Two Loves, One Fate (Itachi & Sasuke Uchiha)

№.37 :: Interrogation

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Sasuke Uchiha. His name echoed in the depths of my mind, repeating louder and louder, taunting me while I lingered outside the dungeon doors. I was several hundred feet below ground, hidden among dark chambers built beneath the foundation of my kingdom. I’ve personally never been allowed access to the dungeons before, but I was down here to collect some insurance. My hands were sweaty, my body frozen in front of the door. I was paralyzed with fear, fear of what I might discover once I walked past these doors.

There were so many things that I feared. Was Sasuke still alive? Was he the same boy I remembered and loved from Konoha? Has Orochimaru twisted his mentality and sucked away his humanity? I was afraid to find out the answers to any of those questions, but what truly terrified me was how much I still cared.

I thought I had rid myself of all feelings toward Sasuke, any affection I once held for the esteemed Uchiha. But no matter how hard I tried to forget about Sasuke, my subconscious refused to destroy the memory of someone who had impacted me so greatly.

Thinking about Sasuke and the fact he still had the power to occupy my thoughts disgusted me, especially since Itachi and I had grown close in the weeks we spent together. My body and soul were torn between hating Sasuke or forgiving him, but I immediately pulled myself together before I lost my wits. Ignoring the rapid beat of my heart, I yanked the dungeon door open and descended into darkness.

The heavy wooden door slammed loudly behind me, engulfing me in the shadows. My heart was beating sporadically, my fear and nervousness getting the better of me. My eyes gradually adjusted and the only sound which reached my ears was that of water dripping along the concrete walls. A minute later, my muscles finally relaxed and I quickly found myself spiraling deeper underground.

The staircase was long, narrowed, and spiral, descending me further beneath the bellows of the Snow Kingdom. Because of my lack of light, I eventually had to run a hand along the wall to keep my balance. The temperature dropped with each step I took, and even though I couldn’t see my breath in front of my eyes, I could feel it hugging my skin. By the time I reached the base of the staircase, my mouth had grown dry and blood had rushed into my head, pounding in my temple and roaring in my ears.

An immense, concentrated source of chakra caught my attention immediately, and I knew our intruder was a foe like no other. Not only had this imposter evaded his way into the ANBU at our Kingdom, but he had done so without my acknowledgment. He had masked his chakra so well that not even someone as skilled as I could have sensed the true danger which lurked with him. I was pissed at myself — how could I have been mistaken so easily?

My fists were tightly clenched at my sides and I was beginning to tremble with rage; this man wasn’t going to get away with trying to make a fool out of me. I was off on my way before my mind even realized that I was walking; my body was automatically acting out on its own, especially now that I knew who was endangering my loved ones and the people of my country.

Rushing past empty cells, my gaze was locked on the only door which had ANBU stationed outside. The men had been cheerfully talking amongst themselves, but they quickly silenced once they realized I had been watching them through narrowed eyes. They bowed their heads in order to avoid eye contact, and muttered a dutiful ‘Your Highness,’ before stepping aside. Their lack of attention and concern toward our prisoner was enough to annoy me, but they would be taken care of later. Once I became Queen, I was going to take the Snow Kingdom by storm.

Without a word, I opened the door and slammed it close behind me with as much strength as possible. The groaning creaks from the door’s hinges brought a satisfied smirk to my face, and I slowly delved into the circular chamber, my predator eyes fixated on our infiltrator. From the background checks Raile had done, I’d learned that the man went by the name Rashi, and that he had only been serving at our Palace for about a month.