Chapter 4:

Diplomacy

The eventually, we reached the land of Suna, nothing but desert. My gowns were far too thick and heavy for this heat, so we stopped at the first town we met but it was small and I wound up stuck in a light gauzy brownish dress. At least I wouldn't die of heat stroke. It only took us three days to reach the capital city, Sunagakure, hidden by walls of rock and all the buildings seemed to be carved of sand stone. The city was bustling; townspeople stepped aside as my guard passed through the center city. As we approached the government building, a rounded bulb with kanji written in red, sand was blowing everywhere and I covered my mouth with my handkerchief.

King Garra greeted us at the door with his court bowing, "Princess Sakura, Prince Itachi, welcome." He brought us inside, and offered to bring me to my room, but I insisted we get to work. So he had my things sent up to my room and brought me to his council. A large room, sandy brown like everything else in this city, had been almost completely taken over by the table and chairs. Aside from the real center of the room huge statues of the country's former rulers stood from floor to ceiling glaring down disapprovingly and looking ever-so-important. They made me feel small.

I sat down next to the King Gaara. Eighteen only a year older than I was and yet a head taller. He had deep red hair and light blue eyes almost overwhelmed by black eyeliner which almost made him look like a raccoon. What was even more interesting than his eyes, however, was the red tattoo plainly displayed on his forehead, the kanji for love. When he was a child it had been rumored that he was a cruel boy with no regard for others, but after his father's death Gaara took the crown with grace and has only worked to help others. He had even become my older brother's best friend. They had initially met when they were twelve as rivals in jousting tournaments for years until they finally got talking once when they were sixteen. They have been best friends ever since.

Gaara's mother had died when he was born. His father had always blamed him. Gaara even blamed himself. Naruto had started to change his mind with the help of Gaara's uncle, who finally admitted what Gaara's father had forbidden to ever be said. He told Gaara that his mother loved him, really truly loved him.

That was the man that sat next to her: the boy neglected all his life, but finally freed, finally loved. Gaara was by no means cruel. In fact his smile was warm, plainly glad that the only person he had to put up with for the next week of negotiations was his own best friend's younger, more rational sister, rather than groups of bureaucrats or the impatient, rather ridiculous older brother.

"I hope there are no hard feelings about my decision not to marry you, Gaara."

Gaara started laughing, "Sakura, I know it wasn't your decision to be betrothed to me in the first place, and while I didn't oppose too badly because your brother is my friend, there is no ill will between us. Anyhow, you saved me from that treaty. I should thank you for not marrying me."

I started laughing, too. Itachi entered the room, almost slamming the doors looking slightly irritated. "Princess," I cringed, that was no compliment, "you should be safe now, so I shall take my leave of you." he bowed formally and walked away before I could say anything. He was not happy and I would not see him again for at least two weeks while he gathered followers and I completed this treaty.

…

The proceedings of our treaty went well. Neither of us got everything we wanted but as they say, in a good negotiation no one leaves completely satisfied. It had been my hope that Gaara would devote the entirety of his army to the war but I soon realized that was a silly hope. But Gaara was patient with me. After all he really did want to help. He agreed to send three-fourths of his army to assist Naruto and Itachi, reminding me that he had to keep some of his army to defend his own country. He also agreed to supply the entirety of our army for half the price he would have had it been anyone else with an agreement that none of it had to be paid until Naruto and Itachi were back on the throne. I agreed to those terms while also offering tariff-free trade between the three countries, something Gaara couldn't possibly turn down.

The deal would be sealed with a marriage, Gaara and I had no intention to marry one another, but it was widely known that his older sister Temari and my cousin Shikamaru had fallen in love on the number of diplomatic missions back and forth between Suna and Konoha, it was the perfect symbol of our fully corporative alliance, and it would bring about a peace between all three countries. After a week of negotiations we finally walked out of the conference room laughing. "I may have no intention to marry you, but if you ever need a job or a place to hide out, you can stay here and become my council member."

"I'll keep that in mind, Gaara, but if all goes well, I won't need to come back here until your next birthday party," I joked.

Gaara sent me on my way as soon as negotiations ended, with a guard of ten soldiers promising that he would gather his armies and meet Itachi and Naruto on the battle field at the place where all three countries meet. It took me five days to reach to Itachi's camp. On the Eastern border between Konoha and Uchiha. I had to tell him that needed to happen if he had any hope of winning this war. I met with Itachi and had him go on a walk with me.

…

"Itachi you can't defeat your father with the numbers you have now," I told him. "Even with Gaara's army, you can't match them."

"Gee, Sakura, thanks for the vote of confidence," Itachi responded joking. That's good. It meant he wasn't still mad at me, however he was about to be furious.

"Itachi, you need Danzo's army to face your father, take back your throne. Naruto needs Danzo's armies occupied so that he can continued to grow his numbers, then stage a surprise coup while the country is weakened."

He laughed, "You say that like it's actually an option. Danzo would never work with us."

"He would if you handed me over to him." Here it comes.

"What on Earth are you talking about Sakura?" called out.

I looked at him still calm, "We will draw up a treaty with him, offer free trade between the countries, and end to all war between the countries of Uchiha and Konoha as well as my hand in marriage in exchange for the use of his entire military."

He started yelling again. I grabbed his arm and reached up to his face making him look at me.

"The wedding will take place the day after you win the war. The day you win, Naruto will attack and save me before the wedding even begins preventing me from having to marry Danzo." Itachi calmed down considerably knowing it was the best possible course of action and knowing I wouldn't be disobeyed, and would be furious with him if he even considered telling him what I could and couldn't risk.

Instead of arguing, he kissed me…

…

At the negotiations, I had been dressed in the finest gown I owned, and I had insisted, that as not to allow myself to sound too intelligent and thus less attractive to the brute Danzo, that Itachi do all of the talking during the negotiations. We met Danzo at a tent we set up on neutral ground. I did as I had planned, kept my mouth shut and smiled, and Itachi didn't need to do much as far as the negotiations were concerned. Danzo didn't refuse any of our offers or make any more demands. He really was desperate to make himself king, with me as his queen. I gritted my teeth. The day after the war's end, I was to be his bride.