Author's Note: M/M, Limes & Lemons later on, so be forewarned.
Princes: They are Deities of the mortal realm there to protect and guide their worshipers. All ten Princes are related but hate one another and will do whatever it takes to get one over on the other.
Abduction: is a tradition that only Naruto's people practice, this has been going on for centuries and is exclusively for young males that are of age and are of Kitsune heritage.
The Calling: A driving force that no Kitsune male can resist. It only happens when their true mate is around.
Sasuke age is 14
Naruto age is 19
His time was up and nineteen-year-old Naruto Uzumaki knew he wasn't ready, frowning at the ebony dyed ceremonial uniform folded neatly on at the edge of his futon, by placing these garments on. He would be saying goodbye to his blissful bachelor days, and hello to devotion his entire being to a complete an total stranger. Groaning in frustration he removed his favorite white shirt and orange sweatpants, why couldn't they postponed until his 20th birthday. His birthday was only two months away, at least then he would have had time to adapt to the notion of marriage only if they could just give him some more time.
He combed a sun-kissed hand through his short spiky locks, while gradually slipping on his black slacks, long sleeve shirt, and his obscure utility vest. Tonight, he would meet with High Priestess Rin and have two other companions accompany him on his journey. Rin would be the one who received the visions from their Prince and protector the nine-tails demon fox Kurama.
Moreover, when the time called for it their Prince Kurama would show Rin the location of Naruto's mate. Once fully dressed in his outfit he left his tiny apartment to go meet Rin and the others at the temple of their Prince. Upon stepping outside, he glared up at the radiant moon, snorting as he placed both palms behind his head while entwining his fingers at the nape of his neck. Casually, he made his way to the marble temple at the heart of their village. Why did every abduction have to take place during a full moon?
"Hey blondie, wait up!" He paused turning towards his addresser what he saw was his childhood friends Shikamaru and Kiba vastly approaching, well Kiba was Shika kept at his normal leisure pace.
"Hey fellas, are you guys going to be accompanying during the abduction?" He eyed the pair, they were clad in similar attire.
"Of course! You were there for the both of ours," exclaimed Kiba before sending a hardy blow to his fellow Kitsune brothern right shoulder blade. Naruto laughed whilst playfully slinging an arm over the brunette with unruly hair shoulder and pulling him into a headlock. The two played tussled while Shikamaru followed steadily behind them. Once they finished their brief game Naruto chose that moment to ask the question that had been pledging him.
"Is having a mate worth it? To have all your hopes and dreams forgotten for a person you barely even know."
The brunet with unruly hair had exchanged a glance at the brunet with a high ponytail. "Hell yeah it is, it's like discovering air for the very first time you never really knew you were drowning until you finally meet your mate, and they start to open your eyes to so many possibilities and for the first time you can breathe, and you find a part of you that you never knew was missing."
"How do you even know who your mate is? Rin only gives a location, not a description. So how in the hell do you know? Or if you are abducting the right one?" He shook his head in, it was all so unclear.
"Oh, you'll know." Sapphire pools snapped over to Shika who nodded in agreement.
"What happens if she hates me." He exhaled, women tend to find him far too impulsive, hyper, and loud.
"Just like you, your mate is drawn to you that's why our Deity shows Rin their location, and The Calling can do the rest, trust me, man it's worth it."
"C'mon you two, we better stopped stalling. We don't want to be late for our kin's first time."
The three greeted their Priestess Rin who glared back. "You're late." She hissed, before promptly spinning on her heels and storming up the temple steps.
The three exchanged guilty glances before following behind her hurried strides. She walked until she was in the heart of the temple, and right smack in the center was a large statue of the snarling nine-tails demon fox Kurama.
The three stooped just a few inches away from the base of the statue as Rin prayed over them for guidance and a fruitful outcome. She opened her mouth fully ready to give them her instructions but had swiftly jumped when the marble statue of Kurama was engulfed by a bright light.
