His slave
Chapter 1
War

Long ago, the kingdoms Konoha and Oto were friends. But then, the king of Oto started a war. He wanted Konoha for himself, so he could spread his power all over the world. The name of this king, was Madara Uchiha. He started a huge war against the kingdom Konoha, but he lost. And so, he disappeared, but not without leaving his hate towards the kingdom for his heirs. For a long time, there was peace between the two kingdoms. But that time wasn't for long...

Today...

Sakura rode along the road that led her to her beautiful kingdom. Konoha was a green land with much water. The people here were happy, there were no poor people and they had much luck every year with the harvest. They were truly happy and not even the upcoming war could dim that happiness.

Sakura gave her horse a little mroe rein. It was a beautiful grey mare with black mane an tail. Sakura noticed the dark clouds in the northern sky and she knew what was under those clouds. The kingdom Oto. Oto was a dark and cold kingdom and its people only thought about war and revenge. sakura had no idea, why the previous king was so fixed on destryoing her kingdom.

Sakura was the only daughter of the king. Her father was a good king. Hard but fair, he knew what was lie and what was truth. To be honest, she feared the war. It wasn't that she couldn't protect herself, she could kill a man without problems, but she knew her father would be unbelievable sad, about the loss of the peace in his kingdom.

But when she saw the big castle of her father beyond the hills adn the forest, she saw something what gave her a new reason to worry. The fires burned. It was a technique they already used by the time of the the first great war.

There were several stations with soldiers, they would lit up a huge cluster firewood to warn the castle that enemies neared the kingdom. Sakura felt her heart beating faster and fear started to bubble in her stomach. 'Oh no!' she thought worried and she pulled on the rein of her mare and gave her the spore. The big horse gave a small jump forward and it fell into a light canter.

Sakura was already near the castle, when she noticed a soldier of Konoha, standing next to the huge cluster of burning firewood. When he saw her, he drew his sword, but as soon as he noticed who she was he immedaitely let it fall to the ground and knelt down. "My princess, forigve me, I haven't recognized you". Sakura just nodded "Soldier, tell me, what is going on? Why are the fires burning?".

The soldier stood up and took off his helmet "My princess, it's Oto. We have received a scroll from the king of Oto, he told us, he woud attack soon. He wants the king, your father, dead. His sons, the brothers, are leading the army. Your highness the king told me, we shall lit up the fires, just for security".

Sakura looked towards the dark rain clouds, nearing Konoha. "Thank you. And watch out". The soldier nodded and Sakura urged her horse forward. Sakura couldn't believe it. War? This early. She knew that she was away for a long time. She wasn't the typical princess, always doing what the king and the educators told her. Sakura always wanted to travel around and see the world outside the borders of her kingdom.

She saw the huge wooden bridge and she gave the soldiers the sign to let down the bridge and seconds later, she galloped over the bridge into the inner courtyard of the castle. Servants came running towards her and bowed in front of her and asked her thousands of questions. She pulled her feet out of the stirrups and swung her leg over the back of her horse and she jumped onto the ground.

"Princess, may I carry your luggage?"
"Your highness, shall I let in your bath?"
"My princess, I'm so happy you're in a good shape!"
"Majesty, please allow me to take your cloak"

Sakura just shook her head and threw the rein of her horse into the hands of the soldier, standing next to her "Bring her into the stable, give her food and later!" she ordered harsh and just walked through the bunch of bowing servants. She had no time for them and their permanent questions.

She pushed open the doors which led her to her the throne hall. Her father sat on his throne, looking onto a map in his hands, listening to Kakashi, his general. "My king, it's impossible to protect our castle so the villagers won't get hurt. It won't work, I know you want to protect your inhabitants, but, trust me, there won't be a way to protect them all!".

"Father!" she almsot screamed and walked towards him. Her father looked up and Sakura froze. Her father looked so much older. His skin was pale and under his eyes were dark rings. She shook her head. When did her father ate the last time? He looked so thin in his big throne. "Sakura. my daughter, you're home. Finally, I was so worried about you!" he said while he stood up and walked towards her. She embraced him "Father, what's going on here? The soldier told me we received a message from Oto that they would attack?". Her father looked her in the eyes. He had her eyes. Those dark green orbs with black lashes framing them.

"Sakura, we got it this morning. I thought you would return later". Sakura sighed and shook her head "Father, I heard from the war, but I tought it was just a simple story, the farmers told". The king shook his head "No, my daugher, it wasn't a simple story. You need to go. I can't risk that you get hurt". She shook her head "No. Father, I won't leave because the soldiers are coming. I'm not a coward!". Her father nodded "I know darling, I know, but I can't risk that my kingdom lose its only heir for the throne".

