It appears to be Monday again. You know what that means? *Cue the drum roll* Another week of school! Yay... *gives weak smile* I don't get it. Why does English Extension 2 have to be better than English Extension 1? That is sooo not fair. Because now I actually want to do English Extension 2. Those bitches... I don't know how it is for the rest of the world, but in Australia, it is freaking hot. Like, I wore short shorts to school. Short shorts! That is so screwed up, dude.

And now, to thank the amazing people who reviewed, because reviews deserve ice cream loads of thank yous XD: Rainless:Well, as much as I would love to tell you what's going to happen in the end, I don't want to spoil it!; Chantrea Moonbeam:All in good time, my friend. All in good time XD; anEpicBanana: Well, how many people do you know who could stay on a bike after having a fridge thrown at them?; just me: Bwahahahahahaaa... it's really messing with your mind, isn't it? Love you x; river of the sand: I'm glad you thought so :D And as for that? You'll find out who Shadow Man is sooner or later, just not yet, okie dokies? And yay! You checked! Here is more :); Alipiaoca: That was amazing :D Had me laughing for quite a while XD Shadow man is back, and Sasucakes has a sweet side (in this story :O)

For those who wondered, if you type 'Uchiha' into Google translate, and translate it into Japanese, it comes up with 'Sasuke'. That's why it made my mind melt.

Disclaimer: I, in no way, shape or form, own a hair on any of the Naruto characters heads. Apart from said hair, the rest of them are mine XD Jks :'(

Chapter 5

.:{*}:.

Woes of Fate

4th February
Dearest Diary.

My name is Sakura, and I am a prisoner in Otogakure. My home is in Konoha, and Kami, I miss it like you wouldn't believe. I have hardly any friends here. There is Tenten, but she only serves me out of duty. There is Juugo, but I hardly know him. There is Itachi, and he does treat me well. Apart from Sasuke, he is probably the closest person I have that resembles a friend.

Sasuke. How do I describe him? He is arrogant, conceited, egotistical and ridiculously handsome. Yet, I sense goodness deep, deep inside of him. How would I describe our relationship? We aren't lovers, that's for certain, but nor am I a whore. We desire each other, and we act on that desire. Other than that, it's just complicated.

Oh diary, I miss my home so much. What I would give to see my Lady's face again, or to feel Neji's embrace… I miss them both so. And yet, going back is not a possibility. To leave, I must give up my Lady Hinata. To stay silent means death. I know what I must do, and I shall not waver from my decision. I will willingly give my life for my Lady.

But still… I do so wish I could go home.

Normal POV

.:{*}:.

The man sat in the spacious waiting room nervously. The palace was a feat of architecture; the man could readily admit that. He hadn't seen anything so grand in all his years.

After finding Sakura's location, the man had applied for guard duty within the palace.

He had to get to Sakura. No matter the cost, he had to get to her. He had to find her, else his master would have his head on a spike.

Failure wasn't an option.

Sasuke was bored. Ridiculously bored. So freaking bored he'd have to spend hours with Sakura before he could feel properly cleansed of boredoms clinging essence.

"Sasuke Kun!"

Speaking of clinging…

Ino swept up the stairs to where Sasuke was sitting on his throne. He shot the infuriating blonde a glare, which she carefully ignored, and continued on her stubborn way.

"Sasuke Kun, daddy told me that he's having a meeting with the council to organise our engagement. Aren't you excited?" She squealed, leaving a faint ringing in Sasuke's ears.

"Not particularly," he growled, shoving her away. "Now piss off."

Ino pouted at him. "Aw, Sasuke Kun, don't be like that. If you come to my room tonight, I can show you the treats I can offer on our marriage bed." She winked at him, and Sasuke suddenly felt a strange desire to puke.

"I'd rather stab myself in the eye with a fork." He made to rise and escape her suffocating presence, but she pushed herself into his arms.

"Sasuke Kun, why do you shy from me? I desire you so greatly… Why, Sasuke Kun, I do believe I love you! And yet, you scorn my presence. Aren't you even a bit tempted by me? So many others are, but you are the only one I really want. Won't you spend just one night in my suite? I'm sure I could change your mind." She raised her brow suggestively, letting her hands slide lower down his chest. They barely got past his navel, before he grabbed her wrists harshly.

