Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In a time long past, when it was still of use to cast a spell. There were lands beyond seven mountain ranges, beyond seven rivers, where small kingdoms have risen and fallen. The people were scattered throughout the lands, segregated and at war with each other because of clans and their hunger for power and recognition. As the flames of war fanned on and the bodies of child soldiers stacked upon each other; they who were mourned before they were known, society grew restless, They sought rulers; true leaders that would end the unjust suffering of the weak and who would bring unification and tranquility across the land. Many across the borders of clan territory shared this dream, but had not dared to hope for its realization. This period of time would later be known as the Warring States.

It all changed after a certain man came forward, with no one knowing where he came from or which clan he belonged to. He claimed to be untethered by the chains society had forced upon itself and promised those who followed him that they'd be free of them too. An unified world was what he envisioned, where each individual was equal and children were protected under the laws of the land. As he embarked on his journey spreading the gospel, he became renowned for creating wonder upon wonder, gaining dedicated followers from the bustling streets of lively towns, to the wandering nomads of the desert. He was later known as the Sage of Six Paths and eventually became the first emperor of the Element Empire. The empire lasted for a thousand years before it came to fall as the greater royal family produced no heirs and the noble's ambitions to take the throne for themselves thwarted their subjects' desire for peace. As the empire fell, so did the unwritten unity its citizens had. The remains of the empire broke into five separate nations with different sovereigns ruling them. These nations were known as the Land of Fire, Land of Water, Land of Wind, Land of Lightning and Land of Earth with distant descendants of the Sage of Six Paths ruling them. In spite of their shared origins, the nations shared a turbulent bond with one another, having experienced periods of long lasting peace between them and the same agony of war their ancestors sought to banish from society’s consciousness.

In recent history a young man named Minato stemming from the Namikazes, a noble family of humble status in the Land of Fire, emerged in the public eye. He, who was brought up during the last great war, shared a likeness in ideology as the mythical first emperor. An ideology that stirred up hope in the hearts of commoners. Minato vehemently believed in peace with no disruptions between the neighboring countries and tried to persuade the other nobles against the ongoing bloodshed, many of whom brushed the boy’s ambition off as youthful daydreams. The consistent rejection did not deter him as he continued to spread his message and his aspirations eventually reached the ears of the crown princess of the Land of Fire, Kushina Uzumaki. She was well known for her non-traditional outlook on life and with her interest piqued, invited the boy over to question his passion for peace, as he needn’t be afraid of the draft itself; that was only reserved for commoners. As Minato explained his desire to the princess, she quickly came to fall for him. His altruism was no act and his sincere concern for the lives of commoners, who other nobles didn’t spare a second thought to, bewitched her. The same could be said for the boy as he became mesmerized by Kushina’s intelligence, the quick witted questions she had asked him about his beliefs, the humorous jabs she’d make, which he was keenly aware flew past most people and her unbelievable beauty. He had never seen anyone even come close to rivaling hers. As the two grew closer, a secret love affair blossomed between the two.

The nobility of Konoha grew suspicious. News traveled throughout the aristo, leading to the king catching wind of the secret rendezvous. Blinded by his anger and determination to tear the two apart, he drafted the boy in the war with the Land of Wind. To the surprise of many, Minato proved himself to be an extremely skilled soldier, quickly climbing up the ranks and eventually gaining the title of general, leading a subsection of the royal army. His quick reflexes and ability to come up with unheard strategies, gained him the title of ‘the Yellow Flash’, a title which renown surpassed the borders of nations. Many thought he had abandoned his pacifist ways and worked hard to bring glory to the kingdom. They were unaware that his true ambitions lay with his desire to return to his beloved Kushina, his beliefs being put on the backburner. By his third year as a soldier, he had gotten unworried at the attempts of his enemies, which led to him growing more vulnerable.

In the Land of Wind, another general a decade older than Minato also gained fame for his success in the war. His skills being so famed, it caused people to sit up straight just by hearing his name. This man was Kizashi Haruno, the viscount to be of the noble Haruno family from Suna. He had heard of the young Minato and was excited to meet him in battle, but what he didn’t expect was the way he would cross him. Kizashi found him severely injured at the valley of death, after narrowly escaping a surprise attack by Suna soldiers. He had carefully approached Minato, prepared to hit the finishing blow just to be surprised by what he saw. The boy’s eyes held no fear, no anger and somehow no peace in them. All Kizashi could observe when looking at him was a buried sense of anguish and acceptance. Minato had accepted death and was utterly devastated by his fate. Dying after he spent years apart from his beloved, having abandoned his resolve and everything that made him. 

“Do it. Kill me.” The blond had muttered, clearly struggling to get the words out.

“I…I can't,” Kizashi replied, shocked by the words seeping out before he realized.

“Why not? I am your enemy. Just do it.” Minato asked in genuine confusion. Why would he save his life? Did he not know he was from their enemy’s army? But he wore their uniform.

“No, I kill those who have accepted the battle of life. You are running away from it. If I find you on the battlefield again and I can see the resolve in your eyes, then I will take your life.”

Minato stiffened under the weight of his words. How did he see through him when his own comrades couldn’t. With heavy eyelids he looked up at the man, seeing a tan man with an unique shade of ashy pink hair look at him with pity in his eyes. He looked like he was about a decade older than him, so he estimated him to be in his early 30’s. Kizashi might’ve looked like a regular man to many, but to Minato he was a beacon of justice. Reminding him that on both sides of this war were people, innocent people with different lives and loved ones. A fire ignited in his heart which strengthened his resolve to not only get back home safely, but also to continue his fight against the constant war.

“I will… return the favor..one day” He said, taking slow breaths between every couple words.

"If you manage to survive this, I will be sure to cash in that favor” Kizashi said as he walked off, raising his hand while his back faced Minato

10 months later both kingdoms announced an end to the war and introduced a truce between the nations. Minato being honored for his achievements in the war and gaining the approval to marry Crown Princess Kushina. They later on became the King and Queen of the Land of Fire, with their first act being to codify the truce with the Land of Wind.

o0o0o

Present day 

o0o0o

‘“Sakura, are you ready?” Mebuki asked carefully.

 “Is someone ever ready to leave their parents?” Sakura replied misty eyed. 

“Oh dear don’t say that. You will make your old man cry.” Kizashi replied teasingly, a hint of sadness in his eyes. 

“There really is no other way, is there? Must I leave?” the girl asked hopefully. Sakura knew there was no changing her fate. The carriage bringing her to Konoha already stood loaded with her items, ready to depart from their estate. She just couldn’t help but ask anyway. 

“Education is a must, Sakura. You already debuted in high society, which means sooner than later you will have to take on the burden of what it means to be a noble woman. As parents we must take our roles seriously. Although I must admit, I wish you could stay with us.” Her father said, rubbing his neck shyly at the last part. 

“ I wish I could further educate you myself sweetpea, but your father and I must work overtime to take care of the estate. I hope you can forgive your mother” Mebuki added to Kizashi, looking down in shame when asking for forgiveness. 

“Don’t say that!" Sakura said while raising her voice. Embarrassment mixed with dejection rushing through her. She wanted to stay, but she never planned on making her parents feel bad! “I am forever grateful for you both so i do not wish to hear any more of these apologies. I will make the best of my time in Konoha and work hard enough so that I'll come back an even more refined lady, I promise you both that.” she said, feeling a strong wave of unfounded confidence rushing through her. 

As she gave her parents a final embrace, she heard footsteps approaching. Surely the coachman wouldn’t dare to rush her? She was to leave her parents for god knows how long!

“Aren’t you forgetting to say goodbye to someone?” Sakura heard a familiar voice say. She looked up to find her best friend looking up to her.

“Temari! You came!” Sakura chirped out as she practically jumped into her best friend, the crown princess of the Land of Wind, arms. She had asked Temari to come see her on her last day, but didn’t expect her to actually be able to come as Temari’s schedule seemingly never seemed to clear. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Sakura.” The blonde said, smiling brightly at her best friend. She had met Sakura at a tea party, her parents set up for her a little more than 13 years ago, and ever since the two became inseparable. 

Well, up until now as Sakura was planning on not only leaving the capital, but the country for an unspecified amount of time. Temari was incredibly upset and repeatedly asked her father to help the Haruno’s as their financial fragility was the cause for Sakura’s move, but she was rebuffed time and time again. After Viscount Haruno returned from the war, a decorated hero, he was met with a laundry list of loans his family members racked up in his absence, putting even the estate at risk. He and Viscountess Haruno had put years of work into rectifying the situation. As they grew hopeful of a brighter future, the oldest of their two children Sasori fell ill with an incurable illness. They didn’t let the doctor’s claim of no cure being discovered, stop their search for one and narrowly escaped financial ruin again. Sasori had passed away two years ago and the family had only as of late started to live looking forward towards the future again, but as time went by their daughter Sakura grew older and needed a fund for her endeavors to cement her standing in high society. Kizashi eventually remembered the young boy he had saved over two decades ago and how he grew to be the current king of the Land of Fire and decided to write to him. He was not confident that the letter would reach Minato nor that he would even remember him, so he was extremely surprised and grateful when he not only returned the letter, but promised he’d sponsor his daughter for as long as needed. 

