Back in the "Uchiha Kingdom", Sasuke paced his room restlessly. Though he was scolded by his parents for sneaking off without permission, he didn't care. All that was in his mind right now was Sakura. "Where could she have gone?" he mumbled to himself and held his chin, deep in thought.

"Yo, Sasuke!" Naruto jumped through the Uchiha's open window. "Got any leads yet?"

"Not one," Sasuke sighed. "Urrrgh. That girl just aggravates me!" He clutched his hair and let out a brief growl.

"Which makes her perfect for you."

"WHAT?!!"

"Nothing. Anyway...we should go look for her. She might be in trouble." Naruto twirled a shuriken expertly with his fingers and opened the door. "Gah!" he cried and staggered back, startled to see Queen Mikoto behind the door.

"Good morning, Naruto," she greeted with a soft smile. "Good morning, Sasuke. I have some big news."

"What is it?" Sasuke asked, obviously bored.

"Sir Nam is having a dance party in celebration to the arrival of his newborn daughter, Kimi. He invited our family to the party. And Naruto, you can come, too."

"All right!" Naruto cheered, grinning brightly.

"Tch." Sasuke looked away, rolling his eyes. "We have no time to attend parties. We have to look for Sakura."

"Awwww c'mon!" Naruto groaned.

Mikoto sighed. "Sasuke... I know you care about Sakura deeply."

Sasuke turned bright red and shot his mother a glare. "Wh- Who said I did? She just owes me something!"

The Queen merely chickled at his defiance. "Well," she said, ignoring him, "The point is, she'll still be out there. Everyday she'll be waiting. But this party is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. It would bring our family great honor if you came."

Sasuke thought for a while. She's not suggesting. She's practically begging me to come. Ugh. Whatever. "...very well," he grumbled, swallowing his pride. "Just don't make me dance."

"Oh!" Queen Mikoto laughed. "Do not worry about that! I gave up on it a long time ago. It was impossible to make you dance in diapers! How much more as a young man in a suit? Hahaha! Good one, my son."

The dark-haired prince twitched in annoyance. Mom... "Whatever."

"Well, see you two boys soon." Mikoto held back a giggle and exited the room.

Naruto looked at Sasuke. "Wow, Sasuke. You were boring since you were still a baby? Tch. No surprise there." He let out a "Yow!" when a punch struck him in the head.

"Be quiet, idiot," Sasuke flustered. "We've gotta keep our focus."

"Y...eeeaaa." Naruto fixed his hair. "Umm, I'm going to be busy with the party thing so technincally, YOU have to keep focus." He gave Sasuke a pat on the shoulder. "Good luck with that. See ya!" He formed a hand sign and disappeared.

"Dork," Sasuke grumbled as soon as he was alone again. He laid down on his bed and sighed deeply. Really though... Where am I going to find her? She could be anywhere! He turned to his side with a soft growl. "Stupid Mitsukai. This is all her fault." When no thoughts came to him, he stood up and jumped out the window- to the market place.

"It's the Prince!" a girl screamed.

"The Prince? Quick show them our merchandise! Hurry!"

The market place bustled with whispers and cries as Sasuke made his way through, stoic as ever. He didn't even look at the salespeople and fangirls that threw themselves and their fish at him. "Make way," he ordered emotionlessly. He looked to his right and found a rice cake shop with a young saleswoman tending to it. He shrugged and went over to her. "One rice cake," he told her, "With sweet beans inside. Warm."

The woman did not look up at him. She simply bowed and gave him his order. "Thank you," she said quickly.

Sasuke took the treat, but could not eat due to his curiosity of the woman's secretive actions. "Why do you hide yourself?" he asked her. "Many women would beg me to have my eyes lay on them. Why do you hide your face?"

"Uhh..." The woman turned away nervously. "I-I do not hide my...face."

"Do not argue with me. I am the Prince. I am very intellegent and I tend to observe other people's actions. And your actions disturb me. Do you have something to hide?"

"No of course not! I am merely a shy girl... I do not wish for my face to be seen by you. Your eyes are of much high-class for my unworthy appearance. Forgive me." She bowed humbly, unaware of her cap falling loose, revealing a few pink strands of hair underneath..

Sasuke, however, noticed this and smirked. Sakura, you idiotic fool. "Well then, my lady, I think it different." He shot his hand out and removed her cap completely.

"Oh no!" The woman screamed as she felt a strong gust of wind blowing through her rosy hair. In her panic, she lifter her head, revealing her face behind her long bangs.

"Sakura."

She cringed and looked at the Prince in front of her. When she saw his glare, she nearly melted. "Err...who? I have no idea what you are talking...about..." Seeing that he wouldn't buy it, she quickly threw a melon at him and ran off the opposite direction.

Sasuke threw the melon aside and ran after her. "Get back here!" he shouted.

Sakura panted and ran for dearly life into town. "Get away!" she screamed, nearly tripping over the kids who were playing by the courtyards.

"That's it." Sasuke picked up speed and caught her wrist from behind. "Stop!"

Sakura gasped and lost her balance. The two fell onto the concrete ground with a grunt. "Ugh. Sasuke let go of me or I swear I'll kick your butt!"

"Try it little missy. As if your foot could even REACH my butt." He turned her over so they were facing each other.

The townspeople gasped and stared at the scene. "My goodness!" an old woman shrieked.

