Author's Note: Finally, I'm back. It's been a long time since I posted anything, way too long. Very, very sorry. I had a crazy, stressful year. This fic is written for the H&E Tenth Anniversary contest, though I really just did it for the challenge, not to win anything. I apologize in advance for any OOC-ness, this is very AU. I literally just finished it this morning so I hope the end result isn't too sloppy. Probably when this is all finish I will go back and spruce it up.

Also, see the end of the chapter for additional notes.

Her mother was waiting for her on the veranda as Haruno Sakura made her way through the garden, intending to sneak in unnoticed. It had worked well for her in the past when she'd absconded from the house for an hour or two to herself away from her mother's domineering presence. But now her plan was ruined and she knew she wasn't likely to get out again for a good long while after this. She should have known her mother would find her out sooner rather than later. It was probably that new servant girl, running to tell the lady of the house when she'd noticed Sakura missing. But there was no way to know for sure.

Sakura could feel her mother's heavy, disapproving gaze on her, and the weight of it did not leave Sakura for even a moment as she approached. Haruno Mebuki stood tall and straight and Sakura couldn't help feeling like a small, disobedient child before her, even more so when Mebuki looked at her that way. Sakura was unable to bring herself to lift her head, for the shame she felt at having been caught – though not for sneaking out in the first place, which she was aware should have been the source of her shame.

Abruptly, Mebuki turned and walked inside and Sakura knew without being told that she was meant to follow. She didn't want to; part of her thought of turning around and running back into the woods in hopes of avoiding the inevitable lecture a little while longer, but she knew she could not. Her feet moved separate of her will to follow through the doorway after her mother.

Once inside, Sakura sat down on the tatami, head bowed, and waited while Mebuki closed the shoji and lowered then herself to sit across from Sakura. Legs tucked neatly underneath her, Mebuki smoothed her hands over the folds of her kimono over her lap, evening out any wrinkles so the cloth lay flat.

The two of them certainly made for a very noticeable contrast to the other, Sakura realized with some embarrassment.

Earlier that morning, Sakura had opted to leave her hair loose instead of plaiting it or pinning it up and it now fell in windswept tangles down to her mid-waist. She had to resist the sudden urge to make her unkempt hair more presentable by combing her fingers through the knots. There was dirt under her chipped nails, and smears of dirt on the fine cloth of her kimono from trekking through the forest and kneeling on the ground to dig up the herbs and plants she'd found to use for her medicines.

Her mother's appearance gave a very different impression. Mebuki's straw colored hair was tidily arranged on top of her head, and her clothing was spotless. She was clean, proper and elegant in a way Sakura knew she was not. She tried, she truly did, but she wasn't like her mother and she couldn't help the way she chafed against the restraints of her class and sex.

"How many times are we going to have to go over this Sakura?" Mebuki finally said, her voice controlled, though Sakura could hear the edge of anger under the words.

Sakura lifted her head and met her mother's hard gaze, and the green eyes that glinted in the low light like twin shards of jade. There was a long, silent moment in which they simply stared at each other, and for perhaps the first time she could remember Sakura refused to look away or lower her head.

If there was one thing she and her mother did undoubtedly have in common, it was their eyes. Green as the grass after a spring rain, they were beautiful, enchanting eyes. And they were also fierce, knowing eyes that had a way of making one feel small and exposed. Sakura would know. She had felt that way many times under Mebuki's penetrating stare, especially when she had been small and caught doing something she shouldn't have.

"I only went for a walk," Sakura said at last, offering no apology and giving no sign of remorse. "I needed to find some herbs I ran out of." From her sleeve, she took out a small pouch and opened it to show the roots and leaves of the medicinal plants she'd gathered on her walk through the forest.

"There was no reason for you to do that yourself. You could easily have sent someone to retrieve whatever you needed for you," Mebuki said in exasperation.

"I prefer to do these things for myself, Okaasan," Sakura said, making an effort to keep herself calm as she spoke. She knew it would do her no good to lose her temper. It would only give her mother further reason to believe she lacked maturity. "There is so little I'm allowed to do for myself, especially now. It isn't fair that I can't have something to do on my own."

Mebuki sighed. "Sakura-chan, I'm sure you know that the freedoms you've had in the past are far beyond what any other girl of you station would ever be allowed. Your father has always indulged your whims and let you do what you wanted." She paused, and the shadow of regret in her eyes was reflected in her voice when she continued.

