Chapter 3

A Good Little Princess

I scowled into the mirror as I brushed my hair. It would only take about 4 or 5 hours for me to travel to Konohagakure. Akarui no kuni was a small country, but it was very rich and cultured. Because of that my status as 'princess' was smiled upon and I always thought I would end up marrying one of the Akarui no Kuni's daimyo's sons. All of whom I had met (there were 5) and 3 of which it wouldn't be totally outrageous age-wise if I married them.

I guess big brother was saving them for his daughters Sorami-chan (2) and Taimu-chan(5).

I scowled. It wasn't like I wanted to marry any of the daimyo's sons. They were all terribly spoiled and selfish. I guess it was just always what I expected. I had accepted that it was probably my fate to marry one of the daimyo's sons just as I had thought that if I married one of those pompous boys my nieces would be spared the torment. Not only that but all of them would be horrifically older than them by the time they reached 16 (age of marriage in Akarui). That was considered young in many places but not in Akarui no kuni.

My brother himself was only 20 as of present. He was 16 when he got married but 15 when he had his first daughter Taimu. Then again he was in love with Yoko, his wife and mother to his children. He had chosen Yoko over all else. He had only become Akaruikage 2 years ago. Before that he had been your average jounin with no connections to any big families.

He had been allowed to choose.

I guess myself, Taimu and Sorami weren't as lucky.

Surprisingly I held more power than Taimu and Sorami did. We were all given the title of 'hime' or princess, but I being Kaisake's oldest blood relation held more influence. That being said, it was just a theoretical title and an imaginary influence. I had no real influence as was being demonstrated right now.

A soon as I finished brushing I put my hair up in its average side ponytail with a simple grey bow. And sighed, turning around in the mirror.

I turned to leave but was stopped when the door opened and two gossiping maids walked in, not really paying attention to me. But one of them looked up and gasped.

"Izo-hime! You are not wearing that!" She cried indignantly and the other one nodded in agreement. Before I knew what was coming they had tackled me down and all hope was lost.

XXX

As it turns out, I would not be traveling to Konohagakure as I wished too.

I had thought that I would be using my own two legs and running there (which would take me, with my speed, only about 4 hours) hence the reason I had dressed in my travel clothes.

But the council had other plans.

Apparently both the council and the Uchiha Clan had wanted to make a spectacle out of my arrival. Which I assume had something to do with rubbing their future connection to 'royalty' in other clans faces. And the way they planned on making me into a spectacle was embarrassing to me as a ninja.

I was to be dressed up in the stupid traditional garments the council made me wear to festivals, travel to Konoha with not just a Koosen ANBU escort but members of the Konoha Police Force as well and was to go by carriage.

Do you know how long that would take?

Konoha was 4 hours away for me, a day and a half away for your average ninja squad and TWO AND ½ DAYS by carriage. Not only that but evil, blackmailing, scary-man Shuichi Uchiha was my 'caregiver' until the Uchiha officially accepted me so I had to sit in said carriage with him. This was the man who had damn near strangled me not 2 days ago. That was beyond awkward; now it had moved into...I searched my mental dictionary...maladroit or portentous even.

I studied the garb the maids had put me in. I felt heavy because everything was made of silk. I was now in a black, thigh length qipao style dress, with real gold clasps and long sleeves. On the back in gold embroidery was a dragon. Over that I had a thick silk, dusted pink and crimson red skirt that went to the ground and had an extremely high waist line which stopped just under where my breasts would be had I been older. A thick, real gold belt went around my stomach. It had a decorative piece the size of my head (I swear) in the center and it was decorated with various red jewels. My feet now had 3 inch black heels and I wondered which of the two monster-maids had had that wonderful idea. I could walk in heels, don't get me wrong, but I was 10! These stupid people can't seem to remember that. I had on white gloves that went up to my elbows underneath the dress and there was really no point to them. All it did was make it so I couldn't touch anything because I was never allowed to get dirty and white silk is the worst. Around both my middle fingers were real golden rings attached to a piece of dusted pink silk, embroidered with black designs, that ran behind me and attached to the ring on the opposing hand. On the pointer finger of my right hand I had a gold armor-ring with a ruby sharpened to look like a claw on the end.

My long black hair had been pulled out of its side ponytail and redesigned into an elaborate Wareshinobu. I had a large, ornate kanzashi that made half a foot of space on either side of my head and a foot on top. It was designed to look like a dragon in an artistic type of way, as the Ryuu no Hi (Sun Dragon) was Akarui no Kuni's symbol. Foot tall red spikes with extensive golden detailing were somehow attached to the top of my head. Smaller versions stuck out on either side and had golden Koosengakure sun-emblems (same as on the forehead protectors) dangling off them. It then came together on the back of my head to make some kind of strange wing-like shape. Gold and red twisted itself into my hair to the point that my head hurt. My face was painted like a geisha and my eyes were still kohled.

The maids had now returned with the white mesh fabric and gently placed it over the kanzashi, which I could only describe as a head-dress. The fabric fell and blurred my face from outside viewing pleasure.

I had been forced to sit through many a council meeting and festival like this, as had Yoko my brother's wife. His daughters were still too young but once Taimu turned 7, o-ho-ho boy. LOOK OUT! I suppose I was used to the idea but I hadn't wanted to show up in another country looking like this. This was all just too much. I sighed. I wanted to be anyone but me right now...anyone.

When my brother had taken the position as Akaruikage, they never mentioned this. They also never mentioned the fact that I would have to take princess lessons. Etiquette. I hated the very sound of the word now. I was only eight and every time I did something not within satisfaction I got...the stick. It hurt too. I hate most old ladies now.

Recalling my 'training' I kept my back straight and slipped my hands into the opposing sleeve. Should I need something I was to gesture with my right hand or 'commanding hand'; which was the reason for the armor-ring on my pointer finger. I was not to speak unless spoken to by someone of higher standing or equal standing. I was not to make eye contact. I was not to do anything myself. I was not to touch anything. I stood there silently as the maids watched me intently, waiting for their orders.

It was all over now, I was no longer Izo. I was just a good little princess.