Hello everyone!
This is a little AU story I came up with white trying to decide if I should continue my last fanfiction or leave it a one shot. There's going to be lemon in the future, and it will be my first! I hope you all enjoy. Please review to tell me how I'm doing so far! There's no Kakashi in chapter one though I'm sorry to say.
I don't own Naruto!
"Ino this really isn't necessary-"
"Forehead I swear on my honour as a kunoichi if you don't shut your trap and let me work I'll add extra layers. Be grateful I'm only putting twelve on you."
Sakura groaned, but didn't argue with her personal guardian, knowing that another word too soon would cause the blonde beauty to follow through on her threats. She eyed the multiple extravagant kimono hanging all around her, fighting back a pout as her emerald orbs perused the wide selection.
To be completely honest Sakura would have been most comfortable in her simple white Kosode and red Nagabakama. Hell, just the kosode and regular hakama would have been more comfortable! The long floor length nagabakama made movement difficult on its own, so she dreaded the addition of the many uchigi and uchiginu hanging around her.
"You know what?! I SHOULD add extra layers!" Ino suddenly declared, causing Sakura to jump and spin around and scowl at her closest friend.
"INO THAT'S NOT FAIR! I stayed quiet like you-"
Ino covered Sakura's mouth quickly, her annoyance no secret as she returned the scowl with an icy blue stare that silenced the rosette's muffled protests.
"NO. You know what's unfair?! That you won't let me help you stay safe at ALL!" she hissed removing her hand as she pulled away, stalking over to the hanging robes. Despite her none-too-subtle rage, Ino still handled the fine silk garments with the love and care a mother would bestow onto her children. Sakura puffed out her cheeks and opened her mouth to retaliate, but apparently the loud attendant was not finished yet.
"More layers will make you heavier, and that will make it harder for anyone to take you." She declared with a finalising manner. Her fierce blue eyes narrowed on Sakura, daring her to resist, and Sakura was never one to disappoint.
"No one's going to take me Ino!" She snapped, getting sick and tired of everyone around her suddenly becoming so incredibly overprotective. She hasn't even been allowed to leave the palace, or enter large rooms without guards accompanying her. Having Ino become her living shadow was difficult enough, but now EVERY guard in the palace was on high alert.
"Damn right they're not!" Ino selected a hito an uchigi and set upon Sakura like a hungry wolf.
She started with a cool deep green hito that complimented Sakura's eyes wonderfully, followed by a yellow-green and several gold uchigi. Each layer separated by a stiff uchiginu to support the next silk robe added. If she hasn't been so angry at the controlling blonde, Sakura might have taken a moment to appreciate her work.
"Ino, come on. Be reasonable! This isn't even part of your job!" She was exasperated, sick of being doted on and frankly curious as to where on earth her actual dresser was. Ino shushed her lady with a rudeness that would have made most aristocrats gasp in horror. Sakura however didn't even blink.
"You're my guard not some common-" Ino glowered at her, intense enough to make Sakura's breath catch in her throat and come out as a forced whisper, trailing off into nothingness.
"Yes, I'm your personal guard. But dammit Sakura when you really needed me I couldn't do my job!" Her sorrowful voice broke Sakura's heart. She bit her lip, thinking over how to comfort her friend.
"... Ino, you know I'm fine right? I wouldn't have been without you." She mumbled, unsure of what to say. Ino's baby blue eyes glimmered and she smiled deviously at her charge, as if her miserable self-reflection never happened.
"And you won't be alright now if you don't let me work. Hold still and let me work My lady." Ino commanded. Sakura curled a lip in disgust at the title Ino used, and shuddered.
"Only if you promise to never call me that again."
Ino laughed, a light bubbling sound that Sakura couldn't help but admire.
"Perhaps you'd prefer hime-sama?"
Sakura scoffed at Ino, and watched Ino work without any more fuss. Emerald eyes followed the blonde closely as she flitted around the dressing room gracefully, her every step deliberate and so perfectly measured it could have been choreographed as a dance. Ino carefully selected a light peach-pink uchigi and gently helped Sakura drape it onto the assemble. Sakura looked over the silk fabric, smiling at the lovely white-embroidered material.
So far the colours that Ino picked out suited each other magnificently. Her history as a geisha truly shined through in moments like these-although Ino was usually rattling away her opinions at the poor unsuspecting handmaid who usually dressed her, rather than dressing the princess herself.
Sakura sighed, and her inner self couldn't resist comparing the two. Ino was much more regal than she-and Sakura was born and raised with the sole purpose of being a princess! All the activities that noblewomen were expected to participate in-such as needlework-were like foreign languages to Sakura, and it took her years to accomplish what it seemed Ino could do in an instant.
