Tenten followed a squad of ladies and their rippling giggles through the corridors: the princess had changed into a more… erotic dress to attend this evening's...festivities? Would he even call this tea haul a festivity? The assassin nearly stopped breathing when Tenten had emerged from her dressing chamber with her hair down in loose curls and that blasted dress with a drop back and no petticoat. Her corset rested under her bust which gave her bosom quite a lift, to which Neji could clearly see the top of her cleavage peeking from her lace top. What irritated him was that she proceeded to circle him, swaying her hips and slightly bending over to expose her chest. It wasn't that he was angry, it was more that he didn't want any of these dancers to touch her. What made it worse, was that he was unable to touch her in the way he wanted to. Reluctantly, the assassin escorted her and her ladies to the hall where the event were to take place.

There were cushions lined in gold and the draping had been decorated to gothic color scheme. The ladies of the desert were already gathering around on the rugs, laughing and smoking from glass pipes. The Hyuga cringed at the sight; that was an embarrassing mission, he recalled. The Golden Ladies had stepping into the hall excitedly and were immediately handed glass goblets of who knows what.

"Tenten," Neji held her wrist back before she could step into the hall. "Do not drink any of that. It's laced with a pleasure drug."

"Pleasure drug?"

"For arousal. This could be a test to see if the future queen will-"

"Neji," the princess frowned at him. "You are over thinking this."

The assassin pursed his lips.

"It's my job to-"

"I know, I know. I can handle myself. I am not a baby." Tenten stated before stepping into the hall.

Neji's eyebrow twitched as she glided to a set of purple cushions in the center of the room. Sighing, he followed. The desert ladies ogled at him as his pony tail trailed behind him. The assassin was in his civilian tunic which was fitted to his body. His muscles were very much define to those who peeked long enough. Instead of joining his princess on her cushion, he sat himself next to his cousin. Hinata gave him a nervous look, for she too has never indulged in such activities. She did not sip at the drink nor did she pick up the glass pipe.

"You do not wish to sit next to her?" Hinata asked.

"Apparently, she is no baby in need of my constant attention." He grunted.

The music began to play and the entertainers began to fill the room. Each were topless and work a different color sash around their trouser bands. Instantly, a groups of them made their way to Tenten's spot. She giggled and blushed as they bowed, took her hand and kissed it.

"Oh, beautiful princess. To which your wedding day approaches, we require your blessing to a festive night." One announced.

Tenten grinned and blushed.

"Granted."

And with that, the dancing began. The men circled around each cushion set, swaying their hips, flexing their muscles. Their caresses gave way to kisses. Neji clenched his fist around his goblet as he watched. They were touching her and he wanted to annihilate them. Fingers ran along his princess' leg and arms, noses nuzzled at her neck and cheek. Oh, how he wished he had locked her in her sleeping chamber. Hinata grabbed onto his sleeve as he nearly bolted up when one of them laid a kiss upon her lips. Another stood before her and removed his sash. He began to circle around her, allowing the fabric to brush against her shoulder. The music had faded out and applause was echoing in the hall. The dance was over, however, the mingling had begun. The dancers spread about, sitting themselves in suggestive positions while chatting up the ladies.

"Neji…" Hinata tapped his shoulder.

The assassin's head snapped to his cousin. She laid a piece of parchment near his elbow.

"When I woke up, I was able to draw a diagram for you of the great hall." She explained quietly.

Neji slipped the parchment into his pocket without looking at it. He nodded swiftly at her in thanks before returning his attention to Tenten. He instructed her to map out the study rooms as well. Without question,Hinata swiftly nodded. After a moment, she noticed Neji's eyebrow twitch and his fingers curled into a ball. A dancer had caught his eye, to which he glared. The said dancer clapped his hands to summon the servants. They arrived in trays of baked goods and more coal for the pipes.

"Quite the scene, is it not, Hyuga Neji?"

Hinata jumped as one of the dancers appeared next to her cousin. The assassin merely sucked his teeth at him and kept his focus in the direction of his princess. Sitting himself next to the Hyuga lady, the dancer gently brought Hinata's hand to his lips and pecked her knuckles. The Lady blushed fiercely as she quickly retracted her hand. Folding her hands into her lap, Hinata side glanced at him. He had clear grey eyes and midnight black hair. His jaw was strong and sharp while his cheekbones protruded upward. She had to say, he was highly attractive.

