DEATHPLAY- the royal scandals

CH1- Start of the end

(Session #9- Lies, a beginning and an invitation )

(Ksingard central city (Cydia), royal guest hall, left wing)

It was only much later into the night that Naruto finally met up with his sensei.

He had been bowled over with worry, that Jiraiya might have been beheaded or burned to death already in his absence, and that now it was his turn… especially since he had almost killed three people today…

A court girl, a court mercenary, and the fucking prince of Ksingard with an attitude problem.

Bad day.

At first, Naruto had felt relief, but then, as the whole distressing memories of the evening engulfed him… he was pissed off, big time.

"Where have you been, sir?! And uh, I see you're not dead yet! "

"Yes, Naruto! And it's all thanks to you! "

"…eh? Me? "

Naruto stopped moving towards his sensei, and cocked his head, pondering.

Wouldn't a rampage in the court result in beheading, rather than saving? He wasn't too sure about the politics.

Jiraiya chortled, his right hand loosely holding the enormous staff that had been confiscated yesterday, by the guards. It must have been returned today.

"Well, now you see? I have a few things to tell you, sit down. "

"…what.. things? "

Naruto had a bad premonition.

When Jiraiya wanted to talk… it was usually a confession about the crazy façade he had pulled in a day, or some other mad charade…

Jiraiya started talking.

And Naruto started gaping.

By the time he reached the part when king Itachi had decided to not kill Jiraiya and negotiate with him, actually go along with the crazy, stupid notion that fairy tales would come alive…

Jiraiya said that he had pretended Naruto was one of the tailed beasts, just to get them out of the mess alive.

What Naruto did not know was that Jiraiya was egging him on, making him believe that his sensei actually had made up the fairy tale crap.

Basically, Jiraiya lied.

Naruto did not know, Jiraiya knew everything.

As usual.

"Ha, actually I was all set to feed him fake info about King Gaara, but your awakened arm saved me from committing treas…"

"You've committed enough treason to get you beheaded ten times over, sir!! "

Jiraiya stretched his mouth, his eyes widening.

"Well now, don't you want to hear about the big news? "

"…what… big news?...sir? "

Jiraiya happily told Naruto about persuading King Itachi, and the fact that they were going to live in Ksingard from now on.

…to Naruto's horror and dismay.

"You did what?! "

Naruto raised his hands up in a twisting motion, his eyebrows almost joining together.

Jiraiya gesticulated, waving his right arm sweepingly in grandeur.

"Say hello to your new home! From now on, we're going to live at the grand palace court of Ksingard, in these luxurious hal…"

Naruto took a step back, finger aimed at his sensei, his face distorted in disbelief.

"You… baka priest!! No, I mean, sir, I mean… what the hell is the meaning of this?! "

"Why calm down, Naruto! It's just as well! Didn't you hate Arudan? The sand all over the place, fights with Shizune and Ino-pig, the daily prayin …"

"That's what 'you' hated!! "

"Well… you're the… ah yes, mini-me. "

"What?! "

Naruto conjured up an image of himself all aged and old, his hair bleached down to shocking white, his nose turning red from sake. His pervert-ness… oh yes, his pervert-ness…

God no.

"No!! No, no, no!! "

"Why not? You'd be a great demon slayer. "

"That's…'not' worth the whole package!! "

"You hurt me deeply, I'm disappointed. "

"I HATE YOU!! "

Jiraiya pretended to be hurt by this, but his outraged assistant wasn't buying it. Of course, it was just pretense, but still- Jiraiya thought petulantly that Naruto should at least pretend himself, to be concerned.

"Now, now. Be calm. "

"How can I be calm?! Why are you doing this?! "

At that, Jiraiya merely replied vaguely, his eyes turning somewhere off…

"Well, we have to stay in Ksingard for as long as possible, and this was the only way… "

"WHAT?! You didn't tell me that when we left! We're not going back?! "

"Of course we are! Maybe…after 3 years? "

"WHAT?! "

Jiraiya decided he still had a lot more explaining to do, and starting making up a decent lie to cover up for his outrageous behavior.

As usual.

--

(Ksingard central city (Cydia), royal guest hall)

Shino had watched in the shadows of the corridor with deadpan eyes, the priest and assistant 'demon kid' bickering.

