I am so pleased with myself and this chapter.

It came out just the way I wanted. :)

hullotherexx: Haha. Just a bit.

Drea1284: Yes, you do! Only a tiny bit. :) Well. . . I'm sure this will be an interesting twist then. :D

HeavensPheonix561: Thanks very much. :)

AnimeFreak218: Haha. ;)

Afictionado: Thanks! :D

Chirisaa Tomoko: You are right! Drama awaits and lingers in the shadows!!! ;D What have you got against Kiba, dear? :)

Shubhs: Hahaha. Reading this review had me ROFLing. Girl power, man. ;)

Disclaimer: I cannot provide you with wittiness. I haven't read the newest Naruto chapter yet. :( Will do soon, though! And Kishimoto owns.


VII.

Sakura and Naruto left early that morning, intent on returning as soon as possible.

Konohamaru would be staying with TenTen until she returned to Jiraiya's estate.

TenTen was surprised to find her horse in Hiashi's stables when she walked with her friends outside.

She approached it, brushing her fingers down its long nose.

TenTen looked around for Naruto.

"Where'd you find him? He ran off after those dogs attacked, the scaredy cat."

"He came back to Jiraiya's. Spooked as hell, but he came back," Naruto answered.

TenTen rubbed her horse's hide, carefully inspecting his hooves.

"Don't run him into the ground, okay?" Naruto called, helping Sakura onto her horse.

"I won't," TenTen promised.

Sakura rolled her eyes at TenTen's back.

"And no more injuries, remember? Konohamaru, make sure she doesn't do anything risky or stupid."

Konohamaru nodded dutifully as TenTen scoffed.

"Alright," TenTen said aloud, satisfied with her horse, "go on and leave. What happened to your haste?"

Naruto smiled broadly.

"Come on, Sakura. She doesn't want us here anymore."

Sakura grinned at her friend from atop her horse and waved in parting.

"Goodbye," TenTen shouted out to them as they started down the frozen path leading through the woods.

They disappeared eventually, between the snowy limbs of the forest.

To ease her sadness, TenTen reached out and messed up Konohamaru's hair.

He protested loudly and TenTen smirked, chasing him back up to the manor.

Hinata's wedding was in two days, and the stress was affecting even TenTen and Konohamaru, who were only visitors.

They released their stress outside on the grounds.

TenTen would ride her horse around and let Konohamaru do so as well, for practice. She also trained with him, testing his skill.

Neji attended these small spars, intrigued.

"Konohamaru," TenTen sighed, exasperated during their second spar of the day, "don't think. No thinking. Your sword is an extension of your arm. What's gotten into you? You're sloppier now than what you used to be. Who's been training with you?"

Konohamaru sent Neji a look, which he discerned as, Can you believe this?

Neji sent him a reassuring smirk.

"I'm just tired," Konohamaru outcried. "I'm doing well, honest. I just need to rest for a bit."

TenTen grumpily kicked at some frozen ground.

"Fine, rest for a little. Then we'll resume. Neji?"

Neji's eyebrows shot up.

"Yes?"

"Are we going to spar today?"

Konohamaru interjected in a harsh whisper, "You've sparred with a noble, TenTen?"

TenTen shot Konohamaru an unconcerned glance.

"Yes. What of it?"

Konohamaru sent a wide-eyed glance to Neji.

He swivelled back to TenTen.

"Are you crazy?!" he hissed.

"No. I'm perfectly sane, thank you for asking," TenTen snarled. "Lord Neji obliged, if that helps."

Konohamaru glanced at Neji, to see if this was true.

Neji nodded.

"Why would you do that? Even I don't pick a fight with her, and she provokes me all the time!"

"That's enough, Konohamaru. Shut your mouth," TenTen said with authority.

Konohamaru reluctantly silenced himself.

TenTen beckoned to Neji, gesturing for him to stand.

Neji hesitated, but did as she asked.

"Let Neji borrow your sword, Konohamaru."

Konohamaru wordlessly handed Neji his sword, who accepted it lightly.

TenTen looked at Neji squarely.

"Konohamaru, watch how Neji fights, alright?"

Konohamaru nodded from his place on the ground.

