Crown Jewel
The prince stood staring out of his window and scowled as two young maids traveled past the front of the castle giggling and pointing at him. Prince Narutos' scowl deepened and his brow furrowed further.
These pretentious ladies always came by, hardly suitably dressed and often stopping to stand at the front of the castle, their duties forgotten at their feet. He didn't pay attention to their attempts to catch his attention and instead waited for who was occupying his mind. As if she had responded to his call, which he wished she would, the maid finally appeared. Dark stains of ashes darkened her pale face and the pink of tiredness rouged her cheeks. Her dark purple-blue hair was spilling out of her hat and though she held a haggard appearance, she still managed to look attractive.
Every morning and evening she would come by taking an empty pair of buckets upon her shoulder, and going even slower back to where she came from. He, the heartless prince of the kingdom, found himself worrying about the delicate looking girl who might as well have passed out by the time she got back to her house of employment. Each day he would watch out for her making sure that she would come back with her heavy buckets.
On this day she looked as if she was struggling a little more than usual, but she continued, and he soon saw why. A well dressed girl with brilliant and long pink hair followed behind her. She walked slowly, hardly looking at the girl struggling in front of her. Prince Naruto seethed as he watched the useless girl simply watch as the maid struggled. Then, he realized he was doing the same and guilt twanged through him.
The maid paused and put down the buckets. Taking her apron, she wiped her face and took deep breaths. Prince Naruto heard the pink haired girl shriek.
"Don't just stop! I need the water for my bath, hurry up!" The high pitched shout disgusted him so he turned from the window not bearing to see the poor girl suffer. But he knew he couldn't do a thing. The moment he stepped out of the castle walls, people would be upon him asking him who he would marry. He was approaching his seventeenth birthday and so his marriage was approaching as well.
Out of all of the finest bred girls in the entire kingdom and those surrounding, he could find not a single girl who met his standards. They were all beautiful as were many girls in the kingdom, but many were vapid and vain. Even this girl who he admired from afar like a delicate glass menagerie must have a terrible attitude. The maids in the castle all were rude and disdainful towards their employers, so he assumed that this beautiful but tortured young girl must have a terrible disposition. She must right? Here was a person who was probably treated worse than most yet he never saw a look of resentment on her face, only one of terrible exhaustion.
The girl had long since stood back up and picked up the heavy buckets to continue walking, the girl behind her looking as regal as ever. She stopped slowly walking behind the girl and instead turned into the castle gates. Naruto groaned. There was yet another pretty but vapid girl coming to offer her hand. He was certain it wouldn't happen, however as she walked in, he noticed her disposition changed to one humble.
"Great a two-faced wife…I wonder where that will lead." He raced down the stairs certain that his father would soon be calling him down to meet the new lady. Just as he reached the bottom steps he heard his fathers' deep voice bellow.
"Naruto! Get down here!" Prince Naruto grimaced and walked out of the dark stairs.
"I'm here." The king looked a bit shocked.
"Oh well, I'll let you two get acquainted while I just…step out." Naruto had to admit this girl was attractive. She was about his age maybe older with long pink hair and bright green eyes that held many emotions. Some of those emotions which he didn't like.
"It is a pleasure to have met you, your majesty." She curtsied slightly which he returned with a bow, but said nothing else.
"So um, what do you think of these silly girls walking by thinking they have a chance with you. Even my own maid thinks she can catch your eye by standing by your house everyday."
So that girl really is her maid. Naruto closed his eyes and sighed. "I doubt that any of them are quiet as vapid as you." The pink haired girl looked offended.
"I beg your pardon?" Naruto smirked.
"Pardon granted." She blushed a color that rivaled her hair. But instead of being out of tiredness like her maid it was out of anger. He decided that he would turn on his charm to discover more about this unfortunate maid.
"Come walk with me and tell me about yourself." He offered her his arm which she hesitantly took. She looked suspicious, but figuring she simply had passed a test, she relaxed and proudly began to tell him about her life.
"And so my mother has decided that this girl can now be my personal maid. She has worked hard though she seems a bit slow. I have also recently been entered into a beauty contest and I won a prize." The prince had distinctly begun to ignore her, but as a response to the word 'maid', he began to listen again. But just as soon as she had started, she had stopped. And he had not endured 15 minutes of constant talk to hear so little.
"And this girl? Why did your parents decide she was suitable to help your lovely self." The girl blushed and giggled.
"Well, she has been in the family since she was little. We pulled her out of the rain once when she was small. I suppose that my father took a particular liking to this girl and favored her. He was a terrible man, always giving to this girl who wasn't even of his own flesh and blood yet he hardly paid attention to us. That only lasted a few years as he passed away from pneumonia after saving that wicked girl from drowning in a river. She always thought she was part of our family, that foolish girl. Once my father was gone, my mother took her aside and told her her place. She has since worked for us, but she hardly ever speaks. I figure she must be dumb." She had laced her words with utter contempt. He decided to explore further.
"You sound like you don't like her, why?" She looked at him sheepishly. Then she looked around as if debating to tell him something or not. Finally, she sighed.
"Well, one time I entered into another beauty contest, she was standing by when I entered. A strange man appeared nearby and began to inspect her. I thought he was crazy. He then asked if he could borrow her until the end of the day. I was busy and I figured I could do things on my own so I just waved her off. Her expression was funny, she looked scared." A small smile appeared on her face, and Naruto almost grimaced. How could someone so pretty be so cruel. She stopped smiling as she remembered the rest of her story.
"As it turned out, the man was a con artist and he was trying to make quick money. The prize was about 1,000 dollars. He had been looking for someone to enter as a contestant. It is really rather surprising as I stood right behind her." She shrugged. How vain could you get?
"Well, he entered her and surprisingly enough, she won. She didn't speak however and instead danced so I can't really understand how she won… She got what she deserved however. As soon as she walked off the stage, she was hit in the face and the conman made away with the money. She had quite the bruise for the rest of the week." She giggled. Did she really just giggle?
He was done, he couldn't take it anymore. This girl was terrible! Not only did she push her maid to her limits, but she was happy about the pain of another just because they beat her out in a silly, public beauty contest.
"We'll contact you soon…?"
"Sakura Haruno."
"See you then." She flounced out and walked in the direction that the little purple haired maid was now struggling down. Naruto stared out the door sadly at the poor girl. If she was heartless and mean, he could now understand why. He turned away from the door and winced as he raced back up to his cage, or room.
