A/N: Another update for you all so curious about what Gaara is going to do with Zu…maybe. Read and Review for me my lovelies.

Chapter 10: Realization Pt.1

May 17, 1823

"I'm putting you in charge of Zu's safety, Neji," the king, her father, stated to Neji as soon as the young man had entered the large study that served as the king's office.

It had only been a few minutes beforehand that the young Hyuga had received word that the king wanted to speak with him. Such words were usually met with dread by those that lived among the Kamitsuyo clan. Kenzo-heika was not one for idle social calls or chit chat so when he summoned you it was safe to assume that he had important issues to discuss with you. Still Neji had not been expecting this to be the topic.

"You do it automatically anyway I know but now it's official." Zu's father stated as he walked over to the window then back to the other window repeatedly.

One thing Neji had learned while living here was that Ryouma Kenzo rarely stopped moving. It was normal to see him pacing as if he were a caged animal. In many ways he was, at least in Neji's opinion. To Neji the king was very much like a tiger penned behind steel bars itching for the first chance to get out and tear something to pieces. The Hyuga knew very well it was just the gypsy in the king that made him do such. The entire Ryouma family was the same. They constantly moved, whether it was pacing or just the idle kicking of feet while sitting not one of them could sit still for very long unless necessity required it.

That's another thing he had learned. During the past fourteen or so years Neji had lived amongst them he had learned that if any of them were sitting still for more than two minutes, something was wrong or they were angry. This applied to Zukiyo as well since she took after her father more than her mother.

As such it made looking after her very difficult. He never knew when Zu would just up and disappear on him and Hinata…or with Hinata in tow. It was a rare occasion when Neji didn't spend half the night tracking her down after she eluded her keepers again. That he was the only one that could ever find her was probably why her father was putting him in charge of her safety.

"You're the only one other than her family that can ever find her after she's gone off on her own as she is wont to do. I would do it myself if I could but…I have too many other things that need my attention." He continued and Neji nodded.

"I will do my best, sir."

"Do better than that." Zu's father stated and looked Neji square in the eye, something the Hyuga hated since the king's gaze had always unnerved him for some reason, "Protect her. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, sir. Protect Zukiyo."

"Against everything and anything that would do her harm. Everything and Anything." He stated and Neji, for the first time ever, read something in the king's usually unreadable gaze…he really did mean everything.

"Everything? Even…"

"Yes. Even the council and Yukiko…and her uncle."

"I thought he was in the clan prison for-"

"Don't remind me of what he did. I remember and it still disgusts even me. He was released a fortnight ago. He's due to arrive here tomorrow. If he wasn't Akahana's older brother you very well know he'd still be there. Unfortunately that is also the reason I can't kill him…she's too forgiving of him." The king sighed, mumbling the last sentence, and ran a hand through his hair as he stared out the window standing perfectly still, "Keep Zuzu away from Oniji…and keep him away from her. He may be her uncle but that man has no good intentions anywhere in him."

"Yes, sir. I will do as you ask." Neji stated and the king nodded while staring out the window, "Is there anything else you require of me?"

"Only that you protect my daughter at all costs. If anything happens to her I am holding you responsible and I will punish you if you fail in this. If so much as one drop of her blood spills when there was something you could have done to stop it…you had better run for your life because I will hunt you down and kill you." He stated and Neji nodded, knowing all too well that the king was serious.

"Yes, sir."

Neji stood there staring out the window of Kankuro's office remembering that conversation as he watched the snow fall. It was as if nature was spiting him with this storm. This damnable storm kept him from doing what he was bid to do that night: protect Zukiyo. That's what Neji always did. He protected her as best he could, kept her out of as much trouble as he could, cleaned up her messes as much as possible, and did whatever else he could to make sure that she stayed alive.

That isn't to say Neji had never failed in protecting her. He had once and it ate at him. Most people would say that one mistake in almost two centuries of work isn't too upsetting but not for Neji as that one mistake had almost cost Zu her life…among other things. So as the snow fell outside, barricading him and Kankuro inside the building, Neji cursed fate more than he ever had.

Zukiyo was alone in the estate with Gaara. Neji knew that Hinata, Naruto, and Temari were also there but that knowledge didn't really comfort him. In his mind she was alone with the biggest threat to her existence on this half of the planet. All he could do was pray that no harm would come to her. Both he and Hinata had agreed to bring her here to keep her safe from her sister but Neji had never guessed that it would be so difficult to keep her safe after they got here. Damn Naruto and his scheming. Neji knew very well that had Naruto not put her in the rooms right next to Gaara's, the red head most likely wouldn't have paid the exiled princess much attention at all.