Neji did not wait for TenTen to move first, this time.

He shifted his feet forward, hitting TenTen at the waist with the flat side of the blade.

TenTen smirked and kicked out at his knee.

Neji stumbled forward, but recovered quickly and turned. . .

Only to find TenTen's sword at his throat.

He sighed and dropped Konohamaru's sword in defeat.

TenTen smiled and lowered her sword.

"No offense, Lord Neji, but you're not very good."

TenTen scowled at her protege.

"Where is your respect, Konohamaru? That's an insult. Apologize."

Konohamaru frowned, but apologized to Neji.

TenTen was still displeased.

"I ought to whip you good. Who's been teaching you to speak like that? Naruto?"

"I'm sorry!" he emphasized, eyes wide. "It won't happen again."

Konohamaru sighed.

"Can I go ride the horse?" he directed toward TenTen.

Hesitantly, she nodded.

"Mind his feet though," she called after Konohamaru as he scrambled away, lithe.

TenTen sat down heavily, drawing her knees into her chest.

Neji joined her, training his eyes on Konohamaru as he coaxed TenTen's horse outside.

"You shouldn't be so hard on him," Neji murmured.

TenTen leaned back and watched the white, forever stormy sky.

"Konohamaru is my responsibility. He must serve me, but I have to provide him with knowledge and experience only a knight would know. And making mistakes like that will earn him nothing but disgrace in the real world. You can't insult your hosts, especially if they're nobles. He could be stripped of his title and cast out on his ear. I have to be honest with him."

Neji considered her words, thoughtful as he watched Konohamaru and the horse trot around in a circle.

"He's not a knight yet, though. He's still a squire."

"And a squire should learn this now and make a habit of it before he's knighted. If I were to disrespect you like that, Lord Jiraiya would at the very least have me placed on probation. And probably flay me half to death too. Subservience is everything to a knight."

Neji glanced at her, studying her profile.

"Would you really submit so easily?"

TenTen blinked and swivelled her face to him.

She had a small smile on her mouth.

"It depends. If it's orders, I obey them without question. Other things, though. . ."

"What other kinds of things?"

TenTen sighed and wrapped her arms around her legs, resting her chin on her knee.

"Things like orders that concern peasants. Fighting assignments. And children. Anything to do with children."

From several yards away, Konohamaru let out a shout as the horse reared.

TenTen laughed slightly.

"Would you want children someday?" Neji pondered absently.

TenTen sighed deeply.

"I don't know. It would be hard. I have to serve forty official days out of the year as a knight when we're not in wartime. I don't know who else would care for my children, if I were to have them."

"Your husband?" Neji offered.

TenTen smiled at the corner of her mouth.

"I'm not entirely sure I want to get married either. I mean, who would want me as a wife? I'm horribly bossy."

Neji chuckled.

"It's true," TenTen insisted. "No one in their right mind would want to marry me. I'm everything a wife isn't it."

"True," granted Neji, careful with his words, "but in some ways, you're better than what a wife could offer."

TenTen snorted.

"How so?" she inquired, stretching out her legs and leaning back on her hands. She stared at Neji, good-natured.

Neji exhaled, his breath visible in the air for a mere second before disappearing altogether.

"You're independent. Most women don't know how to fend for themselves, so they leave it up to their husbands. You don't have to do that. If anything, you could probably protect your husband better than he could protect you, with all your knight training."

TenTen grinned with pride.

"What else?" she prompted.

"You want me to name all of your qualities?" Neji asked, shaking his head.

TenTen caught his eye and smirked.

They both turned back to watch Konohamaru ride the horse, galloping and churning up dirt.

After a moment, Neji detected a small flickering substance in the sky.

He glanced at TenTen, who hadn't noticed the movement.

Small bits of white clung to her brown hair.

Neji couldn't stop himself from smiling.

It was snowing.

TenTen was on her way back to her rooms when she finally met the bride that was to be wedded in two days time.

She was coming back from the library, traveling solo, because Neji had more tasks to complete before the groom arrived tomorrow.

TenTen was meandering aimlessly down the hall from the library when she spotted an open door and a servant speaking quietly to someone.

TenTen neared and the servant abruptly broke off, bowing quickly to TenTen.

