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silverfootstepswrites · 5 years

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Incandescent [1/3]

title Incandescent (1/3) summary First love doesn’t always mean true love. pairing itasaku (of course)

Part 2 | Part 3

"I'm calling off the engagement."

Sakura blinked once. Twice. She wondered if she had heard wrong. Her hand found the gold necklace hanging from her throat. Fingers gripping the delicate chain. Everything started to sound a little muffled. Like she was hearing a conversation with her ear pressed to the door.

Her stomach lurched as she looked up and found Sasuke staring at her. Those cold eyes burning into her as he looked her up and down.

"Karin is much more suited to be Queen," he added. And the words pierced the left side of her chest. With the precision of a butcher's knife. Twisting almost as hard as her hands as they clenched into her skirts.

As Sasuke spoke, he held his hand out. It took a moment. Even when she stepped out of the crowd to accept it, she cast a nervous glance Sakura's way. Because no matter how ambitious she was, Karin wasn't a stupid girl. Scheming would be a better word. She had captured the heart of the prince she had so coveted. But public humiliation of his previous fiancee hadn't been in her plans. One look into her eyes made that obvious. The girl couldn't even hold her gaze for more than a second before averting her eyes.

Sakura looked down at the stain on her dress. Burgundy against the pale green fabric. Darkening the ruffles and the painstaking needlework. She could hear the mounting murmurs of the gathering crowd. The whispers leaking out like a hissing pit of snakes.

She swallowed. Very slowly, deliberately, she pushed her hair out of her eyes with her left hand. Then she stared at Sasuke from under her eyelashes.

"You could have handled this sort of thing in private, Your Highness," she finally replied. His eyes narrowed.

"Are you the sort of woman who would have responded to that?" he challenged. The disgust in his gaze pricked her again. Sakura wondered what sort of lies Karin had poured into his ears for him to look at her that way.

Not that it mattered.

Sakura tucked her hair behind her ear. And then, in one swift motion, she grabbed her necklace and pulled. The thin link snapped.

"Well, I suppose you'll need this back then," Sakura said. He held his hand out to accept it. And as the golden chain pooled in his palm, Sakura added, "Although, I have to say that this is cruel treatment for someone who loved you so honestly, Prince Sasuke."

As his face twisted again, Sakura gave him a mild smile. She curtseyed.

"Your Highness." And then she inclined her head in Karin's direction. "And Lady Karin. I'll take my leave."

The crowd parted as Sakura turned around. All eyes on her as she strode down the tile. Out of the hall. The gasps and comments trailing after her, perhaps like her wedding veil would have one day as she stepped down the aisle. Her face glowing with happiness before she uttered those two words she had always looked forward to saying.

It didn’t take long for the rumors to spread throughout the whole school. By then, Sakura already sat in the carriage on the way to her family’s manor in the capital.

Ino had helped smuggle her into the thing. Because despite proudly striding out on her own two feet, Sakura had only managed to hold in the tears until she made it to Ino’s room. And she had burst into tears as she threw herself into her best friend’s arms.

“I told you to be careful. I knew that girl would be a thieving little weasel the moment I saw her!” Ino alternated between patting Sakura’s back and seething at the injustice of it all.

“They’re lucky I wasn’t there. Prince or not, I would have-” Ino nearly snapped her fan in half as she demonstrated what would have happened. Sakura gave a half-hearted nod in response.

“Do you feel a little better now?” Ino queried.

Sakura nodded again.

“What are you going to do?”

Sakura felt for her necklace out of habit. Remembered where it was now. She clenched her hand into a fist instead.

“See my parents, I suppose,” she sighed. Ino sat up a little straighter.

“That’s right. Maybe your parents can do something. Convince His Majesty to speak to Prince Sasuke.” Ino’s mind ran a mile a minute. She flapped her fan back and forth as she spoke. And that was the right response. Because ever since they were little girls, Sakura had dreamt about marrying the prince. They had wept with joy together when he had proposed. Squealed with delight at every present, every little gesture.

But something had twisted inside of Sakura. Standing alone with not a single one of her ‘supporters’ speaking up for her. The disdain coloring Sasuke’s eyes. And the way his hand curled around Karin’s the way they never had with hers.

“No, Ino,” Sakura said, her eyes fixed straight ahead. “This was a political marriage, to begin with. So the consequences will be political as well.”

