Torikago

by EtherionGirl

"I don't want to think about how another person could take my place. The mere image of someone else protecting her … standing beside her … It sickens me. I know I sound selfish and I have no right to have these feelings, but for once in my life; I don't want my thoughts and feelings being controlled by my duties. I love you ... I love you." SasuSaku NaruHina AU

2. Doubts

I want to thank every single one of you for reading my fanfic! It's been so long since I last wrote anything on here so it's really great to see that the support has not changed. With a lot of my old stories, I just got tired of writing them because I was still in school and worked as well. But now that I'm all done with that, it's much easier to get time to write again. So thank you, thank you, thank you! I hope you all enjoy this next chapter! *Heart Heart*

II

Sakura looked up at the giant animal standing before her; her nerves getting the better of her as the horse looked down at her small frame.

This was Sakura's first riding lesson and while she loved to look at all of the horses, she was more fond of looking at them from afar. The horse that she was planning on riding was a little over 5 ½ feet. This horse was massive, but she was told that he was one of the better riders. He was a calm and patient horse, very loving too.

Sakura clenched her fists as the trainer knelt down to her level, "I know this may seem intimidating at first Lady Sakura, but it's really easy once you get used to it," she said.

Sakura looked back up at the horse; unlike the rest of the horses, this one's coat was as white as snow. His eyes were very black along with the color of his mane. He was so massive and yet very elegant-looking. Sakura took a step back when the horse's hooves trampled on the ground.

"No need to be scared Lady Sakura, he's just saying 'hello.' I promise you that nothing will happen just as long as I'm here," she said as she smiled at the seven year old.

Sakura still felt nervous and scared. She had never done this before and the fact that this horse could easily knock her off or stomp on her is what really terrified her the most.

The trainer could still see Sakura's relectanless before smiling softly at the girl, "Why don't I introduce you to him," she said, as she reached out for Sakura's hand.

Sakura pulled her hand away and took several steps back; shaking her head, "I-I don't want to," she said.

It was after that moment that Sakura felt a hand softly place itself on her shoulder. She then felt the presence kneel down beside her. "It's okay if you're a little scared, Sakura-san,. We all get scared at some point, but in order to get rid of those fears, we need to overcome them."

Sakura looked over and immediately buried her face in their chest, "B-But Sasuke-chan, what if I get hurt? What if something bad happens?"

Sasuke smiled softly at his Princess before moving his hand to the top of her head, reassuringly.

"How many times have I told you? Whenever I'm here, nothing bad will happen to you. I am here to keep you safe and that is what I plan on doing," Sasuke said.

Sakura continued to bury her head in Sasuke's chest.

Sasuke noticed this as he formulated an idea, " … Sakura-san, what if I showed you that there is nothing to be afraid of," he said.

Sakura looked up at Sasuke with concerned eyes, "B-but how?" She asked.

Sasuke lifted himself off the ground, "Just watch," he said as he walked over to the horse.

Sakura continued to keep her distance as she watched Sasuke slowly approach the horse. The trainer held onto the horse by the reigns as Sasuke stood before the massive creature.

"Hey there," Sasuke said quietly as he placed his hand on the horse's nose.

The horse stood still as Sasuke gently stroked the horse's head; the horse remained calm and reserved. The trainer smiled at Sasuke before smiling over at Sakura who was now in awe at the interaction.

Sasuke looked back at Sakura and smirked, "Come here, why don't you try it?"

Sakura's enamored face suddenly turned anxious upon having heard Sasuke's request.

"No need to be scared, he's friendly I promise," Sasuke said as he made his way back over to Sakura.

As soon as Sasuke stood next to Sakura, she instantly took his hand and held onto it tightly. Sasuke slowly pulled Sakura along; as a means to ease her towards the horse but also to not startle the giant animal as well.

Sasuke could feel Sakura's relectanless with each step taken. Sasuke remained patient with her as he was just proud that she was progressing. Sakura continued to look at the horse before she stopped a couple feet away from him. Her emerald eyes scanned the horse, making sure that she felt safe in its presence.

Sasuke watched as Sakura slowly removed her hand from his; a gesture that indicated that she was ready. As Sakura extended her hand out to the horse, it suddenly jolted back in response. This caused Sakura to withdraw her hand.

"It's okay … he's just as nervous as you are," Sasuke said.

The trainer nodded her head in response, "Horses tend to feed off the individuals they surround themselves with. So whenever you're nervous, he'll get nervous," she said as she reassuringly patted the horse's side.

Sakura looked into the horse's eyes. She didn't know how to make the situation better for herself. She was scared, and unfortunately she couldn't just stop by the drop of a hat. This would take time and Sasuke could see that.

Sasuke looked at the trainer, "I'm sorry, but is there any way we can do this another time?" He asked.

The trainer frowned slightly, "Forgive me, but I was given orders to teach Lady Sakura how to ride. The Queen really wants her to start today," she said with guilt in her tone.

Sasuke looked back down at Sakura who was still nervous about her situation. He sighed, "Well we don't want to trouble you, so I'll just let the Queen know we missed her lesson today," he said.

The trainer gasped, "B-But Uchiha-san, that wouldn't be a wise thing to do."

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders, "It's clear to me that Lady Sakura isn't comfortable being here yet, and as her Knight I am sworn to keep Lady Sakura away from anything that might do her any harm … physically and emotionally," he said.

Sakura looked up at Sasuke, surprised, "S-Sasuke-chan …"

Sasuke bowed his head in respect to the trainer, "Thank you for taking the time to teach Lady Sakura today, but we'll just need to come back when she is good and ready. I'll be sure that no punishment falls upon you," he said.

The trainer continued to stare at Sasuke as he focused his attention back towards Sakura.

He smiled softly at her, "Come Sakura-san, let's get you back to your mother," he said as he took her hand into his.

Sakura followed as Sasuke gently pulled her away from the stables. It was as soon as Sakura felt safe again that she pulled herself away. Sasuke stopped immediately and looked back at his Princess.

"Sakura-san?" He asked.

"Sasuke-chan … I don't want you to get in trouble because of me … let me go back and I'll try again," Sakura said as small tears started to form in her eyes.

Sasuke sighed as he watched Sakura try to keep her tears from falling. He made his way over to her and knelt down to her level. He gently placed his hand on top of Sakura's head and rubbed it softly.

"Sakura-san, I won't get in trouble with your mother. She'll understand once I explain to her what happened. You're clearly not ready to ride yet and I know your mother and father wouldn't want you to get hurt. So please don't worry so much about it, okay?" Sasuke said.

Sakura refused to look into Sasuke's eyes. She hated to cry in front of him and she didn't want him to see her as weak either. She stayed silent.

Sasuke's eyes softened at the girl in front of him. He didn't want to see her upset, but he also didn't want to push her either. It was times like these that he wished he could take her away; away from any and all situations that made her feel this way.

"Sakura-san, what can I do to make you happy again?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura wiped her tears away before she looked up at her Knight. The way he comforted her made her feel so much better about herself. He genuinely cared about her and that's all she has ever wished for, growing up.

Sakura blushed a bit, "I want us to go home," she said.

Sasuke smiled softly at Sakura, "Of course," he said as he grabbed her hand.

The two began to walk side-by-side. Sakura looked up at Sasuke, who was focused on the path ahead, and smiled. She knew that what he told her was bound to be true. No matter where they go, no matter who they see, and no matter what they do; Sasuke would always be there for her.

It was his promise to her.

~xXx~

"Sasuke … kun," Sakura said as a blush adorned her cheeks.

It had been so long since she was this close to long since she last heard him say her name. So many different emotions were going through her head.

Sadness.

Grief.

Betrayal.

Guilt.

Fear.

She watched as Sasuke just stared at her; his face blank, but his eyes … they looked the same as hers. Sakura slowly reached her hand out, hoping that finally, after so many years, he would take it again.

"Greetings, Lady Sakura!"

The voices of the soldiers drew her attention back; her hand retracted before she placed it back to her side. Sasuke noticed this and instantly regained his composure. He had to distance himself.

"Lady Haruno," Sasuke said as a greeting. He bowed along with his men.

Sakura's heart sank.

"Stop it," Sakura thought. "This isn't you … why are you calling me that?"

Sakura watched as Sasuke continued to bow; his face hidden away from hers.

"Look at me," Sakura thought, "please just look at me."

Sasuke was making no effort to look up at Sakura, which made her feel even more sick to her stomach. She wanted to just go up to him and shake him like crazy. After everything they had been through together; all she wanted was for him to acknowledge her like he used to … before he left her behind.

But at the same time, this wasn't the time or place to bring up the past. Sakura had to refrain from dishonoring him in front of his men, no matter how much she wanted to scream at him. It had been years since they were this close together, and while Sakura wished this reunion would have gone different, she knew she couldn't get her hopes up.

" … Lieutenant Uchiha," Sakura said in acknowledgment.

It was then that Sasuke, along with the other soldiers, stood back up. Sasuke tried his best to remain calm, but on the inside his mind was blank and his body felt numb. He had to get her away, but with his men watching, he didn't want to come off as cruel towards their Princess. He didn't even want to speak with her … Sasuke silently cursed Naruto for leaving.

"I'm sorry to have interrupted your training," Sakura said as she tried to break the awkward silence, "I was on my way to the library when I saw you all working so hard … I guess I got sidetracked and made my way out here."

Sasuke watched Sakura smile at him and his men … but Sasuke immediately knew that it was a fake.

Sasuke remained silent.

"I suppose it was silly of me to come all the way out here … my apologies again," she said.

Sakura bowed apologetically before she turned herself back towards the estate. Inside, she knew she had messed up. She didn't know when the next time would be when she would see him again, this sighting alone was rare for the both of them and yet she decided to run away.

Sasuke, on the other hand, felt defeated. He wanted so badly to talk to her, to smile at her, and to hold her … but he just couldn't.

"This is best," Sasuke thought when he saw her back.

He knew that this really was the best thing he could do for her; even though he hated it. For so many years he stayed away from her. Any possibility that he would run into her, he took action by doing whatever he could to keep himself hidden. But he never imagined that she would come out and actually walk over to him. He did his best to get it through her head that he did not want her to come find him … guess he didn't try hard enough.

As Sakura started to head back to the estate, a certain blonde male hurried his way over.

"Oi! Sorry it took so long, I kind of ran into a couple of issues on the way there!" Naruto cried out, not realizing that Sakura was just a few feet away.

Sasuke remained quiet as Naruto trudged his way over to his men. Sakura just stood there; not knowing if she should greet the blonde Captain or secretly maneuver her way back to the estate. Before she could make a decision, Naruto had gotten close enough that he realized who it was that was in front of him.

Naruto's eyes widened; his feet discontinued to move as he saw his Princess and his Lieutenant standing in the same area together, with just a few feet separating the two. Naruto knew the history between Sasuke and Sakura, so it definitely came as a shock to see the two of them together again.

