Prologue

Queen Tsunade sighed. Her daughters were growing up, and it was about time the all found a husband. But there was always a problem. Oh yes, there was always a problem. Hinata, her youngest daughter at fifteen, was far too timid to attract male attention, let alone respond to it. Ino was the next youngest, as she was sixteen, but almost seventeen, and was far too flighty to settle for one man. Sakura, the middle child of eighteen was too wrapped up in her work as a healer to notice men, and when she did, they were always scared off by her monstrous temper. A thing her mother ruefully admitted Sakura had inherited from her. Tenten was the second oldest, having just turned nineteen, and was far too "manly" and tomboyish for any of the suitors that tried to court her. And last of all, Temari was the oldest, soon to be turning twenty-one, and she instantly rebelled against men in general, stubbornly going against the fact that the law stated she must be married by her twenty-first birthday, lest the court of advisers choose a husband for her.

A headache began to creep up on Tsunade and she summoned her closest and most loyal hand-maid, Shizune, to bring her something from the healers. She was surprised, though not completely unhappy, when Sakura appeared with a goblet in her hand. She was wearing a healers garb of a simple green tunic with short gold-brown leggings, an outfit which clashed magnificently with her short pink hair. Tsunade sighed, her daughter would not attract respectable men to her like that.

'Thank you, Sakura.' Tsunade said, hiding her slight annoyance as she took the goblet and drank the concoction within. 'How are things with the healers?' She asked. Tsunade couldn't stay annoyed at her daughter for long about her being a healer, after all, that's what Tsunade had been before she had been forced to take the crown.

Sakura smiled. 'Good, kaasan. The medicines are improving so quickly.'

'I've noticed' Tsunade said with a slight chuckle, indicating the now empty goblet. 'It tastes sweeter now.' She added. 'What did you do?'

Sakura grinned. 'Sugar.' She stated happily.

Tsunade got a warning look on her face. 'Sakura, we can't afford to put sugar in a simple headache cure.' She said quickly.

'Don't worry, kaasan, only the Queen gets that sort of treatment.' Sakura assured her, a slight teasing glint in her eye.

Tsunade sighed, raising her eyes to the heavens as if the answers to all her questions would be up there. Obviously, the ceiling remained silent and blank. 'Thank you, Sakura.' She said again, noticing her headache was fading. 'You may go.' Sakura nodded, and dipped a slight curtsy before leaving. Tsunade sighed again and leaned her elbows on the desk before her, rubbing her temples to alleviate the dregs of pain.

'Kakashi?' Tsunade called, knowing her advisor was within hearing range. Kakashi seemed to appear in the room in a puff of smoke, though Tsunade had not yet figured out how. He bowed low the straightened with a curious look in his visible eye. 'What do I do about my daughters?' She asked, almost desperately.

Kakashi thought for a moment. 'Perhaps we should invite some gentlemen to stay at the palace for the duration of the festival next week?'

Tsunade smiled. 'What would I do without you?' She asked brightly. 'Have that all arranged. I'm sure you know who to invite. The sons of all the great families of course.'

'Of course' Kakashi replied, with a slight incline of his head. 'Uchiha Sasuke, Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji, and Hyuuga Neji.'

'Yes. Oh, and don't forget Uzumaki Naruto.' Tsunade added. 'And Rock Lee'

Kakashi looked curious and confused. 'Who might they be?'

'Uzumaki Naruto is the adoptive brother of Uchiha Sasuke, and a son of the fallen Namikaze family. Rock Lee is Maito Gai's student and adoptive son.' Kakashi nodded and added the two young men to the list of guests. 'Get on with it, Kakashi. I need to tell my daughters.' Tsunade waved him away. Kakashi nodded again, before bowing low once more and vanishing in another puff of smoke. Tsunade rolled her eyes. Kakashi had always had a taste for dramatics: Puffs of smoke, being late with pathetic excuses, flashy tricks. She shook her thoughts away and called five servants in.

'What can we do for you, heika-sama?' One asked.

'Go find my daughters' She ordered wearily. Once the servants had left she ordered Shizune to get her something stronger than your average wine. Shizune did as she was told, but didn't bother to hide her grumbling and fretting. The wine arrived before her daughters, causing Tsunade to grumble herself. Of course, only Shizune heard, and Tsunade knew she could relax around Shizune. A Queen never grumbled, but Tsunade did.

A knock on the door alerted Tsunade to her daughters presence, and she called out a mild welcome to them. The five of the walked in, Sakura was still in her healer clothes, while both of Tsunade's older daughters were wearing the standard training outfit for young soldiers; a short brown tunic and similarly coloured leggings with, albeit slightly more feminine boots, plus metal plated gloves and head guards, both with their specific weapons strapped to either their back or belt. Tenten's weapon being multiple types, ranging from a quiver, with the bow inside, on her back, swords, daggers and nunchaku at her hip, and Tsunade was sure she'd fine many more weapons if she cared to examine her daughters clothing. Temari had only a giant fan strapped to her back, which entertained most of the men around, until Temari heard them snickering and either hit them with the fan itself, or used it to create a wind strong enough to blow them out of a window, or through a door.

Hinata was wearing a modest, yet practical dress in pale shades, cream, beige, lilac and the like, while Ino had on the most outrageous outfit Tsunade had seen. She decided, with extreme annoyance, that the dress, if the flimsy scraps of material that clung to her daughters form could pass for that, was hooker worthy. She made a mental note to have word with her about her fashion sense. With a sigh, Tsunade began to explain. 'As you know, next week is the Starlight Festival.' She got several nods and murmurs of acknowledgement. 'For the duration of that week, several of the most eligible young men will be coming to stay. During that time, all of you will choose a suitor, and unless any noticeable problems arise within a few months of courting, they will become either your betrothed' She looked at Ino and Hinata. 'Or your fiancée.' She looked at Temari, Tenten and Sakura.

Immediately the older two girls began to protest, while Ino looked annoyed, Sakura dubious, and Hinata downright scared. When Temari and Tenten's yelling got on her nerves too much, Tsunade banged her fist onto the table, shutting them up. 'Look, you have a couple of months,' Tsunade began, looking at Temari. 'Before the court of advisers starts looking for a husband for you. I would much rather see you with a man you could stand to be around, than some boorish pig-headed twit that the advisers would undoubtedly choose!' She snapped.

Temari blinked. 'Fine' She sighed.

'You two,' She said, turning to Tenten and Sakura. 'Ought to have chosen a suitor before you turned eighteen! As it is the council is already on my back about the two of you.' Tenten and Sakura looked down and muttered their consent. 'Ino, this reckless behavior around and about men has. Got. To. Stop! A little flirting never hurt anyone, but if I find out you've been spoiled…' She let the threat hang in the air.

Ino gulped nervously and nodded. 'Sorry, kaasan.' She murmured.

Tsunade sighed. 'Hinata, I know you don't have much confidence round men, but do try.' She pleaded. Hinata nodded and Tsunade sighed again. 'Go on, get to bed, all of you. Preparations for our guests begin tomorrow.' Her daughters left the room and the moment the door was closed, Kakashi appeared. 'This had better work, Kakashi.' Tsunade said as she prepared to turn in for the night herself.