Another note: This is a really short chapter, sorry, but I hope it gives you some more insight. The next chapter is much longer, my longest yet! Thank you so much to each person who has left comments; they are wonderful comments and I'm so happy everyone is enjoying this! I appreciate you taking the time to let me know. »smile«

Notes: Please remember this is an AU with a decidedly non-ninja setting! It is highly influenced by an unhealthy obsession with Turkish divan poetry, countless history books on the Ottoman Empire, and the brilliant Ferzan Özpetek's Harem Suare.

At one glance I love you with a thousand hearts.
 Mihri Hatun

08: why do you shun me, my heart?

Two weeks went by and Iruka heard nothing. He wasn't called by the Sultan, Kisame passed him no messages, and neither Kotetsu nor Izumo spoke to him. He hadn't seen Hayate since the morning they'd returned to the seraglio.

Though he was certain he felt Izumo's gaze on him constantly, even when Izumo wasn't around.

He couldn't help but think back, over and over, to the night Kakashi had spoken to Itachi—'Call me Itachi, Iruka. I like how your mouth moves around my name' he'd said—and the things Kakashi had said.

'In my travels I've had the opportunity to buy, sell, and trade many goods. Humans make the most convenient commodity. Easiest to handle and quite valuable at times. I make my use of them and sell them when I'm done.'

He'd said it with such a pragmatic coldness that Iruka had been suddenly pained. Maybe that's all he really wants—ever wanted—me for. After being in the seraglio, maybe I'm just more valuable.

Iruka shook his head, unable to dispel the notion. I'm supposed to trust him, but… Besides that, at this point, he wasn't even certain Itachi would let him go. Ever since he'd brought all the attention to himself by tending Hayate, Itachi had called for him constantly. In fact, the last two weeks were the longest he'd gone without seeing Itachi since the day he was released from the Soldiers Hall.

'The others are irrelevant. Iruka, however…' Itachi had reached his hand out toward Iruka, tracing the side of his face with one finger, those cold eyes boiling into him as the icy fingertip trailed down his face. He hadn't been able to suppress a shiver then, nor could he now, just thinking about it. Itachi had laughed. 'I've grown most fond of Iruka. I might have to keep him a night myself before I hand him over to you, Kakashi.'

'Of course,' Kakashi said. Then he smiled and they laughed while Iruka sat, terrified at the thought.

Then Genma and Raidou, Kakashi's guards, had entered and he and Hayate were dismissed to their rooms. Kakashi didn't even glimpse at him as he left the room.

Surely he was playing the part of the disinterested buyer? The minute he walked into the room he'd smiled at Iruka, concerned over how he was doing. But I really had to work hard to seduce him. What if he does sell me? What do I do then? I thought, back then, that he really liked me…

Iruka sighed and pulled a blanket over his head, shifted on the narrow bed and tried to sleep, if only for the escape it offered, but he was too keyed up to relax, let alone sleep.

When he woke up the next morning, still sleepy after a fitful night, Kotetsu and Izumo were in the room.

"Hayate says Kakashi is getting the two of you." Kotetsu's voice was low, and solemn, but Iruka detected an undercurrent of anger.

Iruka sat up, trying not to let the two of them frighten him. No, that wasn't the right word. They didn't frighten him, but when they appeared on either side of him, he couldn't help but think of that night in the apricot pool. He shivered.

"Please, be patient. He swore to me that things were going to change. I haven't even seen him. I don't know what you expect me to do!"

The two exchanged a look that Iruka didn't understand at all. He jumped when Izumo sat down at the end of the bed, running his hand over Iruka's covered feet.

"I promise I'm trying my best. If I do get out, I can help. I can't do anything if you tell and I get stuck here. Or… or sent away." Iruka shivered again. He hadn't thought of Mizuki in ages. It didn't feel like it, but it had barely been two months ago that Iruka had helped Hayate and been sent to the Soldiers Hall for a week.

It felt like a far distant memory, but came closer the more he thought about it.

Izumo suddenly looked sympathetic. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Iruka, Iruka. I'm sorry. I forget you've been here for such a short time. I've been here all of my life. I was born here." He laughed harshly and looked at Kotetsu. "I'm so desperate for freedom and I don't even know what it is." He looked back to Iruka and added, "You just want to go home."

Iruka shook his head quickly. "I don't have a home. I'm just as desperate, Izumo. My uncle's been selling me since the day my parent's died. He sold me to Kakashi, taking his money, then to the Sultan for even more money. I'm passed around more than used clothing," he said, laughing, trying to make them smile.

Izumo frowned, got up and left. Iruka stared at him as he left the room. "Kotetsu? What is he doing? Will he—"

"Don't worry. Just… do whatever you can." Kotetsu left nearly as suddenly as Izumo and Iruka was left alone.

Don't worry? How can I do anything but? Iruka lay back in the bed and pulled the covers loosely over him. He proceeded to worry about everything he could think of worth worrying about.

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