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Chapter 4

Kiera left the conference room with a smug look. She passed Gaara on the way out of the Kazekage building, and gave him a warm smile and a 'good morning'. Gaara rose his eyebrows suspiciously, but wished her a pleasant day and went up to his office.

"Good morning Gaara-sama, the elders would like a moment of your time when it is convenient." His secretary Emika said with a smile. Gaara again raised his brows in suspicion and thanked the girl.

'Better get this over with now.' He said to himself and headed up to the top floor where the village elders worked. They had been making some strange new 'suggestions' to the Kazekage. When the elders 'suggests' something, it usually meant, 'do it or we will find a way to make your life hell and then create a new law around it so you have to follow it anyway you have no choice in this matter so get to liking it.' Gaara hated the power these old people had over him, but if the last four Kazekages couldn't do anything about it, neither could he.

He knocked on the chamber doors loudly and was greeted by a "Come in."

"You look scarily happy today Kiera, push any old ladies down a flight of stairs?" Kankuro teased. He had run into her on his way to the Kazekage's office. She was sitting on a park bench, eating an ice cream cone with a sweet smile on her face. He also noticed six little kids smiling at her, also holding ice cream cones.

"You bought kids ice cream cones?" Kankuro asked nervously. Kiera just smiled and took another bite of her ice cream. Now Kankuro was scared, he had never seen the Cloud girl act this… human.

"You know, sarcasm is anger's ugly cousin Kankuro. It is such a beautiful day, I just thought I would enjoy it. How are you doing today?" Kiera smiled warmly at the bewildered puppet master.

"Uh, alright I guess. Ha… have you seen Gaara today?" He asked nervously.

"Sure! I passed him on my way out of the Kazekage's office, he seemed as tense as you today. You guys need to lighten up more often, perhaps you should see the city's massage therapist." Kiera stood and finished her ice cream. "Well, I got to go. Have a nice day Kankuro!" she smiled and walked away humming a tune.

"Wonder what the hell that was all about." Kankuro sighed.

"Pardon?" Gaara asked, his jaw nearing the floor at the elder's 'suggestion'.

"It would be a good example for the village." One elder said reasonably.

"Perhaps it would help you relate to the people easier, not just the Shinobi, but the civilian villagers as well." Another said.

"But…" Gaara said weakly.

"Dear boy, we wont force you but we strongly recommend that you think carefully on this." A third elder said with narrowed eyes.

"How…" Gaara looked to the first elder.

"Why that sweet Cloud girl brought it to our attention. She is quite a dear, very polite. Unlike most kids these days." The first said, the others nodded in agreement.

"Kiera…?" Gaara scoffed at the thought of Kiera being 'sweet'.

"Due to her 'circumstances' I believe it would greatly benefit her as well, and build relations with Cloud. These kinds of things builds good allies." The third elder said, the others nodded.

"But…" Gaara tried to protest.

"Just think about how much this would benefit your village Gaara, don't be so selfish." The second chastised.

"Hai." Gaara said defeated. He turned away from the old men who had, in one conversation, put a huge burden on his chest. He should have realized that Kiera was up to no good when she left the office with a smile. Now the elders put this in front of him.

For the good of the village, to make allies with Cloud, to encourage other shinobi to follow his example, and to be seen as more of a person to the civilians. He was 'suggested' to do something he never thought himself ever doing.

"Kankuro." He called to his brother, and gripped his arm for support.

"Gaara? What's wrong?" Kankuro asked concerned.

"They… they want me to marry Kiera."

Kiera smiled to herself as she polished her metallic outfit, whip and her weapons.

'Gaara would be getting the news right about now' she thought lightly. After the argument with Gaara the night before, she did some serious thinking. Gaara was absolutely right, she couldn't kill her clan, nor could she return and do as they say. She was trapped, and there was no way she was ever not going to be in some kind of cage. But… she could change who her captor was. Marriage was always the last thing she wanted. Some guy who would use her for her power and money, and make her miserable for the rest of her life was what her family had in mind. Marrying a Kazekage, though… her family would have to agree, because of the pressure of the village itself for an alliance with Suna. She would have to stay in Suna with her 'husband' and would never be forced to become clan leader because of her duties to the Sand village. It was a way out for her, barring the fact that she would have to get married though. Gaara wasn't that bad of a guy when she thought deep about it. He was strong, a loyal person to his village and family, and he didn't seem the kind who would chain her to the ground for her whole life. If there was anyone she would consider marrying, it would be him. That is why she went to the village elders, planted the idea of 'marriage would be beneficial in so many ways'. She smiled and was polite, laughed at the old men's jokes and complemented the hell out of any suggestion they came up with. Soon, all of her terms and ideas were coming from their mouths like they thought of it themselves.