TenTen ignored this gesture, instead peering into the door to see the person to whom the servant had been speaking.

It was the wide-eyed female Hyuga.

TenTen studied her in curiosity.

"Lady Hinata," TenTen greeted with a smile. "I'd been hoping I would meet your acquaintance before your wedding."

Hinata blinked, seeming surprised anyone at all would want to meet her.

"Thank you, Lady Knight," Hinata finally murmured in her gentle voice. She paused, then said, "Is there something I can do for you?"

TenTen shook her head quickly.

"Oh, no. I just wanted to meet you, that's all. You see, I've never been to a wedding before because I've always been so preoccupied with my duties, and I suppose I'm just excited. Congratulations, of course."

Hinata watched this strange woman speak fast, mildly confused as to why she had taken such lengths to speak to her. Hinata was no one special, and she would be gone in a few days time; what did it matter?

"Thank you, Lady Knight," Hinata repeated, puzzled to no end.

"Well," TenTen said, casting a look around the hallway, "I should go on to bed. My squire and I are helping Neji tomorrow with some of the preparations."

When Hinata appeared alarmed, TenTen waved it away.

"It's no trouble, Lady Hinata. I want to help in any way I can."

And TenTen continued down the hall, unconcerned.

Hinata stared after her, thin eyebrows raised in surprise.

She'd never met a knight, much less a woman, so . . . uncouth.

Konohamaru woke TenTen up later than usual that morning.

His excuse was that Neji had neglected to wake him early as well, which TenTen was doubtful about.

But not wanting to start an argument with him, TenTen wordlessly dressed and went out to join Konohamaru in the hallway.

They walked together to the main hall, where they found Neji talking with his uncle.

When Hiashi noticed them, the knight and squire bowed in respect.

"You're excited for the wedding?" Hiashi prompted when they drew closer.

TenTen smiled.

"Yes, Lord Hiashi. Thank you for allowing us to join you in this happy time."

Hiashi nodded pleasantly, murmured a few quiet words to an assistant, and whisked off.

Neji turned to his friends.

"Why didn't you wake us earlier?" TenTen immediately began, scolding. "I want to help with the preparations!"

Neji frowned.

"You didn't want the extra sleep? We won't be able to go outside today as we have the last few days. We will be up late tonight, with the guests and the groom."

TenTen sighed.

"I've had less sleep in battle and still functioned well. You could have saved your kindness."

"Ah, but it was still a kindness, nevertheless," Neji countered.

TenTen cocked her head at him, surprised he would say such a thing.

Konohamaru interjected before TenTen could respond.

"What work are we doing today?"

"We're making sure all the rooms are prepared for the guests, seeing to the food tonight for supper, and some other things."

"How many guests will there be?"

Neji thought.

"Some twenty or so."

TenTen sighed.

It was going to be a long day.

When TenTen was able to steal away before supper, she went and leaned against one of the open doorways in the manor.

The snow was falling freely now, sprinkling down in careful, appropriated spirals.

TenTen bowed her head against the cold stone of the doorpost; she was exhausted.

She, Neji, and Konohamaru had had a full day of work, overlooking the preparations with keen eyes.

TenTen had skipped lunch in favor of attending to the stables to ensure they were in clean order. Naturally, she was ravenous.

As if to prove this point, her insides roared and squirmed, causing her discomfort.

TenTen rubbed the spot in irritation.

The guests had begun to arrive hours before, and they had been shown to their rooms until supper.

The groom had arrived also, merely forty minutes ago, but TenTen had not met him yet.

TenTen had refused to change into a dress as well; these people would think her a whore, but she didn't care. If they had eyes in their heads they would respect the coat of arms she wore on her surcoat.

She exhaled, her frosty breath mingling with the air.

TenTen pushed off the stone and turned on her heel, finding her way back to the main hall.

TenTen was used to the stares by now.

Women knights were rare, and unfamiliarity was a thing that sent most people into a fuss.

Every look she received by both wives and their husbands in the main hall, TenTen had already memorized.

The wives thought her to be promiscuous, just because she wore no head covering and preferred leggings to skirts. They guarded their husbands against her, as if one look from TenTen would steal them away.

