Ok, I said I had two chapters done, and here's the second. The third one is nearly done as well. Enjoy.

I don't own the Naruto characters.

Part Two – A Flower For A Flower

"THIEF!" the demon roared. "AFTER THE HOSPITALITY I'VE SHOWN YOU, THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME? BY STEALING FROM ME?"

"I'm sorry!" Jiraiya cried. "I only wanted one for my daughter!"

"I DON'T CARE!" the demon roared. "YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS TREACHERY WITH YOUR LIFE!"

The demon reached down and grabbed him, dragging him into the castle and throwing him into a deep dungeon. Jiraiya was terrified. He was scared that he would never get home to his wife and daughters, and he was miserable for hours as he lay there, wondering how the great demon would kill him. After a long time of waiting, the 'beast' came back and stared at him for a moment.

"You took the rose for your daughter?" it asked, its voice more sedate.

Jiraiya nodded numbly. "My youngest, Sakura," he said. "When I asked my daughters what they wanted from my trip, all she wanted was my safe return, but I pressed her for more, and she said she wanted a single rose."

The demon regarded him seriously, his great tail swishing as he stood there, contemplating. Finally he said, "You are the merchant, Jiraiya, aren't you?"

Mutely, said man nodded. "Even here, your reputation proceeds you," the demon said.

It stared at him a moment longer, then decided, "I'll let you go back to your family and give your daughter the rose, but then either you or she has to come back here as my prisoner."

Was the demon serious? Allow his youngest to come into the grasp of a demon like this? And yet, he considered that at least this would be a chance to say good-bye to his family. There was no way he'd allow Sakura to take his place!

"I agree," he said, "but I will return here, not my daughter."

The demon inclined his head. "My servants will bear you home," it spoke. "In a week's time, they will return to your home to collect whoever it is that greets them at the stroke of midnight."

Suddenly Jiraiya found himself outside the castle, a litter carriage in front of him. Hesitantly he got in, and invisible servants lifted the carriage and sped him off towards home. When they arrived, he found his wife and daughters mourning for him, and he realised that they probably thought that he was dead. Sakura saw him first, and his heart broke at the thought of losing his family all over again.

"Father!" she cried, catching her mother and sisters attention as she raced to him, hugging him so tightly that she would probably never let him go again.

"Jiraiya!" Tsunade exclaimed, and ran to him, closely followed by Tenten and Ino. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

The four most important people in his life were hugging him and sobbing, and Jiraiya felt so bad about what he had to tell them. But he had to. He stole the rose, he had to pay the price for it.

"I've missed all of you," he said as they all released him, wincing when his 'lovely wife' whacked his arm.

"You baka!" she cried. "Where were you? We were sure you were dead when the caravan returned without you!"

Jiraiya told them what happened, and they were silent as they listened, tears forming in their eyes and spilling over as they heard his fate spelled out for them.

"Oh father!" Sakura said. "All that for a rose? You should have left it alone! I told you I only wished for your safe return!"

Jiraiya sighed. "I wasn't really thinking," he admitted, ignoring the roll of his wife's eyes. "As soon as I could smell the rose, I just knew I had to get it for you."

With that, he pulled a rose out of his coat and presented it to her.

Sakura saw that it really was a magnificent rose, and when she inhaled the scent, she understood her father's words. "It is beautiful," she murmured, entranced by the aroma.

She closed her eyes and she could almost envisage the garden this beautiful flower came from, but then her eyes snapped open when the image of a fearsome creature sprang to her minds eye. What was that? Whatever it was, she knew that she could not let her father go back to that beast. It was her fault that he'd been imprisoned, because she'd asked for that silly rose. What was a flower compared to the life and safety of someone she loved?

When Master Sarutobi learned of his employee's miraculous return, he immediately summoned him. He was gone for hours, and Sakura spent that time preparing a special potion that her mother had once taught her, so that when the time came, she would slip it to her father and take his place at the demon's castle. It would take a few days to settle, and she needed that time to say good-bye to her old life.

