Naruto 1. Chapter 1

The Hatake estate rarely received visitors, but a _royal_ visitor? That was absurd! After all, Kakashi reflected, he was only a minor noble, ruling over a somewhat impoverished area. One of the Sorcerer Kings coming to see _him_ bordered on impossible. _What could the bloody Uchihas possibly want?_

Prior to his illness, there would at least have been servants to answer the door, but the family fortune had been severely depleted with little or no improvement to his condition. His internal organs were slowly deteriorating, due to some exotic infection contracted during his years of service under King Fugaku Uchiha.

Kakashi fought back his dizziness and nausea, forcing himself to walk upright down the stairs to greet their mysterious royal guest. He had to get there before his dearly beloved, but rather impetuous son. Naruto and an Uchiha in the same room could only spell disaster. Sakura would hopefully have the sense to stay in her room; the last thing he wanted was for his beautiful daughter to attract the attention of one of their savage monarchs.

Praying that it was just a branch member of the family on a casual tour of the kingdom, Kakashi swung open the heavy door and descended to meet the royal carriage. Knowing his place, however much he resented it, he bowed deeply and concealed the pain it caused him as his bleeding organs were compressed. _I must get Sakura to try another session on them after this…_

"You may rise," a cold baritone informed him.

_Itachi!_ Kakashi quickly glued on a smile and gave an appropriate greeting. Of all the Uchiha, the crown prince was by far the most feared. He was cunning, powerful, and utterly ruthless. He also avoided casual outings and social interaction, which eliminated most of the benign reasons for his presence. _Oh hell. Oh bleeding hell…_

"I must confess," Kakashi observed blandly as he led the guest inside, "I am surprised to see you here, my lord. Surely you have many pressing matters to attend to?"

The prince fixed him with a red-eyed stare and said nothing.

"Of course," he continued glibly, "we all need a moment's relaxation here and there, but the Hatake estate is hardly known for its refreshing countryside. The best hunting would be to the north, in the forest region."

"I know."

Well, rumor was certainly correct about one thing: the next in line to the throne of the Sorcerer Kings was about as conversational as a rock. "I… see. Would you care to sit down?"

The prince's cold red eyes swept the rather obviously mended furniture. "No."

Kakashi waited for the man to say _something_. Finally, he decided he was through playing games, especially since his children could put in an appearance at any moment. "Is there something I may do for you?" he asked through gritted teeth. _Damn arrogant Uchiha bastards…_

Itachi smirked ever so slightly. "Summon your daughter."

Kakashi's mismatched eyes widened. "My… daughter?"

"Sakura," the man reminded him, in a voice that was disturbingly like a purr. "Bring her to me."

It was a father's worst nightmare. Kakashi drew himself up to his full height, which nearly matched the Uchiha heir's. "What do you intend for her?" he growled, consequences be damned. His sweet, lighthearted daughter was the apple of his eye, and he'd be damned if he let this _prince_, who slaughtered without a care, within ten feet of her.

Itachi's eyes glittered. "She will be mine."

"Like _hell_ she will!" the Hatake lord spat, summoning his own borrowed power and preparing for a fight.

"Father?"

Both men turned to see a pink-haired girl standing uncertainly in the hallway, worry in her jade-green eyes. "Sakura," Kakashi said quickly, "find Naruto and get out of here. Now!" Naruto could be an idiot, but he would protect his sister's honor.

"No." Itachi Uchiha commanded sternly. When Kakashi moved to speak, he flicked one finger and the silver-haired man stood frozen. "Walk with me."

Sakura ignored the invitation. "Father!" She ran up to him and felt his pulse, then whirled to look at their strange visitor. "Is he… will he be all right?"

"If you cooperate." He held out a hand to her. Not knowing what else to do, she laid her hand in his and let him lead her outside. He brought her to the door of the royal carriage, then turned to study her.

Sakura shrank back under his intense scrutiny. Perhaps she had offended him with her lapse of etiquette? "My lord," she murmured, dropping into her lowest curtsy. No sooner had she finished sinking than she felt an insistent hand under her chin, lifting her back up. Gulping, she rose and tried not to fidget. It was extremely rude to fidget. One couldn't be rude to an Uchiha, especially not when one's father had already made that particular mistake…

"Sakura."

The man's voice broke in on her scattered thoughts and she hurriedly put on her most polite smile. "Yes, my lord?" _How the hell does he know my name?_

"I am prepared to make you an offer." He smiled slightly. "One I think you will be hard put to resist."

"O-oh?"

He retrieved her hand and stroked it slowly, almost thoughtfully, with his calloused fingers. "Your father is dying."

"How do you know that?" she gasped.

"I know many things," he responded cryptically. "For instance, I also know that there is little future for you or your brother in this pathetic estate when he is gone."

Sakura willed herself not to demand again how he was getting this information. "You are correct," she admitted softly, lowering her eyes.

"I can change all of that."

Her head jerked up and she stared at him in disbelief. "How?" she finally managed.

He laughed softly. "You don't know who I am, do you?" Without waiting for her to answer, he slipped off his seal ring and held it out to her.

Sakura took the small object and gazed at it in disbelief. _Everyone_ knew that seal! They had seen it burned into stone walls, carved into criminals' corpses, executed in blood on fields of battle… "Itachi Uchiha?" she whispered. When he smirked, she fell to her knees. "Pardon me, my lord. I… I did not realize the heir to the throne would come _here_, and…"

"You are pardoned." Itachi's hand came under her chin again and she returned to her feet. "Now, do you have confidence in my abilities?"

Sakura nodded, willing her heart to slow down. Itachi Uchiha was the most feared man in history, the most powerful heir the Sorcerer Kings had yet produced. If he claimed to have the power to do something, it was most likely true.

His thumb stroked the side of her face as he leaned toward her. "I will cure your father's illness and restore his fortune. I will have your brother appointed as a retainer to my younger brother, where he will have many golden opportunities. You have my word."

Sakura trembled. "What do you want in return?" she whispered, unable to tear her eyes from the prince's ruby gaze. _Please don't say what I think you're going to say…_

Itachi's lips curved. "My price, Sakura, is _you_."

_Yes, that's what I was afraid you would say._ She dropped her eyes again. "I-I can't." To go with this man, to let him have his way with her, went against everything her mother had taught her. If she did this, even to help her father and brother, neither would ever look at her again. "Please… I… I'm sorry, my lord, but…"

"You misunderstand me."

She looked up at him, astonished. "How so?"

"I do not seek a mere mistress, Sakura." He lifted her hand and pressed a burning kiss to her knuckles. "I would have you for my wife."

o-o-o-o

"You said _what_?" Naruto bellowed when he heard the story later.

Sakura sighed and rubbed her temples. "Quiet down, Naruto."

"No!" the young man roared. He turned to their father. "You're telling me that that _monster_ of a prince waltzed in here and demanded _our Sakura's_ hand in marriage, and you're just going to let him _get away with it?_"

"It wasn't my decision," Kakashi reminded him, looking less than pleased with the situation himself.

"There was no decision to be made." Sakura folded her arms around herself. "You two know that as well as I do."

Naruto hugged his younger sister close. "Don't you understand what he'll _do_ to you?" he asked raggedly. "Don't you know what happened to Queen Mikoto? She's a _thrall_. The king stripped her mind away on their wedding night! She can't feel or think anything of her own."

A tear escaped Sakura's eyes. "Yes," she whispered, "I know."

"Then why would you say yes to him?" her brother demanded.

"Because she had no choice."

Naruto turned to stare at his father, who suddenly looked decades older. "What do you mean?"

Kakashi slumped into a chair. "When Itachi Uchiha wants something, he gets it – by fair means or foul. If Sakura had said no, do you really think he would have respected her wishes and left her alone?"

"Maybe he would have!"

"No," his father insisted, taking him by the shoulders. "He would have taken her all the same. And he would have been angry. You think Sakura's fate is bad _now_? Imagine what he'd do to her if she'd defied him."

"We could have protected her!"

"Against Itachi?" Sakura asked, laughing hollowly. "Against the man who can reduce entire cities to ash in less than an hour? You would both have _died_ and I… I couldn't let that happen."

Tears welled up in Naruto's blue eyes. "Sakura…"

She shook her head, pushing her brother away. "He… he made me a generous offer. You two will be taken care of, and I will lose my innocence with honor. You both know that that's more than any girl who catches an Uchiha's eye can hope for."

"But… he'll _destroy _you!"

"That's better than having him destroy you, too!" Sobbing, she ran from the room.

o-o-o-o

Sakura was awakened by a familiar tapping at her window. Opening the shutters, she let the beautiful black weasel into her room. "Hello, Shadow." It wasn't a creative name, but it fit. "Would you like some nuts?"

The creature chattered at her and she giggled, glad to forget her troubles for a moment. She gathered a handful of nuts from the dish she kept on her bookshelf and offered the kernels to her little friend one by one. From his place on her lap, he crunched them contentedly, occasionally rubbing himself against her. Sakura stroked his silky fur and cradled him in her arms.

"This might be the last time we see each other, Shadow." A few tears dripped down her face. "I… I'm getting married soon."

