They say betrayal is like a seed. Once it is planted and takes root the only thing that can grow from it is the bitter desire for revenge. But what is betrayal really? Does it come from the foolish man who places his trust in another? Or is it simply humanity's way of protecting one's self from experiencing true loss?

Chapter Two

"Naruto, is that you?"

Naruto turned around in surprise at the mention of his name and was greeted by an elegant looking woman who was standing in the middle of a stairwell.

The woman's smile broadened as recognition flashed into her eyes. "It IS you," she declared with a lighthearted laugh as she rushed down the stairs and greeted the surprised Naruto with a warm hug.

"Y-Yukie?" Naruto stammered in surprise as a huge blush spread across his face from the hug he was receiving.

"Naruto," she chided gently as she released him from the hug. "I haven't gone by that name in five years."

Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly as the blush grew deeper in color. "R-right. I'm sorry, Koyuki."

"Naruto," Sakura hissed as she grabbed the blond by his hair and shoved his head down into a respectful bow. "You idiot, she is this countries daimyo, so show some respect."

"Ow, Sakura," Naruto whined.

Koyuki laughed at the display she was seeing. "Ah! Yes, Sakura I see you haven't changed any since the last time I saw you."

Sakura blushed as she let go of Naruto's head and bowed low in respect muttering an almost inaudible apology for her lack of manners.

Koyuki gave a slight dismissive wave of her hand. "There is no need for all of that," she said lightly. "You four can just call me Koyuki," she said with a pleasant smile before her face turned into one of chagrin. "Oh! I am so sorry. Where are my manners? I am sure you four must be tired after traveling so far. I will have my maids show you to ya'lls rooms. Fujiko, Haruko, will you please escort our new friends to their quarters?"

"Yes, Lady Koyuki," they both said with a formal bow before turning their attention towards their guests.

"Hello, my name is Haruko, and I will be your servant for the duration of your stay here. Please follow me and I will show you to your room."

Naruto and Shikamaru glanced at each other with a frown before following the girl towards a hallway.

"And my name is Fujiko, and it will be my pleasure to serve you," Fujiko said with a light bow as she gestured with her hand to follow her towards another hallway.

Sakura smiled nervously at Koyuki before she left with Hinata towards their rooms.

oOoOoOoOoOo

"And towels will be in here," Haruko concluded as she showed Naruto and Shikamaru around their rooms. "Dinner will be served at approximately 1900 hours. If you need anything else don't hesitate to call."

Naruto turned his attention away from the window that he was looking out of to glance at his new 'servant'. "Do ya'll serve ramen here?"

Haruko frowned. "No, we don't actually. Lady Koyuki prefers to keep a healthy diet, but if you wish to have ramen I am sure we can get it for you."

Naruto blushed slightly. "N-no, that's ok. Don't worry yourself over it."

Haruko smiled before bowing low and leaving their quarters.

Naruto turned around to look at Shikamaru who was sitting on his bed thumbing through a small book. "Well, she seems nice."

Shikamaru glanced up from his book to regard Naruto with a slight frown. "They all seem nice at first, but in the end they are all troublesome."

"You're only saying that because you're dating Temari," Naruto deadpanned.

An audible snap came from Shikamaru's book as he placed it down on his bed and then started rummaging around for a cigarette. "You will find out soon enough how hard it is to keep up with woman," Shikamaru stated as he lit his cigarette. "They tend to nag a lot, and it don't matter what you say they always tend to find fault with it," he said with a sigh.

"Be careful how loud you say things like that. The perverted sage always used to tell me that if he caught me talking like that he would come back to haunt me until I understood the ways of women," Naruto said with a snort.

Shikamaru cocked an eyebrow in disbelief. "And you took him seriously on that one?"

"It was always dangerous not to take him serious," Naruto said sullenly.

Shikamaru smiled as he took another long drag from his cigarette and then slowly blew out the smoke.

Naruto sighed as he walked back over to the window and glanced out at the setting sun. "Do you ever wish that we had snow in Konaha?"

"Not really. Why do you ask?"

