Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, sadly.

Princess in Purple

These days were hard. Even the king and queen were poorer than normal. As a knight, though, it wasn't in my nature to complain. I was about the only knight that never did… Out loud. It was some time since traders had made a stop in Full Bloom Village, as well as any invaders stopped by. No money for the knights, no seeds for the farmers. One of the worst summer's I've ever seen to tell the truth. It was all too troublesome.

"Shikamaru! Get off your ass!" Damn Naruto. He was always the one wrecking my mellow. I sighed and sat up from the soft grass to look at the annoying blonde man. "What?" I muttered.

"I found some money!" He smiled. I groaned. Is that all?

"And?" I said rolling back onto the grass.

"Well, I figured us guys could go to the bar!" Why was he so happy about having five gold pieces to go to the bar with, you ask? My guess was that he thought they had some of the best drinks in all of the village. I didn't really care for it. It all was useless to me.

"Naruto. Please, please, please go get a date. It's not like I'm your only friend, is it?"

Naruto sighed. "You're always such a downer, Shikamaru. All you do is sleep, I guess I was thinking that you wanted to have some fun for once."

I put my hand over my face. "C'mon, Naruto…" I groaned. "I really want to sleep right now."

"What?!" the blonde yelled. "That's all you ever do! You need to get out more!"

Why did this have to go on? Why not just take 'no' for an answer, I ask you? That's what happens when you have Naruto Uzumaki for a friend. "I am outside aren't I? Troublesome idiot…" I added with a sigh. Why can't I just sleep?

Naruto grumbled something. "Shikamaru! You're so useless!"

I almost wanted to cry. What happened to peace and quiet? I guess it flew south to get away from me. I guess it hates me. "Naruto…" On the other hand, I really wanted to punch this moron. Sure, he livened things up, but I don't need lively people when I'm trying to sleep.

A short time later, I opened one eye, and saw no one there. I guess he got sick of me. Did I fall asleep? I wouldn't hold it ageist myself if I did, of course. I pushed myself off the ground and looked around, it had gotten cloudy outside, as if it were going to rain. At least something was going right. I did always love the rain, though I'd better head back to the palace. The few knights that live there can eat there…If there's any left that is.

I sighed and rose to my feet and stretched. As I walked past a small pond, I saw a blonde haired girl facing the water. She wore a purple dress, with simple brown shoes. Her hair was down long and was curled at the ends. What was a young girl doing out when it was close to raining?

"Ma'am?" I asked walking toward her. "Shouldn't you be inside?" I added setting my hand on her shoulder. When her head short around, I fond myself thinking she would have the face of some kind of monster, instead she looked like a normal girl.

She said nothing, she just looked at me with a questioning look. "Are you lost?" I asked. She still didn't speak. What is wrong with her? I could just leave her… But if she means something, then I'll have my head chopped off… But did she even understand what I was saying?

The girl looked like someone I've seen before. Even though I couldn't place it, she just had that kind of face. "Do you want me to take you home?"

Her lips formed a small smile. Was something funny about me? Troublesome woman… The girl rose from the edge of the pond and clung to my arm. "What are you doing?" I asked looking down at her. She smiled again. Was she mute, deaf, or both?

What was wrong with this picture? I guess it was the fact that I don't want a girl to like me. It's too much work. "Let go, ma'am." I said shacking my arm lightly. Why in the world was she so strong? She made a small whining noise. Not really what I wanted to hear…

As much as I needed to, I just didn't get girls. Or certain blonde idiots either. Why do all the girl I know have to be clingy and troublesome like this? For example; this maid Sakura is so "crazy" for some Uchiha prince. Why did girl like the guys they liked? I'd rather not think about it to tell the truth. But at the same time, I can't help but wonder why the only girl who clings to me is odd like this one.

I groaned. The odds of me getting lose weren't looking to good. It was clear her will to hold on was larger than mine was… for anything. Everyone always did say I was the first one to give up. At least when it wasn't life or death, and getting a girl off of me wasn't exactly what I call 'life or death'. I guess I was taking her with me.

I just decided to stop taking to her. So I pointed up at the palace, then at me and her. She shock her head 'no'. What? I looked at her with a questioning look, this time. The blonde girl frowned, as if to say 'No, I don't like it there.' but why wouldn't she? Everyone liked the palace, it was beautiful inside and the king and queen didn't care if you fell asleep at the dinner table. Well, that was just what I liked. But I'm sure there's stuff there for young ladies too.

"What's wrong with the palace?" I asked with a small sigh. There was always a problem…

She just shock her head. "What does-" I shock my head like she did "-Mean?" I guess she thought I said something funny. Because she laughed a little bit. Was she sick or something? She didn't have much of a voice, and she had no reasonable answers to anything I asked.

It started to pour rain. I slapped my forehead, and looked down at the still smiling girl. "Let go… I don't wanna get sick." She didn't seem to care.

"Hey, Shikamaru!" a girly voice called running up to me. I looked away for a minute, to see Sakura running toward me. When I looked back down at my arm, the girl was gone. What the?

