Summary: In a life where power is the strongest tool and your riches buy you safe keeping from the dangers of your friends, what can the beautiful and innocent do in the hands of their enemies?

-xxx-

"You are at the mercy of your greatest enemies. What will you do now?"

"I don't intend to roll over and accept my fate, if that's what you are insinuating."

-xxx-

Ch.1 A Fate Sealed

The war continued to rage throughout the lands. Villages were being burnt to the ground, entire families were being ruthlessly slaughter like herds of cows at a butcher shop, and countrymen were fighting needlessly to prove their worth in the world while others fought just to stay alive.

Times were hard, but living proved to be even more difficult.

One would never whole heatedly consider themselves safe in the world that they were now living in. Friends would sell each other out if it meant siding with someone who they assumed could better protect them, but in the end those who were supposed to protect them would be the very ones to strike them down in the midst of battle. For this was the way of power. Everyone seeks it, but not all may grasp it.

But there are some in this world who don't fight for power. They simply fight for what is right and fight for those who have no one else to fight for them. They fight for the innocent, the weak, and unable. One of those is the Haruno family; Keepers of the East and rulers of the city of Konoha. A city surrounded by lush forests that grew year round. A city blessed with an everlasting spring with the sigil of a large ever-growing tree. The city rapidly grew every year with travelers who wished to reside for the rest of their lives within its walls.

Konoha's ruler was a just and fair one, known for his kindness and level head. The city suffered a great loss and the death of his Lady almost twenty years ago, but began to bloom once again as the Lord and Lady's only child, a daughter, grew up. For with the death of the Lord's wife came the life of their daughter, Sakura. She was truly a human being that perfectly represented the land that kept her. Her hair was the color of the flamboyant carnations that bloomed around the forests, her eyes the color of vivid greenery. She held herself with a charm and grace above most women but with a humbleness that would surprise most inhabitants of the world. She was truly compassionate and cared more for the people of her city than she did her own wellbeing.

Now at the age of nineteen, her beauty had surpassed all expectations, her elegance had become a note for bards to sing about, and her duty as her father's daughter, the keeper of the east, was always present in her mind. Tales of her spread through the nation. Those who spoke of her only did so in the highest regards, and those who didn't know her simply wanted to know her in some way. Every lord with a son unspoken for sent proposals of marriage to her doorstep. They hoped that she would accept and join their nation ruling at the side as lady of the land. Some proposed to her for power, for whoever took her hand would also one day rule the land she came from. And that was a power only one could hold.

As she walked down one of the corridors of her castle, she glanced down at the letter in her hands. A letter addressed to her that requested her presence in the nation's capital. The letters on the page spelled out that she would be an honored guest of the King's, but she felt as though she was being summoned under false pretences. As she reached the exit that lead to the training grounds, she smiled at those she passed by and made her way over towards her father who was practicing with some of his finest fighters.

"Father," she called out with a smile that caught his attention. He turned towards his daughter with a similar happiness, the wrinkles across his aging face crinkling with the facial movement.

He greeted her with a chaste kiss on the forehead, his red-ish white facial hair tickling her skin. "What do you have there, my dear?"

She let out a short breath while a coy smile reached her lips as she passed along the delivered parchment. "It seems my presence is being requested in the capital," his daughter explained as she watched her father read the note before she began moving towards the ledge looking over the practice grounds. "It says that my visit will be to see the capital and enjoy my time there but I can't help but wonder if I'm being called upon to fill the seat next to the newly appointed King."

"It's true that you are a highly sought after choice to be wed too," her father began as he moved to join her on the edge of the balcony. "It is also true that the nobility in the capital have the tendency to align with their own agendas without informing others." He refolded the letter and handed it back to his daughter, his matching emerald eyes glancing into her own. "Unfortunately this is not an offer we can refuse. Doing so would directly insult the King, which is not an offence we would like to commit in these times, nor ever."

"I believe the writer of this letter knew it would be impossible to refuse. I assume this is why the bottom of this delivery states that a convoy will be here in two days time to receive me and travel with me to the capital," Sakura replied quietly as she toyed with the long sleeve of her light blue dress. Whoever addressed the letter had already sent the convoy two weeks prior to its arrival. The length of time that it took from a journey to the capital to Konoha. "So it seems that I shall not have a choice in the matter regardless."

Her father turned towards her and placed his hands on her cheeks and gave her a comforting smile. "So it seems, my dear. So it seems. But it is only for a visit and you shall return home in no time at all."

She let out a sigh as she brought one of her hands up to cover one of her father's that laid on her face. Her lips pulled into a sad but accepting smile, for she knew her fate just as well as her father did. "I hope so father. I truly do."

