Summary: Gaara knows only of duty to his village. Shizuka knows only of duty to her people. When she is sent to Suna, both of them are forced to see that there is more to life than they had imagined. They must learn to live.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the recognizable characters or places or things that you see in this story. I do, however, own Shizuka, her kingdom, and this particular plot-line.


Chapter Three

Temari was not at all surprised to see that Gaara had neglected to appear at dinner. Normally, it was nearly impossible to make him miss it. It was their family time, after all. Family had become very important to the sand siblings, and especially Gaara, over the past few years. Whatever else happened, they all tried to show up for the family dinner if they were in the village. Not today. Today, they had a guest joining them. A guest whom Gaara was not ready to meet, and whom Temari and Kankuro were most curious about.

Not that the object of their curiosity was there, yet. No. It was just her and her brother, who was looking rather agitated, himself, and muttering uncomplimentary things under his breath.

"Why can't we just send her home?"

"Kankuro," she sighed. "You know why. We've been over this already."

"But Gaara, getting married like this? Don't get me wrong. At the rate he's going, this might be the only way he'll ever so much as look at a woman, but this is ridiculous. No one even knew she was coming."

"Except the elders."

"Scheming bastards."

"Look at it this way. Even if we work something else out and she goes home, at least Gaara might get it through his dense skull and finally be open to the idea of a significant other. He could use someone like that in his life."

"He has us."

"Not the same, Kankuro. Not the same at all."

He gave a noncommittal grunt.

"Right now, we know next to nothing about her. I think this is the perfect opportunity for a…friendly little chat."

"…you're going to make me play the bad guy, aren't you?"

Temari smirked. "Of course. You don't have to deal with her indefinitely. I do, and that means making nice with her, bonding woman to woman. Besides," she gave him a quick once-over. "You look like a bully."

The quiet sound of approaching footsteps interrupted their conversation before Kankuro could defend himself, alerting them to the approach of a certain princess. Indeed, a few moments later, a servant appeared with Shizuka in tow. Temari watched as she quietly took her place, situating herself with minimal fuss before she looked at the siblings, her face a pleasantly patient and utterly inscrutable mask.

I~I~I

After the servants disappeared and polite introductions were made, silence reigned at the dinner table. There was not a sound to be heard save for the quiet clinking dishes. Temari was certainly not helping matters any. She simply sat there enjoying her meal and surreptitiously observed the princess. Not that she needed to take such pains to avoid looking like she was analyzing the younger woman; for Shizuka was doing a marvelous job at looking like nothing existed in her little world save the food in front of her, which she sampled with rapt focus.

Lacking any other inspiration, or at least lacking inspiration that would not appear extremely abrupt and aggressive, Kankuro latched onto that last little detail.

"So, you like the meal? I'm surprised you'd eat our humble food. I heard all you ladies were picky about what you ate. Must keep your figure. Mustn't eat like the peasants." He ignored Temari's not-so-subtle eye roll at his choice of topics and instead fixed the princess with his version of a challenging look…which on any other man would be a menacing snarl.

To her credit, Shizuka kept a straight face and replied with a level voice. "I enjoy all manner of food, and I often took meals with my friends, many of whom were not among the aristocracy."

"What, so you weren't even worth enough for your family to keep around, and you had to mooch off the poor? Is that what they send for the kazekage?"

Shizuka twitched her fan sharply, but otherwise remained impassive. "I am very close to my mother and brother, and I do not believe that class lines can dictate who one feels compelled to form friendships with."

Kankuro narrowed his eyes. Well, she neatly sidestepped that one. Sure. He could pursue that course of inquiry, but to prod at her choice in friends now would make him look like a condescending ass…not that he wasn't making an ass of himself already, but that was beside the point. He had to respect a lady who didn't mind "slumming it", and he did not have to look at Temari to know she felt the same. Of course, she could be lying about that, but not many aristocrats would. Not about things like class and friends, or at least, they would not say they were friends. No. If anything, they would deny such associations. How odd.

"Just mommy and little brother? What about the rest of them? Didn't care for you?"

Finally, a flicker of something in her eyes. Anger? Pain, perhaps? Had he hit a little too close to home?

"My older brother, actually," she corrected, the slightest bit of a chill to her voice where there had been only bland courtesy before. "I am the youngest. My father and siblings are all very busy, and my sisters were rarely home after they married. Itsuki, who is only two years older than me, had more time to spend with me."

"Sounds like you had a lot of free time. What about all of that useless court training? Didn't they teach you anything, or were you a lost cause even for that?" Now Kankuro could hear the fan creaking under the pressure of her grip, though it was out of sight in her lap.

"My mother kept me very busy with my training. I spent more time with Itsuki because we shared a couple of classes." That actually impressed him, not that he let it show. He might not know a lot about the aristocracy, but he had never heard of children of both genders sharing a class. Normally, their girls were trained to be useless while the boys were taught things useful to running a territory or, in the case of the princess's family, a country.