The weasel twisted around and licked the tears from her jawline. She smiled and hugged him closer. "Oh, Shadow. I know I have to marry someday, and I should be grateful that my father and brother will be taken care of, but… why him? Why an Uchiha? Why _Itachi?_"

Shadow chittered and snuffled her ear. Sakura laughed and set him on her pillow. "Perhaps it won't be so bad," she murmured, laying her head back down beside him. "Perhaps a thrall doesn't know how empty her life is. Perhaps…" She trailed off into a yawn. "Good night, Shadow."

o-o-o-o

Itachi watched, fascinated, as the girl who had caught his interest fell asleep. He never tired of seeing her face relax that way, hearing that little sigh. He was certain he would enjoy it even more when she went to sleep with her head on his chest, her body melting in his arms.

_He had been using his carefully concealed shape-changing abilities to escape the constant demands of his royal life when he first met Sakura. He had fallen into a hunter's trap, injuring one of his legs. He was about to heal it and move on when he heard a soft gasp and someone came rushing over._

_"Oh, you poor thing!" a young girl's voice had said. A basket of assorted fruits was dropped carelessly to the ground and he was picked up by a pair of soft, gentle hands. "Here, hold still, I'll set you free!" _

_After a moment's consideration, Itachi deigned to let the girl disentangle him. He was surprised to feel a healing magic, weak but effective, repairing his leg. "Just relax," the sweet voice murmured soothingly. "You'll be all right in a minute."_

_Itachi digested the rather unusual feeling of being cradled in someone's lap while her hands busied about him, and eventually decided that he liked it. Craning his neck around, he surveyed his rescuer. She was quite lovely, with exotic rose-colored hair, large green eyes, and delicate features. Her slender figure was modestly concealed by a simple gown, but he imagined her in a more flattering court dress and the results were exhilarating._

_"There!" she remarked after a few minutes. "Good as new!"_

_Indeed, the pain had vanished from Itachi's leg. However, finding that the girl had sparked a mild curiosity, he concluded that he was not finished with her. Accordingly, when she set him down, he pretended to collapse. As he had expected, the soft-hearted maiden scooped him up and carried him home with her._

_"What's that you have, Sakura?" a cheerful male voice had asked. Itachi cracked one eye open and was surprised to see the man to whom his uncle Obito had given one eye and part of his power on his deathbed. What was his name? It started with a 'K'…_

_"A weasel." To his surprise, but certainly not displeasure, she cuddled him against her soft chest and planted a kiss between his ears. "He fainted after I healed his leg. Can I keep him, Father? Please?"_

_The copy-mage gave in with a laugh and ruffled her hair affectionately as she carried him into the house. While he was not at all surprised to be placed on a cushion, Itachi was completely surprised to find a milk-soaked cloth dripping into his mouth while a slender hand cradled his head. _Interesting…

Itachi smirked as much as his weasel form would allow. After he 'woke up,' Sakura had been delighted to pet him and hand-feed him – a novel experience. No woman would dare be so bold with the Uchiha heir in his true form, but he found he rather liked it.

After that, he had made it a point to visit Sakura on a regular basis. It was a little odd to be a young lady's pet weasel, but it was highly amusing. And as the girl confided in him, he found himself growing interested in her for her own sake, beyond the delight of being fondled and chattered to.

People were usually quiet, serious, and polite in his presence, fearing to offend him and rouse his deadly wrath. Sakura's high-spirited laughter and bouts of crying were new to him, as were her openly confessed worries about her father and brother.

Over the course of several months, Itachi tired of visiting her as the weasel she called 'Shadow.' He wanted to meet her as a man and see her smile with his natural eyes. He wanted to touch her skin, taste her, see if she was truly as delightful as he hypothesized. He wanted this laughing, dancing, affectionate girl to be _his._

_And now she will be,_ he thought contentedly. He had offered her exactly what he knew she prayed for: renewed life for her father, a life of adventure for her brother. _And for herself… anything._ Anything at all, if she would only be his willing wife.

o-o-o-o

"I don't understand why I had to come," Sasuke grumbled a few days later.

Itachi smiled ever so slightly at his little brother. "I told you. You are coming to meet your new retainer."

The younger Uchiha sighed. "Just because you want to take a girl to bed doesn't mean I should have to put up with her brother."

"Every prince needs a retainer he can trust, Sasuke." Itachi's own retainer, Kisame, was probably the only person in the kingdom privy to his plans. It helped that he tended to find them hilarious.

"And what makes you think I can trust this Naruto Hatake?"

"You can," Itachi informed him.

Sasuke subsided. Itachi was never wrong about people, however short a time he had known them.

"Besides, you must meet your future sister-in-law."

The young prince rolled his eyes. "Why? I don't see the point in this courtship charade of yours. She'll be a mindless thrall before long anyway."

"She will not."

The crown prince's tone was as cold and deadly as Sasuke had ever heard it. He finally sat up straight and stared at his older brother. "What do you mean?"

Itachi's voice dropped to a confidential tone, the one that Sasuke had only heard a few times in his life. "You remember what it was like to grow up with a thrall for a mother, don't you?"

The young man bit his lip and nodded. He and Itachi had secretly envied other children whose mothers could notice them, hold them, talk to them, play with them… Mikoto Uchiha existed solely for their father's whim, and no subservient nurse could ever take the place of a _mother_.

"I want better than that for my children."

Sasuke's eyes widened. _Itachi_ had thought about having children? His infamous, terrifying brother cared what sort of life his heirs lived? "And… that's why you're going to all this trouble?"

"Not exclusively."

He glared at his secretive brother. "Does this have something to do with all your disappearances over the last few months?"

Itachi remained silent and Sasuke gave up, settling for digesting the information he had already gleaned. His brother was about to break a long-standing tradition of the Uchiha men by leaving his wife her awareness. He had known that Itachi had a rebellious streak, but…

And then there were the disappearances. Itachi had been known to vanish on occasion and was impossible to find, but over the past few months, it had become _frequent_, almost every night. Rumors had circulated that the dangerous prince was in love, but it had never occurred to Sasuke that there might be truth in there.

But most astonishing of all was the fact that he had openly defied their father, who wanted him to marry for an alliance. In order to gain his father's consent to marry the girl he wanted, Itachi had solved the problem in his own way. He had completely crushed the resistance of their rising neighbor, ensuring that they would remain subservient to the Sorcerer Kings for a long, long time. "Are you going to tell her what you did for her?"

Itachi focused his piercing gaze on his brother. "She is not to know," he ordered. And when Itachi spoke in that voice, even Sasuke obeyed.

o-o-o-o

"What's _he_ doing here?" Naruto grumbled, watching the royal carriage approach.

Sakura was hurriedly fixing her hair into a proper bun rather than its usual wild mane. "The messenger last night said that he was bringing his brother to meet you today, Naruto. Didn't you pay attention?"

"Why would I pay attention to his stupid message?" the blond man groused. "I know he's only coming to undress you with his eyes again and flaunt you in front of us!"

"_Naruto_!"

"I'm serious!" he snapped. "Have you _seen_ the way he looks at you? It's like a wolf watching the plumpest, juiciest lamb in the flock. He practically _drools_."

"Quiet down," she hissed. "If one of _them_ hears you talking that way, there's no telling what he'll do to you."

And there they were, back at the whole reason the royal bastard was being allowed in Sakura's personal space to begin with, when he and their father had sent every other man who eyed her that way running for his life. What kind of monster was this Itachi, to exploit an innocent girl's love for her family? _The kind that murders hundreds without a thought?_ the practical side of Naruto's mind reminded him. And _that_ was what his precious sister was going to have to marry!

"Where's Father today?"

"I… may have forged a request from our steward to meet with him today," Sakura confessed. She flushed guiltily. "He's even worse about hiding his anger than you are! He almost attacked when the prince first came here!"

"You should have let him," Naruto grumbled.

Sakura finished her bun and crumpled into a chair. "This is as hard for me as it is for you two," she whispered.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed repentantly. "No, it's harder for you," he confessed. "You're the one who's going to be… be…" He swallowed, unable to get the words out.

Sakura leaned her head against her brother's shoulder and let a few tears slip out. "I know."

o-o-o-o

"You keep glaring out the window," Sasuke Uchiha pointed out.

Naruto scowled at his new master. "That's because your _brother_ is out there with _Sakura!_"

All right, Sasuke had to admit, this was amusing. No one had ever spoken to him so rudely before – well, except his brother, but Naruto Hatake hardly exuded the sheer threat of Itachi. "You're awfully temperamental for someone in your position."

"What do you _mean_ 'in my position?'" the blond snapped, doing a passable imitation of Sasuke's voice.

_It seems I shall get a clown as well as a retainer... How thoughtful of my brother. _"You do realize that you're practically a hostage, don't you?"

An angry flush came across the other boy's face. "Am _not_!" he argued childishly.

Sasuke repressed a grin, enjoying this temper tantrum. "Don't be foolish. Of course you are." He inspected his pristine gloves with an air of boredom. "Your sister belongs to Itachi now. You are coming back to the palace with us as motivation for good behavior."

