Two Princes
A few days later, the brothers and Senators arrived at one of the many military camps in the Roman Empire. Naruto seemed to believe this was the most loyal division to him. Thus he had chosen to make the grand reveal there.
"We're here." Naruto says and he helps his Nymph out of the wagon.
Sasuke rather uncharacteristically jumps into his arms and kisses him deeply. The blonde was slightly confused by this behavior, but he was never going to turn down affection from his prince. He returns it with equal passion.
"Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?" Naruto whispers after breaking the kiss.
"There's a very good chance that none of us are going to live through telling them the truth. I wanted to feel your lips against mine, one more time just in case." Sasuke tells him.
Naruto sighs. He holds Sasuke tightly. He didn't know whether he should find that romantic or heartbreaking. Logically, he knew that the youngest prince had every reason to be worried. Still it was painful to hear him confess to his fears out loud.
"I'm not going to let anything happen to you or Itachi. I promise. Don't worry." The blue eyed Roman replies to the man who had captured his heart the first time that Naruto had seen him.
Sasuke merely nods. He glances back at the wagon. Gaara was helping Itachi out of it. It seemed his elder brother had similar ideas. He kissed the red head rather passionately, though Gaara certainly didn't mind. The Senator returns the kiss with equal intensity.
"We would never let anything happen to either of you. I know this a risk, but it has to be done. If we don't do something, it may very well mean the end of Rome." Gaara says as he tenderly caresses Itachi's cheek.
Itachi smiles. He leans into the gentle touch. The high prince wished he could be as confident as his future lover, but he couldn't. Itachi decided not to show his unease further though. An important part of being a ruler, was the ability to maintain your composure after all.
Naruto and Gaara lead the brothers to the center of the camp. The General calls an emergency meeting. Sasuke could see that his men were confused. But they were all silent and standing in line, following their General's orders to the letter…as any good soldiers would do.
"Everyone, I am glad that you are able to join me with me on this most glorious day." Naruto begins and Sasuke stands next to Itachi, feeling rather awkward.
Naruto painted a rather grand picture, dressed in his military uniform. Sasuke and Itachi were wearing only their standard laborer clothes. Would anyone ever believe they were the long lost princes? Would they get a chance to explain themselves?
"General Uzumaki, what do you mean by that?" One of the higher ranking soldiers asks.
Sasuke knew that he was a higher ranking member of the Roman Army because of how elaborate his uniform was. This man was not just a rank and file soldier. That much was also made obvious, by how he did not hesitate to question the blonde Roman.
"I will answer that. But first, I want you all to STAY your weapons. Should you decide to attack the men standing beside me, you will be executed slowly. Is that clear?" Naruto barks at them in a commanding tone.
It was one of complete control. Both brothers knew that Orochimaru likely envied the blue eyed man's ability to command the attention of everyone in the crowd. They remain silent as the soldiers all give confirmation that they understood.
"It seems that the two princes of Rome did not perish after all." Gaara says, standing next to his friend.
The soldiers were well aware who Gaara was. He was another Senator. He was also a man who likely paid more than half of their salaries. The red head was not a man to be trifled with.
Loud gasps were heard from the crowd. Immediately a roar of disbelief, questions, and in some cases cheers went up. Naruto waves his hand, demanding for them to be silent.
"That is correct. Before you stand the two princes. As Itachi's mark is rather small for everyone to see at this distance, I would like for you all to behold Sasuke's." Naruto says and he gestures for Sasuke to walk over to him.
Sasuke really wished that his Mark was somewhere less vulnerable than his back. He didn't particularly relish the idea of exposing his back to thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of men with weapons. But he did as Naruto bid him to do.
"Don't be scared. They wouldn't dare to harm you." Naruto whispers into his ear and slowly slides the shirt over Sasuke's head.
Sasuke's back was towards the army. The blonde could hear the stunned cries of shock from his men, as the Mark was revealed. It was unmistakable. Every Roman over the age of five, would easily recognize that mark. It didn't matter whether they were the lowest of slaves or the part of the wealthiest segment of Roman Society. Everyone knew it to be the Royal Mark.
"It's okay, my Nymph. You can put your shirt back on now. They know we are telling the truth." Naruto whispers and Sasuke quickly does exactly that.
The youngest prince stands closely by the General. He didn't know how the crowd was going to react to the truth. Itachi rushes over and stands in front of Sasuke protectively. This caused Gaara to do the same for Itachi and by extension Sasuke and Naruto.
"As you can see, it is a miracle. The Gods and Goddesses have returned them to us. We know that it is a lot to ask, but we will need your help to restore them to their rightful place." The wealthy Roman says.
