Antecedents

Chapter Four

-Seize-

Akito rolled over and resituated himself in his bed, letting out a sigh as he tried to drift off to sleep. A few seconds later he sighed once more, changing positions again. When this didn't work after a few more attempts, he let out a groan and opened his eyes. Why couldn't he sleep? He should be exhausted after such a long day in the sun, and yet sleep eluded him for some reason.

Throwing his covers back, he rose off of his mattress and walked over to his dresser, taking out a pair of pants and slipping them on. He knew why he couldn't sleep. It was because his mind was bothered, and the only way to clear it would be with a walk, where he could think things over. He absentmindedly tucked his baggy white shirt into his pants, before stepping into his boots and leaving his quarters, only one thing on his mind. His impending marriage.

At this point he didn't even know if he wanted to marry Princess Satomi anymore. Not only did she seem averse to the idea, but she and Prince Kyo seemed to have already bonded. They cared for one another. But then that brought him to his other problem. Princess Natsumi.

He didn't really know what his feelings were about the pink haired woman. He didn't know much about her, and half of what he did know had been a lie, since she was behaving as her father had instructed. He didn't even like her, if he was at all honest with himself. But something had compelled him to give her his offering for Satomi. Something had told him she would appreciate it more, and that she needed it. But why?

Why did he feel obligated to cheer up some woman who hated his guts and his home? He had never cared about what someone had thought of him before, and yet it seemed like her dislike of him bothered him, on some level. It was just so confusing, Akito didn't know which emotions were real, and which were the ones he wanted to feel because it was easier.

Suddenly he halted when he entered the garden, for there by the pond stood Natsumi, the moonlight bathing her in a soft, almost otherworldly glow. Added to the effect was the fact that she was dressed in her night clothes, which complimented her figure nicely. It was a light pink sheer fabric with a silky under layer that went to her feet. The straps went over her shoulders, and just under her bust was a pink ribbon that tied in a bow. When he finished taking in her form, he decided to speak up.

"Natsumi?" he asked, walking towards her. "What are you doing out here so late? And by yourself?"

The princess turned around, a bit surprised. "Um…I just couldn't sleep…" she said, watching him until he stopped beside her. "What are you doing up?"

He shrugged. "I couldn't sleep as well, so I thought some fresh air might help."

"Ah." She nodded and looked up once more, smiling at the moon. "Sometimes it helps. I have insomnia…so…I like to look around…"

"I think I just have a lot on my mind." He sighed, staring at the water. "And it's preventing me from sleeping."

Natsumi looked down at him and gave him a small smile. "It helps to talk about it…unless you don't want to."

He met her bright jade gaze with his dark green one. "Well…" he hesitated, only because he'd never done anything like this before. Usually he kept his feelings to himself. "It's bothering me that I lost tonight's trial, but at the same time it doesn't bother me. And that in itself bothers me. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" he asked.

The princess blinked, her brow drawing together in confusion. "You lost? I mean…I knew you would, because Kyo is pretty hard into my sister, but how?"

Akito sighed. "I…didn't have anything to give her."

She couldn't help but laugh, as her look turned a bit taunting. "Did you get cold feet?"

"No." he scoffed, crossing his arms and looking off. "Just forget I said anything."

Natsumi smiled and shrugged. "I'm sorry. But how come you didn't get anything? I thought you were all about winning."

"I am all about winning, and I had something to give her." Akito told her, looking back at her and meeting her gaze. "But I gave it to someone who needed it more."

She almost laughed again, but something stopped her. Something she could hardly even get out. "Oh my God…" she frowned. "You gave it to me."

"Yes." He said softly.

"Those flowers?" she asked, and at his nod she shook her head, lifting her hands and placing her hands on her cheeks. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I wanted to make you happy." Akito said. "I don't really know why…but I did. So while I'm upset that I lost, I'm happy…because I made you smile." He admitted, a small amount of pink coming to his cheeks.

Natsumi smiled, loving the embarrassed look on his face that the moonlight illuminated. "They were really, really pretty, and I do love those flowers."

"I'm glad that you like them." he said, seeming to get a hold of his embarrassment as he cleared his throat. "Just…don't tell anyone that that's why I didn't have anything. Then people will start to think I actually have a heart and care about more than just myself." He smirked.

"Is that such a bad thing?" she wondered, her bliss diminishing slowly.

