Under the Plum Tree

Chapter 2: Unexpected Words

Trapped. That was the one word that described Sakura's life best. She was stuck in a love-hate relationship for the rest of her life; she loved the ones she held dear, but she also hated the clan for its stubbornness and the chains they bound onto her. So it was no surprise that while she stood there, sword at Itachi's neck, and as the small audience of relatives were applauding at her skillfulness, she felt utterly disgusted.

Sakura sheathed her sword back and turned around to walk away, leaving a shocked Itachi still on one knee from his earlier defeat. He smiled. Interesting, he thought. The student had surpassed the master. She had never been able to win against Itachi before. Your mother would have been proud, Sakura.

Sakura kept walking. To where, she didn't even know. But she was furious, at everything, everyone, even herself. She hated how things in the world worked, how things in her world worked. Everyone just stood there, congratulating her on her hard work and achievements. But everyone didn't know what she had to sacrifice to get there, to be the one to protect and lead them. She had given up freedom. But that wasn't necessarily the case. She didn't really sacrifice freedom; it was something she never had from the start. She was just willing to avoid freedom if that's what it took for her to be able to protect everyone she loved. No one knew the true pain that the leader of the clan goes through. No one but her mother.

Mother, Sakura thought, I wonder how you dealt with this pain. She became lost in her thoughts as she made her way to her room. She was stopped when a servant approached her.

"Hime-sama, your father wishes for you to join him in the meeting room."

Sakura raised her eyebrows at this. It was rare for her father to ask for her, since he was always so busy with political nonsense.

"I understand. Arigatou." Sakura replied, and the servant bowed her head as Sakura walked past her.

She stood outside the door to the meeting room. She could hear several voices. Probably some old men going on about some ridiculous problem, Sakura thought. She took a deep breath and reluctantly slid the door open and bowed respectfully. Ten pairs of eyes were on her and two mouths had stopped talking. The meeting room had a long table with five men sitting on the ground on each side. Her father sat at the very end of the table and was facing Sakura.

"Ah, my daughter, you've come right on time." Her father was a middle-aged man with strong features. He had a sharp and defined face with sparkling blue eyes that refused to lose their luster. His dark black hair remained short and well kept. It was obvious that Sakura did not take after her father, but after her mother. He was still rather handsome for his age, however. He fit the stereotype of a perfect warrior in battle and a wise leader and ruler. It was no surprise that he was the clan's leader. After all, he was much wiser than even the oldest people of the village despite his age.

Sakura looked up from her bowing position and moved to sit at the opposite end of the table.

"Sakura," he was shuffling through some papers and looking over them as he spoke, "I've called for you to remind you of what we planned this week, hm?" He looked up from his papers to Sakura. She nodded in remembrance.

"As you already know, tomorrow is the village's yearly Light Festival," he smiled softly at her, "I thought it would be good for you to attend it." He looked over her with concern in his eyes this time, you need some fresh air, Sakura.

"But father, didn't you say—" Sakura was cut off.

"The Namikaze clan meeting will have to wait for a few days." He smiled at the surprised Sakura. "I know I'e said it would be the most important meeting for you but the Namikaze leader and I both agreed it would be more beneficial to extend the date."

"Hai." Sakura said in defeat.

"Now, now, don't be too eager to enter the never-ending game of politics," he chuckled.

Sakura was in no way excited to go into political meetings, but she saw them as a chance to finally voice her opinions where it mattered, seeing as she'll be the official Uchiha heir in just under a year, on her 18th birthday.

"Hiroku-sama, I've heard that the Namikaze and Hyuuga clans are both attending the festival too?" her father's assistant added in.

"Oh, that's right," he turned to face his daughter. "Sakura, I obviously cannot send you alone so Sasuke-kun will be going with you."

As soon as her father had said that, Sakura knew that she wasn't going to like tomorrow one bit. But being the respectful and considerate daughter she is, she obliged to her father's wish.

Sakura inwardly sighed, "Hai, I understand father."

"Very well. Now then," he continued, pleased, "will you be staying for the rest of this meeting?"

"Actually father, I think I'll be going and preparing myself for tomorrow. Good bye."

Her father nodded and returned to his work as Sakura left the room.

She didn't like this. The fact that Sasuke and his cold attitude were going to be the highlights of her evening tomorrow made her want to smash everything around her into tiny pieces.

Sakura stormed into her room and sat down on her futon. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down. She tried to think of all the reasons that she was bearing this "torture". She decided she was doing this for a chance at freedom, the people close to her, the plum tree's promise for a complete heart. And also for her mother. She opened her eyes, a distant and sad glint in them. Mother. Her thoughts were interrupted when a knock sounded on her door.

"Come in." said Sakura, who wasn't paying too much attention.

A petite woman slid the door open and entered, holding stacks of neatly folded clothing. After her came even more servants with clothing, jewelry, shoes, and many more accessories. Father has overdone it once again, Sakura sighed.

Sakura was accustomed to this routine. For every big event she attended ever since she was born, her father would send in many items and servants to get her ready. Sakura knew that all she had to do was sit there and let them do their jobs. However, being pampered almost everyday didn't make up for the emptiness that Sakura felt.

Sakura let her mind wander to how the following day would turn out to be. She wondered who she would see and meet at the festival. She also hoped, for the love of God, that Sasuke wouldn't stick to her like glue all evening.

Once again, she was interrupted from her thoughts, something that the servants of the house seemed to be good at.

"Hime-sama, which kimono did you like best?" Sakura looked over all six kimonos that were laid out in front of her. One kimono caught her eyes.

"That one," she pointed to a beige and deep plum kimono. It was beautiful, really. And its elegance was what captured Sakura's attention. It was an all beige kimono with a gold sash tied around the waist. Over the beige background was a complex design of plum-colored flowers, swirls and twirls decorating the bottom.

She tried the glamorous piece of clothing on herself and turned to look in the mirror. Her mouth was slightly agape as she stared at the mesmerizing sparkles of the golden sash. It was a perfect outfit for a light festival. She seemed to radiate light from her own being. The colorful and bright kimono almost, almost, made up for the lack of light in her hollow eyes.

"You look beautiful," came a familiar voice. Sakura turned around to see Sasuke leaning against a wall, arms folded. He was looking right at her, a soft glimmer in his dark eyes. Sakura found this to be unusually, extremely, uncomfortably weird, as the statement caught her off guard.

"A-arigatou…" she stuttered as her slightly widened eyes looked away from his intense stare. He nodded and kicked off the wall and turned around to leave. Sakura couldn't help but wonder what had gotten into her ice cube of a fiancée. He was never, NEVER one to dish out compliments. She didn't like where this was going.