Sakura tried to wriggle out from Sasuke's grasp but merely sighed when she found it useless. "You're impossible," she muttered, looking away with a scornful scowl.

"Yeah, I know," Sasuke breathed and settled himself on her.

Sakura popped a vein. "Don't use me as a bed you pervert!"

"I'm not. I'm pretending you're a pancake and I'm flattening you. Unless..."

"Tch. Unless what?"

"Unless you tell me why you're here." When she didn't respond, Sasuke pressed his whole weight on her petite body. "Hmm?"

"Ow!" Sakura yelped. "Okay, okay! Geez. Just stop that!"

Sasuke snickered. "I thought so."

"I'd rather be any where than with my mom," Sakura explained, "I want to be far away from her as possible. When I think of her...it's slowly killing me inside."

"..."

"Besides, why did you want me back anyway?"

Sasuke shrugged and crawled off of her. "Who else is going to make my bed? The maids are busy with the meals and stuff."

Sakura puffed her cheeks. "Typical."

"Sakura, stay at the palace. It's better there. You'll work as my PERSONAL maid."

A blush crept onto Sakura's cheeks. "And what if I refuse?" she asked angrily, glaring at him.

"Then I'll have you banished from this Kingdom." Sasuke swept his bangs back. "You'll be all alone in this world. So if you want what's best for you, do as I say."

"..." Sakura rolled her eyes and turned away.

"Besides, I know you want me," Sasuke added with a devilish smirk.

Sakura turned completely red in the face and sent him what seemed like a hundred death glares. "W-what are you babbling on about?!" she flustered, "I do NOT. You're intolerable, arrogant, conceited, stupid, and-" Her eyes widened when she falt Sasuke's lips on hers. Everyone around them gasped, screamed, and the girls cried. When he pulled away, she was speechless.

"You talk way too much, forehead," Sasuke stated and walked away.

Sakura came back to reality and ran after him. "Hey!" she yelled, "What the heck was THAT for?! Sasuke!!"

"I understand.." Queen Mikoto spoke softly to the adviser in front of her. "I must tell him of this."

"Sasuke!" Sakura's angry voice echoed through the walls. "Answer me!"

The two adults turned around and saw the pair come in. Sasuke stoic and bored, Sakura fumed and bright red. "Mother," Sasuke muttered, "I found SAKURA here. She was working as a peasant in the marketplace."

"I see," Mikoto replied, looking at Sakura gently.

Sakura blushed and bowed. "Queen Mikoto, I am so sorry!" she cried, "I did not mean to be so loud.."

"I will hire her as a personal maid," Sasuke cut in.

Mikoto's eyes widened. "What?"

"I never agreed, you Highness," Sakura assured her, glaring at Sasuke.

"You don't have much of a choice, PINKY," Sasuke boasted, "If you don't take this job, you'll be a miserable hobo all your life."

"Sasuke!" Mikoto scolded her foul-mouthed son. "Apologize to Sakura right now!"

"N-no..." Sakura said, "He is right. If I don't take this, I won't have much of a living." She turned to Sasuke and spoke through gritted teeth, "I'll take the job."

"Sakura," Mikoto sighed, "I've heard of your de-thronement...but is this really all you have as an option?"

"I'm afraid so."

"And that's that," Sasuke interrupted, almost a bit eagerly. "Attend to your first task in cleaning my room." He lead his way to his bedrrom.

"Sasuke, wait!" Mikoto called, 'There's something-"

Sasuke opened the door and pushed Sakura inside. "Get to it."

-Giggle-

Sasuke looked up and found a brunette woman with emerald-colored eyes in a jade-green dress sitting on his bed, smiling playfully. "Are you always this aggressive?" she asked.

Sakura regained her balance and looked at the beautiful Princess before her. "Umm.."

Mikoto arrived at the bedroom and sighed. "Sasuke," se explained, "This is your new fiancee... Keiko Higuchi. She is the Princess of the Rain Kingdom."

Sasuke was speechless for a moment, but then anger overtook him. "MY NEW FIANCEE?!" he shot his mother a glare. "How could you arrange a marriage without my approval?!"

"I don't need your approval!" Mikoto rose her voice, shocking the whole room. "We need two kingdoms to unite NOW or market trade will end!" She calmed down and looked at Sakura. "I'm terribly sorry, Sakura," she mumbled sadly.

Keiko looked at Sakura scornfully. "Sakura?"

Sakura realized that the Queen was apologizing and looked at her, shock in her eyes. A smile forced itself on her dry rosey lips as she spoke, "Please, Queen Mikoto..do not apologize. I have no part in this."

"No part?" Sasuke asked himself.

The hell with this! Keiko rushed over to Sasuke and linked arms with him. "Thank you for your grace, Queen Mikoto," she bowed, "Prince Sasuke and I will live a long, happy, MARRIED life. And I shall bear him many sons- he will be a very proud man with ME by his side." As she said this, she smirked at Sakura sadistically. "And the pink one shall be our maid."

Sasuke glared at the arrogant woman holding him in place. Why you..

"Come, my Prince," she purred and pulled him out the room. "Let us eat. I am famished." She gave Sakura one last smirk and finally disappeared with Sasuke.

Sakura bit her lip and bowed her head in grief. Witch.

Mikoto attempted to say something, but only shook her head and exited the room as well with a heavy heart.