The banquet was quite lavish, and it was obvious that the Daimyō Rasa had not been fussy about spending. Festivities of this magnitude had to have cost the wind Crown a lot of money. Hinata wondered absentmindedly if the festivities that would announce the Daimyō Hiruzen's heir would be on the same scale. It was highly likely, and she dared to imagine for a moment being the target of such a celebration.
She shuddered at the thought; she would surely be expected to make a speech in public, something she was still incapable of. If she could afford to be confident - even haughty! - in front of a few people, she couldn't in front of a whole crowd. Fear would consume her, and she would probably stammer. Yet, as duchess, she would surely have to make speeches to her people. But it didn't matter; for now, she was at a banquet where she could enjoy herself without fearing for her life and the lives of her people.
After all, Gaara was there to protect her.
Her eyes fell on her dear prince, who was eating in silence, his eyes fixed on his plate. A few high dignitaries of the Wind Kingdom were seated beside him, but he paid them no attention. This amused Hinata slightly; surely these strangers were of no interest to her prince. Still, she despaired at not being able to sit beside him.
How she would love to eat and talk with him! But she could not; the seats had been assigned for the banquet, and she could not afford to make a fuss over something so futile. She was the Duchess of Yggalë, the most important foreigner, and a distinguished guest. She had to live up to her title.
Her eyes then landed on Princess Temari. Hinata cocked her head slightly to the side as she studied her. Had she done the right thing by supporting her? She needed the princess to owe her, but it was still a risky gamble. If she couldn't get Temari crowned, she would have to try to repair her relationship with Prince Kankurō. She had invited him to tea to gauge him, but she already suspected the headache she would get for arguing with a man who had broken a promise to his own sister.
If he had fallen into the trap she had set for him, it would be easy to manipulate him, but she wasn't sure at the moment. Minister Danzō had taught her a few manipulative tricks, and she had promptly told her own. Kō and Neiji hated them deeply, but Hanika and Hamya had jumped at the chance to teach those who looked down on them a lesson.
Hinata, on the other hand, was of the same opinion as Neiji and Kō. Lying and manipulating were two things she abhorred. As a result, every lie, every false smile, weighed heavily on her mind. She sincerely hoped that Kankurō was as mischievous as he seemed to be. It would ease her conscience and the Nine would surely forgive her more easily.
Another plate of food was brought to her, and Hinata pecked at it without much interest. She had already eaten more than enough, and her stomach was about to explode. Watching the melee would be perfect for digestion! She only hoped that they would be served some refreshing drinks to withstand the heavy heat of the steppes. Luckily they were constantly windy, where one would often faint from lack of air.
"Madam, what do you think of the banquet?" asked Hamya suddenly, pulling Hinata out of her thoughts.
"It's sumptuous," she replied, smiling at her cousin. "What about you? Do you like it?"
"The food is delicious, and they don't look at us like we're repulsive. It's much nicer than the banquets in Ivoïré," Hanika replied.
"I agree," Neiji elaborated. "The people of Suna seem to like us."
"They have no choice. Yggalë is the only passable border region in the Wind Kingdom," Hamya interjected. "If it weren't, I'm sure we'd be looked at unkindly or mistaken for exotic courtesans."
Hinata highly doubted it. After all, the people of the Wind Kingdom did not share an alabaster complexion with the inhabitants of the Fire Kingdom. Besides, the Yggalëns interacted a lot with their steppe neighbors. A good understanding was necessary, and it didn't matter what anyone looked like. The young duchess shook her head slightly. She did not want to strain her mind with such thoughts. Not today, when she would be reunited with her beloved prince.
"Let's talk of happier matters," she said. "After all, this week is sure to be a fun one, isn't it? We are far from Konoha and Ivoïré, nothing will happen to us. I know our last visit here was a nightmare. But I promise you nothing will happen to you."
Hinata had been apprehensive about returning to Suna after what had happened the year before in the palace. Her father had been murdered there, her cousins and her attacked. Still, Hinata knew that she didn't have to be worried or fear for her life. Gaara was there. She instinctively stroked the vial containing a part of her beloved prince's shadow. As long as she wore that vial around her neck, nothing would happen. She and her household would be protected by the power of one of the Nine if anything were to happen.
