Midnight Memories

Midnight Memories



AN: Since I decided to change my story around a bit, I altered the dates. The actual date of William of Normandy’s invasion of England occurred in September of 1066, but for the flow of my story and the fact that I changed what I initially had planned, I have William invading in march of 1066 so you history buffs, don’t get all uppity. Betaed by the wonderful Shadowphoenix143



Chapter Two



October 11, 1987



“You’ve reached Olympia Department of Children Services. How may I help you?”



“This is Peter McKenna of McKenna and Associates. I would like to speak with the case worker handling the Uzumaki baby.” Peter McKenna, a middle aged, rather plump individual glanced nervously at the gentleman sitting calmly in front of his desk. He wasn’t sure why Itachi Uchiha made him so nervous. There was no plausible reason why the uncommonly handsome man caused chills to run down his spine; yet every time the man walked into his office, he had to fight the urge to jump up and run away.



“I’m on hold, Mr. Uchiha. Please be patient.” Peter couldn’t help but question why he felt the need to keep the intimidating man placated. Perhaps it was the predatorily gleam in his eye. His family’s firm had been handling the business affairs of the Uchiha family since the mid 1800’s. The Uchiha family is the sole reason why McKenna and Associates is the attorney powerhouse that they are today. They came from old money and it never seemed to run out; not even during the Great Depression.



Itachi inclined his head but kept his neutral gaze on the portly man who was beginning to sweat rather profusely under his gaze. He could tell that he made the man nervous. It was a common occurrence. He had the tendency to make most people nervous without trying. It seemed that on a subconscious level, most humans could sense what he was. It was just that they didn’t recognize what they were feeling.



They felt the urge to run and hide but instead of obeying this feeling, they would rationalize that it was just irrational fear and ignored the warnings that their brain tended to pump out. It was this fact that made humans such easy prey to feed on. They didn’t know how to trust their own instincts.



In more recent years, feeding could be conveniently done by means of a blood bank. However, the blood tasted old and lost some of its potency. Also, blood born diseases tended to run more rampant at these establishments and while human ailments did not infect the night walkers, they soured the blood, making it unpleasantly bitter. Most of their kind could easily smell disease and avoided the carriers of such illness unless in dire straights.



“Is this the caseworker of the Uzumaki infant who was born yesterday?” Itachi redirected his focus back onto the lawyer. His exceptional hearing made it possible for him to follow the conversation of both participants.



“Yes, this is Angela Mason. May I ask why you’re interested in the child of a cocaine addicted prostitute?” asked the overworked and underpaid caseworker impatiently.



“My client, Mr. Itachi Uchiha would like to sponsor the child.” Peter stated swiftly going into full lawyer mode. That was one thing Itachi liked about the man. When given the chance he was a bulldog for his client.



“Why would a wealthy man like Mr. Uchiha want this child? This is highly unusual.” Itachi could hear her shifting nervously in her chair. Crossing his legs, Itachi couldn’t stop the frown that crossed his elegant features.



McKenna began his job, “Ms. Mason, could you tell me what the odds are that a child born from such a woman would ever be placed in a loving home? What are the chances that he will ever be adopted? Am I, or am I not, correct in the assumption that he would end up spending the first years of his life bouncing from one foster home to another?” McKenna kept his eyes on Itachi as he argued his case to the woman.



Itachi could practically hear the woman bristle in offense, “I take offense to that. DCS may receive a lot of bad publicity but every home that a child is placed into is an adequate environment for growth.” Fighting back a smirk Itachi continued to eavesdrop on the social workers conversation with McKenna.



“I’m sure that every home is adequate,” McKenna mollified, “but what Mr. Uchiha is offering is an exceptional environment that the boy would not find elsewhere. He would attend the best schools and have the best teachers as well as round the clock supervision from caring staff. This is the chance of a life time. I will ask you once again. What are the honest to god chances of the child of a cocaine addicted prostitute getting adopted?”



