Diclaimer: I don't own anything. Nope, nothing at all.

Summary: She signed. "You're not the devil, Naruto." He glanced at her, grinning. "He's just a very close relative."

Pairing: NaruHina.

Warning: Possible Sexual Themes.

Notes: It's a bit faster than I usually update, but it just came to me. I'll try to make the next chapters just as quickly. Also, a lot of things are revealed in this chapter. I hope you all like it. Enjoy. Edit: I've fixed some errors.

There was absolutely nothing that came to Hinata's mind, not even one simple word. Even after he had finished speaking she couldn't seem to move a muscle. Tens of thousands of thoughts went into her head, some borderline impossible.

It was ridiculous to think that he'd come to help her in any way…from all the gossip that Hinata had heard, that was very out of character for him. Lord Uzumaki was a man that worked to find a gain in every deal he ever made.

A flash of amusement passed over his features, and he glanced at shocked expression with a smile. "I hope I have not stolen your tongue, milady."

Hinata shook her head as he continued, "I can think of many other ways to do so, and it would not be by speaking."

As he walked across the room, he missed the large blush that covered the young girl's face, and he stopped at the large window. "Honestly, violet, do you not speak?"

"M-my name i-is -,"

"-Hinata, yes, I know, violet."

"I'm s-sorry to interrupt…My Lord…b-but what is t-the…offer…?" She smiled at him nervously, hoping desperately that he did not hear the loud thumps of her heart-beat.

Naruto returned her smile, "Ah…yes…well, I've come to understand that you are 'to be betrothed'…correct?" When she nodded slowly he smiled once again before continuing, "I'm sorry if this may seem an odd thing to ask…but are you happy with that decision?"

Hinata hesitated to reply. She wanted to give him an honest answer, she could never imagine herself lying to this man, but she did not want to seem ungrateful to her parents.

"I do not d-disagree with my father's…choice…My Lord."

He frowned, "Well, yes. You'd probably agree marrying a frog if it made your father happy."

She opened her mouth to reply but he held up a hand, "Which is exactly why I'm offering to marry you instead."

-

-

Hanabi could not seem to find her eldest sister anywhere. She had gone to bed earlier the night before, and had not said her farewells to her. It made Hanabi worry.

It was not in her sister's nature to forget such things. When she had arrived at Hinata's room to check on her, she had not been there. Her things were placed exactly where they had been before, but Hanabi could not help but worry even further.

The gown she wore the night before was neatly placed in the dressing room, and it was obvious that she had changed before leaving the room.

She wondered where she could have possibly gone as she descended the stairs. As she walked to eat something with the other guests, she thought of the possible locations of the Hyuuga heir.

Hinata often enjoyed walks in the gardens, and she made a note to check the surrounding lands when she was allowed some leisure time.

-

-

Sakura sat in the breakfast room with the other guests, sitting next to Lady Hyuuga. The younger sibling had told her of Hinata's disappearance and she looked around the table. It was possible that Hinata went with her fiancée to accompany him on the hunting trip that the men were going to take. Sakura herself would have gone with Sasuke had it not been for her frail state.

Even if Hinata had gone with Lord Anou to the hunting grounds, it would have been very out of character for her. She would have never willingly subjected herself to actually enjoy some time alone with her fiancée, and it made Sakura doubtful of her possible presence there.

After she had expressed her thoughts to Hanabi, she young girl turned to her with a small smile.

"Poor thing," she heard her say in a low tone. "She's probably suffering tremendously if she was there. She probably didn't want to tell us where she was going…I would have probably tried to stop her."

Sakura looked at her with a confused expression, "Why would that be, Lady Hyuuga? Wouldn't it have been a good thing for her to form a friendship with Lord Anou? I would think it would do her good for the marriage."

Hanabi shrugged, "I guess I just don't want her to marry someone she doesn't love."

Sighing deeply, Sakura wished that Hinata had the chance that she herself had found. "She deserves that much, I believe."

Hanabi nodded, "And so much more, Lady Sakura, so much more."

-

-

After both women had gone outside to look for Hinata, their hopes of finding her lowered further with every step they took.

Without wanting to question anyone about her whereabouts, as it would cause suspicion, it made it very difficult for them to find her.

"I'm starting to wonder if we should ask someone about her…"

Hanabi sighed, "Who, though? We could ask a footman, but then gossip would spread and I wouldn't wish to cause a scandal for my sister. It would terminate her betrothal completely."