It curiously reminded him of Kiba and himself.

At any rate, these two did not mix, but mixed well.

A paradox of a relationship.

…why the hell had King Itachi let these two stay when by right, they should have been killed?

It was not by mercy, that was for sure.

Hidan seemed to know something, but he'd definitely not share, him being the so called infamous 'info master' of the court.

Besides, Shino was not too fond of the guy.

Hidan... was a curious nut.

Shino softly crept out when he heard the doors close, and swiftly went to the dining halls to report… the dining halls, because most generals and estine sentries had spent the evening cleaning up with the servants… and attending quick meetings. So they missed supper.

It was 3am.

"Messenger Shino reporting: the priest and the b…"

As soon as he started to speak, a rash voice spoke out.

"Cut it out, Shino! We're finally having our long awaited supper and you're ruining it by your depressing report! Cut the court rule crap and let's eat! You must be hungry too, I'll bet. "

Shino glared quietly at the famished looking red haired general… Kiba.

There were only a few others in the hall, mostly being the reason that it was late- most of the people chose to go hungry rather than sleepy.

There was General Kiba, for one thing, and also general Asuma. And the two estine sentries, Lee and Sai.

"Hey you lucky bastard! How come you get to do reports when you know damn well that we all had been hauling our asses doing menial job? "

That was Lee, and he still sounded hyperactive at three in the morning.

"I'm the court messenger, if you have forgotten, Lee. "

"Bullshit, you're an estine sentry, too, just like us. "

This was true. Shino was a third rank estine sentry- he was under general Sarutobi, Asuma's orders.

Lee continued to prove his point.

"It just happens you have the cushy messenger thing as a second job… say, d'you think they'd take me as a messenger too? "

The people around Lee guffawed.

Kiba quickly intercepted the comment.

"Nah, you're not 'stealthy' enough, Lee. Nor level headed. "

"What?! General Kiba, I object! "

Lee, outraged, slammed both his hands on the table and stood up hastily… knocking over his plate and cup.

The items fell and broke into pieces, the cup splattering tea on his pants, making him look like he'd arrived at the bathroom a second too late.

Hence, the increased volume of the laughter, drifting off into the bleak endless night sky.

Ksingard's sky.

--

(Ksingard central city (Cydia), royalty dome, Hall of Munificence)

"Prince Sasuke. I heard you were in a bit of a trouble this evening. "

Sasuke's head impulsively jerked up, then relaxed, his weary body sinking into the bed once more…

Which was stained by the blood that had seeped out of the thick bandaging.

"Thank god, Kakashi…at last someone with an ounce of sense. "

Kakashi merely crinkled his eyes in return, hiding his apparent amusement at the prince's irritation. Then his forehead creased in concern.

"What exactly 'is' the boy? I've heard servants going crazy and calling him a demon. And others calling him possessed. "

Sasuke grumpily positioned his body sideways, his arm carefully cradling his side and letting heat off his wounded back.

"He may be a demon. I don't know… Frankly, I don't particularly care. "

"You don't sound too fazed, my prince. "

Sasuke glowered at his former sensei, until the general finally broke down and started calling him by his name again.

"Well then, Sasuke. The king, your brother, apparently wishes for the imposter priest and the demon boy to stay at court… he's not telling us generals anything though. I have a, slightly bad feeling about this. It is curious indeed. "

"You know my brother, Kakashi. He does things. Most of the time he manages, the ugly bastard. "

Kakashi attempted hiding his amusement at Itachi, his king, being called 'the ugly bastard'…by the younger sullen brother.

Oh, the sibling rivalry.

"This time, it's different. People's lives are at stake, especially if the demon boy is going to go into a rampage like what he did tod…Sasuke? "

The prince had suddenly stopped breathing, his eyes dilating and muscles tensing. His body bended as he lowered his head, his face out of sight.

A larger stain of blood seeped out from his back wound, discoloring the expensive silk robes that he had donned just a few moments ago.

Kakashi stood up abruptly.

"Sasuke, speak truthfully- are you okay? You need more anesthetics. Should I call on Kabuto? "

The general was bent on leaving immediately, but a hand suddenly reached out and gripped the hem of his black military robes.