"I just thought that the setting sun made the snow look really pretty. It is kind of interesting, almost like a contrast. The sky reminds me of fire with the way it's lit up with various hues of oranges, pinks, and reds, and then there is the snow which is pretty and white with a bluish tint. It makes me think of fire and ice together, two opposites but yet they look like they belong together out there."

"I never took you for the thoughtful type, Naruto."

"Sorry. I guess I have been doing that a lot lately since my birthday."

"Is there a reason," Shikamaru asked while he put out his cigarette.

Naruto sighed. "Not really," he said quietly before slipping out of the room for some fresh air.

oOoOoOoOo

"So what's it like to live in a palace," Sakura asked pleasantly as she watched Fujiko scramble about their rooms to get them ready for their guests.

Fujiko paused from her bustling to regard the pinkette for a moment. "Well, it's not like I am royalty or anything, but Lady Koyuki is really nice to everyone and treats us like family. She saved a lot of us from living in the brothels. I guess you could say that a lot of the girls here owe their lives to her, and so we gladly serve her as well as her guests."

"Where did you live before you came here," Hinata asked as she gingerly ran her fingers on top of her bedspread.

"I lived in the Land of Lightning. My parents were shinobi and died in the last Great War. I was living in a brothel when Lady Koyuki found me…."

Hinata and Sakura exchanged a long uncomfortable look with each other.

Fujiko smiled as she clasped her hands in front of her. "Don't look so nervous. Me and my sister are really happy to live here now."

"Your sister," Sakura stated with surprise.

"Haruko is my twin sister. Most people cannot tell because we look so different. Where she is tall with deep purple hair and golden eyes, I am petite with mint green hair and blue eyes. We may not look like twins, but are personalities are identical," she said with a pleasant smile. "Well, if you need anything else don't hesitate to call me," she concluded with a bow before she left their rooms.

"Well, at least she seems to be optimistic," Sakura said to break the silence that had come about after Fujiko had left.

"She doesn't let her past get her down," Hinata said softly as she glanced out of the windows.

"You mean like Naruto," Sakura asked slyly.

Hinata flinched slightly as she turned her head back towards Sakura with a blush already starting to overpower her face. "W-what? I wasn't comparing them or anything…"

Sakura smiled as she held up her hand. "It's ok, Hinata. They are kind of a like with their endless optimism," she said with a smile. "In fact, I bet that's why you like Naruto, isn't it?"

Hinata's faced deepened in color. "L-like N-Naruto?"

Sakura's smile became teasing as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe even perhaps love?"

"L-l-love," Hinata squeaked.

"I think so, since you don't seem to deny it," Sakura said flippantly as she fell back onto her bed.

Hinata bit her lip as she ducked her head down and let her hair fall down in front of her face. "I do admire him," she said softly causing Sakura to glance up from her bed with surprise. "He never gives up, no matter what odds are against him. He helped make me a better slightly more confident person, and for him," Hinata glanced up and looked at Sakura with determined expression. "I would gladly give my life."

Sakura stared at Hinata's eyes with slight awe.'She has that look in her eyes again. It's funny how that determined look only surfaces when she is thinking that way about Naruto. Maybe perhaps I was wrong originally; maybe Fujiko is more like Hinata than Naruto.'

oOoOoOoOoOo

"Naruto, are you ok," Hinata asked.

Naruto glanced up from his place at the table with a slightly panicked face before leaning in conspirately. "I haven't been to a formal dinner in years," he confessed awkwardly.

Hinata smiled as she glanced at the blond beside her who was dressed in a simple black and orange Kimono. "Just remember to smile, wait for the head of the table to start eating first, thank them for your meal, and don't point with your chopsticks or talk to loud."

Naruto's eyes widened as he counted off everything she said with his fingers and then slapped his head with a groan. "I have to remember all of that."

Hinata giggled.

Naruto glanced at Hinata sheepishly with his peripheral vision. "You seem to be quite comfortable in this kind of setting," he stated observantly.

Hinata blushed slightly as she glanced at her hands that were placed neatly in her lap. "The Hyuuga clan is quite proud and very traditional. I would have brought more shame to the main house if I didn't know proper table etiquette."

Naruto frowned. "Oh ya, right, the main branch family mumbo, I didn't think about it like that," he said with a sigh. "But if it means anything to you, I think you look great."