After saying goodbye to her loved ones, Sakura embarked on her journey. She was feeling nervous, yet couldn't deny the small excitement she had to see what the future held for her. 

o0o0o

Sakura had arrived at the royal palace and was escorted to the banquet hall. As she entered the hall, she couldn’t stop her mouth from falling open. The interior design was as magnificent and intimidating in size as her own country’s, one she was used to seeing because of her frequent visits to Temari, however the stylistic choices couldn’t be more different. Whereas the banquet hall in Suna had a more minimalistic take, with sleek beige marble floors and roman pillars in every corner, to earthy tones being used in every way from the colors in the paintings made by long dead painters, to the carpentry and statues that were placed delicately. However the banquet hall in Konoha had a more maximalist take, with hardwood floors that were polished so well they could blind, if you were not already by the golden chandeliers with what seemed like hundreds of diamonds carefully placed into them that hung across the hall, dark blue, white and red being both the colors in the carpentry and the paintings. Sakura couldn’t hold in a giggle when she noticed that almost all of the paintings that hung in the hall were ones made by modern painters. How could taste differ so much? she thought amused to herself. 

As she continued exploring the newly found beauty of the palace with her eyes, making a mental note to make sure to wander off alone at some point, she followed the head butler, Iruka, further into the hall. That was until he abruptly came to a halt, bowing his head. Sakura looked to see who he was bowing to and saw a regal looking young couple. They were wearing the finest of clothing, the woman wearing a silky cream beige gown with bedazzled lace sewn over it, the dress having a slight train. Her vibrant red hair had been tied up in a sophisticated bun and she wore a simple but elegant tear ruby necklace to match. She exuded distinction and immediately became the very face of what it meant to be both a beauty and grace to Sakura. Next to her stood a handsome man of tall stature, confidence radiating off him. He too was wearing a silky cream beige doublet, matched to a rich brown pants. 

“Your Majesties, we were just on our way to you both.” Iruka said in the same polite manner he had spoken to her earlier. 

“That is quite all right Iruka. We were eager to see our long awaited guest and couldn’t sit by any longer!”

Sakura’s eyes widened as the words being exchanged in front of her sunk in. They were the king and queen? How come they didn’t wear their crowns! Harrowing images of how she could’ve embarrassed herself had she spoken to them before Iruka flashed through her mind. She would’ve made a fool out of herself, that she knew for sure. She was quick to do a curtsy and cleared her throat to introduce herself. 

“Greetings Your Majesties, I am Sakura Haruno of the Land of Wind. I am utterly pleased to be in your presence” Sakura had spurted out, still feeling caught off guard. 

“My! What a sweet girl!” the Queen proclaimed excitedly as she stepped towards Sakura. Clasping their hands together, she continued. “But you can call me Kushina or aunt if you please. I had always wished for a daughter to take care of, and while I'm not here to replace Viscountess Haruno, I am excited to take on the role as maternal guardian during your time here y'know!” She practically squealed out, adding onto Sakura’s shock. Her prior image of the queen being nothing but the picture of grace was dented by her casual manner of speech, but it did help Sakura feel more comfortable. She seems nice. I am so relieved! she thought to herself, her nerves subdued by the second. 

“Kushina, you might be overwhelming the girl!” The king said bemused.

“No way! Am i?” Kushina looked wide eyed at Sakura, actively trying to search for confirmation in her green eyes. “No it’s more than okay, Your Majesty!” Sakura replied back trying to calm Kushina down. “It’s aunt Kushina! you only have to call me Your Majesty at official events.” 

“But I-”

“No buts! Consider this your first lesson from your teacher” she said teasingly. “Well alright then, aunt Kushina.” Sakura said with a slight hesitation. Despite her appreciating Kushina’s kind gesture, she couldn’t help but feel like she was entering extremely dangerous territory. A subject of another nation refusing to call the Queen by her correct title would be enough of a reason to execute! 

 “Sakura, I've heard many great things about you from your father. I hope you find your place here and you will come to love Konoha like we do.” Minato said kindly.

“I’m sure I will, Your Majesty.” 

“I won’t force you to call me uncle, however know the offer stands” He added with a warm smile.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Sakura said, feeling genuinely touched by their friendliness. Sakura didn’t expect her hosts to be rude to her, but she had also not expected such a warm welcome.

“Shall I lead my lady to her chambers?” Iruka asked Minato.

“Before that I think a certain someone wants to meet her” He replied back.

huh? Who could that be-

“IS SHE FINALLY HERE?” The loud voice created a slight echo in the room, while the doors of the banquet hall were pushed open. Sakura turned around in astonished as to see who could be so lacking in manners

“Speak of the devil.” Kushina giggled.

“OH MY GOD SHE IS! Mom! Dad! How could you not tell me?” A blond boy with a strong tan said as he marched towards them. “Are you Lady Sakura!” He said, towering over the girl.
"Uhm, yeah." She paused, looking puzzled at him.  Did he not realize how close he was to her?   “Who are you?”

“I am Naruto! Naruto Uzumaki. You just met my parents.” He said smiling, pointing at Minato and Kushina who were clearly entertaining themselves by watching their interaction.

 “You mean to tell me that YOU are the crown prince?” She said befuddled. 

“Well yes, who else would be? Don’t tell me you didn’t think such a handsome man could be a prince. Yes my Lady, real life prince charmings exist.” He said as he looked away with a fake abashedness. “I’m just kidding, geez don’t look so disgusted!” Naruto looked at her, holding his hand on his heart, as if she genuinely hurt his feelings.

What the hell is wrong with him? She wondered, but despite the clear disgust she felt for his words, she had to admit the boy had a charm. 

“Hey don’t scare the girl off! She arrived here less than an hour ago and you’re already pulling pranks.” Kushina exclaimed, causing Naruto to look like a deer caught in headlights. “Yes mother” He sighed out, looking dejected. 

“But if she just arrived, doesn't that mean she still needs to get a tour of the palace? I will be the one to do that!” Naruto said cheerfully. Wow he really changes mood quickly. How weird . 

“Actually Sir, I am the one entrusted with that task” Iruka said, reminding Sakura that he was still present.

“Aww come on Iruka! Just let me do it and take some off for yourself. I know Konohamaru wore you out this morning.” Iruka looked like he was mulling it over, before looking at Kushina for acceptance. “Very well.  Let’s see how good of a guide Naruto is.” She said intrigued. 

“Really? Thank you mom. Thank you Iruka!” Naruto said excitedly. 

 “Shall we go, my lady?” He asked as he stretched out his arm. 

“Alright then, but I can walk perfectly fine by myself.” Sakura said sternly yet still polite. Though he seemed kind, Sakura could already tell Naruto was unpredictable. She did not want to walk around arms linked with a boy she just met, especially one she barely could read. 

o0o0o

As he showed her every nook and cranny of the palace, Sakura chatted away with Naruto. They had discussed a lot together and she came to the conclusion that though he was still very strange and unpredictable, she was confident that he was a very kind person. They found out they liked a lot of the same stageplays, events and even shared some funny memories together. He had told her that he always wanted to have an age-mate reside in the palace, as he was unable to leave its ground most of the time. Sakura empathized with him greatly as she had felt the loneliness at her estate ever since the death of her brother. She had decided that she would try her best to become actual friends with him. Her thoughts drifted towards Temari, her best friend that she had left behind back home. Wanting to steer her thoughts away from the sad feeling that bubbled up in her gut, she decided to ask more questions. “Naruto, do  you have a best friend?” He quiet a little, seemingly mulling over his response. Oh no, did I ask something wrong? How could i forget, he just complained about being lonely! As Sakura was beating herself up mentally for her uncouth questions, he spoke up. “Yeah, I do. His name is Sasuke and he is one of the best guys I know. I would like to introduce you to him, but he’s currently out of Konoha. He mostly stays in his duchy.” So he’s a duke huh? 

“What is he like?” Sakura asked, curious as to what type of people Naruto surrounded himself with. 

“He’s the complete opposite of me. He was always good in school and smart to a fault, yet was boring and rude and could rarely take a joke!  I guess we are both handsome, but even then we don’t look anything alike.” he replied, seemingly lost in thought. While the characteristics Naruto was naming weren’t all positive, Sakura could tell he really valued his friend. Naruto had been smiling in a way she had not seen during the course of the day. His face looked serene as he rambled on. 

“I think he would like you, Sakura chan.” Naruto said, pulling her away from the thoughts roaming in her head.

“Me? Why that?” She asked, genuinely confused. 

“I don’t know, a gut feeling I have? Well even if he doesn’t, I like you!” He said the last part in his typical cheery tone. Sakura couldn’t help but snort. “Oh how grateful I am for that.” she replied sarcastically. 

“He might come to the ball next week. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that to you. My parents want to introduce you to the nobility in Konoha then.” Sakura almost jumped out of her own skin. Next week? I just arrived ! These people won’t even let me breathe first.

“Ay, don’t worry. I will be your escort and help you out. We are friends.” Naruto said as he nudged her shoulder, noticing the girl's change in demeanor. 

“Thank you, Naruto. Who knows, maybe I'll even be able to make more friends, maybe Sasuke?”

“If that is going to happen I’ll do a curtsy for you. That guy hates almost everything! Though I feel like if he were to like someone, it would be you” He said, his sincerity shocking Sakura. 

