AN: Thank you so much for reading! I apologize for the late update, but here is a longer chapter to make up for it! Enjoy!

"So did you miss me while you were away?" Sakura asked giddily as she leaned across the table in excitement.

Sasuke smirked and leaned across the table towards the giddy princess. He ran a hand down her forearm that was placed on the table, now it was his turn to make her feel embarrassed. "I missed your wonderful body." The former knight lifted his princess's hand off of the table and kissed her dainty fingers.

Sakura blushed as she tried to compose herself and think of something to say back to his answer. When Sakura was finally able to compose herself she smirked deviously before jutting out her bottom lip in the form of a pout. "So you didn't miss me at all Sasuke-kun?" Sasuke's face turned red and Sakura burst into a fit of laugher at his embarrassment. As Sasuke turned his face away from the giggling princess, Sakura sobered up. She looked down at her plate of food before quietly speaking up. "Were there any other women besides me Sasuke?"

Sasuke shrugged and kept his gaze away from the young princess, still too absorbed in his embarrassment to process her question. "Clarify."

Sakura took a deep breath before chewing on her lower lip. "Did you have other women in your bed?"

At her words Sasuke's mind was re-directed to their current conversation and immediately his mind went back to the initiation ritual Orochimaru had subjected him to. Sasuke sighed and glanced back at his princess. "Sakura," he called her attention back to him and lifted her dainty hand, "there were other women. But they were never in the bed that I share with you."

Sakura's shoulders slumped as she asked quietly. "Did you care for any of them?" The question made its way out of her mouth before she could think about them. The young princess did not know what she would do if he loved someone else, but she found herself asking the question regardless.

Sasuke smirked and used his hand to lift up her face so that she had to look at him. "Of course not. You are the only one." Re-assured for the time being, Sakura smiled brightly up at the king before her. She gently played with the fingers on the hand that he had placed on her cheek. Sasuke took a deep breath before speaking lowly. "I am leaving in a week."

Sakura's breath hitched as the anxiety bubbled up in her chest. She had just gotten him back and he was already leaving her? She didn't know if she could handle that again. "Why?" She asked in the smallest voice either of them had heard.

His thumb rubbed over the back of her hand, tracing the veins of her fingers. "We are going out to Suna to confront Danzou's army and keep him from taking over Gaara's territory." He said simply as if it was an everyday occurrence.

Sakura sighed before intertwining her fingers with his. "I should be going with you Sasuke-kun." She lifted their knotted hands up to her lips and ran her lips along his knuckles. "I am a skilled warrior and one of the best strategists you have in your kingdom." Sakura was not about to let the love of her life leave her if even for a day.

Sasuke watched her lips run along his hand, and instantly regretted his decision to leave. He could get used to this feeling of having the pink-haired princess showing him her unconditional affection. "You are not going Sakura." His tone held a finality that he hoped the princess would not question.

Sakura growled in frustration before throwing his hand away from her and standing abruptly from her seat. Why was he doubting her all of a sudden? Did she not prove herself in their training with Kakashi? It hurt her to think that he could completely disregard her abilities as a warrior. "Give me one good reason Sasuke Uchiha. One reason why I should not be going with you to defend-"

"Someone needs to watch over Otogakure." Sasuke coolly interrupted the princess's rant as he took a long sip of his wine.

Sakura immediately ceased all talk as she stared open-mouthed at the king still seated at the table. "W-what did you just say?" Did he really trust her enough to take care of his Kingdom? Sasuke never trusted anyone with even his smallest responsibilities, and now he wanted her to take care of his kingdom.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and took another sip of his wine. "You are needed here to watch over the kingdom."

Sakura continued to stare at him for a moment before recomposing herself and smiling at the king. When the reality of his words finally sunk in, she sauntered over to the king and bent down to kiss him. "Of course I will watch over your kingdom for you King Sasuke."

