No matter what was going on in Shanan's life, she always made time for riding her horse. It had always helped her to clear her head, and she did her best thinking when she was out.
This past week, she and Itachi had grown closer than ever and Obito had even given them permission to be together. It was all Shanan could think about on her rides. She still felt guilty and still wanted to be with Kakashi more than anything, but Itachi was truly amazing and she knew she'd be really happy with him.
She could see the love in his eyes as he looked at her. Hear the soft unspoken words on his lips when he said anything to her. Feel his intense affection every time he touched her, even a little. She knew he loved her very much.
And with each passing day, it became more and more clear, she really was falling in love with him too.
She stopped and smiled as she thought about seeing him again. "Tonight," she said aloud. "I'll say it tonight."
"Say what, tonight?"
Shanan looked up towards the unfamiliar voice.
There in front of her, stood an odd trio of men.
One giant man with red swirls on his cheeks.
One smaller man with dark hair and dark, familiar eyes.
And the one that had spoken to her. A white haired man with a ponytail and round glasses.
She tried not to be startled by their sudden appearance, but she was by herself in the middle of the woods.
"Can I help you?" Shanan asked them, suspiciously.
"We are but poor, lost circus folk. Tell me, are there any villages nearby?" asked the white haired man.
Shanan gulped, but didn't want to come off as rude, so tried to keep her voice friendly as she forced a smile. "No. There is nothing nearby. Not for several miles." And just as the words left her lips, she knew she had been tricked.
She immediately snapped the reins on her horse and tried to escape quickly. But as she did, the giant stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her horse's neck to stop him.
"Sasuke, hurry, I can't hold him back as easily," he yelled as he strained with all of his might against Shanan's horse.
Sasuke wasted no time coming to the aid of his comrade, but as soon as he got close, Shanan kicked him in the face with her heavy riding boots, knocking him to the ground, and then turned to look at the giant's hands. She wanted to kick them too, but didn't want to hurt the horse in doing so.
"Hurry," said the giant as he dug his feet into the ground to keep the panicked horse in place.
Sasuke stood up, wiped the blood from his lip, closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he ran towards her again. Shanan tried to plant her heel into his face again, but he spun out of the way and dodged her easily.
She dropped the reins from the force of her missed kick and when she tried to grab the pommel to regain her balance, he took advantage of her falter and was able to very gracefully grab her hand and wrap his arm around her waist to easily pull her down from her horse. All the while, with his eyes still closed.
But Shanan refused to go quietly as she raged at Sasuke and pulled his hair and threw as many punches and kicks at him as she could.
He dodged most of her blows and continued to try and restrain her.
However, once Sasuke had succeeded in removing her, the giant released the horse and breathlessly went to assist his teammate.
Shanan turned some of her attention to the giant now as she attempted to hit and kick him as well, but he was built very solidly and didn't even seem to take notice of her fists or her feet.
Sasuke held her in place and Shanan was surprised at how strong he was as she kicked back at his shins now. Anything to get him to loosen his grip or drop her before the giant got ahold of her, but nothing worked.
She finally decided to try and scream, but just as she did, the giant grabbed her neck and applied just enough pressure to put her to sleep.
Sasuke opened his eyes just as she collapsed in his arms and his giant teammate took her from him and carefully cradled her.
"Well, she certainly put up a hell of a fight," the white haired man said as he finally stepped forward to join his men.
Sasuke looked over at him incredulously as he dusted himself off. "I'm pretty sure she could see me the entire time. Could you guys see me?" he asked the pair.
"Once you stood up after that first kick, you disappeared, like always," the giant assured him.
The white haired man went to stand next to him as he examined Shanan in the arms of the giant. "I certainly couldn't see you."
Sasuke rubbed a sore spot on his head and pulled out a small chunk of hair that Shanan had relinquished him of. "Well, Kabuto, she definitely seemed to hit and kick me in all the right places."
"Certainly a coincidence," Kabuto said as he pushed his glasses up and shifted his gaze towards the giant. "Choji, tell me you didn't let that horse escape."
"Oh, sorry, I couldn't make myself any bigger for some reason. He got away."
Kabuto looked back down at Shanan. "Certainly a coincidence," he said a bit more thoughtfully.
