Reviewers;
Duh Bomb: I liked the sudden change to a darker idea for the poem, and I can't promise anything at all. I have to keep you from leaving my story, don't I? So, I have to change things up and keep you all in suspense.
Weldingman0315: Really? I guess that makes sense.
Czar Joseph: Woah there. I'm still building it up, but the tower will crumble. That can be assured. otherwise, this is a biography of Sakura's non-existent life.
St3rfire: YES! Another black background fan! You want the happy ending? there is no peace without sacrifice. Know that for my story.
7th Demon of RazGriz: Sure about tragic just yet? And how the heck do you get orange lettering?! I want to read in red! (Oh no, not this again. AS THE AUTHOR OF F&S, I turn the Dragon into a April Shower! Yay! I took a bath!)
PoptarLegit: All of them? Wow, I hope I've improved since my first stories. That's my goal. And of course I finish my stories. Though it's hard when people think you're dead if you don't post another story within like two weeks, and a lot of my stories are getting rather long, so I think. The answers to your questions will be answered...bny the end of the story, mwahahahahaha!
AN: Hey you guys! and Girls! Sorry about the delays but summer is made for the lazy and makes us go out and join in the actual sunshine. I think I might have computer burns though, but that's from rewriting some stories. Anyways! I thought you would all like to see how Sakura acts under pressure! Alright? Let's do this.
Fire & Ice
Arc 1: Conceal It
Chapter 11: Life under Sakura of Port Haruno
The morning sun shined, barely on the horizon across the eastern sky, but for everyone, today was a big day or rather the morning was. The kingdom had a week ago been told that the King and Queen and their royal guard would be leaving on a three month journey to the other cities to visit their friends and shore up their place with the alliance.
In their stead, the young princess would be in charge of a vast city. Some might call it an shadow empire, having the contacts but not physically holding the lands but the Haruno had lived peacefully for almost eighteen long years, and everyone was prospering greatly from that peace. And now, the citizens stood along the docks, cheering for their King and Queen who they loved and adored, and prayed for their safe journey around the mostly unknown world.
In the harbor were three royal ships; one heavily armed with four decks of cannon on either side, manned by three hundred royal seamen and guards, was the ship of the line, named the 'Prosperity' and it had been the royal ship since the princess was born. Alongside it was another, less heavy ship, with more firepower than most other ships, which served as a bodyguard to ward off other ships that might cause the flagship harm. And finally, to the left most side was a slick sloop of the line, built for speed and none other could match it in a race. It could outmaneuver enemy cannons, and cripple a ship from less than twenty feet away. It was suffice to say that the King and Queen were well protected.
But at the moment, on the royal dock itself, on the stone pathway, the King and Queen were hugging the princess who cried quietly and shook with intense sadness as she hugged them back. The citizens knew that this was the first time that the two leading royals were both leaving her with the responsibility over the city, and they would let her be for a bit, to slowly adjust to the city's intense maintenance and pleas for help. It was a tough job to do, and many were willing to follow the princess in what she decided while some would watch her carefully, waiting for her to fall from the divine's favor and suffer from the intense pressure.
"I'll miss you both so much!" Sakura cried into her mother's gown, feeling like a little kid, but then again, her mother was crying just as much, if not more than her, so Sakura knew that this was just fine. Sakura's parents stepped back and Sakura wiped the tears before looking at them, the tears held back while glistening brightly.
"We will miss you, Saku-Chan." Yuki cried back, and they both immediately wanted to hug and cry it all out all over again, like mother and daughter, so alike, but they didn't for the tide would not be with them by that time. They had to leave now.
"Sakura, remember. Control it, and it will not control you."
"Yes Father."
"And remember. We will always love you…in this life, and the next. You don't have to impress us when we return to you."
"I know, but I can try."
"Alright."
"My King, the ships are ready and the tide is right." The captain of the Prosperity spoke and the King nodded to his wife before they all hugged one last time and walked further down the stone docks to the gangplank before walking up to the ship itself. Sakura watched her parents nod to the saluting sailors and wished for them to be safe and come back to her quickly.
Calls came out among the ships, and the sloop of the line, meaning top of its class, sped forward to lead the way, followed by the heavy Man O' war ship, and finally, the gangplank was risen, the sails were set free of their bindings, and the last Royal ship moved forward towards the open sea.
Sakura stood, surrounded by her guards, and they followed her forward as she followed the ship to the edge of the dock and just stood there and watched her parents exit the harbor, where big ships like the military ships could only leave two at a time. Sakura sniffled as they passed the towers at the inlet and then they turned to move west, towards the alliance capital or somewhere else. All she knew was that she was now the sole Haruno in the city, and she had a job to do, but for now, she'd watch the horizon of the ocean, and pray for her parents to have a safe journey.
