This one is an AU based in the South Korean drama The Legend (2005), you do not have to have seen it to understand the story, but if you might, read listening to its OST by Joe Hisaishi, specially Kiha's and Sujini's themes.
The Queen's Phoenix
Even before gathering enough courage to raise his head to look, he knew it was her. After so many years, how could he mistake the sound of her horse's fast gallop?
Still, he didn't look when the sound approached and changed for the soft crunching of her steps on the sand.
"Neji!"
She was panting, her rich garb in disarray, and those were the fine silks, not the humble ones she wore to travel on a horseback or when they sneaked out of the palace disguised as a peasants. The tresses that should have been in one of the impressive hairdos her ladies usually made for special occasions were a mess of flyways and unravelling plaits. Her pale skin was full of red blotches and there were droplets of sweat growing on her temples, her pouty lips were open as she engulfed great portions of air; not the same vision in the paintings on the palace's wall, and yet, for the heavens that were punishing him, she'd never looked more breathtaking.
He let the sensations caused by seeing her take him in and replace the deep regret that started burning in his stomach when he first listened to her, for now he would have to do what he cowardly tried to avoid: say goodbye to her.
"Hinata-sama…" he breathed her name like a prayer, tightly grasping the rope holding his boat to the shore, he bowed.
"How dare you!" Her tone was fierce and unmistakably hurt, but her voice was soft as ever, the voice they said was too soft for the role of a Queen, but he knew better. "I told you to never leave my sight. You promised me. I am your Queen, you should obey me," but the last words sounded like an unroyalish plea.
"Hinata-sama," he said again, because soon he would swear to never pronounce her name with his dirty lips again. "Please, pretend you've never found me."
"What?" she asked, flabbergasted and more than a bit betrayed.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.
"It's better that way."
"No!" her tone of broken despair made his heart shrink painfully.
"I believe they've told you, haven't they?"
"I don't believe them, I don't believe any of them."
He sighed and let go of the rope, raising his trembling hands to his head, he untied the knot keeping the ribbons of fabric that hid his most disgusting and shameful secret. She had walked towards him and stepped inside the small boat, and was close enough to touch when he finished unravelling the strips of clothing leaving it plain to see the mark of the Dark Phoenix on his forehead.
The Dark Phoenix meant to drive the world to its destruction and break the Heavenly Queen's heart, it was also the last fragment to complete the legend of the Queen sent by the heavens. A Queen born under a shooting star and destined to unite the kingdom aided by her four guardians: Shino, the Blue Dragon; Kiba, the White Wolf; Kurenai, the Turtle Snake; and Naruto, the one destined to be by the Queen's side, the Red Phoenix.
The legend said that the Queen would be torn between her two Phoenixes, and that she should give her heart to the right one, for the other would resent her and turn the world in a pit of fire with his flames.
A tear fell from her eyes as she lifted her hand to touch the mark.
"Before promising to be by your side, I vowed to forever protect you" his voice broke, "I can't even do that anymore. Please," he delicately moved her hand away, and whispered, "let me go."
"No" she grasped his hand, "I forbid it!"
"Hinata-sama…"
"I-if you won't say with me…" she searched for a moment for what to say. "I'll follow you wherever you go."
He actually smiled at that. "You can't. You are the Queen, and the Queen belongs to her palace."
"My palace is wherever you are" she whispered, letting go of his hands, standing on her toes and bringing their lips together.
His shock was such that he gasped for air, and she used his parted lips to deepen the kiss.
In complete disbelief of what was happening, his only movement was opening his eyes. She was a vision of black messy hair, red and ivory silk, her lips were too soft, her skin so warm, and she was in his arms.
She ended the one-sided kiss and looked up to him behind her wet lashes, her lower lip trembling as she was about to cry.
Something snapped inside Neji, soon he would have to go to his own path towards death, he had nothing else to lose, and he was not about to deny a man's last wish, not even his own.
