Sakura eyed the princess beside her. Tenten was late to their breakfast tea with her skirts a bit scuffed and her makeup half done. Or, at least, the maids had lightly applied her lipstick. Also, the way she shuffled in was rather clumsy as well as the look on the Hyuga Assassin's face when he trailed in behind her. Perhaps she slept in, Sakura mused. Handing her a muffin, the pink haired Lady watched as her princess hungrily took a bite. If she recalled, Tenten hadn't eaten or drunk anything during the tea haul last night. And when she did leave, it was only to get Neji out of the hall since he was absolutely smacked. It was pretty irresponsible of him to over do the alcohol, but who was she to judge? He was a sorry excuse for an assassin-in her opinion- to get sloppy like that. Plus, it was probably embarrassing to have the princess drag him back to his room. Sakura hummed to herself. Then again, Tenten had left with the Hyuga before everyone else and the princess was wide awake. There was no way she had fallen asleep once she had gotten back to her sleeping chamber. Where did she end up going last night? It was when Tenten leaned her head to the side that she nearly choked on her tea. Sakura's green eyes went princess noticed her eye, and swallowed.
"What?" She asked.
"Did you happen to go to Gaara's chamber after you left last night?" Sakura asked.
Tenten lowered her muffin. Her stare became hard as she tilted her chin. Of course, she is going to lie to her; it wasn't any of her business what happen after the tea haul.
"What?"
"There's a love bite," the Lady pointed at her neck. "Right there."
Tenten dropped her muffin and reached for a spoon. Squinting, she pursed her lips together. Next to her, she could feel Neji's gaze, his tea cup froze midway to his lips; he hadn't noticed it either judging by the way his eyes went wide and his cheeks paled. This wasn't good, she thought. Everyone would think that it was the Red prince who bit her, but if word reached to said prince, there would be confusion and Neji would be the first he would go after to question. Unfortunately, Shin-Ten was not here to protect them this time. Shit, she thought, she'd have to grab a head shawl from her chambers or cover it up with makeup- Both sounded like a good idea. She had to do it quickly, though. Gaara likes to walk with her through the palace before his morning briefings. In an unladylike manner, she drowned her tea in one gulp and finished her muffin, crumbs falling onto the table.
"Not a word, Sakura. It's a bit embarrassing." The princess said before standing. "Let's hurry before he wakes up."
At this, Neji swiftly nodded in agreement and set down his teacup. Cocking an eyebrow, Sakura stood and suggested they head to her chambers to cover it. To this the princess nodded and swiftly stood. All three of them shuffled out of the room.
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Sana grumbled as she walked to her prince's study. She and taken her time returning to the Desert Kingdom for she took a much needed rest right on the edge of the kingdom's border. Approaching the door, the head maid inhaled and adjusted her shawl. Raising her fist, she knocked. The door opened to a brightly lit room.
"Your majesty, I have returned." She announced.
Gaara looked up from his papers. He had bags under his eyes and she can sense the irritation spewing from his skin as she approached cautiously. How unlucky of her to have returned to him while he was in this state of mind.
"I have fulfilled the Hyuga's and your request." She stated.
Gaara nodded.
"And how is the Golden prince handling things over there?" He asked folding his hands together.
Sana's brow furrowed. The Golden prince is being a bit frantic which is clouding his judgment. The King's advisor has gotten involved, however, the king is still clueless. The redhead hummed as he timers his head to the side. He could understand that, he too never told his father too much; neither did his siblings.
"Did you pay a visit to my older sister?" He asked.
Sana shook her head. The Princess was kept at the furthest wing of the palace with the Nara teenager she married. According to Lady Tsunade, she was doing just fine.
"Did she mention anything about wedding plans?" Gaara pressed.
Sana nodded swiftly.
"Tsunade has agreed to have a Desert style wedding. I must begin selecting for a traditional garb for her majesty." The head maid replied.
Gaara let out a breath he had no idea he was holding. There has been very little talk about this wedding and he was very doubtful that it would happen. And yet, even with his doubts, Sana has made his day a bit brighter. The head maid proceeded to tell him that she is going to bring his princess into town to start looking for gowns and other things.
"I shall go with you then." Gaara stated standing.
Sana merely nodded and exited the office with the prince on her tail. As she walked through the corridors, many of her maids bowed before shuffling off. Gaara cocked as eyebrow as Sana merely nodded at them instead of her usual smile and wave. Something happen over there that she is not telling him. Perhaps she was sworn to keep something to herself by the Golden prince? The red head pursed his lips together. The next maid that shuffled by was stopped by Sana.
"My lady, our princess is in Lady Haruno's chamber." She replied.
"Very well. Thank you." Sana waved her off and continued to walk.
Gaara watched as the head maid's face became a bit tense. Whatever was bothering her was definitely eating her up inside. The sensation she was giving off was rather uncomfortable for the prince, so when they were about to turn the corner to the Golden Lady's chamber, he grabbed her hand. Sana stopped in her tracks and turned to look at the prince's hand.
