Note: Explanations on the end note.

Last edit: 10/11/20

Tags: Romance, Isekai, Fantasy, Drama, Humor, Adventure

Main Pairing: SasuSaku

Side Pairing(s): ItaIzu

His vision was blurring, his body going limp. He no longer had the energy to stand, his knees buckling forcing him to grab onto the sword he had pierced through the ground smeared in crimson. The large wound on his chest, what was indescribable pain now numb, his senses no longer cooperating with his mind and body. His eyelids were growing heavier by the second. His throat clenched, evident by the sound of him breathing, as he clung to whatever was left in him.

Was this the end? He did not wish to think it so. But in his condition, he knew, deep down, that he didn't have a chance. Perhaps he never did.

"I warned you." There was condescension in his words as he stared down at his weak body, no remorse whatsoever hinted in his tone. "But just like everyone in your damned family, you refused to listen."

He tried to speak, but although his lips formed words, no sound came out except for harsh, gargled sounds coming from his throat. He stopped, realizing that all that came out was the metallic taste of his very own blood.

His enemy laughed. "Know when to give up, Your Grace. It would do you as well as His Majesty better to realize this now." A finger lifted his chin up for their eyes to meet. Dark brown eyes filled with the elation of victory met with red eyes fading into onyx, its vitality lost. "You fought well, though. Better than I'd anticipated. However, your time has come."

Raising his sword, the duke could only watch as his images of his life passed through his mind. His brother, tasked with leading their kingdom, would be left without him. His niece and nephew would no longer have their uncle to help them in sword training and show them pieces of the world he would bring back after battles from afar to protect their land. His mother would be left without the son she always kept so close to her, so dear to her. He wouldn't be able to warn them of this treachery lurking within their own court. Instead, he would finally be reuniting with his father from beyond the grave, and he would get to see the son he cherished more in secret, his love not one he tended to show so callously.

He didn't realize it, the red tear he had shed in his right eye rolling down his cheek, adding to the red stain that was already there.

It was the end of the Duke of Mangekyo, and what an untimely death it was.

"Say your farewells, Duke Sasuke!"

Jigen had done the job. And the king was next.

"What?!" Sakura yelled as she processed what she had just read. "No!"

Forgetting where she was for the moment, the countless shushing sounds from irritated students who were distracted from their work reminded her that she was in the university library. Feeling sheepish by her own outburst, she mouthed an apology to the man who sat at the table across from her, his back turned towards her to give her a look.

Looking down at the book she had slammed on the table, she flipped back to the previous page to make sure what she read was correct. And then, she did it again. And again. She stopped, wincing at the dull ache in her head she's had since she had woken up. Maybe the speed of her eyes scanning the letters made it hurt more. Still, it didn't change what was already there.

'No,' she thought as she slumped back into her chair, reality settling in. 'I can't believe this.'

It was real. It was written. It was published. Her favorite character of her favorite book series had just died. 'How am I supposed to keep reading this?!' She fought the urge to whine. The Kingdom of Crimson: Susanoo was the book series that she had followed ever since she had started med school, dating to just a month after her freshman year started when she had found the book in the university library. Now, in its fourth book and Sakura in her last semester before her residency, it's the first time she felt like she shouldn't even read another page. From the start, the Duke of Mangekyo, Sasuke Uchiha, was the character that had interested her to keep reading the story. His complex character and compelling storyline was the most appealing part of the series to her and with his character's death, how could she possibly keep reading? He'd never get back to his family. His nephew will never again get to spend time with the uncle he cared for so deeply.

Closing the book, she let out a deep sigh. She thought her day couldn't get any worse, but the universe seemed to love proving her wrong. Her alarm hadn't gone off in the morning, thus making her late for her first lecture. It was raining today, as well, and she showed up to class soaking, her bag wet and so was the contents inside of it. Luckily though, her laptop had not suffered any damage. She couldn't say the same for her notebooks, though. Though she had some notes typed in her laptop, she much preferred writing them down, finding it was easier for her to retain the information when written by her own hand.