"As I said, I'd rather stab myself. The likes of you hold no interest for me. You are no more than a whore with a pretty face." He strode past her before she shrieked at him, her voice holding a tinge of desperation and smugness.

"Otogakure is financially crippled, Sasuke Kun, because of your war! The only way out of it is by marriage. To me. Your council knows this, and as a result, you will marry me, willing or not!"

Sasuke gave no outward sign that he heard her, or cared for her fierce words. The only logical thought in his mind was 'Sakura'.

The man stepped into a large circular room that had been built out of stone. Weapons and armour were splayed in organised chaos all around the walls.

A sickly looking man with a sallow complexion and long black hair was lounging against a wall, reading a note. However, as soon as the newcomer entered, the note was calmly hidden away, as the man turned yellow ochre eyes towards him.

"You're here for the guard job, I presume?"

The man nodded back. "I am an able fighter, and can pass any physical."

The sallow man circled the newcomer, a thoughtful look on his face. "I am Orochimaru," said he, "and if you can hold your own in a fight against Sasuke Sama, you will be hired."

The man nodded his head, glad. "When do I fight him?"

Orochimaru smirked. "When he is ready."

Time with Sakura was exactly what Sasuke had needed. To him, nothing could compare. Her groans, squeaks, whimpers, mewls, it drove him crazy. Then, there was the feel of her. The way her skin rubbed against him, the way she moved, the way her walls would tighten around his cock when she came…

And then there was her smell. She smelt of lavender and roses, usually. But when he slept with her, she carried the slight scent of him, too. It was enough to drive him wild. That's exactly what possessed him to take her a second time.

He had rolled off her the first time, listened to her pant, watched as she fought for control of her erratic breathing. Her movements appeared so innocent, how could he not want to prove that she was anything but? He had rolled on top of her, grabbing her hand in one of his, supporting himself with the other. She had watched him carefully, and a little curiously, as he brought both their hands lower, moving all her fingers with his so that all but their middle fingers were curled down. She had given him a confused look, before he had plunged said fingers inside of her, making her back arch and a throaty moan escape her lips as they both pleasured her sensitive folds.

Just before she had reached her peak, he had pulled out their fingers, earning a weak protest from her. He didn't say anything when he pushed himself inside her tight walls, having become aroused again when watching her squirm in pleasure. He nearly cursed at the way her tingling walls clamped almost painfully around him, before pulling out and ramming back inside of her, giving her her desired release. He couldn't move for a moment when she tightened around his shaft in a pleasurably painful way. He wouldn't even let her settle, before he started to pound her mercilessly, rubbing her clit to ensure her release.

Come they did, Sasuke a few thrusts after Sakura, before he pulled out and rolled to her side. They lay there for a few moments, regaining their breath, before Sakura turned lust ridden emerald eyes on Sasuke.

"Sasuke, what are we? She asked him, and he blanched, confused as to where the question had come from.

"Why do you ask?" He retorted, and she sighed.

"Curiosity. We aren't lovers, nor are we in a relationship of any kind. Don't worry, I'm not expecting anything of you," she added hastily upon seeing the apprehension on his face, "I just think I'd feel more at ease if I knew what we actually are. As long as I'm not considered a whore, a harlot, or even a concubine, I don't care."

Sasuke smirked. "Technically, though, you are a concubine."

Sakura sneered at this observance. "I'd rather not be called that, Sasuke." He could feel her anger, and it amused him.

"What then? Fuck buddies? As you said, we are in no form of relationship, and as you are neither paid, nor give 'services' to other men, you are not a whore or harlot. 'Concubine' is the most apt description befitting of you. 'Tis not meant as an insult, I am simply giving the most rationalised conclusion based on the evidence present."

Sakura was positively fuming by that point, and only through a supreme surge of willpower did she keep from yelling. "What about Friends with Benefits? Surely we could say that instead?"

