I do not own Naruto, nor do I make any money off of this.

"talking"

'thinking'

Chapter 12: Ivy

"May I have this dance?" Naruto looked at the offered hand before turning slightly to see the fake smiling Sai behind him. He lowered his glass slightly as Sai kept smiling at him.

"I…" Naruto began.

"Sorry, but it wouldn't be proper for Naruto to dance with you," Itachi said, forcing Sai to step to the side as Itachi got between them. "Only family gets that pleasure." He held out a hand towards Naruto.

"But you aren't family," Sai tried to argue, his smile slowly fading.

"Oh but we are," Itachi said. "Naruto is my dear brother's fiance, making him my soon-to-be brother-in-law."

"And I'm Lord Danzo's son, making me Naruto's cousin," Sai said. His smile was completely gone now. "That makes me more family than a future brother-in-law." He tried to grab Naruto's arm but Itachi grabbed his instead. The two glared at each other. Naruto was surprised to see someone be so openly rude to Itachi. He was still a Prince afterall. Naruto didn't know what to do, however, time seemed to be on his side as the song came to an abrupt end. Everyone turned to the center of the room to see Fugaku holding up a glass. Mikoto was on his left while Sasuke and Sakura were to his right. Everyone fell silent.

"I am proud that all of you have gathered here today as the Kingdom takes another step to an even greater future," Fugaku said. "My son, Crown Prince Sasuke Uchiha and Lady Sakura Haruno Uchiha have officially wed." Nearly everyone cheered. "Tonight, we celebrate their union." Fugaku turned to them and Sasuke took Sakura's hand, leading her to the dance floor. Sakura blushed when Sasuke placed a hand on her waist. The music began and the two began to dance. With everyone's attention on the couple, Naruto quietly slipped out of the room.

He ducked behind a familiar curtain and stepped out onto a balcony. He nearly bumped into someone. "Sorry."

"Oh, no… it's ok," a soft voice said.

Naruto looked up and smiled. "I didn't expect anyone to be here."

"I was just…um…" she nervously began. "I'll just go."

"It's alright, Princess Hinata," Naruto said, stopping her. "There is enough room on this balcony for two." The shy girl nodded, returning to her original spot. "It is very peaceful out here."

"Indeed," Hinata said.

"I'm not a big fan of parties or balls," Naruto said. "So it's great that I can come to a place like this to get away from it all. And the fact that it's such a beautiful night makes it all the better."

"The stars are beautiful," Hinata agreed.

"Ah!" Naruto exclaimed, gaining Hinata's attention. "There's Aquarius." He pointed up to a few stars and mapped out the shape of the constellation. "It's the 'water bearer.'"

"C-capricornus is below it," Hinata said. "The um… 'horned goat.'"

Naruto smiled, glad that HInata was getting more comfortable with him. "Capricornus is the constellation for Capricorn, those born from December 22nd to January 20th. Goats are a symbol of greatness and excellence. They were often associated with strength, virility, and fertility." He turned his smile towards Hinata. "That means anyone born as a Capricorn is filled with determination. They are hardworking and loyal."

Hinata couldn't help but feel a strange warmth at Naruto's words. It was like he was praising her. She smiled at that thought. Many people saw her as a useless person since she was a 'weak Beta that acted like an Omega.' However, Naruto made her feel like she mattered, like she belonged. "I love Astronomy and Astrology as well. What is your sign?"

"I'm a Libra," Naruto said.

'A Libra,' Hinata thought. 'Balance… gracious and fair-minded. It fits him.'

"Weighing Scale, it is kind of lame, huh?"

Hinata shook her head. "Not at all." The two of them fell silent.

"Oh, here you are," Itachi said. Naruto and Hinata turned towards him. "Hello Princess Hinata." Itachi bowed.

"Prince Itachi," Hinata curtsied.

He turned back towards Naruto. "My mother was getting worried since you seemed to have disappeared. I'm glad to find you safe and sound."

"Sorry about that," Naruto said.

"It's understandable," Itachi said. "I'd hide here with you, but I doubt we'd want Mother to send out the guards." He held out a hand towards Naruto. "Shall we return to the celebration?"

Naruto turned towards Hinata. "It was nice talking to you, Princess Hinata. I'd love for us to get together sometime soon."

"I'll be here for a couple weeks," Hinata said. "I was sent ahead of Prince Neji for the wedding since he was unable to make it. I'll go back with him."

"Then I shall send you an invitation to tea," Naruto said.

Hinata smiled. "I'll gladly accept."

Naruto nodded before taking Itachi's hand and allowing him to lead them back into the hall. People were still dancing. Mikoto was talking to Fugaku, but she stopped when she noticed Naruto and Itachi. She walked over to Sasuke and whispered something in his ear. He nodded, saying something to Sakura. She frowned slightly before quickly smiling. Sasuke walked away from her and made his way towards Naruto and Itachi. He held out a hand.

"Naruto, may I have this dance," Sasuke asked. It seemed like everyone fell silent at his words.

Naruto hesitated. "Shouldn't you only be dancing with La… Princess Sakura?" Naruto asked in a whisper. "She's your wife."