She had to stop by her dorm before her second class of the day to hang the pages by her shower curtain rack to dry, having no time to try and use the hairdryer on low to speed up the process. Hopefully, they wouldn't all be ruined by the time they did dry.. She thought her day was brightening up after nothing much went wrong throughout her second class, but she stood corrected during lunch, when the lines were far too long to get anything and she couldn't wait long enough because her next class was less than half an hour away. So she went to her third class with an empty stomach. Finally, when she reached the library having procured a sandwich to munch on after hours of nothing to eat, she thought she'd finally been given a break. And then, her favorite character had to just go and die.

Sakura huffed, folding her arms over her chest. It was official. Today was not her day. She had half a mind to write an angry book review online or maybe, take it one step further and send an email to the author. She scoffed. No, she wasn't going to turn into one of those people, emailing the author just because she wasn't satisfied with how events turned out. Besides, it's not like anyone actually knew who the author was nor were there many book review sites that had the book listed on it. The name published with the book is a pen name, and the author doesn't have any sort of social media. It was all the publishing company's work to promote the series and promote it, they did. Though she loved the series, she felt as though she was the only one. The book didn't have a page on the book review website she frequented, nor could she find much about the publishing company, Chakura no Mi. The only place she could find any sort of information regarding the series was a Twitter account by the username, tentails. The book's origins were mysterious enough, but another unique thing about it was that it could only be bought through the publishing company's website.

At first, it heavily intrigued her, but as the years passed, she had other more pressing matters to deal with at school, so she didn't dive too deep into the mystery. Sakura, herself, didn't consider herself a big fan of the fantasy genre, she preferred more contemporary settings. But the series captured her attention and had her on the edge of her seat for every book that would come out. The one she had just put down was four of five, the last one to be released the following year. However, as of the moment, she had no plans on picking it up. The wound of losing her favorite character was still very fresh.

Packing the book back into her bag and zipping it closed, she stood up and decided she would be better back in the dorm. Maybe the walk to the other side of campus would calm her mind enough for her to finish the paper she needed to do before she had to go to her last class.

Leaving the library building, she tried to think more positively going forward for the rest of the day. The young med student didn't want to dwell on the negative for now. However, as she walked across the street, she couldn't shake off the growing sense of dread that had bubbled up in her thoughts. As soon as she was safely on the other side of the road, she turned around. She was the only one crossing the street. So why did she feel like she was being watched?

The day had finally ended and the sun had set beneath the horizon, the moon slowly rising to take its place, watching over the people below the sky. Sakura had decided to go out with a few of her friends to a restaurant just outside of campus, figuring it would be best for her to go out with friends after the day she had. She didn't want to stay too long, though. The headache she had since morning began to feel more than an ache. It was a pain she could manage up until now. Now, her head felt like it was pounding as if it was a nail being pummeled by the fists of a boxer.

"You're leaving already?" One of her friends asked as Sakura stood up, dusting herself off.

"I have an early start tomorrow, and I have a few things I need to finish before then," Sakura answered, trying not to sound sheepish at her own words.

"Come on, Sakura! Live a little! Have a few more drinks with us."

"Are you sure you'll be fine? You mentioned your head hurting a bit."

The table erupted into boisterous noise, attempting to encourage their overly studious friend to stay. It was to no avail, though. Bidding them farewell with a few hugs (some tighter than others, the alcohol having a part in their decision to squeeze instead), she exited the restaurant, bag in hand. Her friend had given her a ride, so to get back to the dorms, she'd have to take a bus. She had her own car, of course, but with the headache she'd been having, she thought it best to walk the short distance (at least for her) to the restaurant. Besides, she thought after all the food she ate, the walk might do her good.

Following the path the app on her phone provided for her, she nodded her head to the music playing in her ear.

