AN: So I had another plot bunny. I got stuck on Fate of Chance and while trying to get unstuck I thought up this AU. I'm hoping this will help me flush out my ideas more.

This is an AU story, as it stands I'm going to be playing with around with some different ideas and cannon facts.

I am thinking this will range around 10 chapters. I have something planned for the end that is different from what I normally do.

Disclaimer for the whole story: Don't own Naruto, but this AU came to me.
Warning: Language, possible sex, death, and maybe gore

Summary: Sakura was known as the greatest assassin, but all she wanted was to be someone to save lives instead of taking them. In order to have this fresh start though she had to do was one more job. She just had to be a bridal candidate and make sure her target was dead before the night was over. How hard could that be?

Too bad she had to learn how to be a princess in order to be a candidate.

Assassin Bride

Prolog

In the darkness there was no hope of escape. There was actually no hope at all in the hole that she had been forced into. This was a place that stripped a person of such things. It robbed them of everything including their sense of self. Only the strong survived and she'd be loathed to admit but she was wilting.

Her name was Sakura of Haruno.

But she was also nothing like her delicate name sake.

The woman of 24 leaned against the damp dirt wall of her cell and looked out into the darkness. It was everywhere. There was no way to tell how many hours, days, or years have passed. That itself was enough to drive the inmates here mad. If she was lucky she'll see the flicker of light that meant her meal was coming. A guard dressed in nothing by a black hooded cloak would leave a tray with gruel that only kept her from starving to death.

When she wasn't lucky the tray would just appeared after waking. It meant she missed her chance to see that flame. That was the only sign that any time had actually passed.

Sakura took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. She could feel her well trained muscles slowly fading and wasting away. Her hair she assumed lost that lush pink color that her master was often commenting on. The young woman didn't even want to think about her prefect skin that has now turned sickly and pale from the lack of light.

She cursed her horrible luck. If only she hadn't been caught. If only she had been faster. If only…if only she hadn't taken on that blasted job.

Falling to her side Sakura thought back on her young life. It wasn't much but if she was going to die in this rotten place may as well reflect on it.

She was born into what she assumed was a loving family. They had died in the coup d'état of the Uchiha royalty against King Namikaze. From what she knew his whole family was killed and they quickly took over all of Konoha, the capital of the Country of Fire.

As a victim of the take-over aftermath, Sakura was forced into an orphanage at age two. By age six she ran away in hopes of living on the streets. That, Sakura mused to herself, was the stupidest thing she had done. Falling into a street gang she had grown into a life of crime. From there, she had become an assassin, known simply as Cheery Blossom.

"Yet that didn't last long." Sakura moaned and rolled onto her back and stared upwards, unable to make out anything in the pitch black. "I wonder what the old gang is up to…." She closed her eyes again and then thought back to her mistake that landed her in this prison.

It was supposed to be a normal job for her. The details were just to get in and kill a corrupt royal who was stealing too much from those above him. It was the kind of jobs that she took without guilt. The world would be a better place if they weren't in it. She wasn't an avenger; she was simply one who threw out the trash.

It however didn't end the way it usually did. Sneaking into the mansion was simple enough; the old frog was sitting at his desk counting his money. Right hand glowing green she slipped up behind him and cut the blood flow to his brain. The old man croaked and soundless screams passed through his lips as he tried to figure out how the Cherry Blossom Assassin came upon him.

Sakura simply watched and before she could leave her calling card the doors swung open. There standing before her was the King of Fire Country. His red eyes looked at her with a bored expression while he had his arms crossed. King Itachi Uchiha was not a man she could win a fight with. Lips pulled into a tight frown Sakura backed away slowly before his eyes caught hers.

She was frozen. Even if she ran, he would follow her and kill her – or worse throw her into the Akuma Prison. That place was one for the worse of the worse. Demons that could not be killed because their sin too great or simply was not killable found their home here. It was a prison that was designed to destroy them from the inside out. Sakura had heard stories of this place and since she lived with one foot in the grave she hoped death would find her before getting tossed in there.

And that was how she ended up here. The king thought her sins too grave, tossed her in here, and threw away the key. She was to be a symbol to all assassins. No matter how great you are, death will not find out peacefully. There was no way to say how long she had been in the Demon's Prison but it was long enough for her to wish for death. She had come close to killing herself a few times but in the end stopped short.

She would not give them the pleasure of knowing the great Cherry Blossom Assassin fell to her personal weakness. Sakura had not worked hard to bring fear and terror to those who were corrupt. She had not killed countless scumbags to have them laugh at how she had fallen. No. She would not give up and she would not give in to her despair.

And then there was a flicker of light and before she knew it the darkness had vanished. Standing there at the bars to her one man cell were five knights of the royal house. Each had their own hood but one. He stood out the most, with his blonde hair and showing his face without fear.

The sign of Konoha on his breastplate he stood with his hand on hip and leaned forward. "Well! If it isn't the great flower assassin. Damn, you look like shit." He smirked with a smile the light flickering off his defined features.

His cheeks were marked much like a fox. The knight had some of his baby fat still but that was all. Tall in stature and his clothing were a strange orange and black. What kind of knight wears orange? She wrinkled her nose a bit and sat up slowly. Her green eyes narrowed as she stared into clear blue. "What do you want knight? Come to mock me? When I get out of here….I might just come after your head first." She hissed.

"Now that isn't the way you should greet someone who is going to offered you something." He smirked and leaned his arms against the bars. "Do you want out of here assassin?"

"what do you think dumbass?"

"I take that as a 'yes please kind knight! I need to get out of here!' well I have orders from King Itachi. If you accept these terms….you will be free." She knew he was watching her reaction. He was studying her trying to figure out what her move would be.

"What are these terms?" Sakura leaned forward. The chance to get out of this hole was too tempting.

A cat like smile spread across his lips. "Simple, you need to kill a king."

TBC -

Please Review! I look forward to seeing what people say and it gives me a sense of purpose knowing I'm writing this for more than myself 3

Preview
Chapter one:

Sakura sighed as she sat in front of the man who tossed her into the demon prison. He was never changing, his red eyes just stared at her in that same bored expression on the night he caught her. To his right was his younger brother, they had similar features but where Itachi was forever bored the younger was forever angry.

Damn these Uchiha's need to learn to have a little fun.

Her eyes were brought back to the knight who brought her out of hell. He as bright as his hair color and just as outrages as his clothes. Naruto leaned against the table also staring at her.

They were simply waiting for her answer and for some reason she wasn't sure if this was a good idea.

"So…you are saying if I learned to be a princess, kill this king, and somehow not get myself killed or caught in the process you'll give me my freedom?"

The king nodded, "yes, you'll be paid and sent on your way. If you are willing to give up your life of being an assassin I would have no reason to follow you."

Sighing again, Sakura glared at the three. "It's a deal."