Reviewers;
PoptartLegit: You should have seen that coming as soon as I mentioned the parents. But they had to die in order for Sakura to become Queen, right? I suppose I could have kept them as hostages but that would change the whole story. They don't let sakura go out of her young self, and now I don't either. Why? Because of the end where she gives it all up to become a baby factory for Sasuke. AKA, she goes back to being a civilian, not a ninja like she wanted to be. So...family selfless, I guess...maybe? As for medieval, this is not very medieval. I mention the knights and surroundings, but there is a lack of bringing and raising them up as they will be eventually, if I g=can think of the ending for the other story. I'm not quite done with the High school fic, but that's because it is a life story and that means...situation after situation after situation, ya'know?
Czar Joseph: Well, I had to kill them off without anybody asking who did it. Answer: 'A god.' (Hint)
7th Demon Of Razgriz: Sadly, I couldn't make the scene perfectly. I imagine a tv series with this story, right? And to my readers, I really encourage imagining fire zipping down the hallways and water boiling and charred walls. You know?
Duh Bomb: What are you saying set up? Are you accusing me of them coming back and I'm not telling you? Well...that's for you to surmise, and me to write out for you in future chapters.
St3rFire: My grandfather died just as I wrote this and I felt the emotional dissonance for a while before it connected at his funeral. Even with that, that scene, while good, needs to be imagined as if on the big screen with whips of magic around her skin and shooting down the hall. That's how my images look in my mind at least.
TheIrishWriter: Very Nice. It's also something else ;)
Animeficfan: So could I, but summer is approaching and I don't know whether to revel or despair during this time of the year.
Ghostpoet: That's how sakura's emotions will be, and to me it's like ice itself...frozen and unmoving until one single event happens and an avalanche of emotion falls down around the mountain. You have narrowed your vision so now you can move forward confidently in your goals of a job and worklife.
AN: Hey! So, a Liger is a lion and tiger, and from the zoid series that I learned. But actually, it is also a mixed drink between mountain dew and red gatorade, on a 70-30 ratio. Aka: my favorite drink here at college. But all answers were correct except for who said 'linger' but that was still great to know.
I am glad that people loved Sakura's turmoil and the final scene, which I would hope that someone makes into an anime clip or something like that, with frost coming out of Sakura's mouth or something.
Anyways: This next scene has parts from Frozen and then not so much, but hey! I did base it on the movie originally. This is one of the last scenes I have from the movie itself, and then say bye bye to it because it's all original from here on after the next few chapters. Okay? Let's start!
Fire & Ice
Arc 1: Conceal It
Chapter 13: Coronation Day
Sakura's hands, as nude as in a modern world where girls waved them around and fingered men closer, rubbed together nervously, as if she was cold and warming them up while at the same time, slicking away the nervous sweat of her soft palms from an internal fever. Sakura gazed up to look at Ino who nodded her head and smiled for her to continue.
Sakura sighed, releasing a breath that she thought she didn't have, frost coming out of her mouth as she did so, and stood up from her bed, her royal red cloak flowing behind her, curving around her curvaceous body, and walked forward to stand at Ino's side, and looked at the two objects on either of the chairs in front of her.
On the first chair, to her left hand, was a shield as big as Sakura's torso and done up in the usual knight style, but the Haruno white circle crest lay on the front, with the straps facing Sakura, waiting for her to pick it up. And then Sakura looked to her right to see the royal sword, in its scabbard, ready to be released and show once again to the world of its glittering silver colored metal.
Sakura breathed in and looked at the gloves in Ino's hands, her gloves, and wanted to put them back on immediately. With them on, she could shake people's hands, comfort children, and go about her normal duties as Heir Apparent. Sakura shook her head to take away these thoughts. Not today.
Today, she became Queen. Today, she would not hold these tools that had gone into battle with her father, her grandfather, and many other ancestors. Her family's blood lay strewn across these very lands for the citizens behind them, and Sakura would hold them up proudly for everyone to see and show that she was worthy of their praise.