The prince vaguely turned his eyes down and replied monotonously:

"Pain is experience, that's what you said. "

Kakashi answered back curtly, with a touch of impatience.

"Listening and following everything I say is not the smartest thing to do, especially when your own health is at stake. "

Kakashi approached the bedside and kneeled down without breaking off the eye connection. His voice was slightly gentler.

"Sometimes, Sasuke, it's better to decide on your own, what is the best. "

Sasuke looked into Kakashi's eyes for a moment longer, and then swiftly turned his head upward to the ceiling, letting out a long sigh.

He let his hand, which had been gripping the general's robes, flop to his side.

"Yeah. It hurts. "

"I'll call Kabuto. "

--

(Ksingard central city (Cydia), royal guest hall, left wing)

Jiraiya was finally done with his explaining… for the most part.

He left out the part that he knew exactly what was ailing Naruto's arm, only stating his alarm at the demon that resided in there. And his concern.

Naruto being Naruto, believed his crap, almost even convinced that what his crazy sensei had done was right.

Jiraiya looked so sincere.

He smiled genuinely into his assistant's uncertain face.

Naruto felt his mind waver a bit, giving in to the earnest persuasion…

"Do you see now… Abdullah? "

Not.

"I'm NOT Abdullah!! "

Naruto could not stop his fist moving on its own accord.

It smashed into the side of Jiraiya's face.

Naruto's face fell after he'd realized what he'd done.

"Oh shit! "

Jiraiya sat down with a slightly 'off' smile, his face caved in somewhat.

"…ya shee now, Abwullah? "

Naruto gave up, sitting himself down defiantly on the cold floor and mumbling…

"…what is wrong with you…sir. "

It sounded like he was, whether he liked it or not, have Ksingard as his home for a while.

A long while.

--

(North of Ksingard central city (Cydia), Hyuuga residence, fourth wing)

A lithe slender figure was bent over the fast asleep Neji, her face positioned near his face.

His bare chest moved up and down rhythmically, indicating his slumber.

The girl spoke up.

"…shht. Neji. Not sleeping? "

The disturbed young estine sentry rubbed his eyes, wincing slightly as his hand grazed the wound on his face. He opened his eyes.

He looked up to find Hinata's huge eyes just a few inches away from his own, it's lavender hue glimmering with strange light, without focus.

He flipped.

"Good god, Hinata! You looked like a ghost… what are you doing up so late?! "

"Oh no, not so loud, Neji! You'd wake up father and the servants! "

Neji lowered his voice, frowning.

"Well, what is it, cousin? "

Hinata looked a tad bit agitated all of a sudden. When she spoke, her voice had a weak tremor, lilting the end of her sentences.

And she had her customary stammer.

"You know… today? What happened? "

"…yeah? "

Neji's hand went up in its own accord to touch the side of his heavily bruised face. Hinata noticed and cupped her cool hand on his cheek.

"Well… you got injured… and the… the… prince got injured too, right? Um… I… "

"Hinata, what is the point of this? "

Neji lifted his body up heavily, and turned his face to look at his cousin, who seemed to be…

Blushing?

"I…I don't know what to do Neji! "

"…What? Why? "

"I'm so scared!! "

Oh please, it better not be the treason thing again.

"You're not talking about being beheaded again, aren't you? Because the prince saved you by his decision, not bec…"

"I'm not…talking about that! "

Hinata was fretting again, her eyes closed and hands clenched. Neji reached over to pat his cousin's shoulder…

She was a lot more sensitive than he'd remembered. Where had to level headed Hinata gone to?

"Look, Hinata. No matter what you say, it's probably something you don't have to worry about, es…"

"He invited me to his hall, Neji!! "

There was an awkward silence.

Neji head whirled rapidly- if what he was thinking was right…

The prince better not have been thinking that the price for saving Hinata, would be her virginity.

God no.

(bloodiedsug's words on DP-

This one, very late.

And I'm regretting my mistake on putting Kiba as a general… he was supposed to be an estine sentry!! T.T

Rank: General- estine sentry- normal soldier- court sentry- palace guard)

Bear with me)