Chapter 9

The heavy door swung open before I could even reach for the handle, revealing the prince himself, glaring down at me with the same expression he'd had when I'd accused him earlier in the day. Honestly, I didn't know what to say or what to do so I simply stared up at him in a fearful stupor, hoping he wouldn't lose his temper.

A large part of me feels bad for accusing him since he's gone out of his way to aid me, but the other part of me can't help but feel that he has an ulterior motive. My mind's been screaming at me all day to not trust a single being under this roof other than my sister.

Despite his obvious offense at my distrust, Sasuke still took a step to the side so as to let me pass, but my legs were too shaky with nerves to act. What if he actually is the person who's been attacking me and the moment I walk in there, he'll shut the door behind me and seal my fate? On the other hand, what if he's completely innocent and I'm being incredibly rude to the only person on my side?

I hesitantly took a step toward him and his eyebrow rose. I looked up at his studious gaze and tried desperately to read them. Is he going to hurt me? His deep eyes held my green ones for what felt like forever before he finally closed them and let out a sigh, allowing me to break from the trance I'd been under.

He looked down at the ground with his lips in a frown, "Come on, already. I'm not going to hurt you."

The moment the words left his mouth, I believed it. I don't know how it worked, but all of my fears were sliced to ribbons in an instant. My body relaxed as though it'd been placed into a spa and seemed to move on its own through the doorway and straight to the couch I've been calling a bed.

The prince followed me after shutting the door and locking it tight. I sat down on the sofa and he stood before me with an expectant expression. It must've been obvious I had something I wanted to say.

"The only way I'll continue to stay here with you is if you start being honest with me. I'm in danger and I'm scared and you just keep lying to my face when I ask questions."

His features developed a blank look, similar to Sai's expressions, and he took a step toward me. I shot to my feet and gave him a warning glare.

"I can't."

My steady gaze faltered slightly, "You can't or you won't?"

His eyes sparkled in the dimly lit room, annoyance easily readable, "I can't or you may not be able to return to your previous life."

A chill danced smoothly up my spine and the small hairs on my arms rose in fear. He seemed dead serious. Who or what in this building could be so bad that he can't even tell me their name? I studied his being and noticed an uncharacteristic tenseness in his muscles that told me he's very uncomfortable with this topic.

On instinct, my hand rose to comfort him, but he took a step back, "Don't."

I retracted my hand with a hurt look.

"I meant it when I said you should avoid members of this family. That includes me."

My face warmed with embarrassment and I looked away. I hadn't meant to reach out to him, my body just acted on its own. The emotions he was stirring within me were maddening. Why would he care if I touch him or not? Even his own mother knows he goes through women fairly quickly so he can't possibly be opposed to physical contact. So, there must be a reason he doesn't want me in particular to get close.

I hadn't lied to Karin when she'd asked me about my feelings for the prince. I'm not really interested in the prince romantically because I can't possibly allow myself to be so. I'll never have a chance with him and I know it, so I do my best each day to block those feelings. The more time I spend with him, however, the harder it is to suppress such natural attraction. Regardless of this, I wouldn't mind calling him an acquaintance, or even a friend, and friends are able to comfort one another, but he wasn't having any of it.

Humiliated on behalf of my slip-up, I scoffed, offended that he'd turn me down before I could even do anything, "Right, I forgot. Please forgive me, your highness."

The words came off more biting than I'd intended before I could stop them and his blank face became annoyed quite quickly. He re-closed the space between us. My neck nearly ached at having to angle so hard to look at him since he was so much taller than me. One of his hands, much more calloused than I expected of a pampered prince, reached up in a flash to wrap around my elbow. The fear that had been previously expelled shot up my spine like ice.

"Don't be like that. It's for your own good."

Anger started to bubble up in my chest and my glare soon matched his. Ripping my arm from his grasp, I pushed my hands roughly against his torso, but he didn't budge, "You don't get to decide that for me. Besides, I'm not ignorant enough to believe you'd look for friendship in someone like me. We don't have a single thing in common."

He didn't move away and instead enveloped my wrists firmly in his hands, leaning down slightly so I could see the angered details of his beautiful face more clearly, "I believe I know you better than you think, Haruno."

That was the first time he'd addressed me like that, and in such an informal manner, but it only made me more upset. A part of me wanted to hit him, but a larger part of me wanted to run far away. My skin burned under his grasp and the intensity of his gaze was causing an unfamiliar sensation to pool in my lower abdomen.