With that in mind, Sakura cleared her mind and grabbed the shield and sword, before turning around and looking towards Ino who counted the seconds needed to hold it up. Sakura breathed in and out normally at this practice, which had been going on for two days. It had been a week of mourning for the King and Queen, but all were glad to have the Haruno line still alive and well.
Sakura knew that had she been younger, she might have gone with them, and then there would be cries of civil war, as knights fought each other and other lands for the throne. But then again, the most to stand to profit would have been Ino, for as the retainer, she would ascend to the throne, and be given the name Yamanaka-Haruno, to continue the royal line. It would not go that way however, since lands were greedy and the world was not as peaceful as it looked.
Sakura's hands clenched as the strain of holding these tools with her bare hands started to ache. It was not the strength to hold them that she feared, it was-
"Sakura! Focus!" Ino encouraged and Sakura reigned in her powers as frost coated the back of the shield and her sword's handle began to burn and melt a bit on the golden edging. Sakura looked to Ino in concern as she counted down with her fingers.
'Five….four….three' Ino mouthed.
"I can't!" Sakura yelled as ice formed and froze the shield's backing as the fire billowed into a golden glow around the metal, as if the sword was encased in the gold magic. Sakura sighed and placed the instruments of her family down on the chairs and extracted the magic from them, helping the ice recede and the fire burns and marks undo themselves.
Sakura felt a hand on her shoulder and sighed depressed before grabbing her gloves from the offered hand and slid them on, before walking off to her balcony and clamped her hands on the metal railing, breathing a little labored from her panic. And yet, Ino followed her to the railing and leaned on it, just watching the view as Sakura smiled at her retainer.
Ino hadn't left her side once since all of this began. She was a good friend, and a loyal one at that. And yet she didn't ask for anything. Until Sakura wed, or had a child, Ino was the next in line now. Shouldn't she ask for more powers such as control of the navy or marketplace or something? No, she just handled everything that Sakura couldn't and told everyone that Sakura was amazing at her job. Sakura giggled on the inside. If only they realized that without people like Ino, Sakura could do nothing.
"Sakura, you'll get it down. I know you will."
"Ino, the coronation is this afternoon. How can I hide my powers if I can't hold the title of Queen?"
"Sakura, just wear the gloves."
"And insult every tradition from other royals and that of my ancestors? I'd rather be rid of these powers." Sakura insisted and Ino laughed, causing Sakura to look at her confusedly. "What?"
"Nothing. Just that you had hated your powers until recently. And now, you're okay with them being a part of you. It's nice to hear."
"Well, they are useful." Sakura mused. Without others knowing, Sakura had placed her ice into the very stone work of the castle, helping to strengthen the walls and keep the stores underneath the castle fresh and cold. Though, the soldiers started wearing their winter coats a little earlier than expected.
"Come on. You have the last batch of knights to accept."
"Alright." Sakura said as they walked off, and closed the door to the room; 'Sakura's new room'. Sakura had wanted to stay where she had been, with all the memories, but the King and Queen were gone, so Sakura now slept in what used to be her parent's room, though with a new bed, bigger desk, and a more enclosed bathing area. And of course, a bigger balcony that looked over the courtyard and the village beyond.
"Greetings, Princess Sakura, Heir Apparent of Port Haruno. I, Sir Luke of the 15th sector of your city, pledge myself and that of my men, to you and you alone, to serve you in your desires, cravings, and anything that you hold dear to your heart. Will you accept me as your Knight?"
"I accept thee, Sir Luke, and welcome you and your men, back into Port Haruno. I pray that the years are kind to you and to all knights. Of this, I hope to where my heart leads for you."
Sir Luke nodded and smiled, as he as his squad of forty soldiers bowed to the princess, giving her their very souls as vows, and she smiled at them and let them retreat out of the courtyard of the Pledge Knights, who were the sect that killed others who broke these vows.
Sakura sighed and looked around herself. The commoners had been allowed inside the castle for the big day, and most had stormed in to see the castle as it was, since most never truly saw the inside of it. Sakura smiled at seeing the little children waving to her and waved back, as they pulled on their mothers' gowns and began to tell them how the Queen had waved to them.