It was a busy night. Traffic on the way to the city looked terrible, the cars stopped close together, drivers squeezing their ways in as if an inch could sate their impatience. The bright lights for the vehicles did nothing to aid her aching head. If anything, the pounding got worse. She pursed her lips. She was less than five minutes away from the bus stop. She'll be fine soon. Hopefully the painkillers she kept in her medicine closet would stop the pounding.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder, startling her. Looking up, she removed one earbud from her ear and met the subtly worried look on the stranger. The stranger's eyes were an odd color, and judging by the cane the stranger carried, she guessed perhaps it was because she was blind. Still, the oddly colored eyes stared at hers as if she could see the tired and slightly pained emeralds. And there goes the fact that they noticed that she was feeling discomfort due to her aching head.

"Are you okay?" The stranger's voice was deep, but Sakura couldn't tell whether the stranger was a man or a woman.

Visible to the stranger or not, they noticed she had her attention at them, and not wanting to be rude, Sakura decided to answer, despite her trepidation. Something about this stranger gave her a sinking feeling in her stomach, and she couldn't pinpoint why. "No. No, it's fine. I'm fine."

The stranger nodded. Noticing other people around us have begun walking, I turned to see the light was green. She walked to the other side of the road and looked back to see the stranger had not moved. They were still on the other side of the road, and their eyes were fixated on her.

She stilled, the terrible gut reaction she had to the stranger getting worse, even though she had put quite a distance between them. Sakura contemplated whether she should call someone. She was close enough to the stop, so she figured she should just hurry up. The sooner she got home, the better.

As Sakura was about to leave, she felt a paralyzing shock to her body. Shots of electricity ran up and down her veins, stilling her body, her feet heavy as if it were sinking deep into sand. Her mind yelled at her, 'Move!' yet nothing happened. It seemed no one around her had noticed her dilemma. Her lips refused to move, her throat flooding with liquid from the back of her throat.

From the shadows, the stranger appeared in front of her.

'Wait! How did they get here?' Her thoughts filled with panic. No one around had yet to notice. 'Someone! Help!'

Was this what being frightened to death felt like? Sakura felt as though it was the case. But why on Earth did her body refuse to listen to her mind's command.

'This can't be real.'

As if hearing her thoughts, the stranger, who was now in front of her, spoke. "Oh, but what is real?"

They could hear her? A wash of dread overcame Sakura. She could feel tears fighting to escape her, but she couldn't feel a single tear on her cheek. 'How is no one seeing this? Help!'

"You do not need help, dear." A wry smirk crept on the stranger's pale lips.

Would this be how the young woman met her end?

Long nailed fingers reveal themselves from beneath the stranger's sleeves, both palms facing the panicked student. "You're needed elsewhere."

'What?'

"And in the end, you'll find that you would want to thank me."

With one strong push, Sakura couldn't process what was happening to her fast enough. Her body could move again, and she struggled to stay upright, the push shocking her out of her paralysis, and she didn't notice that the red light had turned green. Her right foot tried to steady her but she was still falling, her back on the quick descent to meet the dark grey asphalt.

Then, darkness.

First: Pushed by a Stranger, Found by Another

"The issue in the east has been dealt with. Viscount Hatake of the Sharingan region managed to quell the growing tension between the two marquesses, and I had gone to squash any lingering ill will towards you, Your Majesty."

"As always, efficient. Thank you." A pause. "But how many times must I tell you to address me casually. It still feels odd to hear my own brother refer to me with such grandeur."

The young duke looked up.

"Will I have to die before hearing my own brother lovingly refer to me as big brother?" The king frowned, his mood seemingly a little teasing.

"I stopped calling you that when I was ten, Itachi." The duke sighed, the proof of his embarrassment at his brother's announcement to the people present in the throne room shown in the pinkish hue spreading from the tips of his ears.

"It would do you well to leave your serious mind elsewhere at time like these, Sasuke," the viscount who stood next to him said with an amused lilt in his lips, despite being hidden by the mask he wore constantly. Giving him a pat on the back, the Viscount of Sharingan enjoyed seeing the usually stoic young duke flustered. "Indulge your brother, would you?"

