Okay here's the next chapter of The Prince and The Slave. I hope you like it. Thanks to all my reviewers. Also thanks to everyone who added me to their faves and author alerts. It's hugely appreciated.
xXxXxXxXxXxXx
The Prince and The Slave.
Chapter Eighteen.
xXxXxXxXxXxXx
(General P.O.V.)
The group of rebels were waiting in the room that Pein and Konan had taken, under the name Ameko. They heard a knock at the door and Konan shushed the group as she opened the door. She looked at a small, pale-blond girl with violet eyes. "Are you Ameko?" She asked softly. Konan nodded.
"You are?" Konan asked.
"My name is Shion, I was sent by Sakura." Shion replied softly. Temujin ran to the door immediately. Konan glared at the boy, but he paid no heed as he pulled the girl inside. Lee, Jirobou, Sakon, Ukon and Kidomaru grinned as they recognised the girl. Temujin hugged his younger sister tightly.
"Shion It's been so long. Are you with Tayuya still?" Temujin asked. Shion nodded. Her eyes filled with tears.
"It's been so awful. But when Karin, another girl at the brothel, told me her friend from her old village was there, and to bring a message to her friends. That we were going to be free. I couldn't help but be willing to bring the message." Shion sobbed out. Temujin stared at his little sister sadly.
"You and Tayuya were taken to a brothel?" Temujin asked sadly.
"You don't hate me do you brother? I know I'm dirty. I know I should have fought more. I'm not strong like you are though. Tayuya and I were beaten so often, just to make sure we didn't run away. I'm chained even now. I could never leave the village with shackles around my ankles. I'm sorry Temujin." Shion sobbed. She threw her arms around her brother and hugged tightly. Temujin hugged her back.
"You don't need to be sorry. You and Tayuya and the other girls didn't do anything wrong. This wasn't your fault. It was the fault of the evil woman who bought you all. She's to blame, not you. You're alive. That's all I care about, little sister." Temujin said kindly. Shion still sobbed as she listened to her brother's words. The group didn't say a word as brother and sister bonded again.
xXxXxXxXxXxXx
That evening, Karin unlocked the door after their Mistress went to sleep. Sakura and Anko had both changed outfits. Anko no longer looked like the employee of a brothel, and both females wore black pants and grey shirts. Sakura had her hair tied back as did Anko. Both concealed weapons in their boots. Not too soon after midnight, the front door opened softly. Sakura took note of the hand that pushed open the door. Pale, smooth skin and a ring Sakura recognised straight away. Sauske's face came in to view next. He gave a soft smile and walked in, followed by Pein, Deidara and Konan.
"The others are dealing with the guards quietly and efficiently." Pein stated.
"Where are the other guards un?" Deidara asked.
"There are two outside the Mistress' door, at all times. There's one at the back entrance. There are a few around. They patrol the house. In fact one should be along any minute." Anko stated. Pein nodded and made some hand gestures. Konan, Deidara and Sasuke took up hidden positions. Sasuke hid behind a large grandfather clock, Konan hid behind a doorway and Deidara crouched near the stairs. Pein went and crouched at the other side of the stairs. At that moment, a pair of guards came strolling down the stairs. They spotted Sakura and Anko. Of course, they didn't recognise Sakura.
"Hey, who are you? And what are you doing here?" One of the guards growled at Sakura menacingly. Sakura bit her lip and made her eyes look tearful.
"I'm sorry sir. I was looking for my owner and I got lost. He'll be most angry with me. Please don't lock me up. I'll get such a beating." Sakura begged. Her voice sounded sad. One of the guards walked up to her, and touched her hair, twirling the end of the ponytail in his fingers.
"I can do you a favour if you do me one cutie." The guard offered. His smile, more of a leer. Pein glared angrily as well as Sasuke. Both were on the verge of murder when Sakura spoke again.
"Of course, sir. What did you have in mind?" Sakura asked innocently. Her whole appearance betrayed innocence.