"Staring at the snow isn't going to make it stop." Kankuro stated from his seat breaking the silence and Neji glanced at him irritably and the other male just blinked calmly at him, "He's not going to hurt her. Especially not while at home. Gaara knows the rules and he does follow them. He knows better than to piss Naruto off."

"Not the point." Neji stated and Kankuro looked at him flatly.

"Then what is?"

"We brought her here to keep her safe…"

"Uh huh…now…I was always a bit lost with that. What are you keeping her safe from? Zu seems very capable of protecting herself…not to mention she's more powerful than you so I don't really see what good you do." The middle Sabaku sibling stated and Neji twitched.

He was starting to lose his temper, it was painfully short these past few weeks after dealing with Zu constantly disappearing on him every night, and he fought to calm himself before he blurted something out that might get back to Gaara. Much to his surprise Kankuro anticipated this.

"Listen. I'm not going to tell my little brother about her if you tell me anything. Gaara has to learn to play nice with others to get his information." Kankuro stated then explained further, "If I went and told him whatever I've learned about Zu he wouldn't bother spending time with her…and I want him to spend time with her. Yeah, yeah…give me the look, I don't really care. Look at it this way. If they do get together…it's a win, win situation for both of us. I get a less cranky and moody little brother…you get an immensely powerful body guard for your charge."

Neji raised an eyebrow; he had never really thought of it like that before and had to give the notion some credit. All logic stated that if Gaara developed some kind of attachment or feelings for Zukiyo he'd protect her. If Gaara saw her as his mate he would protect her or face living without her. As much as it bothered Neji to think of such a thing happening he had to face the facts. He was too much of a rational thinker to deny facts and facts were that Gaara was powerful, more so than Yukiko when you got right down to it, and he was a force to be reckoned with in his own right. It pained Neji to admit it but Gaara could do much more to protect Zukiyo than he himself could. As such Sabaku no Gaara could be a very useful ally to have if things turned for the worse, which Neji had no doubts that they would eventually. Still it was dangerous to even consider any of this as the biggest obstacle to Gaara developing something for Zukiyo was Zu herself and Neji wasn't about to deny that to anyone.

"As true as that may be…you aren't factoring in one thing to this." Neji started while he returned to staring out the window.

"What?"

"Zu. You're assuming she's an average woman with the average woman's wants, desires, and tendencies."

"You're saying she's not?" Kankuro asked a bit incredulously.

"Exactly."

"Ok…what do you mean exactly?"

"Zu isn't going to just fall heads over heels for anyone. That would require opening herself up to him. While she may seem like an open book since she talks…nonstop…she's not. Zu keeps a lot of things closed off from others. Not to say she doesn't have desires, she has plenty and she acts upon them too, frequently." Neji stated and saw a rather amused expression on Kankuro's face, "What?"

"Just your expression while saying that is all. Honestly I'm a bit surprised you're so open about that."

"Open? That's not me being open, Kankuro, that's me being honest. Zukiyo has had her own fair share of lovers…unfortunately for them Zu isn't really big on attachment and relationships. What you and Naruto are doing is pretty much tossing two people that have no interest in opening up and making themselves vulnerable in the same room with the expectation that everything is going to go ok and they'll both come out stronger and better than they were. That isn't going to happen. Not with Zu."

"You know…you are such a depressing pessimist." Kankuro stated, "You're making this out to be the most improbable thing in the universe. Gaara is a man. Zukiyo is a woman. Gaara is a bloodthirsty, homicidal maniac. Zu is a bloodthirsty, homicidal maniac I can tell. They get along great so far. Some playful banter and growling but that's expected. What in Hell makes you so sure that they'll never get any closer?"

"Because you're oversimplifying it, Kankuro. Zu may be what you said but she's also a fugitive from the vampiric ruling body."

"Is she really that important to the Kamitsuyo clan that they would come all the way out here to get her back? Wait, don't answer that…with what I've been hearing about the current queen I can't really put that past them." Kankuro stated with a slightly worried expression on his face.

"Yukiko is insane. She always has been…even before the dementia from not feeding set in…" Neji stated absently while staring at the snow fall steadily, lulling him into a sort of sleepy daze.

