A/N: Dare I make another story? Yes! I know many people are waiting for updates for my other stories. I have not stopped working on them and so I ask for your continued patience with me. Review if you want me to continue this story.

Disclaimer: The series Naruto and its characters do not and never will belong to me. I'm just borrowing them.

By Full Moon's Light

First Full Moon

Sakura was exhausted. As an 18 year old noblewoman of Konoha certain things were expected of her. One of those things was to take a husband. She had always expected an arranged marriage but she had never dreamed it would be to the prince of Konoha! She wouldn't lie to herself; he was a very attractive man.

That did not mean she loved him. The prince, Itachi, had assured her that she would grow to love him, and she could believe that if it were anyone else. How could she love someone she couldn't be honest with? The fact of the matter was that Sakura had an ability that no one knew about and no one ever would. She could touch the minds of others with her own. If Itachi ever knew about it he would call her a freak or worse a witch and have her executed.

She couldn't risk it. That's why she only touched the minds of animals. She preferred horses over any other animal because they truly seemed to understand and accept her ability.

She knew that, right now, there was only one way to revive herself. She needed to go for a ride. Sakura was already beginning to get excited as she approached the royal stables where her horse was tied. Her gentle steed, Shadow, could always renew her spirits.

She slipped her mind into his to let him know she was on her way. When she entered the stables he whinnied a welcome already prepared for a gallop. She untied him and the moment they were out of the stables they were off.

Shadow had been at full gallop for some time before Sakura noticed that they had gone quite a ways into the woods behind Castle Konoha. She decided it would be best for them both if they rested a while. She took off Shadow's saddle and touched his mind, showing him an image of him resting. He nuzzled her to show her he liked that idea and began to graze. Sakura chose to rest beneath a large tree perched on the edge of a riverbank. Before long, sleep had enveloped her.

When Sakura awoke night had fallen but she was too stunned to notice that with the beautiful animal in front of her. There was a magnificent horse in front of her with his head bowed. That wasn't what was so shocking. There was the feeling of something pleasantly cool on her cheek, stroking downward along with the movement of the horse's head. She shifted her eyes to see what it was and was completely astonished to find a magnificent, glowing, pure white horn. This was no horse. She was resting in front of a unicorn.

There were no words to describe how beautiful this creature was. The gorgeous stallion was as pure white as his horn except for the red markings on his face. There were two red dots on his brow and along with two dashes of red beneath his unusual green eyes that held flecks of silver.

To put it mildly the unicorn was euphoric to find her awake. He made these small chirping like noises that sounded like pure joy. He nuzzled her, nearly knocking her over in his enthusiasm. She laughed and stroked his muzzle to express her own delight, but she soon had to push him away or be knocked over by his insistent cuddling.

As the unicorn left her personal space she felt slightly bereft yet at the same time she was calm and at peace. She felt so warm but at the same time it was like something was missing. She nearly fell right back asleep before an idea occurred to her. She couldn't pass up the chance to touch the mind of a legendary-thought-to-be-extinct creature.

The fact the unicorn seemed so enamored with her would help. If she had tried to touch the mind of a creature that didn't like her it would often cause an awful mental backlash that would create terrible headaches. For safety's sake she reached out to stroke him a bit more.

However, to her great surprise, the moment she touched the unicorn's long face her mind just seemed to slip into his effortlessly. It was as if his mind had been reaching for hers. This was different from her usual mind touches. Instead of receiving just images from the animal she received mostly emotions with a few images and even some words thrown in.

The dominant feeling was blissful adoration for her. It amazed her that in this animal's eyes she could do no wrong. Next there was an image of her riding him accompanied by waves of ecstasy and love. Soon there were words mixed in. The unicorn sent her an image of herself and sent her the first word she ever exchanged with an animal. That word was beautiful. She started to respond by sending him images of himself and sent him the same word.

He raised his head and whinnied in pure joy, but then their link was broken. Someone was calling for Sakura. As the voice drew nearer the unicorn became more agitated and surprisingly angry. When Sakura was about to approach the voice she recognized as Itachi's he tried to stop her.

This time she felt it. She felt the unicorn reach for her mind. She allowed him in and was sent an image of her riding on him as he took her away from here. He sent that image again and again. It was clear he wanted her away from her fiancé.