"Sana." He looked at her. "You are obviously not yourself. What is troubling you?"
The Maid's grey eyes shifted downward. Pursing her lips together, she shook the prince's hand off of her own. Alas, she was sworn to secrecy by Lady Tsunade. Gaara hummed as the maid continued to shuffle about down the hall. The prince gave her some space before following her once more. The silence was rather heavy as the reaches a set of doors. He would find a way to get it out of her...Gaara knew Sana well enough that she would tell him if he pushed hard enough. Outside of said doors stood Lady Hinata and her older cousin. By the look on the Lady's face, the assassin was discussing a serious matter with her. So serious, in fact, that when they approached both Hyugas quit their soft whispers and looked at the prince. Hinata bowed slightly and moved from the doorway. Neji nodded swiftly at Sana as she knocked on the doors. A maid appeared and bowed- as she too saw the prince- before moving out of the way and announcing the presence of the two visitors.
"Enter." Tenten's voice sounded.
Gaara swept into the room to find his bride in front of a vanity, intensely looking at her complexion. Seeing the princess press more powder to her face and neck made him hum in interest. The powder perfectly matched her copper toned skin, he never understood why she was given a lighter powder to sport back in the Golden kingdom during special events.
"You look wonderful with a tan. It is as if you were native to the desert, Tenten." The red head stated standing behind her.
Tenten peered at him through the mirror and gave a small smile. Neji let out and exaggerated eye roll that caused his younger cousin to withhold her laughter behind her hand.
"I'm sure things would be very different if I were native to this kingdom." She replied.
Unsure of what to make of that statement, Gaara shrugged.
"Tell me, my love. What shall we do today? Shall we request an audience with my father? Or shall we watch the execution of a traitor we caught?"
The princess cocked an eyebrow. Execution? She had no idea they were holding a prisoner. And what of the trial? Was that held from her as well? Or maybe...her brown eyes castes to the doors that were still open. Neji was still softly speaking to Hinata. Was that where he went last night? Did Neji sneak off to see a prisoner with Gaara?
"Tenten?" Gaara hummed.
"Oh, right…I was not told you held trial recently…" the princess replied looking at Gaara.
Tilting his head to the side, the redhead informed her to not worry about such political affairs. In this kingdom, it is the King or heir to the crown who holds trial. In this case, it was Gaara who will "throw the axe". A flash went through the bunhead's eyes. The scene of Gaara smashing the desert grunts was playing very clearly in front of her. Pursing her lips together, she merely nodded.
"Excellent. Allow me to accompany you to my father's office. We shall first handle our big day." The desert prince announced offering her his arm.
Standing almost instantly, Tenten reached for him with shaky fingers. She had no idea why she was afraid. Witnessing death is one thing, but when the person you are supposed to marry is the one doing the killing...it is a bit disturbing. Thinking back, Gaara has always been very interested in wounds and stories of the underworld. She had thought it was just the manifestation of the Red God showing through him; now she believes that it was just Gaara. He seems to find some pleasure in violence. Biting her lip, she side glanced at him. He did seem rather uplifted when he told her about the execution just now. He wasn't a monster, she told herself before the thought crawled from the back of her mind. She's known him all her life and he is by no means a monster. Glancing behind her shoulder, she watched as Neji and Hinata continued to speak quietly as they followed them. After turning many corners, crossing paths with many maids and other nobles that lived in the palace, they finally reached the King's office. The servant bowed to them and entered the room, asking permission for the young royals to enter.
"Please come in, your majesties." Came a reply.
Gaara led Tenten into the office and the grand doors closed behind them.
Neji stood in front of the Lady's chamber with his younger cousin. Fingering the daggers on his belt, he leaned back. Hinata waited for her cousin to address her and just stood with her hands folded delicately over her outer skirts. When he finally looked at her, he brushed a piece of his bangs from his face.
"Tell me," he began in a low tone. " What did you find after I slipped away?"
Hinata blinked. After he left, Mikki had questioned her on what she knew and how much of it she understood. The Hyuga Lady merely told him that she was just following orders and that information was being given to her in pieces, as it became available. To her knowledge of any political conflict with the Cloud Kingdom, it was nothing very impressive, more of the basics of why there was conflict in the first place. Mikki had offered to share some information in exchange for some other information. To this Neji cocked an eyebrow.
"And what did you say?"
Hinata shook her head.
"I wanted to discuss it with you first. The offer still stands since he had sent a note to my chambers this morning." Digging into her sleeve, she handed the assassin the note.
Neji read it over for himself. Nodding, he pocketed the note and gave her permission to speak to him.
"Mikki is an ally of mine. He is to be trusted to a certain extent. The only thing I caution you with is to beware of his offers. He is a business man; he will attempt to get something out of the agreement even if you have nothing to offer." He murmured as he twirled a strand of hair in between his fingers.
"Neji," Hinata stepped forward. "I know you told me not to ask questions. However, if it is involving my best friend, we need to talk about it."
The assassin paused in his fidgeting and sighed.
