~Prologue~
When I first met Byakuya Kuchiki I was only a toddler; far more intrigued watching sand slip between my fingers, only for it to fall back down with the other grains in a small mountain, than the concerns the adults around me continually stressed over. I remember thinking he was nice, always referring to me as 'Sakura' and not by my official title that others seemed to overuse in my presence and out of it. He made me smile and giggle with laughter as we would bury each other in my little sandbox behind the vast manor that I lived in with my mother.
We explored and explored and explored before the adventures in and out of our minds would physically tire us and we would collapse underneath the cool shade of a nearby tree sipping on the lemonade my mother would diligently walk out to us in the backyard.
Perfectly crafted gardens would be left upturned in our wakes, trails of dirt easily revealing our latest little hidey hole that we would believe our own private quarters on our pirate ship, or even the prison we would be locked up in after we committed terrible deeds like stealing cookies from the kitchen.
Every day was a new adventure to us, another opportunity to witness something new together; another chance that I could feel normal again. We did everything any two mischievous kids should do in the years that followed.
We would venture from the boundaries of the manor and discover new places we believed uncharted before. On the day of my tenth birthday, we walked further than we ever had, and together we found the small cliff that overlooked the Soul Society. It wasn't as big as SÅkyoku Hill, but it was our hill, our little haven away from the prying eyes of the adults that surrounded us. Trees and shrubbery shielded the hill from others; it soon became the only place protected from our overly crowded families, somewhere we could escape to and feel safe.
It never mattered where we went because I always felt safe with Byakuya; whenever I fell he was always there to catch me, whenever I cried he was there to wipe the tears away with a brush of his fingers. I was never at loss with him around, and I was always myself. Never did I have to worry about my social standing, my title, behaviour or birthright. I was just me.
Puberty years followed; along with the playful teasing and the shocking reminders of all that was expected of us. Our friendship began to feel the strain as Byakuya left for the Academy and I was left to watch on enviously. I was forbidden to become a Soul Reaper and watching Byakuya take his first steps towards my dream without me stung. But by this point, my title seemed to weigh all the more heavier than before and the duties along with that title pulled my life in a direction I never wanted.
We had less and less time for each other, Byakuya with his training and me with the constant watchful eyes on me in this difficult time in my life. Things that were expected of me were things I never dreamed I could ever possible accomplish. They wanted me to sit with a straight back and speak with dignity and dress appropriately; they wanted me to be the princess I never wanted to be.
Yet, we would always find one another again, gazing across at the world from our position on top of our hill. But as the time passed, so did the frequency of our meetings. A whole life time would pass before we would see each other again. Byakuya would grow a head taller and my raven hair would fall longer down my back each visit. Life was quickly running ahead of us, pulling us in different directions.
It never changed us though. Against all the odds, when we saw each other again, it would seem like our friendship was still as strong as we had left it. The easy going teasing would fill our conversation as if we hadn't let a day pass from out last meeting.
We were thick as thieves some would comment about us, time and our ever changing lives could never hope to threaten what we had no matter the doubts constantly invading my mind.
I thought we would always stay that way; never changing despite the world around us. I thought our friendship could take the brunt of any punch thrown in our direction. I thought life would be kinder to us...
But everything changed come the night of my eighteenth birthday.
A/N: If any of you are familiar with The Legend of Kurohime, than you will be able to tell that Sakura is my OC. That story is more about action, whereas I wanted to write something with more romance and angst. So I hope you enjoy it.
- Sarah Lilac Morgan