The next day, Naruto once again found himself looking out of the window. It was raining and miserable so no one was out and about. Even the hard core fans did not pass. He decided to look away from the window as he doubted even Sakura would send her poor maid out in this weather. Just as he looked out once more he spotted a small figure struggling with two heavy buckets covered with leather to keep the rain water out. He looked away and shook his head. Her cheeks had looked even redder than they had looked before. He didn't want to look back. Something about her suffering made his heart hurt. That made him stop.
Since when have I been a sympathetic person. He stared into space for a moment until he remembered the rather pretty figure he had been looking at. When he looked out the window again his eyebrows knit together. The girl was completely gone. He doubted that she would have been able to have made it all the way across the castle ground that quickly. He searched the outside again and his blue eyes widened. A small crumpled lump was on the floor covered with a thin threadbare coat as the leather had slipped away. He raced down the main staircase and out into the rain not even caring that his wool coat and silk shirt were getting ruined. He approached the small heap and turned the girl over. She began to cough and he saw that she had been face down in a puddle of water.
The rain suddenly began to come down harder as if it just wanted to spite him. He scooped up the small girl and began to run inside. To his surprise, she was terribly light for someone who was soaked through to the bone. Once inside, one of the elderly maids appeared. She was one of the few kind and loyal maids left in the castle.
"Oh, the poor dear, she's obviously sick and exhausted." This elderly old lady looked as if she wanted to lift the girl out of Narutos' hands.
"Just tell me where you want her Moko, I'll put her there." Moko looked up at him. Her old sunken eyes were shocked.
"W-well, I want her on the bed in the spare room next to yours, she needs to be changed and well fed. She looks so thin." He carried her up the staircase gently and carefully trying not to jostle her. Moko almost hesitated to follow but when she realized what was happening as any aged, wise person would, she smiled.
So, our heartless Prince has fallen in love. She happily followed after Naruto.
Prince Naruto arrived in the spare room within minutes. The girl was so light he almost worried. He could feel her bones through the thin clothes she wore and that was never a good sign. She also looked very young. She was probably fourteen or fifteen. Moko arrived after him with a standard servant's nightgown in her arms. She also held some unmentionables which Naruto tried to avoid looking at.
"Thank you for your help Prince, but she needs to change. I will tell you when she is decent." With that she lightly pushed the prince out of the room. He smiled gratefully at Moko. After all, she had basically raised him.
"Thank you Moko." She bowed and proceeded toward the bed where the girl was breathing shallowly. He shut the door firmly behind him and went to wait in his room. Five minutes into waiting Naruto stood up and began to pace. Gone was the silk shirt and wool jacket they were now replaced with a comfortable cotton shirt. Five minutes later, Moko came back in to tell him he could go see her. Naruto was in the door before she could say 'She'.
For once, Naruto was scared to walk into his own house. He didn't want the image he held of this girl to be ruined by a possible bad attitude. He rubbed the back of his head, sighed and stepped towards the bed…only to realize that she was still asleep. The Prince walked over to the bed and looked. The girl was covered in a fluffy comforter gripping the edge as if she thought someone was going to take it away. She looked red and feverish, but as if she didn't mind being so warm.
Naruto walked over to a chair and moved it until it was facing the bed and sat down to wait for her to wake up. Ten minutes into waiting, she began to thrash around a bit. He jumped up and raced to the bed where the girl looked fitful. He pulled at the blanket. She stopped thrashing and gripped the comforter tighter for an instant before letting it go and curling up on her side. The prince was shocked to see tears leak out of her eyes. He carefully laid the blanket back on top of her.
The returning warmth surprised her and she woke up. She sat up slowly and rubbed her eyes. Naruto blushed and looked away. She pulled her legs out of the bed and sat up at the edge. When she realized that she wasn't in her home, she stood, but teetered and fell over. Naruto stood up and went to help her up.
"Thank you f-for helping…" She looked at him. His eyes met hers and she turned an entire new shade of red. He took notice that her eyes were strange and light lilac in color.
"I am t-terribly sorry for b-bothering you Your Majesty." She bowed and scrambled away.
"It was no bother." She didn't look at him again. "Where do you come from?" She began to dust imaginary dust off her nightgown.
"I'm but a m-maid from the p-prestigious home of Haruno-Yamanaka." Naruto raised his eyebrow.
"You really think that highly of your employers."
"Umm, well, w-we have a script." Naruto laughed which made her giggle.
"What's your name little maid?" Her smile disappeared but the air of comfort still hung around.
"My n-name is Hinata."
"I recently had a guest over, I believe she was your employer Sakura?" Hinata went rigid, not with anger but with fear. "She told me that you don't speak much, but you seem to be able to hold a conversation. Why doesn't she think you can speak?" Hinata blushed slightly. Naruto couldn't believe how pretty she was and he had yet to see a mean persona.
"I think it is b-because I have a s-stutter. Most p-people find it unnerving I suppose." This girl was obviously terribly shy.
"Well, why do you stutter?" Hinata sighed deeply and ran her hand through her long hair.
"I just d-don't think what I have to say is worth saying." It was silent for a few moments as Hinata gathered her bearings. "I should be going, Sakura is waiting for her bath water. Oh, umm, where do I get my clothes?"
"I'll get Moko to bring them." Hinata looked around the room and then finally at him with her big pale eyes.
"I r-really d-don't know how to thank you for helping m-me so much. I don't have anything to give."
"It's okay, I'm just happy I could help." She smiled shyly as Moko brought her her clothes and he left to his room to leave her to change. Minutes later, he heard small feet descending the stairs and before he knew it, she was gone to finish her chore.
The days that followed were clouded from more girls coming in, but he hardly paid any attention to then having received what he needed from Sakura and he met the girl that he had been thinking of, but the thing that was bothering him was that she hadn't come by. A profound worry began to float through his head and he almost felt as if he wanted to go and look for her.
Finally, she appeared. Life had returned to her face and he was proud of the fact that he had managed to help her just a little bit more. He turned away from the window happy to see that she was safe and continued his work on a policy that his father had given to him to practice on. He read halfway through the thick packet before he heard a commotion coming from down the hall. His curiosity got the better of him and he raced down the steps. He heard clamoring and a shy protest.
"You think you can just walk in and talk to the Prince! He has more important things to do than talk to you." The guards were obviously having a hard time keeping this person out.
