Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me, he belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I am writing this free of charge and totally of my own independent will. I am not gaining anything.
UPDATED: 2/21/10
"Oh, my!"
"Is that really her?"
"I can't believe this..." The royal court surreptitiously glanced at the girl who had accompanied the princess to the grand hall. Gossiping, exchanging looks, idly chatting, they all wondered just what had brought the change in the formerly brooding girl who reeked of being low-born despite her fine clothes. Now, she was simply glowing, and with the princess constantly holding her hand, also had the decency to look shy. Before, she had simply met everyone's looks with contempt and rebellion, but now...she was different. No other words to describe it.
The princess seemed especially pleased. A dazzling smile on her dainty lips, the rosy hue coming out in her cheeks, she spread her happiness to her father and brothers, causing all of them to smile as well.
Rawaka, wearing her new robes, with pearly silver earrings and necklace to match the color of her eyes and clothes, looked about in shock. Did she really look that different? It seemed that now some of the nobles' sons were eying her with rapt interest. That made her blush.
Standing faithfully by her side, Kushina squeezed Rawaka's hand. The girl squeezed back in return, grateful for the support. As the nobles and aristocrats as well as the government officials conversed with the king and princes and occasionally, the princess, she let her eyes wander, and took in all of the sights. Before she had met Kushina, everything in the court disgusted her. The luxury, the expense, the quality, the manners, the people...but now, with her paradigms gone, she saw everything in a new light. How this gathering in the Grand hall was not just some fancy, wasteful affair, but actually a very important meeting with the officials from all over the country.
She saw how the officials were not just trying to impress the king and attempting to snatch a better position, but actually working very hard for their country. Even some of the nobles offered to donate money to fund a program to help the poor. At this, Kushina, raised her head and spoke up, stunning everyone with her sudden words.
"I actually have something to say about that, father," she smoothly said, lightly bowing her head towards the stately king.
King Uzumaki smiled gently, and waved his hand. "You have my permission to speak, my dear child,"
Kushina bowed again in thanks. Then, addressing her brothers and the rest of the court, she said, with a grave, sincere expression, "It is crucial for us to open our eyes to the poverty most of our citizens are going through. Because of the lack of money and food, our people are unable to have proper medical treatments, shelter, and education. As such, many die, in the streets, every day.
"And many of them, are exceptionally gifted individuals, either in fighting or in the arts. These are people who can help make a difference in our present lives. We must see to it that we come up with a profitable plan to give these people a chance to live their life, rather than rotting their talents in the streets,"
Rawaka stared at the red haired princess in utter shock. Kushina, you—you..!
The princess continued to speak, now holding the attention of everybody. "It is my wish that all of you actively involve yourselves in what I just said right now. By helping to create this plan, and giving it financial support, you will be doing what is right for the development of Whirlpool,"
In silence, the nobles and officials considered Kushina's words, each thinking deeply. The king and the two princes looked thoroughly impressed.
After some intensive internal debate, one of the nobles raised his head. "The princess speaks with great wisdom," he said fluidly, turning his gaze briefly onto Kushina and smiling a little. "I, the 21th head of the house of Suinuma, shall follow the princess' wishes. I will participate in this project!"
As if on trigger, the other nobles also followed up with their own declaration of support.
"You have my utmost assistance, Kushina-sama!"
"Please take my fortune and use it as you see fit for this plan, your highness,"
The never ending line of claims brought out tears in Rawaka's eyes. Oh Kushina, thank you so much.
XXXXXXXXXX
Meanwhile...
The party of the Prince of the Fire Country made it's way over the swamps and grassy marshlands, carefully maneuvering through the vast trees and plants. Sometimes, an unexpected gust of wind would scatter the maids' skirts, which was quite often. The prince was hidden from view, as he sat in a covered palanquin carried by four muscular servants.
An eunuch slowly approached the palanquin of the prince.