“Hmm, we will see.” She said amusement. Things were looking up for her

Chapter Text

Today is the day, Sakura thought as both dread and excitement pooled her lower stomach. 

Sakura had been busy all week trying to get acclimated to her new life in Konoha, the Land of Fire’s capital city. She was grateful that the palace’s staff had unpacked and organized her belongings for her, as she had been extremely busy the past week and knew she wouldn’t be able to take care of it herself. Sakura had spent every day of the past week with Kushina, who she had taken a strong liking to as she reminded her more and more of her own mother every day, trying to learn the ropes of the palace and how noble women navigated in society through this part of the world. It was in many ways similar to that of her native country, but simply ‘passing by’ was not enough. She had to be perfect as even making the smallest mistake could be social suicide for an unmarried woman and Sakura was very well aware of that fact. 

Kushina had seemed to get more and more sullen over the days and tried to apologize to Sakura multiple times about how she hadn’t been able to rest since she came, but Sakura always stopped her before she was able to complete her apology. It was only natural she was busy since her official debut in Konoha’s society was to be in 3 days, being productive during the day was of the essence and truthfully, she didn’t mind. Being busy in preparation for her debut not only kept her from letting her mind wander too long to the people she left behind, but also fed the studious side within her. 

The girl had been taught the styles of embroidery that were popular in Konoha, the different cultural delicacies that were served at tea parties by Kushina and she had given her an ample list of famous poets and philosophers originating from the Land of Fire for Sakura to revise and memorize all over the course of the past 5 days. Though Sakura had dutifully listened and taken note of everything Kushina had told her, she had to admit that her ears perked up when Kushina had shown her the places she could study with no interruption or restriction. She had come to Konoha to further distinguish herself as a noble lady, yes, but that was not all. She knew her parents valued her being educated more than they valued her social currency and that was something she did not take lightly. Sakura also knew that they secretly held hope she would find someone during her stay with the Uzumaki’s, however that was something she would have to disappoint them with.

Sakura had never been one to bet the course of her future on getting married, in fact she had never met a man she deemed worthy enough of her time to even gain a crush on. The nail in the coffin ridding her off her small hope regarding love happened shortly after the passing of her brother and how she had witnessed her parents being confronted, whilst still grieving, with the loans they took on in search for a cure to his illness. The illness that eventually robbed his light from them. 

Sakura had decided that it was her responsibility as their only surviving child to grow not only as a noble woman, but as a business woman so she could come to a point where she could easily function as her parent’s financial cushion and they’d never have to worry about a loan shark hunting them down ever again. However she was also keenly aware that this would prove to be impossible if she became the lady of another manor, for Sakura that realization transformed romantic love into a thing to avoid rather than to yearn for. 

“It’s not a big deal, I have plenty of people I love and that love me back in my life anyways ” was what she frequently told herself ever since Temari became betrothed to  Shikamaru, their former classmate from Suna’s Royal Academy. At least, it was what she used to tell herself as her loved ones weren’t actually in her anymore and she wasn’t confident she would even make new ones in Konoha. Naruto had been a new friend she made, but that didn’t have to mean much she reasoned to herself. From what she was able to observe over the past week, Naruto seemed to be friends with everyone in the palace including its staff. It was something she had admired secretly, a royal being humble enough to willingly mingle with his subjects was a rare sight to behold, however it didn’t soothe her worries. She had no real proof Naruto saw her as a genuine friend, or just someone he could chit chat with and her overthinking habit didn’t make it easier for her to believe the former. 

Currently her insecurity settling in made her, admittedly, not completely look forward towards her meeting with Kushina today. They were to fit dresses together for the ball, an activity Sakura typically loved, but the batch of negative thoughts that started creeping into her mind one by one easily triumphed over her excitement.

What if they don’t like me? What if I accidentally say something considered rude but I don't realize it? What if I just forget everything Aunt Kushina taught me? As soon as the thoughts came in, they started taking over all the space in her head and she couldn’t even try to distract herself from them. 

“Are you ready?”

Kushina’s voice pulled Sakura out of her train of thought and instinctively made her sit up right. She turned her head to see Kushina standing behind her. To Sakura, her presence alone managed to make her feel better.  

“Ah yes, I was waiting on you Aunt. I didn’t hear you walk in”

“AW you are finally calling me aunt. I thought I was going to die if I had to tell you to stop calling me ‘Your Majesty’ one more time!” Kushina exclaimed, while excitedly hugging Sakura from the back. 

“I didn’t know it would make you that happy.” Sakura said, smiling as she put her hands above Kushina’s, who was still holding her frame. 

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN? Of course it would! Such a cute young girl calling me aunt makes me so happy!” Kushina replied earnestly. Her words tugged at Sakura’s heartstrings as she turned around to fully face the elder. She had retained her grip on Kushina’s hand and held it between them.

“Thank you so much Aunt, truly. Shall we try the dresses on now?” She said as a small, but genuine smile graced her lips. 

“I would love nothing more.”

o0o0o

“This one is…” 

“Perfect.” Kushina said, finishing the sentence for the younger girl. Sakura was wearing a beautiful crimson dress with small diamond detailing made from smooth shiny velvet. The dress had a corset built in that helped in tastefully accentuating her curves as it eventually went down in a slight mermaid silhouette. Its long sleeves went wider as it neared her wrists and the dress had a classic boat neckline. Both women instinctively knew that Sakura would have to tie her hair up in a bun on the night of the ball to further show off her statement piece diamond teardrop shaped earrings.

“You are going to be the most beautiful girl there! I will have to save you from all the men that will flock to you!” Kushina said delightedly, clasping her hands together.

“Not when you’re there!” Sakura replied back cheerfully. Though she said it mostly to return the compliment, she had no shadow of a doubt that Kushina would be one of, if not the most beautiful and mesmerizing woman at the party. Despite seeing her everyday, Sakura was still impressed by her beauty and joyous energy. 

“Geez, you’ll make me redder than I already am!” The redhead said, hiding her face behind her hands. Sakura couldn’t help but laugh at the elder’s youthful demeanor. Feeling a sense of safety with her, Sakura started to wonder whether she should mention her doubts regarding the party. Maybe she could ease her worries? In order to rule a country, you would have to know your subjects well after all. While Sakura was deep in thought, Kushina spoke up. 

“Sweetheart, is everything okay?” 

"No, it’s not.” Sakura answered truthfully. She knew that if she wasn’t going to say something now, she never would and before she knew it her words started flowing out of her like word vomit. “I’m scared for the party. I'm scared I'll manage a way to make a huge mistake and ruin my chances at making friends. I know you helped me a lot in preparation, and it’s probably ridiculous to you that I’m worried about making friends when that’s not why I’m here and i don’t want to seem like i’m not grateful for your help till now but I just-”

“Breathe, Sakura.” Kushina said as she placed a gentle hand on Sakura’s shoulders. It wasn’t until that point that Sakura realized her shoulders had gotten tense and stiffened under the weight of her worries. As she visibly relaxed, she took a deep breath and nodded at Kushina who returned her a smile. 

“I’m happy you are finally being honest with me.” Kushina continued, her gentle gray eyes looking at Sakura with care. 

“You…knew?” How could she know? Confusion filled Sakura’s being. She was fairly sure she hid her anxious doubts well, she even made sure to show excitement whenever Kushina taught her something new!

“Well I wasn't sure, but I had an inclination that you were hiding your real feelings. I mean you recently moved to a completely different country and didn’t seem to mind one bit! It was a little hard to believe.” Kushina chuckled as she said the last part, causing Sakura to laugh bitterly as well. “And it’s not ridiculous nor is it ungrateful of you to want friends. I have always struggled making friends, so I understand.”

"You? But you are so kind and sociable? How did you struggle to have friends?" Sakura asked, feeling floored by the new information her current Queen gave her 

“I can say the same for you, y’know?” Kushina replied as she teasingly nudged Sakura’s shoulder. “I didn’t grow up in Konoha. I’m sure you’re aware that when I was younger our countries were at war and since I was the only one in line for the crown, they had sent me to a protected area far away from high society. I grew up there pretty much alone, my only friends being the servant’s children that lived on the estate. Once I became of age, my father had sent word that I needed to relocate to Konoha in order to learn the duties as crown princess. I lost all my friends and the only home I ever knew and had to start anew. It was hard, I realized a lot of people didn’t want to befriend me for me but for my title. It wasn’t until I was in my young adult life that I met my one and only friend, a girl named Mikoto Uchiha.” Kushina spoke in much softer cadence than usual as she continued on.

“Well I guess you could say Minato is my friend too but that’s different. He is in love with me!”  She said, smiling brightly at Sakura. Warmth filled Sakura’s heart as she felt so grateful for being in the care of someone like Kushina. She felt so silly for ever thinking that Kushina would judge her when all she had proven to be was a genuine kind person to her over and over again. 

“They are very lucky to have you.” Sakura replied sincerely.

“And your future friends will be lucky to have you too. You don’t need to doubt yourself that much. it’ll be fine, you just need to believe it.” Kushina said

“I will, thank you so much Aunt. For everything, including the dress. It’s beautiful.” Sakura said as tears pricked her eyes. She hurriedly tried to blink as much as she could to hide it, but Kushina saw it anyway and squeezed her cheek lovingly. 