-xxx-

In exactly two day's time, as the letter had stated, a convoy arrived at the gates of Konoha promptly at first light baring the colorful banners of the King. Sakura watched from the top of her father's keep as numbers of men entered through the main gate. Some were riding horses while others were traveling on foot. They carried supplies with them for the journey to her country and the journey back to the capital. She could tell the men that were traveling that came from higher born families. They were the ones riding the horses, while their servants followed behind them carrying their master's banners with pride.

Most visitors who came to her city stayed for a prolonged period of time, whether it was for business or pleasure. She was sure her new travel companions would be at least staying the night to rest then they would leave before the light hit the sky on the next morning, for it was quite a journey to reach the capitol from Konoha. The young lady of the land let her eyes slide closed as the cool morning breeze flittered through her lightly curled guava tresses. She supposed it was time to go greet the King's men even if she had no desire to do so.

Sleep sounded so much more appealing than greeting a load of the King's pompous followers and presumable friends. But it couldn't be helped. A smile had to be strapped onto her pretty face as she faced her new company for who knows how long. She began her descent down to the front gates and saw her father and his men speaking with the procession. She made her way to stand next to her father. He greeted her with a warm smile and she kissed him on the cheek. "Father," she greeted as she turned to face the two men now standing before her which she could only assume to be the ones in charge of the voyage. She took in their appearances and delved into what she knew about her country and the men who lived in it.

"My lords," her father called out. "This is my daughter, Sakura; the one true heir to the land of Konoha."

"My dear, this is-" she stopped him with a sweet smile as she gazed at the men before her. "I am aware of who they are father."

One of the men let a small lopsided grin appear across his features, "Well I suppose my reputation precedes me then."

"I would let you believe that, but to save you from your own head and to be honest with you, you are carrying your banners with you and your armor sports the crest of your house; Deidara of house Iwa."

The man hailed from a land in the mountains where their stone was their greatest trade item. He was the only son of the ruler of his native land and would someday take the throne when his father passed on, which didn't seem to be very soon. Deidara seized this opportunity to make a name for himself in the capitol and became fast friends with the king. And though she noticed the crest of his house on his armor, she noticed it was not the type of armor worn by the natives of his country. The metal work was more advanced and the defensive material was richer of those found in the mountains where he hailed from. The hardness and masculinity of the armor was counterbalanced by the long blonde hair he sported and the brightness of his cerulean eyes. His features showed his masculinity meshed with softer assets all at once. Saying that he had a sense of beauty would be putting it in the simplest of terms. She was sure the man before had been breaking his fair share or hearts since his early teens.

A larger man standing behind the only son of the Iwa house chuckled as he adjusted the large sword strapped to his broad back, "It seems that your cockiness is the only thing that precedes you, Deidara."

"As your stature precedes you, Kisame," Sakura added wittily to the conversation. "It's not often that someone has the honor of having the legendary swordsman of the mist accompanying them to the capital."

The addressed man gave her a pointed smile as he responded, "Was it the height that gave it away or the fact that my features seem to be bluer than others you've seen?"

All that was stated was true of the gallant fighter that stood before Sakura. His reputation was unprecedented by others of his caliber as he climbed through the ranks as nothing but a boy of thirteen to reach the highest honors as one of the nation's most renowned fighters. Now as a full-fledged man of twenty-eight, there were very few that had been rumored to challenge the swordsman of the mist in a dual. Although she had never seen him fight, the young girl was sure she didn't need him to prove his skills to her. Not only were his skills fierce, but his appearance matched them tenfold. His height surpassed any man she had ever seen and his muscles couldn't simply be hidden under a cloak of steel defenses. It was surely a surprise that armor could even be made to fit someone of his build. Certainly the most interesting aspect of his wasn't only his physique, but the blue hues to his person. Both his hair and skin had an unnatural hue that made his features stand out from all others.

The young lady of Konoha could not help but crack an amused smile at the man's quip upon his own person. She could certainly appreciate someone with a sense of humor, especially if they could learn to laugh at themselves. It was certainly a humble thought. "I presume all that has been said could be giveaways to your person, but then I suppose we would have to take into consideration the rumors that Deidara certainly possess the most handsome hair this nation has ever seen on a man of his stature."

Kisame seemed to not be able to contain his laughter any longer as the deep sounds of his expressed amusement echoed throughout the city, certainly waking those who were still in their beds this early in the day. The sound was rough and booming as it developed low in his chest. Sakura found that she rather enjoyed the larger man's laugh. "You have quite the mouth on you there, my lady. I can certainly welcome a woman that can openly insult Deidara's hair and make it sound so eloquent."