Under normal circumstances Neji would have never said what he did next. It wouldn't have even dared cross his mind if he had been paying more attention, but snow has a tendency to alter one's senses. So as Neji sat there staring at the falling snow, slightly entranced by the way it fell hard yet slowly he let something slip.

"They've always been polar opposites…"

To most people it wouldn't have been that big of a slip but for Kankuro it was as it triggered a memory…

October 21, 1818

"You don't look happy to see me, Father," Kankuro stated as he walked into his father's office.

Things had been tense in the Sabaku clan headquarters ever since his mother, Karura, died giving birth to his little brother Gaara. Their father had never been a kind man even when she was alive, but since her death it was almost unbearable to be around him. He outright refused to be around his children a good chunk of the time, busying himself with territorial duties and the like, which left Kankuro and Temari to deal with raising their little brother. Their father hated Gaara with a passion as he blamed him for his wife's death. In a part he was.

Gaara was the single most powerful Sabaku ever born. That was evident as an infant. Jade eyes rimmed in the black of an Ichibi Demon, the demonic breed that their clan had descended from. Giving birth to something that powerful was difficult and it didn't help that the midwife in attendance was clueless on how to handle what was happening. Regardless of all the other factors that lead to their mother's death their father still saw fit to lay all the blame on Gaara's shoulders.

"Gaara kill another person you deemed important?" Kankuro asked as he sat down.

Kankuro couldn't deny that his brother was a bloodthirsty killer. Ever since he was a small child he had had problems controlling his blood lust and his temper. Being as powerful as he was that meant Gaara could pretty much do as he pleased…which he did and it drove their father insane. Kankuro believed it to be a sort of way for Gaara to get back at their father for ignoring him as a child.

"Not yet." His father answered.

"Then why the expression, Father?"

"I have just returned from a meeting with the Queen's council, since as you know, I am not permitted to deal with the Queen herself."

"I still do not understand why that is."

"I upset the King."

"So you've stated before."

"That's all you need to know. Normally that would be enough to put me in a foul temper but this time I had the fortune, good or bad I do not know, to encounter the princess." The elder Sabaku stated and earned a rather confused look from his eldest son.

"You have met the princess before on these trips of yours…"

"The other one…there are two, Kankuro…not one as the council would have us all believe. That is why I am in such a foul mood as you've put it. Yukiko-hime is the Heir Apparent true but she isn't the only princess…she has a twin sister. You know I have no love of the princess. I've stated that before. Yukiko-hime is unbalanced in some way even more so than I think your brother is and if the throne ever passes to her we will all suffer from it."

"I don't see how this has put you in such a mood."

"It has because her sister is sane, or at least much more balanced than Yukiko-hime is, and yet the Queen refuses to pass over Yukiko in favor of her sister because the council refuses it due to tradition. It shows weakness in her rule. Akahana-heika has named an unbalanced, dementia plagued, shell of a vampiress as her heir. That is insanity."

"Not everyone is as willing to ignore their children as you are, Father." Kankuro stated, irritated with this conversation and his father's thinking.

"I'm not in the mood to argue with you right now Kankuro and that isn't the point."

"Then what is?"

"They're twins. Everything about them is in opposites. Yukiko-hime was born in the old century on New Year's Eve four minutes before midnight…her sister was born in the new century four minutes after midnight on New Year's Day. Yukiko-hime denies her nature as a vampire but her sister embraces it. The council favors Yukiko-hime but chastise her sister for every little thing even if it is not her fault. That's how I saw her…and even in appearances they are almost opposites. Yukiko-hime reminds one of an emaciated corpse almost…stringy straight hair, pale dead skin, sunken eyes, a dead…lead-laced steel about the grey in her eyes. Before you go on about how I noticed these things it's because it is impossible for one to not notice." His father stated, obviously in disbelief at how anyone could not notice any of that then continued, "Her sister…the younger princess is her polar opposite: curly hair, fair skinned, but it's the eyes you notice most. Whereas her sister's eyes are leaden…hers are silver almost…light grey that have the mischievous smile of her predecessors shining in them even as she's being chastised for some trifling matter."

"What were they chastising her for?" Kankuro asked, knowing all too well that when his father decided to rant about something it was best to listen to him and show you were listening or face the dire consequences that only Gaara seemed able to escape.

"Some trifling matter involving her free spirited ways…I don't know exactly. In her defense one can't really expect her to act differently as she was raised by her father's family and they've always been and always will be free spirited gypsies." His father answered, reminding Kankuro of the days when he and his father actually could sit and talk to each other without argument, "Not to mention that they named her after Akahana-heika's mother…and Zukiyo-heika was in a category of her own from what I've heard and read. I don't know why I'm telling you this…get out…I have business to attend to."