He just smirked again, before rolling on top of her, hovering above her and meeting her angry glare. "We could," he agreed, kissing her neck. "But you look sexy when you're angry. Hence, I think I'll dub you as my concubine."

She slapped him, and his head snapped to the side, an angry red welt where her hand had made contact with his face. "Call me that one more time, and I'll castrate you," she threatened, the glint in her eyes backing up her words.

He just smirked in reply. "Friends with benefits, then," he relented, finding her lips with his own and sucking on them. Sakura arched into him, fitting her body against his own, before Sasuke stood up to find his clothes,

"I'd best be going before anyone comes searching for me," he explained, sliding on his breeches and looking for his shirt. Sakura just nodded in understanding, before going to look for her own clothes.

Orochimaru passed the halls of the castle, looking for Sasuke. The young prince couldn't be found anywhere, and Orochimaru had been searching for over an hour. He heard the sound of a door close up ahead, and strode forward, quickly catching sight of the man he'd been looking for.

"Sasuke Sama," Orochimaru said breathily, looking proudly at Sasuke's questioning glance. "Another young man has applied for the guard job. Naturally, you are required to test him."

Sasuke sighed, before running a hand through his hair. "When?" He asked, his voice conveying the annoyance his face barely hid.

"In an hour or so."

Sasuke just nodded before walking away.

Orochimaru just stood there for a moment, wondering why Sasuke had been in Yue's old room. Vaguely, he wondered if Sasuke had been searching for more clues as to the reason for his deceased sisters' death. He stopped a passing brunette in her tracks.

"Does anyone inhabit Yue's old room?" He asked her sternly.

The girl just nodded. "Yes, Sir. Miss Sakura lives there now."

Orochimaru raised a dark eyebrow at this revelation. "Really, now? That's very interesting…" He turned on his heel, leaving Tenten to stare after him with confused chocolate brown eyes. She just shrugged, passing off Orochimaru's question, before going back to Sakura's room. She opened the door to find Sakura donning an emerald green tunic with a silver belt and long black pants. Sakura smiled at Tenten, and voiced a greeting, which the brunette returned, before relaying her orders.

"Itachi Sama has asked you to join him for lunch, and then come with him to watch Sasuke Sama test the new recruits," she said politely.

Sakura smiled at Tenten, walking towards the girl. "Of course, Tenten. Could you take me there, please? I don't trust myself to not get lost."

Tenten just nodded at Sakura, before leading the roseate to a private dining area in the western part of the palace. Itachi was seated at a small table, a large array of food ready and waiting.

"Sakura San," Itachi greeted politely, whilst indicating to Tenten that she was dismissed. He led Sakura to her seat. "How have you been?" He asked, eyeing her carefully.

Sakura smiled at him, putting some rice onto her plate. "I have been well, Itachi Sama," she replied.

"Please, not so formal, Sakura," he insisted.

"Itachi San, then," the girl relented.

They started on their food, and for a while the only sound heard was the clinking of cutlery.

"Do you miss your home, Sakura San?" Itachi asked suddenly, catching Sakura off guard.

"Yes, Itachi San. I miss my home very much," she replied.

Itachi looked at her kindly. "You miss your family?"

Sakura hesitated. "I suppose. My mother died giving birth to me. My father died in the war, shortly before I was taken. I miss my father very much," she finished sadly, having suddenly lost her appetite.

Itachi looked at her sympathetically. "What was your father's name?"

Sakura didn't look at him when she said "Haruno Katashi." So lost was she in her reverie that she didn't notice Itachi stiffen slightly in shock. He hid it almost immediately, though, and went back to smiling kindly at her.

"I'm sure that wherever he is, he is proud of you." She just nodded and Itachi changed the topic. "Would you come with me to watch Sasuke test the new recruits?"

Sakura nodded again, forcing a smile onto her face, the ghost of her memories fading from her green eyes. She stood, and followed him from the room.

Itachi placed his hand on her lower back as he guided her through the palace. They soon reached a large courtyard, with rectangular mats piled high in the far right corner. Targets designed for archery lined the back wall, and racks holding swords, bows and arrows lined the walls to her right and left.