"And I did not always give you the discipline I should when you were still a child, but now you are a young woman. It's time for you to rein in your wilder tendencies and start practicing temperance. When you are married you will have responsibilities that you cannot neglect. A household, children, and a husband that you'll need to attend to. You won't be able to just run off whenever the notion takes you."

"I know, Okaasan," said Sakura, harsher than she'd intended. She had already heard all of this so many times, and each time left her filled with a sick feeling of dread at the reminder of her impending marriage.

Only in her private thoughts would she be able to admit she didn't really want to marry, not right now at least. Had she a choice, Sakura would have rather waited and married someone she knew she loved than to leave it to chance by marrying a stranger her parents chose for her. But, it was only wishful thinking. Marriage for love was not an option, she knew. Not for her. It was pointless to even entertain the idea, if only for a moment.

"You may not see it now, Sakura-chan," Mebuki said, her tone placating. "But someday will look back and know that this was for the best."

Sakura gritted her teeth and held her tongue. Her brow pulled downward in a frown and she looked down at her hands in her lap, fingers curled tightly into the fabric of her kimono. "Yes, Okaasan," she said, resigned. Her shoulders slumped forward and she felt as though the bars of and invisible cage had closed around her, leaving her no room to move.

The next several days fell into a predictable pattern. Sakura was allowed no farther than the garden and kept under watchful scrutiny, either by her mother or by the guards under Mebuki's orders. It was frustrating to be treated like a child who couldn't obey the rules, but Sakura supposed she had brought it on herself and made no complaint. She tried as best she could to pretend they weren't there, watching her like she would vanish at a moment's notice.

To appease her mother's desire for her to practice 'temperance', Sakura spent much of her time reading poetry and practicing the calligraphy she'd been neglecting. She did enjoy these activities to an extent, but they did little to ease her restlessness.

Mebuki also insisted on drilling her in the most rudimentary of social etiquette. Sakura knew how to behave and carry herself in situations where certain etiquette was required and she knew her mother knew that too. She soon decided it must be a form of punishment. Certainly the daily lessons were horribly tedious and left her frustrated enough to make for an effective punishment. And after her patience was already worn thin to the point of breaking, there was the tea ceremony.

Sakura had a very good memory. She could recite many poems verbatim and knew her book of herbal remedies by heart. It was a simple but useful skill, and as such, she knew all the steps of the tea ceremony very well. But even with her exceptional memory for procedure, Sakura still managed to get something wrong, without fail. Her mother nearly had a fit of hysterics when Sakura accidently broke the tea bowl. After that, Mebuki decided to postpone any further lessons for a few days. Needless to say, Sakura was relieved.

In the following days, Sakura was able to return to her own routines as her mother's constant watch over her began to let up. She no longer had to worry about anyone looming over her shoulder every moment of the day, watching her wherever she went like she would otherwise disappear.

Honestly, her mother could be much too paranoid.

But even if she wasn't being watched over constantly like a mischievous child, the guards still kept a close eye on her whenever she so much as stepped outside. She wanted to tell them to just leave her be, and the words to say so had been on her tongue more than once, but she didn't dare speak them aloud. It really was her own fault after all, even if she wouldn't hesitate to do it again. And she would, as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

Everything would have been much easier for Sakura if her father were home. Where her mother was strict and overprotective, her father had a much more relaxed approach to things. He'd spoiled her, Sakura knew. From the time she was small, he let her have anything she wanted, do anything she wanted.

She was her parents' single surviving child, the others having died in infancy – one born before her and one after, both boys. Sakura wondered, sometimes, if Haruno Kizashi wished one of his sons had lived instead. He treated her in many ways as she imagined he would have treated the sons he'd lost, even going so far as teaching her swordsmanship against Mebuki's frequent protests. But, she tried not to let herself think that way for too long. As it was, her father had begun to distance himself from her and was looking in earnest to find her an appropriate suitor and arrange a marriage.

Before long, her childhood and all its freedoms would just be a distant memory and she would have to start a new life, in a new place, beside a stranger she wasn't sure she could ever love. The thought alone was enough to fill her with a rush of anger and helplessness.