“ISN’T IT!”

you can always hide behind me and go

“SAKURA CHAAAAAN! ARE YOU READYYYYY!” Naruto yelled out, his voice booming through the hallway. 

“YES I AM!” Sakura yelled back as she stumbled out of her room, locking eyes with the blond in front of her. “And stop yelling for the love of God. Do you have no shame?” 

“Why should i?” He replied with such a bright smile, Sakura almost got convinced she was the one who acted inappropriately. “Do you wish to depart from here, my lady?” Naruto said with a smug face, causing Sakura to giggle. He had stretched out his arm slightly for her to link her own onto. “Well yes I do, kind sir." She said amused as they continued to walk down the hallway with their arms intertwined.

Soon they had reached their destination, the ballroom that was already packed with guests. Both Kushina and Minato had already been there to welcome their guests. Sakura stared at the door, with a heavy feeling in her chest, knowing that once she went through it she could not hide herself from the eyes of countless strangers. Sensing something was off Naruto had looked down at his new friend to find her trembling slightly. 

“It’s okay, Sakura-chan. You will do well.” The boy said in his typical voice, clear of any insecurity like usual. “Thanks Naruto.” She smiled. 

“And even if does end up being too much for you, you can always yell out “Kyaaaah Naruto-kun!” and I will come down and save you.” He said, as he mimicked how he seemed to think a shy girl would act. His face staring at the ground as he pursed his lips and buckled his knees. He has got to be kidding me.

“I will absolutely not do that, you idiot.” Sakura replied, disgust evident in her voice. 

“You really are harsh…” Naruto replied, looking sullen and dejected.

“If it makes you feel better I wasn't planning on yelling out for you anyway since I assumed we’d just stick together.” Naruto’s ear perked up at that and his sullen facial expression immediately morphed into an excited one. “Sakura-chan, you really do see me as a friend don’t you” The blonde said, his eyes glistening with hope. “Of course I do, dummy.” she said, teasingly landing a soft punch on his arm. Naruto couldn’t contain his excitement anymore and embraced her in a tight hug, catching Sakura off guard. 

“Are you going to continue standing there hugging, or are you going to enter?” 

“IRUKA?!” Naruto and Sakura yelled in harmony, holding each other tighter and looking equally frazzled by his sudden appearance. 

“Yes, that is me. Now I will repeat; are you going to stand here all night or enter?”

“We will enter Iruka. We just got lost in conversation.” Sakura said apologetically, removing herself from Naruto’s embrace and holding her head low in shame. 

“Ah yes. Conversations with friends do make you lose track of time. I have experienced those plentiful times too.”

“You have friends?” Naruto asked, genuinely looking shocked by this tidbit of information. The question made Sakura facepalm and Iruka gained a deeply offended look on his face. I need to make more friends, smarter ones. The girl thought to herself.

“IN THE BALLROOM. BOTH OF YOU. NOW.”

“Yes sir!” Naruto and Sakura replied simultaneously, fear having stricken their souls.

As Naruto went to open the door, Sakura closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Here goes nothing. 

Classical music echoed through the ballroom packed with guests who were dressed in luxurious gowns and suits. As the two furthered their stride into the ballroom, the girl’s mouth fell slightly agape. It looked beautiful, the already tastefully designed ballroom had transformed into an extravagant view. The banquet table filled with delicacies ranging from meat skewers from rare bird species, to cakes that were so airy and moist Sakura couldn’t even begin to imagine how much work it would’ve taken the chef to perfect its recipe. The chattering of the guests blended in with the music creating an incohesive sound Sakura couldn’t focus on.

“Hey Ino!” Naruto yelled out to a pretty blonde girl who Sakura estimated to be of a similar age to Naruto and her own.

“Your Majesty.” She said as a graceful smile spread across her face, curtsying afterwards. 

“How have you been? I’ve been meaning to introduce you to the foreign guest staying with us, Sakura-chan.” Naruto continued, looking at Sakura when saying the last part.

“It is very nice to meet you, Lady Ino.” Sakura said to the blonde girl, who held strong eye contact with her. Sakura knew she was observing her but she couldn’t seem to figure out whether she was fond of what she saw or not. 

"The pleasure is likewise Lady Sakura, but please just call me Ino.”  She said with a friendly look in her eyes. Sakura couldn’t stop a wide smile from spreading across her face after hearing her request. “I will, but only if you call me Sakura.” Her reply caused Ino to chuckle. “That can be arranged.” 

“Ino is the daughter of Marquess Yamanaka, so you will probably see her around often at events.” Naruto said excitedly as his eyes darted in between the girls. 

He had thought of introducing Sakura to Ino ever since his first day of getting to know Sakura, specifically it coming to mind during their conversation in the garden after finishing the tour of the palace. Naruto knew he would become very good friends with Sakura as he immediately took a strong liking to her, but he was also well aware she would come to wish for a female friend at some point who could accompany her more often than he realistically could. Though Naruto had a somewhat difficult relationship with Ino, he also knew she was a genuine person who valued loyalty, integrity and was one of the few young debuted ladies of their generation that wasn’t afraid to go against injustice. These were all qualities he had wished for in a friend for Sakura as he never knew in what kind of situations she could end up in, especially knowing that there could be a chance of people judging her for being a foreign guest. No one would dare to do it in front of him, obviously, but he had to make sure they wouldn’t be able to when he was gone from Sakura’s side as well. 

 “Sakura, I must ask, where did you get that beautiful gown from? I’ve gone to every boutique but haven’t seen anything like it! It's marvelous” Ino said as her entire vibe seemingly changed from mysterious and cool to that of an enthusiastic young girl. Oh so she wasn’t staring at me, but my outfit. Sakura thought as she chuckled lightly.

“Oh Aunt- I mean Her Majesty had sent her favorite seamstress to the palace with some of her latest designs for my debut.” 

“So that must be why I haven't seen anything like it yet! Ugh you are SO lucky! I feel like we are getting the same designs over and over again.” Ino said bitterly. 

“No I agree, though I don't know much about Konona’s fashion fads. In Suna I felt like there was barely a point in buying clothing the past two summers. Everything looked the same. Not that it actually stopped me from shopping.” The two girls giggled at the latter end of  Sakura’s reply. “I love your outfit tonight though, it’s something completely different than I'm used to.” She continued on as she inspected Ino’s outfit in detail. She was wearing a silky violet dress with a high neck and golden details. The back of her dress was exposed as the fabric aesthetically layered on her lower back. She had a long golden necklace that went down the length of her back, ending slightly before the fabric near her rear-end. Her curled hair was up in a loose ponytail as she adorned herself with oval amethyst earrings.

Ino smiled brightly at her compliment before replying. “Thank you.  We will become good friends, I can already tell!” She squealed out.  Naruto looked fondly at the two girls chatting away next to him. Beside him not really knowing what they were talking about, he also purposefully decided to not even try to become a part of the conversation, as he had wanted to be sure of the girls having good chemistry. She will be alright, He had thought to himself as he hid the smile creeping on his face. 

o0o0o

As the time kept ticking forward, Sakura had found herself to finally be alone. She had spent the night dividing her time with Naruto and her new friend Ino, who she was both feeling extremely grateful to. She had realized Naruto purposefully introduced her to Ino to help her make friends, as he kept asking Sakura where Ino was whenever she left her side to chat or dance with him. Warmth started filing her chest at the thought of the kind gesture of the boy.  I need to thank him later on,  she had decided internally. 

However no matter how grateful she was to him and how happy she was to meet Ino, she had to admit she needed some time alone. The large crowd and constantly having to remind herself of the lessons Kushina gave her started to take a toll on her social battery, and it definitely did not help that both Ino and Naruto seemed to know and be friends with every person in their vicinity. She had probably introduced herself to upwards 30 people in less than 3 hours and she needed a break. 

Sakura had remembered a balcony at the end of the hall outside of the ballroom from her tour with Naruto and had planned to sit and rest there until she had felt refreshed enough to continue on the night. She had opened the door to the balcony and closed her eyes while taking a deep breath as she closed it behind her. What she did not expect as she opened her eyes, was to be greeted with a pair of the most gorgeous onyx eyes she had ever seen. Her gaze upon the strange man in front of her didn’t waver as she fully took his imposing stature in. He was a tall man, with a build that he obviously had to train for. He was wearing a simple, but beautifully tailored black suit of the finest fabrics that had matched his eyes and raven hair, but oh his face. She had never seen a man who managed to be as beautiful and handsome simultaneously as him, and it looked like he didn’t even try! He had very delicate facial features to the point Sakura could only assume he had to have taken after his mother who must be a beauty, yet it didn’t take away from the masculine accents present in his features which added on to his attractiveness. He is drop dead gorgeous, no not even that! He is bewitching to look at. Sakura didn’t realize she had not spoken up, nor breathed until the mysterious man spoke up.

“Did you follow me here?” He asked, slight irritation present in his cold and deep voice. Though Sakura took note of his voice adding on to her already strong attraction to him, she was also able to snap out her daze by the nature of his accusation.   

“Huh, no? I don’t even know you.” She replied, offended at his question. I mean, yes she was ogling him earlier, but that doesn’t equate her to some freak who follows any man she finds attractive around!

“Yeah, sure.” The man continued on as he turned his face away from her towards the view of the balcony. 