Sasuke was standing in the middle of the courtyard, the same loose shirt and breeches donned as when he had left Sakura's room. A bow already fitted with an arrow held loosely in his grip.

Sasuke's gaze was planted firmly on the five men before him. Sakura could see two blondes, a red head, one with black hair and one with brown hair. Before Sakura could take in much more about the men's appearance, Sasuke started to speak.

"You five are gathered here in the hope that you will be chosen to safeguard this palace or city. To do so, you must hold your own against me. There are no second chances in this test, there is no 'you show potential.' If you are good enough, you will be admitted. If not, you won't. 'Tis as simple as that." The men nodded eagerly at Sasuke's words.

Sasuke smirked. "First, to test your archery skills." He strung his bow, pulled it up to eye level, and released the arrow. It hit dead centre; a bullseye. Sakura's mouth hung open most unbecomingly. 'How did he even have time to aim?' She asked herself, before shaking her head to disrupt her reverie in time to watch the other five fit their own arrows.

All bar two missed the target; one hit the bullseye, the other near the edge of the target.

"The two who hit the target, stay. The rest of you, leave. I don't have time for those who aren't adept in all areas."

The red head and the one with black hair stayed, the rest walked away, mumbling with disappointment.

Orochimaru walked forward next, three poles in his hand. He gave one to each of the men, before easing back.

"Next, to test your capability with the staff," Sasuke said. "Both of you must last for a minute against me. If you don't, you fail."

The red head backed away first, to leave the darker haired boy to stand cockily before Sasuke. Said man started without warning, the staff attacking his opponent in quick, precise movements. The cocky grin on the other man quickly faded into a look of concentration as he blocked Sasuke's blows. The staff seemed almost invisible as Sasuke wielded it expertly, and Sakura was surprised that anyone could last a mere second against him. She was entranced as she watched him move, the staff seeming more of an extension of his body than a separate object.

Eventually, a whistle was blown, and Sasuke backed off, not a single bead of sweat running across his brow, whilst his opponent looked as if he'd just endured hours of brutal training.

"You pass," Sasuke said, before turning his attention on the red head.

The second opponent was obviously more skilled than the first, occasionally managing to strike back at Sasuke's seemingly invisible blows. A more concentrated look came over Sasuke's face with the second opponent, though it was apparent, even to Sakura, the he was slightly more skilled.

A whistle sounded, and Sasuke stepped back with a quick "you pass."

Next, came hand to hand combat, and once again, Sakura was awed at the grace with which Sasuke moved. He seemed to be able to read his opponents attacks before they themselves were conscious of deciding upon them. Unlike with the staffs, his first opponent seemed to be unnaturally talented with hand to hand combat, and could easily hold his own against Sasuke. To two seemed to be evenly match, and Sakura decided that they looked more like two men dancing rather than two men fighting. The whistle went off, and the two men stepped apart with ease, no look of exhaustion marring either of their features.

The second man, however, was not nearly as skilled at hand to hand, and although displaying talent, it was nowhere near the standard of the first man. He was barely able to hold his own against Sasuke for the full minute, and relief was apparent on his features when the whistle went. Sakura could have sworn that she knew his face, but the red hair completely baffled her.

The last test was fighting with swords, and Sakura could immediately tell that Sasuke was in his element there. He almost seemed to smile as he lazily moved his katana around his body. His smirk seemed to say 'you two are so screwed', to the other two men.

He attacked the first man with no warning, swinging his katana lazily through the air, only to be met just in time by steel. The man with black hair already had sweat beading his brow through the exertion of keeping Sasuke back, and he managed to push him back through an extreme effort, before gathering himself to block the next blow.

Sakura watched with wonder as Sasuke attacked again and again. She wondered how someone could make something so deadly look so beautiful. The way his muscles rippled when he swung the blade, the lazy look of concentration in his obsidian eyes… It made her go weak at the knees. How she wanted to run up to him and kiss him senseless!

