- Did you enjoy yourself?
- Sasuke, please...
- No, Saky," he said, returning to his earlier tender tone. - I miss you. I miss feeling you.
- I have to go...
I turned towards the bedroom, but Sasuke followed me, as I knew he would. Before I could react, he grabbed my waist and pulled me close. His warm breath mingled with mine, his dark eyes fixed on mine, his lips parted. His hands slid down my body, triggering involuntary shivers.
He moved in to kiss me, but I pulled back. Naruto. His image pierced me like a sharp blade.
- You can't do that.
But Sasuke ignored it. His lips took mine forcefully, without affection, without hesitation. A raw, voracious kiss, charged only with desire. It burned me like red-hot iron. I tried to pull away, but he pushed me onto the bed, coming over me. His lips trailed down my neck, biting, sucking, while his nimble fingers undid the buttons on my clothes.
- No... - my voice came out in a weak whisper.
He didn't hear. Or, worse, he chose not to. I knew Sasuke well enough to know that a "no" for him was never a deterrent, only a challenge.
- I'm going to leave a mark on you for that son of a bitch to see. - His teeth dug into my skin.
- You can't... - my voice failed me.
He got rid of his shirt. Every sculpted muscle, pale and glistening in the dim light, made it impossible to deny his beauty. But nothing about it was beautiful. He undid his belt and unzipped it.
- Sasuke, stop. - My hands pushed him, but he didn't budge. - Stop...
I felt his body pressing against mine, his desire colliding against my skin like a suffocating warning.
- Sasuke, we have to stop...
I tried to push him away again, but he held my wrists tightly, preventing any movement. I tried to close my legs; he forced them open, wedging himself between them.
- I'm going to make love to you. So that you don't want anyone else but me.
A shiver of dread ran down my spine. The desire turned into something sick, suffocating. I didn't want it anymore. I didn't want that. I didn't want him. I wanted Sasuke away. Out of my room. Out of my life.
- Sasuke...
Fear exploded into anger. I released one of my hands and my fist met his cheek with force. The impact made him flinch, his eyes wide, as if he had only just seen me.
- Get out. Get out now.
- Saky, I...
- GET OUT!
***
I flipped through the newspaper and saw that another rebellion had taken place, this time in Tea Town, that tiny village right in the middle of the North of the map. The rebels had freed prisoners and considerably strengthened the resistance with these new recruits. From this move alone, I knew it was Akatsuki's doing. Taka would have executed them all, but Akatsuki got a few more grateful arms to fight for them.
- Coffee, Your Highness? - Suigetsu asked, filling my cup.
- Thank you.
I put the newspaper aside and picked up my drink. My grandmother was going to be furious. I was sure she had already thought and rethought a thousand strategies to ease the situation. Even if we had managed to solve a few problems and Naruto's idea of offering dinner to the lower castes had improved things, we were still at war.
Partly against Akatsuki. Partly against Taka. Partly against the Land of Thunder, which I knew was financing one of these sides.
I bit my lip. The Land of Thunder. That plague called a country. Always against every plan. Always the dissenting vote in the United Nations assembly. No marriage alliances with the other kingdoms. The king's wife had once been Suigetsu's aunt, but that no longer mattered.
If it were an ordinary country, a direct attack would be the obvious response. But it wasn't. That was the problem. Our alliance included the countries of Wind, Fire, Waves and Stone. Four nations combined to match Thunder. Four armies combined to reach its firepower.
Four pointed guns can be threatening to some. But not to those with a cannon.
The Land of Thunder could attack only one at a time, which would give the other three time to react. But nobody wanted to be the first.
With that thought, I began to write the letter.
"Your Highness of the Land of Thunder,
I, Princess Karin Bellanar Calliope Namikaze Senju, hereby invite Your Majesties to my nineteenth birthday, which will be held at Konoha Palace on November 14th. I count on your distinguished presence, which would be of great benefit in strengthening our fraternal ties. Yours sincerely, Karin Calliope Bellanar Namikaze Uzumaki."
- Is that wise? - Suigetsu asked, without taking his eyes off the book.
- I need to find out. They would never turn down a direct invitation from a princess.
Suigetsu stared at me, his violet eyes as clear as stars.
- If you're going to invite our enemies, our allies will expect an invitation too.
He was right.
- Why not invite the families of the Chosen as well?
- Their families?
- Perhaps King Ay will feel more at home in a hall where not everyone is his declared enemy. And they say he has a special affection for the lower castes. Rumor has it that he intends to marry a Caste Six.
I massaged my temples. It wasn't possible. Kings marrying maids? Me inviting the bloody royal family of Thunder to my birthday? Everything was spinning too fast in my head.
- Yari. - The girl introduced herself with her head down.
- Y-yes, Your Majesty?
- Write letters to the kings of all the countries, inviting them to my birthday. Use this letter as a model. - I handed over the example and left the library.
If the Thunder Monarchs were involved with Taka, with the murder of my parents... If they were guilty, if they were financing those raids...
I wouldn't mind being the first target.
I would attack them.
And if my house fell, I would wish, in my last breath, that someone would avenge me.
In the Select Hall, a picture of my mother adorned the wall. Perhaps to remind them of who they should be inspired to be.
Impeccably straight hair as red as fire. Flushed cheeks. Chaste smile. Eyes full of hope.
She used to sing me to sleep, tell me stories about warrior princesses, ask me to look after my brother. Because she knew Naruto was too foolish. Too susceptible. Too innocent. Too good. Too good for this world.