His eyes widened slightly for a moment before a smirk tugged at the corner his mouth. It was like he could tell that he was having some kind of effect on me. I pulled my wrists away from him and retreated to lock myself in the bathroom before he could stop me.

A bath will hopefully calm me down.

I put a hand to my lower stomach and felt my face warm as I realized what the odd feeling enveloping within my body was: arousal. Him speaking to me so firmly and informally must do something for me that I've never experienced before.

The only thing I know about sex is from a middle school class and it was run by the church so you can imagine how bare-bones that curriculum was. I took a few deep breaths and made myself think of bugs and other gross things until the warmth in my lower regions lessoned. When it did, I took a bath to prepare for bed.

Neither of us spoke for the remainder of the evening because he appeared to be asleep by the time I exited the bathroom. I'd tiptoed past him and silently pouted as I wrapped myself in my blanket on the sofa. My eyes drifted over to his flawless, sleeping face. He could've been a painting or statue and I wouldn't know any difference.

Something stirred within me again when his mouth slightly parted in his sleep. With a groan, I turned my back to him and covered my face in disgust at my own weakness. I can't let my attraction to him get out of hand now that the danger around me is getting more serious.

I need to focus on my job and protecting both my sister and myself until my sentence is fulfilled. Ino would come to me if she noticed something off or if someone attacked her, right? It's hard to tell with her sometimes because her obsession with attractive men can cloud her judgment. With a reinvigorated reserve, I decided to just ignore my physical attraction to the prince as much as I can. It would only hurt me in the end.

The next day was filled with everyone except Fugaku frantically preparing the castle for the celebration. I tried to stick to Ino like glue, but found it hard considering she was busy constructing the queen's gown and I was needed elsewhere.

Come Saturday, the day of the ball, the palace looked unrecognizable. Gone were the gothic style accents, replaced with cobalt blue and blood red decorations. Many of Mikoto's beloved black curtains and rugs were placed in storage to make the castle feel more welcoming.

The queen had ordered the most extravagant chandelier, made of solid gold and chock full of diamonds and rubies. The room was being brightened by dozens of miniature versions of said chandelier with bright bulbs in each one.

I held onto a ladder as a member of the militia climbed up to the top of it to help hang the large decoration. Madara was holding another one a yard or so away and was attempting to chat with yet another one of the attractive female staff that Mikoto had hired to work for the event. He'd tried flirting with three already, only to be shut down both quickly and politely. I couldn't help but snicker as this one reacted the same way. They must've been threatened upon hire not to flirt with the royal family.

The Uchiha man gave me a playful glare, "What do you think I'm doing wrong?" I shook my head at him with a grin, knowing he knew full-well why they weren't giving him the time of day.

Sai appeared nearby, carrying a box full of table decorations and paused when he got close enough to greet us, "Ah, hello Uncle, Miss Sakura. How are you today?"

I tensely offered him a smile as I bowed in greeting to the best of my ability without letting go of my old on the ladder. The odd way he'd started acting when my sister arrived hadn't changed and has only got worse after I was attacked for the second time. I don't care much about him being weird so long as he doesn't try to hurt my sister.

The blond had told me with a brilliant smile last night that he'd asked her to formally be his date and that she'd accepted without a second thought. When I asked her if the fact that his ex looked just like her was an issue, she shrugged it off and said that Mina was gone, she is here, and that's all she cares about. I wish I could be so nonchalant about things like that.

I noticed his brother trailing behind him with a box of his own and tried not to frown. Sasuke and I haven't spoken much since the other day when we fought before bed, but things oddly seemed to fall into a casual routine. We silently shared each other's company when we were in his room together and he's always nearby when we're not. Other than that, though, we don't interact or talk much unless we're forced to. I'm still hurt by the fact that he doesn't even want to be friends and who knows what his problem is.

The more stoic prince's expression said he was bored. My lips curved into a smile naturally as he approached and I mentally pinched myself for being happy to see him. His expression lightened slightly when he saw me only to quickly revert to how it was before.

"The Queen sure knows how to decorate. I can hardly recognize the place."

Sai nodded in agreement, but Sasuke just rolled his eyes. The former turned to me and offered his usual blank smile, "Miss Sakura, I wanted to ensure that you are alright with my invitation to your sister to be my date this evening."