Sakura took this all in and breathed steadily. This was exactly what she needed to feel right now. Calm, and providing the people with someone to look up to. She would be that person who lead them through another generation of Haruno rule.
"That was the last one, Hime." Ino smiled and Sakura nodded her head, making the gesture that she was leaving before she stood up and walked away, her royal robes shimmering in the light. Sakura smiled as she cast a glance down. This was her mother's when she was Sakura's age, the one she wore on her wedding day to her father. Their wedding had begun an era of peace and prosperity and twenty years of a lack of major conflicts. Sakura hoped that the luck from them had started in this dress and that she could uphold their laws and degrees while adding a few of her own.
Sakura sat down at her mother's dressing table, letting Ino do her hair into a single braid down to her upper back. She had really let her hair grow out to just above her ass, but that's why she liked braids. It shortened her hair, and…well, Naruto liked braids, and so did she.
"You nervous?" Ino asked knowingly.
"Completely." Sakura smiled and breathed out.
"Don't be. Look at yourself," Ino encouraged and Sakura did admit that she looked gorgeous. This was all thanks to Ino.
"I'm too good to you, making you look so great, but your mother's red gown looks stunning Sakura. You look stunning."
"Thanks."
"Well let's get going, then." Ino suggested and they performed a slow walk to the entrance of the coronation room, which was the throne room as well. All around them were Sakura's new knights of the realm. None of them; not one knight knew her secret. All that had known had been on the ship when her parents died. But she had Ino, and her wolf Tanya. She was happy for now.
Sakura and Ino reached the room and the guards stopped and entered, leaving the entry room locked from behind, and only the heir and her retainer stood within, waiting on the princess to be Queen.
Ino walked around Sakura, wrinkling her own hands in nervousness. While Sakura thought that Ino would make a good Queen in her own right, Ino was scared to think like that. If this didn't work, then Ino would take the throne. She didn't want that, and so Sakura would take it, for it was her role and birthright to claim.
Ino looked to Sakura and saw her doing her breathing exercises or rather trying to do them, but it seemed more like labor pains and deeper breaths. Ino patted her shoulder and Sakura smiled uneasily.
"So…have any inspiration before I walk out there and embarrass myself?"
"Yeah…don't fall on the ground, don't trip on the gown, look for the religious guy at the end of the aisle, and…be awesome."
"Be awesome…right. Um, Ino?"
"Yeah?"
"I-I just wanted to say thank you."
"For what?"
"Just…being there for me. Ow!" Sakura whimpered as she rubbed her arm as Ino had punched her a little too roughly. "What was that for?"
"Good luck. And don't get all mushy on me now, Sakura. You are strong, and the people out there want to see their Queen who they love."
"R-really?"
"Yeah…That and to get it over with so that the citizens can start the parties in the city."
Sakura laughed and hugged Ino, who hugged back. "What would I do without you?"
"Um…be Queen anyways?"
"Shut up." Sakura smiled and kissed Ino's cheek, as Ino kissed Sakura's own in a friendly gesture. Sakura breathed in and nodded to Ino who knocked on the wooden doors and stepped aside as they opened to show The Queen Apparent to everyone in sight.
Sakura's eyes stayed focused as her insides burned in restrained agony. There were so many people that the throne room was line after line of commoners, ambassadors, knights, and even other royals that had arrived earlier in the morning.
Sakura took a tentative step forward, and the music of her family began to play, as people watched her progress slowly forward and Sakura ignored them, only focused on the man with the cross symbol on his shoulders and chest.
All along the aisle and at the front of the crowds, knights faced the center aisle and the throne, their swords in front of them. As one, they thrust out their swords and raised them to barely above Sakura's head as she made her way up to the middle of the aisle and soon was at the front, looking out at the stain glass windows that showed the open sea and port itself.
Sakura gulped in fresh air and the priest nodded to her gently and she relaxed a bit. This priest had done many royal coronations before, so he would understand the anxiety of taking the throne, especially the throne that had created the strongest alliance yet in the land and sky and sea.