Going into the main city, she knocked on the door of the house of her best friend in the whole world, Hinata, the daughter of another prominent merchant. "Sakura!" Hinata greeted when she opened the door and found her friend there. "I heard about your father's miracle return! You must be so happy!"

Sakura smiled slightly. "I am," she admitted. "I know that Tenten was especially happy, since she won't be at home anymore, soon."

"Oh, that's right!" Hinata said. "She's getting married soon to that son of the baron. Isn't the son's name Lee or something?"

Sakura nodded. "And next year, Ino will be marrying Lord Kiba," she added.

"Have your parents arranged a marriage for you yet?" Hinata asked.

"I don't know," Sakura admitted, thinking privately that it wouldn't matter, since she was going to be the prisoner of a beast anyway. "I think my father isn't ready to think about that yet."

"I know that Lord Uchiha would like for you to marry his eldest," Hinata said. "He's already approached my father for my hand for his youngest."

Sakura nodded. "Don't forget your uncle," she said.

"Oh, right!" Hinata agreed. "He would like you to marry my cousin, wouldn't he?"

Sakura nodded. "There are others too," she said, "but I can't remember them all."

"It's what comes with being beautiful," Hinata said, "and the daughter of a wealthy merchant to boot."

"We're not that rich anymore," Sakura protested. "and besides, Ino's prettier than me, and Tenten, too!"

Hinata shook her head. "No they're not," she told her friend.

The week passed and when the time came Sakura slipped the potion to her father, and he was asleep in an instant. Silently she moved through the mansion, gathering a few things that she didn't want to leave behind, things that would comfort her when she was particularly homesick. She could only hope that the demon would allow her to keep them with her in its dungeon.

Silently she moved through the mansion until she came to the front door. She opened it and stepped outside, immediately spotting the litter-like carriage. She headed straight for it, but before she reached it, her sisters stepped out of the shadows.

"And where do you think you're going?" Tenten demanded.

"Who said you could be out here at this time of night?" Ino added.

Sakura sighed. "I'm going to the demon in Father's place," she told them.

"Why?" Ino asked, tears in her eyes. "We don't want to lose our sister!"

"You saw what the news of Father's 'death' did to mother," the youngest explained. "His leaving again would kill her! She's already withdrawn into herself at though thought that he'll be gone tomorrow!"

"But this isn't fair!" Ino cried, and Sakura gathered both of her sisters to her in a hug.

"Don't worry about me," she told them. "I can look after myself."

She disentangled herself form her weeping sisters and went to the carriage. The door automatically opened for her, and she stepped inside, casting one last glance to her sisters before allowing herself to be taken away from everything and everyone she'd ever known or loved.

The journey to the castle passed in a blur, mostly because Sakura would fall into a light doze every now and then. The landscape passed unnoticed as she travelled, but soon she vaguely noticed a change in the air, and sat up straighter, looking out to see a vast desert. Moments later they arrived at the oasis, and then the castle, and she looked upon it with awe. It was too bad that she was going to be confined to a dungeon; she would have liked the chance to explore.

Once they arrive in front of the castle, Sakura got out of the carriage and stared up in awe at the size of the place. A slightly popping noise had her turning around just in time to see the carriage disappear in a puff of smoke. Swallowing hard, she stepped forward through the huge doors and jumped as they slammed behind her.

This was it, she was really here and doing this. She wondered where she was supposed to go now, but a terrible voice spoke from behind her, making her jump and turn around.

"Welcome, Lady Sakura, to your new home."

A huge demon stood there, and she just knew that this was the creature her father had spoken of, the one who was now her jailer.

So, I've been really busy with work, and I'm extremely tired, but I'm gonna try to get some writing done on my day off, which is only a day and a half away, so until then, I'm gonna get some sleep. Good night! Oh, and don't forget to review!