-Team Yamato gets a mission which involves the Royal Family of the Land of Fire. However, they soon find out Team Hebi's there too. And just what is Sakura's relationship to Lady Cornelia and Lady Euphemia? WARNING: DARK SAKURA FANFIC AND INCLUDES CODE GEASS CHARACTERS-Based on Hong Kong drama 宫心计-

OMG, this is my ninth fanfiction! Yay me! Actually . . . this was supposed to be my tenth… The first version of this story is still on paper, and I haven't gotten a chance to actually write enough of it to type up… Sorry peoples! And like I said, this story is based off of the drama 宫心计 Beyond the Realm of Conscience, the drama that finally beat the leading drama of ten years! [applauses] Sorry, 대장금 Jewel in the Palace, it's time to move over for a new drama! And don't worry, all those of you who watched 宫心计, I'm definitely going to make a better ending! Just you wait and see!

Chapter One

"I pray to the Heavenly Mother: please reward the good guys and punish the wrongdoers."

"I pray that the Empress will get well soon so that she can rule the palace again."

"And please keep his Majesty safe so that he can return to the administration soon."

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

"Both you and I are sisters of the Fire Lord. We rank pari passu!"

"It may have been like that before, but now the overseer of the kingdom is me! And while the Empress is in rehabilitation, I'm in charge of the palace. Imoto-san, you'll have to listen to my orders."

"Oneesama! Even though we're not good sisters anymore, I really hope you will get back on the right track."

Her elder sister laughed. "Imoto-san, you really are so naïve! You can't fight me at all!"

"It's never crossed my mind once to compete with you! You just don't believe me!"

"I got smacked because I believed you! My lips were stitched together because I tried to help you! I've suffered so much humiliation because of you, Hamasaki Euphemia! My teammates, too! I, Hamasaki Eulalie, hereby swear that I will never trust anyone ever again! Let others suffer the humiliation and the pain. I've had enough! You always say we must do good deeds, speak good words, and show goodwill. I'll tell you what: you are so wrong! Everyone cheats in the palace! It's a place full of tricks and deceit! To survive, you must play along and grab the chance! Then you'll climb all the way to the top! Right now, there are so many outdated traditions in the Imperial Household with everything from internal conflicts to the ninja war! Once I get the chance, I'll replace all those in charge!"

"You used to be a part of Konoha and the Imperial Household Bureau! If you do so, you'll be so ungrateful! I do regret why I spared you so much back then! If I had exposed your bad conduct then you wouldn't have erred so much now!"

"Enough! You're the only one who wants to play her role properly! If you like following the rules so much, if you think kindness is so important"—she took out her hairpin, throwing it at her sister—"then you should wear this Phoenix Welcoming the Sun hairpin!"

"Our mom made this hairpin!" Euphemia cried, picking it up from the ground. "It's a gift from the Empress!"

"So what? Let me warn you: if you behave properly, I will allow you to remain at your current status. Otherwise, I'll give the order to have you killed! And when that happens, don't hold it against me!"

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

"Okaasan, before you died, you told me to do good deeds, speak good words, and show goodwill. I've done all of that…"—a tear rolled down her face—"But you also asked Oneesama and I to support each other… I'm so sorry… I can't do so… It's because she isn't the same girl I knew before… She isn't my good sister anymore…"

✿｡.:*four months ago*:.｡✿

"SSAAAAAKKKUUUUURRRRRAAAAAA-CCCCHHHHHHAAAAANNNNN!" And then a huge bear hug came next.

Sakura giggled. "Naruto, what is it?"

"You remember what day it is, right?"

"Um . . . free ramen day?"

"No, Ugly," Sai said; a smile plastered on his face. "It's your birthday!"

"Oh, really?" Sakura asked, searching through her brain. Tuesday the 26th, Wednesday the 27th, and today the 28th… They were right! It was her birthday. "How could I forget?"