The pink-haired maid stopped running right before she bumped into me. She panted slightly. I looked at her strangely. "Leather shoes…Not good for running." she smiled, as if I asked a question.

"The queen…asked me to… come get you… for dinner." she said, rising from her hunched position. "She was worried because one of her best knights was running late." she paused. "Is there someone I should know about? I mean her best knight can't be you, can it?" She laughed. How troublesome.

"Did you just make a joke about me?" I asked with a small sigh.

She nodded with a small laughed before pulling me to the palace. When we walked through the main door, Sakura looked like something was wrong with her…damn my curiosity. "What's wrong?" I asked refraining from calling her a 'wench' like everyone else.

"Oh… Nothing. I was just wondering who that girl was that I saw holding onto your arm, that's all. But it's none of my business!" she laughed slightly taking my shoes. Why was she always so happy and energetic? She was a maid after all.

I shock my head and walked off to the dinning hall. As I started to push the door, my eyes drifted to the wall. Above a vase of roses on a dark wood stand, sat a painting of a girl in a purple dress with blue eyes and curled hair. My eyes widened. Was that the girl I saw a few minutes ago?

"Shikamaru?" Sakura's voice popped up, making my jump. "Sorry!" she cried. "I didn't mean too!"

"That's fine…" I sighed. I really wish she didn't do that…

"Okay… But is something wrong with you? No offence, but you've been acting a bit like a old man lately." she stifled a laugh. Again with the jokes I didn't get.

"I'm fine. I just thought I saw something." Sakura cocked her head to the side. "Okay…" she muttered pushing the door open for me. "Hope you have a good dinner, sir." she added.

The door shut on my back. I looked at the table, turkey and other classics. But that wasn't the thing on my mind right now. There was just something about a rain-freaking painting-and dark room that made me feel like something was wrong. What an odd feeling, almost like taking a walk at night through the forest with out a lantern. A creeping feeling. Or maybe it was a 'Naruto's gonna eat all the turkey and I'm really hungry' feeling.

Was it possible that the girl I met tonight was the same on in the painting? No… I doubt it. That painting was at least fifty years old, judging by the layer of dust over it. I groaned. I had to stop thinking about it, it wasn't my strong point figuring out huge mysteries and things like that.

"Shikamaru! Come sit down you've been standing there for ever!" the queen called. She was always one to worry about things such as me getting dinner. I shock my head to get the painting and the meeting the girl thing out of my head and went to go sit by another knight, Kiba. Well, it was him or Naruto…

"Hey, Shika. What was the deal there?" Kiba asked with a turkey leg in his mouth.

"Nothing." I sighed grabbing a roll from the basket. "Why?"

Kiba shrugged. "Just, you're acting stranger than you normally are." Okay, I did want to punch him. But did that mean I was going to? Sadly, no. Kiba has always been so annoying, but not as much as Naruto, at least.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

I was tossing and turning in my bed, there's just something about seeing a painting of a girl that's fifty years old that makes it hard to sleep. I mean, It's not like she was alive that long ago. People here barely live past thirty, anyway.

But that didn't explain why in both the painting and when I saw her, she looked about fifteen, my age. "Shikamaru!" Naruto hissed from the bunk above me. "Stop turning, you keep waking me up!" I swear, he's been mad at me this entire time fore not going to the damn bar with him.

I sighed. Now of all times I had to go to the bathroom. Not only is it not like me to not be able to sleep, it's also unlike me to have to go to the bathroom at this hour. I pushed the covers off and jumped out of the bed. Before I left for the bathroom, I clunked Naruto over the head.

I head him yell from down the long hall. I couldn't help but snicker at him, after all, he did go over board with things. I pushed open the door to the outside bathroom, seeing as I didn't want to go near the kitchen at this hour for indoor ones. One word: rats. What a pain…

After my business, I started walking back to the palace. I hated being out at this hour as much as anyone. As I pulled the door open, I heard a small giggle. Not that I was scared, but the sudden sound did make me jump a little. I turned around and gasped. The girl from before was standing there with a hand over her mouth. What was the deal? I thought she was gone a few hours ago.

"What are you doing here? What happened to-" I shock my head "-Like before?"

She giggled and grabbed onto my arm. "Let go…" I groaned. Last thing I wanted to do right now was fight this…girl to get her off my arm. To tell the truth, she did kind of freak me out.

The blonde looked at me like she wanted to say "Follow me." or something like that. "Why?" I asked ripping my arm free. Finally.

She pointed toward the forest. What in the world? I looked down at her with a strange face. There was no way I was going there now, I even tried to avoid it when the sun was shining bright.

"What do you want from me?" I asked. It just slipped out, I didn't mean to say it. It's not my fault all this weird stuff started happening when she showed up. Of course I never meant to speak like that to a lady… No matter how strange they were.

She gasped and stepped back. "Sorry…" I muttered.

"Shikamaru! You done in there!" I heard Naruto yell. I looked back and saw him walking toward the bathroom, but when I looked back she was gone again. Tomorrow I should ask the queen and king about this…