Receiving his interest with a sharp glare, Sasuke had chosen not to respond verbally, rather with a quick punch to the stomach while he stood in place. The viscount, however, did not groan. He stifled one as he lurched forward due to the sudden impact. He was not at all offended, though, as this was a normal occurrence between the king, the duke, and himself.

Itachi, seated on his throne, could no longer hide the laugh he had kept to himself. Standing up and walking down the steps to meet his brother, he shook his head at the frown Sasuke bore on his face. To most, it would look like he was angry. To those who knew him, they recognized it as his form of a stubborn pout. Of course, it varied with every situation.

"I appreciate that you traveled all the way to Amaterasu to bear the good news, Kakashi. Are you sure it was worth the days' travel?"

Kakashi shook his head. "None at all. In fact, I would say I needed some time away."

The king nodded, then turned his attention to his brother. "Sasuke, care for a stroll?"

"How is the Mangekyo territory faring?"

Sasuke looked at his brother with slight confusion as the two strolled through the gardens of the capital's palace. The greenery looked lush in its vivid color, thriving in the spring fair weather. Hints of red, black, and white peaked through the bushes that lined the pathway, roses that represented the national colors of the kingdom. Occasionally, a lone violet rose would appear amidst the others, the symbolic color of the land chosen by the man who founded the kingdom, Indra.

"It's faring well," he answered. "Nothing of importance nor warranting worry have arisen in the past year. This, I've stated in my letters to you, though I assume you were aware of that when you asked me your question."

Itachi let out an amused breath. "Kakashi is right in saying you are far too serious at times."

"Mangekyo is a large territory that, need I remind you, you assigned me duke to. Mother would have much preferred me being Duke of Katon, as father would have wanted, as well."

"Ah, but would you have preferred it? Katon is an easier place to govern, and though it is closer to the capital, you would not have wanted an easy life."

Sasuke knew his brother's words rang true. Katon was a smaller territory of land located next to Amaterasu, the capital. It was rich with resources, and the nobles in the land tended to be kinder than the other territories of the Kingdom of Susanoo. To lead the land would have been an easy task compared to the rest, and he would have grown bored quickly.

Compared to Katon, Mangekyo was larger in land with harder to impress nobles and a pillar of the kingdom's economy, far more daunting a territory to lead. It was also farther away from the capital. Sasuke had been wanting a chance to prove himself to the people of the kingdom, that he was not just a prince whose use was only on the battlefield. He had grown up with the best tutors in the land, his father, the previous king, taught him what he knows about governing. Perhaps that was where he had obtained his stoicism from.

Duke Sasuke was a man known for the everpresent furrow on his brow. With his renown on the battlefield, an instance being when he gave his aid to the Senju Empire when his close friend, the prince, asked for his assistance against assailants from the Oto Continent to their victory, he had skill in addition to his handsome features. Always the painting of solemnity, many found him difficult to talk to. That didn't stop some people, though, specifically those of the opposite sex.

"That's all an old matter. In the mere five years since you've become duke, you have proven to the continent of your skills. I'm proud of you, little brother." Itachi gave him a smile.

Sasuke nodded, a small tilt upwards from the corners of his lips. "Was this all you wanted to talk about on our stroll, brother?"

Itachi looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

The duke stopped walking. The king did so, as well.

"You have something on your mind, I can tell. And by your mood today, I surmise it is something that's caused you much joy?"

The king shook his head. The only person who could read him better than his brother was his mother. Thankfully for the time being, she was spending her time in Izanagi, enjoying the palace by the waters of the West Sea. "What would you say if I told you I had met a woman?"

Sasuke's brows rose in surprise. "A woman?"

His brother merely nodded.

Clearing his throat, the duke and the king resumed their stroll. "Which noble is she?"

"She isn't one."

