Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Naruto.

(5/16/17): I've begun removing author's notes from old chapters because 99% of it is irrelevant and is just me giving an update on my RL situations. It's relevant for the newest chapters really. So I'm deleting them out of old ones in order to keep the reading process clean, crisp, and unclogged. It'll also cut down on word count distortion. So that way my story isn't 20% author's notes and 80% actual story.

Sakura was a smalltime village girl. Her father was a farmer and her mother was a schoolteacher. Sakura never went to school though. Her family always needed help at home with the livestock and the farm. Sakura eventually made it to the ripe age of 16. But due to the fact that she was an only child, her parents were reluctant to give her to a man to be wed. They had a shortage of farm hands as it were. The other reason was because her birth was not announced to those outside their family for fear of the government taking her as payment for their delayed loan payments. It was a rare occurrence for them to take a child as payment, but it was not unheard of.

"Papa?" Sakura asked shyly as she walked into her father's study, "May I have a moment?"

Sakura hadn't noticed that her father was already speaking with someone. She also assumed, due to her father's stern expression, that she was an unwanted intrusion. She took a moment to stand there awkwardly. When she had entered the room, both men had stopped talking and turned to look at her.

Sakura's father eventually told her, "Please… leave."

Sakura nodded and exited the room feeling embarrassed, but she only cracked the door and decided to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"You said that you didn't have any children" the raven-haired man coldly stated.

Sakura's father stuttered as he pleaded, "No… please no! You can't take her!"

The raven-haired man scowled as he grunted, "I can. We've hesitated to take everything from you so you could have the ability to pay what you owe, but I have a deal I can offer you."

Sakura's father made a gesture that he was listening intently as the man continued, "If you give us your daughter to work as a castle slave then your debt is gone forever. If not, we'll take everything, possibly even your life."

Sakura's father firmly stood up from his desk as he frowned snarling, "You have insulted me, my family, and want me to abandon what dignity I have left? You are no longer welcome as my guest. Get out."

The raven-haired man walked towards the door with his back still turned as he asked, "Is that your final answer then?"

"Get out!" came his stern voice once more.

"Foolish peasant," the intruder chuckled, "You are blessed with so much, yet understand so little. You'll rue the day you turned down my generous offer. So be it."

The man left the house with the full intention of returning for the pink-haired beauty he'd spotted before. He had offered the peasant potato farmer a peaceful way out of his debt. If the farmer picked the hard way then the rest was quite simple. The man was determined to return for that wench. He knew she'd make a fine slave for his nephew.

"Why did you come in here?" Sakura's father shouted, "Why else do you think you never went to school with the other children? Why we never took you anywhere? Why we've never told anyone of your existence? They would've taken you at the age of ten had they known you were here!"

"I'm sorry father…" Sakura whispered as tears rolled down her face, "I'm so sorry…"

Her father wiped a frustrated hand across his sweaty brow as he coldly said, "Go pack a bag. You've condemned us all, but you can still save yourself, if you get away then our deaths shant be in vain. Now go."

Sakura briskly walked out of her father's office towards her own room. Genma, a household servant, helped her pack the rest of her bags. Sakura cried as she hugged her mother goodbye. When she went out to the stables she selected a horse for herself, and Genma picked one as well. They rode off towards the forest on the edge of the property. Once there, Sakura heard shrill cries behind her and saw her home up in flames. She'd never been off her house's property and was beyond frightened. She was facing the unknown and leaving her family behind to suffer and die. She knew that she would never be able to live with herself if she didn't at least try to save them. Genma was able to read the girl like an open book, especially when she turned her horse around towards the house. Genma quickly rode up next to her and swiftly grabbed her arm.

"You mustn't go back!" He shouted over their cries.

Sakura cried rivers down her cheeks as she yelled, "I won't be able to live with myself if I simply run away without even trying to save everything I've ever known!"

