-xxx-

"Would you allow me to fight in your honor, my lady?"

"I am the only one who will fight in my honor."

-xxx-

Ch.3 In the Name of the King

The next morning when Sakura arose from what she wanted to call her temporary living quarters, she let out a subtle sigh. Today was the day of the King's tourney. The best knights from all across the nation would participate for the honor of a high statured title through means of petty violence. She was meant to be Sasori's honored guest. That translated to a form of amusement other than the small competition held for the king's favor. It was as if she were a rare animal, meant to be set on display. You could look, but you could not touch. The King meant to show her off to the crowds of people in attendance. And he meant to show her his standing place in the line of power. One that was uncompromised by any living man.

As she got ready that morning, the king had sent over a handmaiden to help her with her preparations. After Sakura had bathed, she had moved to pull a dress for the day when she noticed one that was already laid upon her bed with a note.

My Lady,

I hope that you will honor me by wearing this dress to the tourney. It is of traditional Suna custom, but it was made specifically for you.

I hope the gift pleases you.

Sasori

Holding the note in her hand and looking upon the dress that was given to her, she highly considered not wearing it. Wearing it would mean accepting a gift as well as an open invitation for submission. Not wearing it was a blatant insult to the king which would please her to no end, but may not be in her best interest. The dress was truly beautiful and impeccably made. It was a deep red in color. The fabric was such a high count that she had never seen a red so vibrant and rich in its end state. It had short sleeves that would cup around her outer shoulders but leave the tops of them exposed. The neckline was deep and she knew it would expose more of her assets than she was used to. The bodice had gold embroidery decorating it, contrasting the blood red color of the dress. She traced the gold flower design with her fingers, taking in their craftsmanship.

Perhaps, she thought, she could use this dress to her advantage. She was aware that with the color scheme, she was meant to stand out in a crowd. She could also guess that the king would adorn similar colors to herself. It was a mark of possession from the king. It would show traveling nobles his blatant intentions for the woman with carnation colored hair. But for those who were unaware of the customs of her land, they would have a surprise in store.

"Shall I assist you with that, my lady?" the handmaiden questioned as she watched the princess of Konoha finger at the fabric.

"That would be much appreciated," Sakura answered as the mischievous smile never escaped her pastel pink lips. She would play his game, but the rules she followed would be her own.

-xxx-

"My King, your expression shows that you are amused by something, yeah," Deidara commented as he stood next to the king who was seated in a chair on his lavish balcony to his royal suite. "Care to indulge?"

The king let a smirk grace his handsome features as he glanced up towards his blonde companion. "I have left a gift with the lady of the forest. I am interested to see how she will play her cards in response. From what I've been informed, she dances only to her own music. Though she may not blatantly insult me, I must anticipate her boldness."

"I would have to agree with what you've been informed, My King," Deidara replied with a smirk of his own crossing his tanned features. The morning Suna air played through his long blonde tresses. "She knows how to play the game, and she does it well, yeah."

"I will get what I want in the end, Deidara," Sasori replied as he ran a hand through his ruffled red tresses. "I always do."

"Of course, My King," Deidara replied simply as he bowed low at his waist and dismissed himself from the royal chambers. He walked from the room and a small smirk challenged his mouth. "But perhaps you are not fully aware of what you are up against, yeah."

-xxx-

The town was bustling as Sakura finally exited the castle that morning. She was told she would be escorted to the location of the tourney, but she had not been informed of whom she would be escorted by. So now she simply waited in the king's garden just outside the castle. It didn't quite compare to her own in Konoha, she loved to be among nature. It calmed her as much as anything could in such a dangerous place.

"Lady Sakura," she heard a voice call out to her from the opposing end of the garden. The voice had a familiar ring to it and as she glanced up to meet to person it belonged to, she was met with a face she hadn't seen in years.

"Kakashi," she whispered in slight astonishment as she picked up the side of her dress and ran towards the man from her home country. When she finally reached him she wrapped her arms around him in a fierce embrace. Her arms curled around his neck as his rested lightly around her back. She whispered his name again into the crook of his neck as if it was reassurance that he was actually in front of her. Relief poured from her in waves. It had been so long since she had seen him.