When those feelings took her over, the only way Sakura could find to release them was to retreat into the dojo for an hour or two and go through the stances and exercises her father had taught her with her katana. She would lose herself in the comfortable, practiced repetition of swordplay, imagining an invisible opponent defending and parrying her attacks and returning with their own. It was only when her arms shook from exertion and her breath came in harsh pants, lungs burning, that she would finally stop.

After her energy was spent, she put away her katana and lay sprawled out on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. There was no one to see her here or scold her for looking undignified with her hair falling loose from her plait and strand sticking to her sweaty forehead, her limbs spread-eagled. Here, she could relax.

She felt the satisfaction in her tired muscles that came with vigorous activity, for now ridding her of the restiveness that constantly prickled her mind when she was cooped up at home and under watch. The anger was still there, simmering deep inside, along with the helpless feeling, but she could ignore it and make herself numb to it. She had to. It was the only way she would be able to accept the inescapable future she knew she wanted no part of but had no power to change.

Truly, Sakura did understand the importance of finding a husband, and why her mother was so concerned about Sakura doing anything that might deter potential match. A woman was nothing without a husband to support her – unable to own land or earn a living. Her only other option was to join a temple and become a nun. But as soon as the idea so much as crossed her mind Sakura rejected it without any further thought. Such a life was not the least bit appealing and she wasn't quite so desperate to actually consider it.

The easiest thing to do would be to wait until her parents found someone they thought would be appropriate husband for her and try to make the most of it from there. Maybe, just maybe, fate would surprise her and she would fall in love with the man her parents chose. She just hoped that whatever path fate decided for her, it would not be cruel.

Nearly two weeks passed before Sakura finally found her chance to sneak away again. It was morning, just after breakfast with her mother, when she would usually withdraw to her quarters and stay there until early afternoon, reading the books her father had brought back for her from his travels. Knowing her interest in medicine, he most often brought her books on herbal remedies and the treatments of various wounds, but now and then he might bring her a book of poetry.

Today, she was feeling especially fidgety and unable to focus. The characters seemed to swim on the page and her mind couldn't be bothered to make sense of them, all she could think was that she just really wanted out. She wanted to breathe in fresh, wild, crisp autumn air and hear the breeze rustling through the leaves still clinging to the trees.

On a whim, Sakura slipped out of her room and searched around for any sign of servants or guards nearby. There was no one in sight. Apparently, everyone expected her to stay where she was supposed to now without needing to be looked after. Well, they were wrong about that, but it worked in her favor. If she was careful, she would be back before anyone even suspected she was gone.

Sakura half expected someone to call out to her before she was able to cross the garden and reach to tree line, but no one did. With the trees to conceal her, Sakura was assured that she had made it out without being seen. But of course, the real trick would be getting back in without rousing anyone's attention. That was something she would worry about later.

The forest was awash in the colors of fall, the leaves turning red and gold and orange and beginning to fall from the trees to scatter on the ground, crunching softly under her feet. Though some of the plants, she noticed remained stubbornly green, not yet giving in to the pull of cooler weather that signaled the coming of winter.

She heard a pair of birds chirping to each other, and the flutter of wings overhead. Sakura almost believed she could spread her own wings and take flight, light as she felt now. Gathering up the hem of her skirt so as not to trip, she started to walk more briskly.

After a short while, Sakura came to a familiar structure of slate colored stone steps leading up a long incline, layered with fiery colored leaves and tall trees framing either side, rising to form a canopy high above her head. Sakura started to climb, the path leading her higher and higher up the hillside. Glimpsing through the trees on her right, she saw where the terrain sloped down, and the long drop to the valley far below where she knew the village was although she'd never been there herself.

Soon, she saw the red Torii gates come into view in front of her that marked the entrance of an Inari shrine, flanked by a pair of stone fox statues wearing their bright red votive bibs. But rather than continuing on to the shrine, Sakura veered off the path and approached the edge of the cliff upon which the shrine was built, overlooking the village. A gust of wind pushed against her as Sakura stood mere feet from the steep, abrupt ledge of the cliff and she brushed a stray strand of hair away from her eyes to take in the sight of the clusters of buildings, some close together and others spread far apart, the expansive fields where the farmers planted their rice, and the tiny, moving figures of townspeople – more people than she'd quite honestly ever seen gathered in one place. Sakura could only imagine the noise and confusion and the energy of such a place.

She had stood at this very place many times, looking down at the village she could never see up close from a bird's eye view, and it always left her breathless with awe. Not to mention standing up so high, the rest of the world appearing so small was exhilarating and made her heart feel as though it was about to drop into her stomach.

