Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the Naru-verse.

This story is a departure from anything else I have ever attempted…It is based on a story based on real life events, names and events and some facts are changed to protect the innocent while the dance to my whims. I will reveal all at the end, including my feelings on each character and why they were used where they were in the story.

Sakura-centric and set in 18th century England. There will be different pairings and the pairings will change as the story progresses. Please Read and Review!

**Be sure to read the Author Notes at the end of the story to answer poll questions and have some say in the story!**

The Sakura Blossom

Chapter 1: The Beginning

She stood in the expansive sea of perfectly manicured green grass, stretching around her in seemingly endless waves over the small hills in the land. Interrupting the flow of the lawn were the neatly trimmed shrubs and bushes, roses and other aromatic floras filled the labyrinths of gardens, a small lake and fountain surrounded by red-maples and sakura trees. The one edge of the yard ended in a dark and dangerous forest, the other three edges were cut harshly by high, cold, gray stone walls keeping everything out, and her in. Standing prominently in amidst the walls, down a winding, gravel path, was her home.

The building she resided was large, too large for her, her mother and father and their several servants. The walls stood proudly, but were even more unfeeling than the fence segregating her from the rest of the world. The dark gray stone walls were foreboding and uninviting. Inside the rooms were lavishly furnished, but the expensive items did little to block out the chill ever constant in the walls.

Lady Sakura, at the age of 17, was the beauty and warmth inside the cold home. Her mother had given birth to her during a windy day when the sakura petals floated off the trees and around the yard, drifting past the window her father was standing at when he heard her first cries.

Her father was a proud man and wrapped around his pink haired, green eyed daughter's finger. He taught her many topics it was highly inappropriate for a Lady to know such as hunting, politics and gambling. His relationship with his wife became strained though, due to her inability to give him the male heir he desperately needed.

Lady Haruno ran the home and usually took out her marital frustrations on her daughter, resenting her for not being a male. The Lady of the Manor was cold and unfeeling, especially to young Sakura, yet she looked after her to have a proper Lady's education in French, needlework, fashion, geography, music and dancing. Sakura was one of the most accomplished girls in all of England.

Even though the relationship between mother and daughter was strained, it was far closer since the passing of Lord Haruno when Sakura was 13. Since that time, her mother had pushed her into society, hoping to strike the smartest match. She currently stood, watching her daughter play on the lawn, while she waited in the home for another suitor to show for the proper meeting.

"Lady Haruno, His Honor the Duke of Konoha, is here" The short brunette girl clad in a maids uniform announced at the doorway of the floral sitting room.

"Please, send him in."

A tall man entered the room with long, powerful strides. His thigh high black boots clicked on the stone floor with each step. His black breaches hugged his muscular thighs tightly, emphasizing his manhood-not that Lady Haruno was looking, that would be improper. His white shirt buttoned up to his red ascot, the tailored black, cut away, waist coat stretched over his strong shoulders, tapering in showing the slightly feminine curve in of his sides. His hair was raven's wing black, stood in defiant spikes in the back while tapering around his face, bringing attention to his onyx eyes, smooth, pale skin and delicate features giving him a graceful, aristocratic air about him. Although he was slightly feminine there was no mistaking the strong masculine aura exuding from every pore of his being.

Lady Haruno bent her knees and dropped her blonde head as she dropped into the perfect curtsy.

"My Lord, what a pleasure it is to have you in Haruno Manor" she spoke with an elegance honed over years of practice.

"Hn" his face betrayed no emotion, the Lady knew why he was here, and there was no need to prolong his stay by flowering, flowing speeches. The Lady looked slightly dejected but masked the emotion as quickly as she could.

"If you would kindly step over to the window, my Lord, you will see my daughter." He moved over to the window.

"Which one is she?"

"The one with hair the color of roses" she deliberately choose her words as roses were a sign of wealth.

Sakura's pink hair was twisted into an elegant design with barrel curls hanging around her shoulders. The soft yellow of her dress complemented her jade eyes and hugged her body tightly on top, exposing a tantalizing, yet tasteful, swath of skin on her chest.

"She will do" the Duke turned on his heel and left the room, he accepted the young Haruno as his wife.

The young Lady was currently standing in the yard with her approved friends, Ladies in Waiting, and suitors. The girls congregated in a group on the lawn while the males stood in a line with chests puffed out in an attempt to look manlier as the rosette walked down the line, visually assessing each suitor. They males were competing for the right to spend the day with the young Haruno.

"The goal is to be the first back here after running a lap around the lake" She stole a glance over to the ladies who were giggling and blushing amongst themselves, debating on who shall win and placed bets. She stopped her pacing at the most handsome of the line. Tall and broad shouldered with a black wig covering his natural hair color from view. His dark eyes shone with mirth yet pierced her to the soul and took her breath away.

Leaning in as far as her ample butter yellow skirts would allow, she whispered in his ear, "Sir Kankuro, I am routing for you" She pulled away from him and sashayed over to the Ladies, slowly she pulled a snow white handkerchief from her bosom and held it up.

"Three, two, one, GO!" she yelled as she brought down the makeshift flag.

In a furry the men took off. The women cheered them on, screaming the name of their choice to win. Rounding the lake, the leader, Sai, fell leaving room for the rest of the pack to take the lead. They jostled for position as they neared the last stretch. With a final burst of speed, Kankuro no Sabaku took the lead and ran past her, he won the race and the time with her.

Once the last man crossed the finish line Sakura began to speak, "Thank you all for your time, but Sir Kankuro has won this race and is the one I shall see today." The men grumbled but left with their ego's slightly bruised, only to be stopped by the females who wanted to get to know the gentlemen.

Linking her arm with Kankuro's, she ushered him into the garden grinning charmingly as her heart palpitated furiously when his hand locked over hers resting on his forearm. Kankuro was the bastard half-brother of Lord Gaara who was in training to take control of Shukaku, the Manor in which they resided, and protect Suna and make its region prosper, since the passing of their father. He also lived in Shukaku with his older full sister, Temari, who was engaged to Nara Shikamaru, strategist to Duke of Konoha.

Both losing their fathers at young ages, connected them and was the thread which began the conversations which lead them to talk about a plethora of topics, from politics to hunting, gambling strategies to fashion. The sun hung low in the sky when Kankuro escorted the young maiden to the Manor entryway.

"I am leaving in the morning for France to study. I do not know when I shall return"

"It was nice talking to you today, I wish you safe travels" she responded as he brought her soft hand to his lips and placed a feather light kiss on the knuckles.

She watched him walk down the gravel road. When his dark clothing blended into the darkness, she snuck into her door, not paying attention to the shiny black carriage on the rocky pathway.

"Lady Sakura" the rosette turned her attention to the servant coming down the hall to her, "Your mother wishes to speak with you, she is in the floral room"

"Thank you, Nicole" Sakura dismissed the servant and headed to her mother with as much haste as was proper for a Lady.

She stopped just before the entrance to the floral room, named so for the floral patterns on the furniture and curtains and rugs.

"You summoned me, Mother, what is your will?" She curtsied to her mother.

"Sakura," she placed her porcelain cup on a white saucer with a small clink, "Tell me, how do you feel about marriage?"

A/N: How do we feel about it?