"I am so overjoyed to see you," she told him as she pulled back and gave him a genuine smile. "It has been much too long."

She took time to delve into his appearance. He had not changed much. His silver hair was still spiked highly at the top of his head while a navy masked still guarded the lower portion of his face. He donned a navy colored leather tunic that reached his knees with dark pants underneath. She could tell by the crinkles around his eyes that he was smiling at her. "That it has, Lady Sakura. That it has," he concurred as also took in her appearance. "You've grown even more radiant since the last time I saw you."

Kakashi had been a knight in her father's service back in his younger days. He retired to accept a seat on her father's council shortly after Sakura turned ten. The young Haruno heir had always looked up to the man as a column of support and friendship. He had seen her grow up, and she had seen him start to develop the first signs of aging across his features. Although Kakashi had always kept a young look, she would tease him that his trips to the rumored fountain of youth needed to become more frequent. He would simply tousle her hair in return.

Kakashi let out a sigh as he watched her. His hand came up to cup her cheek. "How did you stumble into this mess, my lady? This is no safe place to be for someone such as yourself," his tone was that of concern as his brow creased to follow his tone.

She hummed initially in reply as grasped his wrist lightly and mustered a small smile, "I suppose beauty and a high ranking title come at a price, or so I've been warned. But what has brought you to Suna, Kakashi?"

"I was recently in Uchiha territory, meeting with their own king when I received a summons from your father asking me to come to Suna for the King's Tourney," Kakashi began as he let his hand fall away from the young girl's face. "He knew you would need support here, so he sent me. I will protect you to the best of my abilities, my lady. And I will get you out of here."

"Oh, Kakashi," she mumbled as a sigh escaped her lips. "Don't you see? There is no way out of the capital unless it is of the king's own volition. I have to tread lightly and do what I can to survive. They play an extremely dangerous game here, and if I want any chance of leaving here alive I need to play along."

"The desert is no place for a flower, Sakura."

The warm desert breeze danced through her curled pink tresses as she looked up into the harsh Suna sun. "The only thing that can survive in a desert is a scorpion, Kakashi. And those whom the scorpion wishes to protect."

-xxx-

Kakashi escorted her to a large area just behind the king's castle. It was decorated with the traditional neutral colors of Suna as were the natives of the King's country. The day was hot, but if you looked upon those who were used to the heat, you would think they were dressed for the purpose of warmth. The garbs were long, some even had cloaks covering their heads from the harsh onslaught from the sun. Sakura stood out like a red rose in a garden of cacti.

Her arm was placed gently into the crook of Kakashi's as he held an umbrella for the sole purpose of shade in his other hand. She protested that she could carry it on her own, but he denied her with a small smile. Onlookers watched as she entered their line of sight. It was hard to miss someone in a crowd when they wore a color differed from all others. When she would attend events similar to this in Konoha, she would have people greeting her, striking up conversation, and calling out to her from the crowd. But here in Suna, they all just stared in amazement and shock. She was a rare bird to be feathered on display.

As if having the possibility to read her thoughts, Kakashi gave her hand a comforting squeeze with his own. She turned to him with a smile gracing her features. She certainly felt more at ease knowing that she had Kakashi at her side. The Haruno princess glanced up at the area where the event was to take place. There was a large fenced in area. The main event was one on one fighting by any warriors who dared to enter. Anything it took to appease their powerful king. At the sides of the fences there were the dwellers of the city standing around to have a good view of the fights. On one side, there was a large wooden structure that contained rows of seats and a large cloth covering to protect from the sun. It was for nobles and honored guests of the king. She noticed that the King's position was lavish under the structure with a makeshift throne and a dignified section that stood out from the rest. She noticed a few seats surround the royal area. She could presume one of them would be where she would watch the tourney. She knew that the king would want to keep her within his line of sight.

"Lady Sakura," she heard a voice call out from her left. Turning her head towards the sound, she was greet with the presence of the eldest Uchiha prince.

"Lord Itachi," she greeted back simply as she and Kakashi paused in their movements.

