AN: Hi all. Still dealing with morning sickness that can't tell time and catching up with myself. To be fair, the next chapter is coming along a bit quicker than this one did, but still going to have to make you wait 2 weeks for it.

Also, a most of you said a total of 3 kids, one said maybe 2, however I did have one convincing reviewer say 5 to 7. So, generally speaking, you do want them to have kids, so I will see what number fits best with my ending/epilogue. Honestly, all of the numbers probably could, but I have to think about what makes sense most for Emika and Gaara. Sadly, none of you will know until the end of book 3, which we are steadily getting to. Just counted it out. 8 chapters left after this one. Which means this will be done in February. Hoping I can get back to my usual schedule by December, so this book would be done by early January, but for right now, middle of February.

Positive thoughts! Please review.

Chapter 16

When Akira arrived shortly after breakfast, the first thing he did was to look Gaara over, then said, "That won't do." Gaara frowned as Akira walked over to him and gestured for him to stand. Gaara stood, clearly confused what made Akira act that way. "As the new Wind Daimyo, you have to at least look the part," he stated. "Come. I brought you a suitable suit and eboshi." He wagged two fingers at Kura, who rolled his eyes before pulling out a scroll, and summoning an entire wardrobe. "I had your sizes from last time, but without you here, it's difficult to determine what cut would suit." Akira reached into the wardrobe and pulled out one suit, then handed it to Gaara. "Go, change into this."

Gaara blinked at him, then said, "I wasn't aware playing dress-up was part of this detail."

"You have to dress the part," Emika explained, Akira nodding behind her. "Plays into the old adage, 'Dress for the job you want.' If you don't look like the Shogun Daimyo, that you are one of the Daimyo as well, it will be harder to convince the nobility to back your claim."

He chewed the inside of his cheek, not wanting to be presented to the Daimyos like a prized pony, but he also understood the necessity of it. He took it upstairs and changed. The suit was dark gray with a matching vest. The tie was a deep purple, which Gaara was a bit uncomfortable with. Purple was his brother's color, not his. He tied it anyway, and came back downstairs, fussing with the knot, since it wasn't sitting right.

Akira stepped forward and said, "Allow me, Sir."

Gaara dropped his hands, and let Akira take over. He looked at Emika oddly, and said, "Purple isn't really my color."

"Purple is the color of nobility," she stated. "If you come in wearing such a color, people will notice." She asked Akira something about a sash and stole, although he wasn't sure what she was talking about. Akira gestured to the wardrobe vaguely as she finished wrapping the tie. She walked over to it and pulled out a deep purple sash and black stole. She handed the stole to Akira as she fed the silk sash under Gaara's suit jacket, then fastened it together with a gold pendant of the royal crest. "There," she murmured, smoothing out all bumps and wrinkles.

Gaara raised his brows at that, feeling the sash and pendant added an odd weight to his shoulders. "You're sure this isn't too much?"

"No," both Akira and Emika said in unison. Akira then offered the stole, adding, "It's traditional that all daimyos wear the stole when the House is in session. The princes wear eboshis." Gaara made an odd face, looking at the black silk warily. Emika gestured at him to hurry and put it on, so he rolled his eyes and did as he was bid. All of it was rather odd in his opinion. As he helped Gaara set and fasten the garment and place the eboshi on Gaara's head, which Gaara did not like what it did to his hair. He kept swiping it to the side so it wasn't in his eyes. As Akira dusted off Gaara's stole, he added, "I did wonder why you asked for two, Ma'am."

Emika had pulled out a second stole, and put it on herself, as she answered, "For me."

Akira snapped around, confused, seeing it on her. "For you?" he balked as she finished fastening it. "I'm sorry," Akira murmured. "I believed women, other than elected officials, did not wear the stoles, as they did not participate as Daimyos."

Emika smiled. "Precisely." This caught Akira off guard, but she didn't acknowledge it, instead asked, "Akira, you remembered to bring my tiara, correct."

"Yes, Ma'am," he said, still a little confused.

She blinked at him expectantly. The silence hung between them a moment, then he said, "Yes, sorry," before diving back to the wardrobe and pulling out an ornate box, which he held out to her in a regal manner. She opened it, then placed it on her head, checking herself in the foyer mirror to make sure it sat correctly on her head and didn't make any odd creases in her hair. The tiara was pale gold, ornately designed with diamonds and emeralds. As she adjusted the stole on her shoulders, Gaara noted it was the only color on her.

