All the anger Tenten felt earlier started to melt away and get replaced with self rebuking as she walked further away from the palace. She tugged at her hair and scolded herself for not being able to control her temper.

"Why are the heavens against me? Why?!" She screamed facing the sunny sky. The sun seemed to be mocking her with a bright Cheshire grin. "Stupid sun." Tenten cursed. "Stupid prince. Stupid mouth. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" Tenten repeated remorsefully as she pulled at her hair.

"Why is my beautiful flower repeating the word 'stupid'?" A voice sounded from behind her. She needed not turn around to know who it was.

"Lee! I messed up at the interview!" Tenten groaned in complaint to her best friend, turning around to face him.

"That is awful news. Lee sympathized. "Don't you worry, the Hidden Leaf's lotus blossoms twice, you shall find another opportunity! If you do not, I shall run fifty hundred laps around the Konoha– on my hands!" He proclaimed loudly.

Tenten sighed. Her best friend would actually do according to his proclamation but his words served to inspire. "Thank you, Lee. What are you doing away from the shop?" She asked noticing the basket he carried on his back.

"I was on a delivery assignment." Lee informed as they got into a walking pace to the village. They talked on the way before parting ways as Tenten needed to get to her other workplace at the Inuzuka farm. By the time the day was over, Tenten was tired and weary. She sauntered homewards in need of a bath and sleep as her experience at the palace was stressful.

"Are you Miss Tenten?" A voice asked her from nowhere. Tenten jumped and whipped out a small knife from underneath her clothes before swiftly turning and pointing the blade at the man's neck, who had snuck up on her. "Calm down!" The man yelled, raising his hands above his head. "This is bothersome." He mumbled with a sigh.

Tenten could vaguely recognize the way he packed his hair from somewhere but where? Ah! He was behind the man she ran into at the palace. She had been so angry that she did not stop to apologize or even take a proper look at him. Tenten took a proper look at the man's attire in front of her and paled at the red swirl crest on them.

That symbol belonged to the royal family of the Whirlpool Kingdom. Unwittingly, Tenten remembered the colour of the clothes the man she bumped into was wearing; black and orange. Tenten froze. Black! She groaned internally. Black was royal colour along with purple and white. She yelled at two royal people in one day!

"Are you just realizing it? Your actions could put you in the dungeons for treason." The man burst her thoughts as if he had read her mind and Tenten visibly shuddered.

"A-are you here to capture m-me?" She asked shakily.

"I am not here for that. You must have lucky stars or something because my prince seems to like you. That or he just wants to annoy the hell out of Neji-sama." The man murmured the last part to himself but Tenten still heard it. "You, Tenten, have been hired as Prince Neji of the Kingdom Hidden in the Leaf's personal assistant under the orders of Prince Naruto of the country of Whirlpools, Princess Hinata's...this is such a drag." Shikamaru groaned and rolled up the ridiculously long scroll he had rolled open without completing the message in it.

Tenten blinked. Did she just hear correctly?

"Yes, you heard correctly. You are Prince Neji's personal assistant as of today and are in for a lot of headache. What a drag. Be early to the palace tomorrow, there would be a lot of drama." Shikamaru yawned as he walked away from Tenten. The knife holding hand she had extended remained outstretched. Along with the knife, was a stamped envelope which Shikamaru had placed there and she assumed was a palace pass.

"I was actually chosen!" Tenten gasped and took a detour to Gai's abode, where (she remembered) Anko was. The news called for a celebration courtesy of her master and his son.

All of Tenten's mirth disappeared however when she remembered who she would be dealing with; a self conceited, foul mouthed, jerkish, vulgar, egotistical, unearthly handsome and godlike... hold that thought! Handsome?! Unbelievably so but she would never admit it to his face. His ego need not swell any bigger than it was already.

-

Tenten stood in awe of the woman before her. She was so beautiful, like a painting came to life, and graceful. Pale eyes looked into her caramel ones with the softness of a cloud, which could make Tenten melt. So this is how a princess looks like!

"Tenten-san?" The midnight haired woman called. That was a wake up call to Tenten, who bowed quickly. She was wearing a uniform like the many servants of the palace but unlike theirs, because she directly served the prince, hers were a pale pink and blue colour.