Sasuke wrapped his arms around the princess's waist and pulled her onto his lap. "It will be good practice." He whispered softly.

Sakura sighed exasperatedly and ran her hands down the length of her face before glaring at the king before her. "I thought we had already established that I will not succeed the throne."

Sasuke shrugged and let his fingers run circles on the princess's tiny waist. "Then I suppose marrying me is out of the question for you." Sasuke kept his eyes on her as he spoke.

Sakura's eyes widened as she took in the king's words. "No Sasuke I-"

Sasuke silenced her with a kiss before speaking again. "I will marry you whether you like it or not." He smirked arrogantly. "I would just rather avoid causing a war with Konohagakure if you were to make a public spectacle."

Sakura rolled her eyes and threw her arms around the king's neck. "And when do you plan to marry me?" She shifted her hips in his lap in an attempt to get a rise out of him.

Sasuke sighed and tangled his fingers in her hair as he brought her face a breath away from his. "When I know that you are safe." His breath blew across her lips in the sweetest embrace.

The pink-haired princess giggled and traced her knight's lower lip with her forefinger. "I'll never be safe with you around Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke shrugged and tightened his arms around her waist. "Then I suppose we won't ever marry."

Sakura pressed her lips lightly to his. "I think you would be most upset with that Sasuke-kun. After all, you were the one who declared that I should remain pure until marriage."

Sasuke smirked sinisterly as his hand made its way to the front of her dress. "But there is so much I can do to make sure that you feel safe around me." He dipped a finger into the top of her bodice before pressing his lips to hers feverishly.

Sakura melted into the kiss and let her hands fall to Sasuke's sculpted chest. Her hands caressed the muscle she had memorized in her dreams. She let out a soft moan as his hand pushed her closer into his body, enveloping her in his heat. Sakura reveled in the feel of the man she loved beneath her fingertips and bending to her will. But she had to remember that she was a princess, and this was a public garden.

"Sasuke," She whispered softly when he released her lips in favor of pressing soft kisses to her neck.

"Hmm?" He hummed in response, encouraging her to continue with her statement.

"We…" The princess trailed off as Sasuke's lips encountered a particularly sensitive spot on her neck. What was she trying to tell him before? Was it really even that important anymore?

"We…" He continued for her.

"We, we should stop." She managed to moan breathlessly.

Sasuke chuckled before putting his lips at her ear. "Do you want me to stop Sakura?" He pressed gentle kisses to her earlobe and had to restrain another chuckle when she leaned into his body.

Sakura sucked in a deep breath and shook her head before sighing heavily. "Someone may walk in on us." She pressed a hand against his chest, pushing him away from her.

The king rolled his eyes and kissed her forehead. "No one will come this way."

"Promise?" She asked breathily. Sasuke nodded in response and Sakura wasted no time in pressing her lips to his. But before things could get heated, the couple was split apart by an ominous coughing sounding behind the two.

Sasuke groaned as Sakura squeaked and hid her face in her love's shoulder. "I was hoping you would be smart enough to not interrupt us." Sasuke mumbled as he helped Sakura to re-arrange her dress.

Kakashi chuckled before stepping closer to the couple. "You have unexpected guests who are arriving within the next few days."

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he gently pulled Sakura away from him. "And this couldn't wait because…"

"Because it seems a train of noble-women are anticipating the presence of the King of Otogakure in order to catch your eye, for your impending marriage." Kakashi leaned against a small tree and pulled out his infamous orange book.

Sasuke groaned and let his head fall back onto his chair as he felt Sakura's muscles tighten beneath his fingers. He glanced down at the princess's reddening face and sighed in annoyance, he was about to make her even angrier. "I want each one individually interrogated." The king rubbed circles on Sakura's waist. "They have come at a convenient time for Danzou to infiltrate."

"And if they refuse interrogation?" Kakashi asked disinterestedly.

