A/N: Happy Birthday to you, Jordan! Because you sit on the other side of the pond, I decided to fix this up and sail it across, for you. Perhaps, one day, I can buy you a gift and celebrate with you! I'm still working on Cessation for you, too!

Flashing through the corridors was pure lightening. No thunder followed, for the impending storm was much too far away. The kingdom below was victimized by the frightening whips of blinding light. A sound, any sound, would have been a bit more soothing. Sitting at the end of the kingdom, along the northern wall that surrounded it, was the darkened, extensive building of the kingdom's heir. It was a large, black silhouette; it was rather intimidating to the commoners, whose own homes barely reached the windows of the castle's first floor.

Inside, Uchiha Sasuke, second heir of the kingdom, was awoken from his sleep.

He could see the lightening from behind his eyelids. It leaked in from his tall windows and onto his person. As he sat up in slight annoyance, he briefly considered having his bed moved from in between the towering windows. Or rather, have the windows boarded up. Ultimately, he knew this excessive lightening wasn't good for him; he'd need all the sleep he could get on his last night home. That necessity was going to be harder to achieve.

Sasuke stretched his back, arching his torso forward with a soft whine. His arms bent at the elbows behind his head, and he couldn't control when his lips parted. A soundless yawn left him before he let his arms fall to his sides. The blankets had pooled around his waist, and he threw them from his person. His legs swung over to the edge of his bed and stood on the cold wood of the floor. The wood seemed to make the entirety of his bedroom cold, and he shivered as a wave of goosebumps engulfed him.

The floorboards creaked beneath him at every step. He moved carefully from his bedroom out of the consideration of others. Though he was sure no one could hear him over the distance of their individual bedrooms, he still refrained from unnecessary loudness. Cotton white pajamas adorned his body, flowing at every step. The articles of clothing seemed to match the tone of his skin; he appeared like a ghost, being at full illumination only when the lightening seeped in through the windows of the halls.

Belonging to him was the master bathroom of the West Wing's first floor. It sat at the very end of the hall where his bedroom was located. Along the walls, standing parallel to other doors, were paintings of extended family members. The Uchiha were the same in that they sat in ivory skin, wore obsidian tresses over their heads, and bore into the souls of others with bloodied eyes.

Despite having naked eyes that were rather keen in the darkness, Sasuke wished to obtain the ocular abilities that came with his lineage.

He was prodigious at birth, surpassing many of his tutors' students. He excelled in not only academics, but extracurricular activities. Sports were simple tasks for him, for he kept his body lean and agile. With his physical skills, it was equally easy to remain fit. In basic terms, he lived up to his family name in everything besides the sharingan. He knew that with the sharingan's development, his abilities as an Uchiha would be heightened. Furthermore, he would execute his life-long goal of gaining his father's worthy acknowledgement.

As Sasuke passed the various paintings, his eyes scanned each of them. The colors of the oil paint were dark, but simultaneously bright enough to be seen by him. His feet halted in their movement when his eyes landed on a familiar face; staring down at him was none other than Uchiha Itachi, his elder brother and role model.

Because the painting was adjusted by a window, the sky's light gave him a glimpse at the details. His brother was young, being merely around the sensitive age of twelve or thirteen. Regardless of this fact, he was painted in the depiction of a ruler, a leader. He wore expensive, luxurious robes that popped deep shades of red and green. Those shades sided with the traditional colors of the Uchiha: black and white. His head was leaning forward from a hunch in his shoulders, and his face was solemn in its expression. The artist had caught every detail correctly, for everyone who's encountered him could say that he was wise beyond his years.

For many years, Sasuke was pushed into the shadow of his elder brother. Their father had consistently compared them in everything they did, much to Sasuke's chagrin, and deemed his youngest work hard to become like his eldest. Itachi had awakened the sharingan at the age of eight, though his talents were recognized earlier than that. Everything he did, each breath he took, made the family proud. With every opportunity Sasuke took to locate a niche in the world, his brother was mentioned. No matter what he tried to do, Itachi's name and achievements came up. Even when the younger tried tantrums and misbehavior as a tactic to recognition, something he was sure his brother never did, their talk of Itachi made him feel worse about himself.

Sasuke scowled at the painting looking down on him. "Why do you have to be so high, so far away, big brother..?" he thought.

Though Itachi was much more accelerated than his little brother, the latter was aware of his elder's efforts to relieve him of marginalization. Truth be told, Itachi took on a paternal role for Sasuke more than their actual father did. When it came to things like fencing, archery, or horseback riding, Itachi made special time to assist Sasuke in perfecting his skill. Sasuke was a faster learner than his peers, but in juxtaposition to his brother, his abilities weren't perfect. He adored his brother, but he was always envious of him, deep down.