There was a heavy silence on the other end of the line and McKenna knew his point had been made. After all, he wasn’t the head lawyer of this firm for nothing. Across from him, Itachi smirked as well. This firm never ceased to please him with their services.



“Slim.” she relented reluctantly. A child born from such a woman usually ended up with learning disabilities as well as attention problems. Most families wanted to know a child’s history before they adopted. It didn’t help that the Uzumaki baby was already showing signs of being a difficult child. He cried continuously no matter what the nurses did to try and soothe the upset baby.



“Ms. Mason, this child will not get the love and attention that he needs being jostled from home to home. Mr. Uchiha is willing to help this child become something great. Are you able to, in all good conscious, deny this child such an opportunity? Is the Department of Children Services that cruel? Better yet, are you that cruel?” McKenna went in for the kill. It was over. There was no way the woman could possibly resist now.



Ms. Mason sighed in defeat, “Very well. Fax Mr. Uchiha’s application and criminal history to me and I will arrange for Naruto to be placed in Mr. Uchiha’s care. My only condition is that I will visit once a week for the first six months and then every three months after that. If I see even the tiniest evidence that the boy is being used for less than honorable purposes, I’ll have Itachi Uchiha in jail so fast that he won’t know what hit him.” McKenna smiled at the woman’s tenacity. She was over worked and yet she became a mother hen to protect a child that she didn’t even know.



“Naruto?” asked McKenna. “I wasn’t aware the child had been named.”



“The mother named him before she died. She said she had a vision where she saw her son all grown up and that he leaned down and whispered his name to her. Or, that’s what the nurses told me anyway. It was probably the drugs talking. The thing that I find strange is, despite the fact that the mother was high as a kite and had obviously been using throughout most of the pregnancy, Naruto Uzumaki was born with no addiction to cocaine. I’ve never heard of that happening.”



McKenna arched a brow in shock. He had never heard of such an incidence occurring either. Nodding to Itachi, who also seemed to be contemplating something, McKenna said his goodbyes to the woman and promised to fax the proper documents immediately.



“It’s done, Mr. Uchiha. May I ask why a young, single man like you wants a crack baby?” McKenna blinked when it seemed that Itachi’s eyes glowed. It was probably just a trick of the lighting he convinced himself.



“Naruto Uzumaki is a very special boy and he holds a very precious treasure. I made a promise to protect him, and I will do everything in my power to do just that. I’ve made many mistakes in my life but I will rectify it here.” Itachi turned to leave.



“Mr. Uchiha, why not legally adopt the boy. You will be, for all intensive purposes, his father.”



“No,” Itachi replied sharply, “The boy will be my ward. I will provide for him but he is not my son. I have a family that works for me. They recently found out that they could not have children of their own. I’m sure they would love to be able to raise Naruto. Let me worry about the boy. You just make sure that everything goes smoothly.” With those parting words, he left the building.



Placing dark sunglasses over his eyes, Itachi walked languidly towards the waiting car. The driver opened the door at his approach and he nodded to his driver in appreciation. Itachi slipped into the vehicle and leaned against the plush, leather interior, thankful that the tinted glass eased the glare of the afternoon sun. He felt rather exhausted from making the arrangements to care for Naruto and he simply wanted to go home and sleep.



Itachi knew his housekeeper and her husband would be joyous upon his request for them to care for the child like their own. The plump woman would spoil Naruto rotten and the gruff gardener would teach him values. They would raise the blonde so that when Sasuke awoke, he would be the person that his brother needed. Maybe this time, they would be allowed some happiness.



“Mr. Uchiha, where would you like to go?”



“Home.”



Late March 1066



Sasuke paced impatiently before the massive stone fireplace in Itachi’s sitting room. The entourage that had been sent to collect Naruto and his family should be departing at any moment from the village. The trip would take a month, at least, and Sasuke was nearly going stir crazy from all the waiting. He hadn’t seen his Naruto in several months and it was making him extremely edgy. Even Itachi was worried about his brother’s state of mind.