And the husbands were intrigued and thought she was a whore as well. But this latter point did not concern them as much.

TenTen was relieved when she sat next to Neji; he gave off an odd sort of ease to her, a feeling she enjoyed thoroughly.

Neji glanced at her and sent her a small smile.

There, reassurance.

TenTen breathed out and smoothed out her thick leggings with the heels of her hands.

Neji leaned down and spoke lowly in her ear.

"The man laughing loudly on the right side of my uncle, that's Kiba Inuzuka. He's the knight marrying Hinata."

TenTen nodded imperceptibly and glanced up, finding him.

He had a gruff looking face, marked by stubble and flushed cheeks.

His eyes were dark and if the cup of mead was any indication, he was a drinker.

TenTen looked away and started random conversation with Neji, avidly ignoring the eyes that had settled on her.

Dinner was loud and raucous, an uncommon occurrence in the Hyuga household.

Kiba Inuzuka was a boisterous man and he didn't know when to shut his mouth and listen. TenTen was positive she disliked him instantly.

And it wasn't just because of the loudness.

It was the way his dilated eyes settled on her.

TenTen knew he wasn't a trustworthy man.

She deflected the questions he asked her, which angered him if the scowl on his mouth was any indication.

Konohamaru dallied off to bed almost as soon as supper was finished, Neji and TenTen following soon after.

They had taken up walks together, aimlessly wandering around the manor until one of them got tired enough.

They had been walking for an hour or so when Neji and TenTen came upon the groom, who was watching them at the end of the hall.

TenTen murmured to Neji quietly, "I'm tired and the wedding's tomorrow. Would you mind—?"

Neji shook his head, as TenTen had known he would.

They turned to go back the other way.

"Lord Neji," called Kiba from the end of the hall.

Damn, TenTen thought.

Neji silently turned to face Kiba. TenTen reluctantly pivoted around as well.

"Yes?" Neji prompted.

Kiba was taller than her, TenTen noted. And stronger too, by the expanse of his chest and upper arms.

With anger, TenTen realized he could beat her in a fight by pure brute strength.

Kiba was speaking in a slur about something completely irrelevant and stupid, Neji quietly listening.

In a swift, concealed movement, Kiba gripped TenTen's wrist.

Fury rose up in her chest.

There wasn't light in this hallway, and TenTen and Neji had neglected to bring a candle.

Crafty bastard, TenTen seethed. Neji wouldn't be able to see for lack of the candlelight.

When Neji began to respond to Kiba's lengthy speech, Kiba dug his nails into her wrist and strengthened his grasp, causing TenTen pain.

She gritted her teeth and clenched her fist.

I must not lose my temper; I must not lose my temper, she chanted to herself silently.

The pain was intense now; her veins felt like they would pop any second.

She sharply looked up and unclenched her fist.

TenTen raised it and gathered speed, slapping him across the cheek with a force that sent him stumbling back.

Her palm burned, but TenTen was relieved.

She met Neji's gaze.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she brusquely muttered, holding her wrist out of his site.

"TenTen—," he began.

"No, Neji. Tomorrow," TenTen commanded, brown eyes shining.

She glanced at Kiba's crumpled form.

"You might want to make sure he's all right and then get him to bed. He's getting married tomorrow, after all."

TenTen turned on her heel and left, finding her way to Hinata's room.

When she knocked, no one answered.

TenTen knocked with more urgency until the door finally opened.

Hinata stared out at the lady knight in incredulity.

"Lady Knight, what's—?"

TenTen regarded her seriously.

"Lady Hinata, if you don't do anything else tonight, at least do this. Lock your door and let no one in, no matter who they claim to be. Understand?"

Hinata looked surprised.

"What—?"

"Lady Hinata," TenTen emphasized slowly. "Do as I say and lock your door. Do not unlock it until morning. Do you understand?"

Hinata nodded, jittery.

"Good. Goodnight to you, then."

TenTen strode away quickly.

Hinata obeyed the strange woman's request and bolted her door, only unlocking it the following morning when a servant knocked for entry.


I know that seems a bit strange, but hopefully I can explain the last bit in chapter eight.

'Till then, I would like a review.

;D