Naruto gave a most uncivilized howl of rage. "_Motivation?_ What does he need that for? He's going to strip her mind away anyway, and leave her a shell of herself, and… and…" He stopped suddenly as the implications of Sasuke's words finally dawned on him. "You mean… she won't be made into a thrall?"

"Hn," Sasuke assented, waiting to see what _this_ reaction would be.

Naruto grinned in relief, then slumped back onto a sofa. "How… how is he getting away with that?"

"He paid my father in blood."

The response was not disappointing. The other boy looked as though he was going to be sick. "_What_?"

Oh, well. He might as well see how trustworthy his new retainer really was. "Our neighbors have been attempting to upset the balance of power. Itachi wiped out one of their major trading cities as a reminder."

"And… and in return he gets…"

"The wife of his choosing." Sasuke's red eyes glittered. "And I should mention… this is your first royal secret. _Do_ make sure you keep it. I can't be answerable for what my brother might have to do if, say, _Sakura_ were to find out…"

And that was the beginning of Sasuke and Naruto's fistfights.

o-o-o-o

For a man who was planning to strip her of her consciousness, Itachi Uchiha was _awfully_ curious about her, and disturbingly knowledgeable. "How do you know so much about me, my lord?" she finally dared to ask, after reluctantly elaborating on the story of her mother's death.

His red eyes glinted with amusement. "I have my ways."

That seemed to be his answer to a lot of things. Some private joke, no doubt. "Will you cure my father soon?"

Itachi lifted an eyebrow.

"I don't mean to be rude, my lord," Sakura explained hurriedly. "It's just that… I would like to see him whole again, before…" _Before you turn me into a mindless zombie, you heartless freak of nature!_ some deeply buried part of her screamed.

"What puzzles me," he evaded, "is why you haven't healed him yourself."

Sakura kicked at a pebble. "I've tried," she told him quietly, not even bothering to ask how he knew she was a healer. "I work on his organs every day, healing the damage, but… I don't have the power to cure his disease. And it's getting worse. I can't keep up with it."

"He would die without this… bargain… of ours."

She blinked away a tear. "Yes," she admitted brokenly. And that was why she hadn't even given her father and brother a chance to defend her. To save her father's life, she would even give herself up to a man like this one, a man who spilled blood like water.

"Sakura." Itachi's hand came under her chin and turned her to face him. He considered her for a moment, then lowered his head to take her lips with his.

Sakura froze and let him kiss her, shyly opening her mouth when his tongue pressed for entrance. The hot, wet contact sent shivers down her spine. His other hand came to rest on her waist, pulling her flush against him. _Don't fight him,_ she told herself sternly. _Don't struggle, don't cry…_

He finally broke the kiss and studied her with a look of satisfaction. "You are as sweet as I imagined."

She tried not to gulp audibly. "Th-thank you, my lord."

Itachi was leaning in for another kiss when they were interrupted by crashing and shouting from the house. Sakura paled as she realized that her _idiot_ of a brother was fighting with an Uchiha prince_._ She was trying to think up an appropriate excuse for Naruto's behavior when the man still holding her chuckled.

"It seems our respective brothers are going to get along famously."


	2. Chapter 2

To everyone's surprise, Itachi's prediction turned out to be correct. Before long, Sasuke and Naruto were the best of friends. They irritated each other constantly, but their fist fights had evidently allowed them to establish a healthy mutual respect.

Naruto, with great reluctance, kept the dirty little secret Sasuke had trusted him with. He had little sense of self preservation or interest in serving the Uchihas, but he would _not_ risk Sakura.

A date for the wedding had been set – far too soon, in Naruto's mind – and the whole family had been brought with great ceremony to the capital and assigned quarters in the palace. Sakura, to their consternation, was given a suite within the royal area, right next to Itachi's own chambers and quite distant from her father and brother. The message was clear: _she is mine._

Thankfully, Sakura was not required to spend any particular amount of time in her rooms, and was frequently out and about, exploring the palace with her family and trying to enjoy the time they had left. She had not been to the royal city since she was thirteen and had forgotten how incredibly _beautiful_ it all was.

She had just parted from her father and Naruto and was walking back through the rose garden when a shout caught her attention. "Forehead girl!"

Sakura turned around and laughed with delight. "Ino! Hinata!" The three girls embraced warmly. "I haven't seen you in _years_!"

"That's not our fault," Ino pointed out with a toss of her blonde head. "Your father stopped bringing you here as soon as you started acquiring a figure!"

"Ino," Hinata reprimanded in her soft voice. "He was only trying to protect her."

The tall girl snorted. "Yes, and look how well _that_ worked."

An uncomfortable silence settled over the three old friends. "So… you heard, then?" Sakura finally asked.

Hinata nodded. "It's all anyone has talked about for weeks." She squeezed her friend's hand. "I am so sorry, Sakura."

Ino laughed weakly. "You know, I always thought we'd be _congratulating_ you when some handsome man decided to overlook your pink hair and huge forehead." She squeezed Sakura's hand, too, then realized Hinata was staring at her in disbelief. "What? Itachi Uchiha _is_ handsome. Dangerously insane, but _gorgeous._"

Sakura shook her head in amusement. She'd forgotten what Ino could be like. "Let's… let's not talk about it anymore." She linked arms with her two best friends. "Tell me what's been going on in your lives!"

Then Ino was off, chattering away about the brilliant rising tactician who was beginning to court her and the various proposals Hinata had turned down because she was still pining after Sakura's brother.

Unknown to them, a pair of red eyes observed their interaction with interest.

o-o-o-o

Sakura was nervous, but not especially surprised, when Itachi called on her in her chambers that evening. "My lord," she murmured, curtsying deeply. "May… may I offer you some tea?"

"Please," he returned politely, following her inside.

She willed her hands not to shake as she served him his drink and offered a plate of sugary pastries, which she had quickly discovered he liked. Sakura was fairly sure that, when a man called on his intended, there was supposed to be some sort of supervision from either her family or his. There were _at least_ supposed to be servants around, but she never actually saw the ones assigned to her suite. _I suppose rules don't apply to the Uchiha heir…_

Itachi frowned when she sank down on the opposite edge of the sofa. "Don't sit so far away." He indicated the cushion right next to him with an almost lazy gesture. While she felt that she was sitting _quite_ close enough, she obediently approached him and sat down. Immediately, his arm reached out and wrapped around her waist, tucking her against his side.

"Did you… have a pleasant day, my lord?" she managed diffidently.

"It is improving now," he purred, squeezing her slightly.

Sakura dropped her eyes and thanked him, praying that this was all he had planned.

Itachi took a long sip of his tea, still maintaining his hold on his betrothed. "I have news for you," he informed her as he set down the fragile china cup.

"R-really?" _When did I turn into Hinata?_

"I have appointed you two ladies in waiting. They will take up residence here tomorrow."

"Oh," she said in a small voice, wondering how she was going to live with two strange women. "Thank you, my lord."

He lifted an eyebrow. "Aren't you curious to know who they are?"

Was he _teasing_ her? "Who, my lord?"

Itachi taunted her by taking another unhurried sip of his tea. "Ino Yamanaka and Hinata Hyuuga," he finally declared.

Sakura's face lit up in a genuine smile, the first he had seen since he stopped pretending to be a weasel. "Truly?"

He nodded and watched her clasp her hands together to keep from clapping them. _How very cute._ He leaned in close to her so that his lips were hovering above hers. "Aren't you going to thank me?" he teased.

Sakura blushed. Itachi's meaning couldn't have been clearer. "Thank you, my lord." When he continued to wait expectantly, she shut her eyes and her mind and pressed her lips to his.

Itachi walked back to his chambers thoroughly pleased. _Sakura_ had kissed _him_. True, he had asked her to, but she had done it. And soon, when he had her fully in his power…

o-o-o-o

Sakura needed her friends' support in the days leading up to her wedding. Ino chattered about _everything_, distracting her mind nicely, while Hinata was unbelievably thoughtful and perceptive. They visited the gardens together and giggled over Hinata's attempts not to blush around the ever-exuberant Naruto.

"You know," Sakura teased during one of her wedding gown fittings, "now that Naruto is a retainer to one of the princes, your father might be willing to accept him as a suitor."

Hinata's face took on a decidedly crimson hue. "H-he might… If N-Naruto ever _asks_…"

Ino grinned and draped her arm around the shy girl. "We'll make that our new project, then! Getting Naruto to notice you!"

Sakura giggled while remaining as still as possible so the dressmakers could work. "It'll be fun! Come on, Hinata, let's have one more game before…"

Silence fell as all the girls tried not to think about Sakura's impending fate. "It's so wrong," Hinata finally observed quietly. "You did nothing to entice him, and still…"

Ino sniffed and hastily wiped her tears away. "_No one_ could possibly deserve this," she said heatedly.

"No, they couldn't," Kakashi grumbled from the door.

Sakura turned her head and smiled at her father. "Father! What are you doing here?"

"Your _fiancé_ summoned me." He walked in and took her hand, looking at her glamorous, but far too revealing, wedding gown. "You look… beautiful, sweetheart."

"Thank you," she managed, glancing down uncomfortably at the expanse of creamy skin the dress displayed. "Are you… are you cured, then?"