"I don't think she would complain about such an event occurring very much."

They both laughed at that and then turned they're heads when loud barks came into view.

Sakura could not help but smile fondly when she located her husband, and he returned the gesture. She could possibly ask him something about her friend, it was clear that she had left the manor, as she wasn't in the hunting party.

After they had left the horses at the stables, Sasuke strode to his wife and the Hyuuga with a small smile.

"Hello, Lady Hyuuga…Lady Uchiha." There was a definite softness in his tone, something that he was clearly not famous for, and Hanabi could not help but to smile fondly as she replied to him.

As he listened to their explanation of their current predicament, a visible frown was seen on his face. "I've never known Lady Hyuuga to be so…careless."

Both women nodded but it was Sakura who spoke up first, "We were hoping that she had gone with you, My Lord, to the hunting grounds. It is clear that she has not, however."

He nodded, "It would have come in handy to have had Uzumaki here. He can sniff out an innocent maiden within 20 miles."

"What do you mean…? He has left…?"

He nodded once again, "I saw him last night, he was boarding his carriage. He said he needed to attend to some personal business. I did not bother to question him."

Hanabi stood suddenly, "Do you think he's taken her? Oh-,"

Sasuke shook his head, motioning for her to sit down. "Naruto may be a lecher, but he is most certainly not a kidnapper."

"I have to agree with my husband, Hanabi. It's probably just a coincidence that he left. Hinata did tell me she was going to sleep last night. She probably just went for a carriage ride."

Hanabi seemed puzzled still but it was clear that she was relaxing. "Perhaps she has gone to the village…she mentioned something about jewelry the other day…"

They all stood, and Sasuke helped them climb the stairs to enter the manor. "Do not worry, milady. Everything will be fine. I'm sure she just needed fresh air."

Hanabi knew that. She could not doubt her sister's actions…but… if Hinata had made it her point to hide, then she had executed her mission in a very successful way.

-

-

There was virtually no conversation in the carriage, and Hinata was beginning to get tired. They had only stopped once to switch horses, and she had eaten a small bread. She had no possible appetite in her nervousness, and she knew that she must have looked like a mess to her travel partner.

Naruto never once complained of the traveling accommodations, and he took charge of making her as comfortable as possible. However, even with his obvious control of the situation, he seemed just as tired as her.

They had left the night before, in a quick haste. Naruto's best friend, Uchiha Sasuke, had stopped in to question him about the carriage outside, but did not care to investigate what was inside it.

Without his interruption, it made it easier to leave as quick as possible. It still shocked Naruto as to how quickly Hinata agreed to the proposal. Watching her, as she stared out the glass window of the carriage, he cleared his throat. Her tired eyes glanced at him and he smiled.

"I'm still surprised at how willing you were to marry such a chauvinistic pig."

She stared at him, amused. "Lord Anou is not a pig. He's…just…odd."

"Yes, I can see that. However, I wasn't talking about him."

"Then who wer-," when it dawned on her she laughed, "-oh, yes, how absolutely ridiculous of me."

He moved to sit next to her, on the other side of the carriage, and help to untie her shoes. "Violet, you must be comatose. I swear…I've never heard a woman complain as little as you do."

She was clearly embarrassed at how easily he handed her small feet, and she blushed deeply. "I-I've decided t-that the result will be worth it."

The desire to wrap his arms around her was strong, "Yes…it will be…very much so."

She had a large blush spreading on her face, and Naruto wondered if it was possibly permanent. "You blush a whole lot, milady."

"I w-wouldn't have to if you wer-," she gasped when he put his mouth on her neck, trailing his lips lazily over her skin, "-i-if you weren't putting me in these uncomfortable situations!"

She squirmed as he sucked a tender area, and she tore herself away from his grasp. Gasping, her breasts rising quickly against her bodice, she put her arms around herself protectively. "P-please…My Lord…if you would be so k-kind as to…keep you arms to yourself."

Naruto laughed, "I'm sorry milady…my mind is currently occupied."

When she realized exactly where he was staring, she blushed a deep scarlet and he laughed whole-heartedly.

Suddenly, the trip didn't seem as boring to Naruto.

Oh, what a naughty man. Please review.

Until Next Time,

Darkofthenight.