"I suppose not." The ebony haired man shrugged. "It's just that, because of how I was raised, we don't usually show things such as love and kindness. The only emotions I actually know what to do with are anger and hate…anything else just confuses the hell out of me." he ran his hand through his hair. "You confuse the hell out of me as well, and I'm beginning to think the two correlate with one another." He speculated, taking a couple steps towards her.

"What two things?" she swallowed, staring up at him nervously.

He looked into her eyes and found himself becoming drawn in by their luster. "You and all of these strange things I'm suddenly feeling." He said, reaching out and brushing her hair from her face and running his fingers through it. "I wonder…if you would indulge me…" he trailed off as he cupped the back of her head and tilted her face up, before slowly lowering and gently placing his lips over hers in a sweet kiss.

Natsumi's eyes widened slightly as she allowed her first kiss to be stolen by this dark prince. She smoothed her hands up his chest and kissed him back, enjoying the contact until something hard and club-like crashed down on the top of Akito's head. He fell limp against her, and as she tried to steady him someone ripped her back and tried to tie something over her mouth.

Unfortunately, she was able to get out a shrill scream that resounded throughout the garden. "Let me go!" she ordered as they tried to restrain her.

The sounds of her screams seemed to rouse the unconscious Uchiha, for he groaned and looked around a bit groggily. "N…Natsumi?" he asked, seeming to take in the situation. His eyes widened when he saw her predicament, and he ripped himself from the hold of the man that had been keeping him up. "Let go of her!" he shouted, lurching forward and punching one of the men in the face, effectively knocking him back. He swung at the other guy, who released the pink haired woman in an attempt to dodge Akito's fist.

Natsumi hurried out of the way, until another man grabbed her and started to run off. There were too many, and before Akito could even turn to run after the one who had grabbed Natsumi, he was hit once more on the head, harder than before. Darkness filled his vision, and soon there was nothing at all. Natsumi struggled in the man's hold, lifting her legs and slapping them together so his head was between her thighs. She pulled him forward and flipped them over before they tumbled onto the ground in a tussle. "Stop touching me you swine!" she hissed, crawling onto him and grabbing his head so she could snap his neck.

When she heard the bone snap, she rolled under a nearby bush and hid, waiting and watching as the alarms began to go off in the palace, alerting the guards. They rushed out, but she could tell by the sounds they had found nothing. She just hoped Akito was okay. She didn't move until she was certain that there was no more danger, and when she emerged, she was met with the guards, who double-checked her and asked her if she was alright.

She nodded and looked around, and it was only then that she realized what the guards were still searching frantically for. Akito was nowhere to be found.

The pounding in his head was the first thought that came to mind as Akito slowly became conscious. It felt as if he'd spent all night drinking, and was suffering for it the next day, but he knew that to be false. He'd barely had any wine at dinner last night.

His memory slowly came back to him, and his eyes snapped open, instantly narrowing as the light from the torch nearby caused them pain. He blinked, his irises slowly getting used to it and opening fully. He looked around, taking in his surroundings from his vantage point. He was in what looked to be an old jail cell. There was a large wooden door and a small table with a chair next to it, a slumbering guard occupying the space. Iron bars separated Akito from the guard, and he was positioned on a stone bed. His hands were chained to the walls, with only enough slack to allow him to rest them in his lap. Lying down to sleep would be a challenge, and uncomfortable.

Pushing his pain aside, he focused on the slumbering man. If he could wake him up and interrogate him, he could figure out what the situation was, because at this point, he had no idea what had happened to Natsumi. "Hey, you." he spoke up, his words only drowned out by snores. He sighed, sitting back to lean against the stone wall. It felt better when his head was resting on something. "Hey!" he shouted, startling the man.

"Wh-what?!" he asked, shooting to his feet and looking around frantically. When his gaze landed on Akito he visibly relaxed. "Oh, yer awake."

"Where am I?" the ebony haired prince asked, trying to appear as authoritative as possible despite his position.

The guard waved him off. "Save yer questions fer Rido. I gotta go git him to tell him ye come too." He said, turning and leaving the room.

"Wait-" Akito frowned as the door closed. He hated waiting, and he wasn't used to people not following his orders.

He sat there for a while, bearing through the pain in his skull and trying not to drift off. He needed to stay awake. After a while the door to the room opened once more, and the guard returned, followed by a man with hair almost the color of magenta, and fuchsia eyes. The man, whom he assumed was Rido, stopped in front of the cell and crossed his arms, the guard standing at alert off to the side. "Enjoying your stay, Prince Akito?" Rido asked with a smirk.