"And you are to be my concubine," Sasuke said.

"I don't think it's proper," Naruto said. "And even if it is, I don't think it's right. You just got married to Princess Sakura. Surely she wouldn't be pleased if you danced with me tonight of all nights."

Sasuke nearly growled. "And do you think that dancing with only Itachi makes me look good?"

"I suppose not," Naruto said. He accepted Sasuke's hand and the Alpha pulled him closer. The music changed and the two began to dance. Itachi made his way to Sakura and she begrudgingly accepted his offer of a dance. Naruto was grateful for this since it meant that he and Sasuke wouldn't be the only ones at the center of attention. The four of them danced to two songs before they separated. Sasuke returned to Sakura's side while Naruto returned to Itachi's.

Once more, Fugaku gained the attention of everyone. He let people know that it was time for Sasuke and Sakura to excuse themselves. Fugaku added that he and Mikoto were also going to turn in. They left, leaving Itachi to take over as host. The celebration didn't continue for too long as Itachi still needed to rest himself. Some of the nobles were led to the guest rooms. There was to be a midmorning celebration for the women and another for the men.

Once he was back in his room, Naruto quickly wrote up an invitation to Hinata in hopes she would join him for tea after the midmorning celebrations. Ino promised to make sure that the princess would get it as soon as possible. Ino left Naruto to bathe alone while she went off to deliver it. Naruto didn't stay in the water long. He wrapped a big towel around his body and walked over to a floor mirror. He dropped the towel and stared at himself for a little bit. There were small differences between himself and the dream version of himself at this point. He grabbed his clothes and began to get dressed. 'Three years,' Naruto thought. 'Only three years left.' He didn't notice that his hands had moved to his stomach at that thought.

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Itachi sat back and tilted his head back. His headaches were getting worse and more frequent. He knew this was going to happen, but he didn't think it would be so quick.

"How long have you been sick?" Tsunade asked him. They were alone for the first time since he'd awoken.

"For a while," Itachi admitted.

"If it's what I think it is, then I won't be able to help you much," Tsunade said. "In the worst case, you'll die within the next year. At best, you'll make it another few years. But it would be painful. You won't be able to do many things, you'll be stuck on a grueling treatment that most likely won't work, and I doubt you'd be able to hide your condition for long."

"Please give me the treatment."

Tsunade sighed as she began to mix a few things together. "May I ask why you'd choose to go this route? You could just choose to live out the rest of your life in peace."

"I have to make sure of something." Tsunade didn't question him further. Instead, she gave him some medicine before working on making more. She explained the purpose of each medicine, when and how to take it, and all of the consequences of them. One of those consequences just happens to be an increased chance of getting a headache.

Itachi sighed as he got up and walked over to his armoire. He grabbed a locked chest and with the key he now kept around his neck unlocked it. He counted the amount of medicine he had left and made a mental note to get more from Tsunade. After taking what he needed, he locked the chest and put it back. He returned to his bed, throwing the now empty vial into his trash. The flowers beside him caught his eyes. They'd been sent by Naruto as a get well soon gift, but they were dying. Itachi reached out and touched a petal. 'Naruto.' He leaned over and kissed the petal before smiling. A serious look suddenly appeared on his face. 'I can't die yet. Not until I know they are both happy.'

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Sakura let the maids do their thing. The smell of roses was strong. She laid back as the floral bath soothed her. Once her relaxation session was over, the maids helped her out of the bath. They dried her body. While one helped her get dressed, the other went to a small chest and opened it up. She brought the vial over and explained the oil's properties. Sakura already knew about it. The maids switch positions. The one with the oil used a finger to spread it across her forehead, neck, palms, legs, feet, and even across her breasts. The other maid began to brush her hair. Once both maids were done, they stepped back and admired their work.

There was a knock on the door, and a maid opened it to welcome Mikoto into the room. She looked Sakura up and down, giving a nod of approval. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm a bit nervous honestly," Sakura said.

"That's understandable," Mikoto said. "It is your first time." She sat down on Sakura's bed, patting the spot next to her. "I remember my first time with Fugaku. I was scared out of my wits, but he was gentle. Alphas can be restless and aggressive during their ruts, but they have more control over themselves outside of it. The reason we chose the first time to be out of Sasuke's rut was for that very reason. I won't lie to you and say that it won't hurt, but you will also feel good. The pleasure of being in the arms of your husband will out-way that negative." She grabbed one of Sakura's hands. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Sakura nodded. "I do."

"Then I wish you a good night," Mikoto said getting up. "I will see you in the morning." She left the room.

Sakura took a deep breath before standing up. She stepped into her slippers and was led out of her room. The two maids walked at her side until they arrived at a set of double doors. They each took one handle and pulled. Sakura walked into the room and the maids closed the door behind her. She was alone. Her eyes went to the bed and she gulped. She then turned to see a bottle of wine and two glasses sitting on a small table. She took a seat and poured herself a glass. Her mind went back to the wedding ceremony. A sense of confidence washed over her as she remembered that Sasuke was now hers.

