For story-telling's sake, this chapter will have two points of view, Sakura's being first.
Enjoyyyyyyyyyyy~~~~~~
Just one day after realizing she was pregnant, Sakura was bound and taken outside of whatever place they'd been keeping her since being captured. Effectively blind with the thick cloth still covering her eyes, the woman was frantic trying to ground herself. All she could do was try to keep pressure off of her stomach as she lay in a tied up heep on the floor of what felt like a carriage.
Being radically unstudied in matters concerning procreation, she was terrified that the smallest thing would harm the baby. Every bump of their traveling caused her to tense up.
The man who'd watched over her all this time was in the carriage with her, as was the person he called "Kakuzu". The latter spoke very little, so she couldn't get a good read on his personality. They traveled for a long time. Given her inability to see and general vertigo, Sakura could only guess that it was between three days and a week.
Then, she woke up in a freezing cold room. No one else was around. At least, that was what it felt like.
Cautiously, the shivering woman felt around the ground to ensure nothing was there that would harm her bare feet. She shakily got to her feet, relieved that her ankles and wrists were no longer bound. It was her intention to feel around the room to get a better idea of her surroundings, but she could only take one step before the sound of a chain dragging stopped her in her tracks. That was when she noticed the cold weight of a shackle around her ankle. Sure, she'd been treated like a prisoner for at least a month now, probably longer, but for some reason, it was at this moment that the pink-haired woman's composure finally cracked.
Pain shot down her throat as she sobbed, tugging fruitlessly at the shackle. 'I want to go home! I want Sasuke to come get me and tell me everything will be okay!' Her breathing became short and ragged. A tremendous pressure built in Sakura's chest as she tried and failed to properly inhale. She fell to her side, curling into a ball.
'Have I not suffered enough? When will I stop being punished for simply being born?' She knew her current state wasn't healthy for the baby, but that thought only made it more difficult to calm down.
At some point, she must've fainted because the next thing she knew, she was coming to. The captors, who were now present, obviously didn't realize. They continued hushedly arguing. "Why do you give a damn what happens to her? Boss said to dispose of her once the prince is dead so there's no witnesses, anyway."
The very blood in Sakura's body ran cold as ice. 'They plan to kill Sasuke? I can't let that happen!' Someone as self-aware as her was unable to deny how useless she'd be in a fight, but that didn't stop her from mentally preparing to do whatever it took to protect the sweet prince. To her, he was her precious family. He was someone to be cherished and loved, no matter the cost.
"If you absolutely must, visit a brothel. I won't allow you to defile a pregnant woman."
"We're going to kill her anyway, Kakuzu!"
"I said no. If you try to disobey me, I'll behead you, Hidan."
Suddenly, an intense wave of nausea washed over the princess, who gagged and began struggling to sit up. While heaving, there was a shuffling sound in the room. Then, something that felt like a bucket was in the woman's hands, and she was emptying the scarce contents of her stomach into it.
The man she now knew to be called "Hidan" cursed in disgust, "Fuck... You're right. I should just go to town for the night."
By the time Sakura's stomach finally calmed, she was sweating, trembling with chills, and breathing heavily. She fell onto her side on the concrete floor. Hidan had left at some point, likely to visit a brothel like Kakuzu suggested. A tiny part of her wanted to thank the latter for fending the violent man off, but he was also responsible for her kidnapping, so she didn't bother. She'd only be shocked by the enchanted collar anyway.
Kakuzu, who had only directly spoken to her once or twice, gruffly said, "I'll leave the bucket. Use it if you feel sick again." Then, the woman was left alone in what was probably a glorified cell. Eventually, she mustered the strength to feel around her limited space again. There was what felt, and smelled, like straw amidst the floor. A faint winter breeze was also detectable, leading her to believe they weren't in a house like before, but perhaps a barn or stable. 'I feel like cattle.' While the air was much chillier than at the old place, the hay did help her stave off some of it once she blindly gathered all she could and made a bed of sorts.
A day passed. Sakura woke, unaware of what time of day it was since she hadn't been able to view her surroundings in over a month. Clearly, she'd caught a cold or something similar because she was freezing and sweating at the same time. Her head pounded with ache, she felt even weaker than before, and her muscles ached. Faintly, she could hear voices in the distance. She eavesdropped, always trying to gain intel on her captors that she might be able to use in the future to escape.