Kakashi sighed and ran one hand through his silver hair. "Apparently."

"How do you feel? Are there any rushing fluids? Has the swelling gone down?"

He glared into space. "I'd feel better if I weren't about to lose my daughter."

"There's still a few days left," she reminded him, trying to stay positive. A mischievous thought crossed her mind. "Why don't you and Naruto join us for dinner this evening? The princes have a meeting with their father during that time, so… it'll be safe."

o-o-o-o

"You should have seen that royal prick's face!" Naruto exclaimed jubilantly, taking a huge bite of roast pheasant. Mouth full, he waved the drumstick expressively. "I thought his creepy red eyes were going to pop out of his skull!"

"You shouldn't talk about the prince that way," Ino scolded him. "And close your mouth when you chew!"

Naruto sat up and grinned messily. "Oh, calm down, Pig. We've reached an understanding!"

Sakura shook her head at her brother's antics. "What sort of understanding is that?"

"I give him crap, he gives me crap, and we don't allow anyone else to give the other crap!"

Kakashi looked askance at his children. "Is it bad that what he just said makes perfect sense to me?"

Naruto took this as encouragement to launch into another narrative about how he was quickly disrupting Sasuke's well-ordered life. Sakura and Ino exchanged grins as they noticed that Hinata was listening with all her heart, as if Naruto's exploits were something wonderfully daring.

"Hinata," Sakura asked when her brother paused for breath, "is that a new dress?"

"Y-yes," the lady stammered, blushing as all eyes turned to her.

Ino grinned wickedly. "It's a very pretty shade of blue," she praised slyly. "Almost the same color as Naruto's eyes!"

Said eyes widened. "Really?" Suddenly he was beside Hinata, pulling her sleeve next to his face for comparison and striking a pose. "What do you think, Sakura?"

Whatever his sister had been about to say was cut off as Hinata fainted dead away.

Instantly, Naruto was concerned and puzzled. "Hinata? Hinata?" He grabbed a cup of cold water and, before anyone could stop him, splashed it across the lady's face.

Far away, in his father's private dining room, Itachi smirked at the information his scrying spell was providing. _Such a lovely laugh. I will have to find a way of eliciting it._

o-o-o-o

All too soon, the day of the wedding arrived. Quite suitably, from Sakura's perspective, it was cold and wet, with not a ray of sunshine peeking through the clouds. The weather did nothing to help her morbid reflections as Ino and Hinata carefully arrayed her for her impending doom.

She half-heartedly observed that it was a splendid ceremony. The bishop himself conducted the wedding and preached a beautiful sermon on marital love. _What a farce. Everyone knows exactly what's going to happen. Why pretend anything different?_

The wedding feast was also magnificent, and Sakura tried hard to enjoy it, but it was hard to savor anything with the night approaching quickly. She considered taking the knife by her plate and killing herself before Itachi could trap her in a living death, but knew that it would only result in Naruto and Father being tortured and killed. _Maybe Ino and Hinata, too._

She smiled and responded to the perfunctory congratulations with appropriately feigned gratitude. Beside her, Itachi radiated both satisfaction and a predatory hunger. She didn't dare look up at him.

Sakura almost asked if they could stay for the ball – _anything_ to put him off – but knew it would be useless. The bride and groom never stayed beyond the first dance. No man wanted to wait well into the morning for his wedding night.

"May I say goodbye to my family?" she asked as the dance ended to thunderous applause. It was traditional, after all, but she still thought it better to ask.

Itachi released her slowly. "I will wait for you in our suite," he informed her. "Your ladies will escort you there shortly." He kissed the shell of her ear and whispered, "Do _not_ keep me waiting." And with that, he was gone.

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief as her new husband vanished. She turned around to search for her family and was nearly knocked over by a tight hug from her brother. "Naruto!" she scolded half-heartedly.

"Idiot," Sasuke scoffed. "You'll wrinkle her dress."

Naruto hugged her tighter and actually _stuck his tongue out_ at the prince. "Oh, shut up. She's not on display anymore!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You think she's quietly and anonymously having the breath squeezed out of her lungs by an idiot brother _in the middle of the ballroom_?"

He released her to give his new best friend a piece of his mind. _Not that there's much to spare…_ Sakura giggled softly. Between Hinata and Sasuke, her brother would have a happy life. She could fade away in peace knowing that.

"Sakura."

"Father," she said softly, looking up.

Kakashi's mismatched eyes were filled with tears as he hugged her close. "My little girl," he murmured, rocking her in his arms. "We'll never forget you, sweetheart. Never."

"I know," she whispered back, tightening her arms around her father's neck. "I know."

o-o-o-o

Sakura took a deep breath as she finally entered Itachi's rooms. Ino and Hinata had said farewell to her at the door, and the three girls had cried together. Ino had made sure to clean any smudges from Sakura's face before they parted. And now, here she was, alone with her new _owner._

"There you are," Itachi's deep voice commented. He rose from the sofa with his fluid grace and came over to her. "I was beginning to worry."

_Worry? _Well, thank you, Itachi. At least she would get to hear one more joke before the end. She bowed her head to hide the flash of irritation in her eyes.

"Nothing to say, blossom?" His deft fingers removed the veil and tiara from her head, laying them carefully on a chair. "How disappointing." He placed his hands on her bare shoulders and guided her over to the sofa. "Sit down."

Obediently, she sat and watched him pour two glasses of wine. This was it. The potion that would put her in a trance-like state while her mind was destroyed would be administered now. Sakura watched him remove a small black phial and hurriedly composed a final prayer in her mind.

Then Itachi unexpectedly tossed the phial onto the floor and crushed it under his heel. "No," he growled, an indecipherable light in his eyes.

"N-no?" What did he mean by that? He wasn't going to strip her mind while she was _awake,_ was he? Even Itachi couldn't be that cruel, could he? "I-I don't understand."

He sauntered toward her and took her face between his hands. When a frightened tear escaped her eyes, he leaned down suddenly and licked it from her face. "I mean _no,_ Sakura. I said my price was _you_, and I meant it. Allof you, everything you are, will be _mine_."

Did that mean… "Then… you're not going to make me a thrall?" she asked, scarcely daring to hope.

"No." He handed her one of the goblets. "You look pale, my dear. Have something to drink."

"Thank you." Sakura smiled faintly as she took a sip of wine. Itachi would spare her consciousness. She would be _his_, but she would remain a person. Of course, he had probably only kept her intact so he could enjoy torturing her – he was Itachi Uchiha, after all – but she would still have the freedom of her mind. _Thank you, Lord. Thank you so much._

Itachi reached out and took a plate of delicate meat pastries from the table. "You barely touched our wedding feast. Here, eat something."

She wasn't sure she wanted to know what he had put in that food, but she didn't dare offend him by refusing. "Thank you," she managed, reaching for the pastry he was holding out to her. She wasn't expecting him to pull it back. "My – my lord?"

"Itachi," he corrected, looking at her with his too-intense eyes. "I am your husband, and my name is Itachi."

"Itachi," she repeated, looking at the floor. A hand under her chin turned her to face him once more. He was still holding the pastry and watching her expectantly. She reached for it again, only to have it lifted out of her reach again.

He smirked at her confusion and leaned in closer. "Let me feed you," he purred.

He wanted her to _eat from his hand_? What sort of game was this? He held the morsel near her lips again, watching her intently. _I guess I have no choice…_ Hesitantly, she opened her mouth and took a bite.

Itachi's eyes _glowed_ in response. He took a bite of the pastry, right from where her lips had touched it, and chewed slowly, _watching_ her. When she swallowed, he held it out to her again.

She had read once that some animals shared food as a mating ritual. Perhaps the Sorcerer Kings were less human than they claimed. She meekly ate with him, letting his free hand slowly undo her elaborate hairstyle and play with the pink strands. He coaxed her into holding the next pastry they ate and allowing him to lick the crumbs from her fingers. _God, why is he _doing_ this?_

"You seem… tense," he murmured, finally letting her hand drop. He stroked her cheek in the same slow, sensual fashion as he had licked her fingers. "What can I do to change that?"

He wanted her… not to be tense? _You could stop looking at me like I'm your dessert,_ she thought rebelliously. "I… nothing, my lo- I mean, Itachi."

The deadly prince clicked his tongue disapprovingly and slid his hand down her exposed arm. "I don't believe that." He drew her onto his lap and brought his face closer to hers. "Sakura… sweet Sakura… tell me. Tell me what you would enjoy."

Was he offering her a _choice_ about how he took her? Just how sick _was_ his sense of humor? "Nothing," she whispered.

"Nothing?" He pressed a soft kiss on each of her eyelids. "Nothing at all?"

Sakura turned her face away. "Just take your pleasure and leave me to mourn," she told him through gritted teeth, then froze at what she had just blurted out.

"Mourn?" Itachi tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and lightly kissed her neck. "What do you have to mourn for, my lovely Sakura?"

She swallowed hard, and felt him follow the motion with his lips. "Nothing. Please… forget I spoke. It… it meant nothing."