As the memory faded in Kankuro's mind Neji knew what the look on his face was: Realization. Kankuro knew…and Neji cursed himself for letting even that little bit slip. He did so because he should have remembered that while Kankuro may act like a cocky idiot half the time it didn't mean Kankuro was stupid by any means. So as Neji looked at the other male, he could only guess at what was going through Kankuro's mind…and none of it was good.

"Zu…kiyo…hime." Kankuro said slowly as he voice out loud what he had just realized then glared at the Hyuga, "You…are hiding…the princess…HERE?"

"GAARA PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT!"

Gaara had to admit he was surprised she was still fighting at this point. Truthfully he had believed she would have just given in by now. It wasn't really working in her favor either. The more fuss she put up the farther into the house he had taken her.

So far Gaara had carried her through three wings and up two stories then down another three. He was fairly sure that there was no way Zu could know where they were at that moment.

"What's wrong, Vixen?"

Hinata looked up from the book she had just been staring at into the blue eyes of Naruto, her Naruto, and was unsure of how to answer him. A lot of things were bothering her. The Kyuubi demon sat down next to her on the couch in his study waiting for an answer.

"I know something is…you have that look on your face." He stated and kissed the top of her head when she leaned against him, "So what is bothering my lovely vampiress tonight?"

"Zu and Gaara…I haven't seen them all night." She stated while staring out the window watching the snow fall and Naruto chuckled.

"That could be considered a good thing." He stated that slightly perverted smirk on his face that Hinata so loved.

"Not this early, Naruto, and you do not want that to happen."

"Why not? It is my personal opinion that Gaara could use some of that. Might make him less of a grump." The Kyuubi stated still smirking.

"If he lived through it…Zu has a habit of killing all her lovers after she's done with them. Rips their hearts out usually…occasionally she toys with them for longer but they still wind up dead. You don't want her to sleep with him until they've actually grown much closer." Hinata stated but Naruto was still trying to wrap his head around this new information as she stared out the window, "As for why…well many reasons. Partially because she can…partially because she gets bored with them, they don't please her, or some such thing…partially because…many things. You never really know why Zu does anything…she just does it."

Naruto nodded and could only hope that his friend made it out alive as the thought that he may have gotten Gaara in over his head ran across Naruto's mind. Still that didn't stop him from worrying about Hinata as he knew there was more bothering her.

"What else?"

"Yukiko will come for Zu eventually, Naruto-kun. We can only hide her so long. What will happen when that time comes? I cannot just sit by and watch Yukiko destroy Zu anymore." Hinata stated as she looked into her demon's eyes worriedly and he did his best to comfort and reassure her.

"She will not get Zu. You brought her here for protection and she will have it. I am not going to just stand there and let some demented little bloodlust denying brat waltz in and take Zu. Not from my house or my city. Gaara won't let it happen either…he's insanely territorial."

"He still has to submit to the law of the clan, Naruto. Vampiric hierarchy dictates-"

"Hina-chan, don't try explaining that…I don't understand your vampiric laws…all I understand about vampires is they like blood, hate the sun, and in your case are damn sexy." Naruto stated and she blushed bright red, "You are. I'm not going to lie to you…fine…I will. You're not sexy…you're just pretty."

"N-Naruto…you-you're n-not helping!" Hinata said as she flushed even more which only encouraged the demon.

"Well…the sooner you get used to hearing me tell you all these embarrassing things the sooner you'll stop blushing. At least you don't faint around me anymore." Naruto stated teasingly, that fox grin plastered across his face as usual, "Now…stop worrying about everything. Zu is fine and safe here, Gaara will come around eventually, so will Zu, Neji will stop interfering so much or I'll trap him in the hedge maze…"

"Naruto!" she chastised, the embarrassed stutter now gone, and he gave her one of his goofy grins almost bordering on innocent.

"Sorry, Hina-chan…can't help it."

"You still know better." She stated, trying to glare but failed when he pouted at her.

"I know…"

"DOES NARUTO KNOW?" Kankuro shouted angrily at the Hyuga that sat calmly across the room from him.

Kankuro couldn't remember any recent time he had been so furious. Zukiyo was the exiled princess and undeclared Heir Apparent. Just having her in the city was infinitely more dangerous than if she wasn't a princess. Not to mention that there was no doubt at all that the queen would come to claim her sister and severely punish those harboring the fugitive.

