The conference started at 6 pm and it was held in Uzumaki mansion. The place is huge and can accommodate more than a hundred people. The Minka's structure screams expensive, the garden is filled with hundreds of flowers that almost mimic a flower field and a big fountain with school of koi fish swimming in it. There were several servants that assists the guest once they arrived.
Shikamaru and Temari walked inside the conference wearing their expensive kimono and montsuki. Shikamaru holds her hand tightly with no chance of letting her go. Half of the people inside the room stare at Temari, making her more anxious.
Did they recognize me? Is there someone I know here? Or because I'm new in Konoha?
Eyes on the floor, Temari hesitates to look at the crowd. On her periphery, she saw a man with red hair, Sasori, He looked at her once she walked inside the room. She peeked at his location, his eyes still focused on her. She saw 2 other men he was with, one with white hair in slicked back style, his montsuki was loosed where his bare chest is visible, and another man with blonde hair holding an origami.
Shikamaru saw that she was looking at the floor, so he turned himself in front of her.
"Nervous?"
"—no, I told you I'm not good at socializing with people"
He starts placing a gentle kiss on her temple, then her cheeks, and head.
"Shika-Lord Nara, what are you doing?"
"Telling all the people in this room whose eyes are on you that you're with me, you're mine"
"Right, that I'm your Tori?"
"No, you're mine"
The conference presentation started and lasted for an hour. They meet with the Lords and Ladies whose friends with Shikamaru. After the presentation, the attendees dine at the mansion, and beautiful koto and shakuhachi music was played the entire night.
A masked white-haired man approached them, he greeted Shikamaru and Temari but his eyes were on Temari. She immediately looked away and looked at the fountain outside the mansion.
"Good evening, Lord Nara and?"
Shikamaru introduced Temari to him "Lady Temari"
"Nice meeting you Lady Temari" His eyes are visibly shocked. Kakashi recognized her, he met Rasa before and seen her when she was still a little girl. He wanted to confirm if it was really her and when Shikamaru said "Temari", no doubt it was really her.
"May I speak with you, Lord Nara? Alone please?"
Shikamaru narrowed his eyes in confusion "Lord Hatake, is this important? Perhaps, she could be at my side during our-"
"No, it's fine. I'll be at the fountain" She opposed
"Thank you, Lady Temari," Kakashi said
Shikamaru pulled her hands before letting go and whispered "Don't go anywhere far, I'll be with you in the fountain in a minute"
"I'm going to be fine" She walked gracefully, heading to the huge fountain.
Shikamaru faced Kakashi, the white-haired man's eyes were still focused on Temari.
"Where did you buy her? Which house is she from? You're blonde Tori?"
He didn't like the way he asked. Shikamaru crossed his arms and gave him an icy stare "Lady Anko's house"
"You're the genius here in the room and yet you never thought of having a background check on your Toris?"
"I didn't need to, I trust Lady Anko's selection"
"Hmm Selection? The last time you picked your last Tori, you described them as a collection. Is this really you Shikamaru? It's out of character"
"What the hell do you want Kakashi!?"
"I want…" He pointed his finger at where Temari was standing "Her" Kakashi planned to claim and hide Temari in order to protect the village, he knows how cruel Rasa is and if they found out that her escaped daughter is in Konoha, the bond between villages might possibly be ruptured.
He shakes his head and chuckles "You will have to kill me before you get her"
"That's dangerous, you're placing yourself in a dangerous place. Do you want me to tell you who she is?"
Shikamaru breathes heavily. Is there something I needed to know? He is not ready for this, he's not ready to know about her past and he might lose her. The last time he found out something about her, his heart almost broke into pieces. He remembers mentioning of escaping from her family and how scared she was when talking about it. He doesn't want her to go through on that again neither of him knowing her past, as long as she's with him, that's all that matters.
"No, please Lord Hatake. She's with me now and I don't want to deal with her past. I am her current and will definitely be with her in the future"
"Suit yourself, I warned you about this Shikamaru"
"I will be responsible for my decisions Lord Hatake, thank you"
"Tsk tsk tsk, So dangerous. Dangerous for keeping her and….." He placed his finger on Shikamaru's heart "Dangerous by listening more here…." He then placed his finger to his head "than here"
He looked at Kakashi, he's laughing at him "You're done?"
"Just promise me to keep her in your mansion, don't let anyone see her. If I see her outside, you're never going to claim her back"
He sighs heavily "I'll do my best" Shikamaru didn't want to keep her sheltered, he wanted to show her the world but the acts of people in the room makes him convinced to keep her in his mansion.
They both looked at her in the fountain, he saw a red-haired man and a white-haired man with slicked back talking to Temari.
Temari watched the school of koi fish swimming in the huge fountain, she was mesmerized by it, there were no koi fish in the desert. Suddenly a familiar voice was heard walking toward her.
"Princess, your father has been looking for you"
"Sasori" She expected this will happen.
"Temari, you know I need to tell your father about this. You're in Konoha for months? and you're sold as a Tori to some Lords?" He looked at Shikamaru while having a conversation with Kakashi "What makes that a difference in marrying Lord Kakazu?"
"I'm having more freedom here than in Suna"
"Lord Kakazu is now married to another princess"
"Great! Then I'm happy for him" She sarcastically said
Another man walked behind her back and put his arms around her shoulders "And I'm going to be your Lord husband if you return to Suna, your father is planning you to wed me once they found you. I didn't know I'll be seeing you here blondie, what a lucky night for me"
"Hidan, I told you to keep everything low. The Lord and Ladies might suspect us" Sasori reprimands Hidan.
He removes his arms but his eyes playfully stare at her from head to toe, his tongue wets his lips and moved from right to left.
"Sasori, please just-just tell my brothers, don't tell Rasa. They know what to do, tell them I'm here"
"If you think I'm scared of your father, you're wrong. I can protect myself well enough, I'm doing this for Suna"
"I know and I'm grateful for your loyalty to our village" she tucked in her lips "But you need to understand that I don't want to return. I'd be anywhere else but in Suna"
"Your father is now evaluating Lord Hidan's submission for marriage, soon the unions of Suna and Yugakure will be done. Suna will soon be having an unrestricted supply of water, which we lack for decades"
Temari's head was now spinning, she wanted to vomit. All of the information she's hearing now makes her heart shatter into pieces.
"I'm giving you two weeks Temari, pack your bag and tell your Lord about this. I'll be seeing you at Nara's mansion soon"
Hidan cackled "Or should I tell your Lord Nara now? I'm itching to steal you from him"
"Don't you fucking dare! I'm going to decide on my own! You're not going to tell him a single thing!"
"I love feisty woman!" He was about to touch her face when a man grabs his wrist from behind.
"You don't have my permission to touch her" Shikamaru tighten the grip on his hand and gave him a piercing stare and clenched jaw.
Temari then run towards him and wrapped her arms around his torso.
"Hidan, let's leave now" Sasori commands.
"I'll let you win this time but I'll have the last laugh" He removes his wrist from his tight grip and grins at him.
"Have a good night, Lord Nara and…" he faced Temari "Princess" Sasori said.
The two walked away leaving Shikamaru and Temari at the fountain.
"Did he call you Princess?" Shikamaru asked
Temari was also stunned when Sasori spilled that word but she was not ready to reveal everything "Are you the only one who's allowed to call me Princess?" without looking into his eyes.
"I should have listened to you for not bringing you here" He grabbed her hands and walked towards their rickshaw "Let's go home"