He chuckled softly. "You are a terrible liar, you know." He took her face between his hands and captured her eyes with his burning ones. "Tell me."

There was something hypnotic about his eyes, and she felt something compelling her to tell him the truth. "It was just the dream of a foolish girl," she said evasively, struggling against this mysterious force.

"Tell me what you dreamed," Itachi insisted. "What do you want that I cannot give you?"

Oh God, the compulsion was so _strong_ now… "A… a dream of a future," Sakura finally gave in. "A future with… with a husband who loved me. Someone… kind, someone gentle. Someone who would touch me softly and never… never hurt me." The feeling faded away as quickly as it had come and she was left trembling under Itachi's stare. _What did I just say?_

"And… you think you have lost that?" He pressed his lips softly to hers. "You think I cannot be this husband you dreamed of?"

Another tear found its way out of Sakura's eyes. She looked up at him helplessly, begging him not to make her answer that.

Itachi's voice grew soft, seductively gentle. "You think I am incapable of kindness? Have I ever handled you roughly?" He kissed her forehead lingeringly. "I truly mean you no harm."

She couldn't answer. If she did, she would start sobbing in panic.

He drew her against his chest and held her. "Has it never occurred to you," he murmured into her hair, "that that might be why I sought a wife? To have one place in my life, one person, where I could be… soft. Gentle. Something other than the dreaded Itachi Uchiha."

Sakura squeezed her eyes shut. _I can't believe him. Lord, I can't. This is just another game of his, he'll shatter me if I play it._

"And such a wife," he purred softly, trailing kisses across her shoulder. "So sweet. So lovely. So tender. So very, _very_ dear to me…"

That was it. If she sat on his lap a moment longer, listening to his pretty words, she would fall into Itachi's trap and be ripped to shreds. She rose and began unlacing her wedding dress. "You may have me as you wish," she choked out.

Itachi's hand covered hers, halting her progress. "I would prefer to do that myself," he murmured.

"Oh." She lowered her hand and clasped it in front of her with the other one, head still bowed as the dress slowly fell away from her body. "Of course. Anything you want."

"And if I want you to smile for me?"

Sakura raised her head and summoned a brave little smile. Itachi took it in with pleasure and lifted her in his arms, carrying her back into his bedchamber. "Thank you… my darling Sakura."


	3. Chapter 3

Sakura always woke up slowly, her brain taking some time to put her world together. The first thing that she registered this morning was a rhythmic thudding in her ear. When she opened her eyes, they slowly took in the contrast between deep red velvet and something smoother of a pale flesh tone. As she shifted groggily, trying to establish a clearer angle, she realized with a shock that she was completely naked. _That's odd._ She began to sit up, only to find her progress hindered by something wrapped firmly around her waist. She glanced down at it, puzzled.

It was an arm. A _man's_ arm. Sakura jolted fully awake. The lean, muscular arm was attached to what her head had been lying on, making that a _chest_ and the thumping a heartbeat. And there, above the chest in question, _smirking_ at her confusion, was the face of Itachi Uchiha.

_Itachi._ She must have been so worn out by his, er, _attentions_ that she had fallen asleep in his bed. By the look on his face, he apparently hadn't minded. _And I'm still me! He didn't change his mind after I fell asleep!_

"Good morning, Sakura," he drawled in a tone of amusement.

"G-good morning," she stuttered back.

He tugged at her with the arm around her waist. "There's no need to get up yet," he murmured. "Come back to bed."

Oh dear, there was that look in his eyes again. The I-am-going-to-devour-you-and-there-is-nothing-you-can-do-about-it look. "If you wish," she mumbled, laying her reddish face back on his chest.

Itachi _hmmed_ in satisfaction and kissed her brow. The hand that wasn't beginning to caress her waist came up to play with her hair. "Did you heal yourself?" he asked after a few minutes of what might be termed 'cuddling.' "You are not sore this morning?"

Sakura felt more blood rush to her face. "I did," she whispered, squeezing her legs together. It was hard getting used to it being _anyone's_ business what went on down there. "It… feels fine now."

Itachi's red eyes gleamed. "Excellent." And then he was kissing her again, rolling them so that she was pinned beneath his weight. "You should find this quite pleasant, in that case."

Pleasant, right. The conniving bastard had turned out to be a very thorough man, exploring every inch of her body until he found the places that made her moan in spite of herself. When he finally got around to taking her, he insisted on swallowing her cry of pain with his lips and murmuring sweet nothings into her ear until she calmed down.

Today, it seemed, he remembered all the information he had acquired the night before and honed in on his targets. Sakura was humiliated at the response of her traitorous body to him. _Did he put a spell on me when I wasn't looking?_

Sakura gazed up at the intricately tiled ceiling as Itachi continued to play with her. This would be her life now, gracing the prince's bed and serving his pleasure. If she was lucky, she would get a respite while he was on campaigns. If not, she would be dragged along to be fondled with his bloodstained hands when he took a break from the slaughter. _At least my family is safe,_ she reminded herself. _And at least I'm still me._

o-o-o-o

Ino and Hinata waited uncertainly in the living area of Itachi's suite. Last night, they had returned from the ball to find the doors to Sakura's chambers locked and a note instructing them to settle in to the right hand attendants' chamber in Itachi's rooms. Fortunately, when they got in, the entire place had been completely silent and they had been too exhausted to think about what had happened to their best friend.

This morning, however… Well, they had risen early, prepared for the day, and then begun straightening up the living area. They found Sakura's wedding clothes and carefully set them aside to be cleaned and preserved, as was the tradition with royal wedding dresses. Hinata also found a shattered phial on the floor and cleaned it up. Both she and Ino were fervently praying that this didn't mean Itachi had left Sakura _conscious_ while he ravaged her mind.

And now they were sitting on the sofa, pretending to embroider while they both tried to puzzle out when exactly they were supposed to enter the royal bedroom. They actually went to the door once, but were slightly traumatized to hear noises that drove them back to the sofa and left them no doubt what the prince was doing to Sakura.

"Well, aren't you two such good little ladies in waiting?" a deep, rather harsh, voice commented. Kisame Hoshigake, Itachi's retainer and rumored assassin, entered from the left-hand attendant's chamber. When they rose, he shook his head. "Sit back down. Ladies don't rise for gentlemen, remember?" He lounged in one of the chairs and yawned hugely. "Have fun at the ball last night?"

Ino and Hinata were saved from rummaging up a polite answer by the sound of a stream of water. Kisame's eyebrows rose and he got up leisurely. "Well, I suppose that means it's time for His Highness's morning bath. You can come in and see to the princess now."

Ino scowled at his back as he led them to the bedroom, chuckling at some private joke. Did he think it was _funny_ that his sick master had destroyed Sakura's consciousness? Hell, maybe he did. He was second only to Itachi in ruthlessness on the battlefield, though he couldn't approach the power of an Uchiha.

Kisame, still chuckling, disappeared into the bathing room that adjoined the bedchamber, leaving the girls to face their ruined friend. Surprisingly, it was Hinata who squeezed Ino's hand encouragingly and led the way over to the massive crimson bed.

Sakura was lying there, tangled in Itachi's sheets, staring at the ceiling as if deep in thought, though she would never have a thought of her own again. Ino felt tears come to her eyes as she reached out to touch Sakura's hand. "Oh, Forehead…"

To her amazement, the green eyes slid over to meet hers and Sakura smiled. "Hi, Pig."

Ino and Hinata both froze for a minute, eyes nearly popping out of their heads. "Sakura?" Ino finally whispered.

She nodded and sat up, clutching the covers around her. "Yes. It's… it's me." She giggled weakly, but seemed to be choking on tears.

Neither had ever suspected that shy Hinata was capable of squealing so loudly. She threw her arms around the princess and hugged her tightly. Ino followed suit and Sakura released her blankets to hug back. "You're not a thrall!" Ino exclaimed, half laughing and half crying. "Why? How? What did you do?"

"Nothing," Sakura managed. "I…I didn't do anything. He just… decided to spare me."

"_Spare_ you?" Ino asked in disbelief. "Sakura… Itachi Uchiha doesn't _show mercy_! Haven't you heard _anything_ about him?"

"Ino's right, Sakura," Hinata chimed in softly, drawing back a little.

"I will thank you both to stop scaring my wife," interjected a deep voice behind them.

All three heads whipped around to look at Itachi, who had come out of the bathroom clad only in his pants, long black hair still dripping from his bath. He was holding his arms out as he walked and Kisame was struggling to get his shirt on.

"You know," the blue-haired man complained, "it's enough of a pain to dress you when you're _not_ moving around all the time!"

Itachi ignored his friend. "Ladies. You will have the princess bathed and dressed for breakfast with the royal family in half an hour. Is that clear?"

Both girls quailed under the glaring red eyes. "Y-yes, my lord!"

"Good." He brushed past them, took Sakura's face in his hands, and pressed a slow kiss to her lips. "I will see you soon, my dear." Then he turned and strode out of the bedroom, Kisame in disgruntled pursuit.

The two ladies-in-waiting stared at Sakura, who shrugged helplessly. "Well," Hinata managed after a few minutes, "I guess we'd better start getting you ready."