Sasuke turned his attention back to the princess still sitting uncomfortably in his lap, and gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Send them home, and let them know that we are in the middle of a war."

Sakura smiled at her king as Kakashi spoke again. "And if they do pass interrogation?"

Sasuke took a deep breath as he observed the emotions play on Sakura's face. "Set them up in the lower guest rooms." He redirected Sakura's attention back to him by turning her face towards him. "I want them as far away from Sakura as possible in my absence."

Kakashi nodded and closed his book. "I will deal with them accordingly. Enjoy the rest of your evening." The aged knight then disappeared like a shadow through the trees.

Sakura groaned and threw her forehead back into the king's shoulder. "Why can't you just tell them you are engaged to me?"

Sasuke sighed and kissed the side of her head, he knew she was going to be angry about that. "I will as soon as they have all been properly interrogated." His lips trailed to her forehead and he pressed a gentle kiss there. "No one outside of the kingdom is supposed to know you are here remember?"

Sakura pouted and crossed her arms as she stared angrily at him. "You're mine though." Her eyes softened for a moment as she glanced down at the ground below them. "And I want everyone to know that."

Sasuke smirked and cupped her cheek, gently re-directing her face back to his. "And they will. As soon as I make sure that you are safe from Danzou, I will scream it from the mountains of Konoha."

Sakura attempted to keep the pout on her face, but she couldn't stand being angry with Sasuke for very long. "You'd never scream Sasuke."

Sasuke pulled her hand away from her crossed arms and pressed a kiss to her tiny fingers. "You're right." His lips trailed up her arm to her shoulder and up to her ear. "But I will do everything in my power to let the world know who my queen will be."

Sakura giggled and turned to press her lips to his. "I love you Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke kissed her tiny nose before bringing his lips back to hers. "Always?" He rasped quietly.

"Always." Sakura smiled brightly and pressed her body as close to Sasuke's as she could physically get.

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Sakura stared forlornly out of the window as she sat upon the windowsill, an open book in her lap and a wool blanket around her shoulders. Her father sat at his writing desk sorting through important documents, and glancing at his daughter from time to time. The two had been silent for the entire afternoon, both consumed by their thoughts.

"Daddy," Sakura began quietly, her voice hoarse from lack of use. When her father lifted his head from his documents and grunted in acknowledgement Sakura continued, "Do you think he will come back… when he is done with his quest?"

The king sighed in despair and inspected his lonely daughter. He rose from his chair and walked over to the window his daughter was sitting at. The king gently lifted his daughter from her seat before sitting in the spot she had previously been sitting in before and placing his daughter on his lap.

The king placed a kiss to the top of his daughter's head and hugged her closely to his chest. "Sasuke always loved you very much dear. I'm sure he will spare no expense to get back to you."

Sakura sniffled as she held in her tears. "He never loved me Daddy."

The king chuckled before rubbing her shoulder gently. "He may not have had a way to show you he loved you, but he did my love." He gently began to rock her back and forth as they both looked out at the rainy day. "He will come back for you, if not because he loves you, but because he will always take care of you."

Sakura reached up to wipe the tears that had begun to fall. "How do you move on after losing someone you love?" The young princess snuggled her head into her father's shoulder.

"You take deep breaths." He took a deep breath. "And you hold on tight to the loved ones you still have." He squeezed his little princess in his arms. "And you trust that one day you will be together again." He pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "Because if it is true love then you must be reunited again some time."

Sakura smiled and looked up at her father. "Was Mommy your true love?"

Her father smiled gently and rubbed the tears away from her cheek. "Of course she is." He tapped her nose gently. "If she wasn't, I wouldn't have a little girl that looks just like her, to remind me of our love every day." He looked deep into her emerald green eyes with all the fondness of a doting father. "You have so much of her spirit in you Sakura-chan. How can she not be my true love, when I am reunited with her every day that I am with you."