"You are quite the looker yourself, Lady Hyuga." He said winking at her.

That was when Neji shifted his gaze.

"Do not flirt with my cousin, Mikki."

Hinata blinked. So, she thought, they knew each other. She supposed that was to be expected since he travelled so much because of the guild. The man named Mikki chuckled and reached for the pipe that was present in the middle of the bundle of cushions. Snapping his fingers, a small green flame appeared at the tip of his index finger. The Hyuga lady looked in awe, having never seen magic used to effortlessly. Mikki touched his finger to the spout where dried herbs rested and smoke began to travel through the pipe. His chest expanded as he inhaled. With his lips puckered, the entertainer blew out the smoke in perfect rings.

"Oh, Neji." Mikki purred. "You have never looked more handsome."

The assassin lifted his chin and straightened his back.

"You have not changed a bit."

Mikki blinked and blew more smoke from his lips. Leaning over, the man took the Hyuga's hand and brought it to his lips. He was cold as usual, but that didn't faze the entertainer. Neji rolled his eyes and pulled back his hand.

"The odds of your haul entertaining my princess tonight is quite adequate."

"Oh? Enlighten me, darling." Mikki leaned in.

Neji gestured to his princess. Mikki hummed in question as he quickly glanced over. Tenten was still being smothered with attention by Mikki's dancers. Grinning, the man stated that she seemed to be enjoying the company...especially since his majesty can be quite distant. To this, Neji cocked a brow. Instead of entertaining the thought, he shook his head and looked fully at Mikki.

"I need someone to help me sneak to the dungeons."

"And what does the princess have to do with anything?"

The assassin grunted. He needed this event to go on for another hour or so. With the entertainers in the room, most of the guards will be by the entrance and great hall. This would give him time to snoop and get underground. Mikki inhaled some smoke.

"And what do I get out of this, Neji?"

The Hyuga pursed his lips together. He would kick his own ass later for asking this, but he needed the distraction;

"What do you want?"

The entertainer's mouth split into a grin. Hinata scooted back as he reached across her to take Neji's hair into his fingers. Tugging him forward, he whispered something into his ear. Hinata watched as her cousin's eyes went wide and his jaw slightly fell ajar. A small blush trickled up the assassin's neck and to his face. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed before leaving back to a proper sitting position. Mikki, who was still grinning, tilted his head to the side.

"Well, darling? I remembered your terms before. I did not cross the line, this time."

Neji inhaled and let out a disgruntled huff. Nodding, he agreed to his terms. The entertainer gave a pleasant moan before clapping his hands together. A swarm of attractive males floated around intensifying their charm. Hinata jumped when Mikki put a hand on her shoulder.

"Do not worry. I will watch you, Lady Hinata." He flicked his wrist at the assassin. "Go on. Your time starts now, darling."

OOOOoooooOoOoOoOOoOoOO

Neji calmly walked through the halls with his eyes activated. He needed to find a passage way that will lead him underground. Rounding to the north side of the palace, Neji realized that he probably couldn't detect it due to the fact that it was protected by the prince's magic. That's right, he thought, for some reason he cannot see through Gaara's sand. However, the fainter his vision-the closer he was. The red prince probably figured the assassin would go looking for the dungeons without his permission. The Hyuga turned a corner and deactivated his eyes. There was a long hallway with very few windows and lots of torches hanging from the wall. Pressing himself against a shadowy part of the wall, Neji slowly made his way down the hallway. He couldn't have the guards bothering him; he wasn't in the mood to make up some excuse as to why he wasn't in the great hall. Speaking of guards, it was a bit odd to not have any of them stationed in the most darkest corner of the palace. Shuffling onward, the assassin started to hum. The silence was too odd for him; almost suspicious. Stopping in his tracks, the Hyuga reactivated his eyes. Another couple of meters and there was a dead end. Scoffing, the assassin peeled himself from the wall and walked straight on down the hallway. Holding out his hand, he pushed firmly on the wall. It was solid… however, it was not stone.