"-nothing about chaining up a woman! This isn't what my family agreed to!"
'This isn't another hideout, then? We're at someone's family's farm, by the sound of it.'
She continued to listen as Hidan barked back, "Oh, yeah? And what're you gonna do about it? You'll be charged for aiding the kidnappers of the Kingdom's only princess if you try to turn us in. They'll have you and your family's next generation executed."
"That woman is the missing princess?!" The male voice sounded entirely stunned. Obviously, he hadn't been aware of what those mercenaries were going to do on their property. He was verbally defeated, "Gods forgive me..."
Kakuzu spoke with more composure, "Go back inside to your family, Farmer. And mind your behavior. If we suspect you're merely considering contacting the capitol, we'll send you to hell before you can utter a word."
That night, Sakura was woken by someone sneaking into her vicinity. She scampered to her feet, lifting her hands defensively. Though they were mercenaries, the two men who'd been overseeing her confinement always made noise when approaching. Perhaps it was because they wanted to avoid unnecessary panic from the already distressed woman. So, it wasn't one of them coming to her.
"I'm here to help you. Stay quiet."
It was the farmer from earlier, whispering in a shaky voice. First, he tried to remove the blindfold, only for something to cause him to hiss and let it go. Likely, it had some sort of enchantment preventing its removal, just like the silencing collar. That, too, seemed to harm the farmer when he attempted to unbuckle it.
His hands shook as he breathed heavily and began trying to pick the lock of the shackle on her ankle, "Please don't blame me for letting them stay here. I have a wife and two children to protect."
Sakura was trembling with an unhealthy mixture of cold, fear, and adrenaline.
After a few moments, the tight metal released from the princess's ankle, and the farmer hissed, "I've alerted the nearest village that you're here. I'm sorry, but I can't do anything more to help." Cautiously, she allowed him to help her upright and guide her to the exit of what she believed to be a barn. While lifting her arm, he pointed it in a specific direction, "If you run South and just keep going, you might be able to meet the knights halfway."
Sakura squeezed the man's hand, unable to verbally thank him. She knew the chances of this escape plan succeeding were slim, but she had no other choice. Those mercenaries would kill Sasuke if and when he found them. If she could prevent them ever coming face to face, they'd never have a chance to lay a finger on him.
So, the ill, half-starving, and pregnant Sakura took off in a sprint in the direction the farmer had indicated. The ground was covered in snow. Her toes were freezing to the point that it hurt. She didn't let that stop her, though. No, Sakura ran and ran with little regard for her body's protests. One moment she was desperately trekking through a forest, her hands out in front of her to make sure she wouldn't run head-first into a tree. Then, in the next, the ground gave way and she fell. It could've been a large hill or even a cliff. All she knew was that the air was knocked out of her when she landed on her back. Snow fell on top of her as she struggled to inhale. Beneath the blindfold, her eyes were wide and unseeing.
Before she could manage it, footsteps could be heard approaching. 'Please. Please be Sasuke, or at least one of the knights coming to rescue me!'
Just as she was finally able to draw a breath, the person came close enough to address her. Her blood ran colder than the snow surrounding her body when Hidan's voice met her ears. He called out, likely to Kakuzu, "I found her!"
Then, the woman was pulled upright by her hair. She sucked in a breath, unable to make a peep lest the collar shock her again. Sakura could feel Hidan's breath on her face as he leaned in, likely inches away as he hissed, "You're more trouble than you're worth, Wench."
Sakura found herself back in the barn later that same night. Unfortunately, Kakuzu didn't stand up for her this time when Hidan chose to punish her for attempting to escape. So she couldn't run next time, he cut the bottoms of her feet just deep enough that she wouldn't bleed out from the wounds, but wouldn't be able to walk. He'd roughed her up a little, too, though he didn't hit quite as hard as before her pregnancy was realized. She considered herself lucky they were being careful not to harm the baby, though it might've been futile. If she wasn't rescued soon, it was likely being exposed to the elements and underfed would do both her and the unborn child in.
Almost like a taunt, the mercenaries didn't bother chaining her like before. It wasn't like she could handle the pain of walking more than a few steps.
So, with her hopes virtually smothered to death, the princess curled into a ball on her sad little bed of hay and tried to get some sleep. She'd have to begin brainstorming a new escape plan when she next woke.