"Why? Once they show the Emperor who they are, he will step down." One soldier calls out.
Itachi sighs. He knew that it wouldn't be that easy. While Orochimaru was despised by many Romans, it was almost unfathomable that someone wouldn't respect the royal line of succession. The eldest prince knew that it fell to him to explain everything.
"Orochimaru is not the man you think he is. After our parents' deaths, he sold myself and Sasuke into slavery. He is well aware that we are alive. The Emperor will not be relinquishing his crown to us." Itachi informs them and thanked the Gods and Goddesses that somehow his voice held steady.
The crowd was suddenly deadly silent. What Itachi was accusing Orochimaru of was not only treason, but also blasphemy. It was mocking the very Gods and Goddesses themselves. If true, it was unforgivable.
"There is more. Orochimaru is planning to have us attack all the Barbarians at once. This will bankrupt Rome and likely result in the deaths of at least half the Roman Army. It is a war that we may be able to win, but the cost will be so heavy that it will be in truth, be a loss. One that will cripple the Empire." The blonde adds.
The soldiers all look at each other in disbelief. Could this really be true? Had Orochimaru gone completely mad? Such a campaign would only end in disaster.
"I know that this is all hard to accept. I understand if you do not wish to fight for myself or my brother. But we have spoken only the truth on this day. We would be honored to fight alongside all of you. Naruto has spoken most highly of your skills and valor in battle." Sasuke says.
Naruto was surprised. Sasuke was normally the more passive of the brothers, if they weren't alone. Not that either of them were particularly aggressive, but he could tell that the Nymph had more scarred by his time as a slave than Itachi had. ( He assumed this was because Sasuke had been so little when he was sold into slavery.)
"Well you have my sword, for what it's worth. Your majesties, Senator Sabaku, and General Uzumaki." A man with long brown hair and lavender eyes says.
"Thank you, Neji. Who else will stand with us?" Naruto asks.
It took a few moments. Naruto couldn't blame them. He knew that the crowd was completely stunned. It felt like an eternity, but in reality it was only a short while before cheers sprang up and the brothers had their answer. They had an Army to fight on their behalf.
"Come on, my love. Tell me, have you ever wielded a sword before?" Gaara whispers to Itachi as he leads him off.
"A few times, as a boy before we were sold. I can't say that I am an expert with a blade. It has been years." The eldest prince replies.
"We'll see what we can do about that. I won't send you into battle, if you aren't able to defend yourself." The red head promises him.
"Everyone, rest and make sure we have enough supplies to lay siege to the palace." Naruto orders the rest of them and leads Sasuke into his tent.
Sasuke looks around. There was some food, weapons, and furs that were surely used as blankets. It was odd. Truthfully, he didn't see anything about Naruto's tent that would distinguish it from that of a common soldier's.
"I expected the tent to be made of gold or something." He notes in amusement.
"Are you disappointed?" Naruto asks as he hands something to Sasuke.
"No. Just surprised. I would have thought that they would give you something to remind them of your station. What's this?" Sasuke asks and blinks when he notes it was a dagger.
Naruto notes Sasuke's surprise. He kisses his forehead. He didn't like it, but he knew that Sasuke was going to be a major target during the battle. The blonde had to give his Nymph a way to protect himself.
"I'll try to train you how to use a sword and bow and arrows as well. But you are fast and agile. Swords can be unwieldy. You'll have the element of surprise with a dagger that you can hide under your sleeve." The blue eyed man reasons.
Sasuke nods. He spins it experimentally. He marveled at the way the light reflected off the blade. It was beautiful, yet deadly. Naruto was quite good at giving gifts.
Meanwhile at the castle, Jugo finds Ino. He had to know the truth. Maybe Orochimaru had accidentally selected a good person to be his successor. The odds were slim, but not impossible.
"Ino?" He calls out gently and the blonde walks over to him.
"Yes?" She replies in confusion, wondering what the large man wanted from her.
"I heard the sounds of your struggle. When I got there, Sai had already left. There was blood on his sword. I wanted to make sure you were okay." Jugo says.
Ino blinks and then she smiles. Jugo really was such a gentle giant. He had a heart as big as his body. Truly, she felt sad for the man. She knew that his lover had died of an infection on the battlefield, not long ago.
"Thank you, for your concern. But I assure you that I am fine. Mostly, thanks to Master Sai. He saved me." She admits.
Jugo bites his lower lip as he considers this. That did seem to contradict the image that the Roman had in his mind about the Gladiator. Perhaps he shouldn't have judged him so quickly and harshly.
"I see. Would you say that he is a kind Master? It's important because he is going to be the Emperor's successor." He whispers.