The whistle went, and the man stumbled back, clearly exhausted. "You pass," Sasuke drawled, before turning his sights on the second man, who didn't look the least bit phased. The two engaged simultaneously, almost as if they'd silently agreed to start at the exact same time. Again, Sakura could easily tell that the second man was good, but not as good as Sasuke. He seemed to give a bit more of a challenge for the midnight haired youth, but it was obviously nothing he couldn't handle. The whistle seemed to go before the fight had begun, and Sasuke immediately told both men that they'd passed, before sneaking a quick glance at Sakura and leaving the courtyard.

The man with red hair turned to look directly at Sakura. Something about his eyes creamed familiarity to her, but she couldn't quite place it. Before she had any time to dwell on it, Itachi had put his hand on the small of her back, and led her away from the courtyard.

Later that afternoon, a group of around ten men sat at a circular table. Included amongst them: Sasuke, Itachi, Inoichi (Ino's father) and Otogakure's council.

…"The fact of the matter remains, that Otogakure is financially crippled, and a marriage is the only way to stop us from falling into a recession," said one of the more senior council members, Tetsuya. "Forming an alliance with Sunagakure will also be extremely beneficial to Otogakure. Marriage between Yamanaka Ino and Uchiha Sasuke is logical!"

Sasuke slammed his fist onto the table. "How many times do you want me to say it? I will not marry her! I mean no offense towards you or your peoples, Yamanaka Inoichi, but I hold no interest for your daughter! And that begs the question: Why me? Why should I marry her, even though I am youngest? Why not Itachi? He is the eldest, the Kage. Why does your daughter insist upon marrying me, even though I have made it clear, numerous times, that I hold no desire for her?"

Inoichi shrugged. "I do not know. She wants you, so I will uphold her wish. I originally suggested to her that Itachi would be the better choice, but she insisted upon you. Treat it as the foolish desires of women, if you will. Either way, I do not want her to be unhappy. If you are what she wants, I will do all in my power to give her that." Sasuke glared at the older man furiously, before his attention was diverted by another councilman.

"Sasuke Sama, now is not the time to be selfish. For your people, a marriage to Yamanaka Ino would make the people of Otogakure's life easier. It would give us an ally, not to mention give us money after you made us almost bankrupt through your war. Now, you have to hold responsibility for your actions. You have to repair the damage."

Sasuke stood up, his shoulders shaking with repressed rage. "While I still have a say in this, I will not touch Yamanaka Ino." Without another word, he stormed from the room, his aura murderous.

Itachi watched with patient eyes. "Sasuke still has his rights, council. Inoichi, I crave your pardon for Sasuke's words and behaviour. He is still young, and doesn't understand."

Inoichi bowed his head, accepting the apology. "I have sent for two of the children of the Kage of Sunagakure to come and organise the politics between Sunagakure and Otogakure. They should be here in the next few weeks."

"They shall be well received," Itachi replied passively, before he too, left the room.

Inoichi looked at the council members imploringly. "Is there any way that we can make Sasuke and Ino come together in marriage?" He asked.

Tetsuya studied the man, before a wry smirk came to his lips. "We can take away his rights."

Sasuke slammed the door to Sakura's room, causing the girl to jump a foot in the air and clutch her heart in shock.

"What the hell, Sasuke?" She nearly yelled at him, angry at his sudden intrusion. One look at his furious glare told her that something was angering the young Uchiha beyond reason. "What has happened?" Sakura asked, her voice far gentler now that her heart had stopped spluttering.

"Ino," he merely grunted, before striding to her and burying his face in the crook of her shoulder. "Or more specifically," he continued, his voice muffled, "the council's insistence that I marry her."

"Ah," Sakura said lamely, not knowing what else to say under the circumstances. "You, uh… The tryout… Thing… Was good," she offered, and felt him chuckle darkly.

"They showed promise," was all he said in reply. They stayed like that a while, before Sasuke pulled away, his face far calmer than it previously was. "I can't stay," he told her, before leaving her room. Sakura just sighed at his peculiar antics.

Three Weeks Later

.:{*}:.

Sakura woke up to a tangible buzz of excitement throughout the castle. Curious, she quickly got dressed, and waited impatiently for Tenten to arrive. When the girl did, she didn't waste a second before telling the roseate that officials from Sunagakure had arrived. Sakura didn't see what was so incredibly special about this, but didn't voice her opinion. If it was important to Otogakure, then let it be. It was no business of hers.