"Captain Uzumaki," Sakura said as she bowed.

Naruto looked over at Sakura and froze. Sasuke had always reminded Naruto that he needed to be sure that Sakura was never to be around him …

"L-Lady Sakura, it's nice to see you so soon," Naruto said as he awkwardly smiled at her. He bowed to his Princess before looking back over at Sasuke who remained quiet and still.

Sakura smiled softly at Naruto, "Yes, I'm so sorry, it looks like I've troubled you again," she said.

Naruto raised an eyebrow in confusion, "What do you mean?" He asked.

Sakura ignored Sasuke's presence as she kept her focus on Naruto, "I'm afraid I disrupted your soldiers from their training. I came out here without permission and just found myself interrupting Lieutenant Uchiha, so for that I am sorry," Sakura said as she bowed apologetically to Naruto once again.

Naruto turned his attention to Sasuke who turned his head away Naruto's gaze in response.

Naruto sighed, "No worries, Lady Sakura. As long as no one has gotten hurt, it's fine," he said.

Sakura looked back up at Naruto, who returned her look with a smile.

"I hate to be so forward like this Lady Sakura, but shouldn't you be inside? The ceremony will be starting soon and I already see people arriving. I'd hate for you to miss your own celebration," Naruto said as he motioned Sakura back towards the estate.

Sakura blushed a bit; feeling embarrassed, "Y-Yes, I'm sorry … I should be going," she said.

The two individuals bowed to each other once more before Sakura made her way back to the estate. Not once did she stop or turn around. It was like Sasuke's existence suddenly became erased.

Naruto continued to watch Sakura until she disappeared into the estate. His head jerked back over to Sasuke before he swiftly made his way over to his Lieutenant. Sasuke stood still, not wanting to have an argument with his superior officer; especially in front of their men.

"Come with me … now," Naruto said to Sasuke sternly, but quiet enough that their men couldn't hear him.

Sasuke watched as Naruto firmly grabbed his arm and pulled him over to a vacant area. Sasuke complied, but only because he didn't want his men to see their Captain and Lieutenant having an all out brawl.

Before Naruto could speak, Sasuke decided to explain himself, "I don't know how this happened. I didn't even know she was near me before it was too late … I swear, I didn't mean for her to get close," he said.

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, " … I suppose it was a good thing she saw you when she did," he said.

Sasuke's brow raised in suspicion, "What do you mean?" He asked.

Naruto sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose together, " I have a message for you … from the Queen and King," he said. Naruto reached inside the cloak he was known for wearing and pulled out a scroll.

Sasuke looked at the scroll in Naruto's hand; the red yarn tied securely around the paper as to keep whatever information inside a secret. Sasuke slowly grabbed the scroll from Naruto's hand. His heart began to race.

"What is this?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto sighed, not knowing if he should feel good or bad about the message inside, "You'll just need to take a look for yourself," he said.

From Naruto's reaction, Sasuke didn't know if he should open the scroll or not. Normally, when the King or Queen had important information to give; they did it in the form of scrolls. Naruto would receive them whenever he was given an important mission. Same with his brother. Pretty much for anyone the King and Queen would deem important. Not Sasuke though, they didn't feel the need to give him any missions unless it was coming off Naruto's orders. So for Sasuke to actually get a scroll … this made him feel worried.

Sasuke slowly untied the scroll from its binding straps. Once he unraveled the scroll; he held the piece of paper up and began to read. Naruto watched as Sasuke's eyes traveled across the paper over and over again.

Naruto waited patiently for Sasuke to finish, it wasn't until he saw Sasuke's eyes widen that he knew he had gotten to the pivotal part of the message. Sasuke looked up from the scroll and at Naruto's stoic face.

"This can't be right …" Sasuke said as his hands began to shake.

Naruto sighed, "Well it is," he said, "it very much is."

Earlier

Naruto and Itachi stood before their King and Queen with much anticipation. Both not knowing what it was that they were wanting. Mebuki and Kizashi sat at one end of a long table while Itachi and Naruto stood at the other end. Mebuki looked over the two men before gesturing to them to sit. Both men complied.

"As you two know, today is of utmost importance for not only the Haruno clan, but to the Country of Fire as well," Mebuki started off.

"With Sakura now seventeen and the peace between the other Countries at its finest; it is time to marry Sakura off," Kizashi stated.

Naruto and Itachi stayed silent as they listened to their King and Queen's words.

"As you two know, leaders from our neighboring Countries will be here for Sakura's hand. Four have been given the opportunity to court our daughter throughout the next year," Mebuki said.

"Once Sakura's eighteenth birthday arrives, she will be considered old enough to rule a Country and from there will pick one of the four as her new husband," Kizashi said. "With that being said, it is imperative that someone guards Sakura diligently throughout the process."

"With so many leaders and royal families being present; there isn't telling what could happen," Mebuki said, "we need someone here to make sure Sakura is safe."

"Which is why we have brought you two in," Kizashi said, "we want one of you to take on the job of protecting our daughter."

Itachi and Naruto looked at one another before looking back at their King and Queen.

"We have chosen you two because you both have proven yourselves to be the best that the Country of Fire has to offer," Mebuki said. "We know Sakura will be safe."

Kizashi nodded at his wife's statement, "This is of course a year long mission. Once Sakura chooses her husband, she'll marry the following day and will then become ruler of her husband's Country. She will leave the Country of Fire and your mission will be complete," he said.

"We wanted to speak with you both before the opening ceremonies begin," Mebuki said as she laced her fingers together. "There isn't much time to discuss this, so if one of you wants to go ahead and take up our offer, we will gladly give it to you."

Kizashi and Mebuki looked at both men; waiting to see which one would raise a hand first.

Naruto raised his hand.

"Excellent, the mission is yours Captain Uzumaki," Mebuki said with a smile on her face.

"Forgive me Lady Haruno … but I raised my hand to let you know that I must decline your invitation," Naruto said. "With my wife Hinata seven months pregnant, I would hate to be absent during the final stages of her pregnancy as well as my child's first year of life … with being Captain of the King's guard, plus watching Lady Sakura, I wouldn't be able to be there for them … I'm sorry."

Mebuki sighed, "General Uchiha, it looks like you will be the one to watch over Sakura. Now with the understanding of your status as General, we will be sure to give you the resources that you would need in order to watch Sakura and maintain your duties as General. Do you understand?"

Itachi looked at Naruto who gave him a nod of approval. He then looked back over to his King and Queen and sighed.

"... I must also decline your invitation as well," Itachi said.

Naruto, Mebuki, and Kizashi looked at Itachi with surprise.

"With all due respect, my Queen, I must inform you that as General to your armies, my status requires me to travel quite a lot. There will be days, even months, that I must leave. It wouldn't be fair on Lady Sakura's part if I were to abandon her … I am also sorry," Itachi said as he hung his head in disgrace.

Mebuki and Kizashi looked at one another, "Like we told you General Uchiha, we have the resources … we would allow your brother to step in for you as General while you watch over Sakura," Kizashi said.

Itachi looked back up, " … Again, I must decline. Though Sasuke is qualified in the combat aspect of warfare, he knows nothing about the political sides of things. I have worked hard to enable peace among our Countries, and I can assure you that without the proper training, Sasuke will fail. So I must stay as General, otherwise peace among the Countries will slowly fade," he said.

Mebuki slightly glared at the two men before her, "Then what do you suggest we do? We need someone to be here for Sakura, and if neither of you can do it; who would you recommend? Who is capable enough to watch over our daughter?"

Itachi nodded slightly, "Use Sasuke," he said.

Mebuki stood abruptly as she slammed her hands onto the table, "General Uchiha, how dare you even suggest such an absurd plan! To not only me but to your King!"

Kizashi looked up at his wife before he gently grabbed her forearm and forced her down into her chair. The calming gesture forced Mebuki back into a calming demeanor. Mebuki silenced herself before she looked over at her husband; gesturing for him to speak on their behalf.

"Lady Haruno and I want to remind the both of you of Sasuke's actions the last time he watched over Sakura. It was decided that he would no longer be of Sakura's use. His carelessness almost got our daughter killed … we can't risk that happening again," he said.

Before Itachi could speak, Naruto's voice interjected, "I don't wish to upset either of you … but he's right. I believe Lieutenant Uchiha would be the best option for Lady Sakura at this point," Naruto said.

Itachi looked at Naruto and smiled softly, "What happened to Lady Sakura was tragic, and true, it was on my brother's watch when it happened. But that incident happened years ago and since then Sasuke has proven himself worthy of protecting Lady Sakura. I can assure you that your daughter will be safe in Sasuke's hands," Itachi said.

Mebuki looked over at Naruto, "Captain Uzumaki, you've trained with Lieutenant Uchiha over the years … do you agree with General Uchiha's statements?" She asked.

Naruto stayed silent for a bit; his heart continued to race as this was vital to both Itachi and Sasuke's statuses and loyalties to their Country.

Naruto nodded his head, "I do my Queen … I guarantee that Lady Sakura will remain safe," he said.

Mebuki and Kizashi stayed silent.

" … Very well then. We shall write up the mission specs for Lieutenant Uchihia. Captain Uzumaki, please make sure he receives it," Kizashi said.

Mebuki looked over at her husband questionably, but stayed quiet as he retrieved a scroll. As Naruto and Itachi watched their King write on the scroll, Mebuki looked back over at the two men.

"Before we leave here today, I want to let you both know that I am allowing this with high scepticism. If, under any circumstances, Lieutenant Uchiha fails to protect our daughter, I will not only have his head, but both of yours as well,"Mebuki said in a stern voice. "Do I make myself clear?"

Itachi and Naruto bowed to their Queen, "Understood," they said in unison.

Kizashi stamped the scroll with the Haruno clan symbol before he wrote his name at the bottom.

"Lieutenant Uchiha's mission begins on the first day of April … since you both vouched for him, he cannot withdraw from the mission at any time. If for whatever reason he fails to appear on any day, he will not only be reprimanded of his ranking, but no longer work here and will be removed from ever entering the estate again … surely he can handle that," Kizashi said.

Itachi and Naruto stood before their King as they listened intently to what he was telling them.

"The specifics of his mission are all written down in the scroll as well," Kizashi said as he tied the scroll into a roll.

Naruto reached over and grabbed the scroll once Kizashi had finished.

"I promise Lord Haruno that Lieutenant Uchiha will not fail," Naruto said.

Kizashi nodded his head towards him, "I hope for all your sakes, he doesn't," he said.

Itachi and Naruto bowed as they were gestures to leave the room. Both Mebuki and Kizashi stayed behind as the two men left.

Once Naruto shut the door behind him, he looked over at Itachi and sighed, "Why didn't you take it?" He asked.

Itachi raised an eyebrow in confusion, "I already said why, there is no need for an explanation," he said.

The two men started to walk across the Throne Room; the room filled with tables of food and beverages.

