Chapter Text
The long hall echoed ominously with the sound of bare feet padding along the frigid marble floor. The ceremony ended hours ago, but Sakura had been ambling around the manor to delay the inevitable. At the end of this empty hallway would be the bedchamber of the Kazekage.
My husband, she reminded herself with a grimace.
Tonight had been the wedding, and she was expected to join her new husband in what would now be their room.
Her steps slowed the closer the grand double doors came, anxiety making her heart palpitate and stomach roil with nausea. She felt the pinprick heat of tears behind her eyes, rubbing at them with the heel of her palm. Crying now would be a waste. Showing fear would be a waste. The man on the other side of those doors could hardly be considered a man, a monster would be a better description, and he would devour her all the sooner if he knew she was afraid.
She had been in Suna for almost a week, sequestered away in a guest wing as maids and ministers equipped her with all she’d need to be the Kazehime. From etiquette to politics, she was educated and quizzed from sunup to sundown. It was exhausting and overwhelming, and the only perk in all of it was that she had seen neither hide nor hair of her future husband. She waited on pins and needles day after day for him to come to her, but he never did. By the fourth day, her guard had begun to relax a bit, making the lessons not so awful to endure. The first time she saw him was at their actual wedding ceremony as she paraded down the aisle in all her finery.
She heard that he was an attractive man, but ‘attractive’ was the wrong word for him; the Kazekage was beautiful. How someone so utterly awful could be so beautiful had to be some cruel trick played by the Gods. His vibrant red hair fell like silk around his perfectly symmetrical facial features, reminding her of a doll, his skin a light tan. He surveyed her with almond-shaped, captivating amber eyes. As she came to stand before him, she noted he wasn’t much taller than her, but his presence was so imposing she doubted anyone noticed he was so short. He kept his gaze trained on her the entire time, like an animal would do to its prey. She struggled to maintain her composure, unwilling to let herself be intimidated by him. Her voice shook when it came time to repeat the vows, but she pushed forward, ignoring his knowing smirk. When it was his turn to do the same, his honeyed voice flowed over her, consumed her, and she finally realized in that moment that this was the biggest mistake she had ever made.
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Ten years ago was a dark time for the Village Hidden in the Leaves. She and the rest of her friends were gangly twelve-year-olds, competing in the annual Chuunin exams. The third and final rounds were underway when they were attacked by not only a former ninja of their village, the Sanin Orochimaru, but simultaneously betrayed by their ally, Sunagakure. They were barely able to repel the attack, losing many in the process; most notably, they were left without a leader following the death of the Third Hokage. As the village scrambled to replace him, they learned that Suna was also without a leader, their Kazekage having been assassinated by Orochimaru before the assault.
The scrimmage for Kazekage was ended by the abrupt acquisition of the title by someone no one saw coming for it.
Akasuna no Sasori.
Sasori was a world-renowned shinobi for his mastery of Suna’s secret puppet jutsu as well as his undetectable, practically incurable poisons. Rumor had it that Sasori wasn’t even a candidate the council considered, but he waltzed into their meeting and somehow declared himself the Fifth Kazekage. Apparently, there was no room for opposition, so the official announcement was made. Around that same time, Konoha had instated Senju Tsunade, another of the legendary Sanin and granddaughter of the First Hokage, as the Fifth Hokage.
In a bizarre twist that couldn’t have been predicted, Sasori’s first act as Kazekage was to dissolve the alliance between Suna and Konoha. He gave no explanation, despite Tsunade’s numerous attempts at reconciliation. Thus began the frequent altercations at the border of the Lands of Fire and Wind.
Not long after the Chuunin exams, she had approached the Senju in hopes of becoming her apprentice in the art of medical ninjutsu. Tsunade was a harsh teacher, but she flourished beneath her tutelage, rising to prominence as one of the best medical ninja in the world in only a few short years. She cemented her place there by accomplishing the impossible when she was sixteen.
A team from the border were rushed into the emergency room, convulsing and writhing, their skin a noxious purple color. Upon inspection, they discovered the men had been poisoned with one of the Kazekage’s nastier concoctions, and it was working fast in taking their lives in the most painful of ways. Tsunade was unavailable, as was her other apprentice Shizune, so it was up to her to save them.