"You look exquisite, my lady," Itachi compliment as he bowed slightly before grasping her free hand and planting a chaste affection across her knuckles. A polite smile graced her features, but she did not respond to the commendation. "The King has requested that you join him in the royal viewing area."

"Of course, my lord," was her automatic reply as Itachi lead them to the royal enclosure amongst the wooden structure. She was to have the seat to the left of the king. Close enough so that his intentions were clear but far enough away from the fighting so that she was safe. It was much too close to the king in her own opinion, but speaking so aloud would be inappropriate. A seat next to the most powerful man in all the nations was one sought after by many, and gifted to few.

She took her seat gracefully, allowing the red fabric of her elegant dress to pool around her seat as she watched servants of the king seat up the arena. "Ser Kakashi," Itachi called out as he watched the silver haired man stand behind the pink haired princess. "If you would follow me, I can acquire you a seat further down on the podium. It would be much more comfortable than standing."

Kakashi and Sakura both knew what the clever Uchiha was trying to pull. The lady of the forest would always remain one step ahead whether those around her knew so or not. "I believe that Kakashi would prefer to stay close to me," Sakura began as she glanced up at the addressed man behind her, giving him a short look. "He has always been rather protective of me, since I was a child actually. I'd like for him to stay, if that won't source too much of a problem."

"I can assure you, Lady Sakura, the safest place for you to be is at the king's side during this tourney," Itachi explained as he tried to weave around the validity of her words in attempt to use them against her.

"I must insist that he stays, my lord," Sakura retorted as she glanced at the dark haired man from the corner of her eye giving him a smile that was borderline taunting. "I hope you understand."

"If you insist, my lady," Itachi replied simply as he knew he had lost the battle she had waged. He gave a simple bow before leaving to attend to other duties.

"Ser Kakashi," her silver haired companion mumbled under his breath as he ran a hand through his effortless spikes. "I haven't been a knight in nearly ten years and yet the title still follows me."

Sakura let out a quiet snicker at his discontentment. "A well-deserved title will follow one for the rest of their days on this earth. You were a well renowned knight of your time, and still are, of course you'd be remembered as such. It's a sign of respect to your accomplishments."

The silver knight let out a small sigh at her words, "You are much too mature for your age, my lady. You make me feel so much older than I truly am."

The princess let out another sound of amusement, "Don't doubt your abilities, Ser Kakashi. We both are well aware of the simple fact that you could rank rather highly in this little competition if you so desire too. You're not that out of practice."

"I shall take your compliments as they come, my lady," he replied back with a small crinkle to the edges of his eyes.

Soon after their banter, other guests started filtering into the stands around her. They were all dressed in higher classed attire so she assumed them to be nobles of some relation. Where they were from, she was unsure. None of them looked all that familiar. She noticed that some of them continued to steal glances her way, while some of them scowled at her position so close to the king. She thought to herself that if they so desperately wished her further away, she would trade with any of them willingly.

She noticed a man who was walking in her direction. He was quite tall with hair the color of the soft orange of a sunrise. His garb was a pale gray formal tunic that was slightly unclasped around his elegant neck. As he grew nearer she noticed the intricate details of his face, and more specifically the many silver piercings that adorned his features. It was like nothing she had ever seen before. They were in his lips and around either sides of his nose. It was very uncommon around all of the nations to have anything so boldly on your person, but she was aware of a select few countries who honored the decoration as a sign of power. She now noticed that he was heading right towards her.

"Lady Haruno," he greeted in a voice so deep that it made her spine quiver. He bowed lowly in front of her before he stood directly at attention once more, his tall form towering over her seated one. "I am Pein, ruler of Amegakure. It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."

"Like wise, my lord," she greeted the taller man with her hands placed elegantly in her lap. "Is the tourney the reason for your travel so far away from your country? It must have been quite a long journey for you to be here today."

Ame, as most called it, was located in the far northwest corner of all of the nations. A country where the rain was rumored to never end. It was also said that Pein's rule over the land came in unorthodox ways, but the argument did not last for long because of the village's large turn around in a positive direction under the young lord's rein. Konoha and Ame did not have much face time with each other due to their far layouts from one another, but their statuses would be marked as neutrals.