"If I tell you and the information fell into the wrong hands, it could be a mess." Crossing his arms over his chest, he tilted his head to the side. "Fine, I will tell you."
Hinata nodded swiftly, understanding the importance of keeping this absolutely silent.
"Let us start from the beginning; the Cloud kingdom had underwent a tragic food shortage years ago. They were unable to grow crops due to the fact that their kingdom resides in the mountains. You may think, the mountains have a wonderful source of food and shelter. However that is not the case… they were isolated, being up in the mountains. During the winter, they suffered large land losses and had to spend money on importing goods from the other kingdoms. Due to the fact that they were isolated, and wasn't very friendly with the other kingdoms, no one replied to their cries of help. So, the Cloud King turned to the kingdom that held many riches and was the main ally of the other kings. If he could persuade the Golden King to aid him and be considered an ally, the other Kingdoms would follow through as well."
Hinata pursed her lips together.
"The Golden King, however," the assassin continued "had not forgotten a previous war that costed millions of lives and gold. The council hadn't forgotten about it either. In this war, the Golden Kingdom had put his trust in the Cloud Kingdom to be of aid and shelter for his army-who was fighting the Earth Kingdom as you know from your studies. Anyway, the Cloud King decided to take this opportunity to take some army men into captivity, in hopes of using them to his own advantage and learning the Kingdom's famous war tactics. The King had attempted to do it in secret, however he was not swift enough to take the warriors without notice. When the Golden warriors refused to share their combat secrets, stating that it went against their oath, he had them executed and the Golden army driven out of the mountains."
Neji paused and watched as his cousin tried to process the information before continuing.
"So now, in their darkest hour, the Golden King refused to give aid to the Cloud King who double crossed him-"
"If he knew that he double crossed our king, then why ask for our help?" Hinata asked.
"It's an economic topic I refuse to get into with you, simply because it is too tedious to explain. Even I loathed learning about it in the guild." Neji mumbled.
"So what's going on now?" Hinata asked.
Neji sighed. Revenge is an annoying ordeal; the Cloud King threatened to take the princess into custody himself and use her as a trading item. Her life for the Golden King's money to feed his people. The kidnapping attempt of the princess was indeed a wake up call for the King and council. Thus his current occupation as a bodyguard.
"What about your mother?" She asked hesitantly.
At this, Neji didn't have a response. He had no idea why his mother was taken. He didn't even know if she was taken or left herself. The Hyuga Lord was sending money to the Cloud Kingdom, possibly for her, however he didn't know for sure without going over there himself.
"The reason why I have you mapping out these key rooms is to have an escape route. If I have to hand off the princess to someone it's going to be you…" he looked down. "Or that Uchiha bastard, if he ever returns."
Hinata hummed softly. Sasuke has been away for quite some time now. She doesn't recall Tenten ever mentioning him anymore, or receiving letter from him. Neji shrugged at this. He recalled being told to never approach Orochimaru. He liked to do human experimentation on beggars and those who were dying soldiers. His morals differed from the norm and his obsession with pushing the limits of the human body was rather unethical. He was pretty sure even the Goddess herself had forbid him from ever entering her temple again. The Hyuga Lady blinked.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked.
"It's just…" she murmured. "You've always been against the Gods and Goddesses…I never knew you made peace with them."
The Assassin's lips parted, but no words came out.
"Has your love for her really changed you?"
Neji pursed his lips together and and leaned his head against the solid surface behind him. Perhaps, he thought. He has never desired someone's touch so badly that he'd have to put himself back into place. He has never been so aggravated by someone's sharp tongue. He has never been so enchanted by someone else's presence that he could not look away. Love, as it seems, creeped up on him in the most unusual way.
"I suppose you can think about it like that, Hinata." He mused.
Hinata was about to reply when she noticed the prince walking towards them with the head maid. Closing her mouth, she bowed as the red head passed. Neji merely glanced at him as the prince was granted access to the room, but nodded at Sana. His pale eyes followed the prince through the doors. An action that didn't go unnoticed by the Hyuga Lady. Admittedly, Hinata had been watching her older cousin; his mannerisms, his facial expressions, how still he kept himself. She knew that there was no amount of training in her reach that she could obtain to reach his level of work. However, she has been practicing keeping a calm pace as she spoke. Undoubtedly, Neji had picked up on it from when they had begun talking s few moments ago. Would he ever give her the time of day other than to give her an order? Probably not. She did know that when the time came that he needed her, all he had to do was say the word and she'd be there. It was this natural sense of loyalty that drew Neji to her. Hinata had a keen sense of what was right and wrong, unlike the rest of the family that blindly followed the family head and its council. It was then she realize that became the assassin's official intel source. He had many already, why did he have to choose her? It was the way she was able to walk around without drawing up suspicion and the fact that she was practically invisible. Unlike Mikki, she was also someone he could tell as much information that he wanted without having to pay her in return.
"You look wonderful with a tan. It is as if you were native to the desert, Tenten." The prince's voice sounded clear from the room.