“Calm yourself, Sasuke,” Itachi demanded. “We should be receiving a missive from Simon soon. You know his hawks are the fastest fliers in this part of the world. I’m sure he will report that all is well and that they are on their way.” Itachi sipped his wine.



Sasuke sneered at his brother’s calm veneer. Itachi was calm because it wasn’t his lover that was traveling through dangerous passes and wolf infested forests. Sasuke, on the other hand, was very worried. He was having trouble sleeping even when the sun was at its zenith. His lack of proper rest showed in his face, which had taken on a slightly gaunt and shadowed appearance.



Itachi’s long slender fingers tapped on the gold goblet before he released an exasperated sigh, “The boy is fine. You would know if he was dead since you’ve tasted his blood. You would know instantly, so cease your worrying. You look like a haunt. Go feed.”



Itachi stood and left Sasuke alone. Frowning, the younger nightwalker shuddered at the thought of drinking from someone other than Naruto. If he drank from another, it would feel as if he was tainting the purity of Naruto’s blood, which continued to pulse through his veins. However, Itachi was right. If Naruto was dead, he would no longer be able to feel him in his veins.



Reluctantly, Sasuke left the room and prowled the castle silently. The servants and villagers did not know what Itachi and Sasuke were but they knew they were not the same as the village people. They knew that the brother lords protected them and the punishment was harsh for those that sought to harm them. That was all they cared about. Even if the brothers were otherworldly creatures, they had done nothing but care for the village and its inhabitants.



Sasuke prowled the battlements; his preternatural eyes scanned the village below. The smell of human wafted towards his highly sensitive nose. Obsidian eyes bled red as the scent of blood danced on the wind. He really shouldn’t have waited so long.



Jumping from the structure, the dark lord kept to the wooded area surrounding the village. His eyes darted from human to human in his search for the best prey. A flash of blond hair, however, forced his body to freeze. It wasn’t Naruto, the scent was different, but the sunshine colored locks were close enough to his lover’s shade that suddenly all thoughts of other prey left his vision. This one would do.



Keeping to the shadows, Sasuke followed the youth. Upon closer inspection, Sasuke wondered how he could have possibly thought that this boy was like his Naruto. The body build was completely different. Already, his desire to feed was gone. Closing his eyes, Sasuke fought back the frustrated snarl.



He had to feed. He had waited for too long. His body screamed for the succulent blood that pulsed through veins. Advancing silently, he stepped before the youth, startling the boy so much that he dropped his packages.



“Forgive me. I promise to take only a little.” The man frowned but his confusion was short lived as he fell into the hypnotic pull of Sasuke’s eyes.



Pulling the man to the shadows, Sasuke bared the stranger’s throat. Using his fangs to pierce the thrumming vein, he began to suck hungrily at the nourishment. Shivering violently as his body assimilated the blood, Sasuke fought back the unnatural urge to gag at the taste. After having tasted Naruto, the blood from others no longer held its appeal. While his body devoured the nourishment desperately, his mind rebelled at the fluid, wanting only Naruto.



Taking just enough to stave off the blood lust, Sasuke leaned the boy against a wall. Stacking his packages beside him, he lapped at the wound until it healed, leaving nothing but a dark bruise, “Thank you for your sacrifice.”



For several moments the boy stood there as if in a trance before startling suddenly into awareness. All he could remember was sad red eyes and a deep sultry voice. Touching his neck but feeling nothing but skin, the boy pick up his packages and walked the rest of the way home, thoroughly confused at the experience.



Sasuke was confused as well. Why was it so hard? Why did the blood sit heavy on his stomach? Falling to his knees just inside the palace gates, his body heaved as if trying to expel what he had just ingested. Dry heaves was all it was but it was uncomfortable. That was how Itachi found him, crumpled against the wall.