In her own world, Sakura didn't notice Ino place dress her in a light maroon uwagi with gold flowers beautifully stitched into it, and turn to retrieve a darker maroon Karaginu-mo that was extravagantly detailed with complex silver and gold blossoms that must have taken the maker close to an eternity to make. She started to place it on Sakura, careful fingers dancing across the fabric, when Sakura rejoined her in the real world.
"Wait, Karaginu-mo?!" Sakura demanded, looking to Ino with a confused look. A blonde eyebrow raised, and blue eyes rolled.
"Uh, yeah. You have to make an appearance soon so-" Sakura grimaced, giving the woman a pathetic look in attempts to gain sympathy and get out of the court appearance.
"Save it for your brother. I believe he's the one who called this in the first place. I thought he told you?" Sakura let out a loud, inelegant whine that would have had her tutors and caretakers that taught her manners in tears.
"He's taking this much too seriously! There are better things to do with our resources then whatever it is he's planning!"
Ino shrugged, and tied her Mo in place-a long white apron of sorts that tailed behind Sakura, fading to a deep green at its ends.
"I believe he hired more guards for you. I'm not complaining, I could certainly use the help." Ino muttered, circling Sakura, surveying her jūnihitoe with a critical eye. The princess wanted to pull out her petal pink hair and scream in frustration.
She didn't need protection, she needed space. She missed going out and exploring the markets and towns around the capital. She longer for the chance to stroll through the botanical gardens her city boasted about to neighbouring cities so often. She wanted out. More guards would just hinder any chances she'd have of escaping!
Ino carefully smoothed out Sakura's long pink hair, arranging the impossibly long strands around her face carefully, so thin selections framed her face and the rest poured down her back.
Sakura briefly considered asking Ino if she could wear it up, but she pushed away the thought, knowing Ino wouldn't allow her to hide the length of her hair at a court appearance. Long hair was approved of and smiled upon by nobles, and so Sakura was expected to keep it long. Her hair reached the floor easily, and often Sakura would have to put it up or else trip on it when dressed in easier clothing.
Handmaidens and courtesans praised her for her cherry blossom pink hair that could be it's own train behind her, but Sakura herself found it annoying and often found herself reaching for blades to chop it off when alone with the chance. A luxury she hasn't had as of late.
"If you're done moping like a child, I'll take you to the audience chamber." Ino's voice snapping Sakura out of her state of self-pity.
"I could continue for a while longer actually. When did you say the audience was?" Sakura laughed, teasing the blonde playfully.
"Like, now. You can pout after, it's not like you have anything better to do after all!" Ino responded in kind, her own smile mischievous. Knowing her charge desperately wanted to run free but would be restricted to the palace for an unknown amount of time.
Sakura deadpanned, and narrowed her eyes threateningly.
"One day I'll have something to hang over your head. Then you'll be sorry." She grumbled before carefully walking to the sliding paper screen door to the dressing room. Ino was by her side in an instant, carefully opening the thin door and leading Sakura through the elegant empty halls of the palace.
Weaving their way through the simple wooden and screen halls, eventually the two girls came to a small room with simple decorative scrolls hanging from the walls, and a low table in the center, a simple iris arrangement its centrepiece.
Sitting at the table, drumming his fingers on the wood impatiently was a tall blonde man with bright blue eyes that rivaled Ino's. Upon hearing their arrival, he looked up and the scowl that marred his fair face vanished in an instant, replaced by a binding smile. He radiated a contagious joy that quickly forced Sakura to smile genuinely back. He stood and raced to her, arms outstretched.
"Sakura! I'm so happy to see you!" He declared, embracing the short rosette tightly. Sakura laughed, and returned the embrace.
"Naruto, you're acting like you haven't seen me in ages."
"Because it HAS been ages!" Naruto whined, clinging to his sister and nuzzling the top of her head affectionately. Ino rolled her eyes at the scene, trying to hold back laughter. Sakura looked too tiny in Naruto's arms. And anyone's arms. The small princess was JUST over five feet tall, and very petite. But Ino held her tongue. Whenever someone mentioned how small she was the princess often would get violent, proving that her size doesn't matter, she'll still kick you in the shins to bring you to her level and beat you senseless.
"Naruto, I saw you last night at dinner." Sakura giggled, buried in Naruto's orange and white sokutai kimono garb.
"That was YESTERDAY. Which was forever ago." He grumbled, releasing his sister before leading her gently to the table to sit. He looked at the end of her sleeve, admiring the kimono colours she wore.
"You look nice by the way. The colours suit you!" He exclaimed, looking rather proud of himself for remembering to compliment a lady's clothing. Sakura laughed shortly and rolled her eyes.