"Well, didn't your boss tell you anything about her?" Sasuke asked him.
"My boss remains anonymous and he said nothing of the girl, except that her death will certainly be sure to start a war."
"What? You never said anything about killing anyone," groaned Choji.
"I've hired you two to help me start a war, what did you think that entailed? Certainly a death or two, no?"
"I just don't think it's right," he said as he looked down at Shanan, "killing an innocent girl like that."
Kabuto glared at Choji over his glasses and then pushed them up again. "Certainly, you of all people, didn't just use the word think in my presence. Leave that to me and don't hurt yourself in trying to keep up. Just do as you're told. That's why I'm paying you."
Sasuke rolled his eyes at the man and shook his head. "Choji's right, Kabuto. She's done nothing to deserve even being taken, let alone killed."
Kabuto smirked at Sasuke and pointed to his own mouth. "You've got a little something," he teased, "a gift from the damsel in distress."
Sasuke wiped the new blood from the split in his lip and continued to look at Kabuto disdainfully. "How would killing this girl start a war between Florin and Guilder anyway?"
"Well, Sasuke, this here," he said as he delicately brushed the hair from her face, "is Princess Shanan."
Obito was sure they couldn't be too far behind Shanan as they rode quickly through the woods. "Itachi, you have to snap out of it, we may need to fight."
Itachi had been in a daze since learning of Obito's betrayal. It was unlike him, but the fact that it was Obito of all people, stunned him. However, he knew they needed to try and hurry in order to make it to Shanan in time. "So what did you do and why might we have to fight your own men?" Itachi asked angrily.
"They're not my men," Obito told him. "I hired them anonymously. Met the guy late at night in the corner of a pub. I wore a dark cloak that I'd found with red clouds all over it and an orange mask. Even disguised my voice to sound like my father."
Itachi clenched his jaw as Obito spoke. "Why your father, cousin?"
"Honestly, it was just the first thing that came to me and I think I executed it quite nicely."
Itachi scoffed loudly at Obito. "I don't care how well you think you did! How could you be so callous? Even towards Shanan. But especially towards me?"
"I know. I let bitterness and longing selfishly consume me. But I'll fix it. They can't be too far gone. They were instructed to take her to Guilder first."
"And how many is they?"
Obito glanced quickly at Itachi and then back to the forest in front of him. "I'm not sure. I hired one man, but he said he'd gather his own team and that he had some competent yes men in mind to help him. I didn't stay too long or go over too many details. I gave him a time and a place and a destination."
"And instructions to murder her?" Itachi asked him bitterly.
Obito swallowed, but didn't say anything. Itachi already knew the answer.
They rode in silence the rest of the way as Obito led the way.
Itachi couldn't stop worrying about Shanan and wishing he'd told her how much he loved her.
He knew he'd had feelings for her for quite some time, but this past week had only deepened his devotion to her. He decided that he didn't care anymore if she said she loved him too. As soon as he saw her again he'd hold her and kiss her and tell her that his life was hers from now on. His heart. His soul. Everything. He'd lay it all down at her feet, always.
They just had to make it to her in time…
Shanan opened her eyes and sat up slowly as the memory of what had happened came rushing back to her.
"Bout time you woke up, Highness," Kabuto said indifferently as he read his book.
Shanan scowled as she looked down at her hands that had been bound together and then back up at him. "And where do you think you're taking me?"
Kabuto sighed at her without so much as a glance. "Certainly I'm not at liberty to discuss that."
Shanan chuckled softly at him as she located the other two men. "That's fine. I was giving you a chance. The Prince will find you. And you'll all be hanged. If you're lucky."
Kabuto finally turned his head towards her. "Of all the necks on this boat, Your Highness, the only one you should certainly be worried about is your own."
"Well you certainly are a mouthy one," Shanan retorted.
Kabuto thought to use his intellect against her, but found himself struggling to come up with a witty comeback, which was unusual. His skill made him incredibly intelligent.
Sasuke's chuckle at Shanan's boldness made him shift focus from her to him and it felt as though the tension in his mind eased up immediately. "Quiet, orphan boy," he said as he shot him a look.