"My lord, we are now in Whirlpool country. We shall arrive at the palace in about a day. I hope you have rested well during our stay at the hotel," he dutifully waited a response. When none came, he asked, puzzled, "My lord?" No response.
"My lord, are you asleep?" No response.
Startled, as the prince was a natural born fighter and had fabulous keen hearing, the eunuch inched closer to the palanquin. "My lord, are you all right?" No response.
Agitated, the eunuch hurriedly threw back the cover of the palanquin, paralyzing the rest of the party with his sudden actions. Flabbergasted, the eunuch stared dubiously at the empty palanquin before him, the prince nowhere to be found.
"THE PRINCE IS MISSING!!!"
The said prince, currently riding a horse toward the Uzumaki palace as fast as he could, sneezed. Shoot, they must've found out I'm gone... he thought. But the palanquin is just damn slow! I need to see Kushina as fast as possible! Urging his horse to go faster, he charged clear ahead of his group, only miles away from the palace. He could see the gates coming into view. Now..to jump over the walls...hmmm..
XXXXXXXXXX
Kushina, now the morning gone and the court dispersed, was once again sitting in the library. Rawaka, after her foster parents had taken a look at her, had disappeared into their hugs and kisses, and did not emerge for a long time. When she finally had succeeded, however, Kushina was long gone, leaving Rawaka alone to spend some quality time with her new family. At this, the black haired girl had muttered a few choice words, but unfortunately for her, her parents heard and dragged her off for further lessons in manners.
Once again enraptured by numerous records in the library, Kushina did not realize that the sun was now high over the heads, and that someone had crept up in front of the screen door. Standing stock still, the figure's shadow finally showed on the paper screen, causing Kushina to look up in curiosity.
"Is someone there?" She questioned, rising off her stool and walking over to the door. The figure did not move. And so, she reluctantly took a hold of the door, and quietly slid it back.
She took one look at the person standing outside the screen, and gasped. Her hands found their way to her mouth, covering her lips. Tears pooled in her smoky eyes, reflecting off the bright sunlight of midday and seeming much like jewels....
"Hey, Kushina, been awhile, huh?" the person's deeper voice took on a nostalgic, somewhat humorous tone.
The tears in Kushina's eyes overflowed as she gasped out one word,
"Minato."
As the tears began to pour from her angelic eyes, the blonde haired, blue eyed prince of the Fire Country stepped up into the library and took the trembling girl into his strong arms, the door sliding closed behind him. His tanned skin contrasting with Kushina's creamy skin, he softly pressed her to his chest. Presently, he was not wearing the flowing robes of the prince's formal attire, but was instead wearing a simple blue silk fighting robes that was bound by his waist with an embroidered sash. It had been much easier to travel that way, with more room for movement and less fabric to worry about. His hair, spiky and framing his face, emphasized his handsome features.
His deep blue eyes saddening and gazing up at the ceiling in a rush of emotion, he snuggled against the princess tightly.
"How were you, fine?" he whispered as he caressed her hair. "you're taller than when I last saw you,"
"That goes for you too. You grew a foot," Kushina pushed herself off his chest and looked up into his eyes filled with his soul. Minato smiled faintly. Their eyes warm, passionate, they merely stared into each other's eyes, until finally, Minato deliberately lowered his face near hers, getting a sharp intake of breath from the red haired princess.
Wordlessly, his eyes half closed, Minato pressed his lips with Kushina's. Her eyes widening, she let out a soft sound of content. It'd been too long. Gently closing his eyes fully, he snaked his arms around her back and waist and pulled her closer. Angling his head, to press her to him, he vaguely registered Kushina placing her arms around his neck.
Carefully spreading her lips apart to intensify the kiss, Minato gradually pushed her to the wall, pressing her completely against his body. Now heated, the two kissed fervently, not one giving in, both with equal longing and love. Finally, they pulled apart to catch their breath, and tenderly wrapped their arms around one another, rocking back and forth.
"When did you arrive?" Kushina asked dreamily.
