Cindersoot

Summary: Sakura is the heiress to one of the richest noble families in all of Japan. However, her stepmother takes away all of that when her father dies. What happens when she meets the Prince by accident? AU. R&R!

A/N: Yes, I'm terribly sorry to have not updated in ages, but not my fault. Really. I haven't had the inspiration to update for a very long time, but when I opened my Word document I decided that I probably should write a chapter so that nobody kills me in my sleep. ^_^;

As usual, Naruto does NOT belong to me.

Sasuke swallowed as he walked closer and closer to the small pathway that lead deeper into the forest. It had to be Sakura. It simply had to. Sasuke didn't know what he would do if it wasn't. He had to see her and apologize.

She intrigued him.

Sakura was just something that Sasuke was not quite sure on how to describe. She was beautiful in a totally different way from any of the other ladies he had ever met. But there was something in the way she carried herself. She was certainly not any ordinary servant, but something much more.

Who could she be? What secrets could she possibly be hiding from him? Sasuke remembered when he had first met her that fateful day. Her very presence had brightened his dismal mood beyond words.

Who are you, Sakura? he asked himself for the hundredth time. Sasuke pushed away a few branches and walked a few more paces. He had to compose himself before speaking the one word that seemed to be on his tongue so often these days.

"Sakura."

Sakura blinked back tears as she walked further and further into the forest. The minute Oharu had dismissed her; the feelings she had kept carefully buried threatened to erupt. She had to get away. She had to think.

She couldn't possibly be falling for Sasuke.

The minute she had gotten to the kitchen, she had torn open the door and ran like the wind. It didn't matter that what she hadn't informed anyone of where she was going or when she would be back. The consequences could be dealt with later.

Sakura wanted to be free. Free from the normal burdens and sadness she dealt with on a daily basis. The verbal abuses from Oharu, watching Oharu control Ino as if she were nothing more than a puppet. For all it was worth, Sakura pitied the girl. She was nothing more than a pawn in her mother's hands, used time after time as a way to garner sympathy, power and whatever else it was that Oharu took a fancy to.

For the first time in her life, she missed her father more than she ever had. The initial sadness and grief and worn away in time, but they resurfaced to plague her once again.

It wasn't fair.

My entire life isn't fair.

Her vision blurred with tears again, as she jogged lightly to keep going. She was deep in the heart of the forest, in a place where she had no sense of direction. It would be easy to get lost, especially if it got dark.

Sakura walked closer to the stream she heard. It was a comforting sound to listen to, and she gingerly sat down on a log to rest her tired legs. She had walked for a long time, and for a great deal of distance. The hem of her dress was muddy, and her shoes were ruined. She took them off and stuck her legs in the water, watching it clean off the dirt from her feet.

That was when she heard it.

The crack of the twig resounded sharply in the air. Sakura whirled around, alert for any possible intruder. No one was there. She sighed and turned back around, staring at a patch of grass.

"Sakura."

In that one word, her mind went blank.

She slowly turned around again, staring at Sasuke. He was leaning against a tree, his formal clothes still impeccably clean and crisp. Suddenly, Sakura couldn't help but feel self-conscious of her own clothes. Her hair was probably a huge mess. Sasuke said nothing but instead, began to walk towards her.

"What do you want, your Highness?" Sakura asked, standing up. "I believe I asked you to not bother me any more."

"Nothing you say makes sense, Sakura." Sasuke said, gazing at her. "I don't know what to believe about you...nor do I know how I feel about you."

Sakura lifted her confused eyes. "Your Highness?" she asked.

"Please, call me Sasuke." he replied. "You have a way of getting to people, do you know that?" he walked closer still to Sakura, who backed away. "Getting under their skin with your utterly foolish tales." he hissed. "I don't believe for a minute you are who you say. You're something more. Much more."

Sakura inhaled deeply, afraid that he had caught on. How could he know?! Had Naruto told him who she was?