Sasuke's POV~
Akuma led the small group of knights, plus the magic-user Kisame, through a dark and dead forest. Snow was falling in heavy, large flakes that whipped around the demon as he raced as quickly as possible. Last night, they discovered a hideout that'd been used to hold Sakura. It was drenched in her scent. When they discovered a room that was little more than a prisoner's cell, they found out why. There were drops of blood all over its stone floor. It was clear by their appearance that not all of them had appeared at the same time, either. That meant the princess was being harmed on multiple occasions. Akuma couldn't stop picturing the woman being tortured.
'I'll eat their hearts. They will not survive this, even if it means breaking my promise to obey the idiot prince. Send me to purgatory. Send me to hell. I do not care.'
The group had followed his lead up until dawn, where they came upon a small village. When Sasuke regained control of his body at sunrise, the party decided to rest. Without the demon's heightened sense of smell, it'd be nearly impossible to continue tracking the kidnappers' trail. The weather wasn't helping, either, because any foot or hoof prints were being buried in the snow.
Earlier, at sunset, the traveling group was preparing their horses to leave, when a few of the local law enforcement knights rushed up to them with claims that the princess's location had been offered by a small farmer who owned land seven hours North. This led to the present, with the group hurrying in desperate silence through the dark forest.
Personally, the demon's blood was pumping with adrenaline. This was the closest they'd come to finding Sakura in weeks. He wasn't about to allow the opportunity to pass.
Akuma glanced at where the sun would be rising within the hour. They'd been riding non-stop since receiving the tip. He wanted to find his sacrifice before dawn because he wanted to be the one to rescue her. He also selfishly wanted to unleash his bloodlust on those who dared steal her away.
'I can do more damage than the prince, and I won't hesitate like he will, either.'
All of a sudden, the faint scent he'd been following became stronger, but it veered off the trail. His neck snapped to the side, his horse obediently turning in that direction.
"What is it?" Kisame yelled above the sound of their horses' hoofs.
Akuma ignored him. He was too focused on the sweet scent of the woman he loved. Minutes passed before he noticed something in the distance and tugged on the steed's reins to slow to a stop. With panic and anger quickening his breaths, he dismounted Shadow and rushed over to a small clearing. Here, Sakura's scent was the strongest it'd been since they left that hideout.
"She was here. Maybe hours ago," he said when the others caught up.
The demon's heart sank as he followed a messy set of footprints to a small clearing at the bottom of a small ravine. It was obvious that someone, likely Sakura, had fallen from the ledge above. Judging by the half-filled footprints leading to and away from the area, she'd tried to escape and was recaptured.
"We need to hurry," one of the knights said. It was evident the entire traveling party realized the situation was becoming increasingly dire.
Akuma climbed back onto Shadow and returned to the trail so they could get back on track. 'Closer. Closer. Just a few more minutes,' he pleaded internally as the princess's scent gradually became easier to detect.
Just as a worn down old farm appeared on the horizon through the bare trees, the sun began to rise. Akuma snarled, jumping off of his steed and sprinting with inhuman speed toward the landmark.
The first thing he did upon arriving was kick the small house's door in, "Where is she!?" He bellowed. His voice was terrifying as his red eyes scanned the area.
His head became dizzy with the sheer amount of blood that filled the air. It was a massacre. With gritted teeth, he searched the corpses in the house to verify their identities before growling. A snarl of aggravation left his lungs, filling the air like the call of a predator in search of prey. She wasn't there. None of the blood was hers, either.
Before he could move a muscle to continue searching the farm for clues, the sound of fighting met his sensitive ears. He whipped around, hurrying outdoors to see the small group of knights had encountered a large man who, surprisingly, held his own despite being severely outnumbered.
When Akuma approached, bloodthirsty and eager, Kisame shouted, "We are capable. Search for the princess!"
Momentarily, the demon's rage faltered. He nodded, sharing a moment's glance with the blue-haired knight before hurrying in the direction of the barns. There were two, both small and showing signs of wear. In the first one, there was nothing but a handful of animals.
'Please... Please be here,' he thought to himself while running toward the second one. It wasn't the time, he knew that, but he took a moment at the barn doors to pause and take a breath.
Then, he slid it open.
