She didn't know what compelled her to blurt out his name. It could have been desperation or maybe some temporary lack of judgement from her part, but no, it was most probably desperation. She had to admit, at least to herself, that she had been desperate in that moment which so far had proven itself to be the hardest that she had ever lived. No amount of training in harsh weather and tearing through flesh and killing and killing and killing prepared her for it and Kami-sama was her witness, not knowing was her biggest panic catalyst.

On the battlefield, freezing means instant death.

That lesson had been, more or less, her guide in life. Nothing could happen to her as long as she never stopped. keep going, crawl, if you must, but act, do something, anything!

But what was there to do in a situation where her sword was useless? Just metal and expensive material that could no longer shield her, no matter which way she used it?

Nothing.

However, habits don't die in mere seconds so nothing was not an option, was probably never going to be an option for her so she clung and attached herself to the next thing that she dimly hoped would make this punishment, betrayal easier to bear because how else could she call it other than an insult, a disgrace brought upon her position and rank? Upon her heart, soul, body, and sacred vows?

People around her, her people, her warriors, her counsellors, a part of her brain weakly registered, were talking, were discussing her future as if it wasn't hers to decide but theirs and only her grandfather's memory kept her from throttling them.

The fool she was. She should have known leaders make their decisions and act accordingly to the people left in their care. She had to keep their best interests in mind, put their needs before her own because wasn't protecting them part of her vow also?

'I, Seijun, vow to rule with both a gentle hand for my kin, blood of my blood, soul from my soul and with a sharp blade against their enemies because what harms them harms me, who insults them, insults me. I shall always take care of their minds and bodies because Heaven and Earth are one. I shall bring them no dishonour and no cruelty. I shall always respect them and love them. My table is theirs and so is my blade and in return they vow the same with the promise of obeying me as long as my wishes don't step over theirs. I swear on my honour, I swear on my father's tomb, and my grandfather's and on all of the leaders before them."

She was the sole heir of the samurai. Her grandfather had bestowed his title to her before passing away of old age.

Life is a fickle thing. One day we exist, and the next we are gone.

She had to do the mature thing, the right thing, the honourable one, for them, her people but that didn't mean that she wasn't going to have a say in who was going to be her fiancée.

"If I am to marry, I accept no one but Uzumaki Naruto, the Nanadaime Hokage of Konohagakure and The Fourth Shinobi War's hero!"

It had been a spur of the moment thing. She only realized it after the damage had been done. In the first few seconds after her announcement, there had been a shocked silence because no samurai had ever wed a kage before. It was unheard of and against the law, most probably but she couldn't take back her words now. What was said, was said and that was that.

The silence proved to be short-lived not that she'd expect anything else. There was little that could shock warriors like them who had seen and heard far more unbelievable things. Actually, now when she thought about it, the current's Hokage entire rise to power, respect and admiration was still seen as a miracle and four years after the end of the war did not stop people from praising him as the man who did the impossible.

She might have called him overrated, if it wasn't for the fact that she had seen and witnessed the magnitude of his strength and the hope and trust shinobi from all the elemental nations had for him. Somehow, her subconscious had known that he was the most logical choice. Her proud nature and aristocratic upbringing made sure that she would never settle for anything or anyone less than the top of the pyramid. Whether that was going to play out in her favour in the end, she didn't know.

But for now, it was an option. The only option she was willing to accept. The rest will have to come to terms with it.

"Unthinkable, Seijun-sama!"

"Yes, thinkable, Yukine-san." she calmly responded.

"The Nanadaime already has a duty and that is to the Leaf."

"Of course, as my duty is to you. Lord Naruto will tend to his and I to mine, Koharu-san." She was confident nothing like that had to change.

"But Seijun-sama! There are rumours about how he is already engaged to a member of the Hyuga clan."

Hyuga huh...

She hesitated for a moment, her resolve wavering for a brief second as she ran over the possibilities in her head. "Engaged doesn't mean married but I do understand your concerns." she paused, eyes flickering around the room.

"We just don't want you to be heartbroken, Seijun-sama!"

She didn't know if she was supposed to scoff or be touched. They were all under the impression that she had developed an infatuation for him. Didn't they know her better than that? She had a samurai's heart and she was in love with nothing but her blade, married to nothing but her honour.