"A few minutes ago. It was surprisingly easy to fool the guards,"
"You mean...you came here without a party??" Kushina jerked up to meet his deep blue eyes.
"Well, I do have one, but I sort of ditched them," he didn't sound worried at all.
"Why?!"
"...I wanted to see you,"
"...oh," Kushina leaned in closer to his embrace, savoring his warmth. "But still...you'd have seen me by tomorrow..."
"They were too slow," Minato snorted.
"Ha ha, that's just like you, always into speed. I hope you never break your neck and die doing those kinds of things,"
"I won't, promise. The party will catch up in about a day, so how about we spend this time by ourselves? Without any formalities and all that," Minato cupped her face and kissed her on her cheek.
Then, like a lightbulb turning on, he said, "Oh! I nearly forgot! I brought you this," he then proceeded to pull out from his clothes a gold, flat bookmark, with small lines forming the outline of an intricate rising crane with its wings spread wide. At one end, there was a loop that had a green chord attached to it.
Kushina took it into her hands and stared at it. "It's so pretty.."
Minato scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I thought you might like it, since you read so much,"
She tore her gaze from the gold bookmark. "But you read just as much as I do! When you're not training, helping with the government, or seeing me, you're always delving into books. What about you? Don't you need a bookmark? Are you sure I can have this?"
Grinning confidently, Minato fished out another bookmark, identical to hers, but with a blue chord. "Already have one," his smile grew bigger at her surprise.
Astounded, she pouted, her lower lip scrunching adorably. Minato loved it when she did that. Around others, she always maintained a calm, professional facade, but to him, she would make this face. "You are always one step ahead of me," she complained.
"I come up with ways to outrun you during my spare time,"
"Not reading??" Kushina gasped dramatically.
"I read strategy books too."
"Oh, well...you read all kinds of books, so I guess this isn't too much of a shock." she admitted.
Minato chuckled. "Yeah...so what do you want to do till the party gets here? It's going to be a full day at least, and I suppose I'll have to spend a night in your room..but hey we're fiances so it shouldn't matter much right?" he turned a shade pink but otherwise stayed the same.
Kushina narrowed her eyes. "You pervert,"
"Hey! I'm not a pervert, you're mistaking me for my sensei! And trust me when I say that sensei is different from I am, though we do only love one woman,"
Kushina blushed deeply at this, but she still managed to look indifferent. "So? I've only seen him once when he came with you to propose to me. My opinion of him was not that great,"
"Tell you what," Minato said, taking her hand in his, "why don't you come with me to my palace when I go back? It'll be your first time there, and I'm sure I can persuade your dad to let you go for a few weeks,"
"Not unless he decides to tag one of my brothers along with me first. He's too protective," Kushina dully replied.
"Still, I want you to come and see. It'd be good to take a look at your future home, right?" Minato nuzzled her cheek. "If it's to see the land you'll rule over as Queen, then I'm sure your father will consent."
XXXXXXXXXX
Leaning into Minato's chest while sitting on his lap, Kushina readily debated the latest issue on the criminal regulations. Minato, who was just as much into politics and the good of the country, responded with enthusiasm of his own. Currently, they were in a disagreement.
"Like I said, I think that criminals respond more effectively when in placed with appropriate psychological pressure that differentiates with their characters," Kushina talked as she held up a scroll and looking over it's contents, Minato reading over her shoulder and listening at the same time.
"No, I think that the problem is not interrogating criminals, but what creates criminals in the first place," he spoke. "Right now, I think that is the primary issue we need to cover,"
"But that will take too long. Even if we were to implement a solution to that problem, it would still take generations of testing to figure out if it will really work or not. As of now, the best we can do is to study the criminals' behavior and come up with a plausible conclusion to as why they commit crimes.."
"Which brings us back to preventing criminals in the first place. Like I said, we should focus more on-"
"No, I think we should first do--"
"In the end, it's going to be researching the same things, so why not--"
"We need more concrete evidence to support..."
