Two Loves, One Fate (Itachi & Sasuke Uchiha)

№.12 :: Confessions

Chapter Twelve 

My heart pounded within my chest as I began panicking and I tried to get up, but my body failed me once again. I was defenseless in this state and Sasuke knew it, and anger filled me again at the thought that he wouldn’t even help me out of this situation. I sensed the Sound Four advancing towards me, but then they stopped in their tracks. I looked up from the lake's surface and I saw that fifty  or so ANBU members were surrounding me. Sudden relief washed over me as I lowered my head in submission, knowing that my fight was over for the day. I wouldn't have to fight in the state that I was in. The Sound Four retreated a few steps back as the ANBU leader stepped forward from among the ranks.

"You are not to harm Princess Serenity," the ANBU leader said to the Sound Four.

My body froze as the ANBU leader spoke those unfortunate words and I closed my eyes, not wanting to see anyone's reaction. I couldn't help but look up and see Sasuke staring at me, his face plain, but his eyes holding confusion and betrayal in them. Now, that was just ironic. I looked back down since Sasuke's eyes were burning through mine and I felt a feeling of guilt inside of me. ‘Why did I feel guilty’ I didn't do anything wrong other than keep a little secret to myself. Yet again, being a princess isn't a little secret. A strange silence came over the area and I was left staring at my reflection in the water's surface. This had to be the worst situation that I was ever put in my life. Even by avoiding Sasuke's gaze, I still felt his eyes scanning over my body. It was uncomfortable and I wasn't able to do anything to prevent this. If I hadn't been stupid and run away from my destiny, from my fate, then I probably wouldn't be in this mess.

"What do you mean by Princess Serenity?" Tayuya spat at the ANBU leader, her face holding a strange variety of emotions. Her face held both anger and happiness in it, and somehow I could tell by her voice that she was enjoying what was going on.

"Princess Serenity is the heir to the throne of the Snow Country," the ANBU leader replied to the Sound Four, not thinking twice before the words left his mouth. That strange silence overcame us again and I decided to look up once again. I already knew what was going to happen. Everyone was staring at me as if I was some sort of freak. Sakon and Sasuke were the ones that were staring at me with the most intensity. Sakon's eyes moved away from me and back to the ANBU leader.

"If Serenity here is royalty," Sakon began, his eyes glancing my way once again, "than why was she in Konoha all by herself? I would have thought that a princess would be protected with every ounce of energy that a kingdom could produce."

"In fact, we really don't know," the ANBU leader responded to Sakon's question while looking down at my weak form kneeling on the water's surface, "but her father ordered us to find her before her wedding tomorrow to Prince Mayako."

My head snapped up to stare up at the ANBU leader in disbelief. I couldn't believe that he was telling the Sound Four all this information that was supposed to remain a secret to outsiders. Wasn't he trained to keep things to top secret? I couldn't help but glare at him. The Sound Four really shouldn't have known about this and now they did, thanks to the unreliable ANBU leader. My gaze moved away from the ANBU leader and it softened as it landed on Sasuke. He was pretty good at wearing an emotionless expression over his features, but he couldn't hide the hurt showing in his eyes. The hurt in his eyes was too much for me to handle and I had to look away before I burst into tears. Instead of looking at Sasuke, I stared at Tayuya. She had a smug look on her face and I couldn't stand it. I just wanted to wipe that evil smirk off her face using every painful method that I knew.

"Well, our business is complete here," Tayuya said, her eyes burning into my mine as her smirk widened. As if on cue, she and the other members of the Sound Four quickly disappeared into the forest. Sasuke hesitated in following them and he continued to stare at me for a few minutes. Soon enough, he too began sprinting deep into the forest. I just stared at the spot where he stood, wishing with all my heart that he hadn’t gone.

Tears were streaming down my face because I failed. I failed in preventing Sasuke from leaving the Leaf Village. This was the only thing that I really had to do for my friends and I wasn't able to succeed. In my mind, I could just see the sad expressions on Naruto and Sakura's faces. Then I saw Kakashi's and Tsunade-sama's faces, and the disappointment that they had over their features. I failed the whole village, but most importantly, I failed myself as a kunoichi. I should have known the situation would have gotten out of hand, and I should have stepped into Naruto and Sasuke’s fight much sooner than I had. Just maybe, he would have been returning back to the village instead of fleeing it.