With that, she jerked out of Genma's grasp. Riding furiously towards the flames, she had no idea what sight would be awaiting her. When she walked up to the flaming rubble that was her home. She was greeted with stoically cold expressions on the faces of the palace guard standing on the outskirts of the damaged house. The royal family had ordered her family's liquidation. She fell to her knees in the yard looking at her house with the flames hanging like lava above the scorching bodies of her mother and father. Tears streamed from her unblinking eyes at the horror that was strewn before her. She reached out to touch a scalded hand but the embers were still hot and they burned her hands. She retracted them to her chest and let out a shrieking wale of desperation and agony.

A man in lavishly made armor emerged from a tent nearby and saw the pinkette sobbing in front of her house. He knew that this woman was unmistakably to one he'd seen before.

"Papa!" she cried out in a bloodcurdling scream, "mama!" but she received no answer.

The raven-haired man made a gesture with his hand causing a guard to shout, "In the name of Madara Uchiha, arrest that woman!"

The guards didn't hesitate to rush towards her and tie her up. Their clanking armor could be heard in the struggle. Sakura thrashed and clawed at the guards, but after a brutal battle the guards won out. Sakura laid bruised, battered, and tied up. Madara chose to make his appearance then.

"Your father was a fool" Madara spat as he kneeled and clutched the girl's hair and pulled on it to make her face him, "Wench, you are mine."

Madara let go of her hair, which caused her face to drop back to the ground. The guards unceremoniously tossed the girl into a wooden box. Once the lid was sealed the guards strapped the box to one of the horses. As they rode towards the castle there was no sound in the box except for a thud when the horses occasionally had to jump over a fallen tree in the road. When they arrived at the castle Madara ordered that the box be brought to his room and not a word be uttered about its contents. It was the night of his nephew's birthday and he knew he wasn't in the king's good graces. Sasuke was soon to be king, when Fugaku found an appropriate time to relinquish his title. Madara sat on his chair sipping wine from a solid gold goblet staring intently at the door. He found his patience slowly thinning to a fine thread. Right when his patience was about to snap he heard a knock at the door. Madara called out for whoever knocked to enter. He was expecting some servants to shuffle into the room with the box in tow, but he was sadly disappointed. Instead of servants, Fugaku entered the room. Madara quickly stood up then kneeled. Fugaku rolled his eyes at his brother's false respect and gestured for him to rise.

"I came to remind you of Sasuke's birthday banquet tonight" Fugaku stated with uninterest laced in his tone, "You always forget these things…"

Madara touched his chest and made a fake expression of hurt as he spoke, "Why, I wouldn't miss dear Sasuke's birthday for the world!"

Fugaku scowled and gave Madara a hard look.

Madara rolled his eyes then corrected himself, "Well maybe for the world, but nothing less."

"You're ego is exactly why father never gave you the throne…" Fugaku hissed, "Your ambition would've brought this kingdom to the ground."

"Maybe so, but what good is a historical leader without a rise, climax, and dramatic fall?"

"You're hopeless" Fugaku muttered as he headed for the door.

Madara chuckled before asking, "Tired of my company already dearest brother?"

"You have no idea" were Fugaku's last words before he slammed the door closed behind him.

Sasuke was sitting up in his room with his arms and legs crossed sitting in a mahogany chair of a generous size. His friends were gathered around him, deciding on a celebratory activity before it got too dark. They all took a vote since Sasuke, as usual, was indifferent. They all agreed to take a horse ride in the farmlands outside the city gates. All the boys picked a horse and Sasuke decided to ride his usual onyx black stallion. His horse was so monstrous that it stood almost a foot taller than the others' horses. The boys trotted through the palace gates into the city. There were colorful lanterns hung everywhere in celebration of the prince's birthday. Sasuke led his entourage through the city as people he passed kneeled and bowed in admiration. Sasuke nodded at as many people as he could to acknowledge them, as a good leader should. Naruto waved to a guard at the tower post to open the city gates. The thick metal slates opened inwards towards the city causing the horses to take a few steps back in caution. As soon as the gate was opened wide enough the boys all darted out in a gallop on their horses. Once outside they were immediately greeted with the hilly, grassy plains of the countryside.