"Well, anyway, what cha want to do today, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, almost jumping up and down with joy. "Wanna go to the mall or, better yet, do you want to get your nails done?"

Sakura laughed even harder. "Naruto! That would be what Ino'd want! Plus, what kind of girl gets her nails done on her birthday?"

"True…" Naruto nodded his head in agreement.

"Then what do you want to do, Ugly?"

"Hm…" Sakura thought about it for a moment. Really, she had never given any thought to her birthday—heck, most of the time she'd forget she even had a birthday. It was just one of those things, you know?

"I don't know," she finally said. "Usually, during these days, Kakashi would suggest something, and we'd all do it together, but he's not here. Where is he anyway?"

"Well . . . um . . . he's, um . . ." Naruto couldn't find a good excuse.

Sai sighed. "He's getting a new book!"

"Oh, really?" Sakura's eyebrow rose.

"Yes!" Naruto answered, a bit too fast.

"But he got a new book just yesterday… What are you two hiding from me?"

"Um . . . hiding?" Naruto swallowed his saliva.

"We're not hiding anything," Sai said quickly—a bit too quickly.

"Okay, tell you what: how about you two go help them all with the decorations and preparations and what-not?" Sakura suggested. "Right now, I just want to take a walk around the forest. Alone."

"Aw, you guessed the surprise." Naruto sighed, but he knew he had to give in. She was the birthday girl, after all. "Alright, Sakura-chan. If that's what you want."

"Just be sure you get to the party at sunset."

"Will do, Sai. See you two later!"

✿｡.:**:.｡✿

As Sakura strolled around the wooded area, she couldn't help it; her eyes started to water. Oh, how she missed the good old days with Team 7. It was just another one of those things… She just couldn't get over it. Team 7 was just . . . just too much a part of her heart, too much a part of her memories. She just couldn't forget. In fact, even now, she'd do anything to see her two teammates being friends again, smiling as much as they could.

She sighed. They were her family, yes, and she treated them so much like one. And yet . . . she still suffered so much. Could it really be too much to ask for? Just a simple and quiet life with the people she loved? Wouldn't the gods grant her that much?

But then again, she did deserve to be struck by lightning. She had left her family behind—her real family, not the Team 7 one, but the family she was born into. In fact, she was more than a few thousand miles away from them; their life, so much different from hers. She had left them all: her aunt, her sisters, her brother… They were all probably there, just waiting for the day she'd be home…

Sakura wiped away a stray tear. No, she couldn't think about them. They were safe, as safe as can be, from the war and troubles of the outside world. Yes, she knew they were safe. They didn't need her. There was just no other answer. They were safe, they just were. If not then her leaving would've been in vain.

"Actually, your leaving was in vain."

Sakura quickly turned to the source of that sinister voice. "Uchiha Madara…" she snarled out the name. Of course, she wouldn't be polite to him even if he did call off the ninja war, just because it wasn't "fun" anymore. She couldn't let her guard down especially not with that creepy look on his face. No, definitely not.

But what Madara did next was . . . err, unexpected. He got on his knees, putting his fist in his right hand, and bowed his head. "Your Ladyship!"

Sakura's eyes widened in confusion and shock. "Uchiha Madara, why are you doing so?" the kunoichi asked, still not dropping her guard; her head bobbed around a bit to search for a hidden weapon she had missed. Suddenly, she realized her speech had changed—probably because he used a title she had not heard since she was five. "I mean, what are you doing?"

"I implore Your Ladyship to return to the palace so as to help the people."

Sakura almost fainted. That answer was . . . it just wasn't . . . it couldn't be! She had tried so hard, all of her work… How did Madara know? How did he find out? Sakura just couldn't believe it! She was about ready to cry.

She shook her head. "No… No… I'm not… I-"

"Yes, I know this is quite a shock to you, Haruno Sakura," Madara said, the concern in his voice almost sounded real. "But you must return back to who you really are! The current Fire Lord is cruel and brutal. He wants to burn down the monasteries and kill all the monks. Sooner or later, he'll start setting his eyes on the ninja villages and the surrounding nations. He's offended the people!"