She ate the breakfast that Tenten brought in, before wandering into the gardens. She found the little pond, and sat on the bench facing it, losing herself in the ripples of the otherwise tranquil waters. The koi fish swam lazily, forming non decipherable patterns amongst each other. A small, sad smile came to Sakura's face as she started to reminisce. Konoha seemed like a life time ago. She wondered how her Lady was faring. Was she well? Was Neji keeping her safe? Was Neji safe? She could feel a strange bitterness come over her as she thought about the two of them. Did they ever think of her? Did they miss her, as she missed them?

Did they even care anymore?

The roseate could feel tears sting her eyes as that thought came to her. What if they didn't care? What if they thought she was dead? It would probably explain the lack of help she was getting. Surely they could've sent someone to come and sneak her away?

The realisation hit her hard. Of course they wouldn't have. Hinata was heir to the Hyuuga throne, basically a princess. They may have been best friends, but that didn't excuse the obvious differences in social status the two held.

Hiashi Hyuuga would never send someone after a mere maid.

The sound of many voices and footsteps interrupted her daydreaming, and Sakura turned towards the source of the ruckus.

Ino was striding her way through the gardens, as if she owned them, her red haired serving girl cringing in the wake of her mistresses purple satin dress. Standing slightly behind her was someone whom Sakura could only guess to be Ino's father. He had the same hair, same eyes and same skin tone. Sasuke came next, and he was in conversation with a boy of similar age who had a mop of blood red hair. Next to the boy, Itachi was in conversation with a blonde girl, whose hair was up in four separate pig tails. Several guards and councilmen trailed behind the group.

Sasuke caught sight of Sakura, then, and beckoned her over to the group. The girl cautiously approached, wearily eyeing Ino and the newcomers.

"This is Sakura of Konoha," Sasuke introduced. He whispered under his breath "bow," so that no one else could hear, and Sakura quickly obeyed, falling into a clumsy curtsey. "Sakura holds valuable information, and is under my protection whilst here. Sakura, this is Yamanaka Inoichi, Ino's father," Sakura curtseyed for the man, "and Subaku no Gaara and Temari. They are two of the Kazekage's children, and are here to organise… Some things, with Otogakure." Sakura curtseyed for the two siblings, before lowering her eyes, picking up the faint trace of venom in Sasuke's voice. She knew that it was not the time to ask about it, and so decided to ask him later.

"Sakura," said girl looked at the boy, Gaara, as he said her name. She immediately felt a faint blush colour her cheeks as her eyes met his penetrating aqua coloured gaze. She didn't get the chance to stutter a reply, before he turned his line of sight from her, with a muttered, "interesting."

Sakura was perplexed. What was that about? Before she could question it, however, Itachi spoke to her. "How about you head back to your room, Sakura?" She nodded, and abruptly left.

The man watched as she left, noting which door led to her room, before he continued to follow the group.

The man was finally called off duty once he had escorted the siblings to their separate suites. Now, he could finally go to Sakura. After weeks of work, he was finally close to fulfilling his master's orders.

He walked through the halls, no hesitation in his stride. Once he got to the gardens, he headed straight to the door he had seen Sakura disappear through. Before he knocked, though, he listened, to make sure that no one was already in there.

To his horror and disturbance, he heard… Sounds… That he truly did not wish to hear.

"Oh Gods, Sasuke… Please, deeper… Faster… Oh Gods…"

The man backed away from the door, blood flooding to his cheeks. He decided to see her the next day.

Sakura sat, writing in her room, when Sasuke entered, his fury barely masked.

His eyes softened slightly upon seeing her, and he locked the door, before walking towards her. "The fucking council is trying to take my say out of a marriage." He didn't need to say more for Sakura to understand his anger. She closed her book and put it in the draw, before walking towards him, caressing his cheek.

"Forget about them, for tonight at least," she said softly, and he nodded, capturing her lips. The kiss was light, soft… Innocent. It wasn't hungry as it had been many previous times. Sakura didn't complain, though. Although when they slept with each other, Sasuke tended to focus on Sakura's pleasure more than his own, once he started to pound her, he became a completely different person. Rough. Untameable. Wild. It turned her on, but left her muscles aching afterwards. The sweetness of this kiss was a welcome change for her.