"I heard what you said, but I'm just surprised that you decided to allow Sasuke to take it," Naruto said.

Itachi looked over at Naruto, "Do you not think Sasuke is capable of it?" He asked.

"I'm not saying that," Naruto immediately argued, "all I mean is that this would have been a good chance for you … and while I know how Sasuke feels as well, I can't just take his side all of the time. Both of you care deeply for her, but unlike Sasuke, you don't try to hide from her every chance you get."

Itachi continued to listen to Naruto's words.

"I want the both of you to be happy, but if Sasuke is so adamant on keeping his distance than that's on him. There is no reason that you should step down because he's your brother," Naruto said as he eyed Itachi.

Itachi paused for a bit and then smiled softly, "Thank you Naruto. But I know what I'm doing," he said.

Naruto watched as Itachi walked ahead of him; ending the conversation.

~xXx~

Sasuke continued to look at the scroll; his mission was to protect Sakura during her courting year. For a whole damn year. 365 days of having to be around her. He looked up at Naruto and glared.

"What the hell did you say to them," he asked.

Naruto waved his hands up in defense, "Hey, hey. No need to get hostile. In fact, you should be thanking me, now you have a reason to be near Sakura again without thinking that you're doing something wrong … you know, like the good old days," he said as he smiled cheekily at Sasuke.

Sasuke continued to glare at Naruto, "I should thank you? Because of you, I now have to stand by Sakura's side all day, everyday and pretend like everything is okay between us. You honestly weren't thinking, you idiot." He said as he crumbled the scroll in his hands.

Naruto rolled his eyes in annoyance, "No, I was thinking clearly. Besides, if it makes you feel better, I wasn't the one who vouched for you in the first place," he said.

Sasuke cocked his head to the side, "Well, who did?" He asked.

Naruto sighed as he ran his hand through his golden locks, " … Itachi," Naruto said as he took notice of Sasuke's annoyed look, "but listen, if Itachi hadn't been there, you wouldn't be getting this opportunity. He's doing this for you, you know."

Sasuke shook his head, "The first thing my brother does on his return is assign me a mission that he knows I wouldn't be comfortable with. Why? Did I piss him off?" he said.

Naruto glared back at Sasuke, "Look, he's not doing this to be cruel, alright? He's doing this because he knows you'll succeed. He knows you've been working hard all of these years and he knows just how much Sakura means to you … so don't pull that kind of bullshit over me Sasuke," Naruto said.

Sasuke remained quiet.

"He stuck his neck out for you because he's confident that you'll get it done, and if not, all of our heads are on the line. So as your Captain, you will take on this mission. You will be present everyday. And you will protect her with your life. Understood?" Naruto said.

Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek. How he wanted to chew Naruto out right then and there. But again, duty came before all else.

"... Yes, sir," Sasuke said with an annoyed tone.

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, "Good. You start on the first day-"

"I know," Sasuke interrupted, "I read the scroll," he said.

Naruto clicked his tongue over Sasuke's attitude, "Well read it again. Read it every hour if you have to because I'm not about to lose my life while my wife and child live their lives without me. Do not screw this up," he said.

Naruto turned away from Sasuke and made his way back to his soldiers.

"By the way," Naruto stated, "you're still on watch tonight. If you need me, I'll be at the ceremony," he said.

Sasuke scoffed at Naruto while he watched him walk away. Sasuke looked back down at the crumbled scroll that still rested in his hands. If he had the choice, he would have burned the scroll right in front of Naruto's face.

"This is absurd," Sasuke thought, "how the hell am I going to do this?"

Sasuke sighed as he opened the scroll again. As he tried getting the wrinkles out; Sasuke re-read all of the information that was given to him.

Just four days.

He had four days to figure some things out before his mission would begin. Did he even have enough time to do that? Would he have enough time to do that? Those kinds of questions and more began to form in his head. He did know, however, that there was one person who he needed to talk to and hopefully they weren't going to leave any time soon. But for now, Sasuke had to be patient.

"Alright, men," Naruto said to his soldiers, "I will be away for the rest of the day for Lady Sakura's birthday. Lieutenant Uchiha will be in charge while I am away so do as he orders and try not to cause too much ruckus."

All of his men saluted Naruto, in unison, "Yes, Captain Uzumaki!"

Naruto smirked at his men before he nodded his head in recognition.

"You all know your stations. Be ready, be aware, and be safe," Naruto said.

Sasuke had finally approached the group of men, "You heard your Captain, ready your stations. I will be checking in periodically throughout the day so be vigilant," Sasuke said.

The men continued to salute, "Yes, Lieutenant Uchiha!" They cried out.

All of the soldiers gathered their things and started to head out to the destination that they were given.

Naruto looked over at Sasuke and smirked at him, "Be on your best behavior everyone, your Lieutenant is a tad cranky today!" he cried out as he nudged Sasuke playfully.

Sasuke rolled his eyes in annoyance, "Idiot," he said.

Naruto chuckled, "Have a good rest of your day," he said before he casually walked back to the estate.

Sasuke took a deep breath before, he too, grabbed his belongings and headed over to his first shift of the day.

~xXx~

As soon as Sakura returned to the estate, she leaned herself against the door and cradled her face in her hands.

"W-What just happened?" She asked herself.

It had been so long. What? Maybe, six, possibly seven years? It was so strange though. He had stayed within the estate, working alongside Captain Uzumaki and not once had she ever gotten the chance to speak with him again.

Well … there was that one time.

Sakura shook her head.

No

She wouldn't even count that as a conversation. More like … a goodbye.

"So stupid … like he would even want to speak to me again," Sakura said.

After so many years of tried attempts; Sakura could never fully erase Sasuke from her mind. How could she? He was her first, true friend. But after everything that had happened, it was like he decided to despise her. She couldn't help herself though, after seeing him through the window she just froze. She instantly knew it was Sasuke the moment she caught a glimpse of his hair. It was so distinguished she recognized it immediately. The rest was history. Her body just moved on its own while her mind replayed memories of their time together. It wasn't until he turned around and said her name that she realized where she was at.

Sakura slid against the wall until her bottom reached the floor. She continued to cradle her cheeks in her hands as her head continued to play memories that she had wanted to forget.

"Sakura?"

Sakura looked up at the familiar voice and saw Hiro standing just a few feet away. "Hiro-chan," she said.

Hiro was wearing his dark blue kimono. Along the sides of the kimono popped little, white dots; almost as if they were stars. His orange obi tied securely around his waist as he stood in front of his sister.

Hiro looked down at Sakura and cocked his head to the side, "Why are you on the floor? Are you sick? Do I need to grab somebody?" He asked. Hiro knelt down beside his sister and gently placed his hand on Sakura's forehead.

Sakura shook her head in response, "No, I'm fine … sorry, I just got a little sidetracked that's all," she said.

Hiro raised a brow in suspicion, "Are you sure? I know how weak your body can get. Don't try to push yourself just because of today," he said.

Sakura stood back up, "Really, I'm fine," Sakura said. She smiled at Hiro as a means to assure him that she was fine. "See? No dizzy spells or anything."

Hiro watched as Sakura twirled; her kimono capturing her beauty and fragility. Hiro's eyes squinted sharpy, "Then why are your cheeks so red?"

Sakura stopped her twirling and stood right in front of her brother. Her mind drew a blank; she couldn't speak. Hiro crossed his arms over his chest as he waited for Sakura's response. Nothing came out.

Hiro sighed, "You know … if there is something wrong," he stated. This caused Sakura to draw back her sense of realization. "You can talk to me, if you want." Hiro began to blush. "I know I'm probably not the best choice … but I'll listen. I won't argue or anything. I'll just listen and hear you vent."

Sakura stared at her brother as she watched his usual blunt, adult-like, demeanor turn into something much softer. Sakura smiled softly at Hiro before she engulfed him into a hug.

"You're so cute Hiro-chan. I love you," Sakura said as she rubbed her cheek against her brothers.

Hiro, clearly taken back by his sister's action just blushed, "Ew, Sakura stop being weird!" Hiro said as he tried to pry his sister off of him. Sakura started to laugh at Hiro's response; knowing that this was common with the young boy.

Sakura was tempted to let Hiro know how she was truely feeling, but it was a lot more complicated than what he could handle. Since Hiro and Sakura had such a large age gap between them, Hiro had never known Sasuke when he was watching over Sakura. After the two became distant; it was just never really mentioned or brought up. Hiro only knew Sasuke by his role and status, nothing more.

Sakura released Hiro and gently poked his forehead, "Maybe next time," she said.

Hiro scoffed as he rubbed his forehead. Sakura smiled at her brother, "It looks good on you … the color, I mean," she said.

Hiro looked down, "I suppose … I still prefer brighter colors though," he said.

"Well I appreciate the gesture," Sakura said as she recalled their previous conversation. Hiro looked up at his sister and noticed that her cheeks had lost their red coloring.

"Looks like she's back to normal …" Hiro thought.

"Lady Sakura! Lord Hiro!"

The two siblings looked over at the voice that had called their names. Sakura and Hiro watched as Shizune came stumbling towards them. She was in one of her panic modes.

"Shizune-san," Sakura quietly said.

Shizune stopped in front of the pair, "What are you two doing out here! Everyone has arrived and neither of you are in the Throne Room!" She said as she waved her arms spastically.

Hiro rolled his eyes in annoyance, "Calm down, I highly doubt they'd start without us," he said.

Sakura bowed apologetically, "Forgive me, Shizune-san, I was on my way to the library and - Ahhh!" Sakura screamed.

Hiro and Shizune looked at Sakura with concern, thinking that something was wrong with her.

"I forgot to check in the library!" Sakura cried out. "Mother and father had a gift there waiting for me!"

Hiro sighed with relief and a slight annoyance, "You're so hopeless," he said as he shook his head.

Shizune frantically waved her arms out, "W-We don't have time for that now M'lady, we need to get the both of you to the Throne Room!" She cried out.

Hiro watched the two women have their panic notions. His brow twitched with how loud they were being. "Will you two calm down already?"

"Hiro-chan!" Sakura cried out as she grabbed one of Hiro's sleeves. "What will I tell mother and father if they ask me!?"

Hiro scoffed, "Tell them the truth; you're an adult now Sakura. Geez, if you're constantly going to behave like a child, I'd hate to see how your future husband handles you."

Sakura puffed her cheeks out in annoyance, "How rude!"

Shizune whimpered to herself as she watched the two siblings banter back and forth, "Please, you two, can't we come to some kind of -"

A loud, pierced whistling sound echoed through the large hallway. Sakura, Hiro, and Shizune fell quiet as they turned their heads to the source of the noise. Sakura's eyes lit up with excitement as the figure moved herself closer to the group.

"Honestly, I swear you're all as noisy as ever," the voice said.

Sakura smiled, "Ino-chan!" She cried out as she ran towards the young woman.