She turned to Gaara, as if to gauge his reaction. He blinked, surprised by how much he was struck by how she looked. Much like when she stepped out of that bazaar when they were fifteen, and he felt like he finally saw her. He had that same sensation again. He licked his lips, then bowed to her, as he'd learned to bow to the Daimyo. The others in the room watched him awkwardly, before each also bowing.

When he straightened, he saw her smiling proudly at him, which brought his own smile back. "My, aren't you two smiley this morning," Kura stated. He smirked knowingly, adding, "Guess you two had a good time last night."

Gaara and Emika blushed at the insinuation.

"Yeah, Wonderful," Shijima remarked sarcastically. "We were attacked by Kemurigakure ninjas."

Kura frowned at the addition. "Attacked?"

She jutted her thumb over to the sitting area where there was clearly a broken window. "You think the Kazekage just likes his home with broken windows?"

Kura looked around her to assess the damage, mumbling, "Oh, shit. How many?"

"Four," Kankuro answered. "High level too."

"Damn," Kura hissed. "We missed all the action."

"I doubt it's all the action," Chie huffed, looking over to the Princess. Her lips tightened, knowing he was right. Last would not be it. Not by a long shot.

"As fascinating as this is, you have to be at the House in fifteen minutes," Akira interrupted. "So, I suggest we head out." Once everyone was ready, they all headed downstairs, with Akira proudly presenting the gilded-camel bound chariot. Emika stepped in, grabbing Gaara's hand for him to follow her in. Gaara stepped in behind her, sitting across from her as she reached out again. Akira pulled some cards from his breast pocket and handed them to her. She held them close as she closed the door.

"What are those," Gaara asked.

She licked her lips nervously as they felt Akira climb into the driver's seat of the chariot. "At the House, you will be asked to give a speech, arguing for your claim. These are your talking notes," she explained, offering them to him. "I had Akira write them up before he left."

He frowned at them. "I'm much better off the cuff," he stated.

Emika let out a chuckle as if she'd expected him to say that. "For rousing battle speeches, maybe," she stated. "But today, we have to convince the Daimyos of the land to back our claim. You'll be our voice pleading our case."

He pursed his lips. She had a point. Rousing battle speeches he could do. Convincing others he was something when he wasn't, especially in the court of public opinion, didn't come as naturally to him. He always was and is a man of action. "That, I'm not so good at," he admitted.

"Hence the cards," she offered again, which he finally took.

He flicked through them. Most of the arguments seemed rather milquetoast. Banking on if the public bought their love story or not. Banking of if the Lords agreed that they should honor the law, or in this instance change it in favor of stability. He noticed beyond the fact he was Kazekage for the past 6 and a half years, she hadn't listed anything about him being a worthy leader to follow. He tapped them on his knuckle, then said, "Just a speech?"

Emika frowned, then said, "Well, there will be an opposing speaker. Usually, there isn't, but since my Uncle has retained regency powers, likely one of his assistants will be speaking against you, if not himself." She shook her head nervously, but just the thought made Gaara a little nervous. "I don't know what he'd say, or if he'd be speaking first or not."

"Explains why the speech is so soft," he murmured.

"Yes," she breathed. "If you go second, you can rebuttal, however the people's opinion may be set by that point, if what my Uncle's speaker says is damning enough." She moved her mouth nervously as she added, "But if you go first, and the second speaker tears your argument apart…"

"It might look like we're covering something up," Gaara filled in with a sigh.

She pressed her lips tightly into a line, then grabbed his hand and said, "You can't appear as if you married me for power or for the throne. There is no more noble reason to forsake one's self than love. So that must be the reason we decided to forsake our duties and marry."

"But I do love you," he said, squeezing her hand back.

She smiled. His hand was as warm as a desert breeze. "Then hold onto that. For both our sakes."

The carriage came to a stop under a large white building with a domed top and golden spire at the pinnacle of the dome. The front had seven archways with written in gold above it, "All for our Nation," the Land of Wind's official motto. They felt Akira come down from the driver's seat, and then the chariot door swung open. "It's time," Emika breathed.

Gaara stepped out first, then turned to reach for her hand, helping her down. He tried to wrap his hand around hers, but she grabbed his arm, placing her hand at his elbow. They walked in together, the halls filling with whispers as they passed. Kyuurou found them, clearly having sought them out, leading several other Daimyos over. "Good morning, Lord Gaara, Queen Emika."