At first, Sakura was very upset when she found out that her parents weren't going to be at her wedding. If it wasn't for the fact that she was scared of disappointing Mikoto, she would have insisted on postponing the official ceremony and having a smaller one instead. That way, they could still be considered married, but her parents wouldn't miss the actual wedding. It would have just been a small ceremony in secret and the bedding ritual would still have taken place. The biggest downfall to that would be that Sakura's purity would already be gone so a second wedding night wouldn't be pertinent. She'd also need a different dress since white would no longer suit her. So the final decision was for them to have a small gathering at a later time where they restate their vows.

Still, the wedding ceremony was fantastic. Sasuke just looked downright amazing in his royal wedding attire. The dark blue, black, and red combo suited him extremely well. Although it wasn't a crowning ceremony, Sasuke wore his silver crown and Sakura was given one of her own. It was also silver, matching her necklace. The jewels were rubies, but they didn't take away from the dress. Sakura looked beautiful in her dress and she even managed to get a real smile out of Sasuke.

Sakura smiled at that memory and brought the glass to her lips. Just as the wine touched them, the door opened. She glanced over and nearly choked on air. She quickly put her glass down, blushing. Sasuke stepped into the room wearing a black kimono robe that was open a little. He looked from the bed to her, his expression unreadable. He joined her at the table and Sakura quickly poured him a glass of wine. He gave thanks before taking a sip. Sakura followed suit. They sat in silence for several minutes until Sasuke's glass was empty. He was reaching for the bottle when Sakura spoke up.

"The wine tastes pretty good," she said. "I was surprised they thought about this."

"It is tradition," Sasuke said. "It is supposed to relax us." He finished pouring the wine and took a big swig. His eyes roamed Sakura's foam causing her to blush again.

"T-the bed looks nice with all of the rose petals," Sakura said, turning away from Sasuke. "Did they come from the garden?"

"Mother had them specially picked," Sasuke said. He finished his glass before getting up. Sakura also got to her feet, unsure what to do. Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Once more, he glanced at the bed. Sakura was still nervous when Sasuke walked up to her. "You smell like peppermint."

"They added that to the rose bath." She moved some of her hair behind an ear. "Does it please you?" Sasuke was silent. Then he nodded. Sakura took that as a good sign. She swallowed the rest of her wine before she walked over to the bed and sat down. "It's been a long time since I've laid among flowers." She moved a hand through the petals. A shadow loomed over her and she looked up to see Sasuke standing there. He had his kimono open more. Sakura turned red as she realized that it was finally time. She leaned up to meet Sasuke's lips. She put her arms around Sasuke's neck as the kiss deepened. Sasuke pulled back slightly. Sakura felt light headed. She was gently pushed down and she spread her legs to allow Sasuke in between them. The Alpha moved a hand to her top and undid the strings with a small tug. The shirt easily split open revealing Sakura's upper body. Sasuke moved a hand over Sakura's chest and down to her stomach. He then slipped the hand under her rope belt. It came undone and soon Sakura was completely exposed to Sasuke. She was too far gone to really care as Sasuke's kimono slid off his shoulders. Her eyes went to his bare chest. She reached a hand up to touch it, but her hand was grabbed by Sasuke's. He growled and Sakura stilled. She didn't move as Sasuke took charge in the next step. She let out a moan as Sasuke finally began to touch her.

Sasuke moved his hands over Sakura's body, earning several sounds of pleasure. This meant he was doing the right thing. Following what he had learned, Sasuke sat backwards. Sakura panted, her eyes filled with confusion. Sasuke ignored the look and shifted until he was back on his feet. Sakura sat up slightly. She was about to ask Sasuke if something was wrong when the raven began to strip. Sakura's face turned a bright red. She admired Sasuke's look before Sasuke got back onto the bed. He hovered above her for a few seconds before he once more spread Sakura's legs. He dipped his fingers into the bowl of oil on the nightstand before bringing them down to Sakura's opening. Sakura gasped at the intrusion. She shut her eyes at the small pain she felt. The pain turned into a dull sting for a few seconds before something hot and hard was pressed against her. She looked down to see what it was, despite already knowing. She gulped and took a deep breath. There wasn't much time to relax as Sasuke chose to move things along. Sakura screamed. It hurt. Sasuke pulled back a little. There was a look of concern on his face. Sakura appreciated that he was showing that he cared. It took a couple more minutes before both of them were ok to continue. It still hurt, but the pleasure was growing stronger. Sakura was glad that Mikoto had been right.

It wasn't long before Sakura felt a strange yet wonderful sensation. She also felt something hot and wet enter her body. Before she could process anything, her eyes began to close. They were too heavy to keep open and a few seconds later, her soft breathing filled the air. Sasuke looked down at her before he moved. He got out of the bed and walked over the table with the wine. He grabbed the bottle and chugged the rest of it. After putting the bottle down, he got back into bed with Sakura, pulling a sheet over her body. He pushed her a little before flipping onto his side, facing away from her. His eyes went to the window and he could see the moon through it. He stared at it for a few seconds before he closed his eyes.

END OF PART ONE

The Ivy flower has a long-held symbolic association with fidelity, marriage, and friendship.