All the air in his lungs evaporated as he lay eyes on a bloodied and bruised Sakura. He unintentionally froze, staring in disbelief. She was clear on the opposite end of the building, but his enhanced senses made it easier to see than a human. Only when the demon realized she was severely shivering did he snap out of it.
With an unbearable tightness in his chest, he tore off his cloak and hurried to where she was curled into a ball on the ground. He lay it over her, only to hesitate on attempting to wake her when he noticed a short chain with a pair of loose shackles near her body. He knelt to study it. 'Why would they be here if they're not being used?'
He glanced at Sakura's ankles, only to do a double-take when he realized the reason. They'd sliced her feet to the point that they'd be lucky not to need stitched up to heal. Rage set him in motion again. He bent to try removing the leather-looking cloth from her eyes. A sharp pain zapped his fingers, making his teeth grit.
He cursed under his breath before shaking his head and grabbing the woman's shoulders, "Sakura! Sakura, wake up! Say something!"
She stirred, taking just a moment before cowering.
He made a shushing sound, brushing her dirty hair from her still-blindfolded face, "It's alright, Dove. I'm here. You're safe now."
Sakura's brow furrowed. Her lips moved to mouth his name, though she didn't verbally say it.
He had no time to dwell on her silence and nodded as though she could somehow see it, "That's right. We've been searching for-!" At the last moment, Akuma sensed a presence behind him and moved. He wasn't quick enough to entirely dodge the attack and ended up receiving a deep cut to his arm, but successfully parried the attackers' sword. His red eyes finally lay on the person responsible for the princess's sorry state. The man had silver hair, magenta eyes, and a wild look on his face that hinted he was just as eager to face Akuma as the demon was eager to drain him of his blood.
"Took you long enough, Prince! Your wife was sure you'd forgotten her!"
Akuma's sword met his. They battled for a few moments before jumping apart. He bit, venom coating each word, "Your death shall be slow. I'll have you beg."
Their swords clashed again.
And again.
And again.
The silver-haired man laughed, "Aren't you gonna ask me why we took her?"
"I'll have plenty of time to interrogate you once we're done here. You'll be tortured for as many days as you've held this woman hostage."
The fight lasted too long. Akuma had moments left before the prince would take over the body. With his guilt and frustration fueling his every move, the demon lunged forward. At the very last moment, the mercenary blocked his sword. Colorful curses filled the air in hisses as pain flooded Akuma's body. In his peripheral vision, he noticed the first rays of sunrise coming over the tree-lined horizon. He tried with all his might to hold on, limbs shaking with effort.
Then, it was Sasuke controlling himself. With their drastic differences in strength, the prince's grip slipped. The sword was torn away, clattering on the dirty ground nearby.
"What should I do with you now, Prince? That demon is stronger, and even he couldn't defeat me."
Sasuke narrowly dodged a slash from the man, the shoulder of his shirt being cut. His breath came in puffs as the duo shuffled around one another. 'I want to look at Sakura. Is she okay? She was so pale. How long has she been in this barn with no winter gear?' Pain distracted him as the enemy's sword nicked the same arm wound from earlier, making him growl and refocus. 'I can't think about that right now or I'll get myself killed.'
In the blink of an eye, the sword swung at the prince again. He dodged but was quickly taken to the ground when the silver-haired man tackled him. The blade went through his palm, effectively pinning his dominant arm and rendering it useless.
An unhinged glint met the man's gaze as he grinned victoriously, "Is this all the talent the royal family has to offer? I'm damn disappointed. I thought you'd at least put up more of a fight."
Sasuke barked, fending off his free hand with his own, "I'm not finished yet."
The attacker managed to land a strong hit to his jaw, which made him see stars. "Y'know, we were told we can do whatever we want with your wife once you're dead. I think I might have her keep me company for a while. She'll have to earn her fuckin' keep, though. If she can't satisfy me, I'll have to cut up more of her pretty pale skin, won't I?"
It was as if those taunts snapped something in Sasuke. He saw red. His hand curled around the blade currently penetrating it. He hissed, suddenly having the strength to overcome the cocky villain, "You won't lay a hand on her ever again."
With the fury of an extremely protective husband, Sasuke punched the man, sending him backward and off of him. Then, he was on top of the mercenary, plunging the sword into his chest over and over. A terrifying sound left him with each stab, blood splattering his clothes and body. The man quickly stopped moving.
