Unholy Love | SasuSaku

The Poem of Fire

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view."

Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

Sakura's POV

Morning light spilled into the humble cell, its warmth trying but failing to chase away the lingering chill. Sakura was brushing with her fingers against the tangle of her long hair, which fell freely in unruly waves. It felt strange for it to be uncovered, even within the confines of her room. She sighed, remembering how Ino had promised to have her new veil finished by today. "Don't pressure yourself," Sakura had told her friend with an encouraging smile, despite the nagging anxiety inside her. Now she found herself puzzled by her own words.

Why would she say that? she wondered, frowning. The veil was a vital part of her identity. She should have pleaded with Ino to hurry, to make it as quickly as possible. Yet, inexplicably, she hadn't. Her confusion deepened, and then, unbidden, a memory surfaced; Sasuke's voice from the day before, that careless but hauntingly sincere comment: "...It's like a sin to cover the beauty the gods have blessed you with."

A shiver ran down her spine, and she shook her head, irritated by how persistently those words had clung to her thoughts. She had replayed them over and over. The way his dark eyes had regarded her, serious but unflinching, was etched in her mind.

Stop it, she told herself firmly, pushing the memory away. There was also another pressing thought in her mind. She was thinking that she needed to try and understand these people, these soldiers. From what Ino had shared yesterday, Itachi was Sasuke's older brother and Shisui was their cousin. They weren't just warriors; they belonged to a storied, complex lineage. Maybe she had been too fast to make assumptions. Maybe she should find out more about their history before drawing conclusions.

She dressed swiftly and made her way to the monastery's library. As a child, she had glimpsed books about the Great Houses on the upper shelves, out of reach and out of her elders' approval. Now, she had the freedom to explore. Her fingers traced the spines of old, dusty tomes until she found one with the name "The Eternal Fire: Tales of the Uchiha House" embossed in worn gold letters.

Before she could begin, however, a familiar presence made her tense. Sasuke appeared in the doorway, his gaze narrowing slightly when he saw the book in her hands.

"Interested in the history of my family?" he asked, his voice calm but tinged with curiosity.

Sakura's heart thumped wildly. She clutched the book, searching for an excuse. "No," she said too quickly, then stumbled to add, "I was just... putting it back. Someone had left it on the table."

His eyebrow arched and he almost seemed amused. "You're lying," he stated in a brusque manner, with his eyes locked with hers.

Her face flushed, and she avoided his gaze, feeling heat creep up her neck. Sasuke regarded her silently for a moment before speaking again. "Page 163," he said, almost as if it were an afterthought. "There's a poem you might enjoy." With that, he turned and left, leaving Sakura standing in a cloud of embarrassment and curiosity.

Once alone, she hurriedly flipped to the page he had mentioned. The poem was an ode to the Uchihas, their valour and the legends that surrounded their House; "Echoes of an Unbroken Flame". She started reading without a second thought. The poem was long, but one part she almost learned by heart.

"...Warriors of eternal flame, bound to courage, bound to strife,
Marked by eyes that see the soul and memories sharper than life.
They rise from ashes time and again, undaunted by defeat,
A curse of blood, a will of steel, a fire that won't retreat.