[Talking in Norse]
[Talking regular]
The cousins had survived another night in Newfoundland and what a night it was.
It was shortly after Naruto's near-death experience that both kin were shown to their new rooms, which were right next to one another, so that had been a comfort to the pair.
However, that night had proven to be most difficult for the youth to sleep. They were used to sharing a bed, now that having their own seemed almost foreign without the other there for comfort.
After a few hours or so Naruto huffed giving up. He was too anxious to pass the threshold into the realm of sleep. Alternately Naruto gave up on the idea once he started to hear the call of the rooster.
He had hesitantly climbed from his gigantic bed, but in doing so the floorboards had squeaked. He exhaled, I might be touched for doing this, but it wouldn't hurt to take a peak.
With extreme caution, he sneaked outside and made sure the coast was clear.
The blonde had built up enough courage to exit his bedroom and explore the lodging. He could only hope that it was not forbidden, though Iruka and Kakashi failed to mention it.
As he crept down the vacant hallway barefoot and clad only in a sheer cloth tunic, which was starting to feel more like a block of ice on his cold flesh. He stalked the frosty hallway that was barely lit by rolls of torches.
His cobalt color hues had landed on a door that was slightly ajar at the end of the hallway, and curiously Naruto had pushed the door open.
Slowly, he poked his head inside only to catch a glimpse of a wooden crib that resided directly in the center of the room. Gnawing on his lower lip, the blonde had deliberately used the balls of his feet to maintain balance.
He tried to be quiet not wanting to wake the baby, as his face hovered above the crib that was when he saw the top of the baby's head covered in silky raven locks.
The baby was very much awake and fidgeting but seemed entertained enough, and then those deep onyx pools had landed on him.
And for a moment, the world stopped spinning. The baby's brows had knit at the sight of the stranger looming over him.
It took Naruto a moment to notice it, but he could see the identical horizontal lines that were forming on the babe's ivory cheeks the birthmarks were only a shade darker than the baby's skin tone, so it was virtually invisible.
The babe certainly looked like his father, but Naruto could point out that the babe had the Queen's nose and cheeks, which were, in fact, his own nose and cheeks.
This baby was a mixture of both parents even though the King's genes seemed to stick out more with from his raven hair, charcoal eyes, and ivory skin no less...
Naruto smiled softly. He had reached inside to caress the babe's cheek that had identical birthmarks to his own. The baby had cooed excitingly at him.
"You're not supposed to be in here." Naruto had almost fallen over by the woman's voice originating from behind him. The individual he saw standing underneath the threshold was an attractive raven-haired woman with brow-length bangs.
Her ashen orbs were wide with fright to see him there, so close to the King's son. She had only stepped away from the baby for literally less than a few minutes. Mistress Sakura is not going to be happy.
"You must leave," she had crossed the room in two steps before latching onto his inner arm in a vice grip and forcefully dragging him outside of the room. She had been a whole four inches taller than him, so there was no struggle.
"Sorry," he spoke once the bedroom door was closed.
She paused. Immediately she recognized his foreign accent, "It's okay, I won't tell anyone about this," she said sweetly in his own native tongue before her pale orbs gave the youth the once over. A gasp escaped her lips. The dimly lit room made it hard for her to see.
Now that they were standing near a torch she had a better view. At that particular moment, she believed that ghost was truly real. Naruto had blushed slightly under the woman's penetrating orbs.
"Oh my! I'm sorry, it's just that you remind me of someone," It was her turn to blush and direct her gaze to her feet.
"I've been getting that a lot lately." He placed an open palm on the back of his head whilst at the same time he grinned at her.
There was a silence that had fallen between them. Both were unsure of what else to be said and then an image of the raven-haired babe with a similar face to his own popped into his head.
"That's the King and Queen's child isn't it?"
The girl looked startled for a moment her bewitching face filled with panic.
"No," she said quickly.
"What…"
Well, that makes no sense at all. The baby clearly looks like both of them. Maybe she misunderstood me.
"The child is the King and his Mistress Sakura. The King and Queen's baby died during childbirth." She said sadly.
Naruto remained quiet though he knew something was amidst. However, he chose not to inquire any further into it. He would just have to address Iruka about it when he saw him.
Just then, the blonde's stomach had growled.
"Are you hungry," She said softly.
At first, he was about to deny it, embarrassed by his stomach's outward cry, but he actually was starving.
"I could eat." He felt himself replying without thinking.
The Viking woman did a quick nod, "This way." She had guided him to the dining area where there was an enormous wooden table in the center that seemed large enough to fit all of the people of Newfoundland much to Naruto's amazement.