Sasuke didn't take much notice of Kabuto's words and he didn't see his look as he looked behind them for the umpteenth time.
"And why do you keep looking back there like that?" Kabuto asked impatiently.
Sasuke turned back to Kabuto. "I'm just making sure that nobody is following us."
Kabuto chuckled as he turned a page in his book. "Certainly, that would be impossible. No one in Florin could've gotten here so fast and no one in Guilder knows what we've done. We're fine." He sat quietly and read a few lines from his book and then looked back up at Sasuke. "Why are you so worried about it, anyway?"
"Well, I just happened to look up and suddenly there's someone back there."
Kabuto and Choji ran to stand next to Sasuke as they looked out into the darkness and saw a small boat seemingly following them.
"Where did that come from?" Choji asked.
"It's certainly a local fisherman," Kabuto told him.
"You're all idiots," Shanan said as she laughed. "It's most likely the Prince coming to rescue me." Though she didn't truly think Obito would bother. Itachi on the other hand…
"Sasuke…" Kabuto started as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. "Please make her stop talking," he said as he continued to stare back at the boat that was gaining on them.
Sasuke rolled his eyes and took the cloth before heading over to Shanan and stopping before she could reach him in any way. "You're not gonna kick me again, are you?"
Shanan smiled up at him as she noticed the split in his lip and the bruise on his cheek. "I make no promises."
Sasuke sighed at her. "Look, I don't want to do it, but Kabuto can be a jerk and as smart as I am, I could never outsmart him. I can guarantee that you wouldn't be able to either. So how about you just let me do this without any problems?"
Shanan looked over at Kabuto and studied him momentarily before looking back at Sasuke. "Fine. I won't kick you."
Sasuke knelt in front of her and folded up the handkerchief.
"You look familiar," Shanan said quietly. "I've seen your eyes a lot lately."
He didn't say anything, but she could see that she wasn't wrong in her assessment by the way his brow furrowed.
"You're an Uchiha, aren't you? I didn't realize there were more of you out there–"
"There aren't. Not anymore. Not since the King betrayed his own clan in order to keep power."
Shanan frowned at his words. She had a hard time believing that about King Madara. "But–"
Sasuke held up the folded handkerchief. "I'm sorry, Princess. I have to cover your mouth now," he said as he placed it over her mouth and tied it up. "Try not to make too much of a fuss and I'll ask if I can remove it soon."
Shanan nodded once and leaned her head back as soon as he walked away.
King Madara wouldn't kill his clan for power. Though, truth be told, she never knew him at his strongest. He always seemed kind and benevolent when he and Obito visited the village.
After a few hours, the sun had risen.
Sasuke had kept his word, but this time he sent Choji to remove the cloth from her mouth in his place.
The boat that had been following them was practically on top of them as they pulled up to the rocky shore and exited.
Shanan gulped as she tried to look up to the top of the cliff. She'd never seen it with her own eyes, but she'd heard plenty about it in stories and knew how Obito had gotten his scars. "Here? But how will we get up there?" Shanan asked them incredulously.
Sasuke helped Choji with his harness as Kabuto looked at Shanan and pushed his glasses up. "Certainly we wouldn't stop here without a plan in place, Highness."
Sasuke gently led Shanan to stand next to Choji as he looped a harness over her head and underneath her. "You'll have to hold on tight," he said softly.
Kabuto stared out at the boat. "Fortunately, whoever that is, will have to sail around for hours. Only Choji is strong enough to go our way."
"Let's go, Kabuto," Sasuke urged him.
Once he had Kabuto secured in his harness, he climbed into his own harness and held tight as Choji pulled them all up.
"This feels really difficult for some reason," Choji said.
"Certainly, you're not implying that I should find myself a new giant? What a waste," Kabuto said.
"You should just drop him," Shanan said to Choji, followed by another chuckle from Sasuke.
Kabuto remained quiet as he could think of nothing witty to say to her. Again!
Sasuke looked down and then sighed.
"What is it now?" Kabuto asked, annoyed.
"He's climbing the rope," Sasuke told him, completely exasperated.
Shanan looked down at the man and smiled. It wasn't Obito or Itachi, but whoever he was, he was quite impressive.