Auspicious Obligations Chapter 1: What Fate Does, a naruto fanfic

Yes, this is yet another fanfiction I'm starting. Hm, three fanfictions at once. Well, this one won't be a huge whopping long one like Broken Typography; probably around 10 chapters max. We'll see. I've always wanted to write a NejiTen fanfiction, so here it is.

This is an alternate universe. The characters are not shinobi, and they are in a somewhat feudal era-like environment. If you don't know what some of the Japanese words in this chapter are, check the bottom of the page. There will be a glossary of them for each chapter, but I will only put up new words in future chapters.

A u s p i c i o u s O b l i g a t i o n s

Chapter 1 - What Fate Does

She was doing it again.

"NANI?"

Kengeki Tenten smiled as she listened to her best friend - who also happened to be her cousin- Haruno Sakura scream with rage. It was quite unladylike, but…screw that. Sakura screamed when she wanted to scream.

"I WILL NOT-" Sakura's voice began angrily.

"YOU WILL!" the voice of her father thundered.

"But-!"

"I have an important meeting to get to, now. We will discuss this later, Sakura."

Seconds later, Tenten saw Sakura come out of the throne room. "So, what did the almighty majesty want?" the former asked dryly.

"It…I…he…" Sakura was at a loss for words. The princess gritted her teeth, a look of completely misery splashed across her face. She tugged at her hair slightly.

"Yes…?" Tenten prompted, feeling that whatever the news was, it was probably brought impending doom.

"…he…I…"

"…?"

"…I'm going to have an arranged marriage," Sakura finally said, her voice choking on the last word.

"What?" Tenten stared at her cousin, shocked for a moment, but regained her senses and sighed. "Well, you're the princess. We knew it was coming."

"Yes, but I…I always thought that he would choose Sasuke-kun," Sakura replied, tears forming in her eyes.

"Sasuke…he's not going to be very happy about it, is he?" Tenten sighed.

"Sasuke-kun…he'll be furious," Sakura said in a very small voice.

"Doesn't uncle want you to marry the most powerful family aside from yours? Who could possibly have more power than the Uchiha?" The brunette frowned.

Sakura stared into space for a moment, but resurfaced with a bitter smile on her face. "Ne, Tenten…remember the Hyuuga?"

He opened his eyes slowly, looking slightly irritated at the fact that his meditation was being bothered. "What?" The attendant cringed slightly, in fear of the sharp tone of the prince's constant, cold voice.

"Y-your highness…K-King Haruno has a-agreed to the p-proposal." The poor servant ended his stuttering nervously.

"Hn." The prince closed his eyes again, without bothering to comment. "Dismissed." He paused. "And do not stutter. I do not need to have other people in my life sounding like Hinata-sama."

"H-hai, Neji-sama." The attendant gulped at his mistake of stuttering again, and left. Neji sighed, and was about to sink into a long, peaceful meditation when another knock sounded on his door. His pearl-white eyes snapped open irritably. This person would suffer his wrath.

"What?"

"N-Neji-nii-san…" Hinata came into the room, shutting the door quietly behind her. She was too used to Neji's iciness to be intimidated. "Y-you know t-that y-you should not a-answer the d-door l-like t-that…you'll f-frighten off t-the a-attendants."

"I am extremely irritated," Neji said simply, his anger dying down somewhat at the fact that the person who was currently bothering him was Hinata, not another annoying servant.

"I-I know, N-Neji-nii-san."

"I was meditating."

"H-hai."

"Interruptions annoy me."

"A-aa. We should all f-fear great Neji-nii-san's w-wrath," Hinata said in her soft voice, smiling. Neji's annoyance lifted a bit and he managed a small smirk at Hinata's joke.

"What brings you here, Hinata-sama?"

"O-onegai, a-ano, Neji-nii-san…"

"Yes?"

"W-well…" Hinata played with one of her bracelets. "I h-heard that y-you're going t-t-to get m-married."

Neji closed his eyes. "Aa."

"T-to the H-Haruno princess…?"

"Aa."

"A-ano…b-but, d-do you want t-to?" Hinata asked her cousin earnestly. Neji looked at her.

"Hinata-sama, do I have a choice? This is an arranged marriage."

"O-oh…g-gomen, Neji-nii-san." Hinata looked down at her robes, fumbling.