"Indeed it is, my lady," he informed her. His voice still as deep and velvet like as it was the first time. "The king is a close friend of mine. I try and make it to his tourney every year if time permits. If I may, what has brought you so far from Konoha, my lady?"

"A personal request from the king, my lord. And a request from the king is something one can simply not refuse," she had meant to keep her comments as respectful as possible, but this one seemed to slip so effortlessly from her lips.

Pein seemed to understand the implication of her words which caused a small amount of amusement to spark across his pierced lips. "Indeed, my lady. Indeed." The leader of Ame sat in the open seat on her opposite side from the king's awaiting seat. "I look forward to getting the chance to know you, Lady Sakura," the pierced male spoke up from his seat. "Perhaps Ame and Konoha may be able to set up some type of trade."

"Perhaps, my lord. Perhaps."

A few minutes passed before the arrival of the king was announced. Everyone stood out of courtesy for his arrival as his crier announced him to the crowds. "May I present, King Sasori. Ruler of our great nations and the feared scorpion of the desert!"

Crowds cheered, nobles clapped, and Sakura forced her appreciation. The King made his way towards his seat next to Sakura. Flanking at his sides were Kisame, dressed in traditional King's guard armor of shining steel, and Deidara who was also sporting a dressing tunic in a grey-blue hue that accented his tan features and bright eyes. As the king reached his high podium, he took in her appearance and was pleased to see her attire. She curtsied for him out of respect, although he knew she held none for him. "You are a vision, Lady Sakura," he complimented as she rose from her sign of forced respect. He knew as well as she did, that all eyes had been turned towards them in their exchange. "I hope my gift has pleased you."

The dress was certainly eye-catching to anyone who saw her. The deep maroon color was heightened by the paleness of her porcelain white skin. The gold floral detail that played along the tight bodice of the dress accented the sun kissed markings she had acquired the day prior. The bodice itself held her small waist and ample bust, creating a significant dip that ended at the low valley between her chest. The princess would consider it the least modest of any dress she had ever worn. She was aware when eyes would wander to what was exposed. It was hard not to.

Her pink hair was delicately curled and pulled to cascade over the top of one of her exposed shoulders. The pink of her locks contrasted harshly amongst the red of her garment, but the king found that she looked rather good in the color of blood.

"Of course, My King," she answered politely as her smile played at her lips and her hands moved to clasp lightly in front of her. "How could one say no to something so lavish?"

Amusement danced in the king's brown orbs as he watched her. "I'm pleased to know you would not see it go to waste, my lady."

"What an insult that would be to its beauty, my king."

"An insult indeed, my lady. Please have a seat and make yourself comfortable. The tourney should be starting momentarily."

She said nothing as she sat back down in her seat. She noticed from the corner of her eye that Kisame had taken up residence in the space behind herself and the king while Deidara sat on the king's opposite side. Sakura was at least glad that she could part from him for the time being. His presence could certainly prove suffocating. The rest of the nobles in the king's honored section had reclaimed their seats as the king moved forward to speak.

"I welcome you all to this year's tourney in my honor," his voice was smooth and even, unwavering in much emotion. Sakura considered his tone that of pure self-importance. "Today we will have the pleasure to watch warriors fight for the honor of a title in my name. A title worthy to the winner of the challenges faced before him. The rules are simply that there will be one winner to each battle. Those who claim victory will move on, and those who do not will be removed from the competition. Victory is claimed by an opponent's yield, or death. Without further ado, let us begin."

The applause roared once more as the king took his position upon his makeshift throne at Sakura's side. The Konoha native watched as the first two challengers made their way into the fighting arena, taking their position at opposing ends from one another. She glanced at the house sigils pressed into their armored plates, noticing they were both from Suna, she lost what little interest she had. Glancing towards the captain of the guard, she granted him a small smile.

"I was under the impression you would be fighting today," her voice told him lightly.

He returned her comment with a small grin. "I will be, my lady. If the competition proves that it needs a thrill. I would not dream of showing my talents if they are unnecessary."

"Of course, Kisame. Your talent for fighting should not be wasted if it can be helped," the princess quipped as a small taunting smirk played across her features.