The process was long, the pressure insurmountable, but she was able to concoct an antidote that would halt the poison’s spread long enough to give her time to extract it from their bloodstreams.
Tsunade praised her endlessly for her hard work and quick-thinking, as did the rest of the hospital staff and the family members of the team. The members were able to recover in record time, returning to their posts with cure in hand in the event they needed it again. New, more potent, poisons would crop up at random intervals over the years since then, almost as if the Kazekage knew what she had done and was testing her.
The chronic problems with Suna were the least of Konoha’s worries at this point, however.
A mysterious organization known as the Akatsuki, working out of Ame, had slowly been gaining traction to do something catastrophic. No one knew what they were capable of, or who even comprised it, but they had been declaring intent to wage war with the Five Great Nations.
As Tsunade and the village elders converged on what to do to protect Konoha, the Kazekage sent a message unprompted, proclaiming he would be willing to rekindle the alliance between the two villages. While the council members were thrilled at the prospect, the Senju was not one to be played for a fool, demanding to know what Sasori’s catch was. She was appalled at his answer.
Konoha would need to send a woman to marry the Kazekage and ‘demonstrate the strong bond of our alliance.’ However, not just any woman would do; Sasori was requesting someone very specific: The princess of the famed Yamanaka clan, Ino.
The day Tsunade informed her blonde friend, she burst into her office at the hospital, sobbing while relaying what she had just been told. The two women embraced, Ino’s tears soaking her white coat as she dumbfoundedly attempted to console her. Ino then launched into a tirade of anger and dread once she calmed, terrified about the list of horrendous things that could happen that ‘death’ wasn’t even at the top of. Everyone in the village had heard tale recently of what the Kazekage was capable of, all the villainous acts he committed with and without the mantle attached to his name, so the other woman was justified in her apprehension.
Hours later, Ino left, her tear-stained face morphed in ugly resignation, while her mind raced with solutions. She could never permit herself to just sit back while her best friend was sent like a lamb to slaughter to such a terrible beast of a man. There had to be a way to prevent this plot from unfurling, but what?
The answer dawned on her as she slid into bed that night. The move would be risky, but risky was a bet she’d take. The only issue would be convincing Tsunade that it was a good idea. Her rest was fitful, but when morning arrived, she got ready and raced to the Hokage Tower with her alternate proposition. The memory played, unbidden, in her mind.
“I’ll go.”
Tsunade frowned. “Sakura, you can’t.”
“I am your apprentice, Shishou,” she protested firmly, praying to whoever was listening that this would work. “I’m head of Konoha’s hospital. I’ve saved hundreds of lives, developed countless medical interventions, and even created antidotes for Suna’s worst poisons!” She scrambled for something else to make her case. “As someone that values pharmaceuticals, the Kazekage would see some appeal in that!”
Tsunade didn’t respond, beautiful face contorted in conflict.
She persevered. “Tsunade-sama, please,” she pleaded in a desperate whisper. “You have to try. It can’t be Ino. He’ll…” she trailed off, unable to verbalize her worries. “I can’t handle what he’ll do to her if she goes there.”
The tense silence lingered, burning her ears, until finally the blonde woman released a drawn-out sigh of resignation. “I’ll send him the counterproposal, but!” She exclaimed, halting the hope visibly blossoming on her face and in her heart. “He may refuse, Sakura. And if he does that, we won’t have a choice.”
She nodded, heeding the warning but hoping against hope, nonetheless.
The wait was agonizing, but two weeks later, the Kazekage shockingly accepted Tsunade’s offer of a different bride. They were given five days to prepare her before a team would be coming to escort her to Suna.
Ino was expectedly livid, furious she had taken this task upon herself without conferring with her. The two argued for three days, Ino doing her damndest to convince her to change her mind, but her effort was futile. While self-sacrificing was in her nature, she was confident she’d fare much better against this villain than her best friend would. In fact, she could plausibly devise a plan for escape if she bided her time and learned him well enough.
As per the missive, the escort team arrived the morning of the fifth day. Bags packed and farewells given, she left the Leaf Village, barring herself from looking back lest she be consumed by regret.