As soon as the ships left the sight of the city, most citizens went off into the quiet town, back to opening their shops or planting the crops, which should grow and be able to harvest just before winter and they could use that to eat. It was true that as a port city, they had access to crops and harvest that was year round, but the snow and climate proved to provide less than appetizing plates on their family tables. They weren't the royal family who had meat year round. They were eating simple and commoner food, but they didn't mind.
But as most citizens left, Ino looked from the edge of the royal docks to see Sakura still looking towards the sea. Ino sighed but turned away to walk back with her own guard. Sakura could take her time to gain hold of her emotions. And Ino knew how emotional Sakura got over her parents. They were one of her weak points. She needed this time to steady herself and be prepared for the hard work ahead.
Up at the edge, Sakura felt someone's metal gauntlets swinging in the air towards her and bow behind her. Sakura smiled at the sound her magic made from when her father, after seeing her weapons, had asked if Sakura could make their knights' armor stronger, so now she felt their presence all around her, and she was glad that they were safer because of her.
"My Lady? Are you alright?"
Sakura smiled at the water twenty feet below and turned away to smile at the new captain of the guard. "I am alright. I suppose we should both get to acclimate to our new positions, ne?"
"H-hai." The captain blushed and Sakura smiled at him. "Well, let us return to the castle, shall we?"
"Of course, My Lady."
Sakura smiled as she walked back to her family's castle. She wished people would just call her…Sakura, but for now, she'd just help the people as best as she could. As she arrived, the servants bowed to her and Sakura cringed a bit as she made her way to her room. She hated people bowing to her, even in respect. They had known only to bow to her, the Queen apparent, while her parents were away, and Sakura honestly couldn't wait to go back to just being the princess, and the servants only bowing when they wanted to gain her respect. She liked the less formal way better.
After changing into her royal robes for appeasing the royal court, Sakura made her way to the throne room in a black corset with a long floor length blood red dress under it. Twin lines of gold, to symbolize that her retainer was a Yamanaka, ran down the sides and Sakura had insisted they be so broad. It was made a year ago, and the family that had spent that time making it had tried, and failed, to turn down Sakura's generous tip of another thousand Haruno's for their long service.
As the doors opened, Sakura looked into the throne room and smiled at the smaller chair of Lord regent in between her parent's thrones, and as she sat down, she looked around to widen her eyes at the nearly empty room. Only guards and Ino stood in the room, and Sakura looked to one of them.
"Has everyone been turned away for today?"
"No, My Lady."
"Are we at recess?
"No My Lady."
"Ino?" Sakura asked and Ino looked away. Sakura sighed and looked at her friend, who groaned and huffed at the fact that Sakura's stare was too much for her.
"No one wants to ask you for favors. They want your transition to be slow."
"I appreciate it, but that won't do." Sakura spoke and stood up, the guards standing straighter as Sakura walked out, followed by Ino.
"What are we doing here?" Ino asked as they got off their horses just outside the kingdom's outer walls, but this area had extra walls that protected it from the sea and from the forest animals, and was up against the cliffs that stood tall above it.
All around them were farms with plowed fields and people beginning their day by preparing themselves and the animals for planting the crops. Before Ino could stop her, Sakura walked forward, dressed in some of her simplest clothes of her black corset and tight elastic leggings with a pink skirt that flowed to her knees. And on her feet were her black boots as usual.
Sakura's hair was the notice that had farmers pause and their eyes followed Sakura's path as she walked up to a teen maybe two years her senior, and spoke to him. "Excuse me? May I help you plant the crops this season?"
The boy simply finished tying up the mule to the plow and shrugged. "Sure." He spoke as he turned around. "We're always in need of money and hands to support the city's food sup- Your Highness!" The boy gawked before bowing low.
Sakura giggled and bent down, and the farmers gasped as her skirt touched the dirt, knowing that it was now dirty. Her gloved hands touched the man's shoulders and he looked up to see her shake her head.
"I'm not here to be the princess. I'm here to work for a bit."
"But-"
"And now that I think about it, yesterday, you asked the guards if you could see my parents about a loan for more land?"
"Y-yes, but I-"
"Don't worry. I'll give you the money freely. That way, you have a nice life."
"J-just like that?"
"I don't want anything besides you smiling." The boy smiled and Sakura cocked her head to the side. "But maybe I can help a bit with preparing the land a bit? You did say you needed more hands."
"But, you're the-"
"I have hands, don't I?"
"But-"
"Would you deny the princess the want to help?"
"No! I mean…um…people are staring."
"The trick is to ignore the staring. So!" Sakura spoke as she stood up, pulling him up with her and took the farm fork from his hands. "How does this work?"