Sakura hasn't heard right, or did she? Her father wanted her to be safe because she was the heir of the throne? Her grip on his arms losened and she looked down. Tears stung in her eyes. "I won't go, father" she said in a stern voice, then she turned around and walked out of the hall. She heard her father shouting her name, but se didn't care. She just walked passed the sodliers watching over the king and walked into her room.

It was already deep night and she stood on her balcony, looking over to where a huge torchlight came towards her kingdom through the darkness. It looked like a huge dragon with flames as his body. Dark and dangerous and aboslutely deadly. She wasn't afraid of the death, she was just scared of her beloved people to lose their lifes. She had so many pople in this castle she cared for deeply.

Her black cloak fluttered with the dark wind, and she turned around, looking towards her bed inside the room. On it, was her sword. The sword Kakashi gave her to defend herself. She knew she could handle it pretty good and she could fight to safe her life. But, she was sure, against a trained soldier, she wouldn't have a chance. She already heard the small whispers of her soldiers, talking about two brothers. She had no indea who they were, but she would try to find it out. But right now, she had other things to worry about. Oto shoudl reach her castle in one or two hours, and it wouldn't take long for them to reach the village behind the castle.

And the vilagers weren't trained fighters. They knew how to handle forks and scythes, but nothing more. They wouldn't have a chance against the soldiers of Oto. The safest place for now was the castle and Sakura knew, she should be thankfull of being in the castle and not outside of it, but strangely, she wanted to be outside, fighting and helping the other people! She saw that the soldiers had started burning down the trees on their way towards the castle. She sighed. How could someone be this cruel? How could they carry on this hate, without breaking in the middle.

Flashback...

A small, pink haired girl sat on a black pony staring into the sunset. The man next to her, a young soldier, sat on his big horse, leaning a hand onto his thigh. He looked down at the young girl "Sakura, d you have any idea why we have war?" the man asked in a soft tone, still staring into the sunset.

The small girl shook her head "No". The man smiled "Hate ist a very powerfull weapon, princess. "The king, the Uchihas, are a very powerfull and mighty clan. They like to have power and they would do anything to gain more power". The pink haired girl looked up at the tall man "But why are they doing this. When they are so powerfull, why are they searching for more?". The grey haired man sighed "That's the question. But the answer is, no one knows. Sakura... the human is very complicated thing. We don't know what's going on in the head of our opponent". Sakura looked confused and Kakashi laughed "One day, you'll understand".

Flashback end...

Yes, Kakashi was right. Hate was a very powerfull weapon. It drove people into madness, changed them into a person, it made them feel what others felt and not themselves. They forgot the fact what was right and what was wrong. Their hatred blinded them and they ignored the rules of peace.

She knew Kakashi was already outside of the walls, giving orders and trying to calm the nervous soldiers. She envied him. She knew that the feeling was stupid, she knew, standing on a battlfield wasn't worth to be envied, but she always felt the urge to fight. She felt the urge to free herself from all those stupid rules about the right posture and the never ending speech about how to be the perfect princess.

Sakura wanted just to turn around and walk into her room, when she saw something. On the balcony next to her, was a lonely soldier, and suddenly, he fell forward. Sakura watched with horror how the man slowly fell down into the water, surrounding the castle. She opened her mouth, but it was already too late.

Suddenly, she heard a loud crushing sound behind her door and then, someone threw himself against her door. The wood groaned under the pressure of the body which threw himself against it. She ran to her bed and grabbed her sword. She didn't knew what to do. The only way out of her room was the door, which was being attacked now and the open balcony doors behind her. Great. 'Now I can finally improve my climbing skills', she thought sarcastic and ran towards her balcony.

Sakura couldn't breathe. She knew she was juggling with her life right now. She was climbing over a small railing, with a sword in herleft hand. If she would stumble or put her foot somewhere it wasn't clever, she would fall down over 32 feet deep. Honestly, she didn't knew wat she should do right now. Obviously, the soldiers of oto were faster than she had expected, because she heard the first sounds of clashing metal and the first screams of pain and anticipation.

So, the war was starting to heat up a little and she balanced over a small railing, trying to fin a place, se could jump into the castle. Yes, great plan. There, the next balcony was good 16 feet away from her. Normally not a really big obstacle, but under her circumants, she had no idea if she would survive the next 2 feet! Suddenly, the castle was shook by a hard explosion and Sakura stumbled. She could balance herself out, but she had lost her sword. Great, her nly weapon to protect herself was gone now.