“Sasuke?” Itachi frowned at his brother’s crumpled form. He’d heard the gagging and the sound had worried him. Seeing his brother in such a state was unheard of.



“I can’t do it anymore. It’s like his blood is clashing with any I ingest. I know it’s in my head but that doesn’t make it any easier.” Sasuke panted as he spat out a mouthful of regurgitated blood.



“Sasuke, he will be here within the month. But what will you do when he dies? You may not want to consider the inevitable but it will come. One day you will hold him in your arms as he breathes his last breath. Human life is but a drop in the bucket to us. It is a sad fact that you must come to terms with.” Itachi assisted Sasuke to his feet. The two raven haired men stared at each other for a long moment before Sasuke bowed to his brother and retired to his room.



Now that his body had fully assimilated the meal, he felt revived and energetic. However, he was also feeling unsociable and depressed. He had been avoiding the very topic that Itachi had so bluntly thrown in his face. In the fullness of time, Naruto would grow old and die while Sasuke remained the same.



It was a sad truth that kept many night walkers from becoming involved with humans other than for sustenance. Keeping their distance also spurred myths about his kind. Humans envied such powerful creatures but they had no clue how difficult it was to continue living after seeing those around you die. Sasuke was young for their kind, yet he still felt the overwhelming life set out before him.



Staring into the dancing flames until there was nothing left but crumbling cinders, Sasuke felt the approach of his brother. Dawn crept silently across the horizon and Itachi opened his brother’s door to find him staring mindlessly into the remnants of a fire.



“You should sleep. If you like, I can put you to rest until he arrives. You would not feel the passing of time.” Itachi offered as he sat in an identical chair beside Sasuke.



“I would rather wait. I don’t like the thought of sleeping. Mother and Father’s sleep has lasted five hundred years. I was barely able to feed alone before they decided to sleep away the ages.” Sasuke sighed as he felt the pull of sleep.



Itachi nodded his understanding. He’d felt another shift but he prayed that it did not revolve around his brother or Naruto. He refused to give up his brother and be left to drift through the ages alone.



“Sleep now Sasuke. I have a feeling a message will arrive today.”



Sasuke nodded and walked slowly to his bed. The large curtains hung elegantly on the cherry wood frame. Intricate designs of flowers and greenery were carved into the wood by master woodworkers. Wearily, Sasuke curled onto the feather mattress, sinking deep as he pulled thick furs over his body. He didn’t need the furs for warmth but more for comfort.



Itachi closed the curtains around his brother’s bed. Exiting the room, he stopped one of the night guards, giving him orders for any missives to be brought to him immediately before disappearing into his own room. The sun rose slowly and Itachi could feel the pull of sleep but fought against it. Forcing his body to dip only into the most light of sleeps, Itachi awaited word from his master of the hawks.



A quiet knock on the door roused him from his light slumber. Pulling tired limbs from the beckoning bed, Itachi called for the servant to enter as he pulled a black satin robe over his naked body. The girl who entered immediately blushed and announced that a missive had arrived via a hawk.



The girl presented him with the crumpled letter and exited the room. Itachi settled in a chair beside the fireplace and broke the seal.



My Lords,



We have arrived at the village of Lorient and will journey back after a few days rest. The family was happy to see us and I’m sure they will be happy in our village. The blacksmith seems knowledgeable and it would be a blessing to have someone of his caliber.



Itachi breathed a sigh of relief. Now Sasuke could relax. His brother was driving him mad with his incessant worry over the human. Glancing at the message to continue reading, Itachi’s heart froze in his chest.



The son, however, was taken to fight in the Duke of Normandy’s war with England. I’ll await instruction from you concerning what actions we should do before leaving the village. From what the family tells me, he did not go willingly. Please use Sui-Oh for your response. Ahna will need rest.



Humbly yours,



Simon.



Crumpling the letter in his hand, Itachi flung it into the embers and watched as the letter alighted brightly before dissolving into ash. The fates were against his brother. Laughing to keep from crying at the injustice, Itachi slumped heavily in the chair and there he remained. He knew what the response from his brother would be; he only hoped that he could dissuade him from the course.