The sun was now high in the sky, and the new fruit trees and vegetables were being planted in a rather slow but steady manner. Usually, this was fast work, but unfortunately for the land owners, their workers took every chance they got to admire the teenage girl beside them, who was doing the most menial but hardest job on a farm.
There she was; Sakura Maria Haruno, the princess of Port Haruno, and heir apparent to the throne, pulling Weeds from the ground, with her soft, delicate hands, and wiping the brown dirt across her forehead, where sweat formed and fell down to her neck. Even from one hundred feet away, people watched those beads of sweat as Sakura hummed a happy tune.
An hour later, Sakura was getting back on her horse, and the entire farmland erupted in her happy tune, while working extra hard to make up for lost time. Along the princess's row, the area was planted perfectly and the farmers shook their heads in shame for thinking that the princess might not excel in her task. Their princess could do anything she set her mind to.
Meanwhile, Sakura had taken her horse to the docks and as she got off this time, Ino joined at her side. "Sakura, what are we doing?"
"Simple, Ino. If the people do not wish to cause me trouble, I will go to them to ask them what they require." Sakura spoke as they approached the main shipping office to hear a husband and wife squabbling quietly to the other.
"Maybe I should go to the princess and ask for help.
"Don't bother her! The King and Queen have never placed her in charge before, so she needs to go slow."
"I know, but one of our ships is missing, and there was that storm three days ago."
"I know, but we can ask someone else."
"Or you may ask me." Sakura spoke humbly and the couple turned in shock to see the princess there in dirty clothes and a dirty face and hair.
"My Dear Princess, do you need assistance?" The wife asked quickly, fear in her eye made apparent.
"Huh?" Sakura asked, cocking her head to the side, as the couple's son whispered kawaii to his friends from further inside the office.
"You are injured, yes?"
"What?" Sakura looked down and giggled as she shook her head. "No, just doing some good deeds. No one was showing up to the castle, so I thought you'd all like me to walk to you."
"Y-you would do that?"
"Of course. So, did you need help?"
"Well, our daughter was training some new sailors and a storm came out at sea a few days ago. We can't afford to look for it, or the clients we have will go somewhere else."
"Hmm? Do you know where they were?"
"Yes, to the southeast of the harbor, around 'W' island."
"I see." Sakura spoke and then signaled to one of her guards who raced up to her.
"My Lady?"
"Where is our navy currently?"
"At port, ready to go on maneuvers."
"Great. Tell them to practice near 'W' island, and look for a fishing ship while they do so."
"As you command, My Lady."
Sakura smiled at the couple who had tears in their eyes.
"Will that help?"
(Three Days Later)
The sun had set hours ago, but Sakura wasn't tired. She wasn't! And yet now, here was Ino pulling on her arm and leading her to her room.
"Ino! I'm not… (Yawn)…tired!"
"You're exhausted." Ino complained as they walked in and Ino locked the door, and as Sakura turned around drowsily to go out the now closed door, Ino pulled her over to the bath, before standing her in place and quickly removed the both of them of all their articles of clothing.
As Ino worked, Sakura moved dizzily on her feet, swaying to and fro, like a drunken dancer on a tabletop. Her eyes were closed and she was humming a weird tune. Ino decided to leave the gloves on in case of Sakura's sleepy state.
And then Ino helped Sakura slowly, really slowly into the bath, where she began to pamper her and scrub her harder than usual. Sakura's hair was a mess, all dirty and covered with dirt. Her skin was overlapping with dirt as well, but the smile Sakura showed on her face was so stupidly happy, Ino could only smile at it.
As Ino moved behind Sakura, she pressed Sakura's head on top of her breasts, and rubbed around Sakura's own, making her moan a bit, but mostly relaxed. Sakura liked Ino's breasts, said that she had a true princess body, and Ino blushed every time. Ino felt the sweat everywhere on Sakura, but then again, the people loved it.
These last few days, people had called out to Sakura as if she were one of the people, but respected and overjoyed to see her. The court still met in the mornings, but Sakura moved quickly around the city now, and had done so until late at night, when women, especially the princess, shouldn't be out that late, but she had to do it herself.
"You're so selfless." Ino whispered as Sakura turned slightly, practically asleep. Ino sighed and dragged Sakura out of the water and wrapped her in a towel and then led Sakura to her bed. Sakura had joined a small search party to find a young child who had gotten lost at the marketplace. It turned out that he had found a baby fox he wanted to play with and had been showing it to all the girls in his class.
Ino dipped her body forward, leaning over to place Sakura comfortably in her bed, but, as usual these last three days, Sakura's hands pulled Ino in with her, and Ino breathed out and just got comfy in the royal bed, before looking at Sakura's smile. The nightmares had stopped.
"You'll be a great Queen….Sakura Haruno."
AN: Alright, next question (Difficulty: Hard): Where do you see yourself in a year?