Gaara's POV

"Kazekage-sama, someone is asking for an audience."

"Let them in."

I am not in the mood to talk to anyone, but I am Kazekage now. I don't have the luxury to say no when somebody wishes to talk to me. I turned around to face the man. My hands were clasped behind my back. I looked sad and serious, like I looked every day. A man walked in shyly. He took off the white cap he was wearing when he entered my office and held it in his hands in front of his chest. He looked familiar. Who can he be? He looked average, with his brown eyes and short brown hair. I could tell from his clothes and shoes that he was poor. It's rare for poor people to ask for an audience. My father took care of separating the poor from the rich, so they mostly didn't interact except for collecting taxes. I can't be like my father. I don't want to abandon anyone. I patiently waited for him to find the courage to speak. He was too scared to even raise his eyes from the floor.

"Kaze-kage-sama" he stuttered.

"How can I help you?"

He seemed to be looking for the right words. He was sweating, so I foresaw a request of some sort.

"Well...a while ago, your Highness made a promise to us..."

I frowned, trying to remember.

"Back when we...you said you will give us land."

Then I remembered. He was among the men who tried to kill me and my siblings after my father was gone, fighting Sasori.

"It's hard for us to survive. My wife sometimes doesn't eat so I can because I need energy to work. I don't drink. I don't smoke. I don't gamble. I bring all the money home, but it's not enough. The landlord takes away most of my salary. Please, sir, we only need a place to stay where we won't have to pay rent. I'll work as before. It doesn't have to be big or even good land. Whatever you deem appropriate is fine."

It must have been hard for him to be truthful and come to me for help considering my reputation. I feel sad for this man. If I and Sakura lived like him...I wouldn't want this kind of like for her.

"I understand." I turned around and opened the drawer to my desk. I took out some money and I counted them. "Here. Pay your rent for the month. I'll try to make a deal with your landlord until next month. Maybe I can buy the land from him and give it to you, so you won't have to move."

The man bowed and stretched out his hands to respectfully take the money I offered.

"Thank you, Kazekage-sama..."

He seemed uncomfortable, as if there was more.

"Yes?"

"There are others waiting to ask the same. Will there be enough for everyone?"

I smiled.

"Let me worry about that. Tell the next one to come in."

"Thank you very much. Thank you a lot. Thank you, sir."

He bowed many times. I felt my soul lighter after I made another person happy. I paid lots of money on that day, but I also received gifts. After the first ones spread the news that I was true to my word and helped them, the others tried to bring me all sorts of things. Most of them were old and rusty. They were useless, but I genuinely thanked them because I knew they made an effort to give me something from the little they had. Their rent wasn't much for me, but I still ended up spending a tenth of Suna's budget. I'm sure I'll get into trouble for this. The elders are never going to accept spending money without any gain. Shukaku's power will come to my aid. They won't dare to do more than say because they fear my power. Even if they hate me, they know I am the only one who can protect the village. Suna is vulnerable without my father and it's only a matter of time before another nation tries to rob us. I will use this to my advantage.

Sakura's POV

I gave up on asking him questions. I'm at Sasuke's mercy. How did I end up here? My only hope is that God will lead Gaara to me. My situation feels hopeless. I estimate 5% chances of survival.

I and Sasuke have been staying at an inn for the past 3 days. I don't know why he chose to stay here. Is he waiting for someone? I insisted to stay in separate rooms. He didn't object. Yesterday, he openly told me that he paid a man to keep an eye on me and report to him in case I needed something. He said he did it for my protection, but I know the purpose was to show me he has full control over me.

I see Sasuke talking to strange men. Why? I wanted to find out what they were talking about, but I had to get rid of that man who was tailing me. I eavesdropped from far away because I didn't want Sasuke to feel my presence. I tried reading their lips to find out what they were saying. Sasuke and that man were laughing. I read my name, my village's name and numbers, big numbers. Is he trying to sell me for prostitution? Or is he trying to get a good price for my organs? Why does he describe me to everyone? Am I just a product to him? Like a carton of milk or a tin of fish? The more I think about it, the more desperate I get. I look back and see that man who Sasuke left in charge of "protecting me" peeking through the curtains. He is going to look for me after he realises I am not in my room, so I have to go back. I stroll through the gardens behind the inn and bump into that man. I can see that he is relaxed to find me. I am sure Sasuke is going to ask me tomorrow about where I wandered the night before. I'll have to think of an excuse. All this stress eats up all of my energy. I go inside my room and pull the curtains well, so that man won't be able to peek inside. I kneel by the bed and pray to God to help me find a way out. I really don't want to die in this place, far away from my village, far from Gaara, where nobody will ever find me. If I leave now, considering how dangerous this country is, I will definitely get raped or killed or worse. Please help me, God! I don't want to die here.