"What do you wish to tell me?"

"E-eh?" Hinata looked up, startled. Neji eyed her.

"You wish to either ask or tell me something," he stated.

"Ano…w-well, n-n-no. I w-wish to do both…" Hinata murmured.

"What is it?"

"Erm…ano…b-both Kiba-kun and Naruto-kun h-have a-asked to marry me…"

"…" Neji stared at his cousin. Hinata blushed fiercely.

"A-and…I d-d-don't know what to do. I l-l-l-love them both…" The dark-haired princess looked quite bewildered and sad.

Neji looked intensely thoughtful for a moment, then said, "choose the one who asked first."

"B-but…" Hinata mumbled," they b-both asked at the s-same t-time…"

"How bothersome," Neji growled. "How could both of the idiots have asked at the same time?" Hinata shook her head, not knowing the answer. "Well then…" Neji paused. "I am afraid I will have to give you the most obvious answer, Hinata-sama. Choose from your heart."

Tenten and Sakura sat miserably in Sakura's room. "Ne, Sakura…when's the wedding going to be?" Tenten asked softly.

"…one month from now," Sakura said quietly.

"Oh…" Tenten trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

"Tenten-chan," Sakura began, "how…how do you think Sasuke-kun reacted when he received the n-news…?"

Tenten sighed. "He probably threw a tantrum. I bet anyone who comes within a five-mile radius of him within the next few days will freeze from his coldness."

"Eh heh." Sakura attempted a feeble smile, but failed terribly. "You know…I'm surprised that he hasn't come yet…"

As if on cue, a sudden knock sounded on the door.

"S-Sakura-hime!" came a startled attendant's voice. "Uchiha-sama-"

"Open the freaking door, dammit!" Sasuke's voice yelled angrily. The doors slid open with brutal force as the attendant fell into the room and Uchiha Sasuke charged in. It was apparent that he had haphazardly slipped on clothes without brushing his hair to come see Sakura. Since the Haruno kingdom and the Uchiha kingdom bordered, and the palaces of both kingdoms were quite close to each other, Sasuke did not live too far from Sakura.

"S-Sasuke-kun…" Sakura whispered softly, staring up at him.

"Sakura!" Sasuke knelt down and grabbed Sakura by her shoulders, gripping them tightly. "Tell me! Is it true? You're getting m-married to someone else?" Sasuke's voice faltered. Sakura's eyes filled with tears.

"…gomen, Sasuke-kun…"

"WHO IS IT?" Sasuke thundered, looking like he was on the verge of murder. Sakura became immensely agitated and lowered her head, tears sliding down her face.

"Sasuke-san, please don't be so violent," Tenten said, frowning at Sakura's state. "She's…she's marrying Hyuuga Neji."

Sasuke's eyes flashed. "The bastard," he hissed, his voice filled with venom. "I'll go cut his head off, that-"

"Sasuke-sama!" the servant gasped. She had been forgetting in the turmoil. "Onegai, do not use that kind of language in front of-"

"Screw you!" Sasuke growled furiously as he pushed her away, trying to get out of the room.

"No!" Sakura cried. "Don't go and cause trouble, Sasuke-kun!"

"But…Sakura…" Sasuke's hard eyes softened slightly as Sakura sobbed into his robes. Tenten watched sadly as the poor couple lamented over their luck.

"Well…" Sasuke said awkwardly, not wanting Sakura to cry. "Maybe he'll be nice for a change…uh, I mean-"

"You've met him?" Sakura asked, gulping and looking up at Sasuke with wide eyes.

"Aa…" Sasuke looked slightly pissed off at the fact that he had let that fact slip.

"W-what is he like?"

"…" Sasuke looked away, not really wanting to reply. "You'll…you'll see when you meet him," he answered bitterly.

"Tomorrow…" Sakura murmured. Sasuke looked at her sharply.

"You're meeting him tomorrow?"

"Hai," the pink-haired girl replied sadly. Sasuke looked like he was suppressing steam.

"This is horrible…" Tenten said quietly, her voice barely hearable. Sakura suddenly turned away from Sasuke.

"Onegai, Sasuke-kun…just go."

"Sakura?" Sasuke looked confused.

"I'll…I'll talk to you another day. Sayonara."

"Sakura!"