"I'll race you!" Naruto shouted with a goofy grin getting a head start.

Sasuke didn't bother with a vocal reply, but sent his horse into a faster gallop as his answer. Naruto and Sasuke were constantly competing with each other. All the boys loved competing. The prince's court was composed of several boys: Neji, Kiba, Shikamaru, Naruto, Chouji, Sai, Shino, and Lee.

"Oh my god…" Naruto muttered wide-eyed as he slowly galloped up to a house, Sasuke close behind him.

Naruto slowly dismounted from his horse and walked up to the scene of devastation. There was burned debris and blood everywhere. Sasuke slid off his horse and took a smell of the air.

"This is fresh…" Sasuke muttered as he picked up some of the hot ash only to be blown out of his hand by the wind.

Naruto scratched his head then asked, "You can you tell?"

Sasuke stood back up as he calmly said, "The smoke is still in the air, the ash is still hot, and you can't smell the decaying bodies yet."

"Decaying bodies?" Naruto asked skeptically.

Sasuke nodded and pointed inside the burned house. When Naruto took a closer look, he too saw the charred corpses with expression of dread as their final face before departing onto the next life.

"Who could've done this?" Sasuke growled as he turned around to face Naruto for an answer.

The blond shrugged before unsurely asking, "Possibly invaders?"

Sasuke shook his head grumbling, "No, It's much too close to the city. They would've been spotted instantly."

"Look!" Naruto shouted as he pulled a sheet of paper that was nailed to a nearby tree, then read it aloud, "Hear ye, this family bas been liquidated in the name of the royal family for repeated failure to pay taxes and debts. Due to in-cooperation, payment was taken along with the cost of their lives. Let this serve as an example. Any person who dare try and burry these criminals will be punished."

Sasuke clenched his hands. Something of this magnitude only happened with conspiracies and murder cases. Sasuke angrily took the paper from Naruto and got back on his horse furiously riding back towards the city. The guards saw him coming and opened the gates so quick that he didn't have to stop his horse. It was approaching late afternoon/early evening, so not many people lined the streets. Sasuke's horse galloped furiously though the city as he quickly approached the palace the guards opened those gates quickly as well, with Sasuke not slowing down until he had come to the entrance to the main hall. He dismounted the horse in one swift movement and left it to the servants to return it to the stables, briskly walking with anger in every step. He strode up to the large double wooden doors and with one hand and one swift movement he slammed both doors open causing not only a loud crashing, but also the chandeliers rattling afterwards. Sasuke didn't bother with formalities and trudged strait up to the head long table where his father was sitting and slammed the paper on the table in front o him.

"What the hell is this!" Sasuke demanded with a snarling tone.

"Is that anyway way to speak to the king?" Madara asked with his eyebrow raised with his usual dry sarcasm.

Sasuke looked form his father who was scowling while reading the sheet of paper to his uncle, Madara.

"Arrest that man!" Sasuke ordered, "For unwarranted use of royal authority!"

Guards quickly rushed over as Madara stuck his hands out saying, "Oh! Clad me in irons and take me away! I'm such a horrible person!"

Sasuke had nothing to add to his uncle's dramatic performance. Considering that Fugaku didn't protest Sasuke's order, Madara began to worry he really was going to the dungeon this time.

"Wait!" Madara shouted, "Sasuke boy, at least open your birthday present from me!"

A few footmen came in carrying a crate into the middle of the banquet hall right at the bottom of the stairs. All eyes were on Sasuke as he gave his uncle a hard look then turned his attention back to the box and slowly walked down the stairs until he was in front of it.