"But, I just c-came t-to say thank you!" Naruto's eyes widened as he realized that the voice belonged to his little maid friend. He blushed. She really came by just to see me? Somehow, Hinata managed to successfully climb onto one guy and looked over his shoulder, spotting Naruto. Her eyes lit up and she smiled.
"Hi Your M-majesty! Ooomph!" The man she had climbed on moved and she slid off promptly falling on the floor. She scrambled to her feet and winced. Before the guards could respond, she grabbed a basket and pulled it in.
"I'm sorry I couldn't c-come earlier, b-but I was gathering the s-supplies and I had t-to save every ingredient." She carefully pulled forward her basket and lifted it to him. She was much smaller than he, and so she had to look up at him when she spoke.
"I m-made you bread from a s-special recipe that someone gave to me." She shyly looked down. "Only I know how t-to make it, I d-don't know why, but the recipe was sewn into the blanket I arrived in, but n-no one noticed." She happily lifted the blanket that covered the top of the blanket and a comforting scent wafted up toward him. He inhaled deeply.
"What is that? It smells so good." He looked inside the basket, but she tugged it away from his view and blushed.
"The first time s-someone eats this bread, they should have their eyes c-closed or it will have n-no effect." His eyebrows rose.
"It has an effect?" She nodded and her entire head moved up and down slightly shaking her body as well.
"It heightens the s-sense of smell and c-clears out any b-bad and t-tiring energy one might have." The guards shook their heads, but they said nothing.
"Is it wise Prince Naruto?" Naruto looked from the guards to Hinata and smiled at the small girl.
"I trust her." Hinata blushed a deep red but smiled shyly. He closed his eyes and opened his mouth. Hinata blushed a shade darker. She hadn't thought she would end up feeding him, but nonetheless, she lifted a piece of the still warm bread to his mouth pushed it in, her fingers lingering on his lips for just a second. She pulled her hand away as it was warm where she had touched him.
As soon as he chewed, Naruto's eyes popped open. The bread was warm and fluffy and there were little berries that were popping in his mouth.
"That's really good! Did you really make it all by yourself?" He chewed the piece heartily, but it was soon gone.
"Y-yes." Then she quickly pulled up the rest of the blanket and revealed two other loaves of the delicious bread.
"I-I brought these f-for you as well. I couldn't think of how else to thank you for helping me. I was able to get back to work after a good nights rest." Her smile was noticeably less weary.
"Well, you can stay to rest again, I don't mind." He held his hand out to the rest of the castle.
"There is enough room." He chuckled darkly. There was always room. It was the loneliest place ever, and he could do nothing about it. She blushed and smiled slightly, but shook her head.
"I couldn't possibly; Sakura has probably already discovered my absence." Naruto shrugged. "I'll send a note with you, she will understand." He took her hand. An action to which she squeaked and hastily pulled her hand away. He looked a little hurt, but she didn't notice until she began to explain herself.
"His majesty should not touch the likes of me. I am but trash." She was looking down brushing at her dress nervously with shame evident on her face. His hurt expression turned to one of mirth.
"Status doesn't matter here, this is my home and here you are my friend." He once again took her hand. The second time she did not pull her hand away, but she did blush and put her unoccupied hand to her mouth as she was tugged along.
"I have noticed that you are rather well spoken for a common maid; for anyone really. Why is that?" The pair were walking through a hall with marble floors and large tapestries adorning the walls.
"Well, when I was younger, my fa-Master paid for my lessons , but upon recently, I have been shamefully eavesdropping on my Mistresses' lessons and taking notes." Naruto was astounded that someone could possibly learn so well basically on their own. Hinata blushed when she saw his questioning look.
"Well, I can't stand how other maids speak. And they are so intelligent…it makes me angry." Her voice sounded much like a contented sigh and he decided that he liked the sound of his voice.
Hinata stayed with him for a while until she decided that it was too late and she went home with a note. The next day the same thing happened and a pattern ensued.
After a while, Naruto began to wonder if he was falling in love, so he asked the elderly maid about it.
"Moko, do you think I like Hinata?" Moko was in his room along with him shaking out his sheets to keep them pest free. She stopped and a thoughtful look overcame her aged features.
"Do I think you like Hinata?" Moko gave the blanket one good shake before she made the bed. "I think you are in love with someone, but it is up to you to decide who it is." Naruto wore a puzzled look as he fell into a well cushioned chair. "Do I love Hinata?"
A week later, on one particularly sunny morning that just seemed to hate him, Naruto was woken by the deep commanding voice of his father.
"Good morning Son, I have found you the perfect bride!" He dashed to the curtains and pulled them open. Naruto, who was sleeping near the edge of the bed jumped and fell off the bed.
"What?" If it's someone my father chose, it can't possibly be Hinata. Wait, what am I thinking? "I found you a bride! Well, you met her a while ago, but I thought you two got along well enough. You remember, the pretty girl with long pink hair?"
Naruto shuddered. How could I forget? "But Father!" The blond men by the window suddenly turned serious.
"No excuses, I want grandchildren before I die and at the rate you are going, that is not going to happen, so you are getting married whether you like it or not!" With that, the King stormed out angrily. "This isn't going to work. I'll never get to be with Hinata if all of my time is taken up by another girl that I don't even like." As he grumbled, Naruto remembered one important detail.
Hinata is Sakura's maid! If I can get Father to meet her, he would surely approve! Naruto then proceeded to get ready for the people that were surely visiting soon.
Naruto stiffly stood by his fathers' side, which he was still mad at. "Oh, get over yourself. What a pretty little girl." The King saw Hinata come up first, probably to express gratitude for the family. Her lilac eyes ran over the Prince, but she pretended not to know him as she figured that it would be better if she played dumb. She took a deep curtsy, small feet peeking out from under her dress.
"The Haruno-Yamanaka household thanks the royal family for inviting them and company. The prestigious household accepts your offer." With that, she stood up straight, but only for a moment before she spun away. One after another, maids alternated sides they ran from and formed a circle. 11 male servants joined them, and they all formed two circles, one within the other, with Hinata in the center. Her outer skirt was removed revealing a starched skirt obviously made for dancers. Three musicians stepped forward, one playing a flute the second playing a violin and the third playing a trumpet. With an intro, the girl prepared, her feet encased in pink pointe shoes tied tightly at her ankle.
Hinata jumped up in a passé when the music began, she spun rapidly in a series of pirouettes. She then outlined the inside of the circle with leaps as the two circles each spun in opposite directions. Hinata then began a complicated combination with her delicate feet fluttering in all directions.
