A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, you guys are awesome
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Chapter 3
"Sooo...what are we going to tell the queen?" Kiba asked. Lee stopped dead in his tracks, which incidentally was right at the entrance to the castle. "Oh no."
"Oh no is correct. I'm going to be beheaded," Naruto said. The group groaned. Lee heard someone call his name. It was Lord Neji, Sakura and Hinata's cousin, he was very haughty and proud.
"Lee, the queen calls for Hinata, and just where is Sakura? The engagement is about to begin."
Lee gulped, "I...think they're outside! I'll just go call them."
"See you!" Kiba told Neji, and he, Chouji and Naruto followed Lee outside.
"We're in so much trouble," Chouji groaned, shaking his head.
Lee was pacing in front of them, "Okay. Okay, I have a plan."
"Let's hear it!" Naruto said urgently.
"Fairly simple. Kiba, you keep an eye on the queen. Chouji, keep Neji busy so he does not go looking for Sakura. Naruto, you go serve the food, make like nothing is wrong and I'll go find Hinata."
-X-
Hinata tried not to look into his fathomless violet eyes as he spoke to her. He was undoubtedly handsome. "I knew you would come," Hidan said, kissing her hand in a gentleman like gesture. Hinata blushed crimson and pulled her hand away, "I-I am here now. What is it you desire?"
"You," he said softly, tracing the outline of her mouth with his finger. Hinata was all too aware of her stained gown, no thanks to Sasuke. "This is very i-improper, Lord Hidan," Hinata said, shivering.
"It wouldn't be if we were married," Hidan said, "Come away with me to the Rain Kingdom."
"I-I..." Hinata held herself back, there was a nagging ache in her heart. Naruto loves Sakura, maybe I should take this chance with Hidan, maybe I could be happy...she thought. Hidan was awaiting her answer and this was a very big decision but his enigmatic charm was just drawing her to him.
"I am truly in love with you, Lady Hinata," Hidan whispered.
"What if I say y-yes?"
"Well, we would have to escape to the Rain Kingdom to be wed because your aunt, Queen Tsunade, doesn't quite like me," Hidan said. This aroused Hinata's suspicions, "W-why doesn't she like you?"
"Suspects me of having ulterior motives."
"Do you?"
"Yes. I heard of your beauty and came here determined to make you mine."
"O-oh, um, I w - " Hinata was saying.
"Are you crazy?" someone shouted from a tree behind them.
-X-
Lee could have died on the spot. He couldn't believe what he had just witnessed. Hinata had always been a sweet, shy and caring girl, so what on earth was she doing planning to escape with an untrustworthy man. "Lee!" Hinata exclaimed, coming out of Hidan's embrace.
"I can't believe you!" Lee spat and turned in front of the castle, getting ready to walk away. Hinata looked hopelessly at Hidan, "L-let me have a word with him." She followed Lee and called after him in a panicked voice, he stopped and faced her. "L-lee, this is my choice, okay, d-despite what you and Queen Tsunade may think," Hinata said, her eyes filling with tears.
"What about us? What about your friends and family? What about this kingdom?" Lee shouted.
Hinata began to sob quietly, here she would always be unhappy, she would always have to watch the one she loved, love someone else. She was sick and tired of being the shy girl that was overlooked, of living in fear of rejection, she wanted to take this chance with someone that was finally showing interest in her. "I-I have to do this. I must go," Hinata said sadly.
"No! I'll tell the queen, I swear. She won't allow it," Lee said threateningly. He couldn't believe that this shy, youthful flower was losing her mind.
"Let me take care of him," Hidan said.
"W-what are you going to do?" Hinata asked.
"We'll take him with us. Let's leave right away," Hidan said.
"What about clothes? I-I nee- "
Hidan had caught hold of Lee in a strong grip and Lee struggled to get free and he kicked and punched at Hidan, "Let me go you freak!"
"You will have plenty of clothes and whatever else you need once we get to the Rain Kingdom, do not worry about it," said Hidan and he snapped his fingers, there was an almighty thunderous crack, followed by an eruption of sparks and smoke.
-X-
Sakura turned around at the sound, Sasuke who was a few paces ahead of her, also stopped. They looking behind them at the castle in the distance. "Hn. I'm guessing that's not the fireworks display that was supposed to go off after your engagement," Sasuke said.
"Something is wrong," Sakura said fearfully.
"Do you think they've realised we've flown the coop?" Sasuke asked, as they moved out of the way of a wagon that was passing along the gravel road. Sasuke looked at Sakura out of the corner of his eye, she looked evermore hideous in the moonlight with all that exaggerated makeup that she had tried to scare off Kabuto with. "We should go back," Sakura said.
"Got cold feet already?"
"No. It's not that. I think there is something wrong over at the palace. Even if you won't go back – I'm going!" Sakura said. The wagon owner turned to stare at them and his horse veered off the road and into a tree. "Fine. Let's go back, but Karin better not come anywhere near me, and you have to tell Tsunade the truth," said Sasuke.
"That's Queen Tsunade to you," Sakura said through narrowed eyes.
"Hn. Whatever," Sasuke said. And with one final icy look from Sakura, they turned around and journeyed back to the castle.