Finally, it was time for the dances, and Hinata felt her heart beat faster as she stood up excitedly. At the dances, there was no political intrigue. Only music to enjoy, partners to swirl with, and more bewitching lyrics to hum. She was about to walk over to her beloved prince's table to invite him to dance with her when she noticed that he had already gotten up and was walking towards her.
She smiled; he had grown and his shoulders had broadened. He was now a head taller than her and would surely continue to grow, while she would remain of average height. Her clan members weren't known for being tall and strong, after all. Gaara had longer hair as well, and it caressed her shoulders in wild spikes of deep red. How she would love to run her fingers through it! Maybe later, when they were alone.
All eyes were on them like hawks watching a delicious prey, but Hinata paid them no attention. Usually she would have hated being the center of attention, but all that mattered right now were Gaara's eyes. He offered his hand to her, and Hinata felt her cheeks flush tenderly.
"Hinata, will you give me your first dance?"
"With pleasure, Gaara," she replied.
It was quite informal of them to address each other like that in public, but Hinata didn't care. Not only had she been able to call her beloved prince by his first name and not a title he didn't seem to care about in the slightest, but the entire court of Suna would know that she was a dear - if not the dearest - person to the prince. She could already hear them whispering and glaring at each other, but Hinata didn't bother to listen. She wanted to enjoy the dances and music, and leave the politics and lies behind.
The first dance was reserved for the prince and his partner. Prince Kankurō's partner was at most fourteen, three years younger than the prince, and one year younger than Hinata. She was rather slim but tall, blessed with a gorgeous mahogany complexion perfectly complimented by her black hair. Hinata was surprised though that the dancer was not Sari Salèn, the duke's daughter.
"Who is it?" she whispered to Gaara.
"Limera Asà, Kankurō's fiancée. Her father is Minister of Economy, and a long-time supporter of Kankurō", he replied.
Hinata nodded. It was impossible for clans that had been blessed by the Nine to have children between them. Mixing the two magics was sure to kill the baby, and that was if the conception was successful. From then on, rich merchants, famous generals and powerful ministers would arrange to mix a branch of their families with the most powerful clans. Duke Salèn was probably not happy that his daughter had to give up her place to the most normal human, but he could not say anything. Miss Asà was the prince's fiancée, after all.
Hinata glanced at Gaara; he looked deeply bored with the dance. She smiled slightly, amused. Her prince had revealed in his letters that he too enjoyed dancing, though he was far less talented than she was. He was probably looking forward to it, just as she was. Hinata leaned her head lightly against Gaara's shoulder, and took a deep breath. She felt him freeze against her for a moment, before relaxing again. She looked up at him, and found that he had lowered his gaze to her. He seemed pleasantly surprised that she was so affectionate in public, and a new smile broke out on Hinata's face.
She was at a banquet, and by the time of the dancing and the melee, she would be herself. She would not allow politics to ruin this afternoon. She wanted to enjoy herself with her prince, to have a pleasant time with him. She refused to think about the shenanigans of Ivoïré and Suna right now. She had already openly supported Princess Temari, and that was good enough for now.
Hinata closed her eyes, enjoying the music and its lyrics. It was one of the many songs from the poets of the Wind Kingdom, and it perfectly captured the love these men and women had for their homeland, reminding Hinata of the Yggalëns lyrics. The melody was joyful, and the dance was very rhythmic as a result. She had had to practice before leaving, having not practiced such a joyful dance in a long time. The music of the Fire Kingdom tended to be much more solemn, and so did the dances.
When the song finally came to an end, Hinata opened her eyes and looked up at Gaara. He offered her a slight smile, and she answered it frankly. They were finally going to be able to dance together after this long year of separation. She took the arm he offered her and they walked towards the center of the room. All the guests were now invited to dance, and Hinata took a quick look at her own. Neiji willy-nilly agreed to dance with Hanika, while Hamya invited Sire Kō to be her partner. She smiled slightly; her cousin liked to dance, but only in the private sphere. He hated dancing in public. As for sire Kō, he was a poor dancer.