“I am serious. I have no idea who you are?  Matter of fact, who do YOU think you are?” Sakura said, as she crossed her arms in frustration. She was not attracted to this weird nonchalant yet somehow arrogant attitude he had going on.

“Sasuke Uchiha.” He said, his gaze still fixated on the garden below them.

“What?” Sakura replied, confusion written all over her face. 

“You asked, right?” The realization dawned upon Sakura, causing her to scoff loudly. Is he actually introducing himself? And why does that name sound familiar? Sakura wondered before she quickly tried not to remember where she had heard it from. She definitely did not want to give this guy the satisfaction of her actually knowing who he was. 

“Well Sasuke, I would say it’s nice to meet you, but that would be a lie.” She said as she looked away, partly because she was unaware of what his reaction would be towards her. Sakura was always quick to talk back to those disrespecting her, however she was also  keenly aware that she could possibly be insulting someone way above her station as Sasuke didn’t seem to look like a nobel of lower ranking. 

What she did not expect was Sasuke to turn his face back around to look at her with the corners of his lipped slightly tugged up. Is he smiling? But as soon as the thought crossed her mind, it was gone, making her believe she had hallucinated it. Now there was not a hint of amusement to be seen in his dark eyes. “I see.” He replied aloofly, making Sakura gulp slightly. Well at least he’s not mad. 

“Why would people be following you anyways?” She said, trying to fill in the awkward silence that had come to be. 

“Does it matter?” Sasuke answered back curt, a slight edge present in his voice.

“I mean it clearly does if you start accusing random people over it.” Sakura replied, feeling a lot more confident as the conversation flowed on. She didn’t know why, but she was entertaining herself a little. At least she didn’t have to keep being polite with him, like she was with all the other strangers she had met tonight. 

“Hn.” Sasuke said, seemingly opting out of the conversation

“Hn? So you aren’t going to answer?” Sakura said, confused. 

“I don’t really feel like I'm obligated to, considering the fact I don’t know you.”

“Oh? So you can ask strangers questions expecting answers, but are above it when the roles are reversed?”

“You’re really annoying.” Sasuke said blankly, as if repeating a fact he learned in school. His answer surprised Sakura a bit, but after the initial wave of shock made it’s through her body she started to think clearly again. Who does this guy think he is? She started to feel embarrassed that she ever felt attracted to him in the first place. He obviously thought way too highly of himself already.

“And you’re really rude.” Sakura answered back, turning around to make her way out the balcony. As her hands were on the door handle, Sasuke spoke up. 

“I never said you had to leave.” Huh? 

“You just called me annoying?” She had asked, bewildered. 

“You acted annoying. Besides, you called me rude.” Sasuke responded dryly. 

“You acted rude though?” She said. There was no way he thought his behavior during the course  of their interaction was equivalent to hers, right?  

“Hn.” Sasuke grunted as his onyx eyes locked onto hers, making Sakura shift a little uncomfortably under his strong gaze. 

“Well, I actually got to go. So.. I guess I'll see you around?” She replied, turning away from him as Sasuke’s sudden shift in demeanor made her feel a little out of balance. Furthermore, Sakura was sure quite some time had passed since her quiet exit from the ballroom and she didn't want to risk Ino and Naruto worrying about her. 

“Guess so.” Sasuke said, just soft enough for Sakura to still hear it as she exited and closed the door behind her. 

Chapter Text

“Sakura-chan, where were you?” Naruto yelped out, as he rushed towards Sakura who had just returned to the ballroom. Ino stood closely behind him, looking anxiously at the girl.

“I was just walking around.” Sakura replied, startled. Shit, I knew they were going to notice. She thought to herself. 

While rubbing her temples, Ino spoke up. “You had worried us! We thought you must’ve gotten lost somewhere in the palace.” Her eyebrows had formed clear frown lines in between them. "Yeah! I know I gave you a tour and all, but honestly I still get lost at times! This place is like a maze at night.” Naruto added on, whispering the last part which in turn made the two girls look at him with contorted faces before they started laughing out loud. 

“Why does that not surprise me at all?” Sakura commented as she patted her eyes dry of the tears threatening to leak from them. “No seriously, of course you do.” Ino said, as she shook her head slightly. 

“HEY! What is that supposed to mean?” Naruto asked dramatically. As his eyes were darting in between the girls, he felt a sudden tap on his shoulder.

“Your Royal Highness, I was sent to inform you that Duke Uchiha has arrived.” Iruka announced. 

“That bastard is here?! Bring me to him, Iruka.”

“You shouldn’t talk this rudely in front of others, especially ladies.” The head butler said sternly, as his eyes shot daggers at the young prince standing in front of him. “And very well, follow me.”. Naruto gulped loudly at Iruka’s statement, only speaking up after clearing his throat. “Geez, you don’t need to get so mad.” He remarked as he lazily put his hands on the back of his head. 

“ I will see you two later.  Bye bye Sakura-chan, Ino!” He said, waving happily at the two. Within a matter of seconds the two men had exited their view. 

“So, tell me. What were you up to?” Ino said as amusement filled her eyes. 

“I already did? I told you I went on a walk.” Sakura answered, confused as to what her friend was getting at. 

“If you’re trying to convince me that you spent all that time just walking around the hallways, you might as well stop now. So tell me, what did you really do?” Sakura looked at Ino shocked. She didn’t purposely withhold information from her new friend, so Ino’s quick observations had amazed her. Hiding anything from the sharp eyed blonde would probably prove to be a rather difficult task, she mentally noted. 

“How did you know?” 

“Your feet would’ve been in a much worse state by now.” Ino said matter of factly, as if Sakura had asked her a ridiculous question. 

“Ah” Sakura replied, chuckling at Ino’s comment. She was clearly a very observant and intelligent girl, but the way it expressed itself was a little bit funny. “I went to the balcony to get some air and to be alone for a minute, but ugh! There was this aggravating guy there that ruined my mood so now I feel like I haven't even rested properly?” She continued on. The last sentence made her friend’s ears perk up.

“Oh? A guy? Was he cute?” Ino asked, not trying to hide any of the curiosity she held.

“Does that matter? He was annoying.”

“So he was cute!” Ino remarked, as she lovingly slapped Sakura’s arm. “Okay, I admit he was cute. But he had major attitude issues.” Sakura said as she rolled her eyes. 

“Hmm cute and attitude issues, huh?”

“Ladies! ” Naruto exclaimed as he walked up towards the girls. “Sorry to make you wait, I had to pick this loser up at the front door.” He said as he pointed to a man who sauntered slowly behind him. The distance made it difficult for Sakura to fully look at his face.

“Shut up, you idiot.” The man replied to Naruto, unhidden irritation seeping through his deep voice. Sakura froze upon registering whose voice she was hearing. Sasuke? Naruto knows him? Suddenly a memory of her in the garden with the prince flashed through her mind. 

“Naruto, do  you have a best friend?” He quiet a little, seemingly mulling over his response. Oh no, did I ask something wrong? How could i forget, he just complained about being lonely! As Sakura was beating herself up mentally for her uncouth questions, he spoke up. “Yeah, I do. His name is Sasuke and he is one of the best guys I know. I would like to introduce you to him, but he’s currently out of Konoha. He mostly stays in his duchy.  

Horror filled her entire being, not only did she act rude to Naruto’s best friend, but also a duke?! As the realization settled in, panic took over her. She immediately looked down, trying to avoid any possible eye contact with Sasuke. 

“Notice how you didn’t say I lied? You needed to be fetched at the door like a toddler, admit it.” Naruto said, in a mockingly sweet tone. 

“I was already here, dumbass. I just realized you wouldn’t notice, unless it was made abundantly clear where I was.”

“Yeah, because I totally needed to know that right?” 

“Considering you’d bombard me with letters about how I didn’t go to you, I’d say yes.” Sasuke retorted quickly. 

“OI! I wouldn’t do that, y’know!” 

"It’s a pleasure to see you again, S-sasuke kun- I mean Your Grace.” Ino slightly raised her voice, as she sweetly looked at the raven haired man.

“Good evening, Lady Ino.” Sasuke nodded at the pretty blonde, who stood right next to Sakura.  Shit, what if he notices me?! She thought, as anxious pits started to form in her stomach.

"Ah, that's right. Sasuke, meet my newest friend Sakura-chan! She’s staying at the palace from now on.” Naruto said with a toothy smile. “Sakura-chan, remember my best friend I told you about the other day? That’s him!” Geez, thanks Naruto. Realizing there’s no hope of avoiding Sasuke, Sakura decided to face him bravely. I mean, it’s not like she acted in an unjustifiable way, right? 

“Good evening, Your Grace. I am Sakura Haruno and I have recently moved from the Land of Wind’s capital Suna. It is so very nice to make your acquaintance.” She said, smiling kindly as she looked up at Sasuke. 

“Hn.” was all she received as a response. A well fitted answer to match the apathetic energy he gave off, she thought. “Likewise, Lady Haruno.” Oh? Relief started to wash over Sakura. Maybe he didn’t recognise her? It was pretty dark on the balcony.

“I must say, you do look familiar.” 

She gulped nervously, after hearing the sentence leave his mouth. Surely he was not on to her. At least that’s what she hoped.