Ino’s fan stilled. “....Oh boy,” was all she could say.

So now Sakura sat in Ino’s carriage, which her friend had graciously lent to her. Her attendants assured her that they would handle packing her luggage and explaining her departure to the headmaster and her professors. The thunder of hooves against the stone marking a steady rhythm as they traveled.

The path from the academy to the capital was smooth thanks to the well-paved roads. Her father had played a large role in organizing and funding that particular project. It had greatly increased trade and decreased the amount of time it took to travel in the north.

The Haruno family’s lands lay to the south of the capital. She had always enjoyed the cooler weather up here. But as she stared glumly out the window, she couldn’t help but miss the vast fields of sunflowers that carpeted her family’s lands.

The Haruno family’s mansion in the capital was tiny compared to their manor in the countryside. The gates swung open as the carriage approached. The steward and some of the servants already waited outside to greet her.

As the footman opened up the door, Sakura stepped out of the carriage.

“Welcome home, Lady Sakura,” the servants greeted her, bowing deeply.

“My father?”

“In his study, My Lady,” the steward replied, falling into step beside her.

“The carriage is from Lady Ino. Please see that the horses are tended to,” Sakura directed.

“Very good, My Lady,” he replied. And with a bow, he stepped away to carry out her orders.

Sakura strode down the hall, her hands folded in front of her. Upstairs, at the end of the west wing, she stopped in front of a set of double doors. She hesitated. Took a deep breath. Straightened the ribbon on her collar. And only then did she knock.

“Yes?”

“Papa,” Sakura greeted as she stepped inside.

“Have a seat, my dear,” he replied.

Kizashi sat at his desk, a heavy book open in front of him. He lowered his spectacles as he watched her enter. Nodded his approval when she closed the door softly behind her before she sat in the armchair.

“Whatever could it be that you left in the middle of your classes? You’ve never missed a day of school,” he wondered.

Sakura looked him right in the eyes as she told him: “I think Mama should be here too.”

He didn’t press her. Simply sent a servant to find his wife. Mebuki entered a few minutes later, taking a seat beside her daughter.

“Papa, Mama, Prince Sasuke canceled the engagement,” Sakura told her hands clasped in her lap. She heard her mother gasp. When she looked up, her father was pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers.

“For that girl?” Kizashi asked. “The niece of Baron Uzumaki?”

Sakura nodded.

“I’d heard rumors, but I never thought...” Mebuki trailed off with a sigh. She reached over to take Sakura’s hand. Sakura could feel the corners of her eyes sting again.

“He announced it in front of everyone and said that she would make a better consort,” Sakura recounted. Mebuki drew in a sharp breath. Her hand squeezing a little.

“It’s so humiliating. I’m so upset, Mama,” Sakura whispered. Clutching her mother’s hand tighter as she bowed her head. She burst into tears all over again, her shoulders shaking. Crying even harder when she felt her mother stroke her back.

“There there, Sakura. I’m having tea with Her Majesty the Queen tomorrow. I can speak to her about it then. I’m sure it’s just a momentary lapse of judgment,” Mebuki assured her.

“No!” Sakura exclaimed, her chin jerking up. And she looked right at her father. “This is a grave insult to our family.”

“Indeed. To one-sidedly break off the engagement, as well as publicly humiliating my daughter. I wonder if that young prince has lost his mind,” Kizashi murmured, stroking his chin. And then he stared at Sakura as he asked, “What do you want to so, Sakura?”

“Reduce trade with the capital,” Sakura demanded.

“And what will the people do? Starve?” Kizashi challenged.

Not angrily, though. They had been doing this since she was little. He would always push her to think outside of her scenarios. To know what tools were available to use. To anticipate the consequences of the actions she took.

“Can we pull back our forces then? Send them home?” Sakura tried again. This time, her father’s eyebrow rose. He motioned for her to continue speaking.

“What will be our excuse to the crown?” he prompted.

“Training exercises. And that there have been animal attacks in our territories and we need to defend our citizens,” Sakura answered.

“Not very convincing reasons, but they don’t need to be,” Kizashi decided. He nodded. “Very well.”

“What about your obligations, darling?” Mebuki then asked.

Sakura had to think about that. The social aspect of things was always more difficult to navigate. Not because she didn’t know the rules. It was actually because she knew the rules so well. One misstep could have disastrous results.