The King and Naruto were absolutely entranced by the girls' pale milk colored skin and metallic blue hair with soft lilac eyes. Her arms and legs tapered gently to the joints of her ankles and legs where her hands and feet finished off each limb. Then, a male servant entered the circle along with her, and all of the others made one large twirling circle. Hinata turned to the boy with feigned surprise, her lilac eyes widening. Naruto's focus went to the boy, who to his disdain was looking at Hinata with genuine infatuation. The boy began to step slowly to Hinata and he slowly extended his hand out to her. She shyly took his hand which he used to roughly pull her to him. His grasp seemed shaky, as if he was nervous to touch her, and even Naruto knew that a quality like that was very bad in dancing.
The pair plunged into a particular section of the dance which included a numerous amount of lifts. The first few lifts were simple, but they increasingly became more difficult. Please don't drop her. Naruto increasingly became worried.
Finally, the music slowed indicating the end of the song. On the last lift, Hinata spun and pushed herself forward expecting the boy to catch her. He did, but only gingerly so and gingerly was not enough. She fell forward hitting her entire front on the hard marble floor. Before Naruto could move forward to help however, she was performing the final pirouettes, and before he realized what had happened, Sakura appeared in front of him. His time became quickly occupied by the girl in front of him though he badly wanted to aid the young girl breathing heavily and clutching her rib.
"Did you enjoy the show?" She sounded eager to hear his input.
"It was quite lovely, but that fall looked like it hurt." Sakura's face fell.
"Hinata isn't allowed to dance a perfect program, because then no one notices anything else."
"Oh, I see. Well I thought it was still a fine performance." With that, the subject was dropped and the conversation continued onto other things. After a while, Sakura became bored and asked the question that Naruto had been waiting to come up.
"So, when is the wedding?" Naruto winced hoping that she would have asked his dad and that he didn't have to tell her that there would be no wedding. The Prince took a deep breath preparing to tell the pinkette in front of him about the nonexistent wedding. He was suddenly pulled away from the girl by his grinning father.
"We will be right back, just a moment sweetheart." Then the King roughly turned his boy around. "Look, I want you to be married before I die, so please make this work." The King was starting to beg.
"I don't even love her Father! She is a waste of my time. It is not like you are going anywhere anyway!" Naruto erupted turning slightly red. The King looked absolutely livid.
"Your mother's dying wish was that you would be married by the time you were eighteen, and clearly that is not going to happen at the rate you are going! You will respect your mothers' wishes and also do as I say! Besides, this girl has a cousin who is the prince of a neighboring kingdom. With the help of her and her family, we might be able to gain an alliance with the Hyuuga." Naruto stared as his father seemingly blew off the entire situation and continued walking down the hall murmuring to himself about wedding preparations.
He listened to Sakura babble on incessantly about the wedding that was in her mind while his thought and eyes drifted to the little dancer who nervously stood by waiting for instruction. He was slightly jealous of the boy who stood next to her and received her smiles. Finally, Sakura realized that the prince wasn't really listening to her and grabbed his arm to get his attention.
"Why don't we take a walk." Naruto watched as Hinata smiled at him sadly, and he was dragged away from her.
Sakura kept Naruto with her almost all of the time. It was as if she feared that his "loyalty" to her would disappear. She also seemed to understand that someone in the castle held the Princes' attraction, but she could not figure out who. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that the person was Hinata.
In the time that they were in the castle, Naruto turned seventeen and a party was held for him. However, Naruto was miserable. Being a maid, Hinata was not allowed to take part, and Naruto refused to dance with anyone else. Naruto's father just shook his head. During the party and after, Naruto had to spend a lot of time with Sakura. In a day, he was lucky if he saw Hinata even once, and usually she was busy attending to someone who was getting ready for the upcoming nuptials.
Finally, the Prince got sick of waiting around and decided to take things into his own hands.
It was a particularly rainy day when everyone was either hiding in their rooms or staying warm in the library. Even the servants had the day off. Well, most of them did. Hinata, however, had to walk through the castle, checking to make sure everyone was comfortable. Prince Naruto took it into his own hands to find the girl, and finally be able to talk with her.
After searching most of the castle, he found her walking through a highly tapestried hall. She occasionally stopped to admire a tapestry or reach out and touch it before continuing down the hall. She stepped soundlessly and her skin glowed translucent like a ghost. The dreary rain only added to the effect. He approached her slowly, not even glancing at the tapestries that had been his only enchantment before this girl appeared. Finally, he was right behind her and ready to jump. It almost appeared as if he was a fox hunting a rabbit.
Quickly, so that she wouldn't scream, he clamped his hand over her mouth and briefly hugged her before turning her to face him. She froze when she saw him.
"Shhh, I'm not supposed to be out here." He finally removed his hands from her face.
"You shouldn't be here." She looked intently at his face.
"You shouldn't either, it is cold. Let's go talk in my room." He grasped her hand and pulled her along with him in a direction she never traveled. It only took them a little while for them to arrive at the heavily adorned door which he pushed aside. Hinata attempted to push the door to test how heavy it was, and failed pretty badly. When she turned to the room, her lilac eyes widened.
"This is your r-room?" She looked around intently at everything around her and gingerly leaned against a seat.
"You can sit if you want." Hinata sat down in the chair slowly, she looked thoughtful. Naruto could tell that she wasn't going to say anything, so once again he took the initiative.
"You know that I am going to marry Sakura right?" He saw her cringe and look at her hands.
"Y-yes." She didn't betray much emotion so he wasn't sure how she felt about it.
"I don't want to, but it was my mother's dying wish, and my father wants to have grandchildren before he dies." Hinata's head stayed down. "The problem is that I really love you." Hinata's eyes suddenly shot up to meet his in disbelief.
"Y-you d-do?" He nodded, now he was looking away and blushing. "W-well, i-it is unfortunate that th-the wedding is c-coming up so soon." She dusted at her skirt. Her head was down and her eyes were glassy. He knelt down next to the small girl sitting in the chair and slowly took her hand. She blushed darkly, but didn't turn her head.
"I have one selfish request." Her head turned. A questioning look in her eyes. "Be mine for at least tonight." Hinata invented a new shade of red and grew lightheaded. But she fought for control as she was certain that he didn't mean what she thought he meant.
"W-what d-d-do you m-mean?" He chuckled at the blush and confusion on her face.