With the realisticness of the painting haunting his very core, Sasuke resumed in walking to the bathroom.

The aforementioned bathroom was cold, freezing the soles of Sasuke's feet with its icy tiles. Luckily, it had no windows. He was safe from the constant flashing in his face. He approached the toilet and relieved himself, then cleaned up afterwards. As the warm water soothed his hands, which were beginning to feel achy from the cold, he splashed some of it on his face. It was a bad idea considering it would keep him awake, but he needed to focus on his impending task. He wanted to outshine his brother, for the first time in his seventeen years of walking the Earth. He lifted his head from over the sink, and stared at himself in the mirror above. The tips of his nose and ears were red, and his eyebrows were tensing softly.

"Tch," he scoffed at his reflection before cutting off the running of tap water.

As he approached the door of the bathroom, he heard scuffling from the other end. His posture straightened, and he stiffened slightly. Their guarding system was much too advanced for it to be an intruder. He softly touched the knob, then threw the door open. It banged on the opposite wall, and his mother gasped with a jolt.

Count on her to be awake. "Sasuke!" she breathed with a shrill in her tone. He relaxed with a sharp exhale, and let his shoulders sag yet again. She was hugged around her upper body by a nightgown, it being just as pristine and flowy as his own nightwear. Her right arm was lifted to her bosom, the handle of a lantern being clutched in her fist. He wouldn't be surprised if she was investigating; she had very good hearing, and presumably caught the soft sounds of his short journey to the restroom.

"I'm sorry, did I disturb you? I thought you were an intruder." Figures.

Sasuke shook his head and weakly waved his hand in dismissal. It dropped as quickly as it was raised, and he looked up from his feet and at her face. The red of her eyes glowed stronger than the oily orange of the lantern in between them, and he inhaled sharply. Seeing anyone with the sharingan was rather painful, for it reminded him of his lack of thereof. As any mother would, she noticed the subtle changes in her child's expression. His eyebrows upturned just slightly, adding a pinch of hurt to the otherwise typical frown that he wore.

Her palm on his cheek was warm, and tender. The grazing of her fingers along the skin were gentle, almost hesitant. His true fragility had been exposed to her since the day he spawned from her womb. This he knew, and he kept his eyes averted from meeting hers. It was a defense mechanism; under her gaze, sharingan activated or not, he always tried to salvage at least some of the walls he'd built up over his lifetime.

"You don't have to go, you know," she assured, her tone as soft as her caresses. His eyes betrayed him, and slowly rolled upwards to meet her loving gaze. She had deactivated her sharingan, and replaced it with a smile.

He sighed heavily. His hand reached up and wrapped itself around hers, then nicely pulled it from his cheek. She knew as much as he of how much danger he'd be in. He was risking his life for his pride, and confidence. Though she supported the actions that those took to appreciate themselves, she knew, as his mother, that it wasn't truly for him. He squeezed her hand affectionately.

"I do. And don't worry. I'll be back," he uttered with a determined look in his eyes. Her smile morphed into a sad one as he spoke, and it was her turn to look away. He took two steps through the bathroom's entryway, thus exiting. He continued to hold her hand as he guided it to her side, then let it go to peck her cheek.

"I promise."

The whispered vow melted into the night's air, and she turned from the bathroom to watch him return to his room. She dropped her smile, and released a breath that she hadn't known she was holding until then. His door clicked closed, sending an echo throughout the halls, and the lightening was accompanied by soft rumbles of thunder.

Sunlight brightened the aspects of the extensive kingdom. Most noticeably was the shiny armor of the king's youngest son.

A grand mare trotted obediently through the streets, her polished hooves stomping with grace. Her hair was a platinum blonde in the sun's glare, and she shone with her master. On either side of her saddle were travelling bags. One was filled with water, bread, cheese, fruit, and salted meat to cook. The other was filled with equipment for health-aid, such as bandage wrappings and vials of medicine. Sitting atop the saddle on her back was Sasuke, his hands low as he held the reins of her halter. Strapped behind his back was a shield, bow, and arrow, and around his waist was a sheathed sword. The streets had been cleared for safety reasons; several guards surrounded him, in an orderly fashion, for extra precautions. Still, the nobles, commoners, and slaves alike admired him from within their homes. Namely, the children gazed as he passed by.