She quickly lost sight of them when the music started. Immediately, Hinata let herself be carried away by the rhythm. She twirled harmoniously with the notes being played, stretching her arms and arching her back. Gaara guided her, carefully avoiding her feet and lifting her up easily. He no longer seemed afraid to lift her, and Hinata smiled as she thought back to the night they met. He had seemed so taken aback by her weight!
Nevertheless, if anyone was going to be surprised today, it would be her. He had obviously improved in dance! Last year, he had almost crushed her feet a few times. But on this day, he was making almost no mistakes, and even allowed himself to hum the words of the song. The melody was an ode to the steppes, told in the form of a fable about travelers falling in love with the place.
When the song ended, Hinata found herself leaning against her prince's warm chest and looked up at him to give him the best smile she could muster. Even though he didn't offer her a wide smile like she had dreamed of, she could see his blue-green eyes twinkling. He was happy, and it filled her with a sweet warmth that made her heart skip a beat. It was a feeling that no poem could accurately describe, and Hinata would love to immerse herself in the oceans of Gaara's eyes forever.
"You always dance so well, I'm afraid I'll never be able to catch you," he murmured as they began a second, quieter dance this time.
"Don't say that. You've come a long way, and it's our fun that counts. Not our talent," she replied.
"You're too good," he sighed, twirling her around.
"Maybe," Hinata chuckled. "I'm also very stubborn" she laughed as she finished her turn.
"I noticed that." He paused, and Hinata smiled to encourage him to speak. He didn't have to worry about his words with her. She would never hold his thoughts against him. "I had missed dancing with you. Dancing isn't one of my favorite activities, I prefer singing to it, but dancing with you is different."
"I do too," Hinata replied. "Dancing with you is different than with my cousins. Besides, I can be honest. There are no lies or manipulation around you. In comparison... Ivoïré is a palace full of liars of all kinds. None of them are telling the truth. Being here... Being here takes my mind off that disgusting palace."
Gaara leaned over, and placed a light kiss on her forehead. Hinata felt her cheeks flush immediately. They were burning hot, and if she had her hands free, she would have put them on her cheeks in the vain hope of soothing the burn. To do this in public was almost indecent! They weren't an official couple, and Gaara hadn't made his desire to woo her known to the public! All the nobles would be talking about this for a long time, she had no doubt.
"Don't fear the gaze of others," Gaara murmured, looking into her eyes. "The nobles here won't dare say a word. They know who I am. At worst, they'll try to curry favor with you. But you had to be prepared for that, right? As the Duchess of Yggalë, I mean."
"Yes, you're right," Hinata admitted.
In retrospect, she had nothing to be ashamed of. Her relationship with Gaara was not official, but who would dare say anything? They were the cursed prince and the duchess of Yggalë. Half the castle would kneel to gain their favor. Her Majesty the Daimyō Mei had always told her to put her power first, to make sure to remind others of their place, especially if they came to disrespect her. She was never to forget who she was and what her strength was. All of Yggalë's strength came from its economic power as a trading hub and its unusually fertile land. She was its representative, and she would not be touched by petty nobles.
"I'm always right," he said with a teasing smile.
"Of course, my dear prince," she chuckled. "Should I beg for you to share your immeasurable wisdom with me?"
"Obviously, I cannot share such knowledge so easily."
"How petty, Your Highness."
"Dear Duchess, you are breaking my heart."
Hinata, unable to hold back any longer, burst out laughing. Today was truly a beautiful day. The songs went on and on, as did the dances, and Hinata found herself unable to hold back from singing the words. Her tone was sometimes off due to the fatigue from the dances, but she didn't stop. In Gaara's arms, she didn't have to think about anything. She could just be Hinata, dancing and singing as she loved. The smile that stretched across her face became almost painful as time passed, but it didn't matter.
Today was a beautiful day.