The most she felt for Uzumaki Naruto was respect and that was enough reason for her to blurt out what she did.

"Don't worry, it won't come to that. As for the matter of engagement, I will see for myself." Seijun was not going to give up just yet based on some rumours. Not to say that she'd back away if they were facts either.

Nobody argued after that.

"Konoha is going to have a very important guest gaki so you will be on your best behaviour!" a busty young-looking woman yelled after sending the Orange Hokage flying across his office with one single punch. "I count on you Shikamaru to make sure he doesn't act like a baka in front of General Seijun." Tsunade spoke with a voice that left no room for arguments before she left, the sound of her heels echoing long after she disappeared from the men's sights.

"Ma, you heard her, Naruto. Being Hokage is more than just fighting. You have to keep a good relationship with the other kages which you had succeeded doing but the samurai have changed leaders." Kakashi said, pulling out one of Jiraya's old books. He knew them by heart but he still read them from time to time, if only for melancholic and pissing people off purposes.

"I know that! You don't have to come bursting in my office to remind me! I have Shikamaru for that, ya know, Kakashi-sensei?" as if in proving his point, Naruto looked in the shadow caster's direction only to find him fast asleep. "Once he wakes up anyway." he continued as if it wasn't a big deal, making his way towards the door. "Working that bunch of paperwork made me so hungry. Ne, Kakashi-sensei, how about we go eat some ramen?" when he turned around to find the room void of the copy ninja, Naruto scowled, mumbling about how he should make a law for all the porn material in the village to be burnt.

Later that day...

"Ah gomen Hinata-chan but there is this guest coming and I can't be late, y'know? Ja na!" Naruto exclaimed after realizing what time it was, leaving some cash on the counter for old man Teuchi before quickly kissing his girlfriend's cheek, running towards the Hokage Tower.

Crap, Tsunade-baa-chan and Shikamaru are going to skin me alive! He thought as he pushed chakra to his feet.

When he did arrive, bursting into his office, almost everybody had forced smiles on their faces and he could just feel the killer intent radiating off baa-chan. However, he couldn't dwell on that because his guest, Konoha's, was standing right there, back straight and an unreadable expression that she might as well have been related to Sasuke, if not for the stark differences in their looks.

"I'm sorry I'm late, uh..." he paused, nervously scratching the back of his neck while searching for a name he could not remember. "what was her name?" he whispered to Shikamaru who had positioned himself to his right, murmuring about how he did not sign up for this headache of a job and something about listening to Gaara's sister that he hadn't completely caught.

"I'm General Seijun. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Nanadaime-sama."

Naruto almost fainted right on the spot. Sakura-chan wasn't lying when she said I'm bad at whispering. Deciding to play it cool, as deemed of a Hokage, he took her hand, preparing to shake it when a familiar even louder than his voice echoed inside his mind. She is not a man you idiot! Kiss her hand, don't shake it!

He was going to have a serious talk with Ino about using her mind jutsu on him later but for now, he did as he was told although he didn't understand why he had to.

"Uzumaki Naruto. It's nice to meet you and I'm sorry for your loss. Welcome to Konoha." he said what little he remembered about courtesies. He had pretty much forgotten all that he had learned of the topic after Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei evaluated him and said he was ready to become Hokage.

"My grandfather passed away with no pain and he had lived an accomplished life. Thank you for accepting my visit on such a short notice."

"Nah, it's fine dattebayo! Don't worry about it!" Because he was his mother's son and he could not stand standing stiff and speaking like a boring hag for long, Naruto easily fell back into his old habits, talking like he would do with any friend and smiling brightly, unaware of his comrades sweat-dropping in the background.

Seijun had reached a conclusion and formed an opinion about him very quickly. Uzumaki Naruto had the brightest, most blinding shade of blonde that she had ever seen and the most idiotic optimistic smile. He was loud, lacking manners and common sense and yet that damn hat and outstanding deeds made him the perfect choice. There had to be more to him than that happy-go-lucky attitude and questionable fashion taste and even if there wasn't, she was being forced into an arranged marriage anyways, might as well be with the strongest man on earth.