That piece of information didn't surprise the duke. Having met every noblewoman in the kingdom, Itachi hadn't shown the least bit interest towards any of them. It was all polite greetings and dances during balls and big events. It was the same for him, however Itachi was always courteous to his partners. Sasuke did the necessary, but it was clear he did not enjoy them.

"She's a farmer's daughter."

Now, this was a surprise. "Where could you have possibly met a farmer's daughter?"

"Whenever I'm able, I tend to go out in disguise to see how the kingdom is faring with my own eyes."

"Big brother, that's dangerous!"

"Was it not you who said you stopped referring to me in that manner fifteen years ago?" Itachi grinned. "And don't be so surprised. I am well aware you do the same in your dukedom."

He was right, but in addition to being his brother, he's also the king! There was far more danger facing him.

"I'm thinking of asking for her hand."

One surprise after another. "Would the court object?"

"I'm the king. I think I have enough power to overrule their objections."

A little frustrated, Sasuke sighed, rubbing a hand on his forehead. "Does this woman know?"

Judging from his brother's silence, she did not. "Good luck with explaining that."

"You do not oppose it?"

"And what right do I have to do so. It is your choice."

Itachi's expression softened. "You're right. One thing I know I do not have to fret about is mother's approval. She'd been pestering me about marriage for years."

"I think the whole continent has been waiting for that announcement from the capital," Sasuke remarks. "A thirty-one year old king with no bride."

"You best keep an eye out, as well, Sasuke." He chuckled. "You're mother's next target once I do marry."

"You're confident she will say yes? Despite the complexity of the situation."

"I've no doubt of her feelings."

"Would that be enough?"

"I hope so."

They changed their direction and made their way back inside the palace. Just a short distance away from the stairs that would bring them to the large archway that would greet them before they enter, Itachi stopped and faced Sasuke. "I wish the same for you, you know."

Sasuke raised a brow, confused. However, the king didn't explain and the two continued walking into the palace in silence, Itachi's last words echoing in Sasuke's mind. Sasuke would still be thinking about it during his trip returning to Mangekyo, the statement plaguing his mind. He couldn't understand why.

Pink tresses tickled the grass covered forest,
soft, smooth skin met its touch.

The woman, fast asleep, to wake in her new reality.

It would be less than a quarter of the day, and he'd arrive back to the place he'd been calling home for five years now. A few soldiers had come with him and the viscount in their travels to assure their safety. It was more of something that must be done rather than a task he wanted specifically done. It was known that he and the viscount who was also with him that they could handle themselves. But 'tis the life of a noble, priggish and sometimes insufferable, as Sasuke would describe it.

"Eager to be home, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked, his horse appearing next to Sasuke's.

He hummed an answer. Yes. "There are things to prepare." He needed to gauge how the other noble's in his territory would react to the king marrying a commoner. They couldn't oppose him outright, but he was aware some lords had been throwing their daughters at the king for the chance to become the queen's father. Nobles loved to talk about nonsensical rumors, so he had to tread carefully.

Sasuke sighed. He thought he'd be able to take a small break for once. How was he to know his brother had fallen in love?

As cautious as the duke appeared, he was happy that his brother seemed happy, but he had to be vigilant. He didn't know the woman, so it was up to him to make sure nothing was lurking behind the curtain.

He looked forward, the vivid colors of the forest met his sight in a warm greeting. People unfamiliar with the area would have let their guard down at such an ethereal sight, unaware that this part of the forest before the Mangekyo Estate was home to large venomous snakes and unfriendly wolves. Sasuke had known this even before his reign as duke in the territory began, hence why he was always armed with his sword, ready to fend off any large wolven beast, and why his travelling party always had healing potions in case one of them or their horses would fall victim to the snake's venom.

However, as he inspected his surroundings, it was neither a wolf nor a reptile that caught his attention. He thought he saw pink in the sea of green that was the forest grass. Turning his head to get a better look, his eyes widened, realizing that what he saw was a head of pink hair that belonged to a woman who appeared to be asleep. Stopping his horse before redirecting the stallion to her direction, the rest of his travelling part had also halted their movements.