"And I can certainly value a warrior who knows when to keep his mouth shut, yeah," Deidara retorted quickly as his eyes turned back to Sakura, looking her over. "I will gladly admit that I am pleasantly surprised by you, Lady Sakura. You are not quite like most highborn ladies I've seen in this world."

"Have you had the pleasure of seeing many highborn ladies, my lord?" Sakura countered quickly with a raised pink brow in his direction. She would not be the only one to test the strangers in front of her.

Deidara smirked at her comment and slowly replied, "Not as many as I would have liked, my lady; certainly none as beautiful as you."

"You're too kind, my lord," she used this as an automatic response to those who complimented her, for flattering was not a tool that would work on her. So she simply smiled and turned towards her father.

"I'm sure you and your men are exhausted from your journey," he began, understanding the signal his daughter was sending. "You are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you need. I will gladly restock any supplies you require for your journey back. I will have lodging prepared for you and your men right away."

"Most appreciated, Lord Haruno," Deidara replied as he glanced back at his traveling group. "We would like to leave as soon as possible, tomorrow morning if feasible. The king requested that lady Sakura be in the capital for the King's tourney that is coming up. Leaving tomorrow should give us enough headway to reach the capital in time, yeah."

"Very well then," the lord of the land replied. "I shall gather what you require to leave on the morrow. Please make yourselves comfortable until then."

-xxx-

When day broke on the next morning, the men who had just arrived were back on their feet and raring to go on the journey back to where they came. Sakura had packed a slew of clothing items for her trip as well as her stay with the nobilities in the King's city. As she watched the men strap up their horses and reattached their pieces of armor, she held out a hand and produced a clicking noise with her mouth. A few seconds later she felt the warmth of a puff of breath against her palm and she smiled. Turning towards the source, she placed her hands delicately on either side of its face and stroked the soft hair gently.

"I'm sure you're glad to be getting the chance to get out of the stables for a while, aren't you?" she asked the giant animal who huffed in response. She leaned her head against the animal's own as she stroked its dark mane. "Don't you worry, you'll be sick of me by the time we reach the capital. Perhaps we can find you a good looking female companion for you to befriend."

The horse whinnied in reply allowing her smile to widen. She handed the reins off to one of the nearby servants who brought her horse in line with the convoy. Adjusting one of the sleeves on her long traveling cloak that pooled around her feet, she moved over towards the leaders of her traveling party.

"As radiant as ever, my lady," Deidara greeted as he strapped up the last saddle bag on his horse's load. "Do you have everything you require, yeah?"

Sakura nodded in reply as she turned towards Kisame, giving him a small smile in greeting. "When do we leave?"

"Once you have said your goodbyes," the blue swordsman answered back as he adjusted the thick leather gloves he was wearing.

Giving a sign of acknowledgment, she moved towards her father who wrapped is strong arms around her in a tight and loving embrace. "I love you more than words, my dear daughter. I will pray for you safe voyage, to the capital and back home to me once again."

"And I love you, father," she said lovingly as she placed a kiss upon one of his whiskered cheeks. "I promise to return to you safely."

Moving away from her father and towards her dark colored steed, Deidara was waiting to help her up. She raised a brow at him as he held out a tanned hand in her direction. "Would you like some assistance, my lady?"

A short amused noise carried from the back of her throat. Undoing the clasps of her cloak, she let it pool around her revealing an outfit suited for riding. Brown leather pants and a light weight cream shirt with long sleeves. She scooped up her cloak and draped it over the back of her saddle before putting a foot of one of her riding boots in the stirrup and heaving herself onto her horse.

An amused smirk was now playing across Deidara's handsome features in response to her actions. Sakura gave him a look of her own as she replied, "Did you really think I'd be wearing a dress to ride a horse? I can assure you I'm smarter than that." She leaned down slightly so that to others it seemed as though she was adjusting her saddle while she really whispered to Deidara, "But I think you're more upset that you didn't have the chance to have a look up the dress you assumed I was wearing."

"Touché, my lady. Touché."

-xxx-

As their two and a half week journey finally came to an end and the gates of the King's city were in sight, Sakura could only let out a sigh of relief. Though they did make impeccable time reaching the gates, long voyages had the tendency to become tedious and rather boring after time. The initial sense of adventure and excitement was soon lost after the first few days for most that traveled; for only so many stories could be shared and games could be played to pass the time. She found that Deidara's ideas for passing time were experiences she'd rather not associate herself with.

"Have you ever been to the capital before, Lady Sakura?" Kisame questioned as they made the final trek to the front entrance. He was stationed next to her on a horse of his own.

