The sun was just rising as a new day came upon them. Crows squawked in response to their suddenly disturbed sleep. A morning wind blew sand into a new position and all was quiet. People weren't even up yet. The sun rose above Suna so early given their location. Yet the only one to be truly awake through the night was their ever vigilant Kazekage Gaara. To think that just a few years ago he would have been okay with slaughtering every last one of them. Now though, he would do anything to protect them and Suna's people knew that because he did give it all for them; his life, just as he promised. Having taken a break from his massive amounts of paperwork he watched the sun rise. It was always a peaceful experience for him. Everything could be forgotten if for only a moment. That one moment to escape meant a lot to him.
His sea foam green eyes glittered in the sunlight, squinting just a little to compensate for the brightness that overloaded his visual senses. There was a small part of him that missed the voice in his head; it was a new experience for him. Even though the voice was always murderous, at least it was someone to talk to in the wee mornings. Maybe Temari was right; he did need someone other then his own company. He sighed as he stood up, that was a scary thought. If he was saying Temari was right then something must be truly wrong with him.
Reaching his office by hopping the rooftops, he jumped through one of the windows in his office. Setting the large gourd he usually had strapped to his back against the wall, he put on his Kage robes and sat down in his chair. Staring at the mountain before him, he seriously debated playing hooky from his job which was unusual for him. Sighing heavily he reached for the first of many letters and forms, about to read it when his eye wandered to the letter that had been sent to him just two days before. It was a response to his own response letter about the first. It had been sent quite hastily considering the distance this Kazeku had said was between their villages. Closing his eyes, he sighed again. This supposed Princess would be arriving any day now and he didn't even know what she looked like, but he had agreed because the situation did seem urgent enough. The request however was, strange, to say the least.
For hours he worked and worked as people were getting up and ready for their days. His siblings were wide awake two hours into his paperwork, he only knew this because both had popped in fully dressed and awake. Although he knew his siblings were not morning people, especially Temari; she was actually terrifying if woken up unnecessarily. Four more hours passed and now pretty much everyone had reported for their respective duties. He had already sent four teams out on missions and been given more paperwork. This was his life now. All he did was sit and order people around instead of doing it in the field. He knew though, that it was only a matter of time before Naruto did something so reckless that he would either be summoned by Tsunade or have to rescue his hide for the hundredth time; not that he truly minded. He enjoyed seeing his friend.
He heard a tremble from the gourd against the wall. Maybe he was itching to get back out in the field too much. Although it hasn't been that long since he was raised from the dead. The need to take things slow and easy was indeed called for, at the moment. He was a very cautious person before being kidnapped, but had become even more so after the fact. The thought of what happened left a bad taste in his mouth and he pushed away the thoughts. As he did this, the trembling stopped and the room was once again quiet. Not too long after he heard some commotion outside of his doors; it sounded like an angry woman was shouting at his subordinates. Looking at the door curiously, he didn't even flinch when it burst open suddenly.
Standing before him was woman of average height but looked taller from the way she carried herself. She had white hair as evident by the few strands that fell into her face from under her silver eagle shaped helmet. Her eyes were a shade of blue only reminiscent of the ocean but looked darker because of her hard stare and the scowl she wore. The silver of her breastplate, shoulder, knee and arm guards and her boots shined almost as brightly as the sun as its rays reflected off her. Two large battle axes hung on her back menacingly and an unexpected white, transparent cloth hang from the back of her metal belt giving her armor some kind of elegance to it.
Gaara looked at her a moment with unseen awe, "May I help you?"
"Yes, I believe you can. These people said you were too busy but I see nothing to keep your council from us," she said removing her helmet. The long white braid fell out reaching half way down her calf and her bangs seemed to be a natural mess. Her harsh beauty was something to be noted; very intimidating.
"Us?" he inquired calmly.
She nodded courtly, knowing that she was dealing with a man of power, "I am with Princess Setsuko's envoy."
Gaara placed his hands in front of his lips, his thumbs resting against his jaw, "I was wondering when you would arrive, but I see no Princess with you."
"She is outside with the rest of my team." Holding her helmet under her arm, the clank echoed through the actually quiet office, "I had to make sure everything was okay for her to enter, after all you have been made aware of her situation correct?"
He nodded, "I am and I can assure you, we're not out to harm your Princess."
"As Captain I can't be too careful. I'm sure as a man of power you understand how bodyguards think," she said never once moving from her straight, military stance.
Gaara dropped his hands, leaning forward against his desk, "Understandable. Now what can I do for you?"
"I wish to know the parameters of your agreement," she replied courtly.
"Your Princess will have a room at our inn on the top floor. Guards will be posted at the front door of the inn and two ANBU will be staying undercover on her floor. Is that sufficient Miss…?" he asked, having never been introduced to this all business guard.
"Hui Shai, Captain of the Ice Guard," she bowed respectively to the desert's Kazekage.
He gave her a hard stare, "I find it curious that a captain is leading such a small envoy. Usually they send a group of throwaway soldiers."
"Excuse me sir?" she inquired with an angry twitch of her eye.
"It's simply uncommon that a captain would do such a simple task themselves. Usually giving such a task to foot soldiers," he said again only a different way.
Gently she placed her helmet on his desk and immediately slammed her hands on his desk, glaring at him angrily. "How dare you call my men cannon fodder! You may be a leader but that gives you no right to insult my soldiers. And if you weren't a leader I would slap you for such words."