"Your Grace!" The head knight called out before realizing why he strayed from the path.

As Sasuke got closer, he noticed the young woman's odd clothing. Her skirt was not the same color as the bodice, its length what the court would consider scandalous, reaching just above her knees. But that wasn't the only thing peculiar. How did she get this far into the forest with not so much as a scratch on her skin? Why was she laid in a dangerous forest so close to the duke's estate?

He hopped off of his steed and proceeded to crouch down to inspect the body. Only it wasn't a corpse as he had first thought. She was very much alive, her chest rising and falling to her silent breathing.

Kakashi and the head knight appeared behind him, getting off of their horses to stand closer to the duke.

"Just when I thought this trip would end with it being wholly uneventful," Kakashi remarked, his hand on his chin. "What will you do, duke?"

"Is she a forest nymph?" The knight pondered aloud. With her bright pink hair, unblemished skin, and revealing clothing, she looked as if she could be one.

She wasn't, Sasuke was sure of it. Her ears did not have the telltale point that nymphs do. And nymphs in this forest didn't like to show themselves often. And there was something else.

"Kakashi," he spoke without tilting his head to face him. "Do you sense it?"

"Yes."

Chakra. She possessed chakra, a rare energy force only magic users are blessed with since birth. An energy force she had in spades. An energy force only those who possess it can sense.

He had half a mind to leave her, not knowing who the woman was and if she was dangerous, but he was intrigued. If she had this level of chakra, it meant she was of noble blood or a descendant of a mage. If he left her asleep on the ground, it was only a matter of time before a wolf or a snake would find their next meal. It looked as if she was in very deep sleep. And perhaps in the small chance she was of noble birth or a daughter of a powerful mage, it would only spell more trouble for him if word got out she was missing.

He doubted her origins that being of nobility in the Kingdom of Susanoo, however. He had met them all and none resembled her features. Perhaps she was visiting from a neighboring country?

Sighing, he called for the captain to bring their healer to check if she truly was in an acceptable condition.

"Are you taking her to the estate?" Kakashi whispered the question as the healer lifted up the woman's arm and checked for a pulse.

"A large amount of chakra. She's someone of some importance. It will be a headache if a frantic noble or mage starts wreaking havoc across the country."

Kakashi shook his head. "Always so pragmatic." Though Sasuke's words showed no signs of weakness, the viscount knew that if he were not the least bit intrigued, he would have ignored the woman once he spotted her. "You regret not taking a carriage with us on this journey, do you not?"

"We'll arrive at the estate a few hours after noon regardless."

"We'd arrive by noon if we continued at our previous pace."

"And how do you suggest we move this woman?"

"I believe her savior should do the honors."

Kakashi enjoyed teasing him far too much for the duke's liking, but it had been this way since he was a child.

"She appears healthy, Your Grace." The healer stood up, dusting off his trousers.

"What do you need us to do, Your Grace?" The knight asked.

"We continue our way to the estate." Sasuke kneeled before the sleeping beauty's body and put his hands beneath her back, between it and the ground, easily lifting her up as if she weighed as little as a bag of feathers.

With her in his arms, he walked back to his horse, raising her up to the steed. Kakashi was right beside him, using his arm to keep the woman's body upright as Sasuke hoisted himself up onto his horse. Once comfortable, his hands reached for the reins, and Kakashi moved her slightly so that she would be leaning onto his chest, the duke's arms around her. Even with all the movement, the woman had yet to open her eyes.

The men stood astonished by their Grace's actions, some mouths ajar as a reaction. Kakashi only chuckled, his arms crossed. He had no idea he would take his jest so seriously.

"What are you all gawking at? Let's move."

Ever the pragmatic duke.

From the shadows, a woman smirked. Everything was set in motion.