"I didn't have time to put it in a nicer container so you'll have to pry the top off. Terribly sorry about that" Madara said grinning, "But be careful not to stab it!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he unsheathed his sword and pried the lid off. He was speechless. It was a whole new low, even for Madara. Sasuke knew that the girl must've been from the desecrated house. She was the "payment" they mentioned in the note. He reached down into the crate and picked up the unconscious girl bridal style. The whole banquet hall burst out in gasps and whispers and a few appalled screams.

Sasuke looked at the pinkette's face then turned his gaze back to his uncle as he furiously spat, "What the hell is wrong with you!"

Fugaku stood up and expressed his disgust as well, "Madara, by my decree as king, I herby banish you from not only this palace, this city, but this entire kingdom. Your return will be punishable by death."

"Oh dear! I've really done it now, haven't I?" Madara asked rhetorically.

"You're lucky I don't kill you where you stand" Fugaku expressed sternly.

"But before you haul me away, I have to ask, Sasuke, do you like your gift? Pretty little thing, isn't she?"

"Leave…" Sasuke growled dangerously with his bangs shading his eyes leaving his expression unreadable except for his clenched teeth.

"Oh no… have I upset the prince on his special birthday?"

Sasuke had had it with Madara's mocking and disrespectful tone so he set the girl down next to the crate, unsheathed his sword, and threw it. The sword spun repeatedly through the air until it hit Madara's shoulder taking him off his feet and pinning him to the wall.

"I'll kill you…" Sasuke threatened.

"Not like that you won't" Madara said smirking trying to hide the shooting pain in his shoulder, "You missed!"

"Wrong" Sasuke retorted quickly, "You missed. You missed the opportunity to earn all the second chance's we've ever given you. You missed the honor to be king because of your God-awful attitude. You're the one who 'missed', uncle."

Madara gritted his teeth growling, "This isn't over…" as guard came and took him away as he was dripping blood from his shoulder.

A guard walked over and returned Sasuke's sword to him. Once Sasuke wiped and re-sheathed his sword he waited for his father's instructions.

"Sasuke, what course of action do you suggest?" his father asked him, surprising him a bit.

Sasuke scratched the back of his head with uncertainty before answering, "Take her to the infirmary to treat her wounds and bring her back to consciousness. Then have the ladies' court take care of her. I think that's the least we can do."

Fugaku nodded then gestured for some guard to come pick the girl up, but Sasuke shook his head saying, "No, allow me to take her."

Fugaku raised his eyebrow in a questioning gaze before consenting, "Very well. Go clean up into nicer garments then return to the banquet. It's in your honor, after all."

"I understand, father. Thank you." Sasuke said as he took the pinkette into his arms the way she was before and proceeded to carry her away.

Sasuke slowly made his way down the hallway of the abandoned feeling castle. Everyone was at the banquet hall, so it was understandable that no one was around, but he knew the clinician was most certainly in the infirmary. When Sasuke walked in he set Sakura on a simple wood-framed bed. When he turned around he saw the clinician already looking over his shoulder.

"Tsunade" he said monotonously, "Please take care of her. When you're done have the ladies' court take care of her."

"What am I? Delivery doctor? Human packages?" Tsunade scoffed as she began emitting a green glow from her hands as she healed Sakura.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at Tsunade's lack of respect for anyone. The only reason Sasuke put up with it was because she was the best-of-the-best. Sasuke left the room and headed towards his chambers knowing that the pinkette was in good hands. He was able to quickly dispose of his riding garments and put on a nicer, more formal set of clothes. As he eyeballed the crown on the other end of the room he started debating himself and his future as king. He put the crown on and looked at himself in the mirror. He knew that he wasn't expected to be held accountable for his uncle's actions. But he knew he had to look after that girl, as much as he hated the opposite gender. Every girl he ever met couldn't even hold a conversation with him because they swooned just looking at him.

"Knock-knock Sasuke-channnn!" Naruto cooed on the other side of the door gently knocking, knowing Sasuke was in there.

Sasuke immediately snapped his head to the door with a mixture of a glare and a scowl.

"C'mon man… everyone's waiting for you" Naruto gently spoke through the door.

