A/N: Hello all my beloved SasuSaku fans! This is the story I've come up with half a year or so ago, when I watched Naruto and got stuck in the filler arc -.-' I've translated it from my first language (which is Polish, as some of you might already know). There were only three complete chapters, which I am posting now. The first (this one) is very short. The next one will be short as well (you have been warned). But it won't become a standard, I assure you. It's just that those two chapters form an introduction to the story. At the same time they wouldn't fit together as a one chapter, that's why I've separated them.

The fic is going to be based (more or less) on "Snow Queen" by Andersen. I just saw a poster advertising a CD with that tale (it was to be sold with some kind of a newspaper) and the idea hit me. It's sooo SasuSaku, don't you think? Remember how Gerda travelled all the way to the Queen's ice castle to get her beloved Kay back?

Do you imagine Orochimaru in a snow dress? o.O

The idea is old (half a year), but my inspiration has kicked in now. I think the chapters I wrote back then are not that bad, that's why I haven't changed much in them (apart from the language, of course). I'm planning the fic to be long and full of adventures, so…who's going with me? Raise your hands!

Prologue

Flashback

A creature resembling a snake attacked Sasuke and sank his own teeth into his neck. The boy screamed, his skin covered with blood, and right beside the bitemark there appeared a black stigma. The creature took a step back and watched as Sasuke raised his hand up to the hurting spot and fell to his knees, still screaming.

"Sasuke-kun will seek me for power," the thing hissed with satisfaction evident in his voice.

Sakura, terrified, observed the scene before her eyes.

"Sasuke-kun!!!"

Sakura lifted her gaze up at the boy standing in front of her.

"Sakura…" asked Sasuke with a voice sending shivers down her spine. "Who did this to you?"

Before she could answer, speechless due to the astonishment and fear, one of the ninja from the Sound Village spoke.

"I did," he said self-confidently. "And what are you going to do to me?"

The answer for this question came several minutes later, when he was howling with pain, and his arms, torn out of their sockets, were hanging loosely by his sides.

Sasuke looked scary back then. The Cursed Seal revealed itself, crawling its way onto the left side of his body. In his eyes, gleaming with scarlet Sharingan, a lust for killing was reflected. For killing with no mercy.

Horrified Sakura leapt up and ran.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Before he managed to hurt anyone else, the girl embraced him from behind. Tightly.

He turned his head. The expression in his eyes terrified her to no limit. It seemed to her that in a moment she'd die from his hand herself. But even then she didn't loosen her hold.

And then the Cursed Seal slowly began disappearing from the boy's body.

Sasuke was standing on a dark road, his back facing her.

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura spoke further. "I love you so much!"

Finally he gazed at her, with that ironic smirk on his lips.

"Really…" he said. "You're annoying."

The girl didn't burst out with tears. They were streaming down her cheeks since long ago anyway.

Suddenly Sasuke vanished to unexpectedly appear just behind her back.

"Sakura… Arigato."

She felt a hit on her neck and darkness enclosed around her.

The rescue group was on the verge of leaving the Hidden Village of Leaf when a pink-haired girl ran up to them.

"Naruto… This is the only favor I'll ever ask of you… Please bring him back…" she whispered with tears in her eyes.

The blonde dropped his gaze.

"You really love him, right, Sakura-chan?"

His only reply was silence, but he knew the answer anyway. That's why he smiled to cheer her up and said:

"I promise that I'll bring Sasuke back!"

Naruto, all covered in bandages, clutched onto the hospital sheets.

"I'm sorry…" he said with his gaze fixed on his lap. "I've promised you that I'd bring him back and… Sakura-chan, I'll fulfill that promise. Just not now yet."

She opened the window and looked outside.

"It's ok now, Naruto," she replied with a faint, sad smile.

Sakura looked at the sky shimmering with stars outside the window. It was a dark night, and only the moonlight allowed to see some blurred shapes of trees.

She curled up in her bed, pulling her knees under her chin.

"Sasuke-kun…" she sobbed quietly. "Where are you?"

End of Flashback

A/N: Do not search, the last scene is nowhere to be found either in the anime or in the manga. It's my pure invention. Maybe not so much creative, I am aware of that. Still…this is only the beginning. I wanted to include all of the important scenes in the SasuSaku thread. Some of them, like the bench scene, are shortened. But we all know what has happened, so why to repeat it again? It's only a reminding…

Now go and read the next chapter.