The first thing she noticed was the silence, nothing but cool empty silence. The next thing she noticed was how soft and comfortable the sheets were. Slowly, she lifted her body up, her upper back aching from having slept in such an uncomfortable position- a position she was not aware of. With a few blinks, she assessed her surroundings.

The room was tidy, a large window on the wall to her right giving light to the large space. She noticed the absence of an overhead light source, instead there was a large ornate design that decorated it. Looking lower, she took note of wall sconces that held unlit candles. Looking at the hands on her lap, she realized the bed she was laying on was larger than she had imagined.

Slowly, it dawned on her how unfamiliar everything was and her stomach sank. Sakura had no idea where she was. Panicked, she threw her legs over the edge and her feet met the cold ground. Her shoes, where were her shoes?

Finding them on the other side of the bed, she quickly put them on and ran for the door, her hand quickly pushing it open.

Her vision was greeted by walls shielded by shelves of books, touched only by dust that set upon it by time. Other books were piled by the shelves, and with closer inspection, her earlier thought was wrong. Someone was in the room recently. How else would there be no dust atop the pile?

She bit the tip of her thumb's nail, racking her brain as to an explanation of how she got to where she was. The last thing she remembered was leaving the restaurant to go home. This certainly was not home.

'Shit, did I go back in and drink some more? Did I trespass drunk? Fuck.'

In the two rooms she had been in, she noticed how it had seemed as if there was no electricity in them. Perhaps the homeowner loved antiques? Everything felt old fashioned to her, but in a more positive way. It wasn't in the sense that it was tacky, but it was old fashioned in a tasteful way. A rather muted one, too.

She turned her attention to the empty desk, and her suspicions were proving her right as she walked to the desk situated in the middle of the room. A feather laid on top of parchment, a letter unfinished with only the first half of the page filled with words of pleasantries. The ink on the tip had not yet dried.

'Parchment and ink? Wow, they're really sticking to their taste.'

Dear brother,

Since you have requested I refer to you as such on our last meeting, I will do as you wish. My journey back to my estate was a safe one and was not marked by interesting events, until the last few hours where my men and I encountered an unconscious woman by our path in the forest nearing my property.

Her fingers reached for the unfinished letter, the index finger only a breath away from its touch when an abrupt pain in her chest overwhelmed her senses, clouding her sight, blocking her throat, paralyzing her to the spot on which she stood. She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She couldn't see. Yet somehow, she could hear a light flutter of wings, like a bird had just taken flight right next to her. She could hear groups of people talking, their voices starting loud, then as each second passed, they grew fainter and fainter until all she could hear again was the silence she had woken up to. Then, a horn; dreadful, grating, distressing… A warning.

She felt her throat dry as flashing images began conquering her mind. Flashes of faces, of people she had a sense she had to know, but could not for the life of her name. Images of fast moving vehicles overrunning the streets as people waited by the sidelines until it was safe for them to walk. The sight of a picture that was red turning green, the feeling of her body moving on its own, walking across the street but freezing once she saw a blinding light, and the horn, the warning, growing louder as the light completely took over her sight.

As quickly as it came, it disappeared, ebbing away into nothingness until the silence overtook the space once again. Her breath hitched, her feet unsteady after the brief albeit puzzling moment. A rush of emotions came at her at once, with it came the memories of what had occurred before her waking up in an unfamiliar room.

A stranger.

She was pushed into oncoming traffic. The tires screeched, the car horns were loud enough to break her eardrums.

"How the hell am I alive?" Her throat was now desperate for moisture, the thoughts that plagued her running it dry. She tried to distract herself, hugging her body as if to quell a chill she didn't have.

Overwhelmed, she didn't notice the creak of the door opening.

"Ah," a deep voice startled her. "You're awake."

Intimidation ran down her spine. It didn't sound like the stranger she had encountered in the street. Still, not knowing where she was, she was rightfully frightened. Slowly turning her head, she was met with dark impassive eyes that stared at her. His jaw was chiseled, sculpted precisely to please the eyes. His face pale, but not in the way that showed a weakness in health. His hair, as if tossed and styled by the wind, was dark, the same shade as his eyes.

