Chapter One: Nothing New.

A captive of this tower. Made prisoner by these walls. And tortured, tortured with the constant seclusion.

Left alone for so many years, she was forced to await a man. A prince she was told of, was promised. A prince she hadn't requested, nor had she desired.

However, whether she wished for this stranger to come or not, wait for him she must. Just as she had in the past.

So, in a small sense of defeat, she relented to fall back down on her bed. The silk curtains that flowed around the canopy drawn together much to her displeasure. The soft, elegant fabric may have well just been more stone walls, caging her in. As suffocating and aggravating as the ones that stood just outside. In hopes of drawing her mind away from the fast-approaching claustrophobia, emeralds eyes closed and the woman willed herself to simply dream. Just as she had countless times before.

She dreamed that the prince had come to the gates of the castle. Perched strong and confident atop his stead that bucked and kicked beneath him at the sight of her: a stranger, high above and peering down at their every movement. She dreamed that the prince, her prince, would then calm the lovely beast. Oblivious to the fact that he was being admired.

He would be handsome after all, she reasoned with a smile easing its self onto her lips. Hair, the color of sunshine, mussed and wild from the wind of his trip. With deep blue eyes bright from exercise, and carrying the shimmering glint of adventure within.

Oh, but what a strike to the ego, she thought grimly. What a bruise it brought to one's pride to be forced to seek rescue. To fail in every escape attempt from the prison she had ever pursued. To have to wait for some man to free her whenever he saw fit. Whenever the whim pleased him. And, then, to be bounded to such a man by a promise she herself had been much to young in years to have been forced to make: To marry whomsoever did succeed in freeing her.

It would just be from one prison to another. From being trapped and forced to live in this tower, to be being trapped and forced into a marriage.

But, of course, the man would at least care for her, right? How could he not? Why risk his life for her if he held no deeper feelings? If he didn't love her? And, surely a marriage couldn't be so bad if it was with someone who loved you so. Even if he was a stranger.

The sound of hooves approaching in the distance had the woman bolting upright, jerking from her dreams and into the reality she despised.

But, alas, a new day's hope.

She rushed to the tower's window, a look of excitement brightening her features as her gaze landed on three horsemen below. As the smaller two, who appeared really to just be boys, drew their horses back a few paces from the one who stood int the middle,the one on the left waved a hand past him and towards the tower, a challenging grin adorning his features as his gaze met the man's. The older one faced the tower then, his own arrogant smirk becoming apparent. Surprisingly, the dark-haired man, who looked to be all but the exact opposite of who she had dreamed of, tilted his head up. As if he could actually see her from where she stood so high above.

And when blood-red eyes met her gaze, she was sure he could.

What was this? The pinkette demanded silently. Was this a joke? Was she a bet? A challenge? Some prize they came to claim, simply to show they could?

In disgust, with her anger boiling beneath her veins, she turned on her heel away from the window. None of them would be her hero. But, they would learn. If they came for a challenge, they'd certainly find one.

The thought brought a smirk to Sakura's own lips before she settled back on her bed, eyes fluttering close as she listened to the echoing sound of the dragon finding it's next meal.