Hello there. I recently discovered Naruto, and I have a lot of love for Gaara. I understand that he's his own man. But, I just wanted to give him a lady. I think he deserves to experience true love. This story takes place immediately after the Kage meeting where Gaara agrees to an arranged marriage. There will be many chapters and weekly or biweekly updates. I don't own Gaara or any of Naruto. Please favor, follow, and review if you enjoy. Thanks for reading!

Endurance. That was the way of the Shinobi. In the dry, desert land of Sunakagure, Kazekage Gaara had just agreed to an arranged marriage to a woman he never met. His people needed money desperately. What other choice did he have? He would endure this just as he endured the pain of being a jinchuriki. Just as he endured loneliness. Just as he endured war. Just as he endured everything.

Resigning himself to his new fate, he was surprised when a letter summoned him to a distant land mere days before he was supposed to meet his bride-to-be. But, this new need took precedence. He took a squad of soldiers with him on a small boat to make the short voyage over the sea. A Shinobi was supposed to be prepared for anything. To sense what cannot be sensed and to see what cannot be seen. But as skilled as he was, Gaara was of the desert, not of the sea. The sea is unpredictable and ever-changing. Five sets of Shinobi eyes did not see the storm coming until it was too late. Did not see the boat sinking until it was too late. Gaara did not sense or see anything when the air was forced from his lungs as he was pulled down, down, down into the murky black depths of an unforgiving ocean.

"So this, again? Dying? Feels different than before." That was Gaara's last conscious thought as he sank under the waves. He didn't hear the thunder roar above the ocean. He didn't feel the hands that wrapped around him and began to pull him upwards. He didn't see the ones that did the same for all his men. For three long days as he lay comatose.

No thoughts.

No naruto waking him.

Just blackness.

Was this death?

No.

His eyes fluttered open and he was shocked to find his four accompanying soldiers standing by his bedside, along with two men, both over six feet tall, one with long, blonde hair, the other with short, black hair, both with thick brows. They wore only loose trousers, exposing their barrel-shaped chests that were so hardened they looked more like brick walls standing than men. The men were talking to each other, when one slapped the other's arm and pointed at Gaara. "He wakes!" He hissed in a whisper.

Gaara's head spun as he tried to remember, tried to think. He saw the two men approaching his bed, one of them spoke. "You are Gaara of Suna, the Kazekage."

Gaara's minty green eyes looked at him, apprehensive. "Yes."

"I am Vassar." The blonde man said, "and I am Mathis." The black haired one replied. "We are the Queen's personal guards. Your boat seems to have been destroyed. Your land is far away, the Queen pulled you and your slaves from the water."

Gaara's brow furrowed as he took in what they said. "They are not slaves, they are soldiers. I….I have to get back…...People are waiting on me, counting on me. They'll think I'm dead, they'll elect a new…"

"We have already sent a messenger. Your people are safe." Vassar explained as his barrel chest felt like he was speaking to a great beast of burden instead of a person. There was no delicacy or softness about either of them. Hard, chiseled, merciless.

"I have to get back!" Gaara insisted. "The people are counting on me! I'm to be married!"

"To your love?" Mathis interrupted, a surprising softness in his tone.

"Uh…...well, uh…... I've never met her." Gaara said slowly as two thick sets of brows raised.

"Then why do you marry her?" Vassar asked cuttingly.

"Our country has recently gone through a Great War. Many people are hurting, but without the money to-"

"So you will prostitute yourself for your people?" Vassar grinned.

"That's not what I said!" Gaara said, irritated, he looked from left to right and saw his gourd and sand had somehow been saved. At least that was a small relief. He may have to use it later.

The two massive men exchanged dark chuckles, "We must be granted permission before we can do anything, although it is…..Thursday. The Queen hates to be disturbed on Thursday." Vassar said, as his face fell, looking over at Mathis, Gaara could see sweat forming on his brow.

"So?" Mathis replied. "I did it last time. Your turn." He said with a smirk.

Vassar looked defeated and gestured to the sand Shinobi. They helped Gaara up, and with the two large men in front, were lead down a long corridor. The procession stopped when the hallway dead-ended in front of two massive, metal doors, engraved with symbols Gaara had never seen.

The seven stopped and Vassar looked hopefully at Mathis who snorted and said, "I said it was your turn."