"Princess!"
Kisame's voice broke Sasuke's bloodlust and focus and caused him to drop the sword. He felt almost drunk with energy as he hurried to his wife's side, ignoring the knights who'd arrived to witness their reunion, "Sakura!"
He fell to his knees at her side, taking in her appearance. It was unclear if she was fully conscious or not because he couldn't see her eyes, but when he touched the side of her face, she leaned into it. Tears welled up as Sasuke tried to breathe. She was skinnier than when he last saw her. She was so pale and cold. Bruises dusted her skin, as did blood, though the only thing that was bleeding that he could tell were her feet.
"She's ill. We should get her to the capitol as quickly as possible," Kisame interrupted his trance.
That was when Sasuke realized Sakura was sweating. Her chest heaved with short, quick breaths. He nodded, carefully bundling the woman up in his cloak before picking her up, "Let's go."
Kisame lifted both hands toward them, like how one would warm their palms near a fire, "I'll teleport you to the first prince's quarters."
Sasuke's grip on his wife tightened, "You're capable of such a feat?" He'd never heard of such a thing.
The knight smiled, though there was no joy or humor to it, "The cost is mighty, so it's reserved for emergencies."
"Wait-" Sasuke couldn't finish his statement before a blinding purple light erupted all around him. The cold winter air was replaced with the scent of incense and warmth.
It took a moment for the prince to realize they were already in the palace. When he did, he sucked in a jagged breath and stumbled toward the door. He was still injured and bleeding, not to mention exhausted, but he didn't dare consider anything other than getting help for Sakura. He managed to exit the room.
A pair of knights on patrol were walking further down the hall with their backs turned, so he called out, "Get the doctors!" They turned and obviously recognized the royal couple because one ran up to them while the other hurried off to get help.
Sasuke pulled away when the knight attempted to take the unconscious woman from his arms, "I have her. Just lead the way." Thankfully, the quiet soldier understood and obeyed without delay.
The Uchiha prince barely managed to glance away from his wife's face enough to watch where he was going. She still had leather covering her eyes and wrapped tightly around her neck. The court disenchanters would have to remove them.
"Brother! Did Kisame send you?" Itachi's familiar voice brought Sasuke the tiniest bit of relief. He nodded, following the knight into the hospital wing of the palace and carefully laying Sakura on the bed.
He felt his elder brother's arm come around his back when he then stumbled. They stepped back and out of the way when the other knight returned with a team of doctors so they could properly work. "What is her condition? Why is she blindfolded?" Itachi asked. He sounded genuinely concerned.
Sasuke felt a wave of nausea and had to be helped to a nearby chair, "I-I don't know."
A handful more doctors arrived, one of them coming over to tend to the prince.
Itachi seemed to understand his little brother was in a state of shock. He could tell now wasn't the time to talk, so he lay a comforting hand atop his head. He offered a small smile when Sasuke looked up at him with the fear and uncertainty poorly hidden in his eyes, "She's alive, Brother."
Sasuke fell asleep shortly after being treated, barely managing to make it back to the hospital wing after bathing and changing clothes. He was told Sakura had a severe cold, that she was extremely lucky to not have developed hypothermia.
When the last doctor was finishing up verifying her bandages weren't needing changing, he offered, "Pardon me if I'm speaking out of turn, but perhaps you should accompany the princess. It may help with her fever."
The prince spared the elderly man a glance. He didn't respond verbally. He didn't even move from his seat at her bedside until they were completely alone.
When they were, he allowed his composed mask to falter. Tears welled in his eyes as he watched the rise and fall of his wife's chest. The blindfold and collar had been removed, but she'd yet to wake. There were claw marks amidst her neck that were obviously caused by futile attempts to remove the enchanted article. The disenchanters hadn't been able to ascertain what their functions were or if they had any at all.
'It's been nearly six weeks,' Sasuke mused, wanting very much for his wife to wake and reassure him she was, indeed, alright. It felt like a year or more had passed since their last encounter.
Being without her was eye-opening in the worst possible way. Before she was taken, he was uncertain of what to do about their predicament. Now he was sure: He would not be able to live without her under any circumstances.
Even if it meant co-existing with The Curse, Sasuke was no longer willing to give up that which he held most precious in this world.