For the remainder of the day, Itachi sat watching the dying fire until the logs were cold. The wooden arm of his chair possessed large claw marks where his long elegant nails had scratched deep furrows in his worry. He knew the moment his brother awoke, for he was before him in a moments notice.



“Did a message come?” Sasuke looked desperately into Itachi’s eyes, not liking the worry he saw.



“It did.”



“Where is it? Will they arrive soon?” Sasuke was anxious for some news of Naruto. He’d been malcontent ever since Itachi had forced him to leave the blond in order to preserve the secret of their nature. Itachi rarely put his foot down with anything involving Sasuke but with this he was adamant. There had been no arguing with him on his decision that they would await the arrival of Naruto and his family at their home.



“Sasuke…I need you to remain calm.” Itachi began, tired eyes looking up at his brother.



Sasuke’s excitement dulled. Something wasn’t right. He could tell in the way that Itachi’s eyes flashed. His brother was upset. This did not bode well. “Itachi…”



“The boy was taken by the Duke of Normandy to fight in his war. It seems he was taken shortly after we left.” Itachi dreaded this part. He knew what Sasuke would do.



“I’m going after him.” snarled Sasuke as he turned on his heel and stormed towards the door. Itachi, already having anticipated this reaction, was before his brother in a flash with a hand gripping Sasuke’s arm in an unrelenting grasp.



“You will not. Sasuke, I’ve protected you from having to experience the utter despair and bloodlust of war. To humans, it is merely a battlefield of horror, fear, and death. To us, it is so much more.” Itachi’s eyes bled as red as Sasuke’s. He was desperate to get his point across to his brother.



“I can handle it.” Sasuke firmly placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder, “Even feeding has become distasteful to me. I don’t think the presence of more blood would affect me so horribly.”



Itachi shook his head. “Sasuke, up until now, the only bloodlust you have experienced is your own. How will you deal with the smell of the bloodlust of thousands of men? It is a potent and desirable odor. It will bring out the monster in you. I guarantee it.”



“Then I will become a monster to protect him. You can’t stop me. I will never forgive you if you stop me. You will lose me either way.” Sasuke snarled as he tore his brother’s hand from his arm and exited the door.



Itachi slumped against the hard wood as red tears tracked down his face. He felt the moment his brother left the castle. He felt when he exited the forest protecting their lands, yet Itachi simple remained against the door, feeling every year of his millennium and a half age.



“Sasuke,” he whispered miserably to the empty walls, “be safe.”



The nights bled together. Sasuke was forced to rest during the days to conserve his energy. He fed deeply on deer and elk as he kept to the forests, occasionally replenishing his energy in the small villages that dotted the countryside. The blood tasted stale in his mouth but he forced his body to keep it inside. He needed the strength it gave.



A week after leaving his home and reaching the ocean border of Normandy, Sasuke scowled. England was an island. He was powerful but even he could not traverse water like the son of God. Exhaling softly, he approached a moderate sized village on the coast to inquire about transport across to the island kingdom.



Entering a small inn just after dusk, Sasuke approached the innkeeper. “I would like to cross to England. Are there any ships heading that way?”



“You don’t look to be from Britain,” mused the innkeeper, a slender man with bad teeth and a shifty eye.



“I am from the east. My sister’s husband is fighting with the Duke and I have been sent to tell him of his son’s birth.” Sasuke lied effortlessly. He could easily have charmed the man but he knew better than to waste unnecessary energy.



“Hmm, there is a ship leaving at dawn with supplies for the army of the Duke. If you talk to the captain, he might allow you to ride with him. You are foolish to want to go find a man just to tell him about his whelp’s birth.” snorted the innkeeper as Sasuke passed a gold piece to him.



