It was raining again. The steady beats as each drop fell upon the roof echoed through the house. Rivulets of water on the windows created beautiful nonsensical designs, and her eyes followed their paths absently. A chorus of thunder accompanies the pitter-pattering and was enhanced with great arcs of lightning.

She had always loved the rain. Beautiful warm summer days were nice too, but the rain calmed her, and made everything smell fresh.

She was tired and desperately wanted a break, but had a feeling that resting was a luxury that she would rarely see if she saw it in the weeks to come. The other clans were scheduled to be here either later this evening or sometime tomorrow.

She suspected that it would be tomorrow due to the weather. Which she was now even more thankful for.

Currently she was at Kiba's house sitting in the living room staring out one of the huge bay windows while Lady Tsume told her what she could expect when the clans finally got there. How the ceremony would go when she was introduced and other things that she blocked out as she became distracted by her own inner thoughts, and the rain.

A light shake to her shoulder.

"Princess, are you listening?"

"Yes, you said that I could either wait behind a screen or I can wait in a hall until I am called to enter. Then you will introduce me, and the other leaders will introduce themselves."

"Yes, I did say that, but that was five minutes ago." The older woman sighed. "Look Princess I know a lot has happened, but this is really important too."

Taking a deep breath Sakura nodded and turned to face the woman. "Your right. I'm sorry. Please, what was it you said again?"

"I said that after you meet the clans formally usually there are parties. Each clan has activities that they engage in and members from the other clans may participate if they wish. Contests, dances, training, whatever. It's a time for us to meet up with old friends and make new ones. A lot of the younger generations sometimes use this time to even find mates outside of their own clans. If this happens, and they do mate, then at the end there may be a ceremony for such things. Usually the girl will go to the male's clan, but it's not unheard of things going the other way. In which case there is a ceremony that will change the coloring of the facial markings to the clan they choose to live in."

"That's to keep the bloodlines healthier isn't it? Constant mating from relatives that are too close will start causing deformities and such."

"Yes, but it's also to form bonds between the clans. To keep us together, and united. There has even been known to have a few arranged marriage contracts between close friends in different clans. Using their children to bind their families even closer. Mind you it's very rare, and usually only agreed upon with the elder council of both clans agree that the bond will be beneficial."

"Seems a little barbaric still, and what if the children don't grow up to love each other?"

"I've never seen it personally, but I've heard that the children are brought together several times while growing up, and when they are being taught their life skills the importance of the bond is impressed upon them. I've heard that the boy is also tasked with making the girl love him. That that is his goal in life. To love her, and provide her with a happy life, and she is to bare him children, and maintain his home. It does seem archaic, but it has been the way of life for many generations. Far more than I care to think on."

Sakura nodded and looked to Hibiki who was curled up at her feet. She leaned forward and pet his head.

"I'm glad I'm not in an arranged marriage, I might have to hurt someone."

"Not to sound insensitive Princess, but you could very well have been put in one. Not that you were, what I mean is, When the Inuaoi were attacked they were on their way to the Meeting of the Clans. You hadn't been announced yet. No one even knew that there was an heir. So if your parents had made it to the meeting, and you had been announced. I wouldn't have been surprised if another clan wouldn't have approached your parents trying to betroth you to their son. Back then my husband was still alive, I could see him trying to offer up Kiba."

Sakura snorted and was thankful that Kiba didn't hear that as he was out at the delegated campsites working with the ANBU to set the perimeters. The weather not stopping the work that had to be done before the clans got there.

"Betrothed to Kiba pfft."

"It could have happened, by husband could be persuasive if he wanted to be, and if anyone could get their child betrothed to the Royal heir, well, it was a great honor for that clan."

"Yea but Kiba is destined to be the Alpha of this clan, how would that work? Hypothetically if he and I did somehow get betrothed back then, how would he be able to work that out?"

"That's simple, he wouldn't have to. He would be a Royal, and that honor is great. He would no longer be an heir for his birth clan. Hana would become the heir, unless his father and I had another son at some point."

"Oh."