"Good morning, Lord Kyuurou, Lord Asahi, Lord Botan, Lord Rikimaru," Emika greeted. Gaara's eyes widened, suddenly wondering if he was to remember every Lord's name he's come across in the Land of Wind. There were 281 Daimyos total, not including their heirs, who might also be present.

Lord Kyuurou leaned towards them and said conspiratorially, "The Loyalists are behind you."

Gaara stared at him blankly as Emika smiled. "Thank you."

"If you would let us," Kyuurou offered to Gaara, "We'd like to present you properly to the Daimyos. Given how things work, you'll likely be asked to speak first, then give a rebuttal. However, whenever a new Daimyo is brought in, his predecessor is usually the one who introduces him to the House. However, since Ginmaru is fighting your claim, you don't really have a presenter."

Gaara blinked, surprised at such an offer, but Emika spoke up, "If you have a statement prepared, then yes, thank you."

Kyuurou bowed again, "Sir. Ma'am," with the other lords around him following suit.

As the Daimyos left, Gaara leaned towards Emika and asked, "The Loyalists?"

"One of the political parties. They're relatively new, since they only started three years ago when I turned 18, and tried to get my rights as heir back," Emika explained as she led him towards the chamber entrance. "The main political parties of the House are the Populists and the Aristocrats. The Populists being more focused on civil liberties and bettering the lower classes, but many of their proposals turn problematic when it comes to money, leading to higher taxes over all. The Aristocrats are more focused on the economy, and care little else about anything except the bottom line."

"Which one are you?" Gaara asked carefully.

Emika frowned. "Only an idiot picks sides."

Gaara pursed his lips, then said, "Wouldn't only the callous and wealthy be an Aristocrat?"

"No. Any logical person knows both parties have equal merit and are equally problematic," she explained. "While the policies of the Populists are designed to help the poorest, their implementation causes higher taxes to process the increased bureaucracy around it. Which in the end makes the cost of living go up, meaning more people are classified as poorer. Whereas the policies of the Aristocrats keep the value of our money more stable, meaning groceries are cheaper." She smiled as she added, "Didn't you know it was the Aristocrats that backed the decision to go to war against the Akatsuki? The Populists didn't want to send young ninjas out to war, since it goes against their minimum work age position, and said no unless the Academy graduation age was raised, while the Aristocrats believed dismantling the terrorist group would be a boon for revenue, plus the costs they'd save on reconstruction." Gaara did remember hearing about that debate when he'd already announced to the Council to prepare for war after the first Five Kage Summit. And now he finally understood some of his Uncle's comments about peppers being year round when an Aristocrat was Head of the House. People in his village accused him of being a politician, but ninja politics and civilian politics were incredibly different.

"You said Lord Kyuurou was a Loyalist, though," Gaara pointed out. "So how many other parties are there?"

"Ten? Twenty?" she answered with an odd expression. "It's hard to keep track. Most are parties that branched off from either the Populists or the Aristocrats. Some are a bit crazy, like the Armists, who think we should get rid of the Ninja system, and go back to the Hidalgo system we had a hundred or so years ago, you know?"

Gaara frowned. "I'm not sure I follow."

"The Hidalgo system," Emika reiterated. "Where the ninja clans were sworn to whichever noble family owned the territory they lived in, with the hidalgos being the higher-ranking clan members. Essentially, it's believing the noble families should each have their own private armies again."

Gaara blinked. "I wasn't aware that was something being discussed," he stated warily.

"It's not, really. The party is one of the smallest in the House," she stated as they reached the doors.

The House guards held up their hands, stopping Emika, Gaara, and their bodyguards behind them. "No ninjas or bodyguards beyond this point," the guard stated.

Gaara frowned, then said, "I was invited specifically."

"You may enter, Lord Gaara, however your ninja and your sand may not," the guard stated, spitting the word "sand" disdainfully.

Emika frowned. "This has never been a problem before."

"Beg your pardon, Ma'am. However, this is the first time an active ninja is being considered a voting member," they explained.

"That's horseshit," Emika huffed.

Gaara held up his hand, stating, "It's alright. The other lords are nervous about security. I understand." He undid his sand's holster and handed it to Kankuro, before adding, "Stay nearby." Kankuro nodded, and guided the other guards to a lobby.

Emika was clearly angry about the guard, but when the House Guard stepped aside, and Gaara gestured for her to walk through the doors, she did. She led him down the aisle. The Chamber of Lords was large, and had a huge hall with balcony seating, and 4 aisles that led to a stage. The steps to the stage were carpeted blue-green, and on the stage were the seats of honor. There was a space where the Head of the House would sit, as well as the Shogun Daimyo and his Queen. There seemed to be a secretary on the stage, making a count of everyone coming in and taking their seats. When his eyes landed on Gaara and Emika, he gasped and walked briskly toward them. He gave an awkward smile, then an awkward bow. "M'lord. Your Highness. Allow me to guide you to your seats."