"I'm not going to question you anymore." Sasuke continued. "I'll find out, by myself, using my own sweet time. But for now..." before she could protest, he grabbed her arm and pulled her in for a kiss.

Sakura wanted to yell, but she was quickly silenced as she closed her eyes. He was kissing her. Him, Sasuke Uchiha, prince of Japan, was kissing her, Sakura Haruno. A lowly servant.

Sasuke didn't know what made him do this. He just wanted all the lies and the deceit to end, but as long as Sakura refused to cooperate, there was no way that he could ever coerce anything out of her. Of course, there was always Naruto. The damn brat knew much more than he let on. Sasuke would deal with him later. He had more pressing matters to deal with.

Her lips were softer than he had originally imagined they would be. They tasted lightly of something sweet that Sasuke couldn't quite place. He gently placed his arms around her waist and drew her closer to him, and kissed her deeper. It was his first time, kissing anyone, but this was proof to him that there was something underneath that was real.

They pulled away gently, Sakura blinking rather stupidly.

Kyaa, he kissed you! Inner-Sakura ranted, punching the air in elation. Shannaro! Take that, stupid Ino-pig!

"You kissed me." she mumbled. Sasuke had an amused expression on his face as he regarded her.

"I did." he replied simply, and leaned in closer so that he could whisper into her ear. "And I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

Her eyes widened considerably as he pulled away, gently grabbing her hand. "But, why?" she stuttered, still unable to believe why he would ever do such a thing. To her, of all people.

"Because, Sakura, I'd be lying to myself if I said I wasn't attracted to you." he mumbled the truth finally out in open. "You're...you're weird."

"Excuse me?!" Sakura gasped, ready to punch Sasuke. Prince or not, nobody called her that and got away with it.

"No! I mean...well, you're just...different. From other girls that I know. They're obsessed with material things, like clothes and hair. But you seem to care for so much more than them. That's why, I like you. I'd like to give this a try, Sakura."

"But...but...this won't end well, Sasuke. For neither of us." she sputtered. "You're getting married, and I'm...well...I'm just a servant."

"That, my dear, is simply something that we'll have to take care of." Sasuke replied, a smirk on his face. "And believe me; I can be rather creative when I want to be."

Oharu frowned as she stared out the window. There was still no sign of Sakura. That girl was getting more and more disobedient by the day, and Oharu was getting tired of it.

She had not heard back from the paid assassin that she had wanted to hire, and Oharu figured that that was no longer an option. She sighed and sat down upon her chair, glancing at the will on her desk. They were only months away from Sakura's birthday. It would not be long before all of her assets, along with the estates, land and the manor would have to be handed over to Sakura. She grit her teeth with frustration at her predicament.

Queen Mikoto had swallowed up her lies easily enough. Oharu smiled as she remembered that afternoon. Ino had polished off her reputation in front of the queen with dignity and grace, just like she had always expected of her. The girl was, at last, living up to what Oharu wanted. It would not be long before the reins of the entire kingdom would be at her hands.

Oharu knew well enough, that the amount of power any queen held depended upon her intelligence and willingness. She knew for a fact that Ino had neither, and her lip curled with distaste. It did not matter, though, for what Ino would have in time would be enough for Oharu. The power Ino wielded would be all that she would need to take care of past enemies and all those that had dared to wrong her.

It's a pity you're dead, Aemi, she thought to herself, a grim smile on her face. I would have certainly loved to take care of you.

She glanced out the window again, and smiled as she saw Sakura head down the pathway. "Keiko!" she called. The maid entered the room, and bowed before standing obediently in front of her. "Please summon Sakura to my quarters. I wish to speak with her." Speak, would be an understatement, she thought. The girl would need to understand her place in the order of things.

Oharu settled herself in her chair and waited for Sakura to enter the room. At last, she came through the door, face flushed and eyes shining. Oharu frowned at this. What had she been up to?

