The wind prickled her skin as it breezed past her body. The sun was high but not repulsive. It was a cool day and the weather was nice. Sakura breathed out gently as she looked upwards at the cloudless sky, admiring this peaceful moment of her life.

The Queen had told her to stay in the castle. "You can stay as long as you like. It's now your home." Those were her words and Sakura had been so shocked that she'd ignored the Queen's next words. Mikoto didn't mind though. She had laughed wholeheartedly.

Sakura was given a choice. She could stay in the castle or she could stay with Sasuke. Of course she wanted to stay with him but he didn't come back yesterday and still, Naruto, Shikamaru and Jugo were nowhere to be found. She left the castle the next day to take a stroll in the surrounding.

The castle was wide and large. It had west and east wings. The east wing was where the royal family resided. The west wing was unoccupied at the moment. At the center, there was a big building. It was the palace.

There was a wide shoji far from the castle gates. There, the servants cooked and washed. At the southern part of the west wing, very far away, the noble families lived separately. The northern part was for the King's personal advisor and royal guards and inches away, there was a bungalow which the guards and servants occupied.

There were some parts in the compound that had secret places where people could rest and admire the cherry blossom trees, the diverse flowering nursery and huge shades of fruit producing trees. It was scattered all over the castle.

There were lakes and ponds too. They glowed and twinkled at night. The castle was like a world of its own. At the far end of the castle, there were tall tress. Some were withered and leafless, while some were full and high, allowing little sunlight into the surrounding. It was more like a meadow and Sakura couldn't ask for anything else.

It was quiet here. No one could be seen in sight, which was one thing Sakura was grateful for. She leaned against a dried up tree trunk and looked around before straightening her hanfu and walking again. The dried leaves on the ground scrunched up as she walked on them.

It took two minutes for her moment to be ruined. She suddenly became alert when she noticed the change in the air. Someone was following her. The person was being stealthy but she was too used to this kind of situation that her suspicious feelings couldn't go away. She didn't know how long she's been followed but her peace of mind was no longer intact.

Her heartbeat quickened as she increased her steps and walked further into the forest, not looking back.

It was certain. Someone was actually following her.

Her eyes searched the surrounding, looking for something, anything. When she was sure she'd had enough, she picked up a large plank-like wood off the ground and turned around bravely. Her voice was hard and firm, trying desperately to hide the fear in her. "Who's there?"

The wind replied her as it rustled past her.

She swallowed, raising her chin. "Come out right now and show yourself! You just can't follow someone around all day, secretly. That's basically stalking, you know."

There was no response, still.

She couldn't discern where the person was but she was sure he/she was hiding behind one of the trees before her.

"Show yourself now! Who are you or so help me, I'm going to locate you and I will break your head." Her hands tightened their hold on the wood she was clutching, although shakily.

Silence ruled once again, until someone walked out from behind a tree, ten feet away from her, with his hands in the air.

Sakura's labored breathing decreased as her hand dropped, letting go of the wood. She frowned at the person before her in confusion.

"Jugo?" She'd recognize that vibrant orange haired lycan any where.

"I... I certainly don't want you breaking my head, Luna, I'm sorry." He said, looking at her innocently.

She broke into a smile, not minding what he said. She was relieved to see him. "Where have you been?" She asked as she walked towards him.

"I have been running errands, Luna." Errands like taking care of the current investigation on the demons in the neighboring countries. "Forgive me, Luna, for stalking you. I couldn't let you walk alone." Not after what happened at Sasuke's mansion. He couldn't risk it again.

"Well, that's too late for that." She laughed as she turned around and started walking. "I was wondering what happened to you, Naruto and Shikamaru." She sighed in surprise when she saw a gate up ahead. Great! She would stroll out too. She was sure she'd have an amazing day seeing what the town was like.

"Uhh..." Jugo thought about it. He could tell her about Naruto but seeing how cheerful she was, he didn't think he'd want to make her worried.

It would spoil her day. He shook his head, following her as they passed the guards guarding the back gate and walked out of the castle into the street.

He would tell her later.