"More court training, no doubt," Kankuro scoffed at last. "People here can actually do something useful, you know. So tell me, what kinds of skills do you have? Wait. Let me guess. You can bow and embroider with the best of them. Ah, it must be so nice to just sit there and have people dance to your every beck and whim. What a life, eh, Temari?"

"I am hardly useless," she said coolly. "And people rarely danced attendance to me. I am the youngest, as you recall. Hardly worth that much bother." Kankuro felt himself warming even more toward the girl. She had backbone. That was for sure.

"So what is it that you do?" Temari interrupted before he really got the princess going. "You must forgive us. We have seen little of noblewomen, and what we have seen is life in service of their lords, and in charge of the household. There is nothing wrong with running a household, of course, but most of us here have other…skills that we value more than traditional duties."

Shizuka took a moment more to glare at Kankuro before her eyes flicked over to Temari. She took a low, deep breath – nothing that most civilians would have noticed, but something that was clear to Kankuro's shinobi eyes – and regained her calm mask.

"I…" she hesitated, for some reason reluctant to elaborate, or perhaps unable to come up with anything she thought they would appreciate. "I have had much training. In more than a noblewoman's duties."

Kankuro snorted. "Yeah. I'll believe it when I see it."

Shizuka did not deign to reply and dinner was finished with little more ado.

It was true, in a way, Kankuro mused. She could say whatever she liked, but when it came down to it, she would be judged by her deeds. Not just by him, or his sister, or even Gaara, but by the entire village. They were not a democracy by any means of the word, but the people of Suna didn't just respect Gaara, they loved him. If he went through with the marriage and she turned out to be shallow or useless, no power on this earth would make them truly accept her. It would take more than pretty words to win their hearts.

After a servant showed Shizuka to her rooms, Kankuro sat back in his seat and grinned at his sister. "Come on, Temari. She doesn't seem too bad. Let's give her a chance."

"Where'd this sudden turnaround come from?" she demanded, suspicious. "I thought you hated the very idea of her."

"I don't have anything against her, personally. It's just the principle of the thing. She came out of nowhere. Besides, she seems interesting. There's fire in there, under all those manners."

"And this has nothing to do with the fact that you're a pushover for a pretty face?"

"Hey! I'll have you know that I am in a perfectly happy relationship."

"Good. Because if we can't find a way around all this, she's going to be your new little sister."

I~I~I

Gaara breathed in the cool evening air, letting it sooth his jumbled emotions. Or at least, letting it try. His pale, jade eyes absently roved over his domain, but he did not really see the village. Instead, his mind was consumed by thoughts of his impending marriage. It had taken time for everything to sink in, and he had tried to distract himself and pretend that everything was normal. Nothing unusual about the day's surprises. Just another day as kazekage. He supposed that was what they called shock. That was new. He had been puzzled often enough, and even surprised on occasion, but he had never been in shock before. As the day wore on, the initial numbness faded and he began to feel agitated. How was it even possible that he could have been engaged for his entire life and never known, even when his siblings had? How was it that such an agreement had remained in place and in stasis for so long? Eighteen years seemed like quite a wait for something so significant. Finally, and no less important, why was it that no one had seen fit to inform him of this before now? That was the part that had left him feeling a little betrayed.

Certainly, he had been a little…difficult when he was younger. He could understand why they might not have wanted him to know at that point in his life. Then again, he was also surprised that the engagement had not been broken when Shukaku's fury still controlled him. It was impossible that his father, no matter how cruel he could be at times, would ever have allowed a woman to be in danger by marrying her to what he considered to be an uncontrollable abomination. Perhaps he had intended to change the contract later? His death would have certainly ruined whatever plans he had for resolving the treaty. Of course, the elders must have known. They must have always known. He simply had to puzzle out why they had never said anything.

Did they fear that he would call off the marriage if they had told him of it? That was foolish. After everything, they ought to know that he would do whatever was best for the village. Even marry. Even marry? Could he really do that? He might not know a lot about love, but even he knew that it was something precious. Though, he was not entirely certain that he was even capable of loving another person. Still, could he really give up his chances at ever experiencing it? The answer was yes. If there was no other alternative, then he could and would marry this woman, regardless of his personal feelings on the matter. His village was more important.

At this point, with such resolve, they why of it hardly mattered. Whether Temari and Kankuro had assumed that their father had terminated the agreement, or if they had simply forgotten about it; whether the elders had feared his response or if they had some other reasoning; it was pointless to wonder now. Such things were in the past.

A frown furrowed his brow, agitation giving way to general discomfort with the situation.

He would do his duty.

"Oh!" The quiet exclamation called his attention to a young woman behind him. She was hesitating at the rooftop entrance. How had he not sensed her approach? Had he been so lost in his thoughts? That was foolish of him. He would have to take more care in the future.

"Forgive me," she said. "I did not mean to intrude. I did not realize anyone was here."

