A/N This story is rated for swearing, violence, and some adult themes; NO LEMON IS PLANNED SO FAR!
Prologue
"I want you to succeed me as Hokage."
Tsunade blinked, her shock turning into horror as she stared down at dying mentor. "Sandaime, no! I can't be the Fifth; it was supposed to be Jiraiya…" Tsunade faltered on the name of her missing teammate, who'd left to find their last teammate Orochimaru.
"Please, Tsunade, just accept it. There's nobody I trust more in this village to protect it; except you," Sarutobi smiled weakly as his heart monitor slowed to almost nothing.
"Take care…. of the village…. for me…."
"Sarutobi-sensei!" Tsunade cried, but it was too late to argue; the monitor let out a long, low beep and Sarutobi's eyes closed.
A medic ninja turned off the monitor while another recorded on paper, 'Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. Cause of Death: severe case of pneumonia. Time of Death: 7:47 p.m., year 7 in the Fourth Great Age of Peace.'
Chapter One
6 years later.
Tsunade glared across the meeting table at the Fourth Kazekage, Sabaku no Aizen. "Why should we negotiate over this? It was a simple border struggle-." Tsunade began.
"A simple border struggle that almost killed my son!" Aizen snarled furiously back at her. Kankuro flinched from his place beside his father, wincing slightly at the pain it inflicted on his fresh shoulder wound. His sister Temari, sitting on his other side, gave him a reassuring smile before paying attention once again to their father.
"What are you getting so worked up about? Shinobi get injured all the time; it's no reason to go to war." Tsunade countered Aizen.
"Usually, you'd be right, but considering it was Leaf shinobi found on Sand territory that started the fight, you're completely wrong." Aizen said with an air of dangerous calm. 'You can almost see the murderous intent,' thought Temari as the air in the meeting room crackled with uneasy tension.
"The jonin and chunin in question have already been severely punished by me personally. What more could you possibly want?" Tsunade asked, fearlessly looking Aizen in the eye.
"I don't know; what could you offer me that'll be sufficient as payment that will save thousands of lives from yet another war?" Aizen asked calmly, eyes like piercing daggers. Both of Aizen's children shrank away from their father as a dark aura of rage enveloped him.
"I think I see what you're getting at," sighed Tsunade. Her assistant Shizune stared at her, eyes widening as she realized what her master meant. Asuma and Baki, the two jonin guards at the entrance to the door, glanced at each other in confusion.
"The only payment that is sufficient," continued Tsunade, "Would be either the heads of the ninja who attacked you, or…." Tsunade stopped.
"Or one of your Jinchuriki." Aizen finished. The effect of those five words was immediate; Asuma and Baki tensed, pulling out kunai as the two Kages glared at each other again.
"Father?" Temari gasped; it was a great insult to ask a village to hand over a Jinchuriki, especially for blackmail such as this.
"You honestly expect me to hand over another Jinchuriki after you took the Three-Tails last year?" Tsunade seethed angrily. Aizen waved his hand. "Misaomi was a different matter; she came to us of her own free will. It's not my fault your village treats Jinchuriki like crap," he said.
"And your village doesn't?" Tsunade snarled back at him.
Aizen smiled. "At least our Jinchuriki are happy where they are and not running away from home. I can tell you truthfully that young miss Misaomi-san is enjoying herself in Suna much more than she ever did in Konoha," he said, smiling when Tsunade flinched.
"Well, we only have two other Jinchuriki, and they're both the children of the Fourth Hokage; I can't possibly hand over either." Tsunade countered, looking relieved to have at least avoided that.
"Then what do you suggest we do, Hokage-san?" Aizen asked, his voice dripping with honey. "I have an idea," said Tsunade, smiling. "Which is?" Aizen prompted her.
"As older custom; a political arranged marriage between one of the children of the Fourth Kazekage and one of the children of the Fourth Hokage," Tsunade declared. Her suggestion was met by complete silence.
Both Temari and Kankuro looked terrified; Shizune looked ready to strangle Tsunade no matter what the cost; Asuma and Baki looked completely shocked. The only person to think it was a good idea appeared to be Aizen, who was laughing heartily like it was a good joke.
"Tsunade, that's the best damn idea I've ever heard come out of your mouth!" Aizen laughed, clapping lightly. After he calmed down, he asked, "The Fourth had two children, Uzumakis, a boy and a girl, right?"
"Right. They're both Jinchuriki, both extremely powerful, both thirteen, both genin, and both taking the Chunin Exams next week. There's Naruto, the older brother, host to the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, and Narukomi, Naruto's younger twin sister, who is host to the Eight-Tailed Giant Hound," Tsunade said, leaning back and crossing her arms, "Take your pick, Aizen-san."
Aizen leaned back as well, raising his eyebrows. "What's the catch?" he asked suspiciously. Tsunade smirked; he was smart.
"Well, first off, we need to wait until both your child and Minato's are sixteen before they get married. Which ever child you choose will also be required to stay in Konoha at all times until the wedding; in fact, to show our gratitude that you didn't start a war, your child will also be allowed to retain their ninja rank and be allowed to participate in the Chunin Exams. Lastly, after the marriage, the couple will be allowed to live in either our village or yours, but their firstborn child will be required to become a Konoha shinobi."
Tsunade's words were once again met by silence, but this time every eye was on Aizen. Both Temari and Kankuro watched him fearfully, not daring to meet his eyes. Behind Aizen's calm demeanor, his thoughts churned at the speed of light.
'Temari is a unique fighter, but she's a better peacekeeper than Kankuro. With her here, she can handle treaties and agreements for me. Besides, we don't have many other puppet masters left in our village; we need Kankuro.' Aizen smiled. "I have decided," he proclaimed.
His audience watched silently, not even daring to breathe. Aizen continued, "I have decided that my daughter, Sabaku no Temari, will marry Uzumaki Naruto in three years time."
A/N: Hey! So, this is my first story EVER! Anyway, for those of you who are wondering, this is set BEFORE the Chunin Exams, so Naruto and Temari have not met yet. Anyways, I really hope you enjoyed! Review? Favorite? Give me your opinions!
-Temari-chan :).