“I won’t attend any events for the remainder of the season,” Sakura declared. Kizashi sighed while Mebuki failed to hide her smile.

“That will cause quite a scandal. What are your intentions, my sweet?” questioned Mebuki.

Sakura rubbed the rest of her tears away.

The only family whose power and influenced rivaled that of a duke’s was the royal family itself. For eight generations, the Haruno family had served the Uchiha family. Suppressing rebellion and supplying the kingdom with food harvested from its fertile lands. A well-fed duchy raised strong soldiers too.

Though the Haruno family made a big show of serving as the Crown’s right hand for many years, they had always known. That should the day come.

Should the opportunity arise, mayhem was at their fingertips.

“I want the Crown to regret this insult against me. And when they beg for me to return, I’ll say ‘no’.”

“What a wicked answer. What do you think, my love?” Mebuki then asked, turning to her husband.

“I don’t see why we can’t indulge such a simple whim. After all, this is a slight against House Haruno,” Kizashi chuckled as he placed his spectacles on the bridge of his nose again.

“She withdrew?” Temari repeated.

“Her room is empty. You can go check if you’d like,” Ino responded.

Gaara shook his head. “No, I believe you. It’s just...” He glanced over at his older sister, who looked just as perplexed.

“We leave for the countryside for just a month and return to chaos,” he concluded.

“Oh. I didn’t even think to ask. Is your father alright?” Ino inquired.

“He’s alive. Just kicking up a fuss over a simple cold. We wanted to leave sooner, but our mother wanted to spend some time with us,” Gaara sighed.

“I still can’t believe someone would dare to do that. And to Lady Sakura, no less,” he then suddenly remarked, reminding everyone of where the conversation had started. “I hope she’s alright.”

“Next weekend. Marquise Hyuuga is holding a garden party. I’m sure we’ll see her there. We’ll let you know how she is,” Ino pointed out.

“You’re right.”

But the following weekend, whispers filled the Hyuuga family’s garden. And it was all of a singular subject: Neither Lady Sakura nor her esteemed mother, Duchess Haruno, were in attendance at the party. No apologies. No message sent to Marquise Hyuuga.

Ino watched the older woman fume from afar, idly fanning herself. Beside her, Temari took a long sip of tea. She set the cup down with a grimace.

“This is the biggest event the Marquise will throw this season. She’s livid,” Ino observed.

“Frothing at the mouth,” Temari agreed.

Ino’s father was a marquis and Temari’s brother was an earl. They were both nobles of good standing. Their attendance at Marquise Hyuuga’s party was certainly appreciated. But they were small fry compared to the grave insult of being snubbed by the Duchess.

“Although, if I remember correctly, neither Lord Neji nor Lady Hinata came to Lady Sakura’s aid during that incident,” Temari then observed. Ino considered this.

“Ah. That.... that makes sense, then,” she answered after some thought.

It went on. The dinner party at Earl Inuzuka’s home was thrown into similar disarray when the Duchess failed to show. Marquise Nara’s tea party also suffered the shame of an empty spot at the table.

Ino recounted all these things in the letter she sent to Sakura’s mansion in the capital. She received a reply right away- cordial and maybe a little smug. Sakura stated that she was feeling unwell and “very much appreciated” her concern.

Towards the end of the season, Sakura considered heading to her family’s manor. Skipping the ball that the Queen threw at the palace. The one where nobles were known to fall ill from the shock over not receiving an invitation. Sakura glanced at the envelope and tossed it on the table between them. Her mother sighed.

“It will be considered a grave insult to the Crown. You should go. There has to be a limit to your willfulness,” her mother advised.

“Would I start a war if I choose not to go?” Sakura wondered, tilting her head to the side as she thought.

“....It’s a possibility,” her mother replied.

It was Sakura’s turn to sigh. “What color should I wear?” she asked.

When they announced the Haruno family’s arrival at the ball, heads swiveled even more quickly than usual. First, as was proper, came Sakura’s parents, looking as polished and perfect as they always did in public. And then, a few moments later, Sakura stepped into the ballroom, her hand resting on the arm of someone who raised eyebrows and whispers.

“Couldn’t you have asked someone else to do this?” Sai grumbled as he felt the stares following him.

“No. Besides, you’re one of Papa’s knights. It’s not inappropriate for you to escort me,” Sakura whispered back, keeping her demure smile in place. Not quite meeting people’s eyes but not avoiding them either.