Sakura walked up the three steps to where the two thrones of her parents sat used to be, and replaced by a table holding up the royal sword and shield to the side of Sakura as she turned to face the priest. Priests were revered for their understanding on many things and councilors of great advice, who held the strictest of confidence to commoners and nobles alike.
As the service began, Sakura spoke clearly and concisely as she pledged herself to her people, to her knights, to her navy, to her army, to her land, and to uphold the treaties set forth by her predecessors and ancestors. All of this, Sakura knew by heart and her heart knew her answers were well thought out and trustworthy. And finally Sakura watched as the priest nodded to her.
Sakura gulped as she took off her special protection from wrapped up to her elbows, and slowly slid them down and then off before placing them on the table, closest to herself. She let the priest pick up the sword and tied it at her side, where the handle could be accessed quickly. And then, he attached the shield to her arm, safe from her hands which began to feel cold already.
Sakura closed her eyes and concentrated. Please, God, just allow me this one chance to have peace with my powers which you bestowed on me. Please…have mercy. Sakura ended her prayer and turned to face her people before she reached down with absolute confidence, not even looking for where the hilt was placed and drew her sword before raising it up to before her face as her shield arm came up beside it.
"Do you, Sakura Maria Haruno, Heir Apparent to the throne, 1st princess of Port Haruno, do hereby swear to your oaths you have taken today?"
"I swear forth my oaths to my people, and for they to prosper at the cost of my life before their own."
"Then raise, My Queen. And show your people, who…you…are."
Sakura turned quickly and held her shield to her left and her sword straight up to her right. Sakura blinked back tears as people clapped for her, and held in her power, only allowing the smallest bit to escape her hands.
Ino stood to the side and gasped at the sight of the sword and shield, as around their surfaces, the shield turned an extremely light blue that blended with the stain glass's light and the yellow gold sunlight blocked the sword and added its own magic to the glow.
Ino felt wet at her cheeks and cast a gloved hand up to them and drew back to see herself crying so hard and flowing with tears. The sight was so beautiful. And then Sakura quickly turned around and placed the shield back on the table and the sword in the scabbard at her waist, before walking back in place, her gloves in her hands rather than on them.
With that, the captain of the castle, and leader of the royal knights stepped from the right hand side, his own eyes glittering with tears and he smiled.
"All Hail Queen Sakura!"
"Hail Queen Sakura!"
"Hail Queen Sakura!"
"Hail Queen Sakura!"
As their voices continued to yell, line by line, each fell to their knees in reverent respect and soon, throughout the castle's hallways, there were yells of praise. Sakura let tears flow down her cheeks in happiness as the walls shook as outside the castle, more citizens yelled out, as if the whole city was yelling praise to her.
"Hail Queen Sakura!"
"Hail Queen Sakura!"
Finally, the cannons of the navy fired their last volley, and all was quiet.
"…Thank you….Everyone….." Sakura's eyes teamed with shedding tears and she smiled as her body shook and her people smiled back, knowing that their princess, no, their Queen, was happy.
Conversations began and boats began to move out of the harbor, carrying the news that a new Queen was named. Sakura walked off to the side to see Ino crying and blowing her nose into a washcloth. "You were beautiful, Sakura!"
"T-they glowed, didn't they?" Sakura blushed in embarrassment.
"Don't worry. The people think it was a sign from God, and the stain glass windows were already wrapping you up in their light. It was….so beautiful." Ino cried and Sakura laughed and hugged her friend.
"There there. Come on, I still have to change for tonight."
"R-right." Ino perked up, but Sakura smiled as Ino smiled as she cried too. "We have to wash your back, redo your hair, get that coronation gown cleaned, get you into another one. And then-"
"Ino!" Sakura giggled ans as they looked outside the window, a burst of a cluster of red dots in a circle exploded into the sky, as music exploded all over the city. Sakura and Ino stayed there for a little, just watching their people begin to celebrate in the streets. A new Queen had ascended to the Throne.
LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!
AN: Question: What is the meaning of life? What is the meaning of death? These are the questions you must answer.