Slowly, Mathis reached out and placed a shaking hand on the left door, seeming to undo a kind of lock on the door.

And then it was opened.

And Gaara was moved like never before.

Gaara's pupils widened as his body froze, a Shinobi, much less the Kazekage should have been strong against anything but this hit him so hard. The most melodious, voluptuous sound he had ever heard filled his ears. An almost other-worldly melody furled around the walls of the large room he was looking into, flowing, wafting, and resonating with him so much all he could do was stand still and listen. Mouth agape. It was only when his men began to push him forward did he remember he had legs and feet too. Imagine that. What was that noise? What were those sounds? It sounded almost like a voice, a female voice. Female voices? No, male voices too, maybe. He could think of nothing to describe it, it sounded like peace, it sounded like war, it sounded like one, but it sounded like many. The room was massive, dark, and seemingly empty, save for the lapping of water against a large pool directly in the middle.

As they grew closer to a large, circular opening in this vast room, it became apparent that it wasn't what, it was who. No words, just soft, rippling sounds of pure joy. Gaara felt joy, strangely enough, wrecked in this strange land. Where was it coming from though?

As soon as they all crossed the doorway, the sounds stopped and Gaara felt a pang of sadness wrench his heart. Was it possible to hear that again? All of them gathered around the pool in the center of the room, and watched the water. Vassar took a deep breath and leaned over, Gaara's eyes widened as he touched the water and strangely, began to sing:

Highness, we know that rest is needed to you,

We would never ask what we cannot do,

We need your mind and we need you from the sea,

Please listen to your people, please hear our plea

Once his short song was finished, he drew back and waited, listening. Gaara did not know what he was expecting, but he was not expecting the harsh response that came. That same sound, now formed into words that stung like arrows.

What reason have you found now

What reason now, indeed

That you wake me from my slumber

From my sleep in the sea?

The reply flowed from the water, vexed and hot. Dark, smooth, like black silk. Gaara felt the ominous anger rumble from the water, through him and it chilled him. It chilled Gaara, who had killed thousands.

Gaara's eyes drifted to the water when silence fell again and he saw what looked like two burning sapphires staring at him from the pool. They were so intense it took him several seconds to realize they were eyes. The water sloshed, and two hands appeared on the edge of the pool. A figure began to rise. Vassar and Mathis's eyes widened as they scrambled to grab a white cloth, holding it up to cover the emerging body.

The Kazekage's jaw dropped. This was like no other female he had ever seen. Gaara really wasn't one to pay attention to looks, but this woman's visage commanded attention. It was not that she was not beautiful, it was that beautiful wasn't enough to describe her. She looked nothing like the two men, hair that seemed to be as much of a mystery as she was, in the darkness, black, in the slant of light that came in from the ceiling, it was chromatic to the point of looking straw yellow in parts. Her body was slender but curvy, lithe and muscular, not in the way of the Shinobi, but with a much more regal elegance. An elegance that dictated that this body was made for far greater purposes than fighting and war. A certain unused strength kissed her figure. Long, slender, powerful, delicate, those were the curves and outlines of her muscles. Graceful, strong shoulders and a sloping, elegant neck were the perfect frame for her finely set face, and those brilliant sapphires that flamed at him from their deep-set sockets.

Gaara stood with wide eyes and open mouth. He was terrified. He had faced many, but never one that scared him this badly.

Vassar hurriedly wrapped the sheet around her to form a makeshift dress before anything could be seen from her bare body, although her vast volume of hair would have easily covered her.

Vassar and Mathis began to explain to the woman what was going on with Gaara, who Gaara was, and what he needed. It was only then that The redhead realized his cheeks were hot, he was blushing. He had never been near a naked woman, even though he hadn't seen anything, he was still trembling.

At the same time, a man as tall and massive as Vassar and Mathis burst into the room with a scream, "MERMAAAAIDDS!" The man began ranting as he reached to grab the woman by the wrist. Now three men stood yelling in competition with the other before the woman finally held her head and screamed, "ENOUGH!"

Chaos was replaced by silence. She pointed to Gaara, "Fools! It was I who plucked him from the raging waves, I know of him and I know of his needs!" She fumed at Vassar and Mathis. Then she turned and slapped the large newcomer across the mouth, "You don't touch me first, you know better." She said with narrowed eyes. "But, your majesty, the mermaids are attacking on the north shore! You are the weapon! You have to sing, now!" He yelled, holding his cheek.