"Speaking of talent, my lady," the king's voice broke her from her short conversation with his protector. "I am surprised that someone with as much fighting renowned as your knight has not entered my tourney."

"Your point is a valid one, my king, but Kakashi has moved on from his position as a knight many years ago," Sakura explained as she watched the first match instead of the king's eyes. "Though I can assure you he is not out of practice. I have seen him fight in so many tourneys that I find myself enjoying his company by my side this time."

The conversation was put to rest as the king had no way to continue it. They watched as the first match was won, and the losing opponent was knocked unconscious in his battle. The winning knight granted his victory to the king, before he left the arena.

"Do you have tourneys back in Konoha, Lady Sakura?" Pein's voice spoke from the silence, earning her attention.

"Certainly, my lord. They are highly celebrated competitions in my country, though they differ slightly from the way they are performed here," she explained as she watched the next two fighters enter the fighting pit, one of which she recognized as Kisame's right hand man, Suigetsu. He searched the crowd and found her face, granting her a confident smirk while bowing in her direction before he pulled his large sword from the holster on his back. An amused smile pulled at her lips as she watched him. She could truly appreciate his lighthearted nature, for it was rare to find in the king's city.

"How do they differ, my lady?" the Ame leader inquired her further as his eyes followed the scene playing forth.

"Although the intent to battle your opponents until there is one winner remains the same, our rules differ," Sakura answered back as she felt a comfortable breeze run through her hair as she watched Suigetsu's battle begin. "Victory never comes from death. Death is not a punishment I wish upon those who willingly participate in our tourneys. I prefer Konoha's tourneys to be blithe and more of a friendly competition than a battle to the death."

"But isn't death the proper punishment for those who are unable to bear what they brought upon themselves?" the king's words struck a disagreeable chord within her as he uttered them aloud. It was as if he held no pedestal for human life.

"Though death may be a punishment for some of this world's most ultimate betrayals, it is not deserved of the loss of a simple competition," her words were sharp, yet quiet, as they made their point. She felt her fists tighten with her words as she hid them in her lap.

"Touché, my lady," Pein responded before more could be said. The princess inwardly thanked him for that.

Her attention turned back towards the fight taking place before their eyes. She was surprised at the large weapon that Suigetsu had taken up for his battle. It was similar in comparison to the one she had seen Kisame with when he arrive in Konoha as her escort. Even with such a large weapon, his moves were still quick and lethal. His opponent was trained well, but not well enough to avoid some of the slashes that came his way. Eventually, he admitted defeat from the battle and yielded his position.

Suigetsu hardly looked as though he had broken a sweat in their dangerous dance. His attention turned to the King's booth as he gave the nobles a low bow before dedicating his battle. "I dedicate my victory to Lady Haruno of Konoha. May her beauty grant me luck in my battles to come."

Though she wanted to chuckle at his proclamation, she gave him a graceful smile hinted with evident amusement as he walked from his battle. She heard Kisame let out a brief sigh as he insulted his second in command for his idiocy.

"Quite the mouth on that one, yeah," Deidara mumbled just loud enough for Sakura to hear him over the noise of the crowds.

The next battle was about to begin and the princess eyes the sigils on the breastplates of the next two contestants. One of which she hadn't expected to see in the arena. "An Uchiha?" she questioned as she attempted to confirm the small fan emblem welded into the brilliant steel of the man's breastplate. She glanced up to the fighter's face and noticed his features fit the mold. His skin was perfectly pale, his hair dark as night with pieces framing his face while the rest effortlessly flew behind him. His dark eyes were accurately watching his opponent from the opposing side. Eyes she found that she oddly recognized.

"Itachi's younger brother," she heard Kakashi's voice reply from behind her. "Sasuke Uchiha."

"A well-known war general for the Uchiha's," Sakura murmured quietly as she recalled the position of the youngest son of the Uchiha household.

"He never misses the King's tourney," she heard Itachi's voice add in as he joined them in the open seat next to the Ame leader. He adjusted his black dress tunic as he sat in his chair, his long hair tied neatly behind him.

"I cannot recall if I've ever met your brother, my lord," Sakura retorted as she watched the younger Uchiha as his fight began.