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The imposing doors stood like wooden guards between protection and peril. She debated on her chances of successfully fleeing, but settled against it. Being in the heart of enemy territory was not going to help her chances anyway.
Breathing in a deep, steeling breath, she placed shaking hands on each handle, pushing them open before she lost her nerve. As she stepped inside, she noted it was empty save for a couple of puppet torsos and severed heads on a desk next to the window. Because that’s not creepy, she blanched, shifting her gaze quickly. The opulence of the room was fitting for the person that ran a village, the large, four-poster bed in the center the clear focal point. It was draped in warm reds and rich golds, which would have been inviting in probably any other circumstance than this one. She felt the nausea return in full force at the thought of having to share the bed with Sasori, and her gaze flitted away once again. Her eyes landed on the expansive wall opposite the window, decorated lavishly with paintings and charcoal renderings. Intrigued, she approached it to examine the pictures. Out of everything she knew about Sasori, him being interested in art was not one. However, as she scanned each piece, her heartbeat thumped wildly in alarm.
Each picture was otherworldly in its detail and depiction; whoever created these was ridiculously skilled. The person in the pictures was shown going through day-to-day life activities with varying emotions, from happy to contemplative. What filled her with unending dread was that every image was of her.
Her thoughts whirled with thought after thought, wrestling with what the fuck does this even mean? She focused on the painting directly in front of her, seeing while simultaneously unseeing. In it, she was staring into the distance, a sunset behind her, smiling with a sense of longing. It was lovely, but she was still shaken. Why would he have art like this in his personal bedroom? she mused, frowning.
It could have been minutes or hours, but she suddenly gasped, an answer equal parts obvious and crazy coming to her. Could he actually…? She couldn’t finish the thought, derailed when she heard the soft click of the doors closing.
She held her breath, waiting uneasily for him to do something. Seconds ticked by, their silent standstill growing more disquieted. Ultimately, she was the one who caved. “I thought it strange you would accept me, a self-made kunoichi from a civilian family, in the place of a clan princess. But now I see it.” She turned around, facing him. He was staring at her, head tilted, expression unreadable. Time to test my theory. “Ino was never your target.”
He said nothing, just continued to stare at her with those half-lidded amber eyes, but his perfect lips curled in a pleased half-grin.
“What made you so sure I'd be the one that would come here?” she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Your loyalty to what you care about is admirable, Sakura, but it’s also easily exploitable,” he explained, honey-sweet voice blessing her ears. “You may want to take care to not let it be a problem in the future.”
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “You don't know anything about me,” she accused.
He chuckled, the sound making her stomach flip. “I know more about you than you likely know about yourself. In this case, I knew if you thought precious Ino was in trouble, you'd jump at any opportunity to protect her.” He smiled sweetly. “And lo and behold, that's precisely what you did.”
She shook her head in disbelief. “How?”
“I've been watching you for a long time.”
She moved to hug herself, her defensive stance dropping. “What?”
“When I heard there was a medical ninja in Konoha that was able to produce an antidote to my poison, I assumed it was Tsunade herself. Imagine my surprise to find that it was not only her apprentice, but a little girl on top of that.” His amber gaze was fond as he watched her, and it gave her the creeps. “I became intrigued, so I had my spies keep a very close eye on you.”
Her pause was measured as she processed his words. “But…” She paused. “That’s…” She trailed off again, taking a shuddering breath. “No one I know would ever-”
“I have eyes and ears everywhere, Sakura,” he interrupted, taking a step toward her.
She took an equal step back. “I don't understand why you would do all of this,” she stated, changing the subject. “It just seems so…Pointless.”
He took another step. “Why do you say that?”
“Why even require a bride to reestablish the alliance?” she queried, stepping back, too.
He paused, regarding her with… Pity? “...Ah. You haven't realized it.”
She didn’t like the sound of that. “Realized what?”
“I didn't want just any bride, Sakura,” he clarified, tone placating. “I wanted you.”
She blinked, uncomprehending. “Huh?”