Despite noticing the clear looks of those who admired him, Sasuke didn't feel too proud about leaving. As he made his way through the kingdom, and to its gates, he thought back on his parting with his father:

"What do you mean you're still going?!" his father had roared at him from across the dining table.

The two males sat at either end of the table, dining on their breakfast. His mother chose to sit by her husband, faithfully, as she'd been raised to do. However, she still wore an expression of sympathy towards him. It was hidden by a hang of her head, and she calmly rose her spoonful of porridge to her mouth. His father had slammed his glass of wine down on the tabletop when Sasuke mentioned his upcoming whereabouts.

"I am absolutely certain that I can rescue this princess, and bring her back to wed her," he replied calmly to the patriarch of his family, the man he all feared, admired, and yearned to be noticed by.

The king had released his hold around his wine glass with a begrudging calmness. Seconds before, a servant had come in the dining room to bring them each a silver platter of chopped fruits and grain muffins. Sasuke was aware of his father's desire to remain as level-headed as possible when in the presence of his subjects. It was a rather good strategy, for it kept the people reassured at all times, this including those of panic. It kept a small amount of pressure from his shoulders.

"Sasuke," he started steadily, crossing his arms and closing his eyes as he did. Sasuke listened with a stoicness that challenged that of his father's, sitting before his untouched breakfast.

"I will acknowledge that I am growing older by the minute. You are the only link that will hold this kingdom, and our family's legacy, together, following my passing. You do understand that, right?"

His eyes had re-opened then, for the servant had exited the room. They held a look of fury, and authority. Normally, this would have been enough to silence Sasuke from any further argument. One look was enough to oppress the raven's ambitions. Knowing this to be very true, his mother now held a look of apprehension as she watched her husband speak.

"...Yes." Sasuke simply said, his tone void of any emotion that might signify submission.

His father picked up on this quickly; he was used to subduing his children when it was necessary, and even the slightest signs of a rebellion were crystal clear to him. Unbeknownst to his youngest son upon him, he began to grow nervous alongside his wife. The nervousness held different reasoning behind it, though.

With the goal of getting his son to reconsider, the king spoke with a coldness that prickled Sasuke's chest.

"I don't believe you are ready to go out on such a quest. You will not survive. And when you finally die, I will refuse to bury whatever's left of your remains."

Sasuke saw it out as an indirect disownership more than anything else. He couldn't reason with himself much, or see it any other way. In spite of the growing icicles that pierced through his heart, the words repeated in his head as a mantra of motivation. Now, in addition to recognition of his abilities, he craved for everyone to know of his superiority. Not only to his brother, but also to his father, himself.

It wasn't long before the gates of the kingdom were in view. The two guards standing before Sasuke and his mare had approached the metal bars, which were held together by high, sturdy stone walls. Briefly looking up in anticipation for what laid ahead, the young prince could spot out the tall tales of green leaves. They seemed rather dense, and the amounts of trees appeared ready to cloud the blue skies from view. Droplets from the night's storm glistened from the one star above them.

Upon reaching his moment of exiting, six of the eight guards that had accompanied him left their posts on either side of the horse. They split into threes, and aligned themselves neatly along the stone walls. The gate was opened by the initial two who first left their posts. Said two guards separated, joining the sides of the gate. Sasuke gently pulled the reins, and his horse stopped in her path.

In synch, the guards all dropped to one knee and bowed their heads. Their departing words were shouted as one voice. "We wish you luck on your trip, your highness!"

Sasuke scrutinized each of them as they remained in their crouched positions, awaiting a reply. It wasn't genuine; at least, he didn't see it as one. Still, he wasn't sure if anyone believed in his ability to return alive, up until this moment. He nodded curtly and uttered his grace loud enough for them to hear. Once they did, they all jolted upright. He lightly kicked his heel back against his mare, and she started up moving with a grunt.

As he exited his kingdom, the place of his birth and raising, he ignored the sounds of the gates locking closed behind him. He'd never left the walls of his palace like this. The only time he could remember leaving the kingdom was to visit his mother's family, who stayed in another kingdom. The latter was only three days away, and he was protected by the forces of a carriage, and fifty overbearing guards. Now, in this moment, he was left to his lonesome with his mare. She didn't say much to fill the silence. Her presence was enough to soothe some of his unwanted fears, though.