Emika's smile became forced as she asked, "Are we not to sit in the thrones?"

The man laughed nervously, as if she was hoping that was a joke before turning around and saying, "This way please."

Emika set her jaw, then quickly schooled her features. Gaara figured if he were in her exact position, he'd be annoyed too. Seats had been set on either side of the stage mirroring each other. First, two seats each, and then two rows of five behind them. They were led to the right side of the stage, and he gestured to the two front row seats. They sat, and the man quickly walked back to his position on the stage stairs in front of the podium, taking attendance.

As Gaara began to flick through the notes Akira had prepared for them, he felt Emika's knee bouncing out of nerves. He paused, eyeing her knee before grabbing her hand and whispering, "Calm. Everything will be fine."

"You don't understand. This has to go perfectly. So much-," Emika cut herself off with a shake of her head and swallowing back bile. "So much depends on the outcome of this vote. So, we can't have any missteps."

"We won't," he promised. She looked at him, clearly doubtful. But still thankful he said it.

Before they could say anything else, a man with a booming voice stepped towards the stage with a sweeping bow, "Princess Emika. It is good to see you." Gaara looked over surprised. The man had white hair and a full, but groomed, beard and moustache. He had fair skin, but wrinkled around his mouth and eyes, and he wore glasses in front of startling blue eyes. He was also tall and trim. Good shape for his age, and easily over 180 cm. He wore the robes and eboshi of a voting lord, but Gaara was certain he'd never met him before. And the familiarity in his tone made him incredibly surprised. There were several men behind him. One looked to be in his forties, and two boys in their teen years.

Emika beamed as she stood and rushed to him. "Grandpapa!" she exclaimed, hugging the older man tightly as Gaara stood to watch them.

The old man laughed, hugging her back, spinning her around as if she were no more than a child. As he set her down, he chuckled conspiratorially, "Or should I refer to you as Queen Emika?"

"Apparently, not yet," she grumbled, rolling her eyes.

The old man smiled slyly back. "Well, that we'll have to change. Now, where is he?" He turned to look up at Gaara, who wasn't even pretending to understand what was going on.

Emika smiled at Gaara, then looped her arm with the old man and pulled him up onto the stage. "Grandpapa, this is my husband, Lord Gaara." Gaara gave a small bow at the neck out of courteous habit. "Gaara, this is my maternal grandfather, Lord Soseki, the Daimyo of Sunafuki Island."

Lord Soseki eyed him curiously, as if seeing something expected, yet pleasantly surprised. "Well, it is nice to finally meet you. I've heard quite a bit about you over the years."

Gaara's smile faltered to his confusion for a moment. "You have?" he asked.

"Oh, yes. The resemblance is uncanny," he stated. Emika cleared her throat, and pinched his elbow, earning a small, surprised, "Ow?"

"Resemblance?" Gaara asked.

"He means to the Fourth Kazekage," Emika filled in before Soseki could answer. Soseki frowned as Emika stated, "Lord Gaara is his son."

Soseki frowned at her, then said, "Well, I knew that. No, I meant …" Emika immediately bristled and cleared her throat. Soseki paused, looking at his granddaughter, who gestured with her head to the hall doors. Soseki looked around, noting the hall was filling quickly now and frowned, then said, "Right. Not here."

Gaara's brow furrowed, perplexed by the turn in conversation. Who did he resemble? "What did you mean?" he asked.

"Ah, another time, maybe," Soseki said with another sly smile, and a twinkle in his eyes that reminded Gaara of the elders just before Ebizou said "Take a wife," back in August. It was the twinkle of elderly mischievous knowledge. He offered his hand to Gaara, which Gaara took uneasily. His hand was soft with wrinkles and a little cold. "Lord Gaara. Again, good to finally meet you." Then he bowed and left, followed by the other men to seats further back on the right side of the hall.

Gaara wasn't sure what to make of that encounter as Emika bustled around him back to her seat. "What was that about?" Gaara asked, watching her closely.

She looked down, inhaling sharply as she gathered her robes in her hands to sit down. "Nothing. It's not important."