Also, he wanted to know why the guards had let them pass them by without questioning them. They obviously knew that she was a significant person in the castle with the stares they gave but they didn't say anything, and Sakura, oblivious to the situation had just walked out. Did the Queen inform them beforehand? Through the news he'd received, the Queen had apparently taken a liking to the Luna.

He would have to investigate later to be sure. "Forgive me, Luna."

Sakura waved her hand dismissively, distracted by the stalls she caught sight off and the children running in the streets, laughing as they chased themselves. "Jugo, leave it be. You're bringing up something from the past. That's stressful." She replied nonchalantly.

Jugo chuckled to himself. "Of course, Luna." He watched as she beamed at, well, literally everything. The road was dusty but she didn't care if she inhaled the dust in the air. People gathered in crowds at different stalls and inns, discussing on things or observing the surrounding. He was going to watch over her, this time with all his attention.

The town was bustling in explicit diversity. Sakura didn't miss a thing. The children wore small sized kimonos. Some ladies were in little makeup and short kimonos, some had on heavy makeup as they stood in front of secluded inns with the shortest kimonos ever and exposed cleavages, while the older looking women wore normal kimonos and beautiful kanzashi.

The men, old and young, were nonchalant in their yukata and kimono they wore but their communication skills with the others were noticeably contagious.

Sakura, distracted by the things they sold at the stalls, almost bumped into a little child if it wasn't for Jugo who walked infront of her, stopping and startling both Sakura and the child.

Snapping back to reality, Sakura looked at Jugo and found him glaring at a little girl who had fear written all over her face. She rolled her eyes and came out from behind Jugo, crouching to the little girl's height.

She was a dirty blonde with eye-catching seafoam eyes. They were big, and with her chubby cheeks and tiny heart shaped lips, she looked like a baby. But, of course, Sakura had learnt to not judge a supernatural being's age by their appearance ever again.

Sakura looked up at Jugo, admonishing him about his glare with her eyes before she turned to the girl and smiled at her. "You can be rest assured. We won't do anything to you."

Vaguely, the child nodded slowly and Sakura continued. "What's your name?"

"Reechan."

Sakura smiled, taking note of how tiny the child's voice was. "That's a beautiful name."

Reechan brought her small hand to her mouth as she looked away and muttered. "Tank yeww. Yeww ar reeally pwetty."

Sakura scoffed in grateful mortification as she placed a hand on her chest. "Thank you."

Reechan nodded, looking away again. "Yeww, uh... yeww don't shmell lycan." She continued. "Or warwof, or marmaid, or dwakon, or..."

"Reechan, what are you doing?!"

The shout from the other side drew their attention. They didn't see the person who'd shouted but Reechan was already running away from them. She ran through the crowd and turned around before disappearing behind a stall and waving a little hand at Sakura.

It was for a second but Sakura cherished it. She smiled and waved back, even though the girl couldn't possibly see her.

She rose to her feet and turned to Jugo.

Jugo lowered his head, remorseful as if he knew what she was about to say.

"That little girl is cute." Her eyes caught sight of a honey biscuit selling stall and she walked closer to it, finding way in the crowd. "I should've bought her something. This looks so good."

Jugo was behind her. "You shouldn't trust people that easily, Luna, even children."

Sakura sighed because she knew it was true. She remembered what had happened at the parade she'd taken Sasuke and the others to. How she'd met Lilith.

Distracted by the glistening on the biscuits and its pulling power, she turned to Jugo with a straight, repentant facial expression as though she'd realized something. "I don't have the currency of this world." She did a downward smile, shrugging slightly as though regretful and ashamed. "I'm broke."

Jugo nodded, trying to cage the laughter that was trying to erupt. The Luna was funny. He turned to the seller and bought five bags of the honey biscuits. There were ten in one bag. He gave all of them to Sakura, who was shocked and thanked him so much that he had to beg her to stop.

As they walked away in the direction of the castle, Sakura plopped one biscuit into her mouth and did a little shoulder dance. She handed a bag to Jugo but he declined it.

She stopped and frowned at him, speaking with her eyes. He wanted to decline her offer but then her eyes said:

Collect this right now and experience this ecstasy with me or I'm going to shove it down your oesophagus.

Defeated, he lowered his head and thankfully accepted the bag from her, eating one and keeping the rest in his sash or she would bother herself to ask him to eat too.

