The Samurai's Blossom

Part 1

The early morning air was cold as it whipped across their faces. The horses' soft snorts and the sound of hooves hit the half-frozen dirt. Sakura's hakama slid against the horse's back with every small motion. She pulled her dark haori tightly around her to stave off the bitterness in the air. There was nothing about this trip that she could find optimistic. The haori was her cousin's: a dark green color that blended in with the woods, and most importantly, sexless. For such a journey could prove dangerous if the small contingent of samurai warriors was found to have a non-combatant female in their midst. It would be like a billboard to their enemies, 'See how the Haruno clan has fallen! Their leadership left to a single female! Watch as we end their line permanently!' Or so her cousin, Tobirama, had dramatically told her.

For the last two years, she had lived under her cousins' roof, eating their food, sleeping in their beds. She couldn't go home. There wasn't a home to go to. Her brother had been killed in battle by the very clan they sought to meet today. He was her last family member, aside from her mother's clan, the Senju. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his face. The lifelessness in his eyes haunted her as he drew his last breath. She had been far from the battle, and still felt him pass. It was as though his ghost warned her of what was to come. On this premonition, she and the remnants of their household fled to her cousins.

As the horse plod after the others, she silently ran a finger along the cords of her borrowed sword. More than anything, she wished that her brother's sword had been returned to her. It left a hollow space in her heart, that his very soul was in the hands of their enemies. The enemies that they would now treat with, she thought bitterly. The horse whinnied softly, as though in agreement. Hashirama looked back at her, as though reading her thoughts. He gently pulled his stead to a stop and continued when she was level with him.

"This will save hundreds of lives, cousin. There is no shame in this," he said softly.

"Hundreds of lives may well be saved, but hundreds have already been lost. We are making friends with the very people that do not value life. I understand why you are choosing to make peace, but that does not mean I must whole-heartedly accept it. After all, I am well aware that were it not for my soulmark, I would be the promised prize."

"Well, lucky for you then, that you do not have to marry someone completely repulsive," Hashirama tried to say light-heartedly. "Besides, I would not barter you away so carelessly, Sakura. Soulmark or not. Believe me, I love you more than that." He reached out and placed a heavy hand on her shoulder before heading towards the front of the column.

Sakura braved the wind and removed the glove of her left hand. Touching the soulmark on her wrist, her heart warmed slightly. It was a cherry tree with blue crows resting in its boughs. Moments later, as it usually did, the marking warmed again, as though her soulmate were holding her.

Shisui placed his hand on his soulmark. What the gods were thinking when they designed it, he had no idea. Occasionally, it felt as though someone placed a light hand on it. Their fingers dragged on the marking and scorched a path along his inner wrist in their wake.

"Do you think they're touching it again?" Itachi asked as he pulled his horse alongside him.

"I wonder about that. I think they're a woman though, Itachi. The fingers are too small to be a man."

"Hmm, maybe. Do you think they will demand a marriage for the alliance?"

"Are you worried about that? Or are you more worried for Sasuke?"

"Both. If I must take a wife, I would prefer it be on my own terms. If you must know, however, I am concerned for Sasuke. He would not take being a pawn very well. Woe would be the poor woman forcibly paired to him."

"You have spoiled him too much. He would do much better if you weren't always babying him, you know."

"Perhaps. Who do you think she is?" Itachi nodded towards Shisui's wrist.

"Hmm. If I had to think about it? I would obviously say my dream woman-quiet, demure, modest, a classic beauty. Perhaps, long dark hair and deep eyes. Would it be wrong of me to wish for a woman with no combat skills?"

"We are samurai. So yes, it would be wrong. She would likely die and wither within weeks-if not days."

"Have you ever slept with a physically weak woman, Itachi? They're just so soft. And it's comforting to know that I'll unlikely be dead by morning."

"They can still poison you," he responded drily, giving his friend an unimpressed look. "I hope that she is the complete opposite of that. It would serve you right, making me cover for you all these years with every brothel visit you make."

"Yeah, thank you for not telling…" Shisui swiftly closed his mouth as Izuna rode up to them.

"We are almost there. Be aware, they have a woman in their company. You are not to stare at her and endanger this treaty!" Izuna said threateningly to Shisui.

Over the years he had said many things to Shisui with regards to his philandering ways. 'Just because you have a soulmark, does not mean that you need to sleep with every woman in the country!' Without fail, Shisui's response was generally along the lines of, 'I need to be very thorough and check every one of them and every inch, dearest cousin.' Their arguments got especially heated when Izuna found Shisui face first in between the legs of a woman that Izuna had his eye on. Itachi had been grateful when Madara had simply rolled his eyes and ignored his brother's cries of outrage. Even so, Shisui spent quite a few years abroad avoiding the other man.

"Mah, you worry too much, Izuna. Relax a little." Izuna glared at him before turning his horse around and galloping towards the head of the formation.

"He is going to kill you one day," Itachi remarked lightly.