"Hinata-sama!" Tenten called in respect and was surprised when the younger woman giggled.

"You need not be tense around me." Hinata's gentle voice spoke. "You may raise your head."

Tenten did as she was told only to be met with the brightest and bluest eyes she had ever seen. The eyes belonged to a grinning blond man whose hair rivaled the purest gold. Three whisker esque birthmarks adorned his cheeks, the unique features of the one and only prince of the Kingdom of Whirlpools, Prince Naruto.

"Gah!" Tenten jumped back at the proximity between them.

"Sorry about that, hello Tenten!" Naruto gave a smile that could make the sun envious.

"Naruto-sama!" Tenten bowed hastily. "I am sorry for my actions of yesterday. I deserve to be punished!" Her eyes squinted shut as she apologized to the orange clad man. She wondered why he wore orange though, the colour was considered one for the lower class of the society like brown and grey, but the prince wore it all the time as far as she saw.

"What did you do?" Naruto asked in confusion but seemed to remember right away. "Aah, never mind that dattebayo." He pardoned but Tenten was afraid to raise her head.

"I am truly sorry, your highness!" She apologized again.

"It's fine dattebayo. Neji sure knows how to pick the women, he got himself a beautiful girl." The chestnut haired girl flushed at the prince's remark. She was seldom complimented about her looks, the only times being Gai and Lee's loud proclamations, so having a prince compliment her was flattering. "Is she not beautiful, princess?"

"Indeed, Naruto-sama." Hinata agreed with her fiancé.

"Troublesome! Neji-sama would be so angry at you Naruto!" Shikamaru commented from where he was at the sidelines. Tenten was shocked at the casual manner at which the bodyguard spoke to the Prince.

"Don't be a spoilsport Shikamaru, she is good for a stuck up person like Neji." Naruto dismissed his bodyguard and right hand man with a wave of his hand.

"Who would be a good for a 'stuck up' person like me?" A cold yet sultry voice sounded from the door which opened to reveal the man in question in all of his handsome glory. His pale eyes narrowed at the figure behind Naruto. "What is that doing here?" Neji spat.

"Gracious, Neji, I thought your smart mouth disappeared ages ago. Her resume looked good so I took it upon myself to hire her for you." Naruto grinned innocently.

"You imbecile!" Neji hissed and Tenten jumped at the harshness of his voice. "I shall not allow for that to be my maid."

"Neji, don't be such a sour puss. Hime said that you refused all of the other applicants. She is fit for your daily attendance." Naruto defended his decision.

"Look at her, she it out to get me." Neji accused.

"Suppose you accuse her wrongly, you would get into trouble with Hiashi-ojisama." That hit the hammer on the nail for Neji.

"Fine." The prince grumbled. "Consider yourself lufcky that this idiot came to your rescue. You are hired."

"Thank you, your Highness!" Tenten was elated. "Thank you so much Naruto-sama!"

"Don't worry. Be careful, he is extra grumpy in the mornings." Naruto whispered the last bit in her ear and caused her to giggle softly. This goofball of a prince was a friendly soul.

"Neji-niisama, please try to be nice to her, would you?" Hinata requested.

"That would be difficult, Hinata-hime." Neji grumbled in an un-princely way. "Well, are you going to stand there forever? Come on, maid, the rules are not going to learn themselves." And with that, Neji turned around and walked gracefully away.

"Hai!" Tenten bowed to the other occupants of the room and followed her master outside. 'Kami-sama, help me not to murder him in his sleep!' Tenten prayed as she followed after the prince.

Neji uncharacteristically muttered profanities about his new maid in his head until he stopped abruptly, causing the smaller woman to bump her head into his back. He had just remembered something that she said on their first encounter.

Neji turned around with such a speed that his long hair whiplashed her softly on the face. He faced Tenten with new found fear and somewhat respect. His voice and face was calm and stern but his eyes gave away his emotions and his voice almost trembled.

"You are not going to poison my tea, are you?"

And the two meet again. How do you think the romance would progress? Would Tenten develop feelings first or Neji? Try to guess!