A/N: Hello people! This is the first chapter of this fanfiction. I hope you enjoy it!
By the way here are some of the Kingdoms in this story:
Kingdom Konoha - leader: Queen Tsunade of the House Senju
Kingdom Oto - Leader: King Fugaku of the House Uchiha
Kingdom Suna - Leader : King Gaara of the House Sabakyuu
XxxxX
Of the Kingdoms and of War
Chapter 1: In the Enemy's Den
When Sakura opened her eyes, the first thing that had registered was that she was captured by the bespectacled General and is now in one of the cell of the Kingdom Sound. Sakura clenched her fist. It is a common knowledge that the Uchiha royals had transferred in a different location after their former castle was sieged by the alliance of both Konoha and Suna which lead to the death of the former King Madara and his son Prince Obito. However before Obito had died, he had transferred all of their men in a different dimension which can only be opened by the clan's sharingan. If Sakura was in fact in that dimension, then any means of escape would be fruitless. However, she would still give it a try. She assessed her surroundings, noting everything that could help her escape plans.
After several hours of staying in the cellar. She found out that lots of Konoha and Suna subjects were captured as well. Her heart clenched painfully at the sight. She could see the fear on their faces.
XxxxX
If her body clock was correct, Sakura could surmise that she had been locked up for three days. She noted that even they were prisoners of war, they were still fed three times a day. The guards at post change shift three times a day as well. The timing of each shift's end changed differently in accordance with each meal. For instance, the breakfast, if her body clock was still correct, will be served after a guard's change. The second meal of the day would be served and the plates will be collected before the change of guards. For the last shift change, Sakura noted that it will happen a few hours after the last meal of the day, their supper will be delivered. This is the hardest to predict, however she knew that it would be easier to escape during this time. She wanted to bring all the prisoners with her when she escape. But she couldn't let them get into trouble so she must do this alone first. Besides there were only a slim chance that she could escape this place. She needs some research first, and the moment she found out how to go out of this lair even without the sharingan, she'll save everyone. With her new resolve, she gave another assessing glance along the cellars to make sure there were no guards in the immediate vicinity. When she was sure that there were none, she gathered chakra on her hands and slowly bend the bars in order for her entire physique to fit in so she can escape.
XxxxX
Prince Sasuke, the second in line for the throne, had returned from one of their successful campaign against Suna. The King of Suna had foolishly aligned himself with the Senju clan making him an enemy of the Uchihas. Sasuke didn't mind. He didn't actually like the Suna King so if he had chosen to be allies with Sound, Prince Sasuke didn't know how to pretend to be not hostile against him. Well, Sasuke has an anti-social character, so there are only few people he could actually tolerate. This is also the reason why he was given the nickname 'The Ruthless Prince.' The people in Sound believed that if ever Sasuke would inherit the crown, he will be worse than the power hungry King Madara. The people were relieved that Itachi was the first born and the heir of the crown.
Uchiha Itachi was a kind soul. If he hadn't have the sharingan, one will think he wasn't one of the war loving Uchihas. The power and blood lust are always present in each Uchiha men and women for generations. It is something that was passed along with the sharingan. However, Itachi seems not to have it. If anything, he hated war and would want to always resolve a problem without fighting or hurting innocent people. Whenever battles could not be prevented, he would always choose the path in which lesser damage would be made. Sasuke is sure that if Itachi inherited the crown, Oto would ask for a peace treaty in every Kingdom around. He inwardly shrugged. All the more reason why he must prove to their father that he is the one more suited to inherit the crown.
"Prince Sasuke it's good to see that you had returned. Congratulations for another successful campaign." Orochimaru, the Prime Minister of Sound said. The pale looking man slithered his snake like tongue after each sentences.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes towards the man and grunted haughtily.
The snake man chuckled darkly, "Anyway, we had new set of slaves available. Do you want to choose one for yourself? "
"I don't need one." he plainly answered.
"Don't you really want to consider... "
When they were about to take a left turn towards the T-intersection, a pink head popped out and greeted them.
"My, my, young girl are you lost? " his voice were full of venom,"Guards? Please assist this girl back to her accommodations, and make sure she wouldn't come out again. "
Sasuke looked at the woman and a sudden recognition stroked him.
XxxxX
Sakura had avoided the guards on patrol in the corner, which was the reason why she was force to turn at a certain intersection, only to regret it afterwards. She saw a long haired man with snake like eyes. He said something and in an instant guards had flung around her. She inwardly cursed, so much for an escape.
"I think she'll do." a familiar baritone had said.
"I beg your pardon your highness?" the snake man asked confused.
"You asked me to choose a slave, now I have decided. I'll choose her. "
The snake man uttered something Sakura couldn't make out what. He nodded to the guards and said, "Bring her to the head butler and tell him to get her ready for the Prince."
The guards saluted and ushered Sakura towards what she thinks would be the palace's head butler. She tried to look at the man who had just chosen her. Her eyes widen in shock when she saw a familiar face.
Uchiha Sasuke, although older now, had still remained some of his boyish charms, although he had stronger features now. His raven locks still kept in the style he had when they were just twelve. His perfectly sculpted face was still as handsome as she remembered. His ebony eyes locked with her jade ones momentarily. Sakura swallowed hard. His piercing gaze was just as intense as she could remembered.
