Sacrificed To The Banished Prince

Chapter 4

Sasuke's eyes shot open, and he gasped for breath. There, on the floor in front of where he was sitting with his back to the side of the bed, was Lady Haruno. He didn't move a muscle. Instead, he stared in disbelief while recalling what he'd helplessly watched transpire last night. Never in his life had someone tried to speak with The Curse other than him. The fiance he murdered years ago only screamed. The sound would forever plague Sasuke's mind. His chest tightened as he snapped back into focus.

'...Is she breathing?' Sasuke's spine straightened as he looked over the woman's thin body, a sigh of relief becoming stuck in his throat when he realized she was alive. 'That demon didn't even try to help her after she collapsed! He just sat down and waited to see if she'd wake again. He truly is a monster. ...I'm a monster.'

The Curse was right about him. He was a coward and a selfish one at that. How dare he feign concern for this woman when he didn't even have the courage to end his own life and effectively render the threat null?

A knock came at the door, and Sasuke's eyes lifted in time to see Sai enter. That was when he was reminded of Yamamoto's demise because the butler had to step over the corpse to approach. "My Lord, are you well?"

The prince's mouth was dry. He felt sick to his stomach as his gaze fell onto Lady Haruno once more, "Tend to The Lady before anything else. I fear she may have suffered internal injuries." He didn't dare touch her to determine for himself her condition. These were the same hands that caused her torment in the first place.

Sasuke rose to his feet as Sai lifted the unconscious woman, gritting his teeth when he recognized the bruising around her slim arms. The Curse really knew little restraint.

Long pink hair, dirtied with blood, fell over Sai's arm as he faced his master, "I'll send men to take care of Yamamoto's body. I'll personally inform his family while the maids and doctors tend to The Lady."

"Yes. Thank you," Sasuke muttered. The guilt may eat him alive.

While his room was being tended to, the man locked himself in the baths, overcome with angst. Just when he was sure things couldn't get worse, The Curse became obsessed with Lady Haruno. Never before had such a demon spared the life of someone whilst being physically unrestrained. Sasuke could feel The Curse's desire to tear her limb from limb, to feed into his lust until her body could no longer withstand the pain. Indeed, he'd viewed her as little more than an item or slave to be used for his amusement.

'What should I do to remedy this? Is there anything I can do at all?'

Dark, tearful eyes darted down to his hands, recalling how cold his fiance's skin had been to the touch. Her hair, long and the color of cherry blossoms, was soft between his fingers. Yesterday, when he caught a glimpse of her tending to the walkway outside, he hadn't managed to see her face.

'She's like a doll. I've never seen such features-' For some reason, the prince couldn't finish the thought because it felt untrue. Surely, he'd recall seeing someone with such eyes of emerald.

More than her appearance, Lady Haruno's behavior was startling. Sasuke had been under the impression that she simply wanted to escape her family like many other noble women, but he'd been incorrect. No, she wanted to die. She begged The Curse to do it. He'd only ever seen such desperation in the faces of the women who died as a result of their engagement.

'And her name is Sakura. I wasn't aware Baron Haruno had a daughter by that name.' She'd mentioned her illegitimacy, which led the prince to believe it when she insinuated her family had knowingly sent her to her death. He still wanted to know more about her background before proceeding with any responses.

That afternoon, upon being informed by Sai that the woman hadn't suffered any serious injuries and was simply malnourished and exhausted, he sent an order for the Haruno family to be investigated; to find out anything and everything about the pink-haired creature sleeping in his manor.