"How clever." He murmured.

Now, how will he get in? His hands went to his belt; he did hold a few daggers on himself. The shortened blade could chuck out a hole for his hand to squeeze through...Deciding to try it out, Neji began to stab the small blade into the surface. It crumbled rather easily, he noticed. However, when he took a step back to observe his progress, the crumbled pieces of minerals retracted to their respective spot in the barrier, closing up the hole he had made.

"Very interesting…" Neji breathed.

Activating his eyes, he began to hack away- once again- at the wall. This time, he left the blade in the space he made and waited for the barrier to reassemble. The mineral held the blade snugly within itself. Neji was pleased; with the blade in the mineral, a space was made between the prince's magic and whatever was on the other side-which meant, he was able to see through the blade that was through the barrier. Even though the sliver of a hole wasn't large enough to grasp a full sight picture, the assassin's intuition relieved his thoughts that there was indeed something behind there.

Now, held another task of getting through the barrier. He could counteract the mineral with his own magic...however it could cause the mineral to filling collapse and not return to its original form. To this, Neji pursed his lips together; with the hole in the mineral present, the prince would definitely know it was he who snuck in. This would cause increased tensions between the assassin and the prince, whom he did not want to anger and cause uneasiness between himself, the prince, and his princess. After a long moment of pondering, the Hyuga shrugged his shoulders and sent a ruched of energy from his fingertips into the blade and spread across the mineral's surface. The barrier crumbled and and small hole had been create. Smirking to himself, he pocketed the dagger and quickly slipped through. Stepping down, he heard the mineral behind him crunch-signaling its self-repair. Squinting into the dark abyss, he grunted; he had forgotten a torch. No matter, he huffed. The headache later would be somewhat worth it. His steps echoed clearly as he walked down a steep staircase. His veins protruded on either side of his temples as he scanned the surrounding area. The depth to which he climbed was unmeasurable, but considering that the temperature had become significantly cooler the assassin noted that this was nothing more than a typical underground dungeon.

OooOoOoOoOOooOOoOoOOoOoO

Tenten shifted in her sleeping cushions so she could stare up at the draped ceiling. The sun was already creeping up into the sky and she knew she'd had to at least try to sleep before she started her day. She had a great time last night that she almost didn't notice when her so-called "protector" was walking out of the hall at a quick pace, not to be seen for a good while after. This hasn't been the first time she's noticed...well, no, this is the first time she's actually witnessed him sneaking off without telling her. What was more important than his job to babysit her? Her cheeks puffed up slightly as she thought about it. When he did return, he was quick to reach for his goblet of hard spirits.

"You fool…" she murmured to the sleeping figure beside her.

The Hyuga was able to stay conscious long enough to walk her to her room, but he didn't leave it. He laid himself on the cushions as she changed in the changing room and ended up dozing off. Her maids giggled as Tenten told them to leave. Now, here he laid, fast asleep. The princess gave a mighty huff and blew her bangs from her brow. Drunk Assassin Hyuga was quite the physical person. While she dragged him down the hall, Neji wouldn't stop trying to turn her cheek so she can look him in the face. He wanted her badly, she thought. His hands managed to press her against a wall at one point and he stare her down; even intoxicated his eyes remained focused, however his mind was rather hazy. The princess knew that he'd apologize for his stolen wet kisses and lingering fingers along her body. Or he'd avoid her gaze for whispering lustful nothings into her ear before planting his lips near her neck. To be honest, Tenten wondered if he'd remember any of this when he woke up. She had no way of knowing if he would be telling the truth if he said he couldn't recall. The full truth was very hard to extract from him, especially since he was usually very good at lying. However, when he did lie to her, she had a funny tingle in her stomach to let her know he was. Perhaps it was for the best, she thought turning over. After all, this situation could be way worse if she hadn't listen to him. For all she knew, his arms would've been wrapped around her bare body as they embraced; his hot breath cascading along her breasts as those lavender eyes illuminated through the darkness of her room. His calloused finger pad ghosted lower and lower until she was completely taken by his touch and-

No.