Turning his head, the assassin released an exaggerated eye roll. Hinata covered her mouth and let out a laugh. A few moments later, the royals exited the room and trekked down the hall. Neji stepped into foot behind them, motioning to Hinata to follow at his pace.
"What of the prince? What is going on back home?" Hinata asked quietly.
Neji slowed his pace to keep a good distance behind the couple. Tilting his head, he sighed.
"Shin is working on decoding the message I had Sana send. It was basically what I told you, however I have an idea what's coming. Granted, I am no prophet, but a guess is better than being led blindly around the forest at night."
Hinata nodded in agreement.
"[The Cloud Kingdom] has been sending fake paddlers and stand ins into kingdoms to either steal or distribute these journals that hold the dreams and memories of its holder...from the time they get the journal all the way to their death," The assassin explained as they turned a corner. "Because the Golden Kingdom had a large usage of magic with its people, accessing such a piece is rather easy, even by accidental. To prevent panic and social discomfort, the paddlers have been taken into custody."
"What of the books?"
"It is up to Shin to figure out how to handle them." Neji stated. "If it were up to me, I'd have my assassins burn them."
Hinata hummed to herself softly. This was a very annoying political matter. The group stopped in front of a pair of doors. The Assassin leaned himself against the wall opposite of them with his arms crossed over his chest.
"We will be a while. Make yourselves comfortable." Gaara stated before leading Tenten into the room.
Neji sucked his teeth and reached once more for that letter Hinata handed to him earlier. He told her that he will reach out to Mikki, accepting his offer of information. Hinata nodded swiftly.
"What do you wish for me to say?" She asked.
He needed something rather personal. And he knew Hinata wouldn't be caught with this information and held under suspicion since she is the oldest of the main Hyuga family. He needed information on his mother; why she was sent away...or if she was taken. The money needed to be traced. Rock Lee could only do so much back home since he was assigned to the Hyuga post. The political things will be handled when the times comes, but for right now he needed to take this opportunity to get whatever he can out of Mikki about his mother as he could before this blasted wedding. The raven haired Lady nodded in understanding.
"And while you do that….I feel you should hear something else."
Hinata jumped at Sana's voice. Neji didn't even need to glance in her direction to show that he knew she was there.
"I am grateful for your service, Lady Sana." The Assassin announced.
The head maid shrugged; she does what she is told to do. Sana brought news that the peddlers have been held in the custody of the prince. The king a growing rather suspicious, however has not made any move to investigate yet thanks to Kakashi's distractions of domestic needs that need to be met in the Kingdom. Additionally, Lady Tsunade is now aware of the situation and is readying her staff for any surprise visits from the Cloud Kingdom. The assassin nodded, Lady Tsunade was a force to be reckoned with. The Uchiha clan, Sana continued, has been monitoring the actual outer rings to halt any unnecessary travel between the statues. Neji could hear Sana's right tone as she continued to mention the Assassin Master and his recent interrogation. The Hyuga boy hummed as the head made recited a message to him. His master warned him to be observant of the Desert guards and if the prince. It seemed to be an obvious request, however if his master needed to mention it, that means something is coming and he doesn't know when.
"Sana," Neji looked at her. "When you leave today with Tenten, have other Ladies with you. Even ask a few guards."
"You are not coming?" The maid asked.
"I have some more investigating to do on a personal matter. Please stand by for further instructions."
Sana nodded. Her eyelids slightly dropped downward as she turned to leave. Catching this, Neji's face went soft.
"I am sorry I am dragging you into this." He said.
Sana shook her head, her grey eyes shifted past the assassin's shoulder.
"I am serving my purpose. What use is a maid if she cannot even follow a simple direction?" She smiled a bit before walking off.
Neji wasn't sure whether he should feel bad or not. However, he turned back to Hinata and gave her further information.
"I was able to slip away from the blasted haul and found where they are keeping a traitor." He stated.
"Traitor? In the palace?"
"Apparently they do not a sharp eye on their guards. Information, money, resources...all the sorts being sent out of the kingdom. It was fairly easy to get information out of him. He seemed to be afraid for his life when I mentioned the execution…" He noted Hinata's eyebrow twitch. "Anyway, they plan to march on the Desert kingdom soon."
"Why here?" Hinata asked.
"Because Tenten is here. She is the source of power for the Golden Kingdom. If they capture her, they can use her. Magic source to their own advantages whether it be war or restoring their environment. It's a matter of when...even the kids wasn't too sure." Neji hummed.
"The wedding?" Hinata suggested.
Perhaps, he thought. But that seems a bit too obvious. Especially since he was sure there would be high security. Plus weddings in this Kingdom were public events. It would be too easy to pick out who was not native to either the Golden or Desert Kingdom. Hinata shrugged, she had no idea. To this Neji gave her credit for understanding. Having someone to talk to was like a rock lifted off his foot.
"I need you to do something for me when you go out dress shopping today with Sana."
