She is a picture of beauty and salvation. Pink hair flowing in the wind and the golden rays of the sun. As she straddles the silken-white war horse beneath her, she thinks of the irony that they battle at the crack of sunset. It is appropriate for an ending, she thinks. The uprising has gotten out of hand, and she must do all that she can to defend her people. It is her duty. From the moment the King placed the bow in her hand and taught her how to kill a quail, it has been her duty. But now that her father is dead and his people are in search of a new leader, it is her duty to defend them.
The knights flanking her sit tall upon their stallions as they ready themselves for battle. But their support for the young princess did not come without prompting from the newly appointed King, her best friend. A woman should not lead a kingdom, a woman should not lead her people to battle, but this woman does. This pink-haired saint cares not for their hypocrisy. It is her God-given duty.
Quietly she smiles thinking of Naruto-baka's constant bickering with the counsel and the final pounding of his fist upon the ceremonial table as he decreed the princess's wish. But her reminiscing is cut short as the dark army approaches quickly upon the battlefield.
It is then that she sees him. The boy she loved, turned to a hardened man. He sits astride his black horse with confidence and a smirk as the army slows to a stop before the princess and her knights. Although he knows they are no match, he glances upon her form with victory plastered across his face.
"Princess, I request that you and your men back down from this battle." His smirk is gone and the hardened warrior shines through. She can see why, once upon a time, he was the head knight in her father's court.
"On what grounds do you stake your request?" Sakura will not be swayed, she is the princess, and she will not give in to some uprising leader.
"The Dobe you call a king is not the proper heir to the throne." Sasuke looks directly into her deep green eyes and takes a moment to command her gaze. "We fight you, Princess, to defend your honor and your throne."
Although she knows she must retaliate, although she knows the decision is in her hands, she cannot tear her eyes away from his captivating gaze. Behind the hardened warrior she can see the boy she loves and, God, this has got to be the hardest decision the woman has ever had to make.
"Uchiha Sasuke," She takes a deep breath as his name rolls from her lips, "Uzamaki Naruto has as much right to the throne as I do. I am the Princess of Konoha and I will defend my people, and my king." At the resolute ending she raises her bow high in the air above her head and takes in a lungful of air. "All hail the King!" She shouts into the air as her gaze stays with the man before her.
The Princess's knights raise their swords above their heads as they join in her chanting. Konoha is ready for battle to defend their King, and the pink-haired princess before them will lead them to victory. When she feels her army is ready, Sakura takes a deep breath and charges the boy she once loved.
Uchiha and Haruno swords clash against each other with the beginning clang, and soon the clashing of swords rings throughout the battlefield as both armies charge the enemy.
"Sakura, you know that this isn't right." Sasuke growls as he pushes his sword towards the princess.
"It is my duty to protect my people." Sakura growls back and she feels she is winning the battle. "And if the people want Naruto, they can have him." Her voice does not falter, she does not hesitate. With passion Konoha's princess declares her devotion.
But Sasuke has devotions of his own, and he will not let the princess get in the way of her own birth-right. His sword surges forward and presses against Sakura's throat with enough pressure to make her halt her movements. "Then I will not apologize for the acts that I commit, in the name of my people." With a swift movement he kicks her off of her horse with enough force to knock her unconscious. He always did remind her to wear her riding helmet.
Sasuke quickly scoops up the unconscious maiden from the ground and throws her on the back of his horse, before reaching for his sword and blocking an oncoming blow. Step one: get the princess, was complete. Now all he had to do was make it through her army and outside of the kingdom to finish his mission.