"I see one of my devoted followers is unsure of my instructions." In her shock, Rin hands had shot up to her mouth.
Naruto gulped as he felt the all awe-stricken eyes boring into him, and yet he was more intrigued than scared.
"Step forward my child."
Hesitantly, Naruto stood taking a step closer to the fairly large statue that was until he was close enough to touch it, but he dared not.
"You have nothing to worry about, kit. I have a very special gift for you." With that said the statue's eyes began to glow a fearsome crimson, making the blonde hissed as his abdomen began to burn especially around his navel. Instinctively his sun-kissed hand was placed over the spot that was just seared.
"You will go to the Uchiha clan territory and claim your mate. Their so-called Deity won't stop you, though their sentinels just might. We've made a little wager, so don't disappoint me. You are now anointed with my flames. You Uzumaki's has yet to fail me, so don't make me take back those words." The Deity growled, as the light of the statue faded away. His devious chuckle sending a chill down Naruto's spine.
"Of all the years! No one has ever heard Kurama speak to them! He gives me visions from time to time, but I never deliberately heard him. This is the very first time our Prince has anointed a worshiper or anyone for that matter. I wonder what wager he has for you because the Uchiha's Deity has never let an enemy invade his region before. Why start now?" She needed to have a seat her head was whirling.
"What does he mean Uzumaki's has yet to fail him?" He looked at his cousins and Rin who all had similar bewildered expressions. This was all new to them as even Rin who was the High priestess had no clue.
"You better go while the night is still young. We can discuss this astonishment further with our clan's matriarch when you and your mate get back. Damn it I still need to prepare your mates room! She will most definitely be in distress from the abduction. I'll also need to get the woman of our clan to help comfort her through the initial shock. Now go!" She shooed the three out of the temple doors. She watched as the three took off placing a hand over her heart as she peered back at the snarling statue of Kurama. What do you have in store my Prince?
Once they had crossed the Uchiha confines the trio had taken to the trees leaping from branch to branch. They paused when they saw the silhouette of an assassin patrolling the perimeter.
"Of all the mates yours had to be a damn Uchiha." Sighed Shika. They remained perched on branches for a total of 45 minutes to learn the assassin's route and estimate the amount of time it would take for them to return to their place.
They watched the first assassin paused at the front gates for a total of 60 seconds they hopped down darting passed the barren valley, running and leaping over the wall and behind one of the houses.
"Wait…" Whispered Shika as they all pressed against the wall of the two-story home.
They saw an assassin stalked by oblivious to the three sets of eyes watching him.
"Go," they took off deeper into enemy territory.
"How am I supposed to know where to go?" Just as the words left Naruto's mouth he smelt it, a fragrance like no other! It was like fresh linen and scandal wood assaulting senses, faint at first but it started to intensify. The scent coaxing him towards the Uchiha's temple. Their temple resembled their own but just three times the sizes it had four large marble pillars and steps lined with torches.
The fragrance was coaxing him closer to the temple and Naruto could do nothing but comply.
"Naru' where are you going?" whispered Kiba as he went to reach out towards his friend, but was swiftly stopped by Shika who shook his head no.
"He has found his mate, now we are nothing more than back up."
They watched as the blonde paused for a split second before climbing the steps of the temple.
"Come let's keep an eye out for him."
There in the center of the Uchiha temple stood the statue of Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki his upturned palm stretched out towards the heavens as he held the heart of mankind clenched between his marble digits. His robe seemed almost life like his stance almost intimidating. Slowly Azure hues had scanned the temple, but the fragrance was gone.
"I'll give Kurama credit. You are quite fascinating, so tell me little flea are you looking for something important?"
Not another one! He mentally groaned. He just about had his nightly dosage of Princes to last him a lifetime.
"I thought…Err nothing."
"You thought your mate would be here. They are, but they sleep the eternal sleep."
"I don't follow?" He scratched as his whiskered cheek in thought.