Over the past three weeks, Gaara had begun to see the tells Emika had when she lied. At least to him. Like looking down, pretending her hands were busy with a task to hide the detail. "You're lying," Gaara stated softly. Her gaze shot up, glowering at him a little. He pressed his lips in a line, again hurt that she didn't trust him with something. "You look down when you lie. So, what was he talking about?"

She sat straighter and turned to face him directly. "It was nothing. It wasn't important," she said stiffly, her expression stony and her eyes never wavering from his. She didn't even blink.

Gaara licked his lips, preparing to press further when he felt the attitude in the hall shift. He looked over Emika's shoulder and saw Lord Ginmaru waddling down the main aisle, followed by several attendants, and wearing the Wind Shogun Daimyo's headpiece. Gaara's tongue felt heavy in his mouth seeing him, especially after last night. It felt like the first time Gaara saw his father after Yashamaru blew up. A childish part of him wanted to hurt him, make him beg for mercy, to scream at him. And yet he stiffened his jaw and held his tongue, watching the man like a viper in his home.

Oddly enough, Ginmaru watched them similarly, except he seemed to have an air of odd smugness around him. Emika seemed to pick up the vibe after Gaara, and turned to see her uncle, then bristled again, this time with fear. He could see the shaking in her fingers before she clenched her fist tightly. Ginmaru made their way up to them, pausing right in front of them with a sneering smile. "I must congratulate you two on your nuptials. Quite the surprise." He stepped a little closer, adding conspiratorially, "Of course, Gaara, you've still whored yourself to one of us in the end."

Emika's expression fell to confusion, looking at Gaara, who remained stone-faced.

Ginmaru grinned like a cat. "Ah. He didn't tell you. You're Kage and I have been flirting for a little over a year now."

"That's not what I would call it," Gaara snipped.

"She must be paying you more then, to jump so readily in her sack," Ginmaru stated airily, adding to his niece, "You should know by now with the Kazekages, it's all about money." Emika looked away, clearly shocked by the thought Gaara was in anyway like that with her uncle, or that he could possibly be using her more than she was using him. "It is a shame you never invited your husband to Shiowa Castle. We have no idea if he fits in with the family. You're not afraid he won't score as highly as your other fiances, are you?" Before Emika could gather herself to reply, Ginmaru nodded sagely, adding, "I guess you do have to take into account his murderous past." Gaara bristled at that, knowing exactly what Ginmaru was going to lay against him in this debate. "By the way, I hope you enjoyed my wedding gift," he added with a barely contained bitter smile. "It should have been waiting for you at your flat, Lord Gaara."

Gaara's eyes widened at how brazenly he admitted to them about the assassins. Then he realized Ginmaru had the Shogun Daimyo powers. The law meant nothing to him. He controlled the public's narrative. He felt Emika shaking next to him, and he grabbed her hand, not breaking eye contact with Ginmaru as he smiled forcefully. "We made quick work of it. I'd be careful about sending anymore, though. I'd be surprised if we don't have an heir on the way after last night." Emika closed her eyes, and looked down, hiding a blush, as Gaara glared at Ginmaru.

Ginmaru raised his eyebrows surprised, before casting a judging glance at his niece, before smiling back at them, adding, "Maybe next time you'll stay at the palace instead. It is home after all. And your mother misses you."

"Maybe," Gaara said, speaking for Emika, who had gone uncharacteristically silent from fear. Gaara understood it well. This fear was different than the adrenaline-based fear you'd feel when you were facing down death in a fight. This was talking to a family member you once loved and you knew was trying to have you killed. Because then it was only a matter of time before they struck again. Only a matter of odds if you beat them that time. It wasn't just fear. It was terror. "Whether you'll be there or not is another matter."

Ginmaru's smile was forced, not even reaching his eyes, before he turned to go to his seats.

Emika's breath hitched as she inhaled, "Why did you …?"

"Because you are so terrified, you are shaking," Gaara whispered, pulling her hand into his lap. "And you need to appear unfazed to him."

"He just admitted to sending those assassins," Emika hissed back defensively.

Gaara tightened his hand around hers. "He did it to rattle you. To scare you. Don't give him that satisfaction. Don't let him knock you off balance. Think about this morning instead, and remember I am right here." She frowned at him, unsure why that would help. He sighed, rubbing his thumb over her hand as he said, "I love you. And I will always protect you. The day I took office, I made that oath, and I take it very seriously." He then lifted her hand and kissed it, shooting a glare at Ginmaru as he did, who was watching their every movement, as if trying to find a weak spot.

"Thank you," she said softly, gripping his hand back.