He lifted her body up, coaxing her to wind her legs around his waist, which she did so eagerly. Her fingers were threading themselves through his midnight tresses, and her lips seemed glued to his. He gently lowered her onto the bed, before he carefully removed his shirt. Sakura watched, mesmerised, as his muscles moved. She was easily reminded of the few weeks before, when he had tested the new recruits. She got up onto her knees, and ran her hands up his torso, loving the feel of his muscles rippling under her soft touch. Sasuke had, by then, removed his shirt, and he gently took her wrists in his far larger hands, guiding them up until her fingers where twined behind his neck and her lips were close enough for him to capture.

"Now that the siblings are here," Sasuke murmured, "the council will take away my rights very soon, and force me into the marriage. Once that happens, I don't know how often I will be able to see you." His voice was as gentle as his actions, and Sakura now knew what he was trying to say.

Goodbye.

He lifted the white chemise over her head, until she was before him in naught but her undergarments. His hands traced patterns up her sides, and his mouth kissed her neck and jaw. He carefully pushed her back onto the bed, until he was lying on top of her. He removed her bra, and let his thumb graze lightly over the top of her perked nipples. His lips went to her neck again, before slowly travelling lower, until they latched onto one of her breasts.

Sakura gasped at the incredible sensation. She was not fool enough to not realise that her breasts became sensitive during coitus, but seeing as Sasuke had never really paid them attention before, she had never known just how good it felt to have them suckled upon. Her fingers threaded through his hair, instinctively pulling him closer towards her chest. He moved his mouth to give the other nub equal attention, whilst his hands in the small of her back pulled her closer towards his arousal.

He latched his fingers through the rim of her underpants, before slowly tugging them off, lightly cupping her sex with one of his hands. She squealed when he did that, the feeling of his hand around her sex sending shooting waves of ecstasy through her body.

"Gods, Sakura, you're always so wet," he rasped. "So tight and so fucking wet."

The roseate blushed when he said that, hooking her finger under his chin so as to kiss him. She felt him move out of his briefs, and position himself at her entrance. She cried out as he slowly pushed his hard length inside of her. 'How is it that he can be so gentle, and yet tease at the exact same time?' Sakura thought nonchalantly, as Sasuke pushed deeper and deeper into her cavern. They were both already panting and covered in sweat, as if they'd been going for hours, instead of the first time that night.

Sasuke started to move inside her, making her walls stretch and relax with each thrust. How he could endure such an agonisingly slow pace was beyond Sakura, but however he was doing it, it gave her a new meaning of bliss. She had to force herself to not come every time he moved, and as a result became wet as anything. She risked looking down to where their two bodies were connected, and immediately found it impossible to look away. His cock was glistening with her fluids, whilst Sasuke slowly moved himself in and out of her body. He was far larger than she had realised, and she found herself wondering how she could possibly hold him.

From there on, Sasuke's speed started to increase, as he moved faster within Sakura, trying to make their coupling last as long as possible, but at the same time not being able to deny himself his necessity to climax.

"Oh Gods, Sasuke… Please, deeper… Faster… Oh Gods…" Sakura panted, angling her hips up so as to give Sasuke a better angle with which to penetrate her. He found her G spot, and Sakura gasped at the pleasure of it. Knowing what he had found, Sasuke started to ram it over and over again, issuing a stream of moans and whimpers from Sakura's mouth.

"Come on, Sakura, come for me," Sasuke ground out, as he pounded into her, burying his shaft deep within her with each thrust.

Sakura could feel the knot within her growing tighter and tighter every time Sasuke buried himself within her. He hit her sweet spot again, and that spelt her undoing, as she cried out Sasuke's name in the wake of her orgasm. Sasuke groaned Sakura's name in reply as he came a few thrusts after her, burying his face in the crook of her neck as he did so.

They lay like that for a while, staying curled in each other's embrace as their heart beats returned to a normal pulse.