"Please go," Tenten said to Sasuke, putting an arm around Sakura. The latter stared at the girls for another moment…then got up, looking at Sakura one last time, and left.

"Ne, Tenten-chan…" Sakura murmured. "What do you think Neji-san will be like?"

Tenten hesitated. "Well, I hope he isn't one of those egotistical types who think that females are useless and of low-level."

Sakura sighed. "I hope not."

Neji headed down to the great dining hall for breakfast. He spotted Hinata and his uncle, Hiashi-sama, who was also the king, already at the table, including Hinata's younger sister, Hanabi. That was how small his family was.

Hinata should have inherited the throne by right, but the Hyuuga law declared that only males were allowed to take the place of the ruler of the kingdom. Since Neji was the closest male relative to Hinata, he would take the throne. He was the crown prince, and was therefore required to marry earlier than the other nobles. He had to marry before his 19th birthday, which wasn't until a few months later.

"Really, Neji," Hiashi said as soon as Neji sat down. "Princes like you should be married by now."

"I do not wish to marry," Neji said stiffly.

"Neji-nii-san's already engaged," Hinata pointed out.

"Most young men in his position marry at sixteen or seventeen," Hiashi replied. "It bothers me, how little interest you show in women, Neji."

"Hmm, I don't think he shows any interest in women," Hanabi commented snidely.

"Well, he d-did o-once, in m-my memory," Hinata said thoughtfully. "The only t-time Neji-nii-san has s-shown kindness t-to any g-girl other than f-family was when he w-was ten. You h-helped that g-girl o-out in the game at the carnival, r-right, Neji-nii-san?"

"…" Neji didn't bother to reply.

"H-he didn't e-even g-get her n-name…"

"I simply won a panda for her," Neji said tonelessly. "There was no need."

"Ne, Neji, does that mean that you like boys, hm?" Hanabi asked, turning in her seat and smiling into Neji's face. She recoiled slightly as she received a full blast of Neji's ice-cold glare. "Don't do that; it gives me the shivers."

"Then do not make me angry," Neji said calmly.

"Neji does not like males," Hiashi said, aghast. "…do you, Neji?"

"No," Neji growled, his voice going a few pitches deeper.

"Y-you're g-g-getting N-Neji-nii-san really w-worked up, Hanabi," Hinata stuttered.

"I know," Hanabi muttered, edging closer to her father and away from Neji. "His voice only gets that menacing and deep - well, mostly deep - when he's angry or passionate, and he's only been passionate once in his boring, no-girl life." Neji turned slowly towards Hanabi, his eyes glaring holes into her head.

"Stop arguing, you two," Hiashi reprimanded, sighing. "You are all so old, yet still argue like children."

"I'm only fourteen," Hanabi said innocently. "Hey, ne-chan, have you decided on who you're marrying?"

"…!" Hinata blinked, blushed, and looked down at her lap, twiddling her thumbs. "A-ano…n-not really…m-maybe Kiba-kun…?"

"Hm…I'm okay with it." Hanabi grinned at her sister.

"Inuzuka Kiba?" Hiashi looked at Hinata. "Should I set up wedding arrangements?"

"N-no!" Hinata gasped. "I h-haven't f-f-fully decided y-yet…"

"Oh, alright."

"So, you're seeing your future w-i-f-e today, eh Neji?" Hanabi asked, grinning. Neji closed his eyes.

"Unfortunately."

"I heard that she's p-r-e-t-t-y!"

"Hn."

"And that she was going out with Uchiha Sasuke! Who's handsome and has good taste."

"Hn."

"Man, nothing like this ever riles you up."

"Hn."

"Aliens flew in and captured me yesterday."

"Good."

"Aw, I was so sure that you were going to go 'hn' again!"

"Hn."

"UGH!"

"Hanabi!" Hiashi said sharply. "It is unladylike to yell-"

"Blah blah blah."

"Do not interrupt me. I am the king!"

"And I'm the second princess."

"…" Hiashi sighed. "I will let your behavior go this once, young lady. However, this cannot go on for long." Hanabi smiled and stuck her tongue out at her father. The corner of Hiashi's mouth twitched. Hinata giggled. Neji was the only one who did not seem amused in any way. "Well, Neji, you should go meet her soon," Hiashi said, looking out the window at the sun. Neji stood up and left, the servants cleaning up after him.