Ino nodded. "Yeah… Come on, Forehead. It's bath time."

"I can bathe myself," Sakura grumbled, trailing blankets as she got up.

"Too bad," Ino told her firmly. "You're a princess now. Princesses are bathed by their ladies-in-waiting."

"That's because all other Uchiha princesses haven't been capable of maintaining a goal for five seconds!"

Hinata shook her head. "We can't break too many traditions, Sakura. If your husband gets upset…"

Ah yes, she'd left that part out of her assessment of her fate: tiptoeing around the monster's temper, because God forbid he get upset. "Fine."

Knowing what they did about Itachi, the two girls had expected to be cleaning dozens of little teeth-shaped wounds on Sakura's skin before they could get her dressed. Surprisingly, there was not a mark on her. "Did you heal yourself while you were lying there?" Ino asked as she rubbed shampoo into Sakura's hair.

"Well… no. He just… he didn't hurt me," she admitted slowly. "I mean, aside from the inevitable."

Hinata and Ino exchanged puzzled glances over her head and silently continued with her bath. When they had her cleaned and dried, Ino went to pick out a dress while Hinata combed and styled Sakura's hair. "Well," she commented when she opened the closet, "he certainly spared no expense getting your wardrobe together!"

It was true. Everything was ornamented with lace, jewels, or ribbons and cut in the very latest fashion. Silk, satin, and velvet seemed to be the only materials Itachi had considered suitable for her use. And, of course, everything contained both the Uchiha family crest _and_ Itachi's personal seal.

"You'll have to get used to red and black," Ino commented as they laced Sakura into the dress they had selected. "They're Itachi's colors, and it doesn't look like you'll be wearing anything else."

"I think they suit her," the prince commented from the doorway. He was now fully dressed and unaccompanied. "You may leave us."

There was no arguing with that commanding tone. Ino and Hinata reluctantly squeezed their friend's hands and left the room. Itachi prowled over and finished tightening and tying the laces on Sakura's dress. "We will be dining with my family this morning," he informed her against her shoulder. "I advise you to be as gracious as possible. My father does not take kindly to even implicit defiance."

"Yes, Itachi," she whispered, lowering her head.

He patted her cheek and offered her his arm. "Come along, now."

Sakura wordlessly took the arm and followed him to the most awkward meal of her life.

o-o-o-o

Kakashi was decidedly annoyed. The _day after_ the Uchihas had taken his little girl away from him, he was summoned to a morning meeting with them to discuss his 'new position.' _What position? What kind of sick joke is this?_

Still, a royal summons could not be refused unless one wanted to die, and he still had one child left to live for. And that was why Kakashi Hatake, once the feared assassin bound to Obito Uchiha, was now standing outside the door to the throne room, waiting to be admitted. After what seemed like ages, the guards finally announced him and let him inside.

It irked him to kneel before the Uchihas, but it had to be done. When he was allowed to raise his head, he spotted Naruto standing behind Sasuke on Fugaku's left, grinning like his sister hadn't just been destroyed. And there, on the right of the massive throne, stood Itachi with Sakura's hand obediently in his.

Now, there were several odd things that Kakashi noticed in the instant before the king spoke. First of all, the Uchiha men did not usually bring their thralls to official meetings. The queen was absent, as usual; what was Itachi parading Sakura around for? Second, the low neck of her gown revealed completely undamaged skin; had Itachi actually taken the trouble to heal her after he mauled her? _Why_?

"Lord Kakashi Hatake," the king intoned. "We welcome you back to the royal city and congratulate you on your restored health."

_What, you mean the health that your monstrous son restored in return for my daughter's life?_ "Thank you, my lord," he returned smoothly.

"You were a great asset to my brother Obito before his unfortunate death."

_I'm still pretty sure you were behind that assassination. _"It was my honor to serve him."

"Yes, it was." The king exchanged a glance with his heir that Kakashi didn't particularly like. "In light of your excellent record and renewed vigor, we now offer you a position within the royal court as one of our military advisors."

_Hell. Is there a polite way to refuse this?_

Then he heard a voice he had never expected to hear again. "Please accept. It would be wonderful to have you here."

Kakashi's mouth dropped open, every scrap of etiquette he knew forgotten. _"Sakura?"_

His daughter _smiled_ at him, her usual happy smile. "Yes, Father."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fugaku scowl at the interruption and Itachi shrug indulgently. In his joy and relief, Kakashi gave in and graciously thanked the king for his new assignment, to the polite applause of the assembled courtiers. Thankfully, Fugaku declared the court session to be over and Sakura came running down to him as fast as her rich gown would allow. "Father," she cried happily, throwing her arms around his neck.

The tears Kakashi had not allowed himself last night came flowing out. "Sakura," he whispered. "My little _Sakura_! Is it really you? You're… you're yourself?"

She nodded against his shoulder. "Yes, Father," she whispered back. "I'm… I'm fine. He didn't make me a thrall."

Kakashi kissed the top of his daughter's head, then drew back to look at her. "Does that mean… he didn't…"

Sakura bowed her head. "No. The marriage was… consummated."

It had been a slim hope, especially with the way Itachi eyed her, but it still wrung his heart to think of his daughter in the savage prince's arms. "It's… it's all right, Sakura. You're still you. Everything… everything will be fine. Naruto and I will be right here for you, your friends will take good care of you, and…"

"And you will be quite safe with me," Itachi added smoothly, coming up and laying his hand on Sakura's shoulder. "Come along, darling. There are some things I want to show you."

Reluctantly, Kakashi allowed his daughter to leave his protective embrace and walk away with the Uchiha heir. She looked back at him and he forced himself to smile, nodding encouragement. Then he met Itachi's eyes. After a tense moment, Kakashi bowed his head, silently thanking the prince for having mercy on his daughter. Itachi smirked in response and continued leading Sakura away.

"Father!" Naruto ran up on the other side and hugged him. "So you're a military advisor now! We all get to stay here with Sakura! Isn't that great?"

"Yes, yes, son, it's…" Kakashi's eyes narrowed as pieces clicked into place. "Na-ru-to," he growled, "did you know this _whole time_ that he wouldn't make her a thrall?"

Naruto laughed awkwardly and pushed his fingers through his hair. "Um… yes?" When his father continued glaring, he raised his hands defensively. "The royal bastard told me to keep quiet about it or his evil brother might hurt Sakura, and… and…"

Kakashi cracked his knuckles and prepared to administer a full beat down.

Sasuke watched placidly as his retainer raced out of the throne room, followed by a furious new military advisor. "I think Lord Hatake will be a valuable asset," he commented to his father.

"Hn," Fugaku replied.


	4. Chapter 4

**A note to my deeply appreciated guest reviewers: despite numerous requests for a lemon, I **_**really**_** don't know how to write one. You'll just have to be content with the hints dropped here and there. ;) If anyone feels inspired to write up their wedding night, go ahead. I would be delighted to read it. I'll hate myself later, but I'll be delighted. :P **

"Are you sure we're allowed to be here?" Sakura whispered anxiously as Itachi led her up to the king's suite.

"I want you to meet my mother."

"Queen Mikoto?" She looked up at him in astonishment. "But… isn't she…"

"A thrall?" Itachi stared ahead of them, expressionless. "Yes, she is. You saw her at breakfast today with my father. Now I want you to see her alone."

Sakura made no further comment as Itachi commanded that the doors be open and led her inside. A pale, black-haired woman was seated on the sofa in the living room, staring at the wall. By her dress, it was obvious that she was the queen. Fairly sure that she was supposed to curtsy even though the royal consort couldn't care less that she was there, Sakura sank down.

Her husband, on the other hand, simply proceeded forward and took one of Mikoto Uchiha's hands in his. "Mother," he said softly. "Mother, can you hear me?"

She turned to regard him with her blank eyes. A faint smile creased Itachi's lips. "Today must be one of her good days. Come here, Sakura. Say hello."

Uncertainly, the young woman trailed over and, kneeling, took the queen's other hand. "Hello, Your Majesty."

The woman's empty gaze turned to her. It looked for a moment as though she was struggling to think something, then her eyes closed and her head dropped forward.

Itachi sighed and kissed his mother's hand. "We should leave her to rest." He took her by the arm and led her out with no further explanation.

As they approached their own suite, Sakura laid her other hand on his arm. He turned to look at her and she smiled tremulously. "Thank you… for not doing that to me."

His eyes softened ever so slightly. "You are welcome," he murmured.

o-o-o-o

After entertaining the prince in his chambers and being re-gowned by Hinata and Ino, Sakura was allowed to wander freely. Deciding that she needed some quiet time to sort out her master's odd behavior, she opted for an apparently empty orchard. The trees were just beginning to blossom, and it smelled _heavenly._ She felt her spirits lift as she roamed the shady paths.

"Sakura?"

She turned at the sound of a male voice. After a moment's scrutiny, she recognized the speaker and smiled. "Hello, Neji." Hinata's older cousin had played with them occasionally when she was a child and there had been rumors that he might court her when she came of age.

The pale-eyed noble took her hand and bowed over it. "My lady," he corrected himself. When Neji raised his head, he did manage to smile a bit. "It is good to see you whole."

