The sun peeked in through the fairly thick glass window. Shining softly upon the sleeping girls locks; making them shine. The sun caused the girls eyes to open slowly and the hue brightening her orbs. She squinted at the grandfather clock in her room and groaned it was 9:30 am. She had missed the sun rise and was just in time for breakfast with the madam.
"Joy." She groaned sitting up, her messy blond locks cascading down her shoulders the tips stretching to the covers. Ino breathed in softly pulling her covers off of her long folded legs. She dragged them over the edge and placed them on the wood floor. She slipped a robe on and headed to the wash room.
"Arbert!" The flustered madam screeched from inside the dining room. A concerned elderly butler ran in. "Y-Yes madam."
"WERE IS MY MORNING MAIL!?" She screeched frantically pacing. "WERE IS MY MORNING COFFEE!" Before the poor butler could answer he was bombarded with more questions from the ridiculous woman. A few moments later the gentle man of the house entered the hall. He said no words to his stepmother who had froze at his appearance. He sat at the opposite end of the table eyes downward.
"Arbert my coffee…" The butler nodded shuffling away as quickly as his old man legs could. The madam glared him down the table. She couldn't think of an insult or anything she would want to talk to him. He also didn't seem in the mood for discussion.
After some brief moments of silence Arbert the butler returned with the man's coffee and the madams mail. She sorted through the bills simply tossing them on the mahogany table. She reached a velvet letter pausing as her eyes scanned over it. Her eyes widened and she jumped up screaming with joy. She opened the letter swiftly reading it and screamed again. The man ignored her but no doubt knew what it was about.
"Well this is exciting oh what a wonderful day this shall be! Where is Miss Yamanaka?!" She questioned the butler but her answer came from the opposite direction. "I am over here madam…" The mentioned appeared through the large doors. Her eyes locked on the man's' and his dark eyes slowly rose to meet her bright ones. She felt slightly frozen for a second but she tore the gaze and went to the madam's side.
"M'lady?" She offered. The overly excited hag waved the letter around. "My noble son is coming!" Ino raised a thin brow. "Oh how exciting m'lady." The woman nodded cheerfully and she stuck her nose out looking over at the man. "Shikamaru you wouldn't mind sending out a carriage will you." The mentioned man now with a name to his face placed his coffee down. "I will send the best carriage and horses madam." He said rather fake Ino noted.
The woman shrieked with joy. "Oh he will be welcomed with the finest arrangements! And perhaps a welcome home gathering… a party… OH PERHAPS A BALL!" The woman jumped and Ino eyed her slightly. She was not excited for the idea of a ball or party or any gathering of that matter. She would end up doing all the planning and get bossed around. The side of the stick she didn't get often.
"What do you think Miss Yamanaka?" Ino looked up and put on the most of a smile she could manage. "Sounds lovely m'lady." "It's too expensive." A dark voice cut in. "Pish posh! We are plenty rich." "I am plenty rich… I'm afraid you do not have a penny to your name." Ino's eyes widened a bit and the old lady gasped as if she was stabbed or something. "That is no excuse for the fact we ARE family." Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Merely a title but I don't see why we can't spare a ball…" The woman nodded. "Wonderful!" Ino was slightly confused on what had just happened but it seemed the hag had gotten her way, again.
The old hag ran out of the room to inform the entire house of the ball, leaving Ino and the man alone. She looked down at the madam's untouched food and rolled her eyes. She was starving. "Shouldn't you tend to the crazy old woman Miss Yamanaka?" The deep voice cut into her thoughts and growling stomach. Ino's eyes slowly reached the man's dark pools. "I suppose I shall after breakfast. Sir…." She didn't know what to call him. She wasn't to call him Shikamaru that was far too formal. "Sir Nara, will be fine…" Ino nodded. "Sir Nara…" She sat at the table and a maid ran out with some oatmeal and milk. Ino was about to put a spoon in her mouth when she heard a scoff. "Excuse me Sir Nara?" She raised a brow.
"Oh it's nothing…" He replied but Ino eyed him suspiciously. "It's just. "He tried to hide his devilish grin. "A woman as proper as yourself I never would have figured you would enter a man's room in the middle of the night, especially to leave evidence." He pulled out a book and slid it across the table to her. Ino's mouth was slightly agape. "I-I beg your pardon Sir Nara…" She tried. "It's a great story by the way… the book, the whole tale was from a woman's perspective though on loyalty and commitment, which I found rather ironic seeing as she was none of these things." "I didn't-" "She dies in the end, what a shameful tragedy. But a fine job from Emmitt Schiffers collection I would say…" Ino frown standing up her chair screeching against the floor as she glared the man down. "I did not get to read it yet."
Shikamaru's eyes flashed with mischief. "So you were in my room last night Miss Yamanaka!" "By accident your grace!" She defended weakly. "Marvelous reasoning." He said a bit dry in his sarcasm. Ino fed up with him stormed out of the room. She held her lip with her teeth biting back her temper and hot tears that threatened to surface. She had lost her appetite for the day.