Kings, Queens, Servants, Kingdoms... Such Drama!

Disclaimer: Beyond popular belief, I don't own Naruto. ^^ Good day!

Chapter Two: Preparing Our Guests

XOXOX

"Yamanaka!" her voice sounded throughout the Kingdom.

Terror proceeded to take over her body as she wished she could just disappear entirely. That voice sounded like Ino might be in trouble and she really didn't want to be around her when Queen Temari is mad.

Quickly, Ino rushed down the halls to Queen Temari's chambers and proceeded through the open door with a bow.

"It's about time, maid. I called you an hour ago," Temari said as she laid her eyes on Ino's bowing frame. "Rise."

With that said Ino stood up straight with her hands behind her back. "Milady."

Temari looked at her for a second longer before picking up a green garment, the same green garment that Ino had to sow the night before. "It seems like have finished this... finally." Temari gave Ino a blank gaze as she held the dress out fully in front of her for Ino to see clearly. "How do you think it looks, Yamanaka?"

Ino was at a loss of words. If she said it looked amazing after her hard work, Temari might think that it looked horribly and Ino would be punished, or if she said that it didn't look great after her sowing job, then that would obviously be another mistake all together. She decided not to go with the later though, show the tiniest bit of confidence.

"I-I think I did a good job, Milady," replied Ino with a timid voice.

"Really? Are you positive?" asked Temari as she slowly walked circles around Ino. With Ino's hesitant nod, Temari stood in front of the lighter head blonde. "I agree, it is a wonderful dress now. I couldn't even find the rip." Ino let out the smallest smile as she glanced up at her Lady. "I expect more good work from you, maid."

Ino nodded and was requested to leave to do her duties for the day. Ino left in a slightly better mood then when she had arrived. Queen Temari was actually happy about her work, whereas Ino thought she was going to get scolded. Ino had no doubt about her handiwork but that Queen scared her to no end.

Ino walked down the hall, where she found her friend Sayuki. Sayuki was the nicest person Ino had met since arriving to the Kingdom. She is the Head Maid out of all the female maids in the Kingdom. She always knew what had to be done and told Ino what she should be doing.

"Sayuki, hello."

Sayuki turned to the voice to see a smiling Ino and she smiled slightly herself. "Ino, how are you this morning?"

"Better than when I woke up." At Sayuki's questioning gaze, Ino continued, "Temari loved my job with her dress she had me sow for her."

"Congratulation, Ino." Sayuki smiled at her friend. "As much I would love to stand here and do nothing, we can't. So why don't you go up to the guest bedrooms and prepare for the King and Queen's guest that will be arriving tomorrow."

"Of course. How many rooms should I prepare?" asked Ino.

Sayuki stopped to think for a moment. "Five, we are having a ball, as you probably already heard of, so you preparing five bedrooms should be enough, but just in case make that ten bedrooms. Queen Temari loves having a lot of people for these social gathering."

"And Lord Shikamaru doesn't...?" Ino was only curious because Sayuki had not mentioned King Shikamaru.

"God, no!" Sayuki exclaimed, then leaned in to whisper to Ino. "He hates these kind of events, much rather be sleeping or some nonsense."

"How strange."

"Yes, well get doing your job now before we get in trouble," Sayuki was all serious now and Ino could only nod and depart to do her duties.

Once Ino made it up to the guest hallway, she hurried to get the rooms ready. Pushing aside the first door, she entered and got right to work. She made the bed, opened the curtains, dusted and filled the bathroom with all the essentials before leaving to go to the next bedroom.

Ino was making her way to the final bedroom when she thought she heard a low mumble, but knowing that nobody would be in these rooms, or even hallway at that, she opened the door. Apparently her hearing wasn't playing tricks on her, because Lord Shikamaru was laying on the unkempt bed with his hands behind his head. She was about to shut the door when he lifted his head, looking at her as their eyes met for a split second. But only for a split second, because that wasn't ever allowed, so Ino bowed respectably and waited for permission to speak.

Ino heard as she sat up and walked over to stand by her a few feet away. "You can stand up, you know."

Hesitantly, Ino stood up, but didn't dare look him in the eyes again; afraid. He let out a frustrated sigh. That sounded like bad news to Ino so she didn't dare say a word.

"You can speak if you want and you don't have to look down at the floor," he said as he walked in front of Ino and inched her head up with his hand. "It annoys me to talk to someone when I can't actually see their face." He had a playful smile on his face and released his grasp on her, much to Ino's dismay.

"My Lord, I-I had orders to prepare the guest bedrooms," Ino said with slight hesitation laced with her voice. People around the Kingdom always said Shikamaru was much nicer than his wife, but Ino didn't believe it until now.

"Of course, sorry to get in your way," Shikamaru apologetically said.

"My Lord, I'm the one who should be sorry for interrupting you... u-um, well interrupting you at all."

He chuckled. "You were probably wondering what I'm doing in the guest hallway, laying on one of the beds, I suppose." At Ino's silence, he continued after he sighed. "I just needed to get away... from everyone for a little while and no one comes near this place usually."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, My Lord. I'm just a maid after all." Ino looked back down to the floor until her Lord stood directly before her with his hands on her shoulders. A blush immediately made it's way to her face.

"Without people like you, there would be no Kingdoms. You make it all possible with your hard work. So please don't doubt your job... Sorry, but I don't know your name, miss."

"Ino, Ino Yamanaka, My Lord," responded Ino, looking into his chocolate swirls called eyes.

"Yamanaka? Are you the maid who sowed Temari's dress." She nodded and he released his hold on her shoulders. "She won't admit it, but she loved your work on it. She's even wearing it to the ball this weekend."

"T-Thank you, Lord Shikamaru." Ino's blush didn't go away yet.

"Just Shikamaru, please. At least when there isn't other people around," Shikamaru said and smiled at the petite girl in front of him. "My wife would kill me if she knew I told people around here to call me by just my name."

"She's a scary woman," Ino commented.

Shikamaru chuckled at Ino's statement. "Yeah, she is something... Do you need any help with the room?"

"Oh, no, no! I can manage just find, My Lo- Shikamaru." she quickly responded, waving her hands at him.

"Nonsense, I'll help you. Besides, I really don't want to go near my wife yet," he said as he walked over to the bed.

Ino nodded and walked over to a nearby closest, in the room, and pulled out white linen and comforter. They quickly and easily made the bed and finished preparing the rest of the room before walking back down the hallway, where busy servants ran around; preparing everything for the guest arriving.

"T-Thank you for the help," Ino said, smiling up to Shikamaru's face.

"Anytime, Ino."

XOXOX

Thank you for reading and reviewing, to the people who do anyways. So, Ino and Shikamaru's relationship is progressing! :D But until next time...

~ShikaIno1