To be Crowned
Sakura attended the Daimyo’s court on the summer of her 15th year.
Sakura in the eyes of the world was the Godaime Hokage’s apprentice in medic jutsu. She was a young woman who was buried under work and overworked by a Hokage who had little time to teach. Thus Sakura was recognized as a medic but no one really knew the extent to which she had been trained. Most regarded her as the same as the Hokage’s other apprentice, Shizune, who was a mousy quite woman who could hold her own but was no great genius. People like Tsunade came about once a generation people concluded, and Sakura was not the one of hers.
In the eyes of Konoha-nin, Sakura was an overworked genin under the guise of apprentice. Oh, many saw her as a great medic, a genius even, but they mostly saw Sakura running helter-skelter at the command of their Kage, scrolls trailing her exhausted form. They saw a girl buried in paperwork and book work who was dragged into the labs by Shizune more often then she worked with patients. They had heard the rumblings of the training Tsunade sometimes gave her in far flung training fields, but any brave enough to try and catch a glimpse of that training often saw the Hokage laughing as she threw boulders at the girl and not much else.
To the Godaime Hokage, Sakura was a prodigy who would one day overshoot even herself. Tsunade saw the way Sakura ran herself into the ground with training and seemed to devour knowledge. She was watching every step of the way as Sakura made progress in leaps and bounds. Every time she thought Sakura might start to level out skill wise and maybe could use some time in the hospital or on missions, she suddenly made some leap of skill. Sakura was forging ahead like a wild bull, unstoppable even when it looked to have calmed. Her time, Tsunade decided, was much better spent in lessons or on the training field. No need to take out time for boring hospital rounds or pointless missions. Until Sakura stopped absorbing her lessons like a sponge did water, she would teach the girl. Admittedly, Tsunade had very little time to teach, but Sakura was doing fine with scroll work and Shizune’s help. Tsunade also kept her close, having her work as an assistant so they could talk medical jargon and lessons while Tsunade ran a village.
In all, Sakura Haruno was a prettily wrapped surprise just waiting to explode on the world in all her glory. But not quite yet. For now she was a surprise still waiting to be sprung, she was still an unassuming civilian born Kunoichi.
Thus, on the summer of her 15th year, she was sent on a mission uniquely suited to her; Daimyo protection.
Sakura’s civilian family were very well-off cloth merchants who had raised their daughter to be a dutiful daughter with all the proper pretty manners. Until she had joined the academy Sakura had been slated for an arrange marriage to expand their business and had started learning all the duties that belonged to a wife and daughter and mother. Even while in the academy her mother had made sure she kept up her lessons in the hopes she would drop out of the shinobi life. They had never wanted her to pick that path but had no power over that decision in a dictator run military village. Sakura, as a dutiful and smart young woman, had learned everything from tea ceremony to flower arrangement to etiquette as well as she had learned how to throw knives.
And at 15 she was no less skilled at any of these niceties despite having little time for them. Kunoichi were also trained in seduction and genjutsu and all the little tricks to make them look softer and prettier than their male counterparts. Sakura wasn’t as deep in these lessons, but she knew enough.
That she could crush a man’s chest cavity with a flick of her wrist was a bonus.
So pretty little pink haired Haruno Sakura was sent off to the Daimyo’s court to protect him against some trivial assassination plot. In pretty green kimono and with her hair pinned back, black kohl around her eyes, and polish on her nails, she looked like a demure young woman being introduced to court. That her hands had calluses from smashing rock, and scalpel nicks on her skin, and knives tucked under her sleeves was something no one else knew.
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“Drop the pleasantries,” Madoka Ikkyuu said the moment the door closed.
Sakura looked up from her deep bow at the man seated before her, looking at her carefully.
“Daimyo-sama,” she greeted,
“You may call me Ikkyuu in private,” he said, “It is good to see the Godaime took my request seriously; sending her apprentice.”
“Yes, Ikkyuu-sama,” Sakura bowed briefly, “She passes on her regards.”
“Ah, Tsunade,” he said, the hint of a fond smile lighting his lips.
The man before her had to be Tusnade’s age, though his hair had slipped into grey his face remained fresh and unlined. The hint of wrinkles at the corner of his eyes betrayed a weathered man, but the luxuries of a court life had kept him soft.
“I have arranged a room for you,” the Daimyo said, slipping out of reminiscing, “close to my quarters. You will most likely be mistaken for my consort.”
He didn’t ask if she was fine with this and Sakura simply bowed. Despite how well he regarded shinobi, and his personal ties to Tsunade, Sakura knew where she stood with the leader of her country. She also knew that despite the fact Daimyo had supposed power over the ninja villages, Sakura was safe as a representative of Tsunade. In truth the Hokage and Daimyo were on more even ground than many liked to think. They were in an eternal stalemate, each needing the other and not wanting the chaos a coup could create, and they both respected that. But Sakura was also neither of these people. She was a sworn shinobi, a tool, and she was ready to complete her mission no matter what.