They immediately sent out a message to her people and village, telling them that the Kazekage was to court her, and she should remain in Suna for a 'pending engagement'. She couldn't believe how her plan had worked out so well.

A nagging guilt plagued the back of her head as she thought about how lucky she was, she was trapping Gaara in this as well as herself. She would try to dismiss it by saying that she would be a good wife, and very loyal to this village. She had no interest in being a bitch to him any longer, for this to work, she needed him.

"Marry her?" Kankuro asked dumbfounded. They were in Gaara's office now, and the Kazekage had his head on his desk. "They cant do that!"

"No, but they can 'suggest' it to me. Which means, yes they can make me." Gaara mumbled through his paperwork.

"What are you going to do?" Kankuro asked, sitting in the chair in front of his desk.

"I've got to talk to her, make her see that she cant possibly marry me." Gaara raised his head, with a bit of hope in his eyes.

"Ha! This is her way to not get murdered by her village, she went out of her way to get the elders to 'suggest' that you marry her. She doesn't even know you, she doesn't know this village, and yet she is willing to trap herself her for the rest of her life and have your children."

Gaara paled at the mention of children, groaned and put his head back down on his desk.

"Trapped." He mused out loud. Just the night before he told her she was trapped, and now she was securing her captivity.

"Kankuro, mind the office for me. I have to find this girl." Gaara stood up and rushed out the door.

"Well, this is the last thing I thought could happen to Gaara." Kankuro laughed slightly.

"Kiera. What are you thinking?" Gaara looked angrily at the blue haired girl. The expression Gaara wore made Kiera take a step back into her hotel room. Gaara came in and slammed the door behind him.

"I'm sorry, I just thought that maybe this could work for both of us…" Kiera began.

"Both of us? Do you think I would want to marry a stupid, weak, manipulative person like you? You come in to MY VILLAGE and mess around with my life. You don't even know me, Kiera!" he slammed his fist into the wall next to her face. Her eyes widened, but she remained where she was. She deserved anything she got, she knew that.

"I don't know anything about you, except what I see. I see a dumb child who has to bring down everyone around her to make herself feel better. You disgust me Kiera, and if I have to marry you, don't ever expect me to love you."

A tear ran down Kiera's face as Gaara screamed at her. He was right, she could never expect him to even like her after all she had done. She bowed her head, letting the tear fall to the ground. She bared her neck to the man who has killed hundreds out of boredom. Gaara was taken aback by her sudden submission.

"I am sorry Gaara-sama." She choked. "I will leave if that is what you want. You have proven that you do not care to ever know my true character. I only wished to live, and perhaps lead a life with a bit of happiness in it. No one's words have ever hurt me as yours have just now. If you want me to leave, then I shall." Gaara felt a tug of regret for his words. The girl was truly upset, even though she was trying so hard to hide it.

"Stay." He ground out and left the room with a slam of the door.

"Kiera." Her mother cooed. The little girl smiled and ran up to her mother for a hug.

"Momma, how did you make my name?" The little girl was placed on her mother's lap and bounced up and down.

"Well, there was this traveler who came into a restaurant your father and I were in when I was pregnant with you. He started telling tales of his adventures, and told about a beautiful girl who he was deeply in love with. She had saved his life, you see, pushed him out of the way of a flyaway arrow of a hunter. He said her name was Kiera, and that she was the strongest, bravest woman he had ever met. I thought it was a strange name, but as I said it, it flowed nicely off my tongue. Also I knew that you would be both beautiful and strong, and so I named you Kiera." Her mother smiled at her gently.

"Mommy, do I have to get married?" Little Kiera asked, playing with her long hair absently.

"No Kiera, you may live your life as you want." She said after a long pause.

"You were wrong mother. I will never be free." Kiera said wistfully before jumping out the window.

"Well?" Kankuro asked as his brother walked in the door.

"I… I called her awful names and made her cry." Gaara said in a daze.

"Made Kiera cry? That brick can cry?" Kankuro asked amused, but seeing the look on his brother's face, turned the conversation around.

"Well, whats going on? Are you going to marry her?"

"I don't know, I just…" Gaara stopped and looked at his brother. "Could you cancel my appointments for today, I think I need a walk." Gaara walked to the door and turned back to his brother.

"What would you do?" he asked.

"I don't know Gaara, I don't know."

Gaara walked twenty miles away from the city before he realized how far out he really was. Sighing, he turned to go back to his village.

"What do we have here, a lost Kazekage?" a voice taunted. Gaara turned to see thirty well trained, very deadly Mist Shinobi.

"An invasion?" Gaara deadpanned.

"An assignation." The Mist shinobi clarified, and the fight was on.

A/N: Please review… please?