Ino pauses as she considers the question. Truthfully, she didn't know the man that well. But he had saved her. Sai hadn't said an unkind word to her so far or moved to strike her, as some Masters did.
"I think he is a kind Master." She replies.
"Thank you, Ino. May the Gods and Goddesses keep you safe until we meet again." Jugo says as he heads off to find Karin and Suigetsu.
He sighs when he finds them. The two were bickering as usual. He wondered if they ever did anything else. Jugo had never met a pair of people who argued more than the white haired man and the feisty woman.
"I just spoke with Ino. She confirmed that Sai saved her from a beating and possibly her life. I am not certain why Orochimaru would select a man who would risk his neck for a servant. It makes no sense, but now I begin to believe that it may be possible to work with him. Perhaps we can end Orochimaru and put a decent Emperor on the throne." Jugo says.
Karin looks at Jugo. He was a good man, but right now she was wondering if he had gone mad. The Roman was talking about assassinating an Emperor. That was basically suicide.
"Are you certain this is what you want to do? It's more likely than not it will mean you will join your dead lover in the afterlife, if you insist on being foolish." The red head warns him.
Jugo nods. He had never been more sure of anything in his life. He was not a suicidal man, but he no longer feared death. In some ways, he would welcome its embrace because it meant he would be with his beloved again. The reason he hadn't taken his life yet, was because Kimimaro would never have forgiven him, if he did so.
"Karin, let's be honest. If the Emperor insists on this war, we are all going to end up dying anyway. Either on the battlefield or starvation." Suigetsu reasons.
She sighs. She couldn't argue with Suigetsu's logic on this one. As much as she was loathed to admit it, the annoying man had a valid point.
"Alright. I suppose if there's a good chance we are going to die either way, we might as well go out with a bang. How were you planning on approaching him?" The red head inquires.
Jugo rubs the back of his head sheepishly. He hadn't quite thought that far ahead. He just knew that he had to tell his friends what he had discovered about Sai.
Karin sighs. Well that was obviously a no. Gods and Goddesses, why did she have to get roped into these situations? If the Emperor and Empress hadn't died, none of this would have happened.
She mentally slaps herself out of her internal rant. It wouldn't do any good to dwell on what could have been. Karin knew she needed to focus on the here and now.
"Perhaps the direct approach would work best." She mutters.
Honestly, she didn't know Sai. The woman was unaware of what would likely be the best tactic to use on him. Some could be lured in easily by a pretty face, drank too much, or were overly ambitious. (In that case, ego stroking would be the best bet.) With Sai, she truly was at a loss for where to begin.
Elsewhere in the castle, Orochimaru finds Sai. He takes him to be fitted for his royal garb. If he was going to be Orochimaru's successor, he had to look the part after all.
"Tell me, what color do you favor?" The Emperor inquires.
"I've never really cared much for what color I wear. It always ends up blood red anyway." Sai says cheerfully.
The elderly Roman shakes his head. He was definitely going to have to give Sai etiquette lessons. The man couldn't say such things in public. It would make the people fear he had gone mad or was truly sadistic.
Rome had had far too many sadistic and mad Emperors. But the public had tolerated most of them because they were born to rule. Sai was not of his blood. Thus that made public perception more important than it would have been otherwise.
For the thousandth time, Orochimaru cursed the fact that none of his marriages had sired even a single child. He hated children, but he knew their value. No one dared to question his virility to his face, but he knew in private people whispered about it.
"I see. Well Sai, you should choose a favorite color. It will humanize you to the public and you mustn't say things like that while you are in front of the masses. We do not want them to believe you are cruel or insane." He muses.
"Of course, Emperor. I will do as you ask. I should think my favorite color will be purple." He says after awhile.
"Excellent. I shall have some purple garments drawn up for you in that case. Why purple though?" The elderly man questions him curiously.
"It is the color of royalty and one color seems as good as the next." Sai replies with a shrug.
In reality, he had chosen it because that was the color of the toga that Ino had been wearing when he first met her. The Emperor did not need to know this though.
Sai wasn't sure why he wanted to keep that detail private. It wasn't as though Orochimaru could actually do anything with the information. But he just knew that he wasn't going to share it. It was personal. Sai had never really had personal thoughts before. It was a new experience.
"Ah I see. Very well. For a Gladiator, your frame is surprisingly lithe. Most are more bulky. Hmm, it shouldn't take the tailor too long to prepare something suitable for you. Remember Sai, you are representing me now, everywhere you go. You must always look and act your best." Orochimaru reminds him.
The Gladiator nods in agreement. He was tempted to ask why it would be a bad thing for the public to think he was mad or cruel. They already thought that of Orochimaru. So it would be a seamless transition. But he held his tongue.