"Thank you, Jugo." Sakura sighed, taking in the fresh air as they neared the back gate. It was nice going out and seeing what outside looked like for the time being, with someone she knew. She just hoped she'd see Naruto and Shikamaru soon.

I should be thanking you, Luna. Jugo bowed slightly as he escorted her through the forest to the west wing.

"Will Sasuke be coming?" She knew that he had his own territory. He was probably working now.

"I am in no position to ascertain that, I'm sorry, Luna."

Sakura nodded, sighing out hotly. Suddenly, a maid came to stand before her on the porch. Sakura recognized her to be one of Koiko's followers. She was a bright girl with short bouncy brown hair and big green eyes.

"My lady." The maid bowed. "Your bath is ready and lunch will be served soon."

Sakura blinked, nodding slowly. The princess treatment was something she was still trying to get used to. "Thank you Yuzu."

The girl turned around and left. The Queen had appointed Yuzu to be Sakura's personal maid just as Koiko was hers. She had also convinced Sakura to stay in Sasuke's former chambers.

"You two are mates. What's bad in staying in the same room?" Those were her words. "I'll tell Koiko to clean up your own personal room so you'll have two rooms at your leisure. Couples fight sometimes, don't they? You'd always need sometime alone."

Somehow, her own chambers just happened to be right next to Sasuke's. The Queen was methodical, with intent. Sakura had to remember that.

After eating lunch and having a bath, she went to Sasuke's room and opened the door. She entered, closing the door behind her while Jugo stayed infront of it, guarding the room. She was going to stay here, for the time being.

The first thing that caught Sakura's attention was the slight disorderliness of one section of the room, where the chairs and table were. Two bottles of strong liquor was on the table and a tall figure laid sprawled on the couch beside it.

"Sasuke!" She said in a surprised gasp as she walked over to him and bent on one knee. She looked him over.

He looked wasted. His hair was tousled and his eyes were closed. His face had stress written all over them and he was somewhat mumbling.

She looked at the empty bottles on the table, then back at him. She didn't expect to see him home and certainly not drunk. She didn't know what made him to drink because he rarely drank but surely, two bottles wasn't enough to send him out.

She's been with him long enough to know that he had a high alcohol tolerance. He didn't get drunk easily. She looked down at her feet and saw three empty bottles on the ground. Shocked, she brought them up and laid them on the table.

"Five bottles?!" Five bottles of strong liquor, and they are empty. She turned to the ravenette. "Sasuke, what happened?"

He groaned, laying on his back and resting an arm on his head. "I can't say."

He was definitely drunk. She could hear it in his drawling breath and hoarse voice. But he was trying to fight it and be active.

She sighed as she stared at the side of his face. "What could've possibly gotten you so worked up?" She questioned in a soft, vague voice as she reached out and slowly traced his artistic arched eyebrow with her index finger.

A lot. Sasuke was definitely not sober, but his mind was trying to be. "I'm conflicted", he paused, looking at her before averting his gaze at the ceiling, "with a decision I have to make."

Sakura frowned. Sasuke was normally the kind to keep things to himself, his eyes, face, they held no regard for things as they showed no emotions, but now that he was beyond sober, everything about him was leaking. She could see the emotions swirling in his depths. The guilt, fear, confusion and anxiety. All sorts of emotions etched in his black eyes until he'd looked up again.

This was the first time she'd seen him like this since he's the kind to strongly hold his liquor. She wanted to know more about what bothered him.

"What decision?" She shifted closer, looking closely at his side frame.

"Wether to sacrifice the surety of my sanity for the peace of others or watch them lose their lives instead."

Sakura recalled the talk she had with Naruto about the war. That must be what was bothering him, though she didn't quite understand the question. "If you can save them, why not go for it? I mean, you'll still have a life in this world, right? So, basically you're doing yourself good too."

He looked at her again with a frown. "Would you lose your life for the sake of others?"

For instance? Sakura thought about it. "Well, I might, if I have to. I mean, if I was the only possible choice to save people's lives, I would jump at the chance." She very much did not like to witness deaths. She wanted to save people if she had a chance which was why she chose that course of hers. "No one deserves to lose their loved ones, don't you think?"