He sighed with an aggrievance that offended her. “It’s been weighing on me, you know,” he began, eying her like one would stare at some priceless treasure. “How to get you here. The old fools on the council have been hounding me for who-knows-how-long to get married, produce heirs. They've presented many options, but none of them could compare to who I decided long ago was the only option.” His handsome face briefly screwed up in disgust before evening out. “Of course, I can't openly court a woman that lives in a different village, especially one we're not allied with. I heard about the Akatsuki through my information network and what they’ve been striving to do, so I decided to help them along a bit.”
“You've been aiding a terrorist organization?” she interrupted, indignant.
He scoffed softly. “Don't be so surprised,” he chided. “Every village has shady dealings. In fact, your village has done more questionable things than that, believe it or not.”
She didn't believe him, but elected not to argue.
He was obviously unbothered by her lack of participation because he continued. “Once they gained enough traction, it was rather easy to goad them into the direction of war. Disappointing, really; I expected their leader to be more suspicious. Yet, I suppose I can't complain.” He shrugged lightly. “It gave me exactly what I needed to propose reviving the alliance.”
“Why not just ask for me from the start, then, if that's what you wanted?” she snipped, glaring.
“Loathe as I am to say it, the council must agree with my decisions before I can enact them. They weren't going to accept someone civillian-born without a fight first.” He rolled his eyes, as though the idea that he couldn’t be some raging tyrant was an absurd concept. This man is definitely unhinged. “Tsunade spoke quite highly of you in her letter; she did the challenging part for me.”
She snorted in derision. If he thought that would make her feel better, he was even more delusional than she first assumed. “You took one hell of a risk considering there was zero guarantee I'd suggest taking Ino's place.”
“The guarantee was absolute, actually.”
Her eyebrow cocked, unsettled by his confidence. “How so?”
“Are you saying you weren't wary of what you were hearing about me?” he inquired playfully.
She was quiet as a sickening truth rolled over her. “You spread all those horrid rumors?” she breathed, aghast. “About yourself?”
He grinned, huffing a laugh. “Oh, I’ve done everything you heard, little girl. Far worse, in fact.” She recoiled at how proud he sounded about that. “However, I allowed Konoha to know about it, yes.”
“Why would you do that?”
He hummed. “Why do you think?” he posed in lieu of answering.
Her brow furrowed as she seriously considered his question. “To…To scare us?”
“Close.”
She drew in a quiet breath as the pieces came together in her mind, one he heard if his half-smile was anything to go by. “...To scare me,” she murmured ruefully. “You wanted me to know what you were capable of.”
“Very good,” he praised, that fond look from before shining brighter. “Your intelligence is one of your most attractive qualities, Sakura.”
She felt more disgusted than complimented, so she didn't respond.
His earlier movements had practically backed her up against the wall adorned with her likeness, a fact she cursed herself for not noticing prior to this moment because he crossed the short distance between them to stand before her. “There's a clause in the alliance agreement that states I can switch my bride for another if I am unsatisfied with her,” he announced, reaching out to brush some stray pink strands of hair behind her ear. “You're a very clever girl, so you understand what that means, don't you, Sakura?”
She did, and it made her ill. “...You'll demand Ino.”
He beamed. “That’s right. And every vile thing you were worried I'd do to her will come to pass. She'll suffer for your lack of cooperation.” He gave her a sad expression, entirely fake and placating. It made her want to punch it off of him. “Are you truly prepared to let that happen to her?”
She swallowed back her urge to fight, the sting of defeat overwhelming her. She had been outclassed since the beginning; she never stood a chance. “No.”
“Then you'll be a good girl for your husband, won't you?” His tone was so soothing, so patient, like a parent guiding a child to make better choices. She hated it, hated him.
Her heart sank, helplessness settling in her bones. “...Yes, I will,” she whispered.
“Wonderful,” he cooed, smiling softly as he reached forward to cup her face between his soft palms. His thumb stroked her bottom lip, and he studied the action intently. She suppressed the shiver threatening to wrack her, inferring what was to come next. “Don't worry, my love. I'll make you so happy,” he vowed quietly, tilting her face up as he leaned forward in slow motion. “You'll never want for anything.”
Except my freedom! she wailed in her mind, closing her eyes as she bitterly accepted her fate with his damning kiss.