"Yes. Naruto knows she's a princess." Neji stated almost curtly and Kankuro couldn't believe his ears.

"WHAT? He knows? How…wha-….what the…fuck was he thinking? Was he thinking at all?" Kankuro raged and glared at Neji, "Why the fuck did you bring her here?"

"We needed someplace to hide her." Neji stated calmly, "This is the farthest place we could take her to hide her safely."

"Wha…Naruto is an IDIOT!" Kankuro snarled and returned to glaring at Neji, "You…"

"Don't." Neji warned and glared back, "I know having her here is dangerous to you and your family but there was no other choice! If we didn't get Zu away she would have been killed!"

"Can't she defend herself?" Kankuro asked angrily, furious at being dragged into the middle of vampiric politics and intrigue, and Neji growled at him.

"Zukiyo is weaker than her sister…Zu is strong yes, she has a lot of power, but to Yukiko…Zu is nothing more than a rag doll. She can't defend herself against her sister, Kankuro…no more than you could defend yourself against, Gaara." Neji stated and Kankuro calmed himself before speaking again.

"Speaking of Gaara…you told him Zu had no title. He's not going to take it well when he finds out she does."

"I lied to him to protect her. Zu is a princess…that is something that can be used against her. Do you know how many want to sleep with, conquer, kill, or own her just because she has a title? A lot. Now…do you still want him with Zu now that you know what she is?" Neji asked and Kankuro had to pause for thought.

It was an almost insulting question really and yet Kankuro couldn't help but feel conflicted at how to answer. Zukiyo was a princess and that changed things. It made this whole thing much more dangerous and yet he couldn't judge her because of it. Being a princess didn't change the fact she was a perfect match for his little brother. Still…could he really go along with this while keeping Gaara in the dark about her title?

"Princess…shouting like that isn't lady like." The red head stated intending to make her angrier and succeeded.

"I don't give a flying fuck about what is lady like. Put. Me. Down." Zu stated in an almost calm fury which amused her captor to no end, "Put me down…or tell me where you are taking me."

"No." Gaara stated flatly and continued to carry her where he wished and climbed another set of stairs as he decided to annoy her more, "You can't get everything you want, Princess."

"Stop with the 'Princess' already!" she snapped irritably at the title that she hated so much.

"Do you Kankuro? If you do…then you cannot tell Gaara her title until it's time. If…you really want this to happen…he can't know until Zu tells him. If she thinks for just a minute that the only reason he wants her is because of her title she will run…or kill him. Trust me I know how her mind works. She kills the moment she thinks someone is going to hurt her…and if she doesn't I do. So…do you still want her with your brother?"

"Zu is still Zu. Princess or not." Kankuro answered, "Neji, you can't deny that they are perfectly matched for each other."

"Yes I can." The Hyuga stated back then continued, "I'd be lying to myself if I denied it anymore though. Don't look so satisfied with yourself, Kankuro. I might be unable to deny it but by no means does that indicate I am in favor of this plan you and Naruto concocted."

"What is she to you?" Kankuro asked suddenly and Neji looked at him slightly confused as to where the question came from, "Really? She's your princess, just as she is mine, and your charge or whatever, but there has to be more for you to be this protective of her. So…what is she to you?"

"Down…you want down?" Gaara asked as if he hadn't heard Zu at all this entire time.

"YES YOU FUCKING TANUKI FACED BASTARD!" she shouted in her full fury having lost her temper completely a while ago, "PUT ME DOWN!"

Gaara nodded and tossed her down so she landed hard on her rear then turned and walked away. Zu's only reaction was to of course ask him what the hell he was doing. She got no answer and soon realized that he had left her there. What made matters worse was that Zu had no idea where she was. Yet instead of being afraid of being lost inside the great house with all its moving rooms and wishing that Gaara would come back Zu was still furious. He had pushed the 'Princess' button a little too much for her not to be.

"I am done playing nice with him." Zu stated to the empty hallway as she stood up with the intent to start finding her way back to everyone else, "He thinks I'm hard to learn about and deal with now? Just wait until I find my way back. The time for fun and games is over for him...now it's my turn."

A/N: What did you think he was going to do with her? You people are just way too perverted and sick for your own good sometimes. Just kidding. Next chapter will hopefully be up soon. Until then leave some reviews or messages. I'll reply as soon as I possibly can.