"Well let's go in to that room there and discuss it." The guard said. His voice was syrupy and nauseating. Sakura nodded, almost in the way a child would, and followed the guard into the room. Within seconds of the door closing, Deidara had jumped out from his hiding place. Before the other guard could utter a sound, Deidara had grabbed him from behind and broken his neck. Pein and Sasuke ran over to the room, but before they could open the door, they heard a thud. They opened the door to see the other guard on the floor. Sakura looked pale, as she held a bloody knife in her grasp. She looked at her brother pleadingly.
"You did the right thing Sakura. He wouldn't have shown you any better treatment." Pein said kindly. Sakura nodded. She took in a deep breath and exhaled. Then she walked out of the room, past her brother, and into the house. The plan to free the brothel slaves had begun.
xXxXxXxXxXxXx
Thirty minutes later, the group had finished off most of the guards. Of course there were the two guards that guarded the Madam of the brothel. Pein knew that they needed the keys for the shackles. The slave girls wouldn't get very far with their ankles shackled so closely. He noted that the girls could barely walk at a snail's pace, shackled as they were. Sakura looked at Karin. "Where does she keep the keys for the shackles?" Sakura asked. It wasn't Karin that replied.
"I've only ever seen the keys for the shackles once." Yukie said softly. "She keeps them in a locked chest. The key for it is always around her neck." Yukie added.
"Then we'll have to wake the Madam up and take the keys by force." Konan stated. Konan and Anko made their way up the stairs. Before long, they heard the thuds of the guards outside the Madam's bedroom, as they fell to the floor. The rest of the group made their way up the stairs. The slaves stayed downstairs. "I think it's best if Anko and I deal with the Madam." Konan stated. Pein nodded. He didn't like to beat women. Even detestable ones like brothel Madams. Konan and Anko went into the room and the group waited silently. They heard yelps and muffled yells come from the room. It didn't take long for Anko to come out with the locked chest. It was open. Konan had the fat, brothel Madam, held securely, to make sure she didn't escape. After all, if she ran and informed the Wave Militia that people were breaking her slaves free, they would have extra trouble. Pein was sure they could handle it, but they also wanted to get rid of the slave market, and to kill General Orochimaru. They wouldn't have much luck if the King closed ranks. Konan dragged the fat woman down the stairs. They heard the opening of a large, heavy door and the yell of the Madam as Konan obviously threw her into a room. They heard the creaking of a key turning in a lock, and then Konan came back. In this time, they'd made their way down the stairs.
"What did you do with the Madam?" Pein asked.
"I threw her in the cellar and locked the door. Someone will come and let her out eventually, and there's most likely food in there. She'll live. More's the pity." Konan stated coldly. Pein nodded, happy with the situation. After all, the woman wouldn't be able to escape the cellar, and they'd be long gone by the time she was released.
"We need to unlock your shackles. How many girls are actually here?" Pein asked. "There are as many girls as there are rooms." Tayuya said gently. She'd finally been reunited with her own brother. Well, Kimmimaru wasn't her brother by blood, but he was in every other respect.
"We need to get them all here and unlock their shackles. Once we do that, they have the choice to come with us, or go out on their own." Pein replied. The task of unlocking the girl's shackles would be hard, but Pein had felt that they'd gained a great victory today. He also knew Sakura was capable of taking care of herself. That was a blessing in its self.
xXxXxXxXxXxXx
The next day, the girls had all decided to go with Akatsuki. They knew they wouldn't survive on their own. They would never have such a choice until King Fugaku was dead. Slavery still existed and the King distributed rights to go and capture escaped slaves as he saw fit. The group travelled in the cover of night and slept during the day for a few hours. The freedom of these slaves had been assured but there were still so many more.
xXxXxXxXxXxXx
Okay all. That was the end of this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it. Please R&R and let me know what you thought people, and thanks so much for your time.