"Yeah yeah, save it for Lady Hinata." She chuckled at her brother's light blush before getting down to business. She looked over to Ino, who stood beside them, tall and proud at attention, acting like the guard that Sakura often forgets she is. She took a feel breath, and turned back to her brother with a frown.
"So what's this I hear about a new guard?" She asks, obviously disapproving of the idea of being supervised even more than she already is. Naruto held out his hands in a defensive manner, trying to keep a light, suggesting smile on his face.
"Now Sakura, I know how you feel about it, I do, but it really is for the best!" He explained, picking up a scroll that sat on the floor beside him and looking through its contents quickly.
"They don't have a lot of members, but they are all loyal to us and willing to do whatever it takes to protect you."
Sakura rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, anyone would say that if you pay them enough." She snapped, earning a glare from Naruto.
"They aren't like that. I know a few of the men well from my time with the Shogun. I trust them."
"I already have Ino with me, and the palace guards you have in place." Sakura mentioned, still trying to convince her overprotective brother she doesn't need the extra guard.
Naruto sighed, setting down the scroll and looking at his sister, his eyes uncharacteristically stern.
"Normally, that would be fine. Ino is more than capable in many fields. The fact that she is your guard now says how much I trust her. However, after the incident even she requested help." Sakura jolted, and stared at Ino with wide, shocked eyes. The idea that this proud kunoichi would go out of her way to ask for help astounded her. The blonde tried to not meet her gaze, her pride not allowing her to admit her weakness, least of all to the princess who held her in such high esteem.
"Please tell me I didn't just hear my son being mature and responsible."
The screen door opened, and the three turned to face the newcomer-a tall, beautiful blonde woman with honey brown eyes who stood proud, a regal aura about her despite the simple two layers of green kimono she wore. Naruto frowned and crossed his arms tight across his chest, annoyed at her words.
"Gee thanks granny." He snapped.
"Don't call your mother that, runt." The woman retaliated in a strict voice. Sakura looked the woman up and down, lips pressed into a tight line.
"Why don't YOU have to wear Jūnihitoe?!" She demanded, narrowing her eyes at the now smugly smirking woman.
"Because I'm not at risk of being kidnapped. And even if I was, no one would be stupid enough to make such a mistake." She sneered. Naruto rolled his eyes.
"Not that anyone would want to kidnap the old hag anyway." He muttered under his breath. Unfortunately though, he was heard, and the woman knocked her clenched fist into his head, making him yelp.
"Shut your trap brat!" She hissed venomously. Sakura rolled her eyes at her family's antics. It really was a wonder how they managed to run a country when they acted like this behind closed doors. Ino glanced to the side, looking at a second set of doors on the opposite side of the room.
"Tsunade-sama, I believe it's time to prepare Sakura for the meeting, isn't it?" She said in a questioning tone, but with eyes that said she wasn't asking, more warning the empress that she was going to do what she felt she needed to. If Tsunade noticed, she didn't comment on it. She simply nodded and looked to Sakura.
"Sakura, I understand you don't want this, but if you do something stupid in there and ruin it I'll punt you to the moon." She said in a sweet voice, her smile gentle.
A child shiver ran up Sakura's spine, and she nodded quickly.
"O-okay mother…" hearing Sakura's affirmation made the Empress flash her a stunning smile.
"Excellent! Now off you trot! Naruto will be in there with you. I have other matters to attend to. Ino?" Tsunade turned, addressing the guard with an authority that couldn't be ignored. Ino snapped to attention, blue eyes locked onto honey.
"Tsunade-sama?"
"You're in charge. I trust you'll make sure all goes well?" Tsunade eyed her carefully as Ino nodded stiffly, glancing at Sakura.
"Yes ma'am. I'll take care of it Tsunade-sama."
"Very good. Now, if you'll all excuse me." And with that she strode out of the small room through the same doors she entered through. All three remaining let out sighs of relief. Tsunade was a successful queen and wonderful mother, but she had a temper that couldn't be beat, and no one was immune. It was clear where Sakura got it from.
"Sakura, for the love of all the gods above and below you better behave." Ino growled, watching Sakura carefully. Sakura bit her lip and glanced at Ino.
"If you don't I think she'll kill us all." Naruto muttered, eyes still on the doors Tsunade left through. Sakura groaned, and nodded in defeat.
"Only because I don't want Ino to be punished. But later on I'm making them miserable."
Naruto laughed, and reached over the table to pat Sakura on the shoulder lightly.
"Fair enough. Shall we prepare?"
That took waaaaay longer than I thought it would. I hope you all enjoy it! Kakashi appears next chapter!