"I can assure you, my lady, he is not all too thrilling in terms of company," Itachi let his quip towards his brother flow effortlessly from his lips.

Deidara snorted from further down in their seating arrangements, "In that sense, the brothers are not that different, my lady."

Sakura did not try very hard to quell her amusement as it sprouted at the corners of her lips. She glanced past the king and made eye contact with the blonde. "Some would say that silence is a virtue quite cherished in companions, Lord Iwa."

"A notion I can favor," the king's voice added as he took a sip from his wine that he had just received. She knew his response was directed towards the man to his right. Deidara didn't seem to mind the witticism against his person, as he watched the younger Uchiha in battle.

Sasuke fought with a dangerous grace that she had never seen in a fighter before. His speed with heightened, his moves impeccable, and his skill with a sword was some of the most talented she'd ever seen. It almost seemed as if he was dancing around his opponent whilst he battled.

"He's quite talented," Sakura complimented as she could not remove her eyes from his swordsmanship. The battle seemed to end quickly as Sauske's opponent hastily withdrew to save his own life. He had no dedication to his battle as he simply bowed before the king as he exited the grounds.

As the next warriors entered the fighting pit, there was another sigil Sakura had not expected to see with a person so infamous that her heart skipped a beat in her chest. "Demon of the mist," Sakura found herself whispering as she watched the large man enter the arena.

His statue alone was frightening. He was one of the largest men she had ever seen and his height was not the only thing that intimidated those around him. His well-defined form was visible through his minimal armor he chose to sport for his battle. His face was mostly hidden by white bandages that wrapped his features. All that was exposed were his dark eyes that held nothing but malice behind them, evidence the princess could gather even from so far away from his position. His upper body was only covered by a leather tunic that did not reach past his shoulders, leaving his bare arms exposed. A bold move which would leave him exposed, if his adversary could even land a hit on him. From his infamy, it was unlikely. The weapon he carried resembled the same ones Kisame and Suigetsu carried. The polished steel reflected in the Suna sun and blinded some around the arena. Its blade was unmistakably sharp, and lethal.

"Correct, my lady. Zabuza Momochi a legendary swordsman hailing from Kiri challenged by no other of his time," Itachi informed her as the royals took in his sheer size compared to his opponent. She could have sworn she heard the captain of the guard make a small snort at the comment made, but she chose to ignore it.

"He has not attended every tourney held by the king, but those that he has have always claimed the ending victory, yeah," Deidara added.

"If I'm correct again, Lord Itachi, he is known for being merciless when it comes to his challengers."

"You are, Lady Sakura. To Zabuza, the only way to claim victory is through the death of his opponent. For that is the way of the swordsman of the mist," the Uchiha advisor replied as the Kiri fighter's opponent stepped into the ring. A boy who couldn't be too much younger than the fair princess. The young boy of Suna decent seemed to realize who his foe was, but to withdraw before the battle had even begun was an insult in the eyes of the king.

"And if his challenger yields?" the Konoha native questioned as she glanced from the corner of her eye at the king. His expression may have been hidden to most behind his wine glass as he drank from it, but she could see as clear as day the smirk that pulled at the corners of it.

"There are no survivors against Zabuza Momochi."

She wasn't quite sure who spoke, but she somehow anticipated the answer. It did nothing to sooth her nerves as the next battle started. Zabuza's sheer size did nothing to hold him back in terms of speed, but his movements were not graceful like the young Uchiha that battled beforehand. His strikes were vicious and full of savagery. He quickly drew blood from his foe, slicing a vital blood pathway in his arm. The liquid that matched Sakura's dress soaked the young boy's armor as he cried out in pain. Before one could blink, Zabuza had struck another vital point in the boy's leg causing him to fall to the dirt under him. The wound, Sakura assumed, would prevent the boy from walking, let alone fighting, for the rest of his life.

The princess's hands moved from her lap to the arm rests of her seat, digging her nails lighting into the wood. The boy continued to roll and hobble away from Zabuza's relentless attacks as the demon's bloodlust could not be quenched. The mist swordsman charged up for his next attacks as the Suna fell to the ground, looking up into the King's podium.