Though his expression was as inscrutable as ever, Gaara was quietly studying the woman. He had not seen her before. She was not from his village. He took in the formal kimono, her lack of a shinobi's alertness, the little fan she was toying with. There was really only one answer.

"You are the princess?" he said, though it was more of a statement of fact than an inquiry. She seemed to take that as permission of some sort, since she stepped fully onto the roof, though she did not quite join him.

"Yes," she affirmed. "I am Shizuka."

This was unexpected to say the least. It was rare for anyone else to be out here at this time of night. It was one of the reasons he liked to come here. It gave him somewhere quiet to think. He had certainly not thought to meet her yet, let alone in such an odd and unplanned manner. He was not sure he was even ready to face her rationally, but that choice seemed to have been taken from him. She was here, now. Perhaps he could use this as an opportunity to speak with her, even find answers to some of the questions that had been bothering him.

"How long have you known?" he asked, not noticing how abrupt and blunt his question was. The princess appeared taken aback and momentarily confused, but she smoothed her fan and spoke.

"About my engagement?" She waited for his confirmation. "For as long as I can remember." She hesitated, her emerald eyes turning away from him and toward the scenery, but she decided to continue. "I am the youngest in my family. This marriage, this treaty: it is the only real thing that I can do for my people. I have always known I would come here. I can only hope that I will find my place among these people."

"You are…happy with this?"

She smiled briefly. It was a complicated smile. Difficult to define. Wry and sad and proud, perhaps? Resigned? He was not certain. "I do not know if that is the word. However, I would be honored if I could serve my people well, and if I could make my family proud. This marriage can do that."

The logic behind that was so similar to Gaara's way of thinking that he almost accepted it at face value. Before he dismissed it, however, he paused and considered her words more carefully. Much though he valued his people and his place in their lives, he knew enough to realize that this was not a typical way of thinking. Many people valued their own lives above all others, their own happiness above what was best for strangers. He had been like that for a long time: loving only himself, caring only for himself. But what of this woman? She seemed to be saying she valued others above herself. Was that true?

"Do you care about them so much? Your family? All of the strangers in the Mountain Country?"

"My family has ruled the Mountain Country for many hundreds of years. We are raised with the knowledge and responsibility of our position, and we are raised to take pride in our heritage. But it is more than this." Shizuka frowned in concentration and tilted her head slightly, seemingly searching for the right words. Eventually, slowly, she began to explain.

"I was born in the castle and I lived in the castle. By blood and breeding, I am an aristocrat, with all of the burdens and privileges that come with such a position. However, I spent much of my time in the streets of the city, on the outskirts of villages, in the homes of my people. I have seen the way they live, and shared their joys and sorrows. I know them as well as any aristocrat, and in some ways I know them better. I cannot think of them as faceless strangers, because I know their names and hopes and dreams. I know the people that I am meant to protect and I could never simply abandon them. I could not leave them to suffer if it was in my power to make their lives better." She fell silent, then, and seemed a little embarrassed at her speech.

Gaara blinked and stared at her. An unusual woman. He had not had time to form any expectations of her, but whatever he might have been thinking, this was not it. In contrast to her delicate frame, her words spoke of a woman who was determined and dutiful and passionate. A woman who had real depth of personality and strength of mind. A woman who might be worth taking an interest in. Gaara narrowed his eyes dubiously. Words were meaningless. Words could lie. This he knew all too well. He would wait and see what her actions said.

There was more, however. Something beyond her words and expression that caught his interest: her eyes. It was her eyes that held the most fascination for him. They were expressive eyes. They reflected her sorrow and trepidation, her surprise and her humor. What they did not show, what he was expecting to find, was the fear: the unreasoning terror and hatred and revulsion, the uncompromising rejection that he had so often been faced with. He rarely saw it anymore, but he still expected it sometimes. It was then that he realized that he had, in fact, formed an expectation of her. He had expected the worst from her. He was, perhaps, even looking for a reason to dismiss her. Surely he would not be expected to marry someone who feared him. Yet somehow, defying all probability, she did not seem to be afraid. Not yet, at least. Perhaps she did not know his reputation. Time would tell.

It never occurred to him that she did not realize who he was. He was so very accustomed to people recognizing him, after all. No matter where he went.

To be continued…


Author's Note: As promised, the next chapter, with dialogue and Gaara. Aren't I thoughtful. Concerning the servants, I've seen fanfics with them and without them, and my choice to go with them was only mostly arbitrary. Though, to be honest, they might be there mostly because none of the sand siblings strike me as the domestic type, and they have to eat somehow. Plus, they do live in the Kazekage's Residence, and someone has to keep that place in working condition. Shelves don't dust themselves and all that. Ok, so it's not really arbitrary, at all. It's just practical. Also, I apologize on behalf of Kankuro's view of aristocracy. It's very narrow-minded of him, but again, he is trying to be a pain about it all…was it too over-done?

Reviews are love.