Hinata's eyes snapped up and widened as a blush spread across her face.

Naruto's eyes also widened as he realized what he said. "I-I mean how your sitting and acting, it's uh g-great, not about how you look or anything."

Hinata's face turned a deeper shade of red.

"N-N-Not that you don't look great, because you do-" Naruto stated as he waved his hands in front of him frantically.

"Smooth Naruto," Sakura stated with sarcasm as she ran her hands down the front of her red kimono.

'Man, Shikamaru was right. You do always end up saying the wrong things to woman," Naruto thought with defeat just as the doors opened up.

"I am so sorry to keep you guys waiting, I just had the hardest time locating Taisho," Koyuki said as she entered the room wearing a very elegant looking blue kimono.

"My humblest apologies," Taisho said with a bow before he sat down at the table with Koyuki.

"What a hunk," Sakura breathed as she eyed Taisho down from head to toe.

Taisho was like the poster child for what a refined and elegant man should look like. His hair was jet black and stick straight and cascaded down his back in a regal manner. His face was perfect in shape and had a strong jaw and straight nose that just oozed with masculinity. He stood well over six feet tall with broad shoulders and an athletic build. His eyes were an interesting shade of green, and had a depth and gentleness about them that any girl could get lost in.

'Oh man forget Sasuke," Sakura thought with a dreamy sigh.

"I hate to get right to business, but Lady Tsunade did order us to report immediately to you once we arrived here," Shikamaru stated bluntly.

Taisho smiled. "Straight to the point," he noted. "I like that about a person. The details of this mission are simple enough. We need you to escort Lady Koyuki to the Land of Birds to discuss a diplomatic solution with their countries daimyo. The journey will take approximately one week on foot."

Shikamaru nodded his head as he picked up his chopsticks. "Can you tell us anything about these so called ninjas who keep attacking your men?"

"They call themselves the Brothers Five. Now whether or not that name means anything we are still not sure of. Our men have gone out and usually come back in a body bag." Taisho scowled as he jabbed a piece of meat with his chopsticks. "We don't know anything else about them, and we are not sure about their motives either. They are not people you want to encounter so please be wary on your journey and keep the princess out of danger."

Koyuki smiled. "I told you already, Taisho. I trust Naruto with my life, so I know that he and his friends will get me there safely."

Taisho frowned as he set his eyes upon Naruto. "With your life, eh? He doesn't look like much," he said causing Sakura and Shikamaru to choke on their food.

Naruto scowled as he placed his bowl down onto the table. "Don't ever underestimate me. I may not look like much, but I can take on anybody."

Taisho smiled slyly. "Anybody, really?"

"Naruto may be a tactless idiot at times, but he has never been one to let you down," Sakura said with a nervous laugh as she signaled with her hands that he should stop.

Taisho smiled warmly as his gazed rested upon Sakura. "Excuse me. I am not trying to pick a fight, but you can surely see that I would want to make sure that my princess is well protected."

Sakura blushed. "O-of course."

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he shoved a piece of food into his mouth.

"When will we need to leave," Hinata asked softly.

"Tomorrow morning," Taisho replied.

"Tomorrow morning? But I thought we weren't supposed to leave for at least another three days," Koyuki asked with slight alarm.

Taisho patted her hand soothingly. "There has been a change in the plans, my Lady. I am sorry if this news has upset you in anyway, but I was only looking out for your safety."

"Does their daimyo know about this change in plans," Koyuki asked curtly.

"Of course, my Lady, I informed him yesterday about this."

Koyuki sighed as she gave her guests an apologetic glance. "I am sorry about this. I was hoping you would have a chance to relax first, and prepare for the mission."

"We are used to things like this; there is no need to get upset over it. We will be ready to leave tomorrow morning as planned," Shikamaru said.

"I hope so," Taisho said darkly.

-End-

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A/N:

Hey everybody I'm back! I would like to thank everyone who has been expressing interest in my story your support is greatly appreciated. :) To be honest I don't have much to say. Tell me what you think so far about my story. Anything you would like to see in the future? I never mind a little inspiration here and there it keeps me motivated.

Posted: 01-06-11