Ino smiled and stretched her arms out right as Sakura engulfed her into a hug. Yamanaka Ino was the daughter and sole heiress to the Yamanaka clan. While they weren't of royal status, the Yamanaka's did come from an upper class family. Ino's father, Inoichi, spent his life making weapons for the Haruno clan's armies. Though he started off small; his business grew and with that so did his status.

As Sakura buried her head into her friend's chest; Ino gently placed her hand on Sakura's head. "Don't tell me you're going to start crying on me," Ino said.

Hiro scoffed, "It's all she has been doing all day."

Sakura turned her head to her brother and stuck out her tongue, "You're so mean," she said.

Ino chuckled, "Come on Hiro, it's Sakura's birthday. Let her do whatever she wants."

Hiro rolled his eyes as Shizune bowed to Ino.

"Afternoon Lady Yamanaka. It's a pleasure to see you again," Shizune said.

Ino nodded back to Shizune, "It's nice to see you as well," she said as she smiled at the other woman.

Sakura then released her friend and looked up at her, "Ino-chan, I thought you told me you weren't able to make it until later today," she said.

Ino shook her head, "I convinced my old man to let me come early. I swear, sometimes I think his business is a lot more important to him than his own family," she said.

Though Ino was joking when she said that, Inoichi cared deeply for his business and always made sure that everything was in order. Never had Inoichi gone a day without being at the armory. His wife and daughter both came to the conclusion that, ironically, Inoichi would die by one of his own weapons.

"Anyways, shouldn't you all be seated for the ceremony? As I walked on the grounds I noticed a lot of new faces waiting outside. I'd hate for you to be late to your own party," Ino said.

"She'd be late to her own funeral," Hiro added.

Sakura glared at her brother as she released Ino from her grasp.

"Well let's not all just stand here with our tail between our legs, let's get going," Ino said as she grabbed Sakura's hand, "besides, we wouldn't want your future husband to wait too long," she said as she winked at Sakura.

Sakura blushed, "Ino-chan!"

Ino laughed, "Don't be all shy now. You've known about this ever since you were a child," she said.

Ino started to pull Sakura towards the Throne Room with Hiro and Shizune following close behind. Sakura watched Ino's back; her long, blonde hair gracefully swayed along with the movement of her walk. Ever since Sakura could remember, Ino had always been a beauty. With her white, porcelain skin and her striking baby blue eyes, it surprised Sakura that Ino hadn't found a husband of her own yet. She didn't want to pry, but she was always curious. Not only that, but Ino had a great personality as well. She was funny, smart, and kind. Sure, she did have a bit of a bite to her, but that was because Ino knew how to stand up for herself and for others. Sakura was a bit envious of that.

Ino stopped in front of the Throne Room and saw that only Sakura's parents and a few others were inside.

"Looks like we're not too late," Ino said.

She looked over at Sakura who began to feel nervous. Sakura's eyes shifted from that of excitement in seeing her friend, to anxious and scared. Ino could feel Sakura's grip on her hand tighten. Ino smiled softly at Sakura, "Shizune-san, Hiro. Why don't you two go on inside; I want to talk to Sakura for a bit," she said.

Hiro and Shizune looked at one another before they nodded their heads in agreement. Shizune bowed to Ino once more before she made her way inside. Hiro followed slowly after.

Once Shizune and Hiro were out of sight, Ino gently grabbed Sakura by the shoulders and forced her to look into her blue eyes.

"Listen Sakura, I know that this is an important day for you … in fact it's an important day for your family, but let me tell you something," Ino said as Sakura listened. "No matter what happens, just know that we are all proud of you."

Sakura's eyes widened.

"By next year, you are going to be Queen of a Country that you've never been to. You're going to get married to a man you will have only known for just a few months. You're leaving everything you know behind and not once have you complained or fought back," Ino said as she bit her bottom lip in frustration. "If it were up to me I would make you stay here and live your life the way you want to … but unfortunately I do not have such a power."

Sakura continued to listen to her friend in silence.

"You're so kind and selfless … more so than any other Lord or Lady I have met in the nineteen years I've been alive. You truly are a one of a kind Princess and for that I'm so glad we have become friends."

"Ino-chan," Sakura said.

Ino smiled, "I don't know how often I'll get to see you once your courtship year starts, but just know that you'll always have a special place in my heart Haruno Sakura."

Sakura slowly smiled at Ino as tears began to form in her eyes. Aside from Sasuke, Ino was someone that Sakura really cared had been friends for several years and while she never got to see Ino as frequently as Sasuke; their friendship was one that Sakura always held onto.

"Th-thank you," Sakura said as she engulfed Ino into another hug.

Ino smiled, "No need to start crying on me now. Today is about you, and I don't want my Princess to look sad on her birthday," she said.

Sakura continued to bury her head in Ino's chest as she nodded her head in agreement. Ino gently pushed Sakura off her chest and held onto her shoulders, "Now … let's make sure we didn't mess up that pretty face of yours," she said as she began to examine Sakura's face.

As Ino touched up Sakura's face, Shikaku, the King and Queen's advisor, walked up to the two women and bowed.

"Lady Sakura, pardon the interruption, but the King and Queen desire your presence in the Throne Room so that we may begin your ceremony," he said.

Sakura looked over at Shikaku and nodded, "Y-Yes, of course. Sorry for being late," she said.

Ino lightly booped Sakura's nose with her index finger, "I'll come give you my blessing later, okay?" Ino said as she winked at Sakura.

Sakura nodded her head as Shikaku directed Sakura over towards her parents. The King, Queen, and Hiro sat in their respective seating while Sakura managed to find her chair right beside her mother's.

Mebuki looked over at Sakura and raised her eyebrow, "I understand it is your birthday Sakura, but that doesn't give you a good excuse to be late … we almost sent the hounds out to look for you," she said.

Sakura sighed, "My apologies mother," she said.

"We had to keep the other Countries occupied in your absence. When you become Queen, you have to be on schedule at all times," she said.

Sakura looked down, "Yes, I'm sorry," she said.

Mebuki sighed as she looked at her daughter's distraught face, " … I'm just glad you all are safe," she said.

Sakura turned her head slightly at her mother and smiled softly. It was then that Kizashi stood and clapped his hands, "Shikaku, Shizune, please open the doors for our guests to come in! Be sure to direct them to the food and drinks!"

Shizune and Shikaku bowed to their King, "Yes, Lord Haruno," they said in unison. The two left the Throne Room only to return moments later with hundreds of people swarming in after them. Sakura was amazed at just how many people were arriving. Some she recognized, but others she had no clue.

Lords and Ladies from different places began to fleet towards the center of the Throne Room. Just by staring at everyone's demeanor and clothing, Sakura could tell who was where on the social ladder. While some got themselves food and drinks, others were greeting one another like they hadn't seen each other in so long. Sakura smiled softly at some of the interactions that her guests were having, but it wasn't until people began to line up in front of her that made Sakura aware that they were all here for her.

Kizashi stood before everyone in the room and almost instantaneously, everyone lowered their voices and heeded their attention to the King.

"Greetings to everyone who made it here today! I hope that your journeys were safe and pleasant. I want to thank you all for making it on this momentous occasion!" Kizashi said as he outstretched his arms in a welcomed fashion.

"As we celebrate the birth of my beloved daughter, I want to assure everyone that you all are always welcome to the Country of Fire. With peace among us being as strong as ever, I have no doubt that we will accomplish anything! With that being said, please … eat, drink, and be merry!" Kizashi said as he smiled at the crowd.

The large group of people all began to clap and cheer.

"We shall commence the ceremony once the bell tolls three times! So until then, please enjoy and welcome to the Country of Fire!" Kizashi said as he sat back down in his throne.

Shizune stood beside Sakura's throne, "Are you ready for your blessings M'lady?" She asked as she whispered to her Princess.

Sakura nodded at Shizune in response.

To Sakura, this was the most boring part. Not to say she didn't enjoy meeting all of these people, but for the next couple of hours, Sakura could not remove herself from her seat. It was just a continuous cycle of everyone introducing themselves and repeating the same sort of blessing over and over again. She wouldn't even be able to grab any food until after the official ceremony. Sakura was just stuck in her throne as people walked by and looked at her.

"Happy Birthday, Lady Sakura."

And so it began …

~xXx~

Ino stood with her back against the wall as she watched all of the people that passed her by. She held up her glass to her lips and gracefully took a sip of the wine that she was given. Every once in a while, Ino would look over at Sakura and see all of the people that were standing before her; their heads bowed and hands shaking. In a way, it amused Ino to see so many people nervous around the girl that wouldn't ever harm a fly. She would then look at Sakura and could immediately tell that the poor girl wasn't comfortable with all of the flattery they were giving her. Ino smirked as the rim of her glass placed itself on the edge of her lips.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself."

Ino looked over at the source of the voice and glared slightly at the man that stood next to her.

"Well if it isn't Captain Uzumaki. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Ino asked.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head and chuckled sheepishly, "I see you're still cold as ever Lady Yamanaka," he said.

Ino crossed her arms over her chest as she took another sip of her wine.

"What do you want Naruto?" Ino asked.

Naruto brought his hands out, in defense, "Who says I want anything? Can't a guy enjoy the company of a beautiful woman?" He asked.

Ino rolled her eyes, "Does your wife know you're here? It'd be a shame if I were to tell her that the father of her child is flirting with another woman," she said as she smirked at Naruto.

Naruto smirked at Ino's remark, "Don't worry, I already have eyes watching me for today," he said.

Ino cocked her head to the side as Naruto's head gestured over to a group of people that all looked similarly alike.

"I see," Ino said, "normally the Hyuga clan avoids these kinds of events … to have so many here, I take it they don't seem to trust you very much," she said.

Naruto chuckled as he watched his wife's family look over at him. "I wouldn't necessarily say they despise me, but they are wary of the fact that I am Captain of an army to a clan that they don't respect all too well," he said.

Ino shrugged her shoulders, "Pity … the Haruno clan has been nothing but kind to them. The Hyuga's egos are what make them difficult to work with though. It surprises me that a sweet and caring woman like Hinata is part of that family," she said as she took another sip of wine.

Ino kept her gaze on the group of individuals as they continued to socialize within their own group. It was within that group though that three of the Hyuga clan caught Ino's attention.

"Those three in particular really seem to have it out for you Naruto; they keep looking over here every few seconds," she said, unfazed at the glares she was receiving.

Naruto turned his head and shook his head, "Well if you must know … the older of the three is Hyuga Hizashi, the matriarch of the Hyuga clan and Hinata's uncle. The one to the left is Hanabi. She is Hinata's sister and Hizashi's guard … apparently after Hinata's father passed away, Hizashi decided to take Hanabi on as his student," he said.

Ino looked back over at Naruto, "Surprising, Hinata has never mentioned to have had any siblings," Ino said.

Naruto sighed, "Let's just say that Hinata isn't as close to her family as she would like to be," he said. "And finally we have Hyuga Neji. He is Hizashi's son and Hinata's cousin. If there is one Hyuga who you don't want to piss off, it's Neji," he said.