"You hold no regard for me then."

Sakura frowned, confused at the sudden spark of anger in his voice. "What?"

"No one deserves to lose their loved ones, that's what you said. Haven't you thought that you might be a loved one to someone?"

Sakura flushed at this. She understood what he meant. "Well, just saying, if I have the power to save people, I will jump at it."

"Even if it's to sacrifice yourself?"

She was quiet for awhile. "If people can continue living their lives, powerless as to saving themselves then it's worth it. I mean, why then do I have the power?"

Sasuke sighed hotly. She's unbelievable. "I don't think I'm prepared to lose my sanity yet. Keep your thoughts to yourself."

Sakura looked at him with a frown. "What? You're the one who asked." She retorted, but he didn't answer.

She found out that he'd fallen asleep and blew raspberries in annoyance. Just when I thought he was drunk enough to not be frustrating. She raised a fist. I could whack your nose. But she dropped her fist and watched him sleep.

He looked peaceful when sleeping. She raised her hand and tucked a strand behind his ear, before bringing up her knees, placing her hands on the kneecaps and resting her jaw on them.

He is beautiful. If he'd been born a girl, he would've slayed. Maybe she'll use it to tease him later. Sakura chuckled at the thought.

She was worried as to why he'd drunk so much before and wondered about what he said. Sacrificing his sanity for the peace of the world. What did that mean?

Another thing crossed her mind. During lunch with Mikoto, she'd caught her coughing into an embroidered kerchief countless times. The Queen had told her not to be bothered about it but how could she not. She wanted to know what was happening in this world and she knew her final resort would be at Masashi shrine.

Karin.

The sea goddess looked reliable to gossips like this. She would ask her.

Without realizing it, she slept off, in that position, her face toward Sasuke, her knees upright, her hands under her jaw and her back bent. It was the position Sasuke found her in after he woke up sometime in the middle of the night.

He squinted his eyes at her, watching how her head was bent to the side and how undisturbed she looked. He got up from the couch, ignoring the ringing in his head as he bent to carry her, one of his hands was under her knees and the other under her back. "You'll wake up to sores all over your body if you continue to sleep like that." She hummed sleepily in a vague response, turning to put her arms around his neck.

He frowned, lowering her to the bed. "What were you even doing?"

Of course, she couldn't hear him. He tucked her in and went to the bath room to wash himself up. He reeked of strong liquor. He didn't expect himself to drink that much. When he was done, he climbed into the bed next to her, facing her back which was to him, deep in thoughts.

He could easily remember what he'd talked about with her when he was drunk.

She would sacrifice herself, huh? He muttered to himself as he gazed upwards and stared at her pink hair which was longer than the first time he'd seen her. He didn't expect her to say that, even though he was supposed to. That aggravated him.

She talks about how sensible it is for one to appreciate one's existence in life but discards hers like that?

It turned out that Kosei had visited Masashi as soon as Sakura was discharged from the shrine. He had revealed everything to her and had showed up the minute he was there.

It troubled him. Kosei was the vampire heir. He was their enemy, but he was also the guardian of his mate, who was the prophecy.

Sasuke groaned inwardly. Why would Selene do something like this? It just brought uneasiness and confusion.

Why couldn't I have been her guardian? What's wrong with that?

He had thought about the possibility of Kosei Kyuuseki being the guardian with the advantage of winning the prophecy over to his folk side so as to destroy them. It was possible but Kosei hadn't looked like someone who was interested in the war. His sole purpose was to protect her, wasn't it?

Still, he couldn't trust him.

Not when he'd promised to take Sakura away, to protect her.

A foolish joke.

But he had to admit it. Sakura staying here was more dangerous. She doesn't even have an idea of who she is and what her purpose in the two worlds was. If his father or the leaders found out about her being their lethal weapon in the war, they will immediately capture her.

He, for one, has been so bent on finding her that he didn't know she was by his side all along and now that he knows, it felt like he was doubting his self will for Isekai's peace.

He wanted to end the war, that was the plan from the onset. He just wanted to find her, use her to defeat Lucifer and the Sins, and restore peace to the two worlds so why... why did he feel like hesitating and going against the plan?