Disclaimer, Naruto is not mine.

Falling Blossom

A flower blooms in its time, sometimes earlier than the rest and other times, falling just behind its siblings. They will all fall to give way to fruit, as is dictated by the law of nature and their evanescent life ends. But there will always be one last blossom, one who took its time to unfurl, and it will be the last to take flight. That last falling blossom reminds the flower admirers that beauty is so mesmerizing because it is finite.

Chapter 1: Swinging Thoughts

Sakura POV

Night had fallen earlier than yesterday. I rocked lightly on a creaky swing I had long outgrown, but refused to part with because of the happy memories tied to its rusty chains. A cold breeze blew, penetrating my thick cloak and coaxing an involuntary shiver from my body.

Aunt Tsunade had just informed me of the visitor that was coming to the palace the following week. It shouldn't have come as a surprise that the second son of the Uchiha family was the chosen suitor for my stunning cousin, now that I paused to think through the situation, and, while I had heard that the young man was extremely handsome, I couldn't help but feel pity for Ino. To live a future chosen by someone else was undesirable, to say the least. It would be a life of constant regrets and what ifs. Of course, she could always refuse his proposal, but her options were extremely limited.

Ino was the first crown princess in the history of Senju kingdom and her precarious title meant she could only marry the son of a reigning royal family. One who had been exposed to the duties of a ruler, indulgent nobles simply would not do. And that indispensable requirement was only fulfilled by less men than I could count on my fingers.

All other reigning families had their heir, but not all of them had an unmarried second to spare. The Uzumakis had Naruto. There was also Konohamaru, but he was far removed from the throne and he had barely past the age when kids stopped sucking their thumbs, not exactly the stabilizing element the counsel had in mind when they first suggested to give the country a prince. The Hyuuga King only had daughters. Neither Hinata nor Hanabi would ever grace the throne. That responsibility would fall on his nephew, crown prince Neji.

Gaara of the Sand was already ruling in place of his brother who had vehemently refused the crown. Of course Kankuro probably would have jumped at the opportunity to court the "most beautiful woman in the five kingdoms" but he was notorious for avoiding any kind of responsibility and would most likely refuse to marry Ino. After all, he wouldn't willingly choose the same fate he had narrowly escaped. The only Kingdom that could afford to offer a son was the Uchihas, whose heir was Itachi. The choice was technically between Prince Sasuke and Prince Shisui, but Prince Shishi had pledged to serve Crown Prince Itachi, striking him out of the running. Truly, Ino's best bet was with Prince Sasuke.

It was a known fact that Queen Tsunade wanted Ino married as soon as possible. She understood the need to leave her heir with a capable husband who could one day help her when she became queen and would provide the country with a male heir.

Uchiha Sasuke was the perfect match. In the tradition of his family, he had been trained to become an honorable warrior and a strategic commander. By age 18, he was promoted to general and by age 20, he was fifth in command of his father's army. He would be able to help defend Senju kingdom if he one day became its ruling prince.

I detached my face from the chain I had rested it on, sure that there were marks on my cheeks. All this unnecessary worrying had caused me to lose track of time. After all, there was no escaping marriage for Ino and if Sasuke was anything like his older brother, she would be well taken care of. Knowing her, she was probably ecstatic to snatch an Uchiha. Their gene pool was truly blessed, boasting some of the finest male specimens in the world. A familiar voice broke the previous silence in the clearing.

"Lady Sakura, it is late. Maybe it would be prudent to retire for the day." Sai held out his hand.

"Of course Sai. Thank you for escorting me back to my rooms" I teased, knowing full well that he was the one anxious to get to bed and the sooner I was in mine, the sooner he could get to his.

My personal guard, though I more often considered him a brother, never failed to worry about every little thing. He made sure I ate at the right times, kept myself hydrated and rested every few hours. While I was grateful for his aide, he was sometimes overbearing. I couldn't go anywhere without him trailing behind just a half step behind me. But I would endure it because the only other option was to replace him and that simply would not do. I would stay with Sai and all his annoying little quirks because I loved him.

Sometimes I wondered if I would ever fall in love the same way my mother had loved my father or my aunt had loved her Dan. She had told me countless memories about her love and there was always a twinkle in her eyes when she spoke of him that no one else could bring. I once asked her why she chose not to remarry and she told me "To be in love is bittersweet, my dear. Once it's left its mark on you, you will be forever changed. But it is well worth all the suffering."

Sai broke me from my thoughts "You are pensive today. What are you thinking about?"

"About how I'm gonna beat you to the doors!" I laughed as I broke into a sprint.