Sakura giggled and threw her arms around her father's neck. "Daddy, I am sure Mommy is waiting for you to join her in heaven." She kissed the king's bearded cheek before smiling brightly at him. "Can we go riding Daddy?"

The king shook his head and narrowed his eyes at his daughter. "Absolutely not, you will catch a cold out there in the rain!"

Sakura pouted and batted her eyelashes cutely. "But Daddy…"

The king glared at his daughter, engaged in her staring match for a few moments before sighing. "How about we go annoy Cook into making us hot cocoa and explore the hidden chambers?"

The pink-haired princess's eyes shined brightly as she nodded her head eagerly before throwing the blanket from her shoulders and jumping away from her father's lap. "Well let's go!"

The king chuckled and followed his daughter into the hallway.

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Sakura sighed in content as Sasuke pressed soft kisses to her neck and wrapped his arms around her waist as he climbed into bed behind her. She wished things would always be this way, that her and Sasuke could spend every evening wrapped up in each other's arms. But with the impending arrival of noble-women to the castle, Sakura couldn't relax just yet.

"Sasuke-kun, will you come visit me in my room when the noble-women are here?" She asked softly as she felt his body stiffen behind her. He had made it very clear that he had wanted to spend the whole night cuddling in bed with her. And here she was disrupting the peace, ready to talk shop.

"You are staying here Sakura." He kissed the side of her head in what he hoped would be the finalization of all conversation for the rest of the night.

But Sakura had other plans. "Did you sleep with any of these noble-women?"

Sasuke sighed and turned the princess's body so that she was flat on her back. His fingers traced lazy circles on her night gown. "Possibly. I don't know who's coming, but I have fooled around with a couple of noble-women."

Sakura pouted and glared at the king above her. "So while you are away I will have to deal with snotty women who think they own a piece of you."

Sasuke shrugged and kissed her stomach. "You will do fine." He trailed kisses up from her belly button, between her breasts and to her neck, stopping at her chin. "You will be their queen." His lips continued up to her lips and he placed a passionate kiss there.

Sakura sighed in delight as his lips gently parted hers, but when his tongue found its way into her mouth, she squeaked in surprise. Sasuke smirked into the kiss, but continued to kiss her with all of the passion he could muster. Sakura made quick work of his shirt as she let it fall to the bed, and moaned when his hands found her breasts.

Sakura ripped her mouth away from the king's as she sucked in a lung-full of air. "Sasuke-kun don't…"

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock as he thought about offending his princess. Immediately Sasuke's hands dropped from her chest and he gave her space to breathe. "Sakura, I'm so sorry I-"

Sakura cut him off with a finger to his lips. "Don't tease me if you don't intend to finish what you started."

Sasuke sighed in relief and wrapped his arms tightly around her body. "We can't you know that."

Sakura once again pulled out her signature pout as her finger traced the line of his abs. "Why not Sasuke-kun? You're going to be the one to marry me anyways."

The king groaned and threw his face into her neck. "Sakura stop." She could not be doing this to him right now when he had already vowed to keep her pure until marriage.

Sakura held back a giggle before running her fingers through his hair. "Why not Sasuke-kun?"

"Sakura, I promised." The king's voice was strained as he tried to restrain himself from touching Sakura.

Sakura's lips created a trail from his neck to his cheek. "But the women you don't care for have gotten to be intimate with you in that way, and yet you completely refuse me, whom you do care about."

Sasuke sighed and pushed her back into the bed. "I will not do that to you. We will wait until we are married." His hand gently cupped her cheek and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I won't treat you the way I treated other women."

Sakura smiled up at her king and pressed her lips to his. "Thank you Sasuke-kun." The young princess grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him back down to her. Their chests pressed together as Sasuke rested his forehead on Sakura's. "Thank you for saving me, and for caring about me."

Sasuke smirked and pressed his lips gently to hers. "It is my duty Princess."

Sakura sighed before giving him a gentle kiss back. "I know Sasuke."