She sent back an image of him galloping off alone and staying hidden. In an effort to make him understand she also sent words and feelings just as he had done before. If we stay together they will find you. They will try to tame you and use you as a horse. Is that what you want? She sent him images of being tied up and being ridden by someone who would buy him. She sent feelings of regret and sadness at being separated. The last image she showed him was them meeting up again.

Hope flared in his heartbroken eyes. He bowed his head in compliance and galloped away as Itachi called for her again. As soon as her unicorn was gone she called back.

"I'm over here Prince."

"Honestly Sakura, don't worry me like that." Itachi scolded keeping his voice soft but fierce. "Anything can happen to you in those woods and no one would know about it for days. It is not a place for anyone to go into, let alone a noblewoman. Why would you go in there in the first place?" He asked with agitation pouring off of him. Sakura knew there was something he wasn't telling her, but she let it go in favor of comforting him.

"Highness please calm down." She started while reaching out to his touch his shoulder. "Nothing bad happened. I took a nap and that's it. It was such a beautiful day I couldn't help myself." Itachi spun around and immediately enveloped her in a gentle hug. Sakura could faintly feel his hands tremble and it shocked her.

It was well known that the man who currently embraced her could crush bones like twigs. Konoha was a country of strength and health yet there was no one stronger than Itachi. Still he trembled as he held her. Still he was cherishing her when countless other women threw themselves at him. She couldn't figure it out. What was so special about her?

"Your Highness, why do you care about me so much? You are the strongest man in Konoha, you could have any woman you wanted, and you're the prince! Why would you choose me and treat me with such affection? We barely know each other." Sakura mumbled into the muscles of his chest. If she doubted it before there was no denying it now. He had muscles on his muscles.

"I'm not surprised you don't remember Sakura, but unfortunately for you I don't care if you do or not. You are the only girl who believed in me when I had nothing, when I was nothing. I am who I am today because of you. Without you the money, power, and title mean nothing. I know I'm forcing this marriage on you, but you can't even begin to grasp how much I need you. Even if you hate me I can't let you go. I'm so sorry Sakura." Itachi whispered the last part as if his heart was breaking.

"I have a couple requests." Sakura stated causing Itachi to look her in the eye, hope starting to replace the despair that was there only moments before. It tore at her heart to see that fear and indescribable desolation eating him alive.

"Ask anything and to the best of my abilities it shall be done." Itachi answered without hesitation.

"Can you prepare a room for me? It's late and I find myself exhausted. My second request is that in the morning please tell me more about the forest." Sakura asked with a tired smile. Itachi wasted no time in getting a room prepared for her. They waited silently until Itachi gave into his need to hear her voice.

"Sakura I have a request of my own." He began hesitantly.

"What is it?" She inquired in a tired and entirely too unintentionally seductive voice.

"Would you call me by my name? I don't want to hear another title come out of your mouth when you are addressing me. Even if it's only when we are alone I strongly desire to hear what my name sounds like on your lips." Itachi had to look away to hide the faint blush on his face. Thankfully Sakura didn't seem to notice.

She giggled a bit before replying. "That's fine Itachi." If possible Itachi fell even more in love with his bride to be and renewed his vow to obtain her love.

Somewhere deep in the forest a young man with white hair, green eyes, and red markings on his face awakened to find he barely even knew who he was, let alone where he was. All he could remember was the faint smell of flowers, silken pink locks, and stunning emerald eyes. Though the memory of those could keep him warm on the coldest of nights, they unfortunately did not help him.

He had no idea why his mind retained those images until suddenly a memory as vivid as the full moon against the night sky collided with his disoriented mind. A beautiful woman close to his age gently stroked his face, her touch tender. Their minds and even their hearts had become one the moment her thoughts and feelings collided with his. She was so innocent and sincere it had melted his heart when no one had even come close to getting past the walls around him.

The sound of her voice rang not in his ears but in his mind. When a threat had approached she had seen to him first. He didn't know if he had ever met a woman like her, but it didn't matter because even if he met someone similar, his heart would accept no one other than her. He felt it. She was different from all others around her. His mind yearned for hers and his heart ached for her affections. There was no room for doubt. He needed her.