"Don't make me explain it…"
"Oh…"
"I just don't want us to go our separate ways without sharing something that no one can take away. I don't want Sakura, I want you." Gone was the blush. Instead, Hinata turned pale and suddenly slumped into the chair, out cold.
Hinata awoke in her room with a note stuck to her forehead. She looked at the note, her eyes crossing. The paper came off easily and she read the message.
'Come to the kitchen when you are ready. I'll take you the rest of the way.' She sighed and folded up the paper before she proceeded to get ready.
After a long while of bathing and pulling on a soft dress she sneaked into the kitchen, heart heavy. Waiting for her, Naruto sat on an upside down put, crystal goblets hanging delicately above his head. When he saw her, his eyes lighted and his smile widened. She smiled back but tears were in her eyes. When he noticed he worried.
"What's wrong?" She looked down at the ground and a tear dripped out of her eye and pattered onto the ground. She took a shaky breath.
"If we d-do this…I have t-to leave, d-don't I?" She brought up a hand to wipe at her eyes.
"Of course you don't." She bit her lip and smiled as she looked up.
"O-okay." But she knew that she would leave by the next week so that his coronation and wedding would go on without a hitch in the next two months. But for the rest of the night, all of her worries were forgotten.
Hinata woke up the next morning to a lonely bed and strange smelling sheets. It took her a moment to remember what had taken place. When she brought her hand to her face, a cold foreign object touched her skin. A ring rested on her finger along with a note.
'Thank you. I give you this to remind you about last night. We will speak later. I don't want to go through with this wedding. I want to marry you. I want to spend your birthday with you. And I want to live my life with you. I love you Hinata, and I will find a way for us to be together.'
-Love Naruto.
Hinata stared at the ring for a moment before realizing that she wasn't at all decent. She took a deep breath and then…burst into tears. And sadly, there was no one there to comfort her.
After calming down, Hinata looked at the ring on her finger. On it was a large chunk of blue sea glass from the ocean near the kingdom. It was set on a ring of shiny white cold the band of which was encrusted with alternating diamonds and sapphires. The young girl decided that while the gemstones were worth much more monetarily, the glass in the middle meant more. She smiled when she remembered where it was from.
Naruto and she had gone walking one day when she ran from her duties. Naruto was of course wearing a disguise, but the two were having a good time. They both reached for the small piece of stone at the same time, to which they both fell into a fit of laughter. Naruto ended up picking it up and putting it into her small hand.
"It looks just like your hair!" She held it in the shadowy palm of her hand. Slowly, she picked it up with her index finger and thumb before holding it to the sun.
"Like this it looks…like…your….eyes." Her words slowed as she turned back smiling to find him very close. His large hand engulfed hers trapping the stone between their joined hands as they shared their first kiss. The rock had disappeared into a pocket and apparently that pocket had belonged to the prince.
Hinata got up and went to the long mirror to examine any differences.
To her surprise, she saw the most bruises she had ever seen displayed all over her body.
There were dark finger shaped blotches along her shoulders, sides, and legs. Her face was clear, as was her neck, but there was what looked like a strand of blotchy red pearls running from her right shoulder, down and across her collar bone, and up her left shoulder. She touched the bruises gingerly and winced every time a patch of skin hurt.
'I don't remember it hurting that much.' It was then she realized the prince would be back, and she knew she would just be getting in the way of the next few months. Hinata frantically began to move about and looked through the closet and drawers finding them well stocked with clothes that it her, which would be good for Naruto's marriage since Hinata was just a little smaller than Sakura. She quickly stuffed four light dresses, a blanket and five pairs of undergarments along with a pair of stockings and shoes.
She quickly scribbled out a note with a few tears trickling down her face. 'I love you too, but I can't let you do anything drastic. You have to carry out your duties as our future leader. We give a new meaning to star-crossed lovers, don't we?' Then, she set down the pen, wiped her tears and ran.
The prince stormed into his room looking distraught. He couldn't find a single clue about where the girl had gone, and he felt lost. Waiting for him in his room was his bride-to-be with pink hair. The king had moved the two into the same room, but Naruto let her keep the bed and slept on the completely opposite side of the room telling her that he was sick. She was holding a glass of wine, and when he entered, her eyebrows knit together
"What's wrong darling?" She stood up and stepped slowly toward him.
"Here, why don't you have a drink?" She handed him the glass which he swiftly downed and handed back to her with a grimace. She quickly refilled the cup. By the third glass, she began asking her questions.
"So, what's wrong with you?" His speech was slurred slightly, but what he answered was clear.
"She left. She just…left!" Sakura grinned as she poured him another glass.
"Oh? Who left?" She was eager to find out who her competition was.
"Hinata." Sakura turned pale.
"What?" The prince smiled at a memory.
"You know, the beautiful girl who works for you as your maid. I was planning on marrying her instead of you. No offense."
Sakura had to admit that his comment hurt, but she was unfazed.
"Oh? You were planning on marrying her?" She continued to pour. She had to admit that he had a high tolerance as he was already halfway through the second bottle.
"Yup…" Finally, halfway through the second bottle, he passed out. The rest of the work was easy for Sakura.
Light pierced through Naruto's eyelids and his head stung. After his third try to open his eyes, he simply gave up, and groped around his silk sheets. Suddenly, he touched something that felt a lot like an arm. Slowly, finally opening his eyes, he was greeted by Sakura's big green eyes.
"Good morning, Love." He blinked for a moment.
"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Sakura nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Why am I! And you?...Did we? I don't remember." Naruto had shockingly woken up in a bed with Sakura, both of them were in their birthday suits. What puzzled him the most was why the night before was so foggy. He remembered nothing after Hinata up and left him and he went back to his room.
"Yes, Love, it's okay. The wedding is coming up soon anyway." Naruto swallowed. He knew that he had to marry her. Hinata had left him and he had slept with Sakura. There was no other option anymore. Sighing, he sat up and pulled on pants lying nearby. Pulling them on, he threw a neatly folded nightgown to Sakura.
"Just go, we'll talk about the wedding tomorrow." He slowly passed a hand over his face, heavily thinking before his thoughts were quickly interrupted by Sakura's voice.
"I know about Hinata." He turned to her slowly. The sheets falling fluidly to the ground.
"What do you mean?"
"I know you slept with her. And I am willing to go on with the wedding. Are you?" He thought and thought. He wanted to leave so badly, but he really had no choice
"Yes I am." His heart fell to his stomach with his own words.