She clawed her fingernails into the stone of the wall, and she could feel the first pain in her slim fingers. She wasn't made for climbing acts! Her breath hitched up and down, her heart stopped for a small time and then it started to work again. The fear she felt was immense, but her will to survive was greather than her fear. So she climbed on and on. Till she reached the balcony, but o her disappointment, she saw that the doors were closed. 'Damn it!' she cursed innerly, but then, she told herself 'Forget about your training, this is reality! Start doing something!' she urged herself and with a hard kick into the glass of the door, it cracked. She kicked one more time and the window shattered.

Sakura entered the room and searched for a weapon. She saw just one small dagger on a nightstand. It wasn't as usfull as her sword, but at least it was something. She grabbed it and ran out of the room. That she wore a dress wasn't helpfull. She almsot stumbled over the hem of her dress and she cursed one or two times pretty bad. She was sure, when her educators would hear her talk like this, they would get a heart attack.

She ran farther through the castle. Servants and housemaids came running towards her and she knew, she was runing straight ahead into the trouble. But that didn't matter. All she wanted to do now, was finding someone who could tell her what she should do now. She had no idea what was going on. Were the soldiers of Oto already in the castle, did they reached the village?

All these questions ran through her head while she threw the dagger onto the floor and pulled a sword from a coat of arms on the wall next to her. Shakura reached a corner and when she ran around it, she almost ran into a soldier. He wore a black armor and she immediately knew, he wasn't a Konoha soldier. He was from Oto.

"Ah, the princess, how nice of you to show yourself, I was searching for you already" he said mockingly. She gritted her teeth. Rage building in the pit of her stomach. She pointed with her sword towards him and hissed "Try it, if you want to die". The soldier laughed and drew his sword also. "Brave. I like that, but your attitude won't help you here" and then he somred towards her,

Sakura could manage to jump back, so she could avoid his attack. She almsot stumbled over her long dress and once again, she cursed that damn rule of women wearing a dress inside the castle. How stupid! She blocked his attacks and also landed a hit on him. She sliced open his cheek with her sword and when he stumbled back, she saw her chance. She rammed her sword into his right upper thigh and he screamed out in pain.

But she had no time to be happy over her little victory, but that happiness didn't last long. She heard loud footsteps from behind her and saw a few more soldiers in black armor. The man in front of her came to his feet again and his dark eyes burned with rage "You little beast!" He wanted to pick up his sword, but she reacted faster than him. She kicke the weapoon away and jumped over his hands. He could grba the hem of her dress but she turned around and kicked him in the face.

He screamed again and she heard the sickening sound of breaking bones. She had broken his nose. 'Serves him right!' she grabbed her own sword and ran on. She should reach the trone hall soon, if she wasn't killed before. She stormed the stairs down towards the throne hall, she could already see the huge doors and she knew she would reach. She just anted to ran through the doors, when someone grabbed her upper arm and threw her around.

The air was kncoked out of her lungs, when her back hit the wall behind her. She wanted to attack him or her, but she heard the voice of Kakashi "Sakura stop it! Okay... You can't help your father anymore! You need to run!". Sakura, who was staring up into the face of Kakashi. He was full of dlood. His silver armor was completely drenched in the red liquid. "Sakura! Listen! I will bring you to the stables, get your horse and flee!". Sakura wanted to protestd but, she was interrupted by a wave of new soldiers in black armor, who ran into the castle.

Kakashi let go of her and drew his sword. Sakura did the same. She stormed towards the soldiers and fought against them. Se helped Kakashi kill them and then he grabbed her left wrist with his free hand and pulled her with him. Sakura tried to figt him, but he was too strong. She didn't wanted to leave, she wanted to see her father again and her friends, but she knew, it was her duty to safe herself for her kingdom. Sakura turned around one last time and looked around. The castle she once called home and felt safe inside, was floaded by hate and blood.

There was no chance she would look at it the same way as earlier. She turned her head towards the throne hall, she knew her father was inside there, but she couldn't say god bye. She knew the chances of him surviving this, was low. And the chance of her surviving this was even lower. Before she could do anything else, Kakashi pulled her with him. The tall man pushed aside the dead or unconscious bodies of soldiers away so she could run properly.