“I hear that a lot! That’s the curse of looking ordinary.” Sakura lied. She knew nobody had ever called her ordinary, or said she looked familiar. In fact, in her 20 years of living she had not once even seen a person with a similar hair color. However in desperate times, desperate measures were needed. 

“I would not describe you as ordinary, Lady Haruno.” .

“Yeah Sakura-chan, you really aren’t!” Naruto added on. “I actually think you are very pretty.” He muttered the last part shyly, as a blush crept up his neck. Ino, seemingly being the only to hear it, looked at him amused. 

“I must have confused you for someone else.” The duke replied, indifferently. 

“Maybe I will remember who if I catch my breath on the balcony. Fresh air tends to help” He continued as he locked eyes with Sakura, a small but sly smile apparent on his face causing her breath to hitch. He knows. 

o0o0o

Three days had passed since the grand ball. Sakura’s lessons with Kushina had significantly decreased as the queen decided to only teach her for two hours in the early mornings. The girl had assumed Kushina had chosen it, as she didn’t want to overwork her. However what the queen didn’t realize was that besides the lessons, there really wasn’t much else on Sakura’s schedule. 

Sakura had tried to fill up the rest of her days by studying in the library and chatting with Naruto in the evenings, but she had to admit it. It was starting to get really boring. Ino had promised her to stop by a week after the ball for some tea, which was something Sakura looked forward to. Nevertheless that too had a four day waiting period. 

She found herself to have too much free time during the afternoons and studying for hours with no real goal ahead of her, was starting to get boring. It certainly didn’t help that every time her mind wandered away from the books she would occupy herself with, it would visualize the same face. Sasuke Uchiha. That was the name of the man who always loomed in the back of her mind. 

His deep and sultry voice, his delicate yet sharp facial features that looked like they were carefully carved by a greater being, the cool air around him that made their intense eye contact even more intimidating. She could go on and on. Sakura had never felt herself so immensely attracted to a man, who’s personality she continuously had to remind her she didn’t even like. It was an all around confusing experience to have and she was hopefully waiting for her mind to find something else to obsess over. The girl had convinced herself that maybe if she found a book she liked enough, it would distract her and end the frenzy Sasuke put her in.

After their meeting, the duke was quick to leave. Apparently having matters to discuss with other nobility as Ino spotted him with her father, Marquess Yamanaka. Naruto had told her that even at such events, Sasuke never had time to properly rest and enjoy. He had chalked it up to it being the life of a duke. “ With great powers come great responsibilities” The boy said, making Sasuke almost out to be a superhero. Sakura had laughed when hearing it, but it did make sense to her. She saw her own parents struggle to maintain their estate and properly take care of their subjects numerous times. 

As she reminisced fondly on her parents, the reality of her situation dawned on her again. I need to find a way to make money. Has she become so comfortable with current lifestyle that she forgot part of the reason why she came here? As guilt took over her, she rushed down to the food hall. Minato was always there in the late afternoon because of his affinity for helping the staff prepare the meals. It was generally seen as unbecoming for a king by other nobility, but neither he nor Kushina cared. 

Just when she had tried to open the door, she heard Minato’s voice in the hallway. “Your Majesty!” Sakura called out, making Minato stand still and turn to look at her. “Sakura? Is something of the matter?”

“No there isn’t, Your Majesty. You needn’t worry yourself.” Shetried to answer coolly, as she patted down her hair strands that stood up because of her sprint to the food hall. 

“I had wanted to ask you something.” She continued on. Anxiously she fidgeted with her fingers as she struggled to hold eye contact.

“You can ask me anything, Sakura.” Minato replied in his typical gentle tone. 

“Okay…. uhm are there any jobs available at the palace?” Her question had stunned the king, who looked at her wide eyed before a kind smile graced his lips. 

“You want to work? And you asked me because you didn’t want to worry Kushina, didn’t you?”

“How did you know?”

“I know that my wife can get overprotective at times and I could tell you two got close which means you wouldn’t want to worry her.” Sakura gulped nervously at his accurate observation. “There are jobs available, but they are all manual labor. Do you still want to continue?” He looked at her curiously. 

“Yes. I might not look like it, but people have said I am exceptionally strong.” She said confidently, causing Minato to let out a dry chuckle. “I can easily believe that. You do not come across as frail.”

“So, I get the job?”

“Yes. You can work in the stalls during the weekend. The staff will work you in, but know you won’t get any special treatment.”

“I didn’t expect it any other way. Thank you, Your Majesty.” Sakura said, whilst she bowed out of gratitude. 

“You’re welcome” He said, as he continued on his earlier path waving his hand behind him. 

o0o0o

“We’ve arrived, Your Grace.” the footman said, as he opened the carriage door. Sasuke stepped out and looked up at the imposing palace in front of him. 

He had discovered this morning that he made more business to take care of in Konoha than he had initially assumed, leaving his mother to temporarily take care of their duchy up north. In order for everything to go smoothly, the royal family had invited him to settle at the palace during his stay. He had accepted their offer, secretly looking forward to spending some time with his best friend and seeing her . 

It was a strange feeling. He had never once become this intrigued by a woman before, not even the ones his mother would try and set him up with. No, this was different. He just needed to figure out what exactly made her that different when they inevitably meet again. 

He had already mulled over it quite a bit. Was it her beauty? That didn’t make sense as he had seen beautiful women before, though definitely not on her level. Was it her attitude? However, that didn’t make sense either. If anything he found her to be annoying, though he had to admit she was very amusing too. Sakura pretending as if she didn’t know him in front of Naruto shortly after she chewed him out on the balcony was entertaining to say the least. Most noble women would at least try to apologize to him privately after finding out his title, but Sakura seemed to actively avoid him and his gaze the rest of the night. 

As Sasuke had made his way through the palace grounds alongside the staff who were carrying his belongings, his eyes had caught on to a very familiar sight of bright pink hair in the distance. Sakura? Surely there she was wearing workers clothing as she easily carried a hefty bag of what could only assumed be manure on her shoulder. What is she doing? Sasuke’s halt didn't deter the staff with their move. 

She chatted enthusiastically with the stall workers, seemingly not noticing the young duke’s stare. Why would a noble woman work alongside staff? Especially in this field? A small smile grew on his face, as he shook his head slightly. She truly was an enigma and the more he saw of her, the more he couldn’t wait to figure her out. 

o0o0o

I’m beat. Having finished her first day at work, Sakura felt exhausted and elated all at once. Though she was raised to behave like a lady all her life and her job was admittedly far below her station, she felt like she was a part of something that mattered and that was a first. Her exhaustion was testimony of her finally being able to put her ambitions into reality and she couldn’t wait for when she would be able to send a big part of her paycheck back home to her parents. Soon she’d be able to repay them for everything they did. Not to mention the gratitude she felt for her coworkers who were both extremely kind and helpful and Minato who allowed her this opportunity. As excitement filled her body, she started giggling in her pillow while kicking her feet up high. Life was good to her after a long time.

However her giggle session was short lived as Sakura remembered she still had her other duty to fulfill; studying. She needed to learn the ropes of having a business and she could only do that peacefully in the library at night. While dragging her feet and holding a lit candle carefully, she slowly made her way through the long hall. 

“Lady Haruno?” Sakura stirred slightly  as she registered who the familiar voice calling her belonged to. 

“Your Grace” She breathed out nervously as she turned to look at him. He looked even more dashing than she remembered, which she convinced herself shouldn’t even be humanly possible. “What are you… Are you staying here?” Confusion filled her eyes.

“Ah… yes I am.” Sasuke said, looking rather bashful. She could immediately sense something was different about him now, he didn’t seem like the cold arrogant prick she met a few days ago.

“For business I presume? With Your Majesties?”

“You would presume correct. The business I need to take care of will take longer than I expected which is why I’m residing here.” Oh so he’s actually staying here? This is not good. As the wheels in Sakura’s head started to spin she realized that her little Sasuke induced craze was probably only going to get crazier after this encounter which prompted her to try to think of ways to distance herself from him. At least she was until he spoke up pulling her away from her thoughts.

“Are you on your way to rest?”

“Me? Oh no! I’m going to study in the library.” Sasuke’s eyebrow lifted curiously at her response. 

“Study? At this hour?”

“Well yes. The pursuit to seek knowledge should never end, am I right? ” She chuckled nervously. 

“I suppose.”

“Enough about me. What are you doing here?”

“Ah, I wanted to fetch myself a glass of water.”

“Couldn’t you ring for a maid to bring you one?”

“I’m capable myself.” He said dryly, yet it somehow didn’t have the condescending edge she expected.

“That’s true enough. I guess I am a bit thirsty too.” Sakura’s eyes widened at what she insinuated. “N-not that I want to follow you or anything.”

Sasuke chuckled at her panicked reply. “It’s fine Lady Haruno. I do not believe you to follow me around anymore like I said at the ball.”

“Good because I don’t!” She said sternly as she crossed her arms, huffing while looking away. Her ears and cheeks flushed as they grew a pink color reminiscent of her hair. 

“I believe you.” 

“I didn’t even know you stayed here!”

“I am aware.”

“That’s good.” She turned to look at him just to be met with a sight that she didn’t expect to forget soon. Sasuke was standing right in front of her as the moonlight reflected beautifully on his face. His gaze upon her was so warm that she could feel herself slowly melt away. Seriously, who is this man? Was she too quick to judge? 

