My Prince (BOOK 1)

Chapter 38

Sasuke peeked out of the library. Maids and knights were running around like there was a fire. Sasuke stepped out of the door and caught one of the running rookies.

"What's going on?"
The noble knight looked at him and took a deep inhale of oxygen to slow his racing lungs.
"The Anastasia girl is dead. We're trying to prepare everything for a small burial before the snow gets too heavy." The knight glanced at his captured arm after explaining but that had only raised Sasukes curiosity.
"Dead?" He sounded surprised as he repeated it. "How'd she die?"
"Child birth. From the rumors going around it sounds like the General was present for everything."
Sasuke let go of the knights arm and watched as he ran off. Shutting the library's door, Sasuke began his search for Naruto. It wasn't like anyone was going to snitch on him with all the chaos.

He found her leaning against a wall thirty minutes later. She was outside one of the bathing rooms and the door seemed open.

"Naruto."
The woman looked up at the mention of her name and he was fairly surprised by the red streaks on her cheeks.
"What are you doing out of bed Sasuke?"
Sasuke looked down at his appearance. An old bash shirt, some pants and his boots. He could see why Naruto thought he just got out of the infirmary bed.
"Itachi gave me permission to go to the library."
Naruto hummed.
Sasuke had expected her to scowl and scold him for not wearing something warmer at least or complain about how Itachi hadn't asked her first seeing she knew more about that healing crap.

None of it happened.

He stared at Naruto confused and a little worried.  After shifting on his feet, he looked back at Narutos face.

"Have you been crying?"
"No."
He put his hands up when Naruto looked at him with murderous intent.
"It's normal if you were."
"Why? Because I delivered a child and let their mother die? You were more useful when you were prancing around fucking women."
"Hey. Just because your mad at something doesn't mean you have to be rude."
She rolled her eyes and put her arms behind her head, a foot pressed against the wall. "You get kidnapped once and you changed. Ironic."
"Yeah well trauma can do that to some."
Naruto looked at Sasuke and looked back at the snow swirling outside. "I know a thing or two about trauma Sasuke. You don't have to lecture me."

"Naruto how do I wrap him?!"

Sasuke stared in shock at Naruto calling him his name with no formalities afterwards. He peaked into the bathing room to see Izumi crouching with her skirt piled on her lap. In a basket was a small chubby baby wrapped sloppily in a towel.
Itachi was standing over Izumi looking just as lost.

"Well first of all you don't wrap him like that."
"I don't know how to do this!" Izumi cried in agony.
"Pick him up."
Sasuke watched as Izumi picked the child up carefully and Naruto crouched in front of her. His eyes softened at the pain in Narutos blues as she unwrapped the baby boy and ran the towel softly over his tufted hair.

"Hey."
Sasuke caught Itachis eye and he narrowed his eyes.
"Aren't you supposed to be in the library?"
"I heard a new child was born. I wanted to see the fuss."

Itachi walked out and shut the door. "Such bullshit. Why are you really here?"
Sasuke huffed. "A knight told me that Naruto had delivered a child and the Anastasia girl died. Seeing Naruto was around that girl day and night, I was wondering if she was okay."
"You were wondering if Naruto was okay?"
"Why are you acting like that's such a huge thing?"
Itachi breathed deeply through his flared nostrils and looked back at his brother. "Tell me the last time you ever once thought about Narutos well being."
Sasuke went to give a snarky reply... but quickly had to rethink through the whole time he's known Naruto. Itachi watched as the gears turned in his head.
"... Okay whatever."
Itachi sighed. He had hoped there'd been at least one time.
"I was serious when I said I was wondering how Naruto was. Remember when we found our parents in the throne room, I could only imagine what being around a dying person would be like."
"Obviously you have no idea of Narutos record."
"For people she cares about." Sasuke growled.

He hadn't expected it would be so hard to actually convince his brother that he was just wondering how Naruto was with all of this. He even saw how Naruto looked at the small child.

"Anyways before you try to bitch at me more." Itachi narrowed his eyes at his little brother.
"What's gonna happen to the child?"
"He's your nephew actually."
They stared at one another.