A groan of sheer irritation tore from her throat, long and slow, as she opened a large window in the dark room and peered out into the sea, watching the waves ripple unnaturally as something ominous approached. "Drat!" She hissed. "No, no, no, no, NO, NO! She does this every day I have off, just to irritate me! Just to irritate! I will not sing for a few mermaids. I will kiss. Go get those excuses for soldiers I have and tell them to get in here. With my kiss, they'll be invincible, they can have her out there all night, she'll relent eventually." She sighed in annoyance,"She always does.", more to herself than anyone as she climbed to the shallow end of the pool.

While the man disappeared, she looked over at Gaara and the others, "Apologizes, Kazekage, was it? Just give me one second here." She barely got the words out before men began filing in the room, each walked up, had a kiss from the queen placed on their forehead, and dove into the black depths of the sea. Gaara looked on in bewilderment, what strange battle tactics was this?

Once all ten had been sent off, she turned back to Gaara and the others. "Alright," She said with a weighted sigh, "You are Gaara, Kazekage of Sunakagure, friend of Naruto. I am Queen Asherah, of Skorgan. What can I do for you?" She asked. How does she know Naruto?! Gaara thought, but before he could speak Vassar and one of his soldiers spoke for him, explaining everything to her. Once they were finished, the Queen's eyes became slits, "Yes, as I stated earlier I pulled him from the sea. I am aware he needs a boat, it has been taken care of. " She said, cutting her sapphire eyes at her two guards who cowered at her disapproving gaze.

She spoke again to Gaara and her tone softened, "Your people suffer without you and you without them. I can end that suffering. I know suffering, yes, I know it far too well. Unfortunately, it will take over a week to build, but don't worry." She finished with a kind smile. A gorgeous, genuine bright smile that lit up her face even more, as she came to stand before him directly. Gaara's breath stopped. He felt as if her shiny, shiny eyes would bore into his soul as she slowly reached a hand up to touch his face.

"You will not disrespect the Kazekage!" A soldier said, jumping in front of Gaara suddenly. A tension filled the air as Vassar and Mathis trembled, anxious about how her majesty would react. "Apologies." Came the woman's voice, calm and drippingly sweet. "I do what I please and I please as I do, but, I did not realize you were his mother." She said slyly to the soldier as she paced away. "Mother?! How dare you!" The soldier scowled as a drop of sweat ran down Gaara's brow. "For the leader of a great people…..I would think a man like you speaking for him would be the greatest insult of all." She smirked as the soldier gasped and began to apologize profusely to Gaara.

"A messenger has been sent to Sunakagure, your people are safe under our protection." She replied, sweetly, laying a hand on Gaara's cheek to cradle it tenderly. Gaara was still at a loss for words as jade eyes crushed against sapphires. He felt so strangely comforted by her touch, no one, not even his loving sister had ever laid their hands on him like this. Well, maybe they had, one day long ago, but not that he could remember. Time and space were lost in that second for Gaara. "Trust in that." She said, in a hushed tone as her petal soft fingers gently stroked Gaara's face like it was made of glass.

Suddenly, her hand slipped off his face and came to clasp over her chest with a closed fist as she fell to her knees, hissing between clenched teeth. Gaara looked reached out to help her but Vassar darted in front only a second before him. "Majesty…." Vassar began, picking her up and placing her small frame in the water once more.

"I'm not a weapon, I'm a human being. How much can you take before there's none I have left to give?" She asked, a sadness creeping into her sapphire eyes as she looked up at Vassar from the water. She hung over the side of the tub panting for air, arm still clutched over her chest. "You have what you wanted. Leave me now, leave me with my guest, and my guest alone. So I wish it, so it will be." Asherah said quietly. Vassar and Mathis scrambled to escort the soldiers out, repeating that last sentence in low whispers.

Then it was just her and Gaara in that wet, dark place. He could hear her labored breathing slow in the water to a normal pace, hear the splash as she took her arm down, but he couldn't detect any chakra. Questions on top of questions tumbled through his mind before they all came to a stop when he heard a simple, melodic call from the water.

"Gaara of Suna, come to me."