I awkwardly scratched my arm, uncomfortable with his unwavering gaze, "Of course, Sir! As long as you treat her-!"

The ladder I was holding started to tip toward me and I squeezed my eyes shut, knowing I wouldn't be able to get out of the way in time.

Everything happened so quickly. Sasuke slammed the ladder back down to its previous position, nearly knocking the militia member atop it off. He was nearly touching me and had an arm across either side of my body so he could reach the ladder.

The prince was livid and it was easily noticeable on his flawless face.

The militia man climbed down the ladder and bowed, "My apologies, Your Highness. I seem to have leaned too far over."

Sasuke nudged me to the side, out from in between his arms, as he grabbed the unarmored soldier by his shirt and glared into his eyes with a rage that I still wasn't used to seeing, "You idiot! Someone could've been hurt!"

Sai, who was struggling to hold up both his and his brother's box since Sasuke had tossed it at him when he noticed the accident about to happen, shook his head in disappointment, "Alas, my brother's notorious temper rears its ugly head once again."

The many attractive young women around the room were staring and whispering excitedly to each other.

I bravely interrupted the outraged royal, bowing before taking a step closer, "It was my fault, Sir. I let go of the ladder, so please don't punish him."

Sasuke's grip on the man's shirt loosened slightly before he eventually let go, glare still burning. If you'd asked me a week ago if I'd ever stand up for a damned soldier, I'd have told you Hell would have to freeze over first, but look at me now.

"Do not let this happen again," He spoke, again, to the man. The shaken Militia nodded frantically before climbing back up the ladder to finish his job before he could get into further trouble.

Madara laughed loudly, breaking the tension in the room, "Count on the Uchiha's to keep our guests entertained!"

The ladies in the room giggled awkwardly, more out of obligation than anything. After a moment, everyone went back to their tasks, Sasuke accepted his box from Sai, and the twins walked off to deliver their boxes to whoever was waiting for them without another glance in our direction.

I held onto the ladder firmly, not wanting to make a mistake like that again. Madara clicked his tongue before looking at me with a knowing grin, "We did warn you."

I nodded with a frown, still shaken by the terrifying look that Sasuke'd had on his face. There was something off about his appearance just now, but I couldn't put my finger on what it was. Not wanting to cause any more commotion, I focused on my job more seriously until the chandelier was, at last, fully installed. I helped the maids with some other tasks for a while before I suddenly noticed everyone in the room stop what they were doing and bow in the direction of the entrance. I followed suit as I turned, noticing the queen had arrived, looking as flawless as usual as she scanned the room with a look of approval.

When her eyes landed on me, her red lips lifted into a graceful smile, "Sakura, my dear, your duties for the day have been fulfilled. You have some guests waiting for you in the family room."

I nodded at her, offering her another short bow before silently scampering off to see who could possibly be here. I smoothed out my hair as I climbed the stairs to the main floor of the castle. Regardless of who it was, I wanted to look presentable.

When I reached the family room, familiar blonde hair met my eyes before anything else and tears sprung to my eyes immediately. Strong arms wrapped around my waist firmly and I was lifted slightly off the ground into a tight hug.

"N-Naruto!"

I squeezed him tightly for a few moments before he set me down so I could wipe at my tears and greet the other person in the room, Kiba Inuzuka. I accepted his friendly hug, which was much less enthusiastic than Naruto's. It wasn't clear why he was waiting for me instead of Ino, but I didn't want to be rude by asking.

When we pulled apart, I faced Naruto again with a relieved grin. He'd obviously tried, and failed, to tame his messy blonde hair and even wore the one tuxedo he owned. Ino had made it for him for his seventeenth birthday. Yes, she doesn't accept his romantic feelings, but we all grew up together so we still care for one another.

"Will your parents be coming, too?"

My best friend waved a hand of dismissal with a toothy grin, "We can talk about that later. What I wanna know is where you got this body? You're hot, Saku! Like, smoking hot!"

A blush rolled over my cheeks and I punched him jokingly, "You're not funny, you ass."

His eyes suddenly looked past my shoulder and the teasing expression he held devolved into a defensive one. My own face fell at the unsettling look. I swirled around to see what'd caught his eye, only to see Sasuke standing right behind me with the same enraged look on his face as earlier.