The reached the inner courtcard of the castle and the stables were over the yard. She could hear the horses neigh nervously and shuffle their hooves. Sakura and Kakashi looked around the corner, they could see several soldiers in black armor and the grey haired man looked at her and whispered "I count to three and with at three I'm runing out, you stay here and then, when I involve them into fight, you ran as fast as you can into the stables and lock the door behinf you, okay? Get your horse and flee as fast as it carries you!". Sakura nodded and watched Kakashi drawing his sword.

Sakura watched with wide eyes how Kakashi threw himself right into the middle of the enemies, fighting for her. When she was sure all were involved in the fight. She grabbed her sword and ran around the corner. She ran as fast as her legs could run and dashed past the fighting soldiers. She reached the stables, completely out of breath. Panting heavily she closed the wooden doors behind her and put the wooden rod over the bolts, to close the door from the inside.

She jad prolems to breath. her knees felt like jelly and she could barely see in the darkness of the stables. But she knew, she had to act quickly. She opened the box of her horse. The white mare neighing silently. Sakura grabbed her saddle and the snaffle and quickly pulled it over her horse's head. She head problems to close it right but she did her best. Skura put her foot into the stirrup and pushed herself off of the ground and onto the back of her mare. She grabbed the reigns and pushed her heels tightly into the sides of her her horse. It made a jump forward and with an immense pace, it dashed forward and burst through the wooden door.

She noticed the rbidge was down and o she straightly galloped towards the bridge and over it. The loud noise of the horseshoe meeting the wood of the bridge sounded in her ears. She rode through black soldiers And blocked their sword attacks with her own.
The mare stormed forward and once again, she thanked God for such a reliable horse. Artemis as getting even faster, when Sakura eard another pair of horseshoes behind her. God, someone was following her and after the sound of the horseshoes, she could at leats count four or five! "Faster!" she screamed to Artemis and the horse pressed her head even deeper onto its chest and increased its pace.

Sakura felt the immense power of her horse. The long strodes the horse took, the work of its muscles. It felt like they were flying. It was amazing. Not once, Artemis was getting slower or shrugged. She just stormed forward through the fighting soldiers, the other horses in her back. Sakura could already the woods in front of the hills. That was her chance!
She knew these woods better than any other soldier and she could hide till it was over. Sakura pulled on the reign so Artemis stopped abruptly and then she made a shrap right turn and dashed into the dark trees. The other horses right behind her, but she had small plan left in her head to fool them.

"Where is she?"

"I knew she was here! She rode into the trees!"

"The king won't be pleased if we tell him that she escaped!"

Sakura could hear the voices of the enemies, but sh knew, they couldn't see her, but she could see them. Artemis was completely still and she didn't moved one muscle. They laid on the ground, waiting for the soldiers to disappear. Sakura saw the hooves of the horses through the thick bushes and she new, when they would ride away she was safe. Finally after long minutes of waiting, the first horses disappeared and Sakura wanted to breathe out heavily, but she could stop herself in time. It wasn't still over. One horse was still left. It was a black horse of what she could see.

It was still standing near her hideout and the minutes felt like hours. She slowly caressed the neck of Artemis, because her horse was getting nervous. She knew it was a very uncomfortable position they were in, but they needed to stay like this a few more minutes. And finally. the black horse disappeared and for a long time, all she could hear was the night, with the battle screams filling it. She wanted to rose up with Artemis, but she still felt like frozen with fear.

And after another pair of minutes, she decided it was safe to stand up. She gave Artemis the signal and the horse rose onto his hind legs at first and then onto all fours. She shook off the dirt and the leaves, stucking to her furr and Sakura almost laughed. Slowly, she rode out of her hideout and looked around. She could see nothing but darkness. She was alone. She had succeded, she had safed herself.

She let out her breath she had held in for such a long time. She looked around once again and she saw... nothing. She was alone and out of danger. She pulled on the rein and they troted onto the path. She could smell fire and smoke, but she just turned around.
Her heart was heavy and she felt a tear trickle down her cheek. Her kingdom was lost and she saved herself like a coward instead helping and fighting with the others. 'What kind of princess am I`?' she thought bitterly. She garbbed her hood and pulled it over her head again.
She gave Artemis the rein and the horse neighed and Sakura patted her neck. "Good girl" she whispered and they fell into a light gallop. She had the idea she would be safe when she would reach the broders of th forest and then, she could flee into the hills.

Okay guys, new story:) searching a beta for this story:) PM me if you are interested:))

And a little *cough*review*cough* wouldn't be so bad:))

I'm not a Saint :D