"I cannot say I have had the pleasure of its splendor, though I have heard so much about it," the female responded as she took in the sight of the large stone palace and the monstrous gates that surrounded it. Suna was always said to be an amazing city, breathtaking with its warm climate and view of the waterfront right outside the castle. Now she could understand what all the books have been telling her since she was a young girl learning to read about the history of her country. "It truly is breath taking," she whispered to herself as she continued to take in the new sights around her.

When they finally reached the front gates, she watched Kisame nod up to guard at the top of the guard tower. A few seconds later the cranking of metal upon metal reached her ears as the guards cranked the entrance gates to an open stance. There in all its glory stood the inner makings of the city of Suna. Its people filled the streets, carrying carts, buying goods, greeting one another as friends and family alike. It was as if the city was unaffected by the true danger and damnation occurring throughout the rest of the world. They were all naïve to the conquest of power and evil that awaited them outside the protection of their King's city. And because of this, Sakura could not accept the cities true beauty, for it was all just a clever rouse put on by the nobility that protected what little they had left.

"Where are we headed now?" Sakura asked Deidara as he sucked in a breath of the familiar air now surrounding him. He was stationed in front of Kisame and herself.

"I assume you'll want a proper bath before you meet the king," the blonde responded lightly as they made their way towards the castle that could be seen in the distance ahead of them. "Two weeks riding a horse tends to make you smell like one, yeah."

With a crinkle of her small nose, she shot the young Lord of Iwa a dirty look. Regrettably, it seemed that he was speaking only the truth.

-xxx-

After she had soaked in what started out as a hot bath for what seemed like hours on end, she finally emerged from the tub and dressed to take in the spacious room that she would have during her stay in the capital. The room was certainly large; with a bed that she was confident she would sleep right in the middle of and feel as thought she was in heaven surrounded by the softest white clouds. There was a sitting area and a large balcony over looking the city and the water playing as its backdrop. It was almost too perfect.

As she retrieved one of the dresses from one of her trunks, she pulled out one of her favorites. A pale green dress; tight around her torso and flowing around her feet. The neck line shaped into a v and pulled out to wrap around just the edges of her shoulders and tops of her arms. The paleness of her skin compliment the color of the dress as her pink locks only seemed to stand out further. The real reason that it was one of her favorites was because it once belonged to her late mother. A woman she never had the chance to meet and a woman who left very big shoes for her to fill in her absence.

Searching through a small box stashed away in the trunk she opened, she pulled out a necklace; also her favorite one. The chain was gold and in the middle was the symbol of her house pressed into a gold medallion. Fingering through her long pink locks and tucking them to one side, she began to latch on her piece of jewelry when there was a knock at her door.

She called out for them to enter and turned to be greeted to the sight of a new yet familiar face. "Lady Sakura," the man greeted as he stepped through the doorway, his voice as rich as the softest velvet.

"Lord Uchiha," she greeted as she moved her hands to clasp in front of her, necklace still in her grasp. "It's been a long time."

"That it has, my lady. Almost ten years. You have certainly grown more beautiful since we last saw each other," the quiet lord told her. She smiled at his compliment knowing that it was sincere.

"The years have been kind to you, Itachi. But you still remain a man of very few words," the Haruno lady replied with a joking tone which was enough to pull a small smile at the corner of the man's lips as he said nothing in reply.

The Uchiha family was a very noble one. They were one of the oldest families in the histories priding themselves on tradition and brilliance. Fighting in many wars since the creation of this world, they grew experienced in the ways of battle which allowed them to be some of the most tactful and cunning minds the land had ever seen. The Uchiha's were close neighbors to the Haruno's as they fell slightly west of them holding a large amount of territory in the central lands. The two families rarely interacted with each other unless it was a matter of the highest importance. The ruler of their lands, Fugaku Uchiha, was a proud and stoic many of very few words or smiles. His solemn demeanor was well known throughout the nations. He and his wife produced two strong sons, Itachi and Sasuke. Itachi, being the eldest, would someday take over his father's role as protector of their lands. But for now, he was taking his own path as one of the King's highest advisors while his younger brother was proving himself as a proud Uchiha warrior of the highest caliber.

"Do you acquire assistance with that?" Itachi inquired, signaling to the gold in her hands.

Nodding in reply, Itachi moved forward and received the necklace from Sakura's hands. Turning her back to him, she combed her hair over one of her shoulders to make the eldest Uchiha's task simpler. She felt the warmth of his fingers as he worked at the task of the clasp on the gold chain, hooking it into place proficiently.