"That's perfect." She pulled on the nightgown and walked out. Two months later, little progress had been made in the wedding preparations as Naruto refused to be coroneted until the wedding was very nearby. Another set back had come up when Sakura publicly announced that she was pregnant, not knowing that if she did, Naruto would not be able to marry her until she delivered the baby. The king, to say the least was furious.
"You impregnated a girl when you know it is against tradition to marry when the girl is with child." Naruto cringed at his fathers' words.
"It was an accident, and now we-I can't change a thing." The king finally began to breathe again.
"Fine, and you are right. We CAN'T do anything until that baby is born." With that, he walked out thinking.
After six months, Sakura had progressively been getting bigger, but she had developed an inexplicable fear of Naruto. She refused to let him touch her. A response which Naruto really did not mind. However, it bothered him that she would not let him near his own baby.
After having had a long day, Naruto sat in a big chair by the window, and it felt oddly familiar to sit there. Then he remembered that he would watch out of the window to see if Hinata would come by. His heart ached painfully at the memory of his lost love, and what felt like a cotton ball formed in his throat.
'Should I watch to see if she comes by? No, she wouldn't want to see me. Especially if she heard that Sakura is pregnant.' But the temptation was too much, and he took to sitting by the window.
While he sat, he got into thinking about whether he head made the right choice in staying with Sakura. As he thought, he glanced out of the window and saw pale skin, and glowing metallic blue hair. He blinked once and then again before he finally believed what he had seen. But standing next to his lover was the same male servant that had danced with her all of those months before. What shocked him more was that the two were holding hands. Then, what gave him a near heart attack was that Hinata had a small, hardly noticeable baby bump defined in the light material of her dress.
He watched as the girl turned to the castle quickly before turning away and speaking to the boy. He nodded his head and ran off. Hinata slowly turned to the castle. A different ring evident on her index finger. It was very plain, and of much less value than the one he had given her, but she looked at it and then at the castle. Her hand slowly rose to a necklace hanging loosely around her neck.
Naruto wanted to go to her and ask if the baby she carried was his. 'I don't think I could stand it if that man was the father.' But then after a moment of thought, Naruto's anger ebbed away. 'Who am I to even try to claim the baby? Especially if I made another pregnant. That baby would be better off with someone who can take care of it.'
He turned away grudgingly, and when he turned back Hinata was walking away with the man next to her. It was an understatement to say that the prince was in a bad mood the rest of the day.
The next day he thought about whether or not he should confront the lilac-eyed girl. He was sitting in his chair watching people walk by when Hinata finally came by.
His eyes followed her, and they widened when she turned onto the lane that led to the stairs. His breath hitched and he watched her a moment more before he was running down the stairs. When he got to the bottom of the steps, Hinata was already walking away, having been joined by the male servant. Naruto sighed deeply. Things were not going as he wanted them to.
The next day, the prince was back in his old habit of waiting and watching by the window. Finally, he saw the girl come by. She walked slowly and in a relaxed manner, clearly more at ease than the day before.
Before she could pass by the gate, Naruto was running down the stairs and out to the young soon-to-be mother. She stopped abruptly when she saw him. Her lovely lilac eyes widened and she began to turn away. Naruto panicked!
"Wait! Hinata…" She turned back. Her expression still one of shock.
"Uhhh…ummm." The recently turned 15-year-old blushed and looked at the ground.
"Is your baby…? Mine?" She held her hand over her stomach protectively but slowly nodded.
"I haven't been with anyone else. Though I guess you can't say the same." Naruto flinched, but she smiled sadly.
"It was an accident…I didn't…sorry." She held up her hand.
"It's okay. I found someone who can take care of me and the baby. Thinking about our situation would be stressful and I don't want to harm the baby." His heart fell. He finally knew that the exquisite girl in front of him had found a way to be safe and comfortable. She didn't need him.
"Can I…?" He extended his hand to her slowly. She bit her lip delicately, but nodded. Shortly after his hand made contact with her stomach, a kick made them both gasp. Naruto irrationally made up his mind.
"I will provide a home for you, this baby, and the man accompanying you. Her eyes shot up to him.
"You don't have to." He put his hand on her shoulder.
"I want to." She smiled at him happily.
"Thank you." Just then, Sakura came out of the castle and twisted her arms together with the princes'.
"Oh well, if it isn't little Hinata. So, who did you sell your body to?" She looked at Naruto disdainfully; who scowled at her angrily.
"It is nothing Sakura." Her head tilted down as she studied the floor.
"Oh, but really who is the father. Or perhaps it's a bastard child?" Sakura's sneering face was short-lived as it flew off her face when a pale hand slapped her across her face.
"Don't call my baby a bastard!" Hinata calmed quickly, but touched her stomach protectively. Sakura glared at the girl angrily.
"How dare you touch me!" Sakura puffed up like an angry cat and lifted her hand to drop it heavily upon Hinata. Instead, she hit a thick body and then her wrist was caught. Naruto stood between the girl and Sakura.
"Don't ever try that again." His tone was dark as he dropped her hand. Sakura looked outraged, but she grabbed her skirts and stalked back into the castle. Sighing, Naruto turned back to Hinata.
"If you will follow me, I will take you to your home." He led her into the back of the castle. They walked past a pond and a rose garden and then stopped at a creek. "Here it is." Naruto stepped aside to let her see." A beautiful house sat on a flat piece of terraced land. A bridge went out of the porch, down to the creek, over it, and onto the other side of the creek.
"Oh, this is beautiful. Is it really all for my family?" The prince cringed at the way she said 'my', but he nodded.
"I want you and my baby to have only the best." Hinata blushed.
"I'm sure she will appreciate it." The prince cocked an eyebrow.
"How do you know it's a she?" Hinata giggled and smiled. An action that almost made his heart stop.
"I just know." She grinned happily.
"You know, I noticed that you are not stuttering anymore. Why is that?" The blue-haired girl sighed a little and the smile slipped from her face.
"Sometimes, you just get to the point where you have to grow up." Naruto gulped. The wind ruffled them for a moment and the bubbling of the creek was really the only sound.
"Well, I must thank you for providing this home, but I don't know how." Hinata grinned apologetically. Naruto took the small window of opportunity.
"Why don't you just let me know the baby? Maybe not as a father, but as an uncle?" Hinata smiled gently at his hopeful request.
"Of course." Just then, her friend circled around the corner of the castle pursuing a dog that led him right to the girl.
"Hi sweetheart, I was looking everywhere for you." He put his arm around her waist and didn't seem to notice when she shied away from his touch.