Tenten bit her lip. Imagining such things could be dangerous for her. She had already given herself to Gaara-to whom she felt rather indifferent about after that-and she has a duty to comply to. The cushions shifted next to her. Nearly jumping out of her own skin, Neji's warm hand snaked around her waist as his chest found her's. the princess' eyes got wide. He was still in a deep sleep...perhaps it is an instinctive action? It could also be for his own comfort, she guessed. The Hyuga must be finally sobering up, and his mind was probably setting down now. His breathing had picked up slightly, which could mean a number of things. Tenten nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder. Her brown orbs observed his face. Neji's nose was slightly pointed, his cheek bones had lifted and sharpened. The lines on his face were faintly present, probably due to his lack of meditation (he hadn't had too much time to himself for a while to balance out his emotions). And those lips, she blinked, they were slightly apart and a pale blush color that matched his cheeks (the alcohol's doing, she mused). They were thin, and yet when he kissed her it was like soft goose feather pillows were caressing her own lips. Looking upward, she saw what he had continuously hid from her; his family mark. The teal tattoo laid across his brow broadly as a sign of subordination to the more...prestigious members of his family. She already knew about the Hyuga ways and how they treated their branch members. Neji and his father just so happen to get the worst end of it all when they joined the Guild without permission. They soiled the Hyuga name to be known as greedy thieves with no sense of honor or regret. Their nobility was casted downward, especially after Neji's father died. To make matters worse, a royal family member was killed at the hand of a Hyuga...or at least that's what the princess was told. For all she knew, it could've been nothing but a hoax to bring the former nobility down to even more shame.

And yet-she slowly reached her hand up to his face; her fingers lightly glided along the tattoo- here was Hyuga Neji, laying beside her as the most hard working, noble man she has ever met. He resembled strength, intelligence, and stubbornness. A small smile crept onto her face; ah-yes, stubbornness. Now, he had her crystal on him forever. Her fingers glided down his nose and brushed against his lips before returning to the cushions. This was the face of a man who she would follow to the ends of the earth without fear. Surely, this is what the Goddess had intended for her. To be protected by a man whose power of stubbornness would one day show to be nothing but honor. His smirks were always a sign that he was in high spirits as if the Goddess touched his soul and gave it hope. Tenten's eyelids began to feel heavy. She knew he had a high belief in fate, and yet he was not one to be seen at a temple session on holy day. He had given up on the Goddess because he believed that she had taken everything from him. Yet, here he laid, next to a princess whom he had fallen in love with but hated at first. He believed he was destined to stay beside her. There was no telling whether he began to believe in the Goddess or not, Tenten breathed out. She herself was the embodiment of her; a vessel in which the Golden Goddess could sing her wishes to her followers on Earth. Something in the back of her mind, however, told the princess that perhaps the assassin as beginning to believe.

Ever so slightly.

OooOoOooOoOoOoOoOoOoooOOoOoOoo

Neji's eyes rolled forward from the back of his skill. His eyelids squeezed together as he breathed in. Regaining consciousness after a night of drinking was rather disastrous if not done at one's own pace. Truthfully, drinking was not a pleasurable thing for him, as most would assume. He was not a violent drunk...at least based on what he was told. Although, he did become rather chatty upon certain sensitive tips the were repressed deep into his mind. Shifting his head, he noted the heaviness that he felt. A faint thriving on the side of it indicated an unpleasant morning. Slowly, he shifted his leg. His mouth twitched as he noticed his own body had betrayed him; he was holding an erection. The assassin let out a sigh as he moved his leg once more, back into its previous spot. Speaking of heat, his shoulder and chest were rather warm and heavy...as if…

Hm.