"Where am I." Akito glared, sitting up straight despite the pain it caused to hold his head up without support.

"Why, the old ruins of Gargaroth. This is one of the few rooms that isn't completely collapsed or has chunks missing from the walls, so we though it perfect for someone of your station." He chuckled, seeming amused at the irony.

But Akito wasn't amused in the least. "What have you done with Princess Natsumi?"

Rido's brow quirked slightly, before his smirk widened. "Oh don't worry about Her Ladyship. She's in good hands."

The guard seemed confused for a moment, before understanding dawned on him and he snickered. "Good one boss."

Akito shot to his feet and tried to move towards the other man, but was held back by the chains. "If any of you touched her I'll kill you." the prince seethed, struggling against his restraints.

Rido simply laughed. "I doubt you will. You just sit back and remain comfortable Princey. The letter for your ransom will be sent out at dawn, so all you gotta do is wait for your daddy to save your royal ass." He said, turning and heading back to the door. He opened it, before pausing and looking back at Akito. "And behave. I'm not above having Theo here restrain you while I break some of your bones to keep you in line." He threatened, before the door closed behind him with a sense of finality.

"And he means it too." Theo nodded, resuming his seat and getting comfortable.

Akito sighed, slowly lowering down onto the stone bed and leaning against the wall. He looked up, his gaze going to the small window that provided him a look of the moon. He hoped Natsumi was okay. Situations like these could be scary to a woman, especially one who probably had no idea what to do. He closed his eyes, thinking of the pink haired princess and their brief kiss. He wanted more of those from her. And when he figured out how to get out of here and save her, he would be sure to do so.

Sasuke paced back and forth in front of his desk, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. "They would have found him by now if he were anywhere close by." He said, halting in his movements and looking over at Natsumi, who was standing next to her father. Everyone had been woken up by the commotion of the alarm, and were all gathered in Sasuke's study, still wearing their pajamas. "Did you see what direction they left in?"

"I did." She said once more, trying not to sound annoyed. "And I sent the guards that way, but I didn't know they had taken him." Natsumi tried to explain. "Your idiot brutes won't be able to track him anyways."

Satomi, unfortunately, couldn't hold in her small chuckle. "I just think this is funny, seeing as the prince got kidnapped while the princess defended herself."

Natsumi glared back at her sister. "Akito did defend me."

"I'm only saying…it's like the knight in distress this time." She shrugged. "It's ironic."

The younger twin huffed. "Fine. Then I guess I'll go save him."

"What?" Gaara demanded with a hard stare.

"But sweetheart…I thought you had a strong aversion to Prince Akito." Sakura said, confusion marring her brow.

"I may have been a bit too harsh with his conceited self before, but in light of new events I think it would be more beneficial for him to be safely brought back." She explained to her mother aloofly.

Satomi smirked. "You kissed him."

Natsumi turned a dark red and gasped loudly. "I did not! He kissed me!"

Kyo chuckled. "By the looks of it you liked it." he pointed out.

"I didn't say I didn't." she grumbled, crossing her arms. "I'm still going after him."

"Not by yourself you're not." Sakura frowned.

"I'll go with her." Kyo said, smiling at them. "It'll be fun."

Natsumi looked over at him, resting her hands on her hips. "Somehow I feel like you're going to be more of a hindrance."

The blonde huffed. "I will not. If you'd actually watched my duel with Akito, you would know I'm pretty handy."

"Yeah right." She rolled her eyes before walking up to Sasuke. "I'll get your boy back, and when we return, I'm going to make him my man." She said, before walking off and leaving the room.

Satomi blinked, looking somewhat confused, as did everyone else. "What?"

"I think…she likes Akito now." Kyo said.

Sasuke looked at Gaara. "I guess this means their wedding is back on."

The redhead chuckled. "Boy…"

"Well this is excellent." Sakura smiled, clapping her hands together. "Now let's return to bed. Kyo and Natsumi can begin their search in the morning."

Satomi sighed, looking over at her blonde prince. "Try not to get in the way." She smirked, heading off with her mother.

He pouted, following them out. "I never get in the way."

Sasuke just shook his head. One thing was for certain. Nothing around his palace had ever been as unconventional as things were now. And he felt like it would only get worse as time went on.