Ino shuddered a bit when she looked into their eyes. It wasn't because she was scared of them, it was because when it came to the Hyuga clan, it was their eyes that distinguished them from everybody else. Featureless, white eyes were the best way to describe them. No one knew if it was because of a genetic mutation or some kind of Hyuga clan ritual.

"If you all aren't close to Hinata's family as you say you are; why do they care if you're here or not?" Ino asked.

Naruto shrugged, "Don't know … it's complicated when it comes to Hinata's family. I try not to pry myself too much into it when Hinata doesn't want me to. It is strange though … I was actually quite surprised when I saw them," he said.

Ino watched as the group of Hyuga's walked to another part of the Throne Room; almost like they knew that Naruto and Ino had been talking about them. Ino's eyes squinted, "Do you think we should be worried?" She asked.

"The Hyuga's may not be the most pleasant clan to get along with, but they still know who their rulers are … even if they don't agree with how the Haruno clan runs the Country of Fire … I wouldn't worry though," Naruto said.

Ino looked at Naruto as he gave her a reassuring smile, "If anything happens, my men and I will be sure to keep everyone safe," he said.

Ino looked down at her feet before she looked back over at Sakura who continued to sit as people greeted her. Naruto noticed this and smiled softly at Ino as if she were a child, "Lady Sakura will be safe at all costs … I promise," he said.

"You better Naruto … if anything happens to that girl, I swear I'll come after you myself," Ino barked before she finished off the rest of her drink and walked away.

Naruto watched Ino leave for another part of the room before he sighed, "You're not the only one," he said.

~xXx~

Mebuki looked over at her daughter and smiled fondly at her. She was so excited for her daughter to be married off to a Lord that she knew would protect and love her. Sakura was a special girl and Mebuki wanted nothing but the best for her and Hiro. She turned her head to see Kizashi and Hiro talking to one another; though she couldn't make out what they were saying, she could tell that by the looks of their faces they were joking around about something.

Kizashi placed his hand on top of their son's head and began to tussle his hair. While Kizashi laughed, Hiro rolled his eyes and tried to playfully punch his father's arm. Mebuki thought that they were talking about Hiro's training with Hatake-san, but she couldn't say for sure. All she did know was that she was content. She loved her husband. She loved her children. She loved the Country of Fire and its people. She could die at this very moment and not have an ounce of guilt about her life.

"Lady Haruno," a voice called out.

Mebuki reeled herself back to reality and noticed that Shikaku was standing in front of her throne with his head bowed to her.

"Yes, what is it Shikaku?" Mebuki asked.

"Forgive my interruption, but General Uchiha was called for urgent business to return to the Land of Rice and wishes to speak with Lady Sakura before he departs," Shikaku said.

Mebuki looked over to find General Uchiha standing near the doorways of the Throne Room. He saw that she had taken notice and bowed his head in respect. Mebuki looked back over at Sakura and noticed the long line of people who had yet to give their blessings to the Princess.

Kizashi noticed the conversation between his wife and advisor and placed his hand on Mebuki's shoulder, "Let him know that he only has five minutes. Many people have waited much longer to see our daughter," he said.

Shikaku bowed his head, "Of course, My Lord," he said as he made his way back over to the older Uchiha.

Mebuki stood up from her throne and casually walked over to the line of people that were waiting to greet her daughter, "Please forgive me everyone, but Lady Sakura must be taken away for a bit to bid a dear friend of hers goodbye before he leaves for a long mission," she said.

The line of people looked at their Queen and bowed their heads in respect. They all knew that their Princess would return shortly after. Mebuki smiled at her people before she grabbed Sakura's hand and gently pulled her up from her seat.

"Sakura, dear. General Uchiha would like to have a moment with you, if you would be so kind," Mebuki said as she watched her daughter's face as it lit up.

"Itachi-san is back? I thought he was still in the Land of Rice?" Sakura asked.

Mebuki frowned at Sakura's forwardness towards the Uchiha General, "General Uchiha just came back this morning but now has to leave again to return to some unexpected business," Mebuki said.

Sakura had begun to look around the room for the Uchiha when she noticed him walking towards her with Shikaku by his side. Sakura smiled just as Itachi had approached.

"Greetings, Lady Sakura," Itachi said as he bowed to his Princess.

Sakura continued to smile as she bowed her head in recognition, "It is so wonderful to see you again, Itachi-san," she said.

Mebuki coughed at Sakura's statement which, in Sakura's mind, knew that meant she needed to correct herself, "... I mean, General Uchiha."

Itachi smiled softly at the young girl, "It's nice to see you as well," he said.

"Mother tells me that you have to leave again … not for too long I hope," Sakura said as she looked at Itachi with concern in her eyes.

Itachi continued to smile, "Not to worry Lady Sakura, this mission shouldn't take as long as the last," he said to her.

Sakura smiled back at Itachi before she nodded her head, "Good," she said.

It was then that Itachi had looked over at his Queen, "Lady Haruno, would it be alright if I had a bit of privacy with Lady Sakura? I promise you, we won't go far," Itachi said.

Mebuki slanted her eyes a bit, "General Uchiha, I would find it quite apawling that on the day of my daughter's courtship ceremony, my General would decide to whisk the Princess away for some private affair … sounds a bit irrational, don't you think?" Mebuki stated.

"I promise you my Queen that I don't mean any sort of disrespect … but I can assure you that no one will think any ill will towards our conversation," Itachi said as he bowed to his Queen.

Mebuki looked at Itachi and then back at her daughter who was looking at her with sadness in her eyes, " … Make it quick," Mebuki said.

Sakura smiled back at her mother, "I promise it will be," she said.

As Mebuki began to walk away from her daughter, she pulled Shikaku to the side, "I want you to stand by in case anything happens, understood?" Mebuki said.

Shikaku nodded his head, "Yes, my Queen," he said as Mebuki released him.

Itachi had walked Sakura over towards a more remote area. He kept his word and made sure that anyone who would walk past them would see this as a harmless conversation between friends and nothing more.

Sakura looked up at the older Uchiha and smiled, "It really is nice to see you home," she said, "I was beginning to think something bad had happened."

Itachi chuckled, "You seem to mistake me as someone who can't hold their own in a fight, Lady Sakura," he said.

Sakura shook her head, "Trust me, I know you are more than capable of defending yourself … things can happen though," she said.

Itachi noticed the saddened tone in Sakura's voice, " … My apologies Lady Sakura, for making you worry."

Sakura blushed a bit as she smiled, "Just be safe on this next journey, Itachi-san," she said.

Itachi nodded his head, " … I know, I can't stay for too long but I wanted to give you your gift before I have to leave again," he said as Itachi began to rummage through his bag.

"Itachi-san, you didn't need to get me anything! Really, you've done so much for us already," Sakura said.

"It's no bother at all, besides, I saw this while in the Land of Rice and immediately thought of you," Itachi said as he grabbed an object from out of his bag.

Sakura blushed as Itachi bowed to his Princess, "For you, Lady Sakura … Happy Birthday," Itachi said as he presented his gift.

Sakura looked down at Itachi's hands to find him holding a small, silver necklace with a purple stone cuffed to the chain. It made Sakura's eyes sparkle with awe.

" … It's beautiful," she said.

Itachi stood before his Princess and placed it softly in her hands, "From what I was told, the villagers from the Land of Rice believe that the color purple is the representation of two other colors fused together. The fierce energy of red alongside the calm stability of the blue. Putting them together to create ambition, power, wisdom, devotion, and pride … No doubt a perfect representation of you, Lady Sakura," Itachi said as he smiled.

Sakura continued to blush as she held the small stone in her hand. She smiled as she gently cupped the stone in both her hands before she placed it over her heart, "Thank you so much Itachi-san … I would hug you, but I doubt that my mother would approve," she said.

Itachi nodded, "I understand …" Itachi said as the realization of Sakura's fate embedded in his mind.

As Sakura continued to look at the stone, Itachi chimed in, "Lady Sakura," he said as Sakura brought her attention back to Itachi, " … You will make a fine Queen one day."

Sakura noticed the hint of sadness in Itachi's face, "No matter what happens, I want you to be happy," he said.

Sakura smiled softly at the older Uchiha before she nodded her head, "I will be, I promise," she said.

Itachi smiled sadly as he bowed to Sakura, "Forgive me, for I must be off soon … also … please watch over him as well," Itachi said.

Sakura cocked her head to the side, "Watch who?" She asked.

Itachi took Sakura's confusion with a bit of shock, but brushed it off and smirked, "You'll find out soon enough," he said.

Itachi adjusted his bag as he smiled one last time at Sakura, "I'll be sure to drop by once I return," he said.

As Sakura watched Itachi leave she instantly grabbed at his sleeve, forcing him to stop. Itachi looked back at Sakura.

"Please … be safe," she said as she gripped his sleeve tighter.

Itachi chuckled before he turned to Sakura and gently poked her forehead with his fingers, "Goodbye for now, Lady Sakura," he said as he began to make his way towards the exit.

Sakura watched as Itachi left; her heart had begun to race as her cheeks started to feel hot and red. Sakura gently placed her hand over her forehead and smiled, "I'll see you later, Itachi-san."

As Sakura watched the exit that Itachi had left through, Shikaku appeared out of nowhere and stood in Sakura's line of vision.

"Lady Sakura," he said.

Sakura jumped back a bit as she let out a startled scream, "Sh-Sh-Shikaku-san!" Sakura said.

"Forgive me for startling you Lady Sakura, but your mother and father wish to have you return to your seating," Shikaku said as he bowed to his Princess.

Sakura looked behind Shikaku and saw that she could no longer find Itachi. He was gone just as quick as when he returned. Sakura nodded at her parent's advisor before she headed back to her seat where hundreds more people began to line up in hopes of greeting the young Princess. Sakura quickly placed the necklace that Itachi had given her inside a pocket that was sewn on the inside of her kimono. If her mother saw that Itachi had given her such a personal gift, it might send off the wrong message.

"Sakura, dear, what did General Uchiha say to you?" Mebuki asked.

Sakura turned to her mother and smiled sheepishly, "He just wished me a 'Happy Birthday' and blessed me with his promise of a safe and successful return," she said.

Mebuki stared at Sakura and sighed, "Let's just hope that this sudden business of his doesn't turn out to be a lost trade deal," she said as she returned her attention back to the party.

Sakura laughed nervously, "I hope so to, mother," she said.

Sakura sighed in relief as she watched her mother return her attention elsewhere. It had only been about an hour since the party had begun and Sakura had started to feel nervous again. As time was counting down, Sakura could only look out amongst the crowd and wonder which ones were her suitors … there were so many men inside the estate walls that Sakura couldn't even begin to tell you what her guesses were.