"I yield! I—" Before the boy could finish, Zabuza's blade at pierced his chest.

Sakura's breath caught in her throat whilst her emerald eyes widened as she witnessed the young boy's life leave his eyes. The victor brutishly pulled his large weapon from the boy's chest cavity, taking the time to wipe the blood that covered it across the limp corpse of whom it belonged to. Sakura found that she couldn't recall how to breathe as the demon was declared the winner of the match. The crowd roared with applause as the men sitting around her lightly clapped their hands, appreciating the victory. Konoha's princess could only watch as blank faced men arrived to the arena to carry out the dead body of a boy whose life was taken much too soon.

Her nails dug painfully into the arms of her chair. How could anyone in their right mind condone such violence? Such utterly pointless brutality? A sickening feeling pooled in Sakura's stomach as Zabuza exited the field without even a passing glance or hint of remorse towards the life he just stole. His challenger had undoubtedly yielded to admit his defeat. His plea could be heard from all ends of tourney, but the plea reached deaf ears. Zabuza Momochi spared none.

The crowd prattled of his marvelous victory, while Sakura acquired all the willpower she held within her to keep herself from screaming. There were a plethora of choice words the princess wished to spew to the vultures thrived of entertainment around her. People around them were dying in a real war that upset them, but they still enjoyed to watch people killed off for sport. The idea was morally repulsive.

"First time witnessing death, my lady?" Ame's ruler inquired as he couldn't help but notice her distraught reaction.

"Oh no, my lord. I have unfortunately witnessed my fair share of death during my time on this earth," the woman answered, her voice low as she tried to keep her emotions in order. Her eyes could not pull themselves from the fresh blood that stained the dirt in front of them. "What I have never seen until this moment is a life wasted so casually for the purpose of amusement. Forgive me if the concept is a bit difficult to stomach."

The response she had not expected was laughter, but it was what she received from the lips of the young Iwa lord. "Welcome to the capital, my lady. It's a dangerous place for those light of heart who cannot stomach death, yeah. The game is consensual for those who enter the gates."

"Perhaps not for all, Lord Iwa," her voice was tight as she spoke to his last comment. "Though it may be a game, every game has a particular set of rules. But what purpose does a set of rules serve if those who set them forth elect not to follow them?"

A noise of amusement came from the king's throat, catching her attention. His brown eyes trailed over to meet with her emerald ones as she watched the corner of his mouth twist towards the sky. "Aren't rules meant to be challenged, my lady?"

"Disobeying the delicate state of order will only cause chaos," Sakura challenged. Her words fought towards his rule over the nations. They fought over the deaths he had so uncaringly caused. Her words fought against the cage he was trying to corner her into.

She watched as the king slowly reached out far enough to grasp her hand closest to him. His thumb ran over her knuckles as his fingers delicately traced the lengths of her own. "That's where the beauty of this world comes from, my lady. Art is made from the chaos that falls outside the control of order. Chaos is the raw beauty of this world."

"Perhaps you and I have very differing views of what art is," her voice retorted lowly as her vibrant eyes pressed the king to push her further.

"Perhaps," the king answered simply, his amusement not leaving his lips as his head bowed to reach her knuckles, placing a cold kiss upon them. "But I assure you, my lady, you will someday learn to agree with me. They always do. For all things come in dealings with chaos, but only those that can work its beauty will truly prosper."

-xxx-

Author's Note: Sakura has quite the clever little mouth on her. She is so much fun to write. The next chapter will be the second half of the tourney. I have quite the turning point in a few specific relationships planned. The angst will be so real it hurts. So I've introduced some new faces here; Kakashi, Pein, Sasuke, Zabuza. Pein's position fits very well in this story. I'd like to say this is an Akatsuki themed story in terms of main characters. I plan to give all of their members a role in this story. Almost all of them have made an appearance thus far, but we have a few more faces to see. What do you think about Zabuza? Quite the little devil isn't he? Don't think I'm done with him quite yet. And I thought Sakura deserved a little bit of light with all the darkness she's surrounded by, hence Kakashi. Expect more new characters in the upcoming chapters, don't rule out anyone from Konoha quite yet. Leave me your thoughts!