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"Sasuke," The Queen's melodic voice broke through the young knight's thoughts, and called his attention to the apple tree the Queen held her toddler princess under. Sasuke nodded in acknowledgement of the Queen's calling. "Will you love my Sakura for me?"

Sasuke stared at her in a puzzled manner. Before recalling Kakashi's demand that he obey every order of the king and queen. "Of course Your Highness." The young boy spent a moment staring down at the sleeping princess, before a sudden thought occurred to him. "Does that mean I have to marry her?" He asked disgustedly.

The Queen laughed and rubbed the knight's hair affectionately. "Not if you don't want to Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke looked up at the Queen and gave her a small smile before cautiously leaning his head on her shoulder and closing his eyes. He felt an arm slowly wrap around his shoulders, and he tensed, waiting for the Queen to pull him away from her. But instead the young knight felt nothing but a warm embrace as the Queen gently pulled the young boy into her side. Her hands soothingly ran through his midnight hair as Sasuke slowly drifted off to sleep.

"I know you have your duties Sasuke-kun." The Queen spoke softly as she stared down at the two children resting against her. "But remember that you are a part of our family as well."

Sasuke nodded sleepily and yawned slowly before snuggling closer to the Queen. She'd always been kind to the young knight, and Sasuke was grateful to have her caring for him, although he'd never admit it aloud.

The Queen kissed the top of the young knight's head as her fingers continued to run through his hair. "Rest well Sasuke-kun."

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The morning sun rays filtered through the King of Otogakure's window and onto the face of a sleeping Sasuke. Sasuke squinted as he tried to shut the light out, until he realized that he had closed the curtains last night before he went to sleep. His eyes scanned the room lazily until he found his mentor lounging on the window sill. Sasuke inclined his head as a sign for the grey-haired knight to speak, and placed a finger to his lips to tell him to do it quietly.

Kakashi nodded before closing his book. "Some of the nobles and their daughters have arrived, many are going through interrogation right now." Sasuke nodded in affirmation as his arms tightened around his sleeping princess. "Danzou has sent a messenger ahead of him to announce that he intends to visit Otogakure."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at his top advisor. "Tell him Otogakure will welcome him. Meet his army with our top soldiers where they are under the guise of providing Danzou protection. Tell him his army is not welcome."

Kakashi nodded and walked over to the side of the bed the princess laid upon. The old knight bent down at the waist and kissed Sakura's forehead tenderly. "I hope you know what you are doing Sasuke." His hand gently brushed pink strands of hair away from the princess's forehead. "Don't let Danzou get what he wants."

Sasuke swatted the aged knight's hand away from his sleeping charge. "Nothing will happen to Sakura." Kakashi nodded and turned to leave the room after giving the couple one last fond glance.

When the door closed with a definite click, Sasuke pulled the sleeping princess into his embrace. His fingers gently combed through her tangled hair as the princess's eyes slowly fluttered open. "Stop Sasuke-kun." Sakura grumbled lowly before swatting at his hand. "My hair is a tangled mess thanks to you."

Sasuke smirked and leaned down to press a kiss to her nose. Yes he was to blame for the state of her tangled hair. He had spent the majority of the night holding her closely, kissing her passionately, and tangling his fingers in her short pink hair. Sasuke pushed the princess onto her back and hovered over her with his weight in his hands. His eyes roamed the skin left exposed by her nightgown, and he looked back up at the princess.

"Well then I suppose you can thank me for the marks on your skin as well." His fingers traced her skin, outlining his mark on her pale flesh.

Sakura gasped as his words sunk in and she reached up to punch him in the shoulder. "Sasuke! I have to look presentable for your guests today!" Sakura groaned and threw her head into the pillows, she felt like sinking into the bed and disappearing.

Sasuke chuckled lowly before kissing her forehead again. "I left no marks above your neckline." He pressed a gentle kiss to the hollow of her throat. "Only someone looking where they shouldn't be will see them."