I gestured to Naruto, trying to calm the situation, "Sasuke, this is my best friend, Naruto. I told you about him, remember?" Why is he suddenly so protective of me? Last time we spoke, he made it clear he didn't even want to be friends.

The prince's glare lightened up ever so slightly, but rehardened as his gaze turned to Kiba.

I rolled my eyes, "That's Kiba. He's in love with my sister."

The Inuzuka boy sputtered with embarrassment, "H-Hey! Don't just say it so casually!" His darkly-tanned face was bright red.

I gave him a sheepish look, shrugging, "Sorry!"

The murderous aura around Sasuke finally melted, but he crossed his arms and looked Naruto up and down, "You shouldn't be alone with men."

Anger boiled in my bones at his impoliteness, but Naruto stepped forward in my defense before I could stand up for myself, "Who do you think you are, telling her who she can and can't be alone with, Pretty Boy?"

The Uchiha's arms uncrossed and he seemed about to make a move so I put a hand on either of their chests as I stood in between them, "Both of you stop it! What's gotten into you?"

I turned to Naruto with a serious glare, "This is Sasuke Uchiha, you idiot! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

The Uzumaki's face paled and I then turned to the prince, "And he's right! I can be alone with whoever I want. You don't get tell me how to live my life just because you're royalty."

The young man's eyes slid over to lock firmly onto mine for a few moments before he spoke in a gruff voice, "We'll talk later." He didn't wait for my response and turned to walk angrily out of the room.

We all waited for him to be out of earshot before releasing a collective sigh of relief. I smacked the back of Naruto's head as he tried to regain the color in his face, "You are so lucky you have me." He flashed me a toothy grin and let out a childish laugh, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

We all turned as we suddenly heard Ino's voice approaching from the hall Sasuke'd disappeared to. Kiba's demeanor swiftly changed into one of a puppy excited to greet its master upon their arrival home. I cringed as she turned the corner and I saw that Sai was following her with a long garment bag over one of his arms and a clear look of adoration on his features.

Ino nearly jumped out of her skin when she looked up and saw the Inuzuka boy standing there, "Oh!"

Kiba approached her with his arms open and she shook her head at him. He didn't seem put off too much by this and most likely figured she was uncomfortable with the action in front of the stranger who was with her.

I watched in horror as Sai's usually blank expression turned into a toned down version of Sasuke's. Unlike his brother, though, he didn't make a scene and simply watched the two as they interacted. My sister's face was pale as she looked at me for help. I shrugged, unsure of what I could do to help her now.

She let out a sigh before forcing a tense smile onto her lips, "Kiba! How are you?"

The boy in question's eyes could've had little hearts in them and I wouldn't have been surprised, "It feels like we haven't seen each other in a long time, right? I've missed you these past few days. You look beautiful, as always. Are the Uchihas treating you well?"

Sai finally stepped forward, offering his free hand in greeting, "Hello. I am one of the Uchihas you speak of. My name is Sai." His expression had reverted to its usual one, but his eyes were still burning with animosity.

Kiba uneasily shook the royal's hand, "I'm Kiba Inuzuka. Thank you for taking care of my Ino, here."

Sai's eyes narrowed and my sister squeezed her eyes shut in dread. Naruto and I simply stood in the background, content just watching the drama unfold.

"Oh, your Ino?"

Kiba paused for a moment before his face fell and he seemed to realize the situation he was in, "Ah…Judging by your reaction, I'm assuming that's no longer the case."

He looked over at Ino and she gave him an apologetic frown as she shook her head, "I'm sorry, Kiba. I sent you a letter, but you must not have gotten it yet."

I felt bad for the Inuzuka boy. You could tell by looking at his face that his heart had just been shattered to pieces. Sai's intense stare calmed and he patted the shorter young man on the arm, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kiba Inuzuka, but we must deliver this garment to the queen. Please excuse us."

Kiba kept his back turned to us as the pair left the room. When they were finally gone, he rejoined us with a red hue on his cheeks.

I led them over to the sofa and we all sat down, "I'm sorry, Kiba. You know how Ino can be."

He nodded, his chocolate brown eyes focused on the Uchiha family painting above the fireplace.

Naruto leaned back and placed an arm over either of our shoulders, "Man, every Uchiha I've met so far has been terrible."

Kiba nodded in agreement and I just shook my head in disbelief. This is going to be one long night.