There was a sound behind her, a scuff of feet on the ground, and Sakura spun around with a gasp, having thought she was alone. A man stood perhaps a yard or two away, watching her. No, not a man, she realized as she took in the slight roundness of his still boyish features. He was probably her age, or not much older. It would not be the first time Sakura had encountered a villager or traveler when they came to pay their respects at the shrine, but she was sure she'd never seen this boy before. Definitely, she'd have remembered if she had.

He wore a deep blue kimono, accentuated with a leaf pattern and highlighting the vibrant blue of his eyes. He had the look of someone who spent much time outside, his complexion a few shades darker than her own but not as brown the farmers she'd in passing, nor did his hands have the thick, rugged appearance of one who worked in the fields. His hair was yellow, like sunlight, and unruly, a long fringe hanging in his eyes and sticking up in all directions in a way that made him look a little wild. Also, his feet were bare.

"Good morning," he said, too loud, smiling broadly to show all his teeth.

"Ah, good morning," Sakura said back, and gave a slight bow in his direction, which he did not return. "I didn't think anyone else was here, I should probably be going."

"But you just got here." He sounded strangely disappointed at the thought of her leaving.

"I –" she started to speak, but stopped, not sure what she wanted to say. He seemed friendly enough, but that same friendliness was what made her uneasy. What did he want with her?

As if he'd heard her thought the boy spoke again in that too loud voice of his. "I noticed you come here a lot, so I thought I should come out and say 'hi'."

"You live around here?" Sakura said, surprised. She had come to the conclusion that he was a traveler on his way through, but he'd been here all along and somehow had noticed her without her ever noticing him.

He nodded. "It gets kinda lonely sometimes though. Most people aren't very nice, but you're different," he said it so confidently, like it was just a fact; like he actually knew her. "What's your name?"

She wondered if she should tell him, or leave as quickly as she could. She didn't understand what his intentions were, for all she knew he could be dangerous and here she was without a weapon. Stupid. And yet, she felt oddly compelled to answer him. "Haruno Sakura."

The boy smiled, much more softly than before, his eyes crinkling in a way that could have only been genuine. "Sakura-chan. It fits you, `cause you hair looks like Sakura blossoms in spring."

Sakura couldn't keep her face from flushing. She was not used to compliments from anyone besides her father and definitely not from a boy so close to her own age. But she really was not comfortable with the idea of blushing over a stranger whose name she didn't even know so she composed herself and asked, "And who are you?"

It came out sounding rather rude, Sakura thought, but the boy didn't seem bothered. "Naruto," he said.

"Is that all?" she said, and Naruto nodded. No family name, so he was a commoner then. Something about him didn't seem to match with that though; there was something very uncommon about him. But what it could possibly be Sakura couldn't pin down.

Naruto stepped closer to her and Sakura saw for the first time the unusual markings on his face. Three dark lines on each cheek, like whiskers. How could she have not noticed such a thing before? It was just another thing she added to the strangeness of this person. He stopped with just a few feet separating them, and Sakura wanted to step back but she was already standing very close to the edge of the cliff.

"I really should be getting home now, but it was nice to meet you, Naruto-san," she said, quickly skirting around him, relieved that he made no move block her or grab for her.

"Wait, Sakura-chan," he called after her, almost desperately. Sakura paused and looked back. Naruto gave her and apologetic look and raised one hand to scratch at the back of his head. "I'm sorry. I scared you, huh? I just don't meet many, uh, people."

Sakura wanted to ask why he chose to live up here instead of down in the village if he was lonely. But, it wasn't her business. "It's alright, but I actually do need to get home. I'm kind of not supposed to be out here," she said, and wondered why she would tell him that.

Despite everything in her saying she couldn't trust someone she'd only just met – and in the middle of the woods too – Sakura found she did trust him, at least a little. Naruto, for all his peculiarities, did not strike her as deceptive.

"Oh, okay. Can I see you again, Sakura-chan?"

Well, Sakura didn't see what it could hurt, so long as her mother never found out. "I suppose, but I don't know when I'll be able to come out here again," she said.

"I can wait," Naruto said with a grin. Then, he walked past her and headed for the path Sakura had followed on her way up.

He looked back over his shoulder when he realized she hadn't moved. "Are you coming, Sakura-chan?"