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Tenten sat awkwardly in her chair as the Desert King hummed to himself. He was reviewing the wedding expenses as well as the construction of a Golden temple. When two Gods marry (or in this case, two embodiments), temples must be built in the joined Kingdoms to signify their unity. The red headed King hadn't even looked up at them. Gaara shared very similar facial feature to his father, that same cold intimidating stare, the way they would clench their jaws when they were deep in thought… Tenten wasn't even sure if the King even wanted to talk about the wedding by the silence and mountains of paperwork. The prince, on the other hand, was drumming his fingers on the wooden bronze arm of his chair, waiting for his father to say something. As if he sensed her discomfort, Gaara had shot her a lopsided smile, unsure of how to make her comfortable. His green eyes glanced around the room. He spotted red roses in a clay vase on the far side of the office. Effortlessly, he conjured up his sand and condensed it into a clay hand. Carefully, he sent it across the room and removes a single rose.
Tenten had her back straight against the chair. Suppressing a huff, the brunette picked at her skirts and bracelets. A sudden audience with the King usually resulted in waiting. Even back at home, she would need to have Tsunade make an appointment with her father. If she were to barge in, he wouldn't take her as seriously. Mentally snorting, she dreaded having to do such a thing. A shiver went down her spine suddenly. Glancing to her left, she saw a red rose floating next to her ear and being handled by a clay hand. A small smile crept onto her face as she took the rose. Her brown eyes looked over at Gaara. The Red prince winked at her before clearing his throat.
That was when the King looked up.
"Reviewing the costs of the wedding, it seems that the most expensive part is the flowers." The King stated. "Lady Tsunade has insisted on white lilies...however they are only native to the Golden Kingdom. Importing them will cost a pretty penny."
Gaara merely blinked.
"The temple will be styled to your own Kingdom, my dear," the King looked to Tenten. "Your father has predicted a migration of many Golden subjects to this kingdom after you wed."
"Where would it be located?" She asked.
"On the East side of the desert. I would have had it placed next to the Red God's shrine, however the shrine takes up a large amount of space and construction could disturb any worshiping." He murmured.
Tenten nodded.
"For the travelers who settle here, will there be houses already built?"
"By commission. I have already spoken to your father about that. They must commission an establishment at least a year in advance. Since we are not divided by rings here, he suggested I'd be best to have an area that was equidistant from the market and palace."
Gaara glanced over at Tenten. She hummed to herself. Did she understand any of it? He supposed she did since the Golden kingdom was usually ruled by women until her grandfather took power.
"I would like to review the trading agreements and educational institutions." Tenten stated.
The Red King paused. He looked at her face carefully before taking a piece of paper off of his desk and handing it to her. The princess' brown eyes quickly dashed along the paper. Her face never scrunched in confusion which intrigued Gaara. Admittedly, he has never sat in on her studies, or her court gatherings. Lowering the paper, the princess looked at the King in the face and told him that her father will o my approve of this if she was to take charge of these policies. The King's Red brows shot upward to his hairline. Gaara sat back as well. She refused to be a shadow to the throne. Her blood line has always demanded the power of a woman and she was too stubborn to step down.
"Forgive me," the King cleared his throat. "However, I believe it is your brother who is going to handle these policies."
Crossing her legs, the princess shook her head. Just because her older brother was chosen as a successor, does not mean he was given the formal education to be a ruler. She had obtained the same education as any heir to the throne in any kingdom. By this, she explained, she is more than qualified to handle her own kingdom's policies. And since she was to marry into this kingdom, there were going to be some changes that they would all have to get used to. The King pursed his lips together, swayed by her persuasive language and merely nodded.
"The date has been set by myself. I feel that the sooner we have this ceremony the better. Plus your Nanny and own head Maid have been working on the details since before you even arrived here." The King announced. "Three weeks time. And the coronation will be that same day."
"Yes, father." Gaara said.
Tenten remained still. So soon? That means she'd have to produce an heir sooner than she'd want to. The King waved his hand in dismissal and told them to change for the execution.
Tenten's eyes met Neji's as they exited the office. Hinata was gone, she noticed. Gaara had reached for her and in the process, caused her to jump. His cold hand grasped hers as he told her to dress in her country's funeral clothing before leaving her in the hallway with the Hyuga Assassin. Clenching the rose, the princess sighed. Neji watched as she leaned against the door frame and held her head upward. Her eyebrows went south and her bottom lip was being grinded in between her teeth. Whatever happened in there, he thought, caused her to become absolutely distressed. The way she scrunched up her nose told him she was trying not to cry. He knew that she hated when people say her cry; it made her look weak and worried others around her. The assassin could see it in her cheeks, the red color they were now turning to desperately hold back her tears. No words he had could console her. Then again, he wasn't too good at making others feel better. Glancing down the silent hallway, he decided to stand here with here until she was ready to move. If here too long though, he would have to cut off her time to get her emotions together. Nobody should ever see a princess cry, he remembered his master telling him. They will lose all respect in you if you see them at their weakest; they were conditioned to always show no sadness or worry in order to keep their people from those emotions. So, Neji slipped his silk headband over his eyes. He could still hear her, but he could not see the tears that were flowing down from the corners of her eyes down to her chin. She tried had to contain her sniffling and gasps, he realized. That was when he covered his ears. He tuned out her cries and didn't see as she crumbled to the floor, still clutching the desert rose. Ever since they had arrived, she had tried to convince herself that she loved Gaara, that she could be his wife and Queen. That she could bare his children. The princess pushed herself to trick her mind into pushing off her conscience. Now that it was all so close, it was ripping through the surfaces of the depth of her mind. The Goddess' chariot hadn't crashed into Neji; it had crashed into Tenten. And she was taking the blow in full force. The assassin pursed his lips together. The crystal on his forehead felt heavy as she wept; the feeling spread down his own face to his chest. This emotion was all too familiar to him, though. It took him back to when his father was killed, when his mother had vanished, when his family turned their backs to him and left him to the guild; unwilling to handle him and his talents. But, he knew Tenten's pain was different. Her heart was weeping and her mind couldn't hold back the emotions. It was when the crystal stopped bringing down his brow that he uncovered his ears. Her sobs had lessened to shallow pants. When she became completely silent, he lifted his headband.