The attractive raven had guided him to the dining area. The place thrived with life and jammed-pack with Vikings scarfing down breakfast on a massive table filled with different types of meals, to fill each warrior's aching bellies, while most gulped down mead like it was nothing more than water. He even spotted that familiar mop of maroon locks amongst the chaos.
What the hell?
The redhead appeared to be the center of attention as three familiar Vikings seemed to be showering him with questions, while Gaara shrugged nonchalantly a few times.
Just then he heard someone yell his name and he saw a familiar brunette with unruly locks waving an arm from side to side.
It was Kiba he was beckoning the blonde over towards him.
Naruto had looked at the raven-haired woman who jerked her head over towards the group of Vikings gobbling down stacks.
"Go to your friends," she smiled coyly before glancing at the brunet as a bright blush began to form, and she quickly turned away.
"I need to go tend to babe."
The blonde had walked over towards the fairly sizable table, once the woman had left.
"Well, look who's awake" It was Kiba who spoke with a mouth full of food.
Shikamaru had shaken his head disgusted.
The brown-haired Viking then patted a seat next to him coaxing the blonde to have a seat.
Naruto complied and took the offered seat.
Kiba's expression had him worried.
"Soooo," He let his words trail off as Shikamaru and Neji's attention was directed toward the golden blonde. Gaara seemed less interested out of the lot of them.
He was eyeing a mug of mead suspiciously.
On the other hand, something had the three Vikings curious.
"What is it," Naruto finally gave in to his curiosity. He was interested to know why they were all staring at him expectantly.
"Well, how was your visit with the King," The brunet's smirk had grown into some kind of predatory grin.
So, that's what this is all about!
Naruto shrugged, "I'm alive, so I guess you could say it went well."
The three Vikings had exchanged looks.
Kiba leaned in beckoning the blonde to do the same, which he did.
"Did he show you the reason why he's called King," Kiba's whispered though his tone was full of amusement?
"I guess," Naruto whispered back thoroughly confused.
The brunette rolled his eyes, so his hidden innuendos weren't penetrating the blonde's thick skull.
"Did our dear sweet King, pin you to his mattress and make sweet love to that tight little-Ow! What the hell you hit me for Shikamaru," The brunet rubbed the back of his skull glaring knives at his kin.
It took a moment for Kiba's words to sink in.
"Oy," The blonde had buried his burning face in his hands.
"Ignore him Naruto you don't have to answer that. What you and the King do is between the both of you," that was the brunet with the high ponytail response. He received a loud groan from the embarrassed youth.
"Shut up." the blonde cried.
"There's no need to be an embarrassed lad." There came a booming voice from behind Naruto. He turned in time to see a husky Viking with waist-length white locks with a receding hairline standing behind him, "To have the affections of the King is a great honor!"
Naruto could have punched someone right then not only was the man loud! He just had to announce to everybody no less hopefully they didn't understand the man, but most of the Vikings he met knew his dialect pretty well.
"The King always had a thing for flaxen-haired beauties," Both Kiba and the man with milky hair had faced one another and started howling with laughter. How could they be drunk so early in the day? Neji and Shikamaru looked less impressed and more annoyed.
"This worthless piece of horse manure is called Jiraiya," Kiba had introduced the white-haired man with a solid pat on his shoulder.
"Oh stop it Kiba you only flatter me," They both roared in amusement.
"Ignore those two morons Naruto." Shikamaru had leaned forward to speak to the blonde.
"I wish I could," Naruto had said while his eyes remained firmly locked on the drunken pair.
Once the duo had regained their composure was when Jiraiya slung an arm over Naruto's shoulder.
"Well, I'll just have to probe me lord about the both of ye, and your passionate night together, aye."
He had jerked his head towards the end of the table where the King had gone into the dining room.
Jiraiya rose to his full height ready to get the man's attention, but he was quickly jerked down to Naruto's level by the blonde's eager hands. His eyes were wide when he spoke.
"You're insane," he hissed.
Naruto was amazed at his own strength, but it was between life and death. The last thing he wanted to do was provoke that psychopath, again.
"Don't play coy lad. The King and I go way back. I practically raised his father." He managed to pry himself free and headed over towards the brooding sovereign.
At first, Sasuke did not seem at all pleased when Jiraiya approached but once the man assured him it was not anything bad that he had to say. The Stygian had visibly relaxed.
The Viking with snowy hair had leaned in close to the King's ear whispering something and then pointing in Naruto's direction, much to this horror!
Their eyes locked but Naruto quickly downcast his stare. His cheeks twinge a distinctive color. What could he do now that the drunkard had got the King's attention to place emphasis on him?
Sasuke had abruptly risen from his seat gaining his warriors' attention.
He didn't have to utter a word as the Viking got up and proceeded to leave the hall. Naruto had stood as well with his cousin and the other three, but he was swiftly addressed. "Not you."