Sai knew the harsh reality of the world. Nothing would get your tongue cut off faster, than saying the truth. He had learned that lesson a long time ago.
He smiles as the tailor takes his measurements and begins to prepare his clothing. It was expected of him. Orochimaru didn't know this yet, but he was a dead man walking.
Meanwhile back at the military camp, Gaara was trying to teach Itachi how to use a sword. He smiles as he watches his beloved easily evade his attacks. Itachi was naturally graceful and seemed to know what he was planning to do before he did. But, he lacked a killer instinct. He hesitated to attack.
"Itachi, I know that you don't want to hurt me. But you have to take this seriously. This is not a dance. This is training. We are preparing for battle." The red head chides him gently.
"I have no desire to hurt you. When it comes to the actual fight, I will be ready." Itachi counters.
Gaara sighs. He prayed that was true. Gods and Goddesses, he didn't know what he would do if the other man died while they were trying to reclaim his throne.
Gaara had been forced to choose between the fate of the Roman Empire and Itachi's. It had been a frighteningly close call. He had been very tempted, to just wait it out with Itachi. He had the means to survive even the fall of Rome. But he knew he couldn't do that in good conscience. Neither could Itachi.
"Are you sure you want to practice with me? What if we hurt each other?" Sasuke asks Naruto as they watch the red head and eldest prince.
"I'd prefer it, if it was me. I love you. The other soldiers see you as their prince. I see you as my heart. I can stay my hand, if I have to. Don't be afraid." The blonde tries to reassure him.
Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Well Naruto asked for this, so he shrugs. If the blue eyed Roman wanted to fight him, that's what'd they do.
He sweeps his leg underneath Naruto's, causing the blonde to fall. The dark haired man was on him in a flash and had his hands wrapped around his throat almost instantly.
"Whoa. Where did you learn how to do that, Nymph?" Naruto asks.
"Saw another slave do it once, when a patron tried to force themselves on her. She slit their throat with ease." Sasuke explains.
"Good to know. You can get off of me now." Naruto says.
Sasuke shrugs. He quite liked being the one at the advantage for once. Naruto always held more cards up his sleeve than Sasuke. So it was nice to have him underneath him. Exciting in a way.
"I think I could grow used to the sight of you underneath me." Sasuke says with a smirk and flits off.
"Give a man a dagger and suddenly he thinks he can take on the world." Gaara muses with a quiet snicker.
"You can't blame him. He's had very little control over his own fate for ten years. Good job, Sasuke." Itachi nods his head in approval and dodges Gaara's next attack.
Gaara and Naruto shake their heads. What were they going to do with the brothers? One wanted to dodge, the other wanted to play.
"Well at least I know you can evade an enemy's attack, if nothing else. Come on, Itachi. Come at me with the sword. I want to make sure you can do offense, as well as defense." Gaara orders him.
"That's not a good idea, Gaara. Itachi is very f-" Sasuke begins to warn Gaara, but his brother was already rushing at him and the sounds of swords clashing could be heard.
"Fast?" Naruto asks with a laugh.
"Yes." Sasuke nods in agreement and watches as the two men clash.
Itachi hadn't held a blade for a decade and even then, he hadn't had much practice. His thrusts were at best crude. Gaara was clearly a skilled swordsmen, but he had trouble getting a hit in because Itachi was just that fast.
"Itachi, you need to balance your weight." Gaara instructs.
"And you need to block faster." Itachi retorts and goes flying at Gaara once more.
Sasuke watches for a few minutes and takes Naruto by the hand. He gently guides him to the tent. He might be an innocent, but he was not completely naïve. He realized what Gaara and Itachi were likely going to need their privacy very soon. (He loved Itachi, but he had no desire to see his brother and his lover couple.)
"Sasuke?" Naruto asks uncertainly.
"If they keep carrying on like that, they will show each other their swords that aren't made of metal." Sasuke explains.
"Ohhhh. Yeah, good point. That would be awkward. I mean I love Gaara like a brother, but I don't have any desire to see him in that fashion." The blonde replies and Sasuke nods.
"I feel the same way about Itachi." Sasuke says with a smile and wraps his arms around Naruto's neck, kissing him.
Naruto eagerly returns the affection. There was something different about Sasuke's now. The other man was being a lot more bold than usual.
"We might die before this war is over. I want to be with you at least once before that happens, if it does." Sasuke whispers when he breaks the kiss.
"We aren't going to die. But I would have to be a fool to refuse that offer." Naruto says as he quickly pins Sasuke underneath him against the furs on the tent's floor and kisses his beloved again.