Sakura laughed. "It's good to _be_ whole! How are you?"

"Fairly well," he answered, offering her an arm. She took it with another smile and let him accompany her on her stroll. "Were you heading anywhere in particular?"

"Just… collecting my thoughts," she said evasively. "This place is beautiful!"

"I suppose so," Neji agreed stiffly. He had never been particularly impressed with the beauty of nature. "How is Hinata adapting to her new life as your lady-in-waiting?"

"Pretty well," Sakura assured him. She favored him with a mischievous grin. "She's glad to have Naruto back."

The young noble sniffed. "I suppose he might be a little less beneath her, now that he's Sasuke Uchiha's retainer."

The pink-haired girl rolled her eyes. The Hyuugas were one of the oldest and wealthiest families in the kingdom, with blood ties to the Uchihas. "We're not _that_ far below you, Neji. Father is a highly decorated war hero, remember?"

"But of lowly birth." Neji shrugged off her glare and changed the subject back to his cousin. "Have you seen where they placed her yet? Does it seem… comfortable?"

She giggled. "You're really worried about your cousin's welfare, aren't you?"

"It is my duty to Lord Hyuuga's daughter," he returned stiffly.

Sakura smiled up at him teasingly. "Oh, of course. Just your duty. The same reason you protected her from Ino when they first met, right?"

"I don't know what you're talking-" Neji suddenly gasped in pain and his eyes rolled back in his head. He sank down to his knees, biting his lip to keep from screaming.

She laid her hand worriedly on his shoulder. "Neji? Are you all right?"

"Of course not," growled a familiar deep voice behind her.

Sakura slowly turned around to face Itachi. She had never seen him angry before, and it was a sight to behold. "I-Itachi?" she stammered, shrinking under his furious crimson gaze. "What did you do to him?"

"That should not be your concern," he informed her coldly, seizing her arm and pulling her along with him.

"But…" She latched on to the first excuse that came to mind. "But he's Hinata's cousin!"

There was silence for a moment. "He will live," the dreaded Uchiha heir ground out, "but he will suffer unspeakable agony for the next seventy-two hours."

Sakura gasped, horrified. "What? _Why?_"

Itachi didn't answer; he just increased his pace, dragging her along with him, deep into the royal sector. She didn't recognize anything, as quickly as they were moving, but he seemed to know exactly where he was going. Finally, he shoved open a pair of dark, imposing doors and brought them to a halt on a balcony. "Look down there."

Sakura swallowed hard and peeked over the edge. Below them was a courtyard filled with broken glass. Here and there, a hoof or an ear that was relatively intact gave some indication of what had once been. "What is this place?" she whispered.

"This is all that remains of the glass menagerie." Itachi's voice was cold, barely controlled. "It was crafted as a wedding gift from the first Sorcerer King, Madara Uchiha, to his queen."

It did look like something only magic could create, and only someone from the Uchiha line could possibly have that much power. Madara Uchiha, she knew from her history books, had been the one to overthrow the previous royal family and place the house of magic-wielders on the throne. "Why was it destroyed?" she finally asked.

"He found her in the arms of another man." The red eyes turned to her, blazing. "This was the beginning of her punishment."

"The… beginning?"

"She was executed. The first traitor the Uchiha line ever destroyed on our own behalf." She couldn't gauge his reaction because she dared not turn around and look. "Madara took a new wife. And, to ensure that his heirs would truly be his, he created the enthrallment spell."

"And… ever since then…"

"Ever since, the men of the Uchiha line have used it to ensure that our women remain faithful and under control." His heavy hand came to rest on her shoulder. "Until you."

"Why?" she whispered. She didn't even realize she had said it out loud until he turned her around to face him.

"Because," he said in a dangerously soft voice, "you intrigue me. The thought of quenching your inner fire and leaving you to live like my mother is… repulsive. And yet, I had to have you for my own. To leave you for another to wed was equally repulsive."

She was about to speak when his grip tightened and his eyes resumed their blazing intensity. "But make no mistake," Itachi hissed, looming over her, "you are _mine._ Every. Last. Part of you. If you _dare_ favor another man, I will kill him. I was lenient this first time; I shall not be so again. If you even _speak_ to a man outside our immediate families without my express permission, I _will_ kill him. Slowly. Painfully. In the most humiliating manner I can concoct. Is that _clear_?"

Tears streamed from Sakura's eyes. "Yes," she whispered. "I… I'm sorry. I didn't know…"

"Now you do," he growled and left her, his cloak swirling behind him.

Sakura sank to the floor and cried. If there was ever any doubt in her mind that Itachi Uchiha's reputation was well-deserved, it had now been thoroughly erased.

o-o-o-o

Itachi stalked down the stairs toward the training fields, trying to restrain his temper. Finding _his_ Sakura smiling upon another man was bad enough on its own, but the scene with his father when he declared his intention to keep her intact was now replaying in his mind.

"_This is reckless even for you, Itachi!" Fugaku Uchiha exclaimed. "Your power and intelligence may make you untouchable to most, but you have no comprehension of a woman's treachery!"_

"_You have no comprehension of a woman at all," Itachi returned tightly. "You reduced my mother to a mindless shell. What would you know of keeping a wife?"_

"_I know our family's traditions!"_

"_Our family's traditions are founded on one man's hurt and paranoia!" Itachi snapped. He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Father, I assure you, a woman can be faithful with her mind intact. Sakura will be one of these."_

"_She will be a thrall like all the others!" Fugaku commanded._

_The heir was silent for a moment. "Will you fight me over this, Father?" he finally hissed._

_Minutes ticked by as the two men faced off. The king had not raised a hand against his son since he was thirteen, knowing the young prodigy surpassed him in power. Eventually, he seemed to decide adherence to tradition was not worth the risk. "You may try your little experiment," Fugaku ground out, "but if she strays even once, I will strip her mind myself, leaving her awake to experience every painful moment. And I'm going to make _you_ watch."_

_Itachi's jaw clenched as he bent into the tiny bow that was expected of his high rank. "Thank you… Father."_

Damn her, Sakura was already putting herself at risk! Wretched, unthinking woman! He supposed she couldn't know what awaited her if she betrayed him, but he had _thought_ she had honor and sense enough to avoid contact with any man but him.

Warriors paused in their training and moved aside to make way for him. Even Kisame knew better than to speak to him in this temper. Itachi made his way straight to where the new military advisor was going over some new tactical ideas with young Shikamaru Nara. "Hatake."

The older man turned to look at him with unconcealed distaste and bowed. "My lord."

"Spar with me," Itachi commanded.

"Why?" Sakura's father dared to ask, hiding his eagerness under a mask of indifference.

Itachi recklessly decided to sweeten the deal. "If you can best me," he said with a feral smirk, pitching his voice so that only his opponent could hear, "I will keep my hands off your _delectable_ daughter tonight."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed to slits. "Deal." Then, quick as lightning, he swung around, slamming his heel into the Uchiha heir's ribs.

Itachi ignored the cracks that formed and gave a bloodthirsty laugh. He made an eye-blurring gesture and the ground split between them.

Any lesser man would have been thrown off balance, but now that Kakashi's full strength had been restored, he was no lesser man. He sprang backwards, flipping over once in the air, and landed in a fighting stance several yards away from the damage. "Driving me back won't help you!" A rain of knives came flying directly at Itachi. The prince made another smooth gesture and the knives turned back around, flying at Kakashi. He froze them in midair and they dropped to the ground, useless. The silver-haired warrior drew his sword. "You wanted to spar? Come and fight!"

A wicked chuckle came from behind him and he whirled just in time to block Itachi's sword with his. "Almost too slow," the prince taunted. "Your long retirement has dulled your reflexes."

"Dull _this,_" Kakashi growled, using every ounce of his strength to push his opponent back into a stream of fire.

Itachi gracefully sprang over the obstacle without so much as a singe, and murmured something. The air shimmered with magic, but no attack was evident. On high alert, Kakashi slowly circled the prince, looking for his unpredictable opponent's next move.

He did not have to wait long. Itachi suddenly charged forward, raining fire from one hand and raising his sword to strike with the other. In blocking both, Kakashi found himself temporarily pinned, face to face with Itachi. "I'm not going to let you touch my daughter," he snarled.

The younger man's eyes had a maddened look to them. "Oh, dear. I don't think little Sakura would be very pleased to hear that. She does seem to enjoy my touch…"

"Don't talk about her that way!" Kakashi shouted, slamming his foot into the side of the prince's knee.

Itachi bent with the motion quickly enough to avoid injury and sliced Kakashi's cheek as he turned. "Why? You're the only one who can hear me."

"Is _that_ the spell you cast?" Kakashi smirked and caused a row of metal spikes to sprout from the ground under Itachi's feet. "That's a lot of energy to waste during a bout!"

The red eyes sparkled dangerously as Itachi jumped aside. "I would not speak of Sakura in this manner if all the court could hear. To do so would dishonor her."

"You dishonor her just by _looking_ at her!" A ring of smoke and ask obscured Kakashi's vision and he instantly began to listen for the prince's footsteps. They were barely audible, but the former assassin's heightened senses located him just in time to block his next strike.