"We already have evidence. The time to act is now!"
"I already said it takes too long."
"I don't see how much better your idea is, since all it does is coming up with new info and not really 'doing' anything. We already have a lot of info, so we need to act!" Minato, realizing where the debate was going, wrapped his arms around the princess' slender frame to stop them from arguing any further. Kushina, who had been tensing due to the debate, relaxed at the feel of his warm, strong arms around her shoulders. Her hands that had been holding the scroll open drooped, and she carelessly tossed it aside on the table.
"What time is it now?" she murmured.
Minato glanced at the water clock in the corner. "About four,"
"Four hours since you've been here," Kushina added softly. "I wish we could stay like this forever," she snuggled in closer.
Minato tightened his arms. "We can, if you want,"
"Really?"
"Ye--" a horn blared out. The traditional horn that was sounded as soon as a diplomatic party approached the outer gates of the outer wall. "...Crap."
Kushina was mildly amused slash irritated. "I thought you said they wouldn't be here by tomorrow,"
"...I think they found out I was gone,"
"Obviously." and with that she slid off his lap, Minato looking disappointed. "Don't you have to go?"
"Yeah," he ruffled his hair, standing up. "better go and calm them down before they get all panicky and tell your dad I trespassed, which won't be pretty if he ever does find out," he chuckled dryly. Then he swooped and planted a firm kiss on her lips.
Grinning, he laughed. "I'll be back soon,"
"Hurry back," Kushina called as he moved over to the door, already starting to miss him.
Minato chuckled. "Always," and with a swish of the screen doors, he was gone.
XXXXXXXXXX
"We must let the King know his highness is missing.."
"Perhaps the Uzumaki King will lend us support to find our prince.."
"Oh, what has happened to him!" Servants and cohorts wailed in front of the outer walls, waiting for the guards to be back with issued orders.
Minato stepped out from the shadows of the trees lining the walls. "Ugh, stop fussing, all of you, and calm down,"
Instantly, his servants snapped to attention. After a few seconds of staring, they all burst into tears and ran to Minato. "Minato-sama! Oh, we were so worried-!"
"Yes, I can tell," Minato patiently said as his party wept over his form. "Can we all just act like normal and not say a word about me being gone? Please,"
"But what had happened to you, Minato-sama?" one of the eunuchs inquired.
Minato grimaced. He didn't want to tell them that, or it'll become gossip. "That's for me to know and you to shush on. Forget anything happened, alright?" Sniffling, all the servants nodded. "And can you guys give me my clothes so I can change before I go in there? What I'm wearing is perfect for training but not to visit my betrothed's father,"
Wiping away the tears, the maids ran off to fetch his royal robes. The rest of the party quickly dissipated, rushing to their original post as Minato dressed in his princely clothes behind a screen. Just as he finished, the guards came hurrying back with permission to allow them into the castle.
Ushering them in, they bowed and said, "Please go in, your highness,"
XXXXXXXXXX
Every single member of the royal court was gathered in the more secluded inner chambers of the King's council room. The room was long, rectangular, and had an artificial pond that stretched in a thin rectangular shape in the center of the room. All the council members and officials, as well as nobles stood to the side. The king and his two sons sat at the far side of the room, each on their respective thrones. The king sat in the middle, and to his left and right sat his sons Shinzou and Temjin.
All heads and shoulders stood up straight in a formal greeting to the Prince of the Fire country. Kushina, although she too had her own throne next to Temjin, was not present. This did not strike anyone as unusual as it was the custom to not see their betrothed's until in a private setting. The grand servants flanking the entrance bowed deeply as a figure stepped up to the doors.
"Entering, Prince Namikaze Minato of the Fire country!" they announced grandly and slid open the screen doors. At the sound, everyone stiffened and trying to not draw any attention, carefully dusted off their clothes. Taking in the scene before him, Minato stepped into the long room.