"I see that you have forgotten your manners, girl." she spat. Sakura seemed startled, but gave a shallow bow nonetheless. There was defiance in her eyes that Oharu had never seen before. She narrowed her own before speaking again. "Where have you been?" she asked curtly, studying Sakura for any outwards signs of lies.

"Out." Sakura replied promptly. She would not be trampled upon by this woman. Not now, not ever.

"Where?" Oharu asked. "I warn you, Sakura, do not lie to me. Your position will not be favourable if you do. I grow tired of repeating myself time and time again and yet you show me nothing more than disobedience."

Sakura's temper flared. "Well, pardon me, my lady, but I only wished to spend an afternoon al-"

SMACK!

Oharu returned her hand to her side and surveyed Sakura calmly. She hadn't hit her ever since that fateful day she had been turned into a servant. "When I look at you, girl, do you know what I see?" she hissed. Sakura raised her green eyes to meet Oharu's unflinchingly. "I see a girl with no manners who has high delusions of grandeur." she smiled sinisterly at Sakura. "Delusions that she is entirely not entitled to."

There was a short silence.

"I warn you, young lady, that you remember what I am going to say well." Oharu continued. "You are nothing. Nothing more than dirt at the heels of my feet. You are downtrodden, and you are a mere servant in my household. I did you a favour by giving you a roof to live under and food three times a day. You ought to be grateful for my generosity. Instead, you flout authority and show disobedience at every turn!" she looked at Sakura with a glare. "I will not tolerate your behaviour any longer. You are nothing, do you hear me, nothing!"

Sakura willed herself not to cry. Instead, she stared steadily into Oharu's blue eyes and watched as the older woman flinched with the intensity of her gaze.

"Get out my sight, you filthy little brat." Oharu said coldly.

Sakura turned around and left the room, shutting the door behind her. She would not shed tears for this woman.

You are nothing...

Her words resounded in Sakura's head, but instead of weakening her, it strengthened her resolve.

You're wrong. I am Sakura Haruno.

Bitch.

"So, let me get this straight." Rin said, raising one eyebrow. "You want me to speak to this girl."

"Yes!" Obito nodded his head eagerly. Kakashi rolled his eyes.

"Who is apparently madly in love with our dear prince Sasuke."

"Exactly!"

"But fails to 'see the light' to put it in your words."

"Precisely!"

"Did you swallow a thesaurus?"

"Sorry. Continue."

"Anyways, this girl is in love with Sasuke, but doesn't want to admit it. So you want me to find a way to get her to confess her feelings."

"Right." Obito confirmed. "You're a girl. You're supposed to be good at this."

"Was that a sexist comment, Obito Uchiha?" Rin asked, glaring at him. "I don't like those."

"Oh, I'm sorry; I forgot that we have our rabid feminist here." Obito said, cracking up at his own joke. Within minutes, he was under Rin's headlock.

"What did you call me?!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! I mean-"

Sasuke strode past them, hardly sparing a glance. The three friends looked up as he walked by, whistling. He nodded to a servant, whose jaw promptly fell to the ground. They watched as he rounded the corner, then at each other. Rin let go of a wheezing Obito and cleared her throat.

"You don't need me, Obito. I think that our dear friend here has admitted it already." Rin said, smirking.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed that! People have been asking me lately if Orochimaru/Kabuto will be in the story. Well, to tell the truth, I did want them to be a part of it. But seeing as Orochimaru is dead and gone, it's been scrapped. Sorry about that everyone!

Anyways, I feel really bad that I haven't updated at all lately. This has been in the works for two weeks, but I never found the time to write it down completely. At any rate, tomorrow is the last day of Winter Break, but I will find time to update. I swear. It'll go back to the usual update of one per month, maybe one inbetween if I have a load of free time. But I also have exams coming up, so it might take a little longer than that.

Please review! They make my world go around! ^_^ Thank you all for sticking by this fic, even though I haven't updated recently. I promise it won't happen again.

- B.W