She just hoped that they were kind. She hoped that they were loving, compassionate, strong, and smart individuals. Sakura knew that this was to bring honor to the Country of Fire and to her family but … inside she felt numb. No matter how much she closed her eyes she would always open them to find that it wasn't a dream. This was her reality now and she had to stay strong.

"Happy Birthday, Lady Sakura," Naruto said.

Sakura looked up at Naruto and blushed as she forgot that she was still being greeted by her guests.

"C-Captain Uzumaki, hello," Sakura said.

Naruto smiled at Sakura as he bowed, "I just want to say that it has been such an honor serving you and your family all these years. I hope my men and I have made you proud," Naruto said.

Sakura stared at Naruto as his words began to ring in her ears. The mention of Captain Uzumaki's men reminded her of the events that took place earlier that day. She remembered watching the soldiers train. She remembered looking out one of the windows. She remembered seeing black, spiky hair. She remembered …

Sakura flinched as she felt a sharp pain run through her temple. She held up her hand as to cradle her head in it.

"Lady Sakura," Naruto said alarmingly as he reached out in assistance.

Mebuki, Kizashi, and Hiro took notice of this and automatically rushed to Sakura's aid.

"Sakura, are you okay? What's the matter?" Kizashi said as he knelt down in front of his daughter.

"Sakura, are you feeling ill, do you need to lay down?" Mebuki said.

"I'll go fetch her some water," Hiro said as he made his way over to the beverages.

Patrons at the party heard a bit of the commotion and stopped to see what had happened. Some showed concerned looks on their faces while others were confused about what was happening.

"Lady Sakura, do I need to grab your doctor?" Naruto asked, urgently.

The pain in Sakura's head left as quickly as it had appeared. She dropped her hand back down to her side and looked up at Naruto, "N-No, no … I'm okay, just a sudden pinch is all," she said.

Mebuki and Kizashi looked over Sakura; concerned that their daughter was still in pain. Sakura noticed their looks and smiled softly at them with reassurance, "I'm fine, no need to worry. Honest," she said.

By this time, Hiro had returned with a glass of water. He handed it to Sakura who took it instantly.

"It must be from all of this excitement," Sakura said before she gulped down her water.

Naruto watched Sakura and noticed that her hands were shaking, "Lady Sakura, you should listen to your mother. It might be best for you to lay down for a bit. We wouldn't want you to push yourself and have something even worse happen," he said as he took the empty glass away from her.

Sakura shook her head, "No need for that Captain Uzumaki, I'm sure all I needed was some water because I feel fine now," she said as she smiled at Naruto.

"Thank you Hiro-chan for getting it for me," she said as she turned her attention towards her brother.

Hiro nodded his head; his thoughts resonated the same as his parents. Sakura looked down at her father and cupped his face with her hands, "I promise you, I'm alright now … if this happens again I'll go and rest," she said as she smiled at Kizashi.

Kizashi looked at his daughter's face and sighed, "Fine … so be it," he said as he stood up. Kizashi looked amongst the crowd of people and waved his hands at them for reassurance, "No need to worry everyone, Lady Sakura is okay," he said.

As Kizashi sat back down in his throne, Mebuki and Hiro followed suit. Sakura gently rubbed the side of her head for she hoped the pain wouldn't return. Naruto watched as the crowds had begun to mingle again as if Sakura's sudden episode hadn't happened. Naruto looked back at Sakura and noticed that she had started to stare at him with a concerned look in her eyes.

"My apologies Captain Uzumaki, it seems that whenever I'm around you, I always manage to find some way to cause trouble for you," Sakura said.

Naruto looked at Sakura's state and smiled softly at her. The way Sakura's eyes saddened, the way she worried about everyone around her, and the way she constantly apologized for things that didn't need apologizing for … She reminded him of his wife. Hinata was the exact same way. She never wanted to burden anyone or trouble anyone. She was one of the kindest most generous people Naruto had ever met … and those were just a couple of reasons why he fell in love with her. He missed his wife terribly and even though she understood why he was never home a lot, it still saddened him. But he was so grateful to have her.

"Captain Uzumaki?"

Naruto looked up and saw that Sakura was still watching him. He blushed and bowed, "Pardon my silence Lady Sakura, I was just thinking about something and lost my sense of self," he said as he chuckled.

Sakura stared blankly at Naruto.

"No need to fret over me Lady Sakura, I'm just glad you're okay," Naruto said as he smiled up at her.

Sakura smiled softly and nodded, "Thank you," she said.

Naruto nodded his head as he bowed to the other Haruno clan members, "Please let me know if there is anything else I can do for you," he told them.

Mebuki and Kizashi nodded their heads in recognition as Naruto stepped down and made his way over towards another part of the room. As Naruto walked through the large crowds of people he had felt a sudden grasp of his forearm, which halted him in place. Naruto smirked, knowing who it was that had grabbed him.

"I was wondering when you were going to stop and say 'hello' … Neji," Naruto said.

Naruto turned his head to find the Hyuga member glaring at him; his white eyes felt like daggers, ready to cut through anything that stood in his path. At that moment, it was Naruto.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself a little too much … too much for my liking," Neji said as he continued to hold onto Naruto's arm.

Naruto stared at Neji, "With free food and drink why would I not be in a celebratory mood," he said, jokingly.

Neji glared deeper at Naruto, "Listen to me loud and clear Demon, because I plan on only saying this once," he said as he gripped Naruto's arm tighter, "do not get in my way."

Naruto cocked his head to the side, "What are you talking about?" He asked.

Neji roughly released Naruto from his grip before he made his way back over to the rest of the Hyuga members. Naruto rubbed the place where Neji had gripped his arm and shook his head, "Asshole," he said. He looked back up only to find the group of Hyuga's gone.

Naruto stood silent for a bit, " ...I better go check to see if everything is okay," he said to himself. Naruto grabbed a couple of items off a nearby table before he stealthily exited out of the Throne Room.

~xXx~

Sasuke continued to walk the premises of the estate as he watched out for anything that he thought could be dangerous. It had only been over an hour since the doors to the estate had been open which meant that the party was most likely in full swing. It had been so long since Sasuke ever attended an event inside the Throne Room … even inside the estate for that matter.

He began to picture the inside, at least from what he could recall in his mind. He remembered the spacing of it all … you could sit in their for hours just admiring the architecture. The hundreds of paintings that hung on the walls for everyone to see. He recalled there being chipped paint on one of the walls inside the Throne Room. He wondered if they had ever gotten that taken care of. He recalled the thrones that were placed inside, one for each family member … Sasuke figured that the arrangement had changed since then, due to the fact that Hiro had come into the picture months after Sasuke's absence.

Sakura's throne was on the right … he wondered if she was still seated there. I guess in just a few days all of those kinds of questions would be answered.

A small, brisk breeze caressed Sasuke's face; his eyes closed when he felt the wind tussle his locks. It was then that his mind started to wander off. It was days like these he loved the most.

Spring.

"Sasuke."

A sudden voice brought Sasuke back to his thoughts; his mind recognized his brother as the source. Sasuke turned around to find Itachi, as he stood a few feet away. It had been a few months since they last saw each other and with everything that had happened within the past few hours, he didn't know if he was happy or angry to see his brother.

Sasuke instantly glared.

Itachi noticed this and sighed as he ran one of his hands through his hair, "I know you must be upset with me -"

"Upset isn't even the word I would use right now," Sasuke said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Itachi had decided to keep his distance; he didn't want to push his brother away. He just stood there and waited for Sasuke to speak.

"The moment you return home … instead of coming by to see me you go behind my back and sign me up for guard duty," Sasuke said as he continued to glare at Itachi. "Not only that, but it's for Sakura … of all people, you decided to place me with Sakura."

Itachi stared blankly at Sasuke; the two men stood before one another as if to challenge each other.

"Why?" Sasuke asked.

Itachi continued to stay silent, for he knew that Sasuke was not done speaking.

"The timing of this as well … I have spent several years keeping my distance and now during the one year I wish to never see her …"

Sasuke clenched his fists into tight balls; his nails had dug themselves deep into the skin of his hands. "Is this some kind of punishment?" He asked.

Itachi looked at his brother's distraught face and shook his head, "Sasuke, this is in no way a punishment for you. This is to help you," he said.

Sasuke scoffed, "Help me? How the hell is this supposed to help me?!" Sasuke cried out.

Itachi glared at his brother, "Sasuke, you need to calm down and let me explain," he said as he raised his hand up in defense.

Sasuke's hands had started to shake.

Itachi took a step towards his brother, "It's true, I shouldn't have gone behind your back like I did, but I knew that this was your last opportunity to be able to see her again … even if you claim you don't want to," he said.

Sasuke flinched.

"This will help not only you, but Sakura as well. This next year should not be taken lightly and when the time comes that she gets married and moves away from here … wouldn't it feel better to know that the both of you got some kind of closure?"

Sasuke clenched his eyes tightly; the image of Sakura rang through this head.

Her laugh.

"You two are more connected than what you realize."

Her smile.

"Instead of brushing this off, why not use this as a means to forgive yourself."

How her eyes sparkled in the sunlight.

"What happened to her was years ago, so why do you continue to punish yourself?"

How helpless she looked whenever she was sad.

"Why do you continue to punish her?"

Sasuke's eyes widened and noticed that Itachi had now moved to be right in front of his face.

"The key here is forgiveness, Sasuke … I want that for you and I want that for her."

Sasuke began to breathe heavily as if he had just resurfaced from a pool of water. He couldn't understand why he was feeling this way. It's as if Itachi's words had pierced through his body and he had no control left.

"... I'm leaving again, Sasuke," Itachi said, "I wanted to speak with you before I left."

Sasuke looked up at his brother … but no words had come out.

"Please, as a favor to me … take care of yourself," he said.

Sasuke watched as Itachi turned around to leave. It wasn't right … he had just gotten back and the only means of communication between them had been over a heated discussion. Sasuke's mind had drawn a blank and no words were coming out of his mouth. Sasuke reached out as his brother's back stared back at him. This wasn't right … It couldn't be right.

Itachi had only walked a few feet before he felt the presence of an oncoming punch headed towards him. With just a split second; Itachi had cocked his head to the right as he avoided the impact. He immediately turned his head to find Sasuke standing just a couple of feet away with both of this fists readied and loaded.

Sasuke glared at his brother, "Fight me … before you go," he said.

Itachi raised an eyebrow, "You want to fight me? Outside the estate, in the middle of the day?" He asked.

Sasuke scoffed, "If I am to spend the rest of this year protecting her … I need you to know that I can."

Itachi stared at Sasuke with a slight bit of shock on his face, "Sasuke …"

"No holds back! You fight me, right here, right now," Sasuke said as he dug the soles of his feet into the dirt.

Itachi looked at his brother and smiled softly at him. Itachi reached one of his hands out as Sasuke prepared to defend himself. Itachi pressed two fingers onto Sasuke's forehead.

"Sorry Sasuke … maybe next time," he said.

Sasuke lowered his fists as he watched Itachi smile at him, " … But I know you'll do just fine," Itachi said.