“Would you like to join me in my walk to the kitchen?”

“Yes.” Was what escaped her mouth before she could even comprehend what he had just asked. Did she seriously sign herself up to spend more time with Sasuke? And did he ask her to? 

As the two continued their walk down the hallway silence fell upon them. 

“Uhm.” Sakura said as she awkwardly looked at the floor before locking eyes with Sasuke. “Why did you assume that anyways? That I followed you I mean.”

“Because they do exist.” He said in his usual aloof manner. 

“Followers? You have women following you around?” It didn’t surprise Sakura. Her objection to marriage and love didn’t make her an idiot. She had learned that Sasuke was the ruling duke of a prosperous province up north that was almost fully autonomous which meant he had both status and wealth. Not to mention he was good looking. He would be a catch for most noble women, she assumed. 

“Yes.”  

“That must be frustrating.”

“Hn.” He replied before sighing softly. “It is.”  

Silence filled the air surrounding them once more, causing Sakura to fidget with her fingers. Attempting to lighten the mood, she said. “Try to look at it from the bright side. At least that means you won’t have a hard time finding a wife.” Sasuke looked at her puzzled as she smiled brightly at him. 

“We’ve arrived.” Was all he said as he opened the kitchen door for her. I guess that didn’t help. She thought to herself, feeling embarrassed. While they went in and filled their cups, Sakura was still reeling from her embarrassment and immediately wanted to leave and lock herself up in the library. “I will take my leave now, Your Grace. Thank you for this” 

“Aah.” Sasuke nodded in response. Just when she turned to leave, he spoke up. ”Good luck, Lady Haruno.”  The kind smile that settled on his face took her by surprise as she looked back at him. 

“Thank you, Your Grace.” She answered back cheerfully, unaware of how brilliant her smile looked to him. 

Chapter Text

“I’m really worried about Sakura-chan.” Naruto sighed, causing his raven haired friend to look at him curiously. 

They had just spent the majority of the afternoon sparring with the royal knights present at the palace to assess their combat skills. A very necessary procedure according to the two gentlemen, though they couldn’t deny their secret desire to simply spend a whole day sparring alongside each other. After they had dismissed the knights, thanking them for their hard work, the men had decided to rest on a small bench near the open field they had fought on. Using the water Iruka had given both of them to cool their body down by drinking it and pouring it over their exposed upper bodies and heads. 

“Why? Is something the matter?”.

“She’s always working and while I really admire her for it, I can’t help but worry, y'know? Not a single day has passed where she has not been occupied with tasks from the early mornings till late in the night. Even when I come to visit her she is either getting back from a task or preparing for another. It’s not healthy.”

Sasuke stifled a laugh as he listened to his friend’s woes. He obviously wasn’t aware as to how similar his work ethic sounds to Sakura’s.  Sakura. The sight of the young lady cleaning the hay in the stalls and carrying bulky bags of manure was one he had gotten familiar with during the past few days but it didn’t confuse him any less. He had come across the girl on her way to study in the library three nights prior but he didn’t know it was a nightly routine for her. As the duke fondly reminisced on his interactions with Sakura, he remembered her words. The pursuit to seek knowledge should never end, am I right? Considering what Naruto was telling him, it was safe to assume they rang true. The corners of his mouth slowly twisted up into a smile.

“Have you told her about your worries?” Sasuke inquired, as he quickly returned his face to its usual dry expression. 

“I have. She keeps telling me she’s fine and she can handle it but I don’t know. She recently moved here and instead of meeting new people and having fun all she does is study and work. I even told her she didn’t need to work as my parents could give her an allowance but she told me to stop acting ridiculous.” Naruto said sullenly.

After ruminating over his friend’s dilemma for a few seconds the young duke spoke up.  “She doesn’t want your help and there’s a reason for it.”  

Naruto sat up straight upon hearing his best friend’s reply, the look in his eyes being intense yet undecipherable. “BUT WHY?! I thought about that too but i cannot understand? Why can’t she tell me?” 

“How would I know? You need to ask her yourself.”

“I won’t,” the crown prince stated firmly, prompting Sasuke to furrow his brows and tilt his head in confusion. “What? Why?” 

“If she doesn’t want my help it must be for a reason and I don’t want to force her to tell me whatever she is dealing with. I only want her to take care of herself.” Naruto answered as he gazed up at the sky, a melancholic air surrounding him. “And if the time comes where she does need me, I will be there for her.” He continued as he grinned brightly at his stoic friend.

Sasuke chuckled lowly at Naruto’s reply. If there was one thing he believed that would never change about the blond, it was how easily he grew close to others and how deeply he would care about them. That was a trait of his that he genuinely appreciated and relied on. 

Though he'd never admit it, he did feel a little envious of the blossoming friendship between Naruto and Sakura. How often did they speak for Naruto to already feel so protective of her? When he had asked around, he had heard that Sakura had only been in Konoha for less than three weeks. Was it daily? She probably felt a lot more comfortable around Naruto than she did with him. He couldn’t blame her though, especially considering their first meeting. The more he thought about it, the deeper the scowl that had formed on his face became. 

Naruto's loud burp jolted Sasuke from his thoughts, immediately filling him with shame. He had no right to be jealous; Naruto's friendship with Sakura was none of his concern. “Sorry.” The blond said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. “That’s disgusting.” Sasuke muttered in response. “Oi don’t overreact, it’s human. You’re telling me you never burped before? ” “I haven't done it in front of others since I was a child because I'm normal.”

“I haven't done it in front of others since I was a child because I'm normal.” Naruto repeated in an ear piercing voice making Sasuke’s eye twitch. 

“If you would spend all this energy into training, you’d be in a much better position. That last match of yours today was awful.” Sasuke taunted.

“WHAT? YOU BASTARD! As if you weren’t ready to give up three times during your match with that bushy brow guy!”

“I WASN’T YOU IDIOT!”

“You totally were but it’s okay. I get that it’s hard to admit. You’ll reach my level of skill one day.” Naruto smirked as he put his hand on Sasuke’s shoulder. 

As he angrily swatted Naruto's hand away, he retorted, "Oh yeah? Let's see who's stronger right now."

“I was waiting for you to say that.”

 o0o0o

Sakura wouldn’t be able to contain her giddiness had she even tried. Today was not only her first free day since she had settled at the palace, but also the day she was expecting her very first visitor. 

Ino had scheduled to come over for tea and since the early morning’s Sakura had been busy preparing for it. She would constantly check with the chefs to see if they prepared all the most popular dishes in Konoha and worry if she looked presentable. 

Whilst she did gain a special friendship with Naruto, one she was certainly grateful for, she also had to admit she missed the different types of companionship women brought with them. The prospect of becoming close friends with Ino in specific was one she especially cared for. She got along with the Lady very well and hoped they could grow into becoming each other’s confidants. 

“Lady Haruno?” Anko asked as she carefully entered Sakura’s bedchamber. 

“Come in, Anko.” Sakura smiled softly at her. Anko had been Introduced to Sakura as her personally assigned maid during her second day at the palace and while the older woman had a detached air surrounding her, she had been nothing but kind to the girl. 

“What brings you here?”

“Lady Yamanaka’s carriage is fast approaching. Shall we go to the gates to welcome her?”

“That sounds like a good idea.” 

 o0o0o

“So how have you experienced your stay till now?” Ino inquired curiously before taking a sip of her lavender blend tea.

“Nothing short of wonderful, if I might say so myself.” 

“Really? That’s good to hear.” The blonde sighed out, relief apparent on her face. “I don’t know if I could answer as positively as you if I was in your position. I’d be far too homesick I'm afraid.”

“Ah, yes.” Sakura chuckled. “I do feel a bit homesick at times, however everyone has been so amazing in helping me settle into this new life that I rarely get time to sulk.”

Peering over her lifted teacup, Ino asked, “So I take it His Royal Highness hasn’t been bothering you.”  

“If anything Naruto has been the opposite. We chat and play games almost nightly.”

“Naruto? You must have grown really close with him.” Ino remarked as a coy smile spread on her lips. 

Sakura grimaced as she could tell the wheels in her new friend’s mind were turning to come up with a bunch of ridiculous scenarios regarding her and Naruto.

Naruto and her had quickly decided to drop all titles when talking with each other as they had felt it didn’t accurately reflect their bond. She saw him as her friend before she saw him as the crown prince of this land and she hoped he saw her as his friend before he saw her as a foreign guest. 

Despite that, she was aware of how others could interpret their decision differently, which is why she refrained from calling him by his name in the presence of any non-member of the royal family. Sakura was grateful she made the mistake in front of Ino and not anyone else, though she still groaned internally at her slip up. 

“Oh please, we have but I can assure you not in the way you are imagining.” 

“What are you implying Sakura? All I noted was that you grew particularly close. If that makes you feel at edge then it's not my thoughts surrounding your friendship you should question.”

“I don’t feel at edge, Ino. I just decided to remind you because you know how people perceive friendship between the opposite gender”

“Hmmm so you are friends?” 

Sakura paused for a second. She knew Naruto was a friend and that he would get upset if she were to deny it, but she never admitted it out loud.  The thought of it did make her feel slightly shy as the lady never had male friends before. Gaara and Kankuro felt more like cousins than they did friends. Besides, she never actively sought out their presence the way she did with Temari. 

