"This is where I leave you." Nee said, his voice a little too somber for the liking of the ladies standing by, ready to help Hinata. They gave him pointed looks, scolding him for not expressing exuberance for the girl and her new fiance, one she would meet later in the evening.
"Where he will leave you in good hands!" one woman quipped, gently prodding the girl beside her who jumped from her quick scowl and into a grin and vicious nodding that was almost on the borderline of creepy. Nee responded just so with a kind of side ways smile, and a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, very good hands." he admitted with a slow nod, and a reassuring smile to the girl trying to take in everything happening to her in such a short amount of time. The walk into the building that was centralized in the village was one of the longest of her life, and would surely be outdone by the walk to meet the Kazekage.
"Th-thank you I-I am Hyuuga H-H." she stuttered out but didn't get the chance to finish as the girls both sucked in their breathe, ready for at least one of them to talk, and with a quick look, one exhaled her breathe without saying anything at all. A quick exchange you'd miss if you blinked.
"Oh! We know exactly who you are, silly!" the one with the huge grin spouted, both of them now shaking their heads up and down in extreme acknowledgment of the woman before them. They were both dolled up in flowing clothes that fit them loosely but bunched up at place to show where their bodies curved in and flattered them beautifully. Both with bright brown eyes and dark skin that resembled a burnt caramel color.
"I am Gharbeela!" the first one said.
"And I am Hira!" the second one chimed in happily.
"And we are so excited for your wedding! As I am sure you can imagine." Gharbeela chuckled, her face almost a perfect circle with her wide smile taking up most of it.
Nee just cast a look, again, to Hinata. A look like how his voice had sounded when he first stated his soon departure. Somber. He felt for the young woman, it was like she was being sold off to a man she did not know- and from what he understood, it didn't happen often in her village. Maybe whispered threats of it among families, but for it to actually be carried out? Hardly ever. Romantic love was respected in Konoha, and given a high pedestal in the village. Not as much in Suna. It was marriage and family that came first and highest, the love would blossom once a worth while agreement was made. He could tell she was kind and soft hearted, he'd heard about her abilities and how she won many over despite her nervous and shy demeanor. Owning a heart like hers was going to win over the masses in her quiet way. The Kazekage would surely take to her quickly. Or at least he hoped.
"These truly are good women. Just as kind as they are beautiful." Nee stated, a small smile darting to them and earning calmed little giggles, and he knew they would forget his tone when saying goodbye to the Hyuuga.
"Well thank you, Nee- you know we think highly of you as well. We trust the soon to be bride was well taken care of. We'll hear all about it from you, Hyuuga-sama." Gharbeela said, her gaze going from Nee to Hinata as she spoke. Both women could sense her shoulders tighten a bit more each time they mentioned her pending marriage. Their eyes flickered to each other and they made a mental note to be a bit more gentle about it. It was not a desire of any of them to distress the lady who would become an integral part of Suna and its life.
"It will be fine. I assure you, our Kazekage does the best he can." Nee finally said, patted her gently on the shoulder, turned, and left. He thought in time with his steps, slowly and decisively. He wasn't absolutely sure of all this. Their Kazekage was a good man, but a slightly unstable man- even now. It was for the greater good that Hinata marry him and for them to have children but he wasn't sure if either of them seemed at all ready for it. Maybe her, but not for him. He'd been briefed on her love for the Hokage, and from what he'd seen of the man, the blonde seemed much more the better match. It was clear as day that she would've been happy with him, had several children, lived happily. But with his own village leader? Sabaku no Gaara? It wasn't as clear that this would be a good or a huge mistake.
Hinata watched him go, pale eyes full of nervous worry, but as she turned to the girls, she strained for a calm and complacent expression. The two were beaming at her, the excitement was almost pungent and stifling and she did her best to meet it with a small smile.
"You will love it here, Hyuuga-sama! Truly you will! Come with us please, we'll be showing you to where your room is." Gharbeela said, while Hira gently grabbed her wrist and they began to pull her down a long hallway, the floor kicking up dust until they came into a more traditional bamboo floored hall. Feeling that under her feet reminding her of home, and causing a pulling in her heart.
Gaara sat his desk, and he fidgeted in the smallest of ways, when he wrote Ys or Gs in his letter, the tails elongated out a bit and had a little more drive into them. It was something barely noticeable, but gave away to how he did feel slight anxiety at the prospect of meeting his wife. Soon to be wife. Fiance. All of it bordered on too much, but he bore through it with the same blank expression. This was his choice. He was the lucky one, he was the one who made the decision, Hinata didn't even have a choice. Better off than her, is what he decided. Again, decided. Decision maker was going to be his role. The tiny Hyuuga was known for being submissive and quiet, she would take to his words like seeds in the wind. Children would be born, and she could peacefully live in Suna the rest of her days. It was fine. She was his already, and it would only affect him in a positive way, bring happiness to his village. Everything would be alright.
He wrote, "I will soon be wed, a momentous occasion, and with a happ-"
"Kazekage-sama." a man announced at the door. The tail of his y drove up straight through the rest of the letter he was writing to a nearby, small village. Eyes flickering to the door, the man tensed a little to the power behind the sand demon's gaze.
"Kazekage-sama, Hyuuga-sama is now in her room. Gharbeela and Hira have made her ready for your meeting." the guard stated.
"I will be there soon." was all Gaara replied with before he looked down at his ruined letter. The door quietly slid shut, the supplies clattered into his drawer, and the chair made the slightest unpleasant noise as he pushed it back to stand- and make his way to... her room.
"Look how beautiful!" Hira gushed, grinning and nodding her head towards the extravagant room. Gold and red, like a sunset, the room was large for the people of Suna who usually stayed in small rooms so as not to have to cool a larger area. For Hinata, it was about a normal size which she was grateful for. And the bed, she noticed, was only a full size, not a king or queen, which she thought would convey a meaning. There were the basic things, but the wood was carved and a lovely deep red, and the linens were the color of heated sand. Drapes around a large window were gold, and light poured in to illuminate everything in beautiful color. She had to agree with Hira, which she did with a small smile.
"Y-yes, th-thank you, it's a-amaz-amazing." she stuttered out, and the two girls grinned at her.
"We are so glad, it was our own design! It's sincerely our desire that you enjoy it, we know it's hard to move away, and we felt this would acclimate you well to the area." Gharbeela explained, smiling at her and taking a more calm approach. Slightly nervous about how Hinata would react to the announcement of an approaching Kazekage she was attempting to calm and soothe the situation.
"We will be taking our leave, the Kazekage will be here shortly, Hyuuga-sama. We hope your meeting with his is nice." Gharbeela ended slightly awkwardly, both her and her sister had immediately taken to the girl before them, and felt for her as much as Nee did already. The older sister pulled her into a hug, and Hira smiled at her knowingly. But the Hyuuga had a stronger reaction than they were expecting.
"Thank y-you both so m-much" Hinata said with a smile, "I re-really a-a-appreciate it." the two nodded back to her, took a step back in unison, and gave a small bow before exiting. And as they departed, Hinata took to a chair in the corner, and sat, looking at the door.
It was not long before a steady and firm knocking at the door made her jump a little, and her eyes darted about as if she could cover herself up and disappear.
At that moment she felt the nervousness she'd be shouldering down rise up, her cheeks flared, and her chest felt compressed, like she would be struggling to breathe at any moment. Here it was. Here was her future. Here was the rest of her life.
The door cracked open.