I fell asleep crying that night. I looked at my skin in the mirror and it started turning yellow. I've lost weight. I know it because all of my trousers are loose around the waist. Sasuke buys me food and insists that I eat a lot, but I always eat just enough to keep me alive and nothing more. Every time he offers me food, I ask myself: "Is it poisoned?"

I realised I have to act nice if I want him to suspect nothing. There are chances Gaara will find me and I don't need Sasuke on my back when the time comes to escape.

"Why don't you eat more? Here, taste this."

"Ok. I'll take one more bite for you, but only this time. Don't ask me again next time." I smiled, even though I felt like puking and ate 2 more spoons of the rice dish.

He nodded when I told him not to ask me to eat more, but 10 seconds later, he did exactly that. It's so frustrating! He doesn't care about me at all! All he wants to do is control me. He treats me like a slave, always saying that he'll give me anything if I listen to him. He doesn't ask about my opinion at all. He thinks only what he says is important. I feel like a bug that he can crush under his feet any time he wants.

One day he said:

"We have to go to the next city."

"Ok." I didn't ask why. I didn't ask where. I just followed him. Gaara should have found me by now. Where is he?

I had a panic attack when we reached the next city. It looked even more devastating than the previous one. Sasuke said to sleep in the forest if I am scared, but that frightened me more. Who knows what Sasuke will do to me when there are no witnesses? I begged him to stay at a hotel.

"A hotel? That's too far. Let's just stay here. I'm not in the mood to walk any further."

"Please. Let's find somewhere around here." I was desperate. He seemed to be thinking about it. I begged him again and again until he finally gave in. We went on, looking for hotels.

"Let's stay at this one. It's close to where you wanted to sleep."

"No. I don't like it. Let's keep looking."

I don't understand. Why doesn't Sasuke like any of the hotels I show him? Is it because he wants to show me who has the power to make decisions? I pay for myself, so it's not about money. I couldn't figure out the reason until we arrived at the poorest hotel in the city. All the other hotels I showed him had security guards, weapons, ninja. They were well guarded. This hotel looks awful. There are no whole buildings around it. It looks like the neighbourhood is at war. I was afraid to enter when Sasuke told me to come to the reception.

"Come on, Sakura."

"I'm scared. This place doesn't look safe."

"What are you talking about?" He laughed. "There's a police station round the corner of the street. Look!"

I looked in the direction he was pointing at.

"I don't see anything. Are you sure there's police here?"

He started getting angry. I held my sides with my hands and forced myself not to tremble.

"Come with me. I will show you."

I fearfully followed. A few steps later he stopped, pointing somewhere in the distance.

"See? That's where the police station is."

I can't see anything, but at this point I am too afraid to say that out loud.

"Are you sure?" I ask again.

He cursed me. He cursed me!

"I believe you. I believe you. It's fine. Let's just stay here, please."

He forced himself to calm down. I knew there was probably no police station anywhere close to that hotel, but I feared Sasuke might kill me, so I agreed to stay there. After I paid for my room, Sasuke asked for a room next to mine. Thank God there was none available near me. They gave him a room in the other corner of the hotel. He was displeased. I smiled at him and expressed my gratitude for respecting my wish to sleep some place other than outside.

"I wish I stayed near you."

"It's ok. You know where to find me."

"Do you want to grab something to eat?" He asked at my door. I was already inside my room and hoped he won't jump on me there.

"After I take a nap. I am exhausted. We've been travelling all day non-stop."

I think my yellow face and the eyes sunken in the back of my head convinced him I was telling the truth. He sighed.

"I feel tired, too. I will rest and come back to get you in about 2 hours."

"Ok. Thank you."

Sasuke smiled slightly. I closed the door slowly and locked it. Sasuke went to his room. I sunk to the floor and stared at the door. Sasuke's face looked like a monster's earlier, when he cursed me. How can he change his features so easily? When he said he'll pick me up in 2 hours, his face looked peaceful and calm. He's a monster! I am never getting out of here.

I look to my right, where the bed and the window are. I turn on the light and pull the curtains so nobody can look inside my room in case Sasuke hired someone else to spy on me, although he didn't have time to do that. We've just arrived here.

I kneel by the bed again and pray to God with burning tears to help me get out of here. Only a miracle can help me. I squeeze the side of the bed in my palms and bite my lip so I can cry without making any sounds when my eyes catch a golden glow coming from under the pillow. I wipe my nose and eyes with my hand. I frown and stretch my hand to see what it is. The sand bracelet that Gaara gave me! But how? I thank God with my tears over and over again. God, you had mercy on me. Thank you!

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Notes: I can't wait to write about Sakura and Gaara's reunion. Until then, we will see the exciting escape of our favourite female hero. Too bad Gaara couldn't be there in person for her escape, but don't worry. He made a perfect plan to get her out of that country. What is your opinion about this chapter?

Thank you all for reading and leaving reviews. :D