-Chapter One-

Hinata sat before her father, hands folded delicately on her lap. She had been called away from training with her teammates by a Branch member, she was told there was some important news pertaining her future.

"As you are well aware Hinata, you've had an arranged marriage to the son of the Kazekage of Sunagakure since you were extremely young." He stopped to see that she understood.

"Yes father." Hinata replied quietly, having trouble looking him in the eye.

"There was also a possibility that the engagement would be called off that the Kazekage's son found a bride before his eighteenth birthday."

This time when he paused to make sure that she was following, she only nodded in response to the statement, "Well that is not the case. The Kazekage's son, now the fifth Kazekage, turned eighteen last week and has no bride to speak of."

Hinata's heart sunk, though her face remained expressionless, nervous if nothing else. The last thing she wanted to do was think about marriage, she'd just been promoted to jounin level and was going on her first A ranked mission next week. But of course, when you're an heiress, ninja responsibilities are often overlooked.

"You will leave for Sunagakure tomorrow morning. I suggest you go and get packed, save your best kimono to wear for the ride there. I want you to look as presentable as possible."

"Yes father."

Hinata stood up slowly, bowing to make her exit.

"And Hinata?"

Hinata looked up, catching her father's eye, "Yes?"

"This is also a peace keeping arrangement, seeing as we've been rocky with the sand for so long now. I want you to make the Kazekage as happy as humanly possible. Is that understood?"

"Of course…" She said quietly.

"Good, dismissed." He waved his hand towards her, signaling that she leave him in peace.

Hinata went to her room and started packing, tears forming in her eyes as she put her clothes into her large suitcases. She wiped them away furiously, gritting her teeth in frustration at how weak she was emotionally.

But there was still so many things she had wanted to do. Like go on that A ranked mission, and maybe even gather up the courage to finally tell Naruto the way she felt…

She shook her head, it was better that, that had never happened, especially now that she was being shipped away to Suna to be married. It was best to keep things they way they were, even if it wasn't what Hinata wanted. The happiness of two villages and many generations to come was much more important that her own.

"Maybe the Kazekage will be a kind man…and I can at least find some level of happiness…maybe even if we can only become friends…it'd be better than nothing.." Hinata whispered quietly to herself as she turned and sat down on her luggage, cramming her clothing in so that she could zip it shut and not have to take another bag. She was going to try her hardest at making this situation work.

"Who is the current Kazekage anyways?" Hinata mused to herself as she walked along Konoha's main street towards the Hokage's office to pick up her documentations allowing her to leave the village and to become a citizen of Suna.

"Hm…well, if I remember correctly…its Gaara isn't it?" Her brow creased in thought, until his vermillion hair flashed through her mind's eye. She halted momentarily, stunned as she remember the first time she saw him, back six years ago at the chunin exam. She remembered the blood, the chakra levels so high they were physically suffocating.

Subconsciously Hinata's hand gripped the fabric of her jacket above her heart, making sure the pressure wasn't there.

They were going to marry her off to Gaara? She hadn't been one to follow politics, especially with the extensive training she'd undergone over the past few years to become a jounin, and honestly, from what she remembered of him, she wasn't entirely sure how someone like him could have been a good leader.

She shook her head, "That was an inconsiderate thought…" She said allowed, brow furrowed.

Slowly she ascended the stairs to the Hokage's office, looking down at the steps intently. The door to the main entrance opened before Hinata had a chance to reach it.

"Oi, Hinata! I heard about the promotion to jounin, that's sweet! Welcome aboard!"

Hinata looked up and blushed, "Thank you Naruto."

The blond grinned, black marks on his face making him look like a fox, "No problem, you totally deserve it, you're one of the best medical-nin I know. Maybe soon you can be assigned a team of students just like me!"

Hinata laughed quietly, her gaze shifting to the ground, "That would be nice…"

"Next time I see Granny Tsunade, I'll definitely put in a good word for you okay?"

Hinata looked up again and nodded, "That sounds nice, thanks again, Naruto."

Naruto grinned, "You're so nice Hinata, always thanking people all the time and apologizing even when things aren't your fault. You gotta learn to bask in other people's compliments once in a while"

Hinata was stunned by his comment, eyes widening ever so slightly, "O-okay…"

Naruto nodded, "Good, okay well, I've gotta go before my team starts to wonder where I disappeared to, Granny Tsunade kept me longer than I expected. See ya!"

"Good-bye Naruto." Hinata waved as she watched him leave, oblivious to the double meaning in her words.