Her cheeks were still red, but her eyes showed no sign of tears. The rose was tossed onto the floor as she nodded at him. The assassin followed behind her as they began to walk back to her chambers to change.
"I will be married and crowned in three weeks." Tenten told him as they turned a corner.
An eyebrow popped upward but he kept his mouth shut.
"After this execution, we must practice our alliance as scarcely as possible. I cannot afford to make any mistakes from this point on."
Neji blinked and stopped in his tracks. She still wished to have him in her bed even after her marriage. It would be going against the moral standards of the God's unity. Then again, if the assassin remembered correctly, the Gods were never completely tied to one mortal or other spouse. As she walked ahead, Neji felt his left pink twitch. It was an incredibly odd sensation that left him baffled. He needed to control his own mind if Tenten was going to remain in an emotional state. Picking his pace up, he caught up with her once more.
"This union of gods will be a long one. I am going to need you to keep up with what I am about to tell you." Tenten stated. "We will practice it a few times, and it could be painful, however it is necessary since you are tied to me forever."
They reached her room. The desert guards bowed to her and the doors were opened. She turned to the assassin.
"I will not tolerate any distractions from here on. Even the slightest mistake could throw everything off course."
Neji nodded; in other words, he needed to keep his hands off of her. Tenten lifted her chin, and with a swing of her red skirts, she disappeared into her room.
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Executions were public. The Red King wanted to make it clear to the whole kingdom that those who betray their God, gets stripped of their honor and life before everyone who sees it. It took place in front of the palace. There was an area designated for this sort of thing. A simple clay stage with a metal pole to tie the victim to. The loyal subjects gathered at a safe distance to observe and throw stones at the traitor as well as shout profanities and pray to the Red God for protection against any other traitors who could arise. The King was not attending this execution, as Prince Kankuro had told Tenten. It was an audience of the crowned Prince and future queen. A row of Desert Guards lined up from the palace gates to a seated area. Tenten held onto Gaara's arm as they walked over to the cushioned seats. Her lower lip wobbled slightly at the thought of seeing Gaara kill in front of her, once again. The princess' ladies were escorted by her Assassin into a crowd at a safe distance. The crowd cheered at the sight of their Prince. Tenten could never wrap her mind around why Gaara thought he was unwanted. He was usually isolated from others unless he was visiting her, Temari had once told her. His ability to kill was feared greatly. However when it came to this sort of situation, he was rendered a hero who vanquished the evil and protected his people. Gaara raised his hand and the crowd fell silent.
"Bring forward the traitor." He commanded.
Tenten's eyes grew wide as Kankuro tied the traitor to the pole. He was a young man who looked to be her own age. There was no fear in his eyes as if he accepted death as a friend. His features were exotic to her; his square jaw and sharp cheekbones. His eyes were a deep green color that reminded her of the forest back in the Golden Kingdom. His skin was an olive tone with red patches and scars. They had tied his silver hair back into a ceremonial bun with a metal clip. The crowd gave a roar as rocks flew onto the stage, occasionally hitting the boy at all angles. Tenten gripped onto her white skirts. Her corset stopped her from sinking into the seat. She wanted to look away but she knew if she did, she'd be labeled as weak in front of the whole kingdom. Why did this make her feel different than the other time she witnessed Gaara kill? Perhaps it was because last time it was out of self defense? Selfish, she thought. The traitor's groans got louder with every stone thrown. The princess glanced over at Gaara. He said causally in his seat with his cheek in his palm. It was as if this was a common occurrence in this kingdom. Now that she thought about it, she really had no idea what went on outside of the basic textbook history she had learned from Lady Kurenai. Then, Gaara raised his hand and the wave of stones stopped. Sitting up straight, he cleared his throat.
"For betraying the kingdom that has given you work. For betraying the kingdom that housed you. For betraying the kingdom that gave its trust in you; the council has found you," he raised his hand, "Guilty."