Sakura sighed and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Sasuke-kun you need to learn to control yourself.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and pressed his lips to hers gently. "Soon enough you'll be my wife and I won't control myself in the least bit." He lightly nipped on her bottom lip. "I don't care who sees what I do to you."

Sakura opened her mouth to protest when Sasuke took her mouth with his own and kissed her with all of the fervor he could muster. When Sasuke finally pulled his lips away from the princess he pulled her to his chest and rolled so that he was on his back and she was lying on top of him.

Sakura pressed her lips to his gently before letting her fingers trace his face. "When do we have to get out of bed?"

Sasuke shrugged and pulled down the strap of her nightgown. "Whenever I feel like letting you out of bed."

Sakura giggled and pressed her lips teasingly. "Then I suppose we shall stay here forever."

Sasuke smirked as his hands caressed her waist gently. "The noble-women are here."

Sakura scowled down at her king as her tiny hands gripped his shirt tightly. "You are most definitely not leaving our bed anytime soon."

Sasuke's hand ran through her hair and he leaned forward to kiss her nose. "Our bed?"

Sakura blushed heavily before turning her face away from the king. She stuttered lightly as she attempted to regain her dignity from his loaded question. "W-well… I just meant that…" Sakura groaned in frustration and stopped trying to explain herself to him. The young princess sighed and leaned forward to press a passionate kiss to Sasuke's lips.

Sasuke chuckled and let his fingers tangle in her hair again. He let his lips curl away from hers as his fingers gently pulled her face away from his. His fingers rubbed the skin of her cheeks gently as he looked into her emerald eyes. He wanted to say it, to tell her how much he felt for her, but he couldn't right now. Not when their future was so uncertain. He wouldn't leave her with the obligation to wait for him if he were to die.

"Sakura," He began slowly, his breath lingering on his princess's, "Danzou is going to be here soon."

Sakura's body froze and she pulled her face away from his in shock. "What?" Her voice was quiet and lost somewhere in her throat.

Sasuke's fingers continued their slow tracing of Sakura's cheeks. "His army is on the outskirts of Oto, we will host him and his nobles."

Sakura's eye never left his as the fear played in her eyes. "When will he be here?"

"By tomorrow."

Sakura's hand grasped the hand already on her cheek and she intertwined their hands. "Marry me tonight."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes down at her in annoyance, hadn't they already talked about this? "Sakura we already-"

Sakura put a finger to his lips to silence him. "If Danzou intends to marry me to secure the throne, we can deter him by me already having a husband."

Sasuke shook his head minutely before speaking. "I was intending to hide your presence from Danzou completely."

"But if I am married to you, I have no motivation to reclaim my title. I won't be Danzou's target, Naruto will. But he has no idea where Naruto is."

Sasuke stayed silent as he pondered Sakura's words. She was right, he could deter Danzou's attention away from her easily this way. "Kakashi will want to be there."

Sakura smiled and kissed the space between his eyebrows. "I'm sure Danzou won't mind watching you take away my chances of reclaiming the throne."

Sasuke sighed and let his head fall back into his pillows. "It would be a great excuse to put up extra security."

"And your wedding present to me could be Danzou's death." Sakura smiled sweetly and rested her head on his chest.

Sasuke shook his head and let his hand slowly rub her back. "We don't know that he is behind this, we will have to wait." Sasuke slowly pushed Sakura off of him and stood from the bed, stretching his arms above his head. "Orochimaru may have something to do with this, and our only way to get to him is through Danzou."

Sakura ogled Sasuke's muscles as he stretched. "Then I suppose we have a long day of preparations ahead of us." Sakura stood and wrapped her arms around his waist before pressing a kiss in between his shoulder blades.

Sasuke took in a shallow breath as his hands covered hers on his stomach. He reveled in the feel of her fingers over his skin and took in another deep breath. Today was going to be a long day.