When she first met Sasuke several years in the past, he hadn't told everyone that he was an Uchiha prince. He just said that he was travelling at different countries to become stronger. He keeps on searching for good teachers who could teach him different types of techniques. Kakashi had gladly accepted him under his tutelage. During that time, he was training Uzumaki Naruto, one of the relative of the queen. Since the queen doesn't have a heir, if anything bad happened to her, the next in line for the crown will be Naruto.
However, Naruto and a few others knew that it wasn't the case, because Queen Tsunade had already adapted the daughter of her half-sister, making her the heiress of the crown.
"I can't believe a dobe like you will be Konoha's King in the future." Sasuke teased.
"Teme! I'll be the best king believe it! Right Sakura-chan?" He grinned widely.
"Of course you will, Naruto-sama" Sakura added the honorific to keep the facade that she was one of the servant girls of the Uzumaki clan. She smiled at Sasuke,"You should believe more in your future king, Sasuke-kun. "
"He's not my king. Saying so would be blasphemy."
"Then who is your king, huh teme?" Naruto asked suspiciously.
"Hn. "
"What kind of answer is that?!" Naruto exclaimed.
At that moment, Kakashi had chosen to appear. "Sorry I was lost in the paths of life and..."
"Enough of your excuses let's just start training, dattebayo!" the blond shouted energetically, all suspicions forgotten.
Sakura looked towards Sasuke as if searching. He locked his obsidian eyes with her.
Sakura blinked at the memory. She quickly averted her gaze from the Uchiha Prince and let the guards lead her.
When she reached a certain hall, a man with flax colored hair greeted her. His hair was long enough to be tied at his back. He was wearing a circular shaped eye glasses. The man studied her quizzically, "I wonder why he had chosen you? You know, Orochimaru-sama and the other nobles always ask him to choose a personal servant to tend his needs but he always refused. Although we sent several servants to him, he always pushed them away. You are the first one he approved." He smiled to himself. "Be careful though, the Prince is not very popular for his kindness. If anything, he is one of the most ruthless person in this kingdom. And because you are a girl, Lady Karin would surely bully you for being too close to the Prince. "
Sakura snorted, "A jealous girlfriend? I'm just a slave, a servant not some concubine."
The head butler grinned sinisterly, "At this kingdom, the two can sometimes... Intertwine. "
Sakura's eyes widen in horror, was this man implying that Sasuke could...
"Relax, I haven't seen the prince to be sexually interested in any female before so you could remove your head out of the gutter."
Sakura nodded.
XxxxX
Sakura was delivered to a regal room after she was cleansed and were given a different set of clothes she noted as the uniform of the royal's personal servants. She was donned with white long sleeves and white baggy pants. Half of her face was concealed with a white cloth. Even her pink tresses where covered with a white bandana. The grandiose structure of the room was as large as Naruto's room back in Konoha. Although this one had darker colorings compared to the bubbly Konoha Prince. Sakura looked at the person sitting near the hearth. There, Prince Sasuke wearing his black silk male kimono was reading a scroll. Sakura noted the uchiwa emblem that was printed proudly on his clothes. The view seems hypnotic as this person seems to glow with each flicker of the fire.
The prince momentarily stopped his reading to acknowledge her presence. Being at loss of what to do she bowed slightly as a greeting.
"Thank you for saving me. If you hadn't interrupted, the guards would have punished me to death. Sasuke-kun, I mean Prince Sasuke-sama." Sakura said.
"You can call me in the way you used to whenever we are alone." He stood up and walked towards her, the scroll left forgotten on the chair he had just vacated. He removed Sakura's mask and bandana and make her hold it. "Don't wear that within this walls."
Sakura tilted her head up and down as a sign of understanding.
"And don't give any assumptions that I did that to help you. I'm just sick of being told to choose for a personal servant all the time."
"I heard, some servants were sent to you but you, umm, ordered them away."
"Hn."
Sasuke sat in the edge of the bed. Sakura looked around the room and noticed a soft red couch at the corner. She looked at Sasuke,"So, can I sleep on your couch or would you rather let me sleep in a futon on the floor?"
"You'll sleep in the bed." The prince lied on the left side of the bed, turning his back away from a dumbfounded Sakura.
"Wh-what? But I..." a blush had glazed her cheeks.
"Sakura." His tone was full of warning.
Sakura swallowed hard and complied. She slowly get on the bed and turned to the right side so her back meets the prince's.
When they were younger, she had shared a bed with him as well because there was no choice during those times. However, now that was not the case. She didn't know why he had asked her to do so. Was the other slaves sent to him also had the same privileges? Were they not a good company that's why they were sent away? Sakura refused to acknowledge the fang of envy that her line of thoughts had inflicted her.
Sakura closed her eyes. Now that she was the prince's servant, she could study this lair better than if she is just a prisoner. Sakura told herself to look for any flaws in this perfectly hidden lair. Sleep had slowly reached her senses. Little did she know, a pair of crimson eyes were observing her form from behind.
End of Chapter 1.