They walked along a dirt path that was made for travel. As Sasuke had predicted earlier, outside of the kingdom walls was pure forest. The trees stood tall, wide, and old. A head of lush, green leaves kept the sky obscured from view. Open patches between the trees let sunlight leak in, and served as the only indication for the time of day. Bushes and shrubs created hedges around trees, and filled in the spaces between them. Chirping overhead were various birds, and scurrying about were hungry rodents. He was reminded of his childhood picture-books, and any reasons for terror were left behind.

He continued to travel until the dirt path detoured. Reining his mare to take a break, he hopped off of her and opened a pack on the right side of her saddle. After briefly fishing through the wrapped food and a flask of water, he retrieved the map that his advisors made. According to it, he wasn't far from his first destination: a flowing river. Once he came upon the crisp water of "Crystal," the name of the river, he would be able to easily maneuver his way to the dragon's dungeon.

Being held hostage within the dungeon was Sakura, the famous cherry blossom princess. She was known as one of the world's most beautiful princesses, and she was widely respected beyond those of her kingdom. Sasuke had never cared to meet her, or listen through one of the many stories of her accomplishments. The idea of marriage never attracted him, and he was much too focused on creating some of his own accomplishments. However, a week ago, it was reported that she had been kidnapped on one of her hunting trips with her father. The news spread after twenty-four hours, and it wasn't long before she had sent a dove to notify her parents of her whereabouts.

When Sasuke caught wind of her location, and the terrible journey that it would take to return her home safely, his mind brewed with a plan. None of her suitors were brave enough to step forward with an offer, and so he took it upon himself to do so. He still wasn't fond of having to marry her, considering she sounded like a shrew from her many stories. However, he didn't let that deter him from his original plan. He would cross that bridge when he got there.

It was after a few minutes of scanning the map that he realized the lack of light. He looked up towards what he could see of the sky, and took note of the colorful tint having replaced the blue one. Dawn had morphed into an array of pinks, purples, and orange-reds. From what he heard by knights, and the many legends told by Itachi as a kid, he knew it wasn't safe to travel at night. He also kept in mind that he hadn't brought a lantern, so any thoughts of continuing, regardless, were shot down before further evolution.

He didn't want to think about the possibilities of having his sharingan.

Careful of the ink, Sasuke folded the map into four sections. He placed it back in its respective pack, then detached both packs from the saddles of his mare. Because she had traveled so much, he tugged downwards on her reins, and deemed it necessary that she turn in for the evening. She seemed grateful, for she lied down carefully. He placed the bags by her blonde tail, then combed the mane along her neck with his fingers.

"Good girl," he mumbled with praise. She responded with a soft grunt, and he sat down propped against her. She was the only female he could tolerate for extended periods of time, besides his mother. He remembered when he was seven, and Itachi had finally found some time to help him perfect his skills in horseback riding. She was just a pony at the time, and the only ample horse that he could use for training. He had blushed profoundly, and vehemently refused until Itachi rode her shamelessly around the kingdom streets. Having taken up much of the embarrassment for his little brother, he got Sasuke to begrudgingly slide on top of her. They spent the morning walking safely behind the palace walls, on their individual horses.

He could still see Itachi's back as the elder rode atop his tall stallion.

"Tsk," Sasuke sucked his teeth with distaste, and his mare made a small noise. He had to pet her some more to assure her that the sound wasn't aimed for her. He then pulled out his flask of water, and opened it. After pouring some cold water in his hand, he quickly put the flask down and cupped both palms to keep the water from dripping. He held it beneath her mouth, and she accepted it.

He hadn't felt tired until the surrounding forest was still, and the songs of birds had transpired to the music of crickets. The sky was a deep shade of bruised blue, and the only lights that seeped in past the trees' leaves were from the moon. His horse was asleep, and he shifted himself so that he laid on the grass. His back was to her side, almost in a protective manner, and his head was cushioned by his hands. He curled up as far as he could without his armor getting in the way. This wasn't much of a curl, but rather an awkward bend of his torso. Luckily, the night wasn't too cold.

His last thoughts before drifting to a light sleep was of his father's hurtful words.

"I don't believe you are ready to go out on such a quest. You will not survive. And when you finally die, I will refuse to bury whatever's left of your remains."

It was still a slap to the face, and his heart still burned from the ice. Furthermore, his desire to rescue Sakura and bring her home in one piece had intensified. With a yawn that brought small tears to his eyes, he rested in his resolution.

Our beloved Naruto will make his rather obnoxious appearance in the next chapter! I will be updating every day until this story is finished. Jo, your birthday is in less than a week, though there will probably be more chapters after your birthday. Consider it your early Christmas/anniversary gift! :D

Happy Birthday to Sasuke, as well.