Itachi turned himself back around and started to walk away. Sasuke's fists completely lowered as he watched Itachi disappear once again. Sasuke slightly glared as he watched his brother leave, but it was also no surprise that Itachi would have wanted to leave as soon as possible. He didn't know how long his brother would be gone for this time … there was also that risk of him never coming home again. Sasuke sighed.

"... I won't let you down, General Uchiha," Sasuke said.

" … Such a sweet moment between the two of you."

Sasuke reacted immediately and turned his body around to find his old mentor standing before him. Sasuke continued to glare as Kakashi walked over to him; his hand up in greeting.

"Afternoon, Sasuke," Kakashi said with a no-care-in-the-world tone.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "What are you doing here Kakashi? Shouldn't you be inside?" He asked.

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders as he strolled past Sasuke, "I was on my way to give my blessing to the Princess, when all of a sudden I had found myself lost on the path of life. So many twists and turns with no idea how to get back on the main path … all hope was lost," Kakashi stated as Sasuke shook his head in annoyance.

"But alas! The sudden image of the Princess lurched its way into my head. Her warm smile helped me overcome the obstacles that got in my way! Sweet, sweet Sakura-chan, guiding me through my roughest journey only to perhaps steal a kiss from her as gratitude for helping this poor, old fool return home." Kakashi said as he had begun to laugh.

Sasuke's eye twitched, "Why don't you just admit that you were running late?"

Kakashi's eye gleamed, "Because this story is much more interesting," he said. Sasuke watched as a smirk formed under Kakashi's mask.

Sasuke scoffed, "An old fool is right. Why don't you go inside before your body really does get lost and gone forever," he said.

Kakashi had grabbed at his chest; his fingers clenched the fabric of his clothing, "How can you be so cruel Sasuke, after everything I've done for you!" He cried out.

Sasuke had started to ignore Kakashi at this point; his antics giving him a headache, "I don't have time for this," he said as he started to walk away.

It was when Sasuke had started to walk away that Kakashi halted his behavior, "Come now Sasuke, I'm only kidding around. You need to learn to take a joke once in a while," he said.

"Not interested," Sasuke said as he continued to walk.

Kakashi sighed, "You really are just like your father," he said to himself.

As Sasuke continued on with his patrol, he turned the corner only to find Naruto standing not too far away. Naruto and Sasuke locked eyes and casually walked towards one another.

"You're out here too? Any reason why?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto smiled as he lifted up a napkin filled with dango, "I figured you might be hungry," he said.

Sasuke looked down at Naruto's gift and scoffed, "You know I hate sweet things, why would you give this to me?"

Naruto's eye twitched, "Okay asshole, if you're going to act like that, then nevermind!" He cried out as he began to eat the dango himself.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Shouldn't you be inside? I'm sure the King and Queen are wondering where their Captain is," he said.

As Naruto consumed the small sweets he looked at Sasuke, "It's so crowded in there that I highly doubt they notice who all comes and goes," he said.

Sasuke watched as Naruto finished the last dango before he stuck the long wooden toothpick between his teeth. "You know, I was going to save this for me … but since you're so resistant to sweets …" Naruto said as he handed another napkin towards Sasuke.

Sasuke looked down and smirked, "... Thanks," he said as he grabbed the two steamed dumplings from Naruto's hand.

"Wouldn't want you to go hungry while on patrol," Naruto said as he smiled at his friend.

Sasuke smirked as he shook his head at Naruto's antics, "Idiot," he said.

" … You seem more relaxed," Naruto said as he looked over Sasuke's demeanor. "I mean, you seem back to normal …"

Sasuke scoffed, "Nothing's changed."

Naruto smiled softly at his Lieutenant, "Yeah … I suppose you're right," he said.

Sasuke and Naruto were never ones to talk about feelings around one another, but they each had their own quirks and signals to let the other know just how they were doing. In this case, Sasuke pushing away Naruto's observation under the rug meant that Sasuke was over it and was done talking about the matter. In Naruto's mind; Sasuke was accepting his mission with Sakura. He knew Sasuke still had some time to think over his feelings, but that was on Sasuke … if Naruto wanted to be let in; he would wait until Sasuke allowed him in.

Two loud rings circulated the entire estate.

Sasuke and Naruto looked at one another, "I suppose you need to head back inside soon," Sasuke said as he popped one of his dumplings in his mouth.

Naruto shrugged his shoulders, "I've got some time to spare," he said.

Sasuke looked back down at the food he carried in his hand, "Here … I don't want it anymore," he said as he pushed his last dumpling in Naruto's face.

Naruto held his hands up, "No way, it's all yours … wouldn't want you fainting from starvation in front of my soldiers," he said as he chuckled.

"More like I don't want to eat and get fat like you, Naruto," Sasuke said.

Naruto glared at Sasuke, "Yeah right! I'm twice as lean and strong as you are! Teme!" Naruto said as he pointed at Sasuke.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Like you could ever defeat me in a real fight. Dobe," he said.

Naruto pouted as if he were a child and crossed his arms over his chest, "Well as your superior officer, I'd say I disagree," he said.

Sasuke smirked, "Normally any superior officer wouldn't behave like a child … you're almost as bad as Kakashi," he said.

"Teme!" Naruto cried out as he got in Sasuke's face.

It was then that Kakashi appeared in between the two men and placed each of his hands on the back of Naruto and Sasuke's heads.

"Why don't you two stop fighting so you can kiss and make up already," Kakashi said as he pushed Sasuke and Naruto's heads closer to one another.

It was a split second that Kakashi had gone from standing to being plummeted to the ground.

"I told you your body was going to end up disappearing!" Sasuke said.

"You're nothing but a disgusting old pervert!" Naruto cried out.

As Kakashi lay there in pain; a single tear had fallen from his eye, "You two … are so cruel to me …" he said.

Sasuke scoffed, "Whatever, I'm headed to the South tower," he said as he stomped away from Naruto and Kakashi.

Naruto barked back,"I'm heading inside, try and think before you do anything else stupid," he said as he walked away from the crippling man.

As Naruto walked closer to the entrance he paused for a bit and took a few seconds to look up at the sky. Now that spring had finally arrived, Naruto could finally look up and feel relieved knowing that life was beginning to flourish again. Where the harsh winter had left the sky feeling dark and dead, spring now brought sunshine and life. Naruto smirked as the sun hit his skin.

"Enjoy the nice weather Teme, you deserve it," he said as he made his way back inside.

~xXx~

Sakura watched as her guests mingled with one another. The line to greet Sakura had died down so this gave Sakura the chance to relax and enjoy the festivities … to an extent. The rest of her family continued to stay seated as individuals greeted them; some were just as nervous to greet her parents than when they had greeted Sakura.

Sakura's stomach had begun to rumble; her cheeks turned red with embarrassment as she tried to muffle the noise. She hadn't really eaten much since this morning so with it being over twelve hours since she had a real meal, her stomach was trying to tell her it was time. She couldn't remove herself from her throne though, at least not without someone to be by her side. Sakura turned her head and noticed her parents were speaking with a few individuals as well as Hiro.

Sakura sighed, "I guess I can wait a little longer," she said to herself as she dropped her head in defeat.

"Sorry, I made you wait so long for me."

Sakura shot her head up and noticed that Ino had made her way over to her throne. "Ino-chan," Sakura said.

Ino smiled, "I told you I would come by later, you never listen do you," she said as she shook her head.

Sakura raised her hands up in defense, "N-No, no. Sorry, I wasn't talking about you … I just haven't really eaten anything and I'm starting to get hungry," she said with a nervous smile.

Ino looked over at the table of food that had been surrounded by people and chuckled, "Well glad I went over when I did … Ta-da!" Ino said as she removed her hands from behind her back. "I know how much you love these and thought you would like one."

Sakura looked down and saw that Ino had brought over a couple of anko dumplings. Sakura's mouth had begun to water before she smiled at her friend, "Ino-chaaaan, these are my favorite!" Sakura said as she gushed over Ino's gesture.

Ino smiled and blushed, "That's why I got them … man, you would think that there would be a special table for you since it's your birthday. I guess it's first come, first serve huh?"

Sakura stuck her tongue out playfully as she grabbed the dumplings from Ino's hands. Once Sakura had taken the first bite, her eyes had started to water with tears of joy, "Thank you!"

Ino rolled her eyes playfully, "You're welcome, my Princess," she said as she grabbed one of Sakura's hands and lightly kissed the top of the skin. Ino then smiled as she looked up at Sakura.

Sakura blushed a bit as she smiled in return.

"Ino-chan, so glad to see you today."

Sakura and Ino looked over to find Mebuki smiling at the Yamanaka heiress. Ino bowed in respect, "So good to see you as well Lady Haruno, my apologies on my families behalf for they aren't able to make it here today … but they send their blessings and good graces."

Mebuki waved her hand, "We understand. We know all too well just how hard-working and busy your family can get, but we thank you for stopping by," Mebuki said.

Mebuki had always had a soft spot for the Yamanaka girl. When Sakura was younger, it was hard for Sakura to have anyone her age to play with. With Sakura being the status that she was, any education she had gotten stayed within the estate walls and with that had come isolation from any other children. It was when Mebuki had gotten a chance to be introduced to Ino that the idea of her becoming Sakura's playmate was formed. Thus started the relationship between the two girls.

Sakura's stomach started to rumble again when Ino then formed an idea, "Lady Haruno, would it be too much to ask if I had Sakura accompany me to grab some food? I promise we won't go too far and we'll come right back," she said.

Mebuki raised an eyebrow in suspicion. When it came to Sakura and Ino, those two weren't strangers to getting themselves into an occasional sticky situation. Mebuki looked over and noticed that no others were waiting to greet Sakura.

She sighed, "I suppose that would be alright, but don't dawdle," she said.

Sakura gleamed at Ino who returned it with a smile of her own, "No worries Lady Haruno, we won't be long," Ino said.

Ino gracefully grabbed Sakura by the hand and pulled her up from her throne before she bowed to her Queen. Mebuki smiled softly at the two girls and waved her hand towards them as a gesture for them to go. Ino and Sakura removed themselves from the rest of the Haruno clan as they walked over to another table that had food and drinks for the taking.

"Thanks Ino-chan, I don't know how much longer my stomach was going to keep itself quiet," Sakura said.

"Plus this gives you some time to stretch out your legs. I don't know how you all can sit for so long; it makes me feel trapped just watching you," Ino said.

Sakura sadly smiled, "Yeah," she said.

Sakura never wanted to admit to Ino that though she enjoyed the lifestyle she had; she really didn't care too much for it. Sure, it was nice every once in a while, but for it to be a permanent placement for her … it felt stifling. There would be days that Sakura just wanted to run outside and never stop. She wanted to explore different lands and seas. She wanted to discover new places for herself. She wanted to be free …

As Ino pulled Sakura towards a table; Sakura felt a sudden bump on her shoulder which caused her body to halt, along with Ino's.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," Sakura stated apologetically as she looked up at the individual.