His eyes cracked open. There she was, fast asleep in his arms. Neji nearly jumped back, however he managed to calm the alarms in his mind. If she was here in his arms, then, where was he? Painfully lifting his head slightly, he quickly glanced around. Of course, he huffed, the princess' sleeping chambers. The worse place for him to be found after a night of drinking and erotic "entertainment". Lifting the covers, he nearly screamed for joy; they were both clothed. Now, he wouldn't look guilty as to soiling her. However, that still held the issue between his legs. Even with her covered, she still laid beside him, in his arms just as he dreamed she would be. Her warmth was all he needed to get him somewhat excited. He shifted the lower half of him away from her to hopefully avoid any contact. Absolutely embarrassing, he grunted. As much as he tried to suppress, he couldn't. This wasn't the first time he has woken up in such a state. However, he'd prefer not to be exposed with the princess in his field of sight; that was the absolute worse thing that could happen. And why? Well, for one he would look weak; unable to hold in his desires for physical indulgence with her. For another, it showed that his body had betrayed him. And her reaction could be irritating. No wanting to wake her, Neji squeezed his eyes shut and tried rather hard to make himself soft. The stubbornness of his mind wouldn't let up. The image of her in last night's attire had seeped into his mind next to that see through lace dress she wore for mass that stuck to her skin. Her moan echoed in his ears as he flashed back to all thoughts findings in the palace closets. Alas, he was defeated by his own feelings. He'd have to deal with it himself...but not with her next to him. How shameful would that be to have her wake to his self pleasuring? She's never let him live past it. Neji froze as she mumbled something under her breath. Her brows went south for a moment. After a small huff, her face relaxed again. The neckline of her sleeping dress shifted downward, revealing atop her breasts. Now, he was throbbing. His lips formed a thin line and his nostrils flared; if he moved to handle this in private, she'd wake up. If he proceeded to handle himself, but he wasn't careful, she'd wake up. The only way he'd win this, is if he tried his absolute best not to make any noise, or touch her suddenly.

"Mmm…" the princess moaned as she shifted closer to him, sensing his warmth had removed itself from her form.

The Hyuga sucked in his breath. He was going to lose this one, he thought. Her thigh had brushed against him, causing it to twitch awkwardly. Shutting his eyes, Neji hopes to whoever was up there-whether it be the Golden Goddess or the Red God of the Desert (Hell, even the God of Death himself!)- that he would not lose control. Deciding to take a peak, he lifted the covers. Grunting, he lowered them back down. To his dissatisfaction, her sleeping gown had risen up and her lower body was exposed...what's even worse is that he had just noticed that he was stripped of his clothing of the night before and was laying merely in his underwear. A colorful and interesting assortment of profanities ran through his mind at whoever was up there, laughing at him. He bet it was God of Death playing his cruel games with him again while the Golden Goddess watched in fascination. That had to be it, he thought.

And as if it couldn't get anymore worse, Tenten had heard his deep growls of shame, and awoken. Trying to return his face to a more stoic expression, the assassin squinted his eyes over her head. He gritted his teeth behind his lips, fully aware that if she moved, he was done for. The Gods never let him catch a break did they? Neji inhaled sharply as her hands found his bare chest. A small smile appeared on her face as she wished him a pleasant greeting for the morning. Merely nodding, he asked her how he ended up in her chambers...in her bed.

"You got insanely drunk," The princess began. "After tearing the bottle away from you, I carried you back here. Where you made yourself comfortable upon my sleeping cushions."

Neji hummed. Yes, he thought. After he returned from talking to the traitor, he did indulge himself a bit.

"I was going to kick you out, however, you were fast asleep and not even my maids could wake you." She continued.

The assassin cocked a brow; she was exaggerating a bit, he picked up. She probably allowed him to rest beside her.

"And I take it, you stripped me?" He asked warily.

Tenten shrugged. She couldn't risk her maids getting cut or stabbed by the small blades he hid in his sash. Besides, when will be the next time she would be able to see him bare? Neji rolled his eyes at her reasoning, and yet it made him more excited. Lifting her head, she shifted. His hand shot to her leg. The princess jumped and looked at him in confusion. Sighing, the assassin shook his head.

"Just...don't." He grumbled.

"Don't what?"

Looking her dead in the face, he said in a very low groan;

"Don't move."

Tenten huffed, her cheeks puffed up twice their sides. At this Neji glared at her, his cheeks heating up. Now was not the time for her to challenge his demands. Goddess, why was she so damn stubborn?! Swatting his hand, she adjusted hersel-

Oh.

Neji let out a muffled moan. His chin lifted as his eyes rolled back as the sensation shot up his stomach to his chest..