He nodded, giving her a small, supportive smile. He didn't need her to say it back in the moment. He knew how she felt, even though she was keeping something from him. He'd told her because she needed to hear it. To know she wasn't alone in this fight. God knew he needed to hear it all those years ago. At least from someone other than the demon inside of him at the time. A better variation of Shukaku's "comfort" would have helped too, since he'd told Gaara all humans were like that, and to never trust a soul, or love, since it was a fleeting emotion. That Shukaku was only protecting him out of self-preservation, not love, because if Gaara died, he died for a bit too.

The Speaker of the House came in, with his secretaries, bowing first to Ginmaru and his attendants, then to Emika, Gaara, and Akira, who had joined through a side door moments before. Then one of the Justices and his secretaries, sitting next to the Speaker, as a symbol of the law being upheld. The chamber was filled to the brim with almost 600 people. Some were spectators, some secretaries, and the rest every Daimyo of the Wind. Filled, the Chamber was both awe-inspiring and nerve-wracking, given Gaara was going to have to convince all these people to give him and Emika the throne. And his trick with the sand whipping his troops into shape to listen to his speech wasn't going to work this time.

Then lastly, Queen Ichika waltzed in, also followed by several attendants. She wore a tailored sea-green business dress, with a purple sash, similar to the one Emika had Gaara wearing, and her blonde hair pulled back in a fine bun with a queenly tiara upon her head. As she walked up, Ginmaru looked at her expectantly. Emika leaned to Gaara and whispered, "Since she's still acting as Queen Regent, she'll be sitting with my Uncle."

That was until Ichika turned to Gaara and Emika curiously, then back to Ginmaru, seeing he empty throne next to him. She pouted, then held up a fan to whisper to her attendants. Her attendants bowed, then filed into the back row behind Gaara and Emika. Ichika turned to them with a proud, motherly smile, then walked to sit behind them, causing whispers to erupt around the hall.

"Your highness," the House Speaker piped up, standing as he spoke. He seemed a bit at a loss, as he gestured to the empty seat next to Ginmaru.

She looked at him blankly, as if regarding something as insignificant as dust before stating, "I shall sit with my daughter."

"Alright then, Ma'am," the Speaker murmured, sitting back down. She was still the current Queen. Her decision was always final. Ginmaru's posture straightened, and his face flushed red with anger as he glowered at Ichika for her betrayal. The hall filled with whispers again as Ichika stepped towards the row behind Gaara and Emika, leveling her queenly gaze on Akira.

Akira blanched, immediately scrambling to put together his papers, which he'd been working on. "Yes, Ma'am. Sorry, Ma'am," he coughed as he scooted his things to the next chair over, and then another chair after that. Then she sat down, staring resolutely ahead.

Emika tilted her head back a little towards her, then said quietly, "Thank you, Mother."

Ichika smiled at her softly, before saying, "Eyes forward, Emika. We're about to start."

The Justice slammed his gavel down, silencing the room as he stood. "All voting Daimyos stand and recite the oath."

There was a loud screeching of chairs as half the room stood. When Ginmaru stood, Emika elbowed Gaara to also stand. He didn't know the oath. It felt like one of those dreams where he was supposed give a speech, then forgot his words, only to find out he also forgotten his pants. Everyone held up their right and, and so did Gaara as he fumbled along with the oath. "I solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Wind and the laws of its citizens; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the Chambers upon which our laws reside."

The Speaker then stood. "I declare this House in Session. Please be seated." Again, the room was filled with the sound of screeching chairs as the voting members resumed their seats. The Speaker turned to Gaara blandly, "Given the situation, Lord Gaara, I assume you do not have someone to present you to the House."

"Excuse me, he does," Kyuurou stated into his mic as he stood from his seat in the middle of the of the hall.

The Speaker frowned. "Lord Kyuurou, please clarify for the House. Are you saying you are presenting him?"

Kyuurou leaned back down to his mic and said boomingly, "I am, your Honor."

Ginmaru was scowling as the Speaker waved Lord Kyuurou up. "Proceed."

Kyuurou gathered some papers, then made his way up to the podium. "Ladies and Gentlemen. Daimyos and esteemed guests. I'd like to start this session by reading the law we have all sworn to uphold. Specifically, the laws of inheritance, including the crown. The third law of the land is a man's Earthly possessions shall pass to his legitimate sons. For all things indivisible, including property and title, shall go to the eldest legitimate son when he becomes of age. If there is no legitimate son of the blood, an heir may be adopted in childhood or through marriage.