"There, now your hair's perfect," Tenten said proudly, finishing up the job and patting Sakura's hair. Sakura looked in the mirror.

"Eeeeeeeeeaaaaaaahhhhh, Tenten!" Sakura screeched.

"What?" Tenten asked innocently. "It looks great!"

"Oh my kami!" the hairdresser cried, coming into the room. "What an abomination!" Tenten scowled. "We do not have much time left," the hairdresser fussed, undoing the eyesore. She brushed Sakura's hair, clipping the medium-length hair up beautifully and smiled at the princess.

"Wow," Sakura commented. "Simple yet effective."

"Just the make-up now," Sakura's attendant said hurriedly, doing the make-up. "There. King Haruno will be waiting in the throne room, Sakura-hime."

"Tenten, come with me," Sakura said softly. Tenten nodded. Both girls proceeded into the throne room.

"Ah, Sakura-chan," King Haruno said amiably. Then, he spotted Tenten. "Oh, Tenten!" The king looked rather surprised.

"Konnichiwa, Haruno-sama," Tenten said, bowing.

"What are you doing here, Tenten?" King Haruno asked, looking puzzled.

"Ano, otou-sama, I asked her to come," Sakura cut in.

"Oh." King Haruno nodded understandingly. "Well, as much as I'd like for you to stay, Tenten, we cannot have anyone but Sakura, the attendants, and I here. Having someone else with a rank may insult Hyuuga-san, for some reason."

"Hai, I understand." Tenten bowed, gave Sakura a sympathetic look, and left. Sakura sighed.

"Announcing the arrival of the revered Hyuuga-sama!" one of the guards declared. All of the guards and servants bowed. Neji strode gracefully in, accompanied by an attendant and a bunch of soldiers. He bowed slightly to King Haruno (out of court protocol) and straightened. Sakura got a proper look at him, with the exception of the upper half of his face.

"Oh my kami," the pink-haired princess thought, her eyes widening. "He's so handsome!"

"Haruno-sama," Neji said.

"His voice is so…deep," Sakura thought wildly. She could already feel her cheeks heating up, and knew that her face was turning red. It probably looked flushed, at the very least.

"K-…" King Haruno faltered for a moment, seemingly startled, then caught himself. "Konnichiwa, Neji-san."

"…?" Sakura wondered why her father had stumbled over his words. King Haruno was not known to falter, and she had known her father for all of the eighteen years of her life.

"Oh, and this is Princess Sakura, your fiancé and my only daughter," the king announced, gesturing towards Sakura. The latter and Neji bowed to each other.

"Pleased to meet you, Hyuuga-san," Sakura said politely, straightening. It was then that the girl got a good look at Neji, including the upper part of his face. And it was his eyes that shocked her. She knew that the Hyuuga were also known for their peculiar eyes, but she had never expected this. As Sakura's emerald-green eyes came into contact with Neji's pearl-white ones, only one thought ran through the former's head. "Neji…he's blind."

Nani: What.

Ne: Hey.

Hai: Yes.

Aa: Yeah.

Nii-san: Brother (older). Although Neji is Hinata's cousin, she still refers to him as nii-san (perhaps cousins are also referred to like that in Japanese, but I'm not sure).

Ne-san: Sister (older).

Gomen/gomenasai: Sorry.

Ongeai: Please.

Kami: God.

Otou-san: Father.

-san: (suffix) Used for politeness, generally to strangers or people that the speaker does not know that well.

-chan: (suffix) Used mostly when addressing girls, informally.

-kun: (suffix) Used mostly when addressing boys, informally.

-sama: (suffix) Used mostly when addressing higher-ranked people, formally. Higher-ranked can range anywhere from nobles to parents.

-hime: (suffix) Used when addressing princesses. I think it generally means princess. For example, Sakura-hime would be Princess Sakura.

I actually don't know Japanese and only picked up these random words/suffixes/whatever through watching a lot of anime, so please correct me if you're certain that I'm wrong. I am aware that the words may mean something other than what I have stated above, but that doesn't matter for this fanfiction. What is above will suffice.

Thank you for reading the first chapter of Auspicious Obligations. It is my first NejiTen fanfiction, and I would really appreciate input! I accept constructive criticism, but not flames. So, please review.