"Do I?" Itachi purred, his shadow just barely visible in the cloud. "I thought it was a great honor for a girl of such lowly bloodlines to be taken as a bride by an Uchiha – _especially_ the heir to the throne."

"You look at her like a _thing_ for your amusement!" Kakashi hissed, twisting out of the shoving contest and making an expert stab of his own. "She is _no one's_ toy!"

He could make out the faintest red glow from Itachi's eyes. The prince's emotions were running hot. "If I did not know that, don't you think she'd be a thrall right now?" He snuck a quick stab in, nearly catching Kakashi's hip. "Your daughter is… special."

How could the man put so much malice behind what should have been a compliment? Kakashi shielded himself quickly and set the cloud of tiny particles on fire.

Itachi came out without so much as a scorch and laughed. "I see the rumors were not exaggerated. My uncle Obito chose his servants well." He smirked. "But even the mighty Kakashi Hatake cannot stand against _me._" The ground jutted up around Kakashi, trapping and nearly crushing him. "You cannot have copied a counter spell to this; I invented it after you retired. Yield."

"Never!"

Itachi sauntered forward and wrapped his hand around Kakashi's throat. "You should have seen her, heard her. She blushed all over. You never _heard_ such a sigh of pleasure. She was so delightfully warm. So soft." He chuckled darkly. "So _wet_. You can rage all you want, Kakashi Hatake, but your precious Sakura belongs to me now. And she always will."

"Bastard!" Kakashi choked out, struggling in the grip of stone.

Itachi grinned, ignoring the helpless insult. "And do you know what I'm going to do tonight? I'm going to remind her, imprint on every fiber of her being, that she is _mine._"

"No…" Kakashi's eyes were beginning to flutter as his oxygen-deprived brain began to fade from consciousness.

"Yes," Itachi purred. "Her body already knows who her master is. And soon enough, her heart and mind will come around, too. You have _lost,_ Kakashi Hatake. In more ways than one." He gave a half-crazy grin. "And if you want to remain a part of Sakura's life, I suggest you accept that gracefully."

The man cursed him one more time before lapsing into unconsciousness. Itachi had to admire a resolve that strong, however foolish it might be. He released his spells and watched his unconscious opponent flop to the ground. "Sasuke. Heal your retainer's foolish father." He still had rage to vent. "Kisame. We will spar now."

o-o-o-o

To Sakura's relief, Itachi was silent during dinner, having apparently calmed down, and departed alone afterward, leaving Ino and Hinata to escort her back to their chambers. Wanting to avoid the questions Hinata would surely have about her suffering cousin, she pleaded a headache and shooed her friends out as soon as they had changed her into her nightgown. If she was going to face Itachi again, she needed time to think and compose herself.

She knelt beside Itachi's bed and bowed her head in prayer. _Dear Heavenly Father, grant me some common sense. Help me not to incur this terrible man's wrath against anyone else again! Is it too much to ask that I be protected from him somehow? I suppose it is… But please, _please_ don't let me make this mistake again! And… and watch over Neji. If you have any way of working past Itachi's spell to ease his pain, _please_ do it!_

_And please let Hinata forgive me,_ she added after a moment. This wasn't strictly necessary; her soft-hearted friend would understand. But still…

She was about to pray for her father, too, as she was fairly certain she had heard his voice howling in fury from the training grounds, when a familiar tapping sound came from the window. She looked up with a start. _It can't be…_

But Sakura opened the window and, sure enough, there was her little black friend, twitching his nose at her. She laughed and swept him inside, hugging him tightly. "Oh, _Shadow!_ How did you find me?" She lifted him and pressed her nose against his cold, wet one. "Who's a clever weasel?" she cooed.

Shadow sneezed in response and she giggled. Maybe this was God's way of reassuring her that everything would be fine. All the same… "You can't stay here very long, all right, Shadow? I don't want to risk my _husband_ finding you." If he could torture a human being that way, Heaven only knew what he would do to a mere animal.

The black weasel put his head to one side and chittered at her, whatever that meant. "Are you hungry?" His ears perked forward and she kissed the top of his head. "All right, all right! I'll see if there's anything to eat in here!"

A quick and delicate search revealed that Itachi Uchiha did indeed keep a stash of his favorite pastries in the bedroom. She had never given Shadow anything so sugary before, but what could it hurt? "Here," she said, breaking off a morsel and settling on the edge of the bed, Shadow curled up in her lap. "Try this!"

Shadow was agreeable, nibbling away at the fruit-filled pastry and licking syrup from her fingers with his little pink tongue. Sakura stroked his fur fondly as he ate his treat, finding the warm little body distinctly comforting.

After only two pastries, Shadow's little belly was bulging and he snuggled into the folds of her dress, making a noise of contentment that was almost like a purr. She ruffled his ears, then settled into a thoughtful stroking rhythm. For all she had been taught about God's loving concern for his people, he was so grand and distant. Shadow was right here, soft and warm, and far easier to confide in.

"I was beginning to think they might be wrong about him," Sakura told her weasel. "I mean, he certainly has his _predatory_ side, but at least he left my mind intact. And if anything… he was almost _kind_. He didn't harm me, really, and he almost seemed to care what I felt when he touched me. It was almost as if…" She trailed off, staring wistfully into space. "As if he _loved_ me," she concluded in a whisper.

Shadow licked her hand, bringing her back to reality, and she shook her head with a bitter little laugh. "And then I made the mistake of talking to an old friend, someone I hadn't seen since we were children. We were only catching up and talking about Hinata when _he_ came in and… and…" She lifted Shadow up to her face and buried her tears in his fur. "It's all my fault!" she whispered. "He would never have had an excuse to torture Neji if I hadn't spoken to him!"

"Not," she added grimly after a minute, laying Shadow back in her lap, "that that would have guaranteed his safety. Oh, Shadow, what am I going to _do_? He really is a monster!"

All of a sudden, the weight across her thighs increased dramatically. "I am inclined to disagree with you," Itachi's voice asserted quietly.

Sakura stared, frozen in place. Her weasel friend was gone, and in his place, Itachi Uchiha lay with his head in her lap, looking extremely comfortable and slightly offended. She realized after a moment that her hand was slipped into his hair and pulled it back as though it had been burnt. "You… _you_ were Shadow?"

"From the very beginning," he agreed, recapturing her hand and kissing it. A lazy smirk crossed his features. "How else do you think I knew so much about you?"

Sakura tried unsuccessfully to hide her anger. "You _tricked_ me!"

"You began it," Itachi defended himself calmly. "You came dancing into my life and enchanted me. What else could I do but investigate."

"You slept on my pillow!"

"It was of singularly poor quality. You will rest on much better here."

"I _held_ you and _petted_ you!" she sputtered.

Itachi kissed her hand again and looked up at her with his dilated red eyes. "Please feel free to do so as often as you wish. I quite enjoy it."

Sakura didn't quite know what to say to that, so she stared at him silently.

The Uchiha heir sat up and took her in his arms. "Sakura," he murmured, "the rumors about me do not lie. I am a ruthless, dangerous man and have no intention of changing." He buried his nose in her hair. "But I am also more than that," he breathed.

"How can I believe you?" Sakura asked, remaining still in his arms.

"You must." Itachi smiled against her scalp. "How else will your poor little heart keep from breaking?"

She tried to pull away. "If that's your idea of comforting a woman, you should know that it's not working!"

He watched her struggle with what appeared to be fondness. "I have always admired your spirit, Sakura. I have missed seeing it since you were brought here."

She froze again and let him gather her back against his chest.

"Sakura," he said in that low, almost gentle, voice of his, "I am the mighty Itachi Uchiha… but I am also your Shadow. I have been your friend and confidant for _months._ I know you as no one else does, even your own family. Can you not at least _try_ to return the favor?" His hand traced an intricate pattern down her back. "Come, Sakura. Is this really so hard?"

Well… yes, it was. If the rumors were true – and he said they were – this man was practically a demon. He wanted her to _know_ him? How could she possibly comprehend the madness inside him?

"Perhaps you cannot," Itachi admitted, making her jump as she realized she had spoken her recalcitrant thoughts aloud. "But you can approach it, touch it, and it will not harm you. I swear this on my life: you, and you alone, can trust me."

"Why?" she whispered.

"I love you," he breathed, brushing his lips across her hair. "I love you so much, Sakura, so much that it hurts. Try, my dear one. Try to trust me, to love me, even a little. I will make it worth your while." He kissed her mouth, tongue caressing hers as persuasively as possible.

"Stop," she gasped when he drew back to breathe. Itachi tilted his head and looked at her. She drew a long breath and tried to clear her thoughts. "I can't think when you're touching me," she explained. "Please… if you want me to figure you out…"

The prince narrowed his piercing eyes, and for one tense moment, she thought he would ravage her in retaliation. But then he nodded slowly, slid her off his lap, and released her.

Sakura's head swam. _Did he just…_

"So," Itachi's smooth baritone interrupted her pondering. His eyes were still burning as he looked at her, but his hands remained peacefully in his lap. "What would you like to know about me first?"


End file.

Naruto, Family, Romance