Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and all of its characters.

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Chapter 1. The Meeting

Being a prince sure is tough, Shikamaru yawned to himself. Once you reach a certain age, your father gets all excited over marriage. What is the big deal of sending his own son to an unknown place rumored to have gentle and pretty ladies? And it certainly farfetched to bring so many gifts along. Its not like we're getting married on first sight.

Shikamaru wasn't interested in marrying the perfect little lady. He just wanted an average one. However, that wasn't what his father will expect. He wanted him to marry a princess or a lord's daughter in another country to build a good relationship. Thinking of how many talents the ladies will have, Shikamaru shuddered. They were way too perfect.

"We've arrived Your Highness! This is the City of Sand which The Majesty was talking about."

Shikamaru yawned further on. A city stuck in the middle of a desert? Oh well, there is probably nothing to do here. He planned to sneak away when his guards where not looking and sleep somewhere. Somewhere which have a good view of the clouds. Once they entered the city, Shikamaru made up an excuse of going to the toilet and did not return to his guards. He walked around the city, looking for the perfect place to relax. While strolling, he saw his anxious guards and immediately left for the opposite direction. He didn't want to be caught and brought to a place to select his future wife. He knew that running was not a solution, but he would want to be a bachelor for as long as he could. While running away, he accidentally knocked into a lady. When he offered his hand to the lady that fell, he felt her knuckles on his face instead.

"Don't you have eyes to see? Now my clothes are all ruined. If you have foiled my chances, I'll kill you! And I mean what I say! Just you watch out." With that warning, she picked herself up and hurried on, all the while mumbling, "I hope I'm not late".

Shikamaru shrugged. A place with gentle and pretty ladies? His father sure has picked up a habit of lying. After buying a ice pack to stick on his face to reduce the swelling, he fell asleep on a nearby bench.

"WE'VE FOUND YOU HIGHNESS! All the ladies are ready and waiting for you. Except for one though…"

Oh damn, Shikamaru thought. There was no time for him to run off. Soon, he was brought back to where he was supposed to, with all the ladies fussing over his bruise. Shikamaru inched away as far as possible. Just then, he heard a familiar voice.

"Your highness! I'm sorry for being late. I knock into someone on the way here and he had dirtied my clothes! So I had to hurry back for and change and… YOU!!!"

Shikamaru gawked. What? The girl was one of the ladies on the list? He scanned down the list. Lady Temari – from a family of warriors. That has got to be her! "Now I know why…" he muttered softly under his breath.

Temari made her way to him and hissed, "If not for my family, I wouldn't have been here at all. Lets see who have the last laugh."

Shikamaru sighed. He didn't say he wanted to challenge her. Furthermore, he doesn't even remember requesting for her to come. It was his father. He just wanted to come and relax, not to go into war with a lady that have a chance of becoming his future wife if she have done well for all the tests that they have to go through before they are selected to be his wife. "If I have no say at all whether I even want her to be in this funny competition, why am I still here? At least she loses out in First Impression section…"

"And the highest scorer for the 'First Impression' test is out! Lady Temari!!!"

Shikamaru spat his tea out. What was the meaning of this? He peered over at Temari, who had her face of disgust on. When he asked the examiner why she scored in this section, the examiner replied. "Your father knows that you are lazy, so he wanted to pick a lady that can discipline you." Shikamaru choked. If he had known this, he would have made an effort to be more hardworking for the past few days. However, he was positive that Temari would be sure to lose out in the next section – Poetry. How can someone born in a family that consists of only warriors know how to appreciate and recite such stuff? Perhaps she doesn't even like them at all! Shikamaru smiled a slight smile of relief. Meanwhile, Temari was busy cursing at her horrid luck. How she wish that she would be eliminated in the first round. After all, poetry was her forte, besides fighting…

Before the second section, ladies were busy touching up on their makeup. Temari scoffed. Who needs artificial needs to beautify yourself when you are already stunningly beautiful? She gave a small giggle, laughing at her own ego. Just then, Shikamaru noticed her. He can't believe his eyes. Temari could actually give a small giggle instead of bursting out into a horrible cackle. Well, girls do have their gentle sides in one way or another… Shikamaru slapped himself. What was he thinking about? Of all girls, why is he only noticing Temari?

"All right ladies! Time for the second round of selection. All of you would have already be aware that to be the future queen, one must be able to present herself in public and to maintain a proper conversation with the other ladies. Thus, all of you must be able to do poetry. Each of you are suppose to recite the famous poem, "If thou must love me, let it be for nought" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning in separate rooms. After that, you are suppose to continue the verses of poems asked by our examiners. Ladies, into your separate rooms please."

Shikamaru thought that when the girls are busy, he would quietly sneak to the garden and have a little nap. But at the same time, he was eager to know how Temari would fare as well. He carefully inched his way to her room and placed his ears carefully on the door. Just then, the door opened and he fell into the room.

"What do you think you are doing?" snapped Temari.

"Hahaha... Just wondering how well you would fare…" Shikamaru didn't have enough time to think of a more detailed and proper excuse.

"Excellent!" praised the examiner. "That's all I can say!"

Shikamaru stared in disbelieve. "Aren't you from a family of warriors?"

"You must have thought that I couldn't do it?" Temari smirked. "You know what is having a hobby during your free time?"

"Words failed me…" mumbled Shikamaru. At this rate, there is a high possibility that she could be chosen to be his wife. Either she has rigged the selection rounds or she just had the qualities. But for the sake of himself, Shikamaru decided that it was time for him to do something instead of being lazy…

Author's Note: Please R&R! enjoy the story!