"So?" Sakura asked, trying not to cry; she didn't look him in the eye afraid he'd hypnotize her. "What does that have to do with me? I'm just a Konoha kunoichi! I can't do anything to change what's happening inside the Royal Palace!"

"But you can, and you know it! Your brother, after all, is the rightful Fire Lord! The Empress just played a horrible trick to help her son rise to power! You know it, too, don't you?"

Sakura didn't answer.

"Listen to me: pretty soon, the Fire Lord will lose his throne." Madara said, standing back up, as Sakura shook her head; tears falling out of her eyes. "When that happens, I want to help your family return to its former status! The other officials will assist you. Your family can rule the country with love and kindness. It's really a blessing for the people."

"NO!" Sakura yelled. "This is treason! And why would I believe you? Of all people to believe? Aren't you trying to destroy the ninja world?"

"I don't have a choice!" Madara argued. "I've seen my wrong ways… I want to change, starting with the administration and His Majesty! And once your family gets back their status, you would be able to leave shinobi life and return to the palace!"

"No! I won't agree to this!" Sakura said, trying to ignore Madara's words. "I don't care if I'd get a life of luxury. I just want to stay out of that accursed place!"

"My Lady, do you actually believe the current Fire Lord would allow you to live if you just stay low? You think he won't hunt you down? You think you can stay as a commoner, free from the troubles of the palace life? His Majesty has eyes everywhere!" Madara stated. "Not only that but your whole family is still in the palace! Do you actually believe he would just let them live, having the royal blood flowing through their veins, knowing that your brother is just a challenger to the throne and nothing more than a nuisance?"

"He wouldn't set his eyes on them!" Sakura said, trying to convince not only Madara but her own self. She kept a straight face and walked at a steady pace as she spoke. "My aunt and sisters are ladies in the palace, servants to the Fire Lord himself! And my brother—the only competition the Fire Lord actually has—has been sent to a temple, far from the palace, to recover from a serious injury to his brain! He-"

"He's been called back to the palace!"

"WHAT?" She turned back to the Uchiha, trying to find any sign of a lie. There was none.

"It's true, My Lady. If you want to save your family, you must act quickly! You must restore your family back to its original status as the true Royal Family and help your brother become Fire Lord! And not only for your family's safety but for the people, too! Do you want them to suffer? Do you want to see that? For the sake of the nation, the people, and your brother, you must return back to the palace and get back what you deserve!"

And though Sakura knew she couldn't trust the Uchiha, his words did make sense. "Can I really do that?" she asked out loud; it was on accident. She had meant only to ask herself, not Madara.

"If you don't believe me then have faith in the gods," Madara suggested. "From a young age, both you and your sisters were sickly beings, but you've all become such beautiful and healthy women—the youngest may still be blind and crippled, but she still lives! And your brother has suffered through a horrible head wound that was supposed to kill him, and yet he has survived! This shows that the gods favor your family! They've given you their blessings! What else can't you do?"

That made even more sense, but so did miracles. She could not let herself believe in Madara's words. She had to find a way out. "But the Fire Lord and the Empress-"

"I'll handle that. The Empress is old; she could enjoy a retired life."

"But . . . how would I leave Konoha?"

"You're a smart girl. I think you can figure that out yourself."

And yes, indeed, Sakura was a smart girl, but there was a small voice in the back of her head, screaming for her not to return to the palace. After all, a palace woman's life was cheap. It could easily have been replaced. And once in the palace, there was no way out. But she could sacrifice herself for her family, could she not?

Imoto-san = little sister

Oneesama = older sister [honorific]

Yay~! Chappie is done! I'm so happy! I hope you guys will like it, but I think it's kind of rushed! If you think there should be any changes, please tell me so in your review! Otherwise, please stayed tune for the next chapter!