Tracking down the captain took some doing. A bag of gold and much persuasion later found Sasuke seated in the smelly hold of the cargo ship. The sight of rats running along the barrels of food, weapons, and armor barely fazed him. By the time the ship reached the shores, there were no rats remaining, their corpses hidden in the boxes of armor.



“We won’t be staying more than two days. If you wish to book passage again, you need to be on the dock before the tide leaves, day after tomorrow.” the captain informed Sasuke as he departed.



Sasuke ignored the man and searched for a cave to rest in. The rats had barely eased the hunger that beat inside him. Traveling nearly nonstop had burned up most of his reserve energy. There would be no more feeding on animals. He would require human when dusk approached.



Staggering into a small seaside cave, Sasuke collapsed onto the sand. His body slumped into sleep as the sun rose high in the east. The day passed as if in moments and Sasuke’s eyes shot open, a permanent red in his hunger starved state. Stalking to a nearby village, he silently entered the first home he reached.



The couple asleep on the bed did not notice him, nor would he have allowed them to. Thralling them, he drew first the woman, and then the man into his arms, drinking deeply from each before exiting the house.



So starved were his cells that even though his mind rebelled at the taste, his body devoured the blood whole heartedly. He was careful, leaving no trace of his presence. The only memory would be a delicious dream shared by the couple and forgotten with morning’s light.



Now that his body was no longer on the point of starving, Sasuke traveled deeper inland. He could smell the scent of bloodlust and unwashed bodies. Oh, the bloodlust scented sweet in the air, causing his own natural predatory instinct to flair wildly. Itachi’s warnings, which had previously fallen on deaf ears, was now ringing crystal clear.



It was long minutes before he adjusted to the smell of bloodlust. He was still miles away but the scent drifted on the cool breeze, tantalizing his senses. There was no blood in the air causing Sasuke to conclude that the actual fighting must not have taken place. Sasuke sent up a prayer of thanks to whatever god was above.



Dawn was fast approaching and he would need to find Naruto before the battles began. In the mass hysteria of war, it would be as if searching for a needle in a haystack.



As dawn broke across the horizon, Sasuke’s eyes widened at the sight. There had to be thousands of men preparing for the day’s battles. The fort built at Hastings encompassed a large bit of ground and was sturdy despite the surrounding marshland.



King Harold’s own army was camped on the outskirts, several miles from the fort. Battle would begin very soon. Watching in alarm, the gates to the fort opened and the army of close to seven thousand cavalry, infantry, and archers marched towards their foes.



The rise of the sun dulled Sasuke’s own strength, forcing him to travel only slightly faster than the average human. His breath panted as he attempted to locate Naruto in mass or armor clad warriors.



Without warning, a hand suddenly snatched his own and drew his attention. An old woman sat on the sidelines of the march. He didn’t have time for this but she was surprisingly strong for one of such advanced age. “What do you want, old grandmother?”



She simply cackled, showing a toothless mouth full of black gums. “Ten lifetimes. You will suffer for ten lifetimes.”



“Release me, old woman.” he demanded.



“Listen. It’s a test. You will have to pass or forever exist in loneliness and despair. I know what you are. You must be found worthy. He must find you worthy. The reward will extend past your wildest dreams.” She cackled one last time before releasing the arm she gripped.



“Who are you?” growled Sasuke.



The woman ignored him, gathering up her belongings. She left him alone with her words ringing in his ears. Shaking aside the sense of foreboding, he followed the marching army until they faced off against Harold. To the untrained eye, the two armies seemed almost equal in manpower.



Sasuke continued to search the ranks as the battles began. After two hours of despair, Sasuke panted slightly. It was nearing noon. The battle should have decided a winner by now but Harold was refusing to give quarter. He was a tenacious bastard even when facing a superior army.



Blood was now rampant in the air. Sasuke had long given up hiding his eyes. The dying were the only ones that noticed. All others were only trying to survive. His sword was drawn and his voice felt hoarse from calling out for his beloved.