"What?"

"I'm walking you back home," said Naruto without preamble.

Sakura felt a spike of irritation. "I can find my way just fine."

Naruto tilted his head at her, his expressive face showing clear confusion. "Did I say somethin` wrong?"

Okay, she might have overreacted. He was clearly just trying to do the polite thing and she shouldn't let her pride get in the way. "No," she said, sighing. "I was the one who was rude." Maybe her mother was right about her lack of manners, but she'd never acted this way with anyone else before.

"Oh." And apparently, that was the end of it.

The walk back was mostly silent, but it was not an uncomfortable silence. Sakura took the chance to observe Naruto more closely as he walked at her side. He was a few inches taller than her, not exceptionally tall for his age and he carried himself as though he was just barely tethered to the earth, lightly and unrestrained. He smelled of the forest, like dirt and rain and something wild she couldn't identify. And he seemed perfectly at ease going around without shoes, unconcerned where he might step.

"Why don't you wear shoes?" Sakura said before she could think to stop herself.

Naruto glanced down at his bare feet as if he'd just now realized they were uncovered. "Guess I'm just used to it."

They reached the edge of the forest sooner than Sakura would have liked. She saw the sprawling structure of her home come into view ahead of her and she froze, laying one hand against the rough surface of a nearby tree trunk. She dreaded the moment when she would be trapped within those walls again. At least Mebuki didn't appear to be waiting for her this time.

"Sakura-chan, is something wrong?" Naruto said. Sakura could feel his eyes on her and she couldn't miss the honest concern in his voice.

She turned to face him full, forcing a wan smile. "Of course, everything's fine. I can go on my own from here, thank you Naruto-san."

"Just Naruto," he corrected her. "Next time, just call me Naruto."

Sakura nodded. "Alright, if that's what you want. Good-bye, Naruto." She started at to turn back around when Naruto suddenly reached out, seizing her wrist in a firm, but gentle hold.

Stunned, Sakura look at his hand, much larger than hers and easily encircling her wrist and then flicked her eyes up to look at his face. His expression was much more somber than anything he'd shown before, his endlessly blue eyes showing a deep sadness. "You know, there's something kind of sad about you," he said. "You're like me, aren't you?"

She stared at him for a long moment, struggling to understand what he could possibly mean. "Like you? What do you mean?"

"You're alone." His hand dropped from her wrist, but Sakura could still feel the heat from his touch, searing her like a hot brand on her skin.

She couldn't seem to find her voice and could only watch silently as Naruto smiled sadly and suddenly she was watching his back as he made his way back to wherever he'd come, the forest seemed to swallow him, his form disappearing like mist. As if he'd never been there at all.

AN: I really wanted the first chapter to be longer (sighs) but I ran out of time. I hope it's at least a good enough introduction to spark some interest. I'm really doing something here that I've never tried before, and I did a lot of research on the time period during which this story takes place. I am not an expert though and any errors are entirely my fault. Here are some notes of some of the history and facts relevant to this chapter.

– Sakura has long hair in this fic because in the time period (the Feudal Era, which lasted from 1185 to 1603) women from the higher social classes did not cut their hair, only peasant woman did because they needed their hair to be practical for working out in the fields.

– When Sakura asks Naruto for his last name, he does not give one and she assumes he must be a commoner (peasant). The reason being that only higher classes – Samurai class and above – were allowed to have surnames. The only exception would be if a commoner had done some special service for their daimyo and were then awarded a surname.

– In the early Feudal era, it was not unheard of for woman to be a warrior, but later on women lost a lot of their power and were treated as property. A woman was brought up to believe she was inferior to men and taught the 'three obediences': "When she is young, she obeys her father; when she is married, she obeys her husband; when she is widowed, she obeys her son." Yeah, definitely doesn't sound like a great time to live as a woman, I'd say Sakura's reluctance and rebelliousness is totally understandable.

– The tea ceremony. Sounds like it sound should be pretty simple right? Wrong. Apparently doing it right can take years of practice.

– Inari; a kami (god) from the Shinto faith, patron of swords smiths, merchants, actors and prostitutes, and associated with foxes, agriculture, fertility, rice, tea, sake, prosperity and worldly success. This is actually pretty important later on.

Remember, reviews are always welcome and greatly appreciated. Don't be afraid to leave me your thoughts down below. Thank you!