Sand began to swarm from the very ground everyone stoop upon. It encircled the young boy. Lifting his chin, the traitor looked to the sky as the sand attached itself to his body. Neji squinted as a shadow appeared behind the boy. Either his eyes are playing tricks on him or the his master's god has made an appearance. This wouldn't be the first time he has seen a God. He has met the Golden Goddess more than once through Tenten. However, to his knowledge the God of Death was very selective of his mortal vessels. He was one to be worshiped without a physical form. According to the texts, it's been eight-hundred years since he has taken a body as his own. But that fact that Neji could see the shadow was unsettling. Glancing beside him, he concluded the that others could not see what he could. He looked to Tenten. Her face has gone pale and her eyes were no long lower on the boy, but looking behind him. Interesting, he thought, she could see him too.
"Any last words?" The Red Prince asked.
The boy nodded and closed his eyes.
"May the Golden Goddess grant mercy on your soul, Red Prince!" He exclaimed
The princess let out a small gasp. No insult? No threat? This young man was wishing him well? And the fact that he spoke of the Golden Goddess was also rather surprising. The Cloud Kingdom worshiped the God of the Sky (also known as the Grey God). There had been stories of both Gods and their favorable adventures. However, to not plead to your own God was unheard of.
"May the God of Death have mercy on you in the underworld…" Tenten whispered as she clasped her hands over her chest.
As if he had heard her, the Cloud subject met her gaze. Gaara's hand squeezed shut and blood rained down onto the ground. It splattered everywhere, even onto Tenten's white dress. The red liquid seeped into the fabric, staining it. The smell of iron filled the air as the body crashed to the stage, lifeless. The crown prince's eyes were wide with thrill and his teeth flashed from behind his lips in amusement. Drops of blood dropped from his cheeks as he sat back in his seat having finished the job. The princess' heart stilled for a moment; she was unable to breath. A life taken so easily right before her. The sound of the bones crunching in the minerals nearly caused her to cover her ears, but she didn't-for she was no weakling. The crowd cheered as Kankuro and his men removed the body from plain view. Tenten's stomach was beginning to feel unsettled.
"Tenten?"
She turned to Gaara. He reached out a hand and touched her cheek. The princess didn't flinch this time, nor did she reply.
"You look pale. Are you unwell?" The redhead asked softly.
"I…" Tenten murmured. "My stomach is unsettled. Perhaps, I should not have come."
Gaara sighed. He promised her that she will never have to see it again; another body crushed by his hand. The crowned prince raised his hand upward and sand began to encircle the both of them. Tenten watched as the sand hardened into clay and hovered in front of her. The Desert prince then stood and told her to sit on the flat surface so he could carry her back to the palace. She decided to take him up on his offer and sat herself in the floating platform he was created for her. It was cold to the touch, like his magic usually was. The crowd slowly departed and that was when the Royals made their way back to the palace. The Hyuga Assassin watched as they left, he too was feeling uneasy. The girls next to him were still in shell shock at the public scene.
"That was uncomfortable to watch." Ino murmured.
Hinata nodded in agreement.
"I'm not sure whether to be happy or terrified that Tenten is going to marry someone like this." Sakura said.
Neji exhaled and gestured for them to follow him back to the palace. Sakura had just said aloud what they were all thinking. He too wasn't too sure how much he liked what he just witnessed, but it was for a different reason; the God of Death had shown himself to the assassin and no one else. The Assassins worshiped this god and used their targets as "offerings" or to make their death swift. They knew they were damned, however actually seeing that shadow caused him to be unbalanced. What could that mean for him? He was never into putting his faith into the Gods and Goddesses and that has definitely changed when he met Tenten. However, he was still skeptical of his importance to them. There had to be something he could read up on to find some connection. His forehead began to heat up suddenly. He wasn't too sure if it was Tenten or his actual body heating up. He suddenly stopped, a migraine has begun and he was unsure of why.
"Neji?"
The Ladies watched as the assassin doubled over. His face turned pale and yet felt cold. Sakura reached for him, trying to remove his headband so she could check his temperature, however Neji swatted her hand away so she could not touch him. The assassin didn't appreciate others trying to tend to him when he could handle himself just fine. Ino started to yell for the guards, but the Hyuga teen snapped at her. After a few moments, his heart rate slowed and his vision had sharpened. Slowly, he stood straight and inhaled.
"Neji, are you alright?" Sakura asked.
"Yes. Let us keep going."
The Ladies glanced at each other and followed closely behind the assassin, ready to catch him in case he doubled over again. Once they were inside the palace ring, Neji had left them to do whatever Ladies in waiting did and trekked into the corridors. His forehead was still feeling very warm as he turned a corner. Was this Tenten? He thought. Deciding to check on her, the assassin decided to head to her room. With every few steps, his legs felt heavy and his hands began to sweat. The desert heat had increased, he thought, however he has handled worse conditions. He had reached the princess' wing. The guards moved out of the way, however, his body wouldn't move.
"The princess…?" Was all he could muster up.
"She is asleep, but Sana is in the room. Do wish for passage?" One guard asked.
And then he blanked.