-X-
"Sakura!" Queen Tsunade exclaimed when her daughter entered the grand ballroom, "Where have you been?" she asked in a dangerous tone, sake bottle in hand. The entire room was eerily silent. "Mother, I am so sorry. I do not want to marry Kabuto! Can't you see, he's mean and ugly and stupid and a liar and did I mention that he's ugly," said Sakura. Tsunade walked towards Sakura, Sakura flinched, she was afraid that she was about to get hit over the head with her sake bottle, instead, Tsunade hugged her fiercely. "I'm afraid there isn't going to be a wedding. Lady Hinata and Sir Lee have been taken captive by the evil Lord Hidan."
"No, no...that can't be!" Sakura said.
"I'm afraid it is so, for I saw him with my own two eyes, he used Black Magic," Neji said.
Sakura kept aside all her problems and tried to comfort her mother. Naruto, Kiba, Chouji and Ino all looked down in the dumps. "What am I to do? King Jiraiya doesn't even know of this!" Tsunade said, as Sakura tried to pry the sake bottle from her hand. Her father was currently abroad because although he was a king, he was also a writer and had gone to an island to get some inspiration. Sakura had no idea what kind of books he wrote but she knew they were popular amongst veteran knights like Sir Kakashi and Sir Ebisu. In fact, he was supposed to be home for Sakura's engagement but had written to say that he would be spending more time on the island and would be back for her wedding.
"If I may speak," Sasuke said suddenly, stepping out of the shadows, "I may have a theory about Lord Hidan and his intentions with Lady Hinata."
Karin squealed when she saw Sasuke but he ignored her. "I have been observing them – I mean him for a while now and it is quite clear that he wishes to gain control over the five most powerful kingdoms in the land, which is to say Konoha, Suna, Iwa, Kumo and Kiri. Although, I do suspect that there may be some higher power behind this. Lady Hinata is simply just a pawn."
Tsunade was looking down at her hands, "Prince Kabuto, will your kingdom lend aid to Konoha?"
Kabuto was looking cornered as every eye in the room was now on him, "No, I will have nothing to do with this, Tis not my kingdom that is troubled!"
Tsunade gasped and Sakura couldn't help but smile. Amidst the shock, Kabuto mumbled about having to leave and suddenly vanished.
"Forget that wimp. Hidan must be stopped. I think, Naruto, Kiba, Chouji and I as well as the knights at the Uchiha compound should be more than enough for this quest," Sasuke said.
-X-
The knights at the Uchiha compound were a band of extraordinary gentlemen and gentlewoman. Madam Tenten was the only female knight, she was a girl with a courageous spirit, took no nonsense and was extremely gifted with wielding weapons. She was as brave as any other man and stood her ground. "Look here, see what I've invented," said Sir Shikamaru. He held up a wooden plank with wheels attached to the bottom. Shikamaru was one of the most smartest knights in Konoha and definitely the best strategist and inventor but he was also quite lazy.
"What is that?" asked Sir Suigetsu, who was an avid sword collector.
"Hmm. It's troublesome finding a name...I don't know, maybe I shall call it a skateboard."
"Rather ingenious, can I have a go?" Suigetsu asked.
"You may, all you have to do is this," Shikamaru demonstrated to Suigetsu. Suigetsu attempted the same manoeuvre and kissed the floor. He awoke from the floor and frowned, "Sure beats riding a horse. I don't even want to tell you where that hurts!"
"And we don't even want to know," said Sir Shino, who had a strange affinity for bugs and constantly covered his face and wore sunglasses.
Suddenly, a high-pitched sound infiltrated the air. Suigetsu put two fingers to his temples, "Whoa, I think I'm getting a psychic message."
"That isn't a psychic message. That's a call of a knight in distress!" Tenten said, rising to get into battle gear.
-X-
Precisely 1 hour, twenty minutes and eight seconds later...
"Where's the enemy?" Suigetsu cried, waving his sword about. The noble folk stared at the knights who had arrived. Suigetsu lowered his sword and they bowed to Queen Tsunade who had regained her regal composure. "Where's the battle? I need a little sword action!" Suigetsu said.
"I have summoned you here because Queen Tsunade requires us to embark on a quest to save Lady Hinata and Lee and put a stop to whatever Hidan is up to," Sasuke told them.
"A quest?" Tenten asked, "But we haven't been on a quest since never! This is so great! Consider it done, your highness!"
The knights couldn't believe it, their first quest.
"Lee has been captured? Impossible," said Shino, "Why? Because he is a knight of- "
"Yeah well according to Neji, Hidan used black magic," Naruto told Shino, while Shino looked very cross at being interrupted.
"Just one thing, could we have a picture of Lady Hinata, so we know who to look for when we do the rescuing," Suigetsu said. Tsunade pointed to a painting on the wall closest to the stairs, it was of Hinata smiling shyly and the painter even captured her blush.
"Now that is someone worth rescuing!" Suigetsu said, "And Lee too of course."
"Hang on, we also want to go, isn't that right?" Sakura said, looking at Ino and Karin.
Oh God no! Sasuke thought in horror.
Tsunade looked at the determination on her daughters face and had to consent.
A/N: Yes, yes...Hidan's behaving a bit out of character in this story, not a single curse word, but that's just because he was busy seducing Hinata ;)
The quest begins next chapter!
Hope you enjoyed and please review! Your reviews will be printed and stuck on my wall :D