"Your mate is dead little one." The blonde had no clue how to respond to that. So, he came all this way for nothing? His mate was dead. Naruto knew he had shitty luck, but this had topped all his misfortunes.
"Then why go through all the trouble of guiding me here!" He was patience were wearing thin.
The statue chuckled. Most mortals would go mad from even having a Prince talk to them, but to be both talked to an anointed by a Prince was an honor that most did not survive. This boy was defiantly something special which interested Hagoromo greatly.
"I will bring your mate back… But only if you vow to me that in three years time, you will come back here and do a small little task that I request of you, no questions asked." Naruto had frowned at this. His heart was racing. He had no clue what he was vowing to. He could hear the voice of Kurama ringing in his head. Was this what the wager was? Should he make the vow? He weighed his options, it did not feel right and yet... Gulping he opened his mouth, letting the words spill from his lips.
"You have my solemn vow." He felt his navel burning again but this time it hurt more than the last time, abruptly he lifted his shirt to peer out at the swirl of black ink around his navel.
"I can see why Kurama likes you."
"What did you do to me?" His eyes snapped up to the statue.
"I have anointed you with my light. You now have been anointed by two Princes. A blessing that would render even the most abiding of souls mad or dead, and yet here you stand sane as ever. You are something quite special. True to my word your mate awaits. Do remember you swore to me little one, you would not want to betray Prince." He heard the statue's bloodcurdling laugh as Hagoromo light faded away.
Naruto glanced around the temple but saw nothing. He was just about to ask Hagoromo where his mate was, but his blue orbs instantly drifted to the back of the Hagoromo statue.
There he saw alabaster flesh that gleamed from the pale moonlight streaming through the painted temple glass. Tentatively, he approached the unconscious heap of flesh there curled in the fetal position at Hagoromo's feet. His mate was most defiantly naked, but all he could see was chin length raven locks his mate had the crown of her head pressed against her kneecaps, making it hard to get a clear view.
There he stood in enemy territory with the possibility of getting caught but he could not bring himself to panic, the only thing on his mind was how to move his mate and bring her home. Naruto was certainly taller and bigger than his mate, so carrying her would not be an issue. First, he removed his vest draping it on top of the raven-haired beauty scooping her up bridal style that's when he got a pretty good view of his mate frontal area.
Well, that's new. He contemplated. His mate was not a she at all! Only when the raven's head had lolled back was when he got a clearer view of his face the Uchiha's long silky bangs had spilled from his face that was when he saw a sight that made his breath hitch in his throat, long dark lashes caressed smooth creamy flesh that looked tentatively soft to the touch whereas kissable lips rested upon it, and all this was outlined by a chiseled jawline and a long slender neck. He felt his cheeks heating up to a ruby red color. His mate was more attractive than the women he knew!
There wasn't a word to describe it, his heart was racing, and his palms felt sweaty. It took a minute but he suddenly remembered the ability to breathe. So, this is what Kiba meant! Hagoromo words did not feel as foreboding anymore if he was given a gift such a this. He would do his bidding.
"You alright in there? Wha the... By the ten, you couldn't wait till you got home to do that! Naruto you sly dog you." Kiba blushed holding his hands in front of his face.
"Oy, Kiba shut up we need to leave. I think I wore out my welcome here let's go." The pair had ran-off to go meet up with Shika they could hear the alarm bells in the distant. He knew it was just a matter of time someone would be stumbled upon their tracks, but they were already gone.
Once they were far from enemy lands was when they slowed down.
"What took you so long and why is your mate naked?"
"I'll explain later, I need to tell Rin everything that has happened. Maybe, she could shine a light on a few things!" Now with a new found resolve Naruto took off back home. His friends exchanging looks before following behind him.
He remembered Kiba's words from early, about it being worth it. He glanced down at the unconscious raven in his arms. He now knew the answer.
I started this story for sheer fun. Not sure if I should continue or not. I'm just happy I started it.