“I would rather be training,” he griped.

“Well, if the ball goes poorly, who knows. Maybe you’ll get a chance to stab something,” she replied.

Sai’s gaze flew to her. “Are you in danger, Lady Sakura?” he demanded. Eyes narrowing, he looked back out at the sea of people. This time, his stare was filled with suspicion rather than boredom. Sakura squeezed his forearm a little.

“Relax. I was joking.”

Sai shot her a look of exasperation. “You’re not funny.”

Before their banter could continue, they stood before the King and Queen. They bowed deeply in front of them. When Sakura raised her head, she cast a sideways glance at their parents. Who seemed relaxed. Which meant that she could as well.

“My dear Duke, we’re always glad to see you,” the King greeted Kizashi first, who dipped his head.

“And Duchess Haruno. Your presence brightens the room as always,” the Queen then said. Mebuki also bowed again before she replied something light-hearted and charming. Which Sakura scarcely heard because she could feel the pressure of the Queen’s eyes on her. The pressure of the woman’s gaze alone was incredible. Still, Sakura kept her head held high.

“We’re so pleased that you could attend, Lady Sakura. I was so concerned when I heard that you might not make an appearance tonight. It appears that you have been absent from many events, this season. We hope that all is well,” the Queen greeted her.

Sakura knew what was happening. Since the Queen couldn’t easily chastise her mother for skipping out on events, she was taking it out on her daughter instead. Who she assumed would be an easier target. In front of the eyes of the entire court. Her mother had warned her that this might happen.

Sakura curtseyed. “Thank you for your concern, Your Grace. I apologize for my absence. I simply needed time to recover from the great injury that was struck against me.”

When she stared the Queen in the eyes, she knew that the woman had understood her implicit accusation.

‘Because of your son.’

A ripple of murmurs rose and fell among the other attendees.

And this, Sakura knew, would put the Queen in an uncomfortable position. Would she take her son’s side and risk insulting the second most powerful family in the country? Or would she announce public disapproval of her own child to appease the Duke and his family?

“Ah... that... unpleasant... affair. Yes,” the Queen finally said. She cleared her throat. “Well... it appears that you have since recovered. We are glad.”

Sakura stole a glance at her mother. Whose expression had turned stony. And Sakura could see the Queen looking at her too. It was clear.

That had been the wrong answer.

“Well, please enjoy yourselves,” the Queen hastily dismissed them.

Sakura could see Prince Sasuke and his entourage across the ballroom. She glimpsed a flash of red, too, which meant that Karin was with him. All he cast her way was a cold glance. Without even the decency to greet her. Which suited her just fine. She wouldn’t have wanted to smile and curtsy in front of him and his new fiancee anyway.

They didn’t stay long at the party. Sakura had time to catch up with Ino and Temari, who blurted out everything that she had missed in the last couple of months. She danced with both Temari’s brothers, who she had known for forever. She and Kankuro commiserated over their lack of luck with the opposite sex. Gaara commented on Countess Inuzuka’s heinous hat, which made her laugh. Sakura barely managed to find time to squeeze in a dance with Sir Sai before her mother announced that it was time to go home.

According to Ino, the Haruno family’s early departure was the topic of gossip for weeks afterward. Not that any of that mattered by the time Sakura arrived at the Haruno manor. Just as she wondered where to go first, she spotted a servant boy running up to her as fast as he could in his starched jacket and pants.

“My Lady! My Lady, a message!” he huffed.

“Is it from Mother? There’s no need to run,” she laughed as she reached out the carriage window to accept the envelope.

But something felt off about the paper. The crispness felt all wrong. And when she turned it over, the wax seal was deep purple rather than the red that people usually used. She fumbled to rip the flap open. The handwriting inside was beautiful, as precise as if each letter had been stamped to form the lines.

The servant dove to catch the paper when it dropped from her hand. Sakura slumped against the carriage door, her eyes wide.

“My Lady, are you alright?”

Sakura ran her shaking hand through her hair. “Um... well... We’re having a visitor, it looks like,” she then managed to say.

#writing #itasaku #inspired by Koushaku Reijou no Tashinami #which y'all should read if you haven't #because who hasn't wanted to destroy a shitty ex before #sry sasuke #no one can play icy ex like you can #i'll write a nice story for you later #incandescent

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