"Historically, this is not the first time the crown has been passed to the son-in-law of the Shogun. Nor is it the first time a princess heir apparent has married after a regency was put in place. Yet, it is the first time an heir apparent was denied rights when they came of age. And it is also the first time the standing Regent," he pointed to Ginmaru accusatorily, "has contested the legitimacy of another's claim, that as the law and precedent states is rightfully theirs, rather than stepping down." The declaration earned a murmur throughout the hall, which Kyuurou allowed with a pregnant pause.

"Some will argue that the contesting comes down to the fact that he is not a Daimyo, or more contentious that he is a Ninja. And yes, such change can be scary, but that fear is misplaced in Lord Gaara. I'm sure you've heard some things whispered about this man to scare you. So allow me to clarify some things. Lord Gaara is the Kazekage of the Wind's Ninja, and being the Regional Daimyo over Suna, I feel especially qualified as a witness to the positive changes he's made as its leader. He was the youngest to step into the role, but is by far the highest rated according to public approval, boasting an 85% approval rating among his troops. Since he came to office, he's made great positive changes in Suna's Academy, leading to higher revenue streams from missions, and larger classes with proven upward mobility to higher ranks. All of which has significantly improved Suna's economy. He successfully achieved a peaceful treatise between the Five Great Nations before becoming the Regimental Commanding General of the Allied Shinobi Forces in the Fourth Great War, leading our forces to victory over the Akatsuki. All of this done before he even turned 18.

"In a few minutes, you will hear from him yourself. However, I'm sure he will speak more to the fact his and Princess Emika's marriage is forged in love, a fact no one could contest if they've spent more than a minute in the same room as them. Since her birth, Princess Emika has been taught to find an honorable husband to lead this country in her father's stead. And she chose Lord Gaara. A man who is by all accounts a natural born leader. And should that not be what we look for in our Shogun? A man who will lead this country to greatness and prosperity.

"Such a commendation as Princess Emika's choice in her husband should not be ignored when it comes time to vote.

"So now, I present to you, your rightful Shogun Daimyo, Lord Gaara."

The speech earned applause throughout the Hall, and Emika nudged Gaara to stand and take the podium. As he walked over, Kyuurou offered his hand, and Gaara shook it before taking the stand. "Thank you, Lord Kyuurou," he said, putting his notes in front of him. He cleared his throat quietly, eyeing the mic in front of him oddly, then said, "Good morning, everyone."

He looked at the first card, and read, "They say, Falling in love is when you can't go to sleep because reality has become better than your dreams." He frowned. There wasn't a quote that described him falling in love with her less. He looked at the next card and the next again. It was too milquetoast to say aloud. He'd sound like a sopping fool, and no one would buy it. He could feel Emika's eyes on him, and he chanced a look back at her. She nodded for him to continue with the written speech.

The silence his pause had caused left the opening for someone in the crowd to yell, "Murderer!" Then another to yell, "Go back to Suna!"

The Speaker banged his gavel, silencing whoever decided to speak up.

Gaara tongued his cheek, then set down his cards. Love was not going to be enough for them. "Murderer," he repeated. "Freak. Demon. These were all words hurled at me before at some time in my life. Murderer. Freak. Demon. I'd heard these so much, I'd begun to believe I was born to experience little else. I wasn't born to be a leader, as Lord Kyuurou said, but to be a weapon for my village to wield. To prove myself a capable weapon, I had to accept these monikers. Which meant for a long time, even among people you all would deem my kind, Isolation was my only friend. My only solace. My only safety. And yet, I was still deemed a dangerous failure by those who created me.

"It was only after meeting another Demon like me in Konoha that I learned the importance of one's bonds with others, be it love or friendship. It was after that I finally began to connect and learn what joy meant.

"Years passed, and I made many friends in my new mission to be accepted by my village as one of its citizens. One of those friends turned out to be the Princess Emika. When we first met, we didn't exactly get along. She wanted an adventure, and having lived a life of missions, I didn't see the appeal. But there was something she said about her life that resonated with me. She'd been born the sole daughter of the Shogun, when the world wanted a boy. She was already feeling the pressures of finding a husband suitable to be the heir she couldn't be. The phrase she used to describe her situation was that she was a piece of gold to barter with, and under that identity, isolation in a way had also become her friend. I understood that deeply, being told I was no more than a weapon for most of my life at that point. We were two sides of the same coin.