Sakura's eyes widened a bit when she came face-to-face with the person who she had bumped into. The individual looked down at his clothes as a means to see how much his clothes had gotten damaged. He looked back up at Sakura once he heard her voice of apology.

" … H-Hyuga …" Sakura stated. As soon as she saw those white eyes she instantly knew that she had just ran into a member of the Hyuga clan.

The young man had seen Sakura's stunned face and smiled softly at her, "Neji … Hyuga Neji," he said as he bowed to Sakura. "Forgive me Lady Haruno, I had no idea it was you who I ran into. Please accept my apology," he said.

Sakura was so enamored by Neji's eyes that she had forgotten what it was she was doing. Ino, on the other hand, looked at Neji and glared at him slightly.

Sakura shook her head and bowed apologetically back at Neji, "No, no, please forgive me! I wasn't watching where I was going," she said. Sakura looked at Neji's appearance and had taken notice of his clothes, "Oh no, I got your clothes all wet," she said as she reached for a nearby napkin.

Once Neji straightened himself out he smiled once again at Sakura, "No need to fuss over something as trivial as this. I'm just glad it was me and not you," he said as he brushed Sakura's guilt off.

As Sakura grabbed a hold of a napkin, Neji had softly grabbed Sakura's wrist, "Like I said, no need to worry," he said as he gently removed the napkin from Sakura's hand.

Sakura blushed at the sudden contact.

Ino shoved her way right next to Sakura and quickly grabbed at Neji's wrist; causing both Neji and Sakura to look surprised.

"Apologies accepted … now if you'll excuse us, the Princess needs to return to her parents before the ceremony starts," Ino said as she forcefully removed Neji's hand away from Sakura.

Neji looked over at Ino and saw the intense glare she was giving him. His white eyes looked Ino up and down before he smirked at her, "Of course ... "

Ino snarled a bit, "Let's go Sakura," she said as she pulled Sakura away from the Hyuga.

Sakura looked back and noticed that Neji had then disappeared within the crowd. It was then that Sakura's stomach rumbled some more. Ino stopped and smacked her own head with her hand, "Dammit, I forgot to get you some food," she said.

Ino looked to find a different table set up close by, unfortunately this one was crowded with more people than the last, "Shit … stay right here, ok? I'll be real quick," Ino said as she motioned Sakura to stay put. Sakura nodded her head in compliance as Ino quickly maneuvered her way around the crowd.

Sakura crossed her arms over her chest as a form of defense mechanism. Sakura had never been comfortable in large crowds, especially when she was all by herself. She didn't know if people were staring at her or not, but the feeling of being trapped had started to resurface. Sakura took a deep breath as she patiently waited for Ino to return.

What felt like seconds turned to hours in Sakura's head. With no sign of Ino anywhere, Sakura had started to wonder if perhaps her friend had gotten taken away somewhere. Maybe she had seen an old friend and wanted to talk to them. Sakura started to feel a bit warm, she didn't know if it was because no windows were open or because of all of the extra body heat that was radiating everywhere. Her nerves had started to get the best of her as well. Should she go back to her parents or wait until Ino returned? Sakura clenched her eyes shut.

"Just breathe."

Sakura opened her eyes back up and took in a deep breath before she let it out. She did this a couple more times which helped her with her nerves.

"Evaluate your surroundings."

Sakura looked around and continued to watch the crowds of people. While some would take notice of Sakura's presence; the majority were so busy mingling and stuffing their faces that they had no idea that their Princess was even out on the floor.

"Assert yourself."

Sakura straightened herself out and pushed her shoulder back. As her nerves continued to go down, she reluctantly removed her arms from her chest and placed them back at her sides.

Sakura smiled softly at herself.

"Sakura."

Sakura turned her head and saw Ino standing next to her with food in her hands, "Sorry for the wait Sakura, some people don't know when to quit stuffing their faces," Ino said as she chuckled.

Sakura giggled, "Ino-chan, don't tell me you finished eating already," she said.

Ino playfully bonked Sakura's head, "Oi, no need to get sassy with me," she said as Sakura giggled at Ino's response.

Sakura stuck her tongue out playfully as Ino handed her some food, "I got what I could, so hopefully this fills you up," Ino said.

Sakura nodded her head, "This is great, thank you," she said.

Ino watched as Sakura took her first bite of the food. As Sakura's face turned to pure joy at the flavor of her food, Ino smirked and chuckled to herself, "You haven't changed," she said.

Before Ino and Sakura could make it back to the King and Queen, Ino had grabbed a hold of Sakura's obi as a means to stop her from moving any further. Sakura stopped in her tracks and looked back over to see Ino staring intently at her.

"Ino-chan? Is something wrong?" Sakura asked as she turned her complete attention to her friend.

Ino had realized what she had done and released Sakura's obi from her grasp, "S-Sorry … sorry," she said.

Sakura tilted her head to the side, "Are you okay? You can talk to me if something is wrong," Sakura said as she cupped Ino's face in her hands.

Ino blushed a bit and removed her gaze from Sakura's, "... I just … I mean," Ino said as she clenched her hands into fists, " … it's nothing, sorry."

Sakura could tell that her friend was being troubled by something and she knew that she didn't want to go anywhere until she found out what. She grabbed Ino's hand and rushed her over to a more secluded area. Ino, who was surprised by Sakura's action had released her grip from Sakura's as the two stopped behind one of the pillars.

"Sakura, what are you doing?" Ino asked.

"I want to know what's going on. You're clearly upset and I want to know why," Sakura said.

Ino looked down at Sakura's worried, yet determined face and shook her head, "Sakura, nothing is going on. I just lost my train of thought. That's all," she said. Ino placed a hand on Sakura's head and rubbed it gently, "You need to stop worrying over the smallest of things, you're going to end up getting wrinkles," Ino said as she chuckled.

Sakura shook her head, "Ino-chan, stop treating me like a kid. I know something is going on and if you're my friend like you claim to be you'll let me listen to your problems," she said.

Ino sighed, knowing that Sakura wasn't going to back down. " … Sakura, I -"

"Lady Sakura!"

Sakura turned her head to find that Shizune had pulled up beside her. Ino retracted her words and stayed silent.

"Shizune-san," Sakura said as she acknowledged the woman, "please, I need to speak with Ino-chan for a bit."

Shizune bowed, "I'm sorry M'lady, but your mother and father need you back. It's almost time."

Sakura shook her head, "I just need a few more minutes Shizune-san, please," she said.

"It's okay Sakura," Ino said.

Sakura looked back at her friend, "No it's not okay. We need to talk," she said. "My parents can wait, right now I want to focus on you."

Sakura grabbed both of Ino's hands into hers and looked her right in her blue eyes. Ino smiled, "We can talk later … I'm not going to go anywhere, I promise," she said.

Sakura gripped Ino's hands tighter, "But … you're upset. I know it," she said.

Ino removed her hands from Sakura's, "You're way too good for this world, you know that?" Ino said as she engulfed Sakura into a hug. "Just go … we can talk later."

Ino had then removed Sakura away from her body and gently guided her over to Shizune. "Make sure she doesn't try to come running back," Ino said as she looked at Shizune.

Shizune bowed, "Thank you Lady Yamanaka," she said. Shizune gently grabbed her hand and began to pull her towards her parents, "come M'lady, we musn't dawdle," she said.

Sakura looked back over at Ino who smiled back at her in reassurance. Sakura's eyes were saddened and she didn't know if she could continue on with the ceremony knowing that her friend was distraught.

Shizune guided Sakura back to the seat next to her mother. Mebuki sighed, "Sakura, you said you wouldn't take long … a Queen must always -"

"Must always be on schedule … I know," Sakura said in a depressed tone.

Mebuki looked at her daughter and noticed the sudden mood. It was odd that she had left her side cheerful and happy, but now, it was as if something in her head had switched off.

" … Did something happen?" Mebuki asked.

Sakura stayed silent while she looked over the crowd of people. Mebuki had taken Sakura's silence as a means of isolation. She didn't want to push her daughter so close to the ceremony, so for now, she let it go.

The rest of the Haruno clan sat in silence as they awaited for the sound of bells …

Ino placed herself against a back wall with another glass of wine in her hand. She stirred the glass in her hands as she looked over at Sakura. Ino took a deep breath before she emptied the contents of her glass into her mouth.

One ring

Naruto stood within a crowd of people as he watched over the entire room. He had felt something in his gut that told him he needed to be wary. But of what? Ever since his encounter with Neji, Naruto had started to feel uneasy about things. Was Neji being here a bad omen? Naruto wasn't able to tell … but what he did know was that he couldn't back down, not for one second.

Two rings

Itachi gently kissed the older woman's head. He looked down at a pair of distorted eyes that only seemed to be staring into a void. He sighed. "I'll be back soon," he said. The woman just sat in her bed; completely unfazed by the man who was talking to her. Itachi looked up at another woman who smiled softly at him.

" … I'm sure she knows," the woman said.

Itachi nodded his head. He adjusted his bag before he left his childhood home. No matter how important or urgent his missions were, he always made time to visit her.

Three rings

Sasuke sat on top of the South tower; his feet dangled off the sides as he looked upon the wide, open field that outreached the horizon. It was time, he knew, and he just closed his eyes and started to think about memories that were long since lost.

~xXx~

Kizashi smiled and stood from his throne. He looked down at all of the people that had come to join in on the festivities. But now, this moment was about his daughter and the fate of the Haruno clan. Kizashi outreached his arms, "Honored guests! We once again welcome you to the Country of Fire! People of the Haruno clan, we welcome you into our home! It has been nothing but an honor to host such an important event!"

Kizashi looked down as he smiled at each member of his family; leaving Sakura for last.

"Today is not just about our Countries and the peace that we all hope continues on … but today is the anniversary of my daughter's birth! Seventeen years ago, today, our beautiful Princess graced us with her body and soul! It was seventeen years ago that the Gods blessed us with a baby that would one day rule her own Kingdom!"

Sakura looked out into the crowd as she awaited for her father's life changing words.

"Seventeen long years later, it was decided that Lady Sakura be prepared for that transition! It is now time Lords and Ladies … Let Lady Sakura's courting ceremony finally begin!"

As the crowd of people had started to cheer and clap, Sakura continued to look out into the distance. The faces of her guests had suddenly faded along with any hopes of putting an end to this. It was time, and she knew it. She had known about this from the moment she was young. This was happening. No longer would she be Haruno Sakura, Princess of the Country of Fire … but she was now Haruno Sakura, the prize to be won.

~xXx~

Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you all have enjoyed it so far! I know that Sasuke and Sakura haven't had too many moments together, but that's why it's called patience. Next chapter is when we'll start to dive more into Sasuke and Sakura's relationship and hopefully get more indepth with some other characters as well. Again, thank you all so much! Until next time! *Heart Heart*