"That's fine as long as I get one more taste of sweet Akari." Shisui gave Itachi a wink and mischievous smirk before facing forwards again.

The small contingent of servants bustled about setting up tents on either side of the encampment before turning their attention to the largest of them all. The treaty would be in a tent made of heavy silk walls, settled on a wooden platform. No expense was spared in its beauty.

"Sakura-hime, your quarters are ready," Lee said from behind her. He was one of the remaining members of her household. She was grateful that he followed her to the Senju. Without Lee and Ino, she would have gone insane a long time ago. It always made her smile when he adopted a formal pattern of address towards her. It was unusual for him when they were alone. But in front of others, he always acted his station.

"Thank you, Lee-san." Lee gave a small bow before walking away to help the other servants. Sakura walked into the warming tent and exhaled. She held her chilled hands to the lit brazier and removed her gloves. Today had been long, yet tomorrow would be even longer. Peace was never a comfortable business.

She peeped her head out of the tent's doorway and looked across the field at the large temporary shelter taking place. It would be grand indeed. Her cousins had certainly not spared any expense.

The next morning came too early for her liking. She rose with the dawn and methodically dressed herself. As grateful as she was to be dressed in her own clothes, she missed the anonymity that her cousin's had afforded her. In her own kimono and robes she was required to act her role as a noblewoman. Meek and submissive, yet firm to those below her station. Weak enough to be subservient to a potential husband, yet strong enough to be able to kill her adversaries and those that threatened her people. It was exhausting. The only person that Sakura ever wanted to be was herself.

Tobirama nodded in approval as Sakura came out of her tent. The haori she wore with her kimono was lined with delicate fur. The heavy silk brocade hovered above the ground as their contingent walked to the treaty tent. Her hair had been freshly coiffed into the traditional loops and buns of her class before their journey. They looked ahead towards the middle of the field. Tobirama offered her the crook of his arm as they walked together.

"I suppose I can't get out of this," Sakura whispered as they neared the treaty area.

"You act as though we're auctioning you off."

"I don't want to breathe the same air as my brother's killers. Let alone sign that treaty."

"They killed my brothers too, don't forget. But for peace… even if Hashirama can be a bit idealistic, he makes a good point. This war is unsustainable. You're the last of your clan, Sakura. Surely you must understand this."

"I do. But it still makes me feel dirty."

Tobirama patted her hand briefly as they fell quiet.

As the lords of the clans were seated, their advisors were next. Shisui looked briefly over the sole woman in the group. It was obvious by her brightly colored hair that she was the last Haruno. The Haruno clan were traditionally healers and had never been much of a threat until the last generation. For some unknown reason, Akio Haruno had learned the way of the sword. He had passed his newfound knowledge to his son and heir, Haruki. When the Uchiha had been looking for relief after a battle against the Kaguya clan, Akio Haruno had pointed his sword and demanded that they leave his lands. In times past, the Harunos had simply taken in the Uchiha, for lack of better options.

For the insult and the lack of hospitality, Tajima Uchiha, the former clan head, set out to destroy the Haruno clan. The clan's hall was a five day ride from the Senju lands. Help did not arrive in time. It wasn't until six months had passed that the Uchiha found out there was a small contingent of survivors.

Sakura Haruno, sole heiress and massacre survivor, beloved daughter and the youngest of Akio Haruno's six children, now sat demurely across the room. Her eyes were appropriately downcast, yet the protruding veins in her folded hands told a different story. This was one woman who would not stay quiet for long. Shisui couldn't help but admit that he found it intriguing.

As he settled his gaze on the others in the Senju party, Shisui couldn't help but notice the way that the largest man positioned himself slightly in front of the last Haruno. His short white hair and red facial markings gave him away as Tobirama: the youngest of the two Senju brothers. Now, that was interesting, he thought. His protective positioning could only mean that the female member of the party was not as proficient in bearing arms as the males. It was unusual for a woman in her circumstances. On her left hip sat a small wooden box tied around her waist. Shisui could almost feel his lips round into a slight smirk before catching himself. It was almost certainly a first aid box. Apparently, the last Haruno held on to her birthright.

"The terms of our agreement are thus," Madara droned. Shisui dutifully handed over the scroll of demands. The cords that held his vambrace in place slipped up his wrist with the motion, exposing his soulmark: a cherry tree with blue crows resting in its boughs. From across the room in the corner, Sakura Haruno gasped softly. In the same moment, Shisui's soul mark began to burn as though it had been smacked.

When his eyes met hers, he knew. After years of searching and practically bedding every woman in the country, here was his soulmate. The one promised to him by the gods. The other half of his heart. The missing piece to his puzzle. While he was waxing poetic in his mind, he failed to notice the pure hatred burning in Sakura's eyes when she looked at him.

AN: Thank you so much for reading! If you can, please leave a comment. This is part one of five planned parts. Hit follow for updates :D

Beta'ed by: Moonlady9 Thank you so much for all of your invaluable help, senpai!