Their eyes soon drifted closed, as they succumbed to the gentle lullaby of sleep.

It was mid-afternoon when Sakura was sitting by the pond again, watching the koi fish. Their serene floating did nothing to alleviate the small pang in her chest. She already missed Sasuke's warmth, and held a good deal of hatred for Ino, because the blonde had been proclaiming to the world her and Sasuke's not-even-decided-yet engagement.

She heard one of the bushes rustle a few feet from where she sat, but she paid no heed to it. It could very easily be a squirrel of some sort. It wasn't until she heard the persistent, "Psst!" that the roseate started to walk towards the foliage. She saw a smudge of red hair in amongst the leaves, before curiosity overrode her senses and she walked right up to where the hiding person sat.

Sasuke sat in the council chambers, letting none of his inner turmoil show. He had to keep his cool. He had to keep calm… 'WHY ARE THESE COUNCILMEN SUCH FUCKING IMBECILES?' He ranted to himself, as they squawked amongst themselves. He looked over at Itachi's passive face, completely baffled as to how his brother didn't show the slightest hint as to want to run a katana through each of their bodies. Gaara, too, looked quite tranquil, as did Inoichi. Temari, however, looked just as pissed as Sasuke felt.

The infuriating buzz finally settled to a low hum, as Tetsuya stood up, a sinister smirk alighting his features.

"Uchiha Sasuke Sama, second in line to the Otogakure throne, it is time to take responsibility for your actions. You fled into a foolhardy war, with no thoughts as to the repercussions. What did you gain? A prisoner who refuses to speak, and a country that is financially crippled. With this information in mind, your decision in marriage has been extracted, and an arranged marriage shall be made between yourself, and Yamanaka Ino."

Just out of curiosity, but was anyone wondering if Shadow Man was Gaara for a bit? I was aiming for that, but if not, then that's okay... :D

Um, wow, I'm going to feel so mean for asking this, but I was wondering if I'd be able to get 11 reviews for this chapter? Just that that would get me to 50 reviews, and I'd really like to hit that mark before I post up the next chapter... I mean, I'm not going to stop posting if I don't, but I only got half as many reviews for Chapter 5 as I did for Chapter 4, so... It's not that many reviews, either. I got 12 reviews for Chapter 4, so I guess I'd just like to get a good amount again :) Think of it as a... Sort of payment, if you will. I provide you with reading material, you give me your thoughts. Everyone's happy :D Of course, if I were to get more than 11 reviews, I wouldn't be averse to that idea either... I especially want to hear from those who haven't reviewed yet! Or from those who have this on their favourites. I seriously love it when my stories get put on favourites and alerts, but there's just something about reviews that really makes me smile.

And as the last thing I have to say... Wow, people can be childish. I mean, about 2 weeks ago, I read a story that... Needed a lot of work, to put it nicely. So I gave a bit of constructive criticism. I didn't flame with the whole "Your story is a piece of shit and you need to stop writing!" That's just horrible, and no one deserves to have that said about their stories. No, I told them what they were doing wrong, and how they could fix it. Admittedly, I could have said it nicer, but I could have said it a lot meaner as well (as a lot of other people did). So, this person writes back saying, basically, "Stop criticizing my work, you stupid bitch". I was like, "Uhh... You know, generally people either have the decency to take in what I say or ignore it. I don't say it to be mean, I say it because you show potential and to be an even better writer you could just work on these areas." Anyways, that continued on for a while, until (and this is my favourite part) they pulled out the 'pity me' card. "I've suffered enough in life, I don't need your crap." What. The. Fuck. If you've suffered in life it doesn't automatically put you into the 'special treatment' category. Hey, I've suffered too. Do I ask for special treatment? No. Hell, I welcome constructive criticism. Throw it at me! So then, she told me how she's suffered. In one line. I replied with what I've been through. In around eight. I didn't get a reply for around a week, until I got this huge soliloquy that could have been said in 2 words: "Fuck off". Karma's a bitch, aye? Then she admitted "I'm not even a teenager". When puberty hits her... Actually, that's far too horrifying to imagine.

Until next week, guys!

-SapphireRivulet xoxox