"Kiba, look at what the prince gave us!" She turned him away from her so he could see the house.
"It's really nice. Why would you do this your majesty?" Naruto falsely smiled at the brown haired man with red tattoos on his face.
"Hinata is an old friend." With that, he sharply pivoted on his heel and walked away. Deep on the inside he had hoped Hinata would call him back, but she didn't, and he knew that she didn't have to.
The months continued and both Sakura and Hinata were slowly getting bigger. Hinata looked tired often and would walk through the gardens or listen to the royal pianist play. Sakura on the other hand only became louder and more demanding. Around the seventh month of their pregnancies, a midwife was brought into the castle just in case a late night birth occurred, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The quiet continued until a secret was discovered.
Hinata was walking to the pianists' room to listen in on the next composition, when she heard laughing. Curious as to whom it was and what could be so funny she looked into a dimly lit room only to see Sakura talking with Hinata's other stepsister, Ino, who also laughed nervously wary of her sister. Hinata began to turn away when she heard Sakura boast loudly.
"The idiot will do anything for me. The baby isn't even real." Hinata spun around so quickly, her baby complained and kicked.
"It isn't?" Ino stared at Sakura's belly questioningly.
"No, just a few layers of blanket over a rounded whicker basket." To prove her point, she lifted her skirt exposing her petticoats and a large blanket covered lump. Hinata gasped and waddled away to tell the prince.
Once she was all the way down the hall, she heard a shout. She turned to find Sakura racing as fast as she could after her. Even with a basket strapped to her stomach, Sakura could run much faster than Hinata who was eight months pregnant. Hinata looked down at the staircase as she approached and carefully and very slowly began to descend.
Once she was halfway down the stairs, Sakura was at the top. She quickly began her own descent but on the seventh step she slipped and just barely caught herself. She paused for a moment, but that was just enough for Hinata to get to the bottom of the staircase.
The blue-haired girl continued down the hall and finally made it to the princes' room. Naruto turned around quickly at the sound of an opening door. His look of surprise quickly turned to one of worry when he saw her flushed face. The girl felt a stabbing pain in her abdomen, but staggered forward. "Hinata? What's wrong?" She frantically grasped his sleeve as he had rushed over to her.
"Sakura, she- ugh!" Hinata cringed as she doubled over and severe contractions rattled her small body. Naruto knew then that she was in labor. His face turned completely white and he froze. Another scream from her shook him, and wasting no more time, he picked her up and carried her down the hall to the midwife's chamber.
Once inside, the midwife led the girl to a bed and quickly rushed him out. A good two hours later, the midwife came out wiping her brow to find the prince. "She delivered a healthy baby girl. I'm surprised you're the only one here. I expected at least her family to be present. Anyway, she seems to have very weak muscles at the moment, and she may not be able to walk properly for a couple of days. You may go on in."
"Thank you Tsunade. Goodnight." The blond midwife smiled.
"Goodnight Your Majesty." Naruto stood and slowly walked to the door. He hesitated for an instant before opening the door. Hinata looked up from her baby to him and smiled softly.
"Come say 'hi' to your baby." He approached the pair carefully as if he was scared to break the moment. He looked into the bundle of blankets and found a baby that looked a lot like her mother. She had beautiful blue hair and pale skin. Her tiny nose crinkled when she yawned. Naruto smiled lovingly. The he remembered that Hinata wanted to tell him something.
"Hinata? What were you trying to tell me?" Hinata's eyes widened.
"Oh-!" Just then, Sakura came in smiling.
"I'm sorry, I need to talk to her. Mom talk, you know.."
"Not now." Sakura looked shocked.
"You don't want me to tell everyone your little secret do you?" Naruto looked to the ground. "Good, get out. Now." She pushed him out, but failed to close the door properly. Naruto decided to listen in. Suddenly he heard a shout and his baby began to cry.
"Give me back my baby!"
"Oh shut up. I'm not going to do anything…unless."
"Give her back! I'll do anything."
"Good. I want you to leave, and you can't tell Naruto that my baby doesn't exist."
"Fine, just give my baby back to me." Hinata's voice was cracking in exhaustion and fear.
"Here, take your bastard child." Naruto's hairs stood on end and he stormed in. Hinata was sobbing, clutching her baby to her chest.
"Get OUT!" Naruto screamed turning to Sakura. Hinata jumped a bit in surprise.
"Why? You wouldn't do that to me. I have your baby." Naruto glared.
"How stupid could you get? I heard your confession just now." Sakura's expression changed from concern to contempt.
"How stupid could I get? What about you. You're the one who believed that we slept together. You're the one who believed I carried your baby, and you're the one who is about to loose his child!" She charged at Hinata who turned away covering her newborn.
"Stop!" Naruto lunged at her knocking her down. A guard entered the room. Naruto stood with a firm grip on Sakura's arm. "Take her away and throw her in the castle jail. She is to await trial." The guard nodded and dragged a kicking and screaming Sakura away. Naruto turned back to the hiccupping Hinata who was delicately holding her sleeping baby. He gulped down his nervousness. It was a completely new experience for him, and both of the people in front of him looked so fragile. He slowly inched his way toward the two and was taken by surprise when Hinata held the baby out to him. She placed her carefully in his folded arms. Naruto marveled at how light and small the baby was. The tiny infant snuggled closer to his warm chest.
"She is so tiny. What are you naming her?" Hinata leaned back into her pillows.
"I chose the name Emiko."
"That's a beautiful name." He looked at her, loving her more and more. He wanted to keep staring at the new baby, but Hinata's soft voice broke the silence.
"I think I should move out soon." Naruto felt panic swell in his chest.
"What? Why?"
"Well, I don't know what else to do. You need to find a new fiancé." Her stutter was long gone, but she still sounded small and shy.
"I was hoping that you would want to accept that position." The lilac-eyed girl blushed.
"But, I'm a maid, and it is very much against tradition…" He grasped her hand with his unoccupied one.
"Do you see this baby. We already share this baby; I don't know why a name would be any more difficult." She smiled with tears in her eyes.
"Nothing would make me happier."
The hardest thing Naruto had to do was tell his father about Hinata and Emiko. Hinata and Naruto waited until Hinata could walk. When they went to speak with the king, Naruto went in first.
"I heard that you threw your pregnant fiancé in jail, and I demand an explanation." Naruto nodded seriously.
"Sakura was never pregnant, and I don't want her to be my fiancé anymore." The king looked as upset as he could be.