"Shut up dobe…" Sasuke growled as he slowly stood up and walked towards the door.

The crown he wore was silver and slightly smaller than his father's. It wasn't ornate with several jewels, but had a giant diamond in the middle and sapphires lining the bottom. It was specially crafted for him. No other prince had worn this crown and to him that made it seem like he was obligated to wear it to every royal event.

Sasuke gently placed the crown on top of his head and walked towards the door. He was wearing a chain mail shirt with a plain cobalt-blue silk tabard, and silver decorative plate-metal pants. Sasuke was prince, but unlike the soft-raised, pampered princes before him, he was a warrior prince. He was trained in politics and the assassin's arts. He felt more secure with his armor on than he did in fine garments.

When Sasuke opened the large wooden door Naruto tackled him with a hug cheering, "I knew you wouldn't skip out on your own birthday banquet!"

Sasuke groaned in distaste as he pealed Naruto off of him and walked towards the dining hall. When he entered everyone rose to their feet and faced him, bowing as he glided down the golden stitched carpet to the main family's table. Fugaku was sitting with Sasuke to his right and Mikoto to his left, and Itachi on the other side of Mikoto.

Fugaku stood up with his family following after him holding out his goblet full of wine as he belted, "Let the feast officially begin!"

Cheers erupted as others held out wine and mugs of ale. A band began to play upbeat music that some of the citizens stomped to the beat of. A few minutes into the celebration, Sasuke still had a stoically sour face.

"Ah!" Fugaku exhaled enthusiastically as a woman approached the table, "Lady Karin! It's good to see you! I'm sure your presence pleases my son as well."

Sasuke kept looking forwards and refused to acknowledge the redhead's presence until his mother gave Fugaku a slightly upsetting look.

"Sasuke why don't you dance with Karin?"

Karin didn't say anything but simply blushed as she cheered inside. Sasuke knew he couldn't deny his father's wishes, so he stood up from his seat and plodded around the table up to Karin and bowed offering her his hand. She gingerly took it with a vivid blush gracing her cheeks as they descended to steps down to the floor with the banquet guests and on the edge of the dance floor. The two waited until the last song was over. Sasuke stood in line across Karin on the boys' side, and Karin on the girls' side. The soft and flowing music began to play, so both sides bowed to the other. All partners stepped up to each other then turned to the side and stepped in time to the music doing various maneuvers. The dance was completely silent, neither of them spoke to one another, and Sasuke bowed at the end and looked up to see his father still scowling. Sasuke rolled his eyes knowing full well what was being expected of him. He took Karin's hand in his then tenderly kissed it. But when his lips met her hand he couldn't help but have his mind flash back to pink hair. He turned towards the table to see his father's face placid, but still not satisfied. Sasuke couldn't do much else so he took his leave and sat back at the table.

"Sasuke!" Naruto cheered from a lavished table where the other men's court members were.

Sasuke quickly looked to his father who nodded back at Sasuke giving him permission to accompany them for the remainder of the banquet. His father did have that nobleman's group established specifically with his son's social happiness in mind since Sasuke wasn't exactly the most talkative of people.

"Happy birthday, Sasuke" Neji said plainly, followed by a loud and cheerful, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" from everyone else.

Sasuke nodded with a smirk and sat down in one of the chairs at the table. He wasn't sure exactly what else he could do at the banquet, one dance was one more than he ever intended or wanted to do.

Ino was in the banquet hall when she had a servant come to her to escort her to the infirmary by order of Tsunade. Ino wasn't happy about being called out of the banquet, especially when she was starting to get her flirt on with Shikamaru. Ino was led down the hall and when she walked in she saw a pink-haired girl standing next to Tsunade.

"You?" she asked remembering the girl that Sasuke pulled out of the box earlier before the banquet officially started.

Sakura stepped forward with her face towards the ground, "My name is Sakura Haruno… Tsunade informed me that since I have no home I'll be staying here…"

Ino smirked, knowing Sasuke was asking her to take care of Sakura. He had a funny way of asking, cause he didn't, he just made a mess for someone else to clean up.