Walking proudly towards the king and princes, he stopped just before their seats and bowed slightly in greeting. "It's been a while, Uzumaki-dono,"
While his sons did not say anything and continued to stare straight ahead, the monarch smiled. "Welcome Minato. I trust that your father and mother are doing well,"
"Yes, they are in the very best health. I thank you for allowing me to visit Kushina-hime,"
"Not at all, you two are engaged after all," Crinkling his eye, the Uzumaki king laughed out loud heartily at the sight of his future son-in-law. Smiling a bit, Minato bowed again.
"Actually, this time my visit will not last as long as before, Uzumaki-dono. I have come here to request something of you,"
The laughter stopped, but the smile was still there. "Now what would my future son-in-law require of me?"
Minato smirked. "I formally request that Kushina-hime come with me to visit my home country, as so to learn more about her future home,"
The smile disappeared. "Kushina go with you?"
"Yes,"
"It is too dangerous," the king declared in a heartbeat.
"I promise I will protect her with my life. Also, this trip will be a good chance for her to know the land she will govern with me in later days,"
Unable to counter that logic, the King racked his head for better excuses to not let his beloved daughter away from his sight. "Couldn't you stay with her instead?" he asked desperately.
"I have been doing that, ever since we were betrothed. I think it is time she learns of my culture and the ways of my people," Minato grinned triumphantly. He'd won.
The king sagged a bit. "...very well."
XXXXXXXXXX
"Really? Father's going to let me go with you??" Kushina gasped excitedly in the privacy of her room. Minato chuckled at how happy she was.
"I don't understand why he'd let you go to war and not to my country. War is definitely more dangerous than traveling to an allied country in my book,"
She huffed. "Don't say that. He says that he can't ever make me stay away from battle because of my mother. I'm too like her; she used to go and fight too," her voice dropped to a sad note. "and every time he sees you, he's reminded that the moment I leave him permanently draws near. I'm like a living memory of my mother to him,"
The blond haired prince swept her into his arms, rocking her gently back and forth. "I'm sorry," he softly muttered.
"It's nothing, don't beat yourself over it," she replied, pushing herself out of his arms. As she moved, he caught a glint of something shimmering amidst her robes.
Eyes widening, he reached out and fingered the pendant and chain he had given to her so many years ago. "...you still have this?" she blushed, and promptly refused to answer. Grinning at her, he pulled her back to him and kissed her hard.
A day later...
Holding hands, the chatting couple sat together in the wide palanquin held up by many men. Thanks to Minato's irritation, the party was no longer inching forward like they had been before. Now, they were practically rushing by every town and village across their way. Kushina chastised him for being so inconsiderate, but she had to admit that their previous speed was ridiculous. Even she would go berserk if they had continued at their rate for a long time. It was a good thing that with the new speed, they were almost halfway to the border, and it was still only noon!
Kushina was so excited. She couldn't wait till she got to the Fire Country and see the Fire Palace and meet Minato's close people.
"So, I hope you like my parents, they might seem a bit drab since they sort of keep to themselves but they're pretty nice," Minato chattered on. "Oh, and if Jiraiya-sensei ever does something perverted to you or says something that you take offense at, make sure to tell me so that I can beat the crap out of him,"
Kushina watched him bemusedly. "He can't be that bad,"
"Trust me, I've known him for more than ten years," he shrugged.
"Still, you shouldn't treat him with such disrespect," she shook her head.
"You are my fiance and if that pervert does something to you then I have every right to take up arms and pound him to the ground. Who likes it when their to-be-wife is being spied on??" He huffed, and crossed his arms.
Kushina just giggled softly. It was nice to talk to Minato after such a long time.
"Is that the border?" she asked, pointing to the thick line of trees beginning the forest.
"Yup, that's the border. We'll be at my place in no time," Minato sighed. "I just hope they didn't overdo the welcoming." he muttered under his breath.
"Hmm? What was that?" Kushina asked innocently. Minato waved it off.
"Nothing."
That was a quick update, wasn't it?