"Anyway, there was something else that I wanted to let you know, and you might not like it, but you don't have a choice in the matter."

Sakura frowned a little apprehensively. "What is it?" Her tone was wary, and lightly laced with dread.

"After the meeting you will be required to visit each clan separately. To get to know them, and observe their culture. It's also a way to form possible bonds with people from the other clans, as you can choose some to be a part of your court. Which will come in time. Since you are alive, you may see the place where your clan lived."

The Pinkette was torn. Both excited and suddenly filled with dread. "You mean I will have to leave Konoha? Not just to go visit the other clans in their own lands, but I have to leave Konoha to go live somewhere else?! Why?"

Hibiki whined as he brought his head up and licked Sakura's cheek. Trying to comfort her.

"Also when you go to the other clans to visit, the elders have decided that it would probably be best if Kiba stayed behind."

"WHAT? I HAVE TO GO ALONE?!" Sakura couldn't help it as her voice rose.

"I didn't say that. You can chose others to accompany you. Other ninja if you want or even other members of our clan. Their reasoning's are this..." The alpha woman ran a hand through her hair. "The other clans will have heirs, Other boys, and while you might not like it, they will try to pawn one of them off on you. And if Kiba is with you, they will feel slighted, and think that we are trying to prevent that by keeping him near and not giving their heirs a chance to woo you. As it is several will likely be jealous when they find out that he is a guard."

"Why would they be jealous of that. I didn't know that I was doing it. My instincts just kind of took over."

"I know that, but they don't, and I can see a few of them thinking that maybe Kiba coerced you into it. They might think that we preyed on your naivety and took advantage. Kiba is an heir to become an alpha of our clan. You making him a guard, he is automatically a part of your court. His markings now show that he is a part of the Royal clan. While he isn't in it, he is a part of it. It's all about connections, and he is now connected, and therefore our clan is too. Even indirectly. The other clans will feel like they might not be treated fairly because of this."

"I see. Does he know that he can't go yet?"

"Not yet, I wanted to tell you first. We'll talk to him together when he gets back. Also when you do choose, if you choose others to go with you. I'd actually prefer you choose ninja. You can choose a ninja from the clan, but it should be someone that knows you and you are friends, but not someone that would cloud your decision with their own personal feelings. Namely please don't choose Naruto."

"Why not? He's one of my best friends."
"I know that, which is why I'm asking you not to choose him. It's obvious that he cares for you. And he will protect you with his life, but he has no sense of decorum and will act on his heart. Which is an admirable trait, but his lack of restraint alone could cause mayhem. And for example, let's say that you gain a suitor from another clan. A boy tries to get your attention; what do you think Naruto is going to do, if he feels that you will leave the village because of it?"
"He'll be an idiot and cause a scene, probably try to beat whoever up and then proceed to do something stupid like put me over his shoulder and run straight home. Then lock me up so I can't get out."

"Exactly. Don't get me wrong. Like I said I'm sure he would be able to protect you flawlessly, but he might overdo it as well."

"I better wait until we talk to Kiba to make a decision. If he can't come I better at least let him help pick out who he trusts to guard me. I'm not exactly looking forward to this conversation."

"He'll live. He's gotta understand where the other clans will be coming from. We can't let you show favoritism. Even if you're not trying to, they will nit-pick everything that they see that shows any sort of bias. It's already going to be hard to prove otherwise, because you grew up in Konoha."

"I understand, I still don't like how all this formality is controlling my life. You told me I have to leave my home and go see strangers, and I have to go live in the Inuaoi compound away from everything I know; because it's what's expected of me…" Sakura sighed. "You know what, Now that I think about it, maybe we should wait until after the introduction ceremony at least to tell Kiba. I don't want him acting weird towards the other clans after he finds out that he won't be traveling with me. Maybe even wait till closer to the end of the Meeting of the Clans. What do you think Lady Tsume?"

The older woman took a moment to think it over and then nodded. "You're probably right. He might start acting hostile and that could really mess things up." She grinned. "He'll deny it, but my boy doesn't handle disappointment very well." And then laughed outright.