Sasuke shook his head. "I'm sorry did you just say nephew?"
"I did. Anastasia gave us her blessing to adopt Shinjiro."
"Shinjiro? What name is that?"
"It means true and pure. Unlike your name which means help."
"I know what my name means." Sasuke growled. "Shinjiro just sounds.. weird."
Itachi sighed. "It's not your decision anyways. Now go away, Narutos not in the state of mind to deal with any crap."
"She's the general. Her job is to deal with crap."
"I'll make it someone's job to kick your ass if you keep this up."
"That's also Narutos job."
"Sasuke!"
"Fine! I'll go but tell me how Naruto is later, I had seen those tear stains on her cheeks and I don't like it."

With that Sasuke walked away and Itachi opened the door to see Izumi cooing over how cute Shinjiro looked wrapped in a towel. Naruto was standing off to the side with her shoulders rolled back and head down.
He sighed and grabbed his wife's shoulder.

"Would you like to take Shinjiro to our chambers? Naruto and I will prepare the nursery."
Izumi beamed and lifted Shinjiro with the handle of the basket. "I can't wait to see what the two of you come up with."

Itachi watched as his wife went to their chambers with Narutos leaning a side of her body against the wall.
He side eyed her.

"You know your looking so depressed even Sasukes noticed."
"I heard."
"... why won't you hold Shinjiro Naruto? You seem to be the one most connected to him; this is the first time he's been more than five feet away from you."
"I had vowed to serve the royal family. He's now apart of that family."
"You were also his birth mothers friend."
"I don't have friends."
"She was the closest thing you've had to a friend ever since Iwa, Naruto. People will understand if you'll need to grieve her death."
Naruto clenched her fists. "She didn't die. That child is a part of who she was."
"Yes but you won't hold him."
"I held his birth mother isn't that enough?!"

Naruto walked off and Itachi sighed. He looked back at the wall when a pebble of the stone hit his foot.
In the wall was a large indent of Narutos fist. She must've punched it in her fit of rage.
Shaking his head, Itachi followed Naruto down the corridors.

~~**~~

Itachi walked into the dining hall to see his little brother sitting in his seat —which he nor Naruto had approved— with Mito and Sakura swooning over him from either side.
Sitting in her seat, Izumi was running her finger over the pinkness of Shinjiros cheeks. She smiled when Itachi sat down.

"He's been such a happy baby. I don't think he's woken up except for the bath."
Itachi smiled but it was brief when he remembered Naruto was in the nursery alone and finishing the crib. He sighed.
Izumi frowned sensing her husbands distress. "Is Naruto alright?"
"She'll live." Itachi stated. "But the death of Anastasia seems to have taken a toll on her."
Shisui walked in and walked to Itachi. "The burial preparations are complete. Would you like me to get Naruto?"
Itachi shook his head. "No. I think it'd be best if she wasn't present."
"Why?"
The two looked at Izumi who was confused.
"Why wouldn't it be a good idea for her to have a last goodbye to her friend?"
"Friend?!" Kushina shouted from not too far down the table. "When did my daughter get friends?"
"Your daughter?" Sasuke looked at her confused.
Itachi interjected, Sasuke had been oblivious to Narutos past and he'll continue to be oblivious as long as Narutos his personal guard.
"You may not know Kushina but Naruto has many people who care for her. You don't need to be called a friend to be important."
"Friends are a waste of time."
"Maybe that's why she ran away." Izumi snapped. "Because families a waste of time too." She looked back at Shisui. "Tell Naruto. I think it'll help her even if it is just a bit."
Shisui nodded and walked out, clapping Sasukes shoulder on the way.

"Hold on. What do you mean daughter?" Sasuke pushed.
Itachi interjected Kushina once more. "That doesn't matter. Kushinas obviously talking about Mito. How could a simple knight be her daughter anyways?"

Mito pushed her chest out at the compliment and smirked at Sakura who glared. Kushina shot Itachi a glare and he gave her a warning look.

"It doesn't matter if someone's royalty! It's love that matters." Sakura winked at Sasuke. He couldn't care less.
Izumi nodded, though she totally missed the point of what Sakura was trying to do. "That's how Itachi and I got together. Because he didn't care about titles."