides, a face like this is completely harmless." Tenten wondered if she should strangle the guy or thank him. Instead, she settled for inwardly sulking at the thought of how vague his comment had been.

Kumi pouted, believing his white lie. "Damn them… I'll go handle it right now." She stomped away with Karin glaring at the almost indifferent brunette.

"How dare you get smart with your princess," Karin stated with a controlled tone that nearly screamed trouble. Tenten seemed unfazed at the way her 'superior' began to show her anger physically.

"Princess?" Tenten laughed humorlessly. "The only reason why I put up with your bullshit is for the sake of your mother. Me, Hinata, Sakura; all of us do. No one would mourn for you if you suddenly rolled over and died, Karin. So keep talking and partying like a slut and hope that you'll wake up tomorrow without harsh consequences."

Karin flustered at her cutting lecture and knew she couldn't lose Tenten with how rude she was to her, especially in public. While the redhead was walking off in huff, everyone stared at Tenten, some shaking their heads for various reasons and others applauding her for standing up against royalty.

"Tenten?" Hinata reached out to touch her arm, but Tenten pulled away with an irritated scowl.

"I hate this place already," She muttered before storming off in the opposite direction. The eldest Uchia had already left moments before, probably looking for Ichigo to make sure her injury was better. Neji shook his head before leaving Hinata by herself.

Sakura had become worried the moment she heard the crash echo from another room, but Sasuke refused kept a tight grip on her and wouldn't let her leave. "Itachi went to check what happened over there, so it should be fine."

"But…!" The pinkette began to protest.

"If you're my pet, then you don't go anywhere unless I tell you to. Do I make myself clear?" Sasuke said, his fingers digging into her hips forcefully. The girl nodded as response out of fear and hid her painful wince. He smirked triumphantly.

Throughout the whole night, he made sure that Sakura remained his dance partner. He made up the excuse that he was having so much fun with her and he didn't want to keep Karin from her friends and other acquaintances.

The next morning, the girls had to watch the boys train in the castle grounds. Karin sent Tenten out there in hopes of outdoing all the guys' attendants, which she did, and would hopefully beat out the top five, including Rock Lee.

"Teme!" Naruto yelled, running over to Sasuke and Itachi. He handed a katana to Sasuke and a muramasa to Itachi. "Mother said you two left your swords."

"You're not going to fight?" Itachi asked, adjusting his silver breastplate. "I'm surprised. Last time we sparred, you said you would get revenge on Sasuke."

"He wishes." Naruto glared at Sasuke, who in return stuck his tongue out childishly. "Where did Neji go? That girl's his next opponent." He said, pointing over to the brunette in the corner. Tenten was sitting outside, fixing her armor. She had a huge scroll sitting next to her, and Rock Lee was in front of her, wrapping his arm around in a long, winding bandage.

"I'm right here," Neji appeared from behind, mounted on a black horse. "She's the girl from yesterday night. Her name was Tenten, I believe. She has spunk, I have no doubt about that, but we'll see just how strong she really is when she fights me." As if feeling someone watching her, Tenten looked up and found Neji staring at her shamelessly. Giving him a 'what do you want?' look complete with a glare, Neji grinned right back at her.

Tenten wasn't the only one being watched. Sasuke noticed Sakura's feeble glances in his direction. When he returned her stare, she blushed and returned to Karin, who wasn't paying any attention to what was going on in the training grounds. Instead, she was sound asleep.

"Is that the girl?" Itachi asked Sasuke, who stopped staring at Sakura to glance in his brother's direction. "Her name is Sakura, right?"

"Yes," Sasuke confirmed.

"She's a cute one, although her princess is a bit dense if I didn't know better." Itachi placed the muramasa in its case, secured on his hip.

"Karin's a whiny bitch," Naruto commented suddenly. "She never shuts up."

"Sounds like you," Sasuke countered smoothly. "But I do agree that she's a bitch."

"Our kingdom doesn't care if you have an affair with someone lower than royalty. But the Land of Earth and Lightning do since they're old-fashioned." Naruto explained.

"Why did you bring up the Land of Lightning?" Itachi asked when the thought of his wife's kingdoms rules flittered in his mind momentarily.

"You and that attendant seemed close earlier."

"She was hurt, Naruto. There's nothing wrong in keeping her from bleeding to death," Itachi countered before sauntering away with his hands in his pockets.

"Anyway, we need to get ready." Sasuke ended the conversation and watched Tenten and Neji go stroll onto opposite positions on the practice field. He stole one more glance at a certain pinkette before sauntering after Itachi with Naruto.

Tenten and Neji began a stare off, some members of the audience squirming at the rising tension while others looked on in excitement.

"I'm harmless, huh? We'll see if your opinion of my face changes when I kick your ass!" Tenten threatened, pulling out the gigantic scroll she had by her side earlier.

"You have courage for threatening an heir to a clan. I'm no weakling, Tenten; I'll show you the trait of the Hyuga clan." That caught Tenten off guard. Hyuga? Neji Hyuga, Hinata Hyuga. What was up with that? The battle began, and Tenten observed how veins popped out of his temples from running to his eyes. This was the only clan she didn't have any information on, and without that, she wouldn't be able to anticipate his moves.

RikusChika778: Ta dah! I decided to switch to everyone in this chapter. Was that beast or what went Tenten broke it down to Karin? And what will Tenten do now that she's been introduced to the Hyuga ability? Sasuke and Sakura are stealing glances, Ichigo has been introduced (My OC) as the attendant from the first two chapters, Itachi has to. Don't worry Naruto and Hinata will get there soon.

Note:(Ages) Itachi-21

Neji-19

Ichigo-16

CiiCiinREX: I was dead tired when I was looking over this; ngghh. But it was still fun :P Hope you guys enjoyed it!

Reviews please!