"Let's get you properly taken care of… I'm sure the prince will want you to appear at the banquet later tonight. You'll be the talk of the palace when I'm done with you. Now let's get a move on before it ends!" Ino stated confidently while she cupped Sakura's chin and moved her face around in order to scan what natural beauty she had to work with. It was hard to see under all the scratches and bruises.

Ino took Sakura's hand and led her down several other hallways until she noticed the hall was lined with bedroom doors.

"Where are we?" Sakura asked looking around astonished.

"The girl's court dormitory for those who don't have family inside the city bounds that wish to socialize in the palace. You'll be staying here as well. I'm sure we'll have a room ready for you by the end of the night."

Sakura just nodded as Ino drug her into a room and closed the door behind them.

"Ok darling just hold still for me" she said as she examined Sakura's face.

Sakura followed the blond girl with her eyes uncertain of what to think. Ino was inspecting Sakura's face like a predator inspects its prey. Sakura cinched her eyes shut and gulped as Ino continued to look at her.

Ino scowled at Sakura's reaction as she sneered, "I'm not going to eat you, I just need to pick out a good color dress that won't clash with your hair. But I can't say that Sasuke won't eat you when I'm done."

Sakura's eyes went wide and her face red at that comment. She'd never even seen this Sasuke person, but apparently he knew who she was, much to Sakura's dismay. She never liked being left in the dark about anything.

"First thing is first, we need to get this grime off of you. When was the last time you bathed?" Ino asked while trying to undress the reluctant pinkette.

"I swam in a creek a day or so ago…" she mumbled.

"Doesn't count, get in the tub." Ino demanded as she pointed towards the porcelain tub in a smaller separate side room, "I'll have some servants bring in some warm water, but lets get you soaped up first."

Ino gingerly reached into her cabinets and pulled out a few bottles of strange looking liquid. She read the look of confusion on Sakura's face and asked, "What? You've never used soap or oils before? Are you kidding me?"

Sakura then quirked a brow and asked, "Did I need to?"

Ino's face turned to one of disgust as she then told her, "We have a lot of work to do to make you a court lady. Good grief."

After the servants brought in buckets of warm water and lit the small fare place below the tub to keep the water warm they left the two girls by themselves.

"Why aren't you bathing?" Sakura asked indignantly.

"I bathed earlier today. Not to mention I'm not into bathing with other people unless it's a hot spring. I'll just talk to you from here."

Sakura hesitantly soaked back into the tub filled with fragrance and bubbles as she slowly rubbed the dirt and ash off her arms and legs. She winced a few times as she came into contact with several bruises and open wounds. Tsunade had healed the more severe injuries like her broken ribs and deep cuts. The shallow scrapes and bruising had to heal on their own. Tsunade didn't want to risk straining her body from too much energy being put in that she used when she healed.

"Now lets get you dressed" Ino sighed as she grabbed a towel and held it like a drape out for Sakura as she rose to her feet to step out of the tub.

"What about the fire?" Sakura asked nervously as they were walking out of the bathroom.

"The servants will take care of it" Ino stated.

Ino watched Sakura dry herself off and felt a cringe of sympathy when she saw all the bruises covering Sakura's body. It must hurt her to do simple movements, but she didn't let people see that she was hurting. It made Ino think of her as incredibly strong.

"Come on!" Ino shouted as she took off down a hall dragging Sakura by her wrists in her new clean and dressed state.

The pinkette was wearing a stunning yellow gown with pink lace designs all over it. It was a tight fitting boddess with a loose and long skirt. Ino eventually got to the large double doors leading into the banquet hall, and with both girls out of breath she opened them. Sakura didn't know what Sasuke looked like, but the second a raven-haired man turned around to see her, she knew who it was. She'd never met him but his name instantly came to mind. Sasuke.

To Be Continued…