"It was that connection, that recognition within each other, that became the seed of our love. For a while, it laid dormant, until I saw her, and this time, she was on an adventure, and she finally looked how her spirit felt. I saw her in that moment, and something in me changed. I now know it was when that seed budded to life, and I fell in love. We decided to become friends. She saw my feelings before I did, but I denied them. Then another man entered the picture. I couldn't understand the bitterness I felt, because I thought we were just friends. It took me a bit to realize I was jealous. I couldn't deny it anymore. And when I told her, she was just happy I finally knew what she'd known all along.

"Love has nothing to do with dreams or sleep. It is a deep connection, rooted in friendship, and nurtured until blossoming.

"When we finally discussed marriage as being an inevitability for us, our first discussion was how we would proceed with the country. She could not stand the thought of me abandoning my post without assurances in place, and I would not have agreed if I didn't think either of us could step up to the responsibilities of the crown and lead the Wind to a brighter future.

"As Kazekage, I've fought hard for a lasting peace between many lands that were once our enemies. I've helped improve trade agreements, and have worked hard to nourish Suna's economy and prosperity. These are all things Princess Emika and I would do for the Wind as a nation as its Shogunate.

"Most importantly, like Emika and I realized our love, our marriage was going to happen, this too feels as if it's an inevitability. Ginmaru is the regent, and cannot produce a future for the crown like your princess. Your Queen. Delaying such a move forward is foolish. So, I ask for you not to think about what is easy when you cast your votes, but what the future says must happen."

He finished his speech with a small bow at his neck, then turned to Ginmaru, smiling challengingly and offering the podium. Ginmaru set his jaw, smirking as he itched his ears, and then stood as Gaara moved back to Emika's side and sat.

"You didn't stick to the notes," Emika whispered.

"I could hardly stick to such a soft speech when they were yelling, 'Murderer' at me," Gaara whispered back. He licked his lips, adding, "And I told you I work better off the cuff. Was I wrong?" He raised a hairless eyebrow at her curiously.

She pressed her lips in a fine line, then answered, "No, you did well. Except the whole inevitability part."

"I figure most people, especially daimyos, would know the value of being on the right side of things," Gaara said.

She nodded understandingly, then clarified, "People, especially daimyos, don't like being told they don't have a choice."

Gaara's eyes narrowed a little. "Hm. I didn't think of it like that."

The look she gave him said she could tell, but only looked ahead as her Uncle started his speech.

"Well, that was a good speech. I commend you, Lord Gaara," Ginmaru said, directly to Gaara, facing them both. Gaara saw the slight smirk linger on Ginmaru's face, and knew the Regent knew how to fight in this arena better than Gaara. Ginmaru lifted his hand to emphasize something whimsically as he added, "Especially the part about becoming jealous of one of Princess Emika's engagements. You've touched upon something important that, without making clear the grizzly details of your jealousy, paints a pretty picture. But we'll get back to that.

"Lord Gaara has been Kazekage for six years now, this is true. And while the ninja like him, that doesn't mean he's necessarily a good or noble person to follow. It just means he's a decent, strong ninja. He's studied their magic, which includes controlling another's thoughts and perceptions. You all remember what happened during the war. Being stuck in a dream-world for however long that was.

"Not to mention Lord Gaara has another well-known name still whispered about throughout the Wind. Sabaku no Gaara, or Gaara of the Sand Waterfall. Known for murdering people in the blink of an eye. Whether they were attacking him or just crossing his path on a bad day." Gaara tensed as the heaviness of the claim hung in the air, and he knew it wasn't it. All of his sins, everything he'd never showed Emika, or didn't even know if she knew of him would be laid bare. "And before you defend him, saying it's different between ninjas, that murder is allowed between them as a hazard of their business, or it was when he was Shukaku's host, let me go back to that jealousy he talked about.

"See, last year, his Council had set up a marriage between him and a prominent clan heiress. When she ran away with her long-time lover, he hunted her down and murdered them both in a fit of jealous rage. Again, this wasn't some distant time that he's so-called outgrown. This was just barely five months ago. With that fact known and published by his own offices in their reports, we can deduce two things: The first is that Gaara is a dangerous man with a murderous past that persists to this day, and the Princess was not aware of the horrific history of her husband. Possibly she was put under one of the same spells we suffered during the War. Which leads to the second point, and possibly worse. Treasonous even. Which is that this is not a marriage based on love, but rather a ploy for a ninja to get more power by seizing the throne.

"And for such treason, I call for—" Lord Ginmaru was interrupted abruptly by a large explosion and the west wall of the Chambers being blown in.

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