"Oh." She mouthed.

That made a lot of sense. She took her chances and moved her leg, rubbing her thigh against him. His parted slightly as he panted. His mind screamed at him to gain back control and stop her. But in the deepest corner, his mind argued to take her into his hands and do the same to her until they embraced. That's when Neji sat up straight. He buried his face into his hands, unable to look her in the face. By now the Gods were probably laughing at his misfortune as he sat beside her, unable to move. For if he would stand and leave her side, she'd see it.

And Tenten laid beside him, lost for words. This was different than all those times in the closet, all the flirting and light touches. No, this was the real thing. Of course she has seen a male organ, she had indulged herself with Gaara after all. Neji, on the other hand was so private, that something like this was utterly unforgettable and...dare she say it..awkward for the both of them.

"You…" Tenten reached for him.

The assassin grasped her hand firmly and brought it to his lips. He looked helpless, she nearly gasped. Neji had suppressed his feelings for so long, this is what it ended up becoming. Getting drunk was his tipping point of self control. It was a reminder of how much he needed to pace himself and, at times, let go.

"I was hoping you kept sleeping." He finally murmured into her knuckles.

Tenten let out a laugh, which resulted in a cold side glance from the Hyuga. Her golden brown eyes widened as he blew a strand of his hair from his face. He really needed to let go, she thought. Perhaps he thought that she'd never look at him the same again. That was his pride coming forth. Slipping her hand from his, she stood and shuffled to her chamber doors. It was still too early for the maids to come and wake her. Neji watched her curiously as she stuck her head out and spoke to the guards outside. Within a moment she shut the door and wandered back over to him. Dropping to her hands and knees she crawled on the cushions. The crystal on his forehead began to tingle menacingly as she approached, Neji retracted. What was she up to? A smirk had risen on her features as she got closer. The Hyuga's back made intact with the enormous pile of pillows that scaled slightly up the wall; he was now at her mercy. Her gown ghosted his exposed skin as her face met his. For once in his life, he was rather anxious of a woman. That mischievous look on her face was all he needed to make his chest flutter. Tenten was, after all, his beloved. She was unlike any other female he has ever met, and this side of her was nonexistent until now. Their eyes matched as she moved closer ever so slowing. His lips pursed together as she looked at him. Suggestive, he thought, and yet his mind had stopped yelling at him to run. It was quiet. Was this what it was like to give yourself fully to someone? A quiet mind? He wasn't too sure how much he liked that. And with a quiet mind came impulses. His hands found her hips, tugging at the fabric that covered her. His fingered gripped at the gown, wanting to roughly pull until it ripped away. Sitting on her knees, she brought her lips to his. Her hands trailed about his toned pecs, the chilly roughness of his skin crawled its way up her fingers. It crawled all the way to her cheeks, causing her to unconsciously lean into him. The assassin pulled up her skirt and gripped her waist. She was now conveniently on his lap where his center of heat was radiating from. Before moving his hands, he separated his face from her's and looked her in the eye.

"We need to stop." He whispered.

"No, we don't." She replied.

Neji clenched his jaw. Tenten's eyebrows went south and her lower lip was now protruding in a pout.

"Why do you do this? There is no one here to stop us. You are what is stopping this; What we really want. Neji why do you torture yourself?" The princess murmured. "It's not as if you are being forced to marry someone you don't even desire to hold for the rest of your life. But I have you, you will always remain at my side until the day I die. And until that time, how can you force yourself to pretend like everything's as it should be when we both know it is not?"

The Hyuga blinked. She had a valid point. This may be his only chance to have her as his own. Sighing, he brought her forehead to his.

"Why must you do this to me, Tenten...you know I cannot say no to you that easily…" he sighed.

He lifted the gown even more and pulled it over her head. Her curls bounced as the assassin ran his hand through her hair. His eyes trailed her rose stained cheeks, down to her collarbone, and lower to her torso. She leaned over and kissed him gently, as if giving him time to back out of what they were about to do. When he kissed her back, the princess smiled.

Neji's forehead was pleasantly tingling very intensely from the foreplay. For once, he thought, he'd get what he wanted.