"So not only am I not going to see my grandchildren any time soon, but neither will I be negotiating a treaty with the Hyuuga?" Naruto grinned as reassuringly as he could, but his father stayed angry.
"Well, this is who I want to marry." Hinata stepped into the room and curtsied as best as she could while carrying her baby. "And this is your grandchild, Emiko." Naruto gently pushed Hinata forward. She carried her baby to the king and gave him Emiko. The old king gently rocked the bundle in his arms.
"She's beautiful, just like her mother." The king grinned at Hinata who blushed bright pink.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"So what is your status?" Hinata turned even pinker with embarrassment.
"I am a maid." The king paused, he blinked, his nose twitched, and then he burst into laughter.
"Out of all the fine bred ladies, my son fell in love with a maid? Not that it is a bad thing my dear, you are by far the loveliest little lady I have seen." It was Naruto's turn to blush.
"Very well, we have already broken a dozen traditions, what is one more." The two young parents smiled happily at each other. "We will start the preparations now." With that, servants entered the room and led the young couple and their baby away.
The young couple were in their nursery playing with their daughter when horses appeared at the gates along with the gray, white, and purple crest of the Hyuuga. Naruto looked out of the window and gulped.
"Why are the Hyuuga here?" He put on a heavily decorated robe and walked down putting his hand on Hinata's shoulder as he passed. The young mother was burping her baby who was a bit fussy at the moment. Hinata moved to the window and observed as Naruto bowed to a man with a strange veil over his eyes. The two exchanged words and a puzzled expression set itself on Naruto's features. He turned to the castle looked directly at Hinata's window and waved his hand towards himself, calling her down. Reluctantly, she put her baby down and let her hair cascade out of the pins that were holding it up. She tightened the sash that kept her dress synched. She had lost a lot of the baby weight and although she was proud of that fact, most of her dresses were loose on her.
Finally, she arrived in front of the man, and much like Naruto, she began an elaborate curtsy. When she finally stood once again, the veiled man stepped forward. He roughly grabbed her face, and she winced as she felt the flesh on her cheeks and chin get pinched up. Hinata bulled herself away from the man and began to step away, but he grabbed her arm.
"What are you doing?" Naruto grabbed hold of Hinata's waist and pulled her close.
"We need to take her."
"Who are you?" Naruto did not loosen his grip at all, so the man let go and lifted his veil.
"I'm her father." The man had grey eyes, just like Hinata's except that hers were lilac in color. Hinata turned pale and her mouth dropped open. When she was given a few seconds, she slumped back into Naruto's arms.
"Let's go inside. We can discuss these matters there." Naruto scooped Hinata up and carried her back into the castle.
When the young girl finally came back to consciousness, she could not stop staring at the man in front of her who called himself her father. Naruto and the man were discussing her baby and the wedding when she awoke. Suddenly, her voice broke the silence that had overcome the trio.
"Why…why didn't you want me?" The man looked shocked at her question.
"W-well, we were in the midst of a war and it wasn't safe to keep you, so we gave you to my friend. I hope you have been well."
"You…you hope I've been well?" Hinata's voice rose and her hands flew into the air.
"I've been miserable! The people I have been living with despise me and put me to work for every minute of my life. I've been so alone. And the moment I find happiness with my own family, you want to take me away." Her face looked absolutely desperate. "Please don't do this."
The man sighed. "We really have no choice. I will be expiring due to a poison that a traitor slipped into my food. The poison belongs to a now extinct slug and we weren't able to develop an effective antidote.
"But why me? There must be another heir?"
"Well, there is another, but-"
"What is taking so long Father?" A girl with long brown hair and grey eyes walked in.
"She is a bit too young." Naruto quirked his eyebrow, and Hinata spoke up.
"And I am not? She looks to be thirteen."
"Considering you are the oldest and-" A cry interrupted the man.
"Oh! The baby. I'll be right back. Excuse me Your Majesty." Hinata grabbed her skirt and raced up the stairs to the nursery. She returned down the stairs slowly carrying her cooing baby."Sorry about that." The younger princess crinkled her nose in disgust.
"You are only 15 and you already have a baby?" Hinata blushed but her father spoke up.
"It isn't uncommon for a girl to have a baby at 15." The princess lifted her head with a degree of vain pride.
"Maybe, but most of those girls are married." The silence was heavy, and Naruto decided he didn't like the girl.
"May I hold her?" Hinata's father held his arms out hopefully.
"Of course, but be careful. She is only two weeks old." The man took the baby softly.
The three oldest people in the room discussed the baby while the younger of the two princesses was blatantly ignored. After a whiled, the King stood and turned to the couple smiling at their baby.
"I will just let you two and Princess Hanabi get to know each other." He quickly turned and walked out of the castle.
Instead of turning to Hinata as Naruto had expected, the girl turned to him with a coy smile.
"So Prince Naruto, what made you take Hinata in? With her having a child and all." Naruto's disdain grew. He put his arm around Hinata protectively.
"Actually, I'm the father." Hanabi scrunched her nose, but said no more.
After what seemed like an eternity, King Hiashi returned. "Regardless of all matters, you are to become queen. The biggest choice is whether you marry him," the king pointed to Naruto. "Or you keep your country." Hinata glanced at Naruto alarmed. "If you marry him after you have become queen, you must forfeit your kingdom to his crown." The moment those words hit her ears, Hinata's face broke into a smile.
"Okay, I know what I am going to do."
An entire kingdom watched as their beloved king placed his crown on the head of a stunning young girl with long blue hair and lilac eyes. The ceremony then ended with two birds being released. A crow and a dove sat side by side. The crowds watched the two birds in anticipation. Suddenly, the dove burst into the air and the crowd cheered. It was to be a wonderful era.
That night, Hinata giggled when Naruto asked her if she was sure she wanted to marry him. "Nothing would make me happier. As a great KING once said," She indicated the freshly placed crown on Naruto's head. "See that baby, we share that baby. I don't know why a name… or a kingdom would be any more difficult." Naruto absolutely beamed at her.
Hinata stood in front of a mirror. Her hair had braids along the sides of her head and the rest cascaded loosely down her back. Her dress was white and edged with periwinkle. She could hardly believe how far she had come.
She had gone from orphan to servant, to friend, to lover, to mother, to daughter, to queen, and soon she would be a wife. Slowly, she walked out to her quickly aging father and began to walk to the rest of her life, who happened to be wearing a white suit edged with gold.