“Yes. Yes he is." She said resolved. 

“I'm sure he loves that.” Ino muttered under her breath, remembering the prince’s remark about Sakura at the party. She wasn’t sure if the boy was fully satisfied with his position and if Sakura was aware of his clear affection for her, but she felt as though she had pried enough into her new friend’s affairs. “I must say, it does make me upset that he beat me into becoming your first friend.”

Upon hearing the words leave Ino’s mouth Sakura’s eyes started to twinkle with excitement. “So we’re friends?”

“Of course we are. Geez how come you have all that brain and can’t even realize it yourself” Ino remarked as she poked her friend’s forehead. 

“I’m pretty  sure I use my forehead powers exclusively for studying.” Sakura replied with a serious look on her face. The two girls glanced at each other briefly, before they both erupted into laughter. 

o0o0o

As the two girls continued to chat they learned a lot about each other. Sakura was dumbfounded to find out that Ino not only had visited Suna before, but was childhood friends with Shikamaru as their families had a longstanding alliance with each other.

The Yamanaka clan were the largest exporter of flowers within the Land of Fire and they gained a lot of profit from their business ventures in the Land of the Wind partly because of the dry climate that almost made it impossible for flowers to grow and their close relationship with the Nara clan who worked directly for the Kazekage and oversaw the international business deals within the land. Ino had even met Temari before at a party Shikamaru hosted, one which Sakura couldn’t attend as she had the flu. It made her realize the world was incredibly small. 

Sakura had told Ino about how Queen Kushina was functioning as her tutor and aunt figure and how close they had grown to be, to which Ino expressed jealousy as she apparently always admired Queen Kushina. 

With a focused gaze Ino questioned, “So, now that we are being so open, I cannot contain my curiosity anymore. Did you get any suitors after the ball?” Sakura’s eyes widened in shock. “No, I received no suitors. Thankfully”

Feeling confused, Ino blinked slowly at her friend's answer. “Thankfully? Why would you say that? Who would reject love?”

“Someone who cannot afford to have it.” 

“I see, but what will you do if you do fall in love? Even the most unfortunate souls cannot escape cupid’s arrows, didn’t you know that?”

Upon hearing the blonde’s words, Sakura felt a bit unnerved. Surely it wouldn’t be hard to not fall for a man if none were able to interest her in any way. Well, except him. Sakura inhaled deeply as the familiar devilishly handsome face that she felt always loomed in the back of her mind took its shape. Sasuke Uchiha, as long as I avoid you I will be fine. 

“Cupid’s arrows wont hit me. I promise you that.”

o0o0o

Long after Sakura had retired to her bedchamber, Ino’s words continued to replay in her head like a broken record. Even the most unfortunate souls cannot escape cupid’s arrows, didn’t you know that? She let out a frustrated scoff at the thought of it. She obviously wouldn’t fall in love with anyone, let alone Sasuke Uchiha. Love was not a part of her plans and especially not with someone whose first impression was that bad. Though she had to admit he was a lot different the second time around, a lot more sympathetic. 

However that didn’t change anything, what she was experiencing with Sasuke was unfounded infatuation she decided for herself. It was solely based on his appearance and his alluring air surrounding him as she barely knew the man! She couldn’t blame herself for it, she was still a human being with eyes and he was clearly a rare specimen but that was it. That had to be it. I can’t do this anymore , she thought as she haphazardly flung her fingers into her hair, messing with it until she deemed it to accurately portray her current mental state.  

Having worked ahead of her study and work schedule to completely free herself today of her tasks, she had accidentally rid herself of the little distraction she had left and she knew she would be far too distracted to try and find something else at this late hour. Not to mention she couldn’t even play her usual games with Naruto as a mind numbing distraction as he fell fast asleep after he apparently tired himself out by sparring every knight in the palace.

Realizing she was in desperate need to clear her mind, Sakura decided to go for a walk in the palace’s garden. The sweet smell of the flowers and the faint sound of the crickets always had a calming effect on her. 

She had walked quite far into the garden, having stopped to look at a small field of daffodils. Daffodils signify rebirth and new beginnings. The girl remembered her mother’s kind voice  teaching her about the flower’s meaning and though she was always fond of it, it struck a personal cord now. Making a mental note to ask Anko for a vase filled with them later on, she smiled as she leaned in to take a better look at them. 

“Lady Haruno, is that you?”

You have got to be kidding me. 

Sakura quickly fixed her posture to look back at the man whose deep sultry voice she could probably still recognise if he so much as whispered a word in the presence of a very passionate choir. 

“Your Grace, I didn’t see you there.” She remarked as she quickly plastered a friendly smile on her face, trying to hide the effect his presence already seemed to have on her

“Yes, I assumed so. “ Sasuke chuckled lowly.

“Are you taking a stroll around the garden?” 

“I was. I wanted to clear my head but my feet got tired so I decided to rest for a bit for now.” He replied as he pointed towards a small bench a few meters away from them.  “What about you?” 

“Ah, then we have come under similar circumstances. I was strolling to clear my head as well.” He looked at her curiously. “However I must say it is rather peculiar how we keep meeting like this. It feels as though the only time I ever see you is during my nightly strolls, whether it's to the library or in the garden. Every time I need a distraction you appear”  Sakura chuckled softly as she made her way to the bench, Sasuke not far behind following her lead. 

“I only hope I function as a good one then.” He remarked as a small smile graced his lips.  If only you knew you were what I needed distraction from. She mentally sighed out as she looked at the ground below her. “Lady Haruno…” He said, hesitation clearly present in his voice. 

“Yes?” 

“You don’t have to be so strict on yourself.” Sakura stiffened at his sudden words. 

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that you’ve only been here for less than a month. You don’t need to be in control of everything.”

“Who told you I was?”

“Nobody, but I could tell. You are demanding too much of yourself and it’s not realistic.”

Anger started to bubble up inside Sakura’s stomach the more she heard Sasuke speak. Who was this guy anyways? Acting as if he knew the first thing of what she was going through and trying to minimize it. She had to ask a lot of herself because she owed it to the people she had left behind, to the people that gave her this second chance, to herself. She couldn’t afford to think about realism and most importantly, she couldn’t believe she let herself think this guy had any redeeming quality. 

“Sorry, but I don’t need your advice and I would like it if you were to refrain from pretending like you knew me or my situation.”

“Okay then tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

“Tell me what I got so wrong.” 

She clenched her jaw as she met his gaze just to be greeted with an indifferent look in his eyes. The air surrounding him was cold which contrasted the fiery rage she exuded more and more strongly by the second. “As if a rich boy would understand what it’s like to bear the brunt of having to take care of your family. To constantly push yourself to excel only to remain in your brother’s shadow. To be all alone.”

“I am no stranger to loneliness, Lady Haruno. Nor am I a stranger to living in someone else’s shadow. My brother was a prodigy, in fact he was supposed to take over the Dukedom, not me. So yes, I might understand more than you’d think.” 

“He was…?” 

“He passed away from an incurable illness, two years ago. The red scare, I don’t know if you’ve heard about it and the most unique part of it is that even now I still feel as though I’m in his shadow, like I'm permanently etched into it.”

“That is something we have in common.” Sakura whispered as she lowered her head in shame, guilt twisting in her stomach like food poisoning. “My brother Sasori passed away from it two years ago as well and while I miss him dearly, I feel like I can’t live up to the standard he created..”

“Ah.” He nodded slowly. “I am sorry for your loss.”

“I am sorry for your loss too and for the way I acted. I….I shouldn’t have assumed.”

“It doesn't matter.” He said as his gaze upon her was filled with sincerity. “Is that why you’ve been working in the stalls almost everyday?” Sakura blinked slowly as she registered what the duke was saying. 

“Have you been watching me?”

“No. I came across you.”

“And you stayed and you watched?”

“Believe what you want to believe.” He sighed loudly, causing Sakura to belly laugh. As she wiped the tears away from her eyes, Sasuke shook his head while grinning.

“You’re right. My brother’s death had a large impact on my family’s finances and estate so I decided to start working so I can help them out.”

“That’s noble of you.” He said as he locked eyes with her, his onyx eyes piercing. Heat traveled up to her cheeks, forcing her to look away. 

“Thank you, Your Grace.” She replied softly. 

He nodded as a response before he spoke up. “I hope you take it seriously though. You shouldn’t overwork yourself even if you feel like you have to. If there’s one thing I learned is that I can’t force myself to do everything alone even if I want to. In fact it was that Idiot that taught me that.” 

It took a few seconds before Sakura realized the idiot he mentioned was referencing Naruto, which made her snort. 

“I understand what you mean, but the Uzumakis already did so much for me. I cannot possibly ask for more. I already feel like i’m using them” Asking Ino was already out of the question for her as she didn’t want another friendship of hers to turn into one where she felt indebted to. She wanted to be of equal footing with her. 

“Then you can turn to me.”

“You?”

“Yes. You can use me if you’d like.”

Sakura sat there stunned as the whites in her eyes were fully showing. Whilst she was trying to fully digest all of what was said to her, Sasuke had already stood up to leave. 

“Then I wish you a goodnight, Lady Haruno.”

“You too.” Was all she managed to whisper out as his large frame disappeared into the distance.