Touching the medallion that now hung in the center of her chest she turned to the man and provided him with a thankful smile before taking the arm he was now holding out for her. As her hand lay just about the crook of his elbow, he laid his opposite hand atop of hers as customary fashion and began to exit her out of the room and down to the king's throne room.

"So what should I know about this king before I meet him?" Sakura queried as they walked the halls of the castle. "Is he hideously deformed? Is he four feet tall? Is he missing a limb?"

Itachi let out a short sound that almost sounded like a laugh, "Are those really appropriate questions to be asking, Lady Sakura?"

She hummed in reply while a small pout formed on her lips, "I suppose not. But you could have at least humored me for a little while."

The Uchiha heir allowed his amused smile to remain across his features at her words. "I supposed Deidara is better suited for quips of humor."

"Ah," she agreed shortly as they turned with the path of the hallway. "I suppose you would be more suitable for intellectual conversations of stratagem and wit."

"Precisely," he answered back at her compliment he graciously approved. "In terms of the King; he is a man of few words. His rule is firm, but he has a great attachment with the more beautiful things in life such as the arts. A man who enjoys a challenge, but has little elation for patience."

"As do most people of this world," Sakura retorted towards Itachi's final comment. They stopped a few feet away from the entrance to the thrown room. She knew this due to the elaborate detail of the large doors and the fact that there were so many guards posted around it. The doors seemed to be carved from a beautiful slab of red cedar as she could tell by its color and the faint but distinct scent that seemed to be permanent in the air. The guards posted around them had armor that held the crest of the King and his capital. She noted they each wore a sword attached to their belts, and even though they were indoors, each adorned a helm of steel that matched their armor that hid their faces from view. "Any parting advice before I meet my fate?"

"Your fate?" the man questioned as he glanced into her entrancing green irises.

"You can be straight with me, my lord. I know for what reasons I have been brought here, although they may not have been made explicitly clear," she began as her light voice showed signs of her seriousness. "The King has been looking for a suitable bride for well over 3 months now. His father before him for many years prior. Their search has left him with naught so the eyes of his council have turned to something a little further from their reach."

Itachi's eyes showed amusement at her words and her wit towards the situation, "Further from reach?"

"Indeed," she answered back. "As a woman of a high born family, high status, and of the correct age, I am a top candidate; that I am well aware. But what pushes me further from his reach is that as a lady of highborn status, of whom has reached the age of her own consensus at her future, I have the right of choice. The laws of my land state that I have say over whom I do or do not wish to marry. This law was signed in approval of royalty many years ago and still has validity in a matter of court."

Itachi's eyes widened slightly at her words, but a smirk was reaching back to his lips once more. This woman was more cunning and intelligent than he gave her credit for.

"So in response to your question again; yes. I am further from his reach. Unlike the other women who he has been matched with in the past, he had final say on whether or not he found them fit to be his queen. In this instance, he has no final say. I do." She released herself from his grasp and took a step back. She allowed a smile to pull back to her features as she watched him. "But as a member of the King's esteemed council, I'm sure you were already well aware of all of that. Weren't you?"

Itachi's smirk pulled even wider across his features. The woman before him was truly unlike any other in the world. A challenge in her own right and a beauty beyond compare. The elder Uchiha took a step forward to make up the distance she had put between them. His hand moved to ghost over the pale skin of her cheek. Sakura was not affected by the action, which intrigued him further. "I am well aware of your situation, my lady."

Sakura raised a pink brow in his direction which seemed to show amusement, "So you were hoping that I wasn't."

Itachi remained silent as he cupped the side of her delicate features. His silence seemed to be answer enough for Sakura to deduct an answer, and he knew that. "It's a pity to be underestimated, my lord," she told him as she allowed one of her hands to grasp his that was at her face.

"It will not happen again, my lady," Itachi answered back simply, as he watched her lower his hand from her features.

"See that it doesn't," she said finally as she moved to stand in front of the throne room doors. She nodded towards the guards as they began to push the large wood doors so that she could continue to meet the man who was said to rule her. But she would make it known; there was no man that could rule Sakura Haruno.

-xxx-

Author's Note: So, hi. I found this sitting around on my computer and I decided to finish it up and put it out there. I should be updating other things; I know. But I'm working on them. For some reason I was really inspired to write on this topic. Being a huge super fan of George R.R Martin's series, A Song of Ice and Fire, I thought it would be fun to write something of this time period. Very 'Game of Thrones' esc. This is not just a one pair story. You all know of my crippling fear of commitment when it comes to our pink haired beauty. I love Sakura to sample the plethora of men available to her. So let me know what you think of this. I actually plan to update this very soon because I'm already halfway through the next chapter. In terms of the title, dalliance translates into a brief love affair.