He was beautiful.

And he was wearing something that completely matched the aesthetic she'd inferred the whole house embodied.

Not receiving an answer from the wide eyed woman, his feet made their way to where she stood, behind his desk. They were a few feet apart.

Mentally shaking herself, Sakura opened her mouth to speak, her voice coming out hoarsely. "Where am I?"

"My estate."

She bit the corner of her lip. "Which is… where, exactly?"

Her eyes were big, irises a sparkling emerald. "A question for an answer." One hand tucked into his trouser pocket.

She blinked. "What?"

"Why were you in the Charmed Forest?"

"Charmed For-" She squinted. "Why does that sound familiar?"

Uniquely painted tresses, bizarre clothing, and an unfamiliar way of speech, Sasuke figured it corresponded with her nicely. Perhaps he would not regret bringing her here. "It was where we found you, unconscious."

The letter. He was referring to her.

But she didn't know how to answer his question. How in the world did she end up in a forest? 'I'm in deeper shit than I thought. Something tells me I have to answer a lot more carefully now.'

"I… don't remember."

He raised a suspicious brow. "Memory loss? The healer didn't mention this." Perhaps it was because of her large chakra storage. The healer he had brought with him was not a high ranking one. He didn't think he needed someone like that on a trip he'd made numerous times before.

'Healer?' She looked down. 'Did I hit my head harder than I thought? Pulse… Normal. My internal organs feel normal, no odd sensations. Did I drink more alcohol than I thought? No, that's not it. The only plausible symptom of hallucinations I had was the headache, but my head's fine.'

Sasuke watched with curiosity as the woman looked to be stressing over something, her hands moving from her wrist to her stomach to her head. She was a lively one, but that could also be a sign of madness. But he had a strong sense of knowledge that that was not the case.

"Um, I'm sorry. I really don't know how I got there."

He nodded, his face not giving his thoughts away. As amusing as he found the situation, he still had to be cautious around this mysterious stranger. "You don't recall anything at all?"

She shook her head. "Nothing but my name."

He couldn't tell if she was lying, but he'd watch her closely. "And that would be?"

A beat. "Sakura."

No last name.

"You said a question for an answer, but you've been doing most of the asking."

He smirked. A bold one, she was.

She looked at him, determination took over her features. "Where am I?"

With folded arms, he responded. "The duke's estate in the Mangekyo dukedom."

Her face didn't move, but her mind was a wreck. She somehow managed to ask another question. "And who are you?"

"A question for an answer," he repeated, but she was not having it.

"Please."

With the same expression she had seen him wear when he first entered the room, he waited a moment before replying. "Duke Uchiha of Susanoo."

Her lips trembled as she took in a sharp inhale. This had to be a joke. There was no way.

'A prank. Yes, someone's trying to mess with me.' But no one she knew had enough money to pull something this grand. From what she'd seen, everything would be far too expensive to be worth pulling one over her. But it shouldn't be possible.

Yet, her being unable to move, invisible to the people walking around her, should have been impossible too.

A dream? No. This was too real to be one.

Note:

Itachi is King of the Kingdom of Susanoo. Sasuke was prince but since Itachi became king, he became Duke of the Mangekyo Territory of the Kingdom. Mikoto lives in her own palace in the Amaterasu Territory, the capital of the kingdom, but is vacationing in her beachside palace in the Izanagi Region. Kakashi is a viscount of the Sharingan Region, but was not originally from the Kingdom (to be explained later).

I've created a map for the world Sakura gets sent to in this fic and you can find it on my Tumblr (connectedfeelings) and Twitter (cxtwithclxws) as well as the ao3 version of this fic, which also contains some aesthetic-y pics for this fic. I will also be posting aesthetic collages and a playlist on my socials for this fic soon, so watch out for that!

Tell me what ya think of the first chapter! Second chapter is probably gonna be next week since I'm very excited lol.