He caressed her face with the back of his hand, marvelling, as she leaned to receive the touch, how she was even softer than his imagined all those years. With the same hand, he delicately cupped the back of her head, feeling the silk tresses intertwine with his fingers, and with his other hand, he brought her close by the waist, and then, he kissed her.
He kissed her like he had dreamed of doing ever since they were no more than children hiding in the library. When she had to pretend she was stupid to keep her real personality inconspicuous and herself protected from assassination attempts; and he had to pretend to be just a mere servant and not the one with an oath to protect her.
It was strange how it seemed that only yesterday they were meeting in secret to train their bodies and their minds, to talk, to fall in love, and their lives were simple. It felt like all those memories filled within such a little time, for no amount of time by her side was enough, and yet, now all that was coming to an end. The kiss felt like a millennia of yearning, too much to be sated with just one.
So, when they parted from the kiss, breathless, he'd never wanted her more.
"Stay with me" she pleaded again.
"I can't," his voice sounded hoarse as he took a step back from her.
"Do you want me to beg? To fall on my knees?" But she didn't sound like she was begging, she sounded angry and that she knew exactly the effect those words would have on him.
"Of course not." His jaw tensed. "Hinata-sama, don't give away your dignity for such a small matter."
"Small matter?" She sounded offended. "The man I love is leaving me to his death!"
"You know I have no choice…" he looked away from her.
"Of course you have a choice, there's always a choice." She took a step forward, grabbing the front of his haori. "Choose to be with me. You've told me you wouldn't let yourself to be a puppet in the hands of destiny anymore."
He closed his eyes in a pain-filled expression before opening them again to look at her.
"But you are the destined Queen."
"No," she made a pregnant pause and wet her swollen lips, reminding him where they were moments ago, his hand shook at his side aching to touch her again. He wondered if the fire he felt consuming him every time he was in her presence was also a sign of their sad fate. "I am Queen because I've decided that the people who murdered my lord father and my lady mother shouldn't reign. I'm Queen because I've decided to defy destiny, but it's hard, and I don't want to keep doing this without you."
"Hinata-sama, they said I'll break your heart… I don't want to do that."
"And yet you are leaving me."
She still was holding him for her dear life, and, as much as he knew the odds were not in their favour, he felt himself starting to be compelled by her and his determination start to waver, he covered her hands with his, searching for freedom.
"If I go back with you-" a wide smile dawned on her face and he couldn't help grinning a bit, "-and I said If, what about Naruto? He's your Phoenix."
"The heavens might need just one Phoenix, but I need you, too."
"I don't think the other guardians will agree, or the nobles. You know this, a Queen must marry."
"I told you when we were young, only you will be my consort."
He covered her hands with his and her grip weakened.
"I have nothing to offer you."
She almost rolled her eyes at that.
"Why are you so stubborn? I don't need anything else! I need only you. And if you turn into the Dark Phoenix, if you set the world on fire, I'll be your shield."
He raised both of his eyebrows.
"I should be the one being your shield."
"How can you do that if you won't even be by my side?"
"Protecting you from afar?" it sounded stupid even to him but she didn't laugh.
"Don't lie to me. It wasn't that what you were doing."
She freed herself from his hands and he felt the loss instantly, even if she grabbed his wrist with one hand. Hinata stepped out of the boat dragging him with her to the shore, then she let go of him, took the dagger she only carried tied to her leg and cut the ropes tying the boat against the current. Then she raised her hand and as if the water obeyed her, the boat floated away.
"Done. Now you can't go anywhere." She went back to stand beside him, close enough for their shoulders to touch.
"All my belongings were in that boat."
She moved so fast that, with their proximity, she almost made them both fall, but he supported her by holding her shoulders, that's when she noticed that he was smiling.
"I'm sorry!"
"But are you, really?"
She turned beet red, but shook her head slowly.
"It's alright," he said with a sigh, "I have now all I ever needed."
A/N: Have any questions? Liked something in particular? Suggestions? Requests?