“You will meet my family over the next while as well. I assume you know details of them already.”
And Sakura did from her briefing. The Daimyo had been married thrice, his first wife dying young, his second dying in childbirth, and the third still alive. He had had countless consorts in there as well. As a result, he had four sons and two daughters. The son of his first wife was now twenty-eight and in line for the throne. The son of his second wife was but twenty-five and trained as a spare heir. The sons of the third wife were still young enough to be looked after by nannies and tutors. His two daughters, both over fifteen, were long married off, one in Wind country, the other to a loyal retainer’s family.
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Empty Bit
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“Sakura.”
Sakura turned, a smile twisting her lips as she found Ichigo waiting.
The young lord’s eyes were crinkled with warmth and he was already smiling as well. She could see he was dressed in the same colors as her and realized he had asked the maids what she was wearing to coordinate. In his hand sat a bough of colorful blossoms.
“I know it might me cliché,” he said as he got closer, “But I couldn’t help but think of you.”
Sakura took the bough of young Sakura blossoms, an early set all soft and pale like stained glass.
“Cliché doesn’t mean unappreciated,” she told him.
“Would you do me the honor of letting me accompany you around the gardens?” he asked, beaming.
“Of course,” she laughed.
He let her lead them down the twisting paths, slipping through plum trees as they meandered through the outer gardens. They shared a comfortable silence in the cool spring air.
“Sakura,” Ichigo finally said, “I…”
He paused and Sakura allowed him his thoughts as she looked down at the Sakura blossoms in her hand.
“Sakura,” he repeated, “I am ill. You yourself have seen it is incurable. I do not have many years left in me. But, I would be…overjoyed if you would spend the few I have left with me.”
“Are you asking me to stay in the court?” she asked.
“No,” he said.
He reached out and clasped her hands and she looked up at the boldness of the move, his thumbs stroking across her skin.
“Sakura, would you stay with me as my wife?”
Sakura had…well, not quite expected the question, but still wasn’t completely caught off guard by it.
“Ichigo,” she said softly, “You are a lord and I am a shinobi. My place is in your shadow, guarding your back, not at your side.”
“No,” he denied, “You place is with me in the sunshine, with your hand in mine.”
“We won’t be allowed to get married,” she said just as gently, but did not tug her hands from his.
His smile was a bright thing.
“My father has given his permission,” he said, “He knows how happy you make me. Please Sakura, stay with me.”
Sakura looked into his strong dark eyes and his pale complexion. She looked at the young lord who was crippled by illness and who would not live to see his thirties.
“I…” she said.
She thought of Konoha. Thought of the fact the battlefield made her blood sing. Thought of Team Seven and the Konoha Nine and Tsunade. She thought of duty.
“Yes,” she finally said, turning to smile shyly up at him, “Yes. I will Marry you.”
He engulfed her in a hug and she curled into his chest, pressing her face to his breast so tightly she could hear his heartbeat.
“I promise you all the happiness and love I can give you,” he whispered in her ear.
“And I promise to keep you alive to do it,” she returned.
He held her tighter and neither cared that the sakura blossoms crumpled and crumbled between their bodies.
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The wedding was of course an extravagant affair. The city was alive with the joy of it and feasts were prepared and festivities planned. The Daimyo’s second son, his favoured son, was being married for love and no expense was spared. Sakura was swept off for fittings and questions about tastes and flung from person to person. Ichigo snuck every spare moment he could with her even as he helped his father with the organizing, looking at the financial and planning aspects. Invitations were sent far and wide, Sakura’s hand signing only a few.
To Konoha, went four pretty little letters. Tsunade (and Shizune), Kakashi, her parents, and Ino all received beautiful scrolls with her hand written invitation and warnings to keep their mouths shut. She hovered over one letter for hours and hours before finally ripping it up. She wasn’t sure Naruto would approve of her marriage, for history of his crush, for pulling her away from Konoha, for further breaking up Team seven.
So Sakura felt content with the few she had invited and let the city bubble up in excitement over her upcoming nuptials.
The ninja of Konoha came two days before the wedding and Tsunade and the Daimyo shut themselves in the office immediately.
“Sakura,” her mother called, eyes filled with tears.
Sakura hugged her parents and letter her mother flutter over her.
“Married to a prince,” her father grinned, “I always told you, you were my little princess.”