“Naruto! By all that is holy, answer me you idiot!” Sasuke shouted at the heavens.



“Sasuke?”



The shout was barely audible above the clash of sword and shield, but it was there. Sasuke reeled around, his eyes quickly scanning the direction from which the voice had come. Finally, there was an opening before him and he spotted that beautiful sun colored hair.



If there was such a thing as angels singing, he would have heard them. Naruto seemed to be fighting his way towards him. Sasuke ducked and dodged the blades sent in his direction. “Naruto!” called Sasuke.



He would get him out of here now. He refused to allow his beloved to remain in this hell hole another moment. They were still about a hundred yards from each other when everything froze in Sasuke’s vision; everything but Naruto as an arrow suddenly pierced his chest.



Screaming his anger, Sasuke was at Naruto’s side as he crumpled to the ground. Blood leaked from pale lips as Sasuke assessed the wound. It was bad… it was mortal. There was nothing that could be done. He was going to die in his arms. Already, Sasuke could feel the irregular flutters of Naruto’s heart.



“Sasuke…what are…you doing…here?” gasped out Naruto, through the pain.



“I came for you, you idiot.” whispered Sasuke.



“Why would…you come for…me?”



“You made me love you. I wasn’t going to leave you here.”



“You…you love…me?”



“Only you.”



“That’s…nice…because…I don’t…want to die…alone.” Naruto began coughing up blood. The red liquid dribbled in dark streams down his chin.



“Naruto, don’t leave me. I don’t think I can keep going forever without you.”



“There’s…always the next…lifetime.”



Sasuke froze at the words. They rang in clearly with what the old hag had said. Swallowing hard, he pulled Naruto closer. His mind prayed for a miracle, something...anything. He needed a fucking miracle. Where was the Christian god that these petty human’s prayed so diligently to?



“I’m cold…Sasuke.”



“Don’t you dare close your eyes! I won’t let you go.” Sasuke snarled angrily at the blonde who only grinned, despite the fact that he knew he was dying.



“You…don’t have…a choice.”



“Naruto…”



“I’ll make sure…to look for…you…in the next…lifetime…” Sasuke felt the heart stutter to a stop as the body in his arms went limp. What was the absolute worse was that he felt Naruto’s blood inside him disappear. He could no longer feel that light inside him and he went mad with grief. Streaks of red trickled down Sasuke’s face as he screamed out his anguish.



Tales would be told for years after the battle of Hastings; stories of the demon with flaming red eyes, who struck down every man dressed in Harold’s colors. Whether or not his presence altered the course of the battle, no one can say.



Blood streaked, lying next to the cold body of his beloved, Sasuke was broken when his brother finally located him. Sasuke’s eyes were dead as Itachi approached him. Lips pulled back to reveal pearly white fangs; a warning to not get too close.



“Oh, Sasuke.” whispered Itachi at the sight of how his brother desperately clung to the corpse.



“Let’s go home.” Itachi whispered but Sasuke shook his head adamantly.



“Not without Naruto. I won’t leave him in this heathen land.”



“We’ll take him with us.”



Sasuke growled as Itachi attempted to take him from his arms, “I’ll take him.”



“As you wish, little brother,” Itachi followed Sasuke, as they approached the waiting ship.



Sasuke never knew if Itachi was able to slow the decay of death but Naruto’s body never rotted or smelled. The entire trip to their home, his body remained the same as if he had just expired.



As his body was lowered into the cold ground, Sasuke released a keening wail and collapsed before the grave. It was months before he spoke a word.



Itachi force fed him blood in an attempt to keep him amongst the living. Nothing mattered any longer. Each night found Sasuke lying on the ground beside the grave that marked the location of Naruto’s shell.



As the years passed, the pain remained but it became…bearable. Itachi kept Sasuke close but mourned the loss of his brother. Sasuke had changed, becoming bitter and resentful. It would not be until the early 1300s in Florence, Italy that Sasuke find a new lease on life.



To be continued