The guards shuffled over to him. One had entered the room to call for the head maid. Sana rushed into the hallway having heard the commotion and pushed over some of the guards. They all back away slightly, however remained hovering over the teenage boy. Putting a hand to his pale cheek, the head maid had concluded that he had a fever. But it wasn't an ordinary fever, she mused as she removed his headband. Sana paused as she noticed the crystal embedded on his forehead. The skins round is was blush and hot.
"We must bring him to his chambers where I can treat him." Sana stated.
One of the guards picked up the young assassin and followed the head maid to the other side of the wing. He was put onto the bed and stripped of his blades and jumpsuit. Sana rested her fingertips on his forehead and summoned up her magic. A green aura glowed her her hands as it drifted into the assassin's skin. The red skin had begun to fade into a soft pink tone after a few minutes. This was unusual for the assassin to suddenly fall ill. And the unusual redness was not familiar to the head maid. This was definitely something she'd have to have Tsunade's professional opinion on. The assassin groaned when Sana removed her hands.
"This is very strange." The guard stated. "He was fine a few hours ago."
"Yes, strange indeed." Sana's grey eyes scanned over the assassin's body. "This is not a typical fever. I do not know what is going on with him."
The guard hummed. Perhaps the assassin's body was finally feeling the effects of an environment change. To that,Sana considered it, but ended up shaking her head. Neji has been in the Desert Kingdom before for long periods of time.
"Perhaps it is an adolescent thing?"
"You may be onto something. Teenagers are a bit difficult to track when it comes to many things. Even my own children had health problems I could not help because it was just the stage of life they were in." Sana replied.
"I will stay with him, if you wish." The guard offered.
"Yes, thank you, Roan. I will return later. Do send for me if anything changes." The head maid said before leaving to room.
Walking to her office, Sana tried to think of the possible illnesses the Assassin could have gotten. He hasn't left the princess' side (to her knowledge) and he trained daily. His eating habits were regular and he showed no signs of discomfort since she has returned. There had to be something she could do for him. Deciding to send a letter to Lady Tsunade, the maid had made a mental note of all of the assassin's symptoms. If nothing were to come up, she would need to summon a doctor...that would be an annoyance. Especially since most assassins did not appreciate all of the questioning that comes with a check up.
"Very strange indeed….and I must summon the royal dressmakers to the palace for her majesty." She sighed. There was so much that has to be done.
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The princess's hands continued to shake even as the dressmakers wrapped Ruby red fabric around her body. She had told Sana she was feeling unwell, however the head maid just had made her suck down some herbal tea. Tenten pursed her lips together as a corset was tightened around her midsection. The dresses were beautiful, all the choices she was presented with were exquisite. Choosing only one would be rather difficult. Red, was a very traditional color to get married in, even back in her own kingdom. The big difference was that on top of her Ruby dress, the princess will sport gold jewelry that was incredibly heavy to walk in. The skirts were weighed down by the gold plates that jingled all the way down to her ankles. Her shoulders were being pressed down by the wide chained necklace that had both gold panels and actual Ruby crystals. Afraid that her ears will stretch, she asked Sana if she could have studs in place of the dangling golden beads. The head maid shook her head; everything was necessary. Sucking her teeth, the princess had to shift her whole body weight in order to stick her foot out to try on a shoe. She hadn't trained in a very long time and her body was losing it's toned stature. If she wore this kind of outfit everyday, she'd be as strong as Master Gai or even Neji….
"I have also sent for the scarring to take place within a few days." Sana told her.
Tenten resisted the urge to sweat. That's right, she had forgotten that her hands would be scarred in a marriage design for the wedding.
"Do not worry, it is painful at first, however when they get to the third layer of skin you barely feel it anymore."
The princess pursed her lips together; this was a whole new kind of pain she wasn't ready for. Deciding on the Dress she was currently wearing, Tenten changed into her lounging attire and sat herself on her sleeping cushions. At the moment, she could really use some company. Especially since that shadow she saw earlier had been on her mind ever since she had returned into the palace walls. Leaning back, she hummed to herself. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen Neji since the execution. Where did he run off to?
"Sana," the princess called.
The head maid walked out of the changing room. She stood in front of the princess expectantly.
"Fetch Neji for me, please. I seek his company." Tenten stated.
Her eyes went wide as the maid shook her head. Unfortunately, the assassin has fallen ill and is currently resting in his chamber. He is unable to leave, for he is asleep. Tenten blinked. Neji? Sick? She didn't believe such a thing was possible. Well, that was a ridiculous thought...of course the Hyuga was capable of getting sick, but he was in great condition and showed no signs of illness since...well for as long as she can remember. He was always in top condition and took very good care of himself. If he is unable to guard her, then who?
"Until he is able to care for himself again," Sana looked at her with her steel grey eyes. "You are unable to leave the room without an escort of no less than five guards."
Tenten's mouth fell ajar slightly. She had to be accompanied by five or more royal guards at all times? There was no point in leaving her room then! Sighing, Tenten ordered her to fetch some books and more tea. As the maid left, the princess rolled into her side.
"This blows…" she grumbled.