Sakura laughed and when her mother gushed about how happy she was that Sakura was just getting married, she still smiled. She knew if it had been anyone less than a lord at the other end of this agreement they would have raised holy hell like they had when she broke a betrothal for the ninja academy. She played the dutiful daughter and then led them to their rooms and passed them off to the maids.
Ino gave no words just crushed Sakura in a hug, burying her face in Sakura’s shoulder. She clung like it was a funeral and not a wedding and Sakura smiled fondly and hugged her back, burying her face in Ino’s soft sunshine hair.
“Sakura,” Ino breathed, “Say the word and we’ll take you and run. Hatake will back me up.”
“Oh Ino,” Sakura said, “Thank you, but this will be no hardship.”
“He’s kind then.”
It wasn’t a question but she answered
“Yes. And he loves me.”
“You’re more dutiful than I,” Ino gave her a tight smile.
Sakura smiled and hugged her best friend again. After Ino was showed to her room, Sakura found Kakashi lurking in the shadows of the meeting room, keeping half his senses on Tsunade, unwilling to let his guard down even in the heart of the Daiymo’s court. Sakura had learned he had been called Hound in ANBU. She’d also learned he’d been called the Hokage’s Dog, and it wasn’t whispered nicely. Sakura was just pleased with his loyalty to Tsunade.
“Sakura,” Kakashi smiled, ruffling her hair.
“Sensei,” she smiled, not even protesting the messy hair.
“Pimping yourself out for Konoha, eh,” he said, voice low and discreet.
Sakura had hatred how blunt he was as a younger child. Now she appreciated it.
“I’m marrying for love,” she demurred.
“But not yours,” he said, “I suppose there are worst things to do in the service of Konoha.”
“I like Ichigo. He is a kind man.”
“Good.”
And that was that.
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PREMISE/NOTES:
Second son is sickly so half her mission is to try and heal him but it is a genetic disease from his mother’s line. He’s not thought to live much longer. Sakura can ease the sickness but not cure him. He is his father’s favorite child and closet to Ikkyuu in personality. He falls for her hard because most people shy away from him (idiots think its contagious or don’t want children with the illness). He’s a decade older than her but asks her to marry him with his father’s blessing. Because of the sickness and place as second heir no one really cares who he marries and the Daimyo likes Sakura and wants his son to be happy.
She does it out of duty and within the first year bears him a set of twins (Sakura is a top teir medic who is set to overtake Tsunade – she managed to make herself pregnant with twins and ones without the illness). One son and one daughter. The time-skip in Naruto lasts long enough for her to dothis and everything comes to a head after the birth of her kids. She has been jumping between the capital and Konoha for half the year to continue her studies and be a ninja, but half her duty is in the capital now. Very few know of the marriage outside Kakashi, Tsunade, and the council in Konoha because most Konoha-nin don’t care about civilian gossip/don’t care who Sakura is. No one really cares for the sickly second prince and his shinobi born children.
Sakura fights in the war because it is her duty and she still has friends in Konoha (plus her children will die with everyone else if she loses).
After the war Sasuke tries to get her to marry him and she laughs in his face to his and Naruto’s shock. While she’s still close with them she’s made a life in the Capital and while she isn’t in love with her husband she cares for him dearly (at this point she’s spent more time with him than with Team Seven). Plus you know, kids she loves.
She then returns to the capital. Since she can ease the sickness the prince lives to see his son and daughter turn seven. Sakura raises them in the court but teaches them everything she can as well. Uncle Kakashi often comes and helps. The Daimyo likes the son of the white fang and lets him stay in the court as Sakura and Ichigo’s main guard and he does it happily (helps him avoid Hokage duty and is semi-retirement). Besides, Sakura was always his favourite student and you can’t change my mind on that. Naruto becomes Hokage early with a lot of guidance from everyone.
In the capitol the Daimyo’s heir (fist son) never has children. Sakura even attends to him to make sure he is not sick, checks his two wives and multiple concubines as well but reveals they are all healthy. Still no children and people murmur it’s a bad omen. Sakura of course is a top-tier medic, the leading medic in the world in fact. It’s quite easy while under the guise of check-ups to make sure the first prince never has children. So when the Daimyo get’s old and starts to worry about his line he declares Sakura’s son his heir instead unless his first son has children soon. Ikkyu loved his second son best and sees how Sakura, raising her kids with a shinobi’s discipline, but also with a focus on knowledge, is making strong children; less spoiled and soft. This sows political discord of course, but no one can deny the first prince must be able to have children to have his line rule. Sakura’s children are also very well protected under Sakura and Kakashi’s eyes.
Sakura found her happy-ever after with her son being crowned as Daimyo. Little civilian Sakura called weak for years made her own future and in a way took control of all of Fire Country. Maybe a little hint of Kakashi/Sakura at the end as well since she her husband died.