There was a rattle from the gourd against the wall behind Gaara and his desk, reacting to the obvious threat of attacking its master. Neither of them looked away from each other at the sound. "….Very well. I apologize." The sound stopped at his calm words. "May I do anything else for you?" he asked,
Her anger subsided to an emotionless one, "Yes, when will your plan be implemented?" She stood up straight once again, leaving her helmet on his desk for the moment.
"It already has. I assumed you would be arriving today and already placed my men at their stations," he answered leaning back a little in his chair and sitting up straight.
"Very well. If it is alright with you, I wish to leave a few of my men behind so Princess Setsuko doesn't feel so isolated."
"Hmm…I suppose that's okay but wouldn't it be counterproductive if you leave with a certain amount of soldiers and come back with less? I'm sorry to say but any assassin worth anything will take notice of this instantly."
She took a moment, tapping a metal finger against her chin and thinking about what he pointed out, "Fine. I will leave her in your hands but…." She trailed off placing her hands back on his desk and leaning in very close to the young man, lowering her voice in the a menacing, venomous threat, "If anything happens to her under your watch I will not hesitate to run my blades through you, Gaara of the Sand."
Grabbing her helmet, she quickly wrapped her long braid around itself and placed her helmet on. Turning from him without a word, the white fabric hanging from hips swished and swayed with her hips as she made a swift exit. Gaara watched her leave, an uncommon tiny smile curling at the corner of his lips. She was certainly intimidating; it was no wonder she was the Captain of this Princess' royal guard. As Hui walked through the door she gave it a firm close, letting the loud sound echo and pierce the silence. Outside the door, she gave a soft sigh, held her head up high and without missing a step walked out of the building to meet with her Princess and inform her of the Kazekage's plan. Now that she had checked out the building and the Kazekage, she would allow the Princess to enter on her own.
Gaara got up from his seat and walked over to the window, looking out it and at the convoy at his door. The sparkle from their armor was a dead give away but he could spot Hui out with her ornate helmet. This Aisugakure woman was strange to him. Even in his new position, not many people had the nerve to threaten him in such a manner; and she even knew of his title before becoming the Kazekage. She must be one amazing warrior if she could do such a thing and never once waiver. He had watched her closely, as she threatened him and heard the sand shift aggressively, her body never twitched and her gaze had been deadlocked. As he thought about Hui's bravery he heard a new voice that stood out from the gruff woman and drew his attention.
"Hui! Can I come out now? I've been sitting for days!" Setsuko complain from behind the curtains that blocked her from the view of onlookers.
Gaara watched as Hui opened the curtain and blocked the sight of their Princess, "Yes your Majesty, it's quite safe."
"Fiiiiiiiiinally!" she sighed as she stretched out her back, hearing a pop from her spine. "I thought I was going turn into a statue from all that sitting."
Hui chuckled, "I'm sorry Princess but having you out in the open was too risky."
As Setsuko stretched her stiff body, still dressed in all black, the temperature around her and her soldiers dropped drastically. A few Suna natives walked by and visibly shivered from the cold, "Did you already speak with this Kazekage guy?"
"Your Majesty!" Hui scolded for her improper attitude.
"Sorry, it's just been a really long journey. Four days in that cramped little box was driving me crazy!" she apologized.
"And yet you still know better. Remember my Lady, you represent us all. You have to be the perfect lady at all times." Hui dropped her arm, letting the curtain close.
Setsuko groaned, her shoulders slumped. Hui gave her a look which caused the Princess to roll her eyes before taking in a deep breath and exhaling, standing up straight as she did so, "Okay, okay Hui." With a sweet as candy smile upon her lips, she bowed to her trusted Captain, "Thank you for bringing me here."
Hui and the rest of her small division bowed back, "It was my pleasure your Majesty. Please be safe."
The icy Princess embraced Hui in a tight hug, "That's my line to you. Please, keep Maki safe and tell him goodbye."
"…I promise." With an unnoticeable smile, Hui returned the embrace as if a mother was hugging her child.
The two withdrew from each other and Princess Setsuko watched them leave her all alone in a village she knew nothing about. Sure she knew of the villages in this area, but she didn't know specifics. They never interacted with any of them; Aisugakure was a fairly isolated village. She watched the group leave until their backs were too small to see any longer before turning to the large doors that lead to the Kazekage. Her flats never made a sound as she walked through the doors and made her way to the top of the building. Walking up the many flights, she could feel her heart beat nervously against her chest; something that was new for her. She was used to meeting foreign dignitaries but for some reason she was nervous about this encounter. Could it be because she was all alone here? That was probably it. Back home she was surrounded by her people; people she knew well. Here, she knew no one.
Finally making it to the top, there was a young man sitting at a desk in front of the equally large doors as the front ones. She walked up to the desk, poised and having an air of royalty around her. Clearing her throat, the man looked up at her curiously. She introduced herself and he quickly got up, flustered and opening the doors to the Kazekage's office. She sent him a sweet smile and stood quietly in the room as she doors shut behind her. Looking around the room, she took note of how plain it was compared to her study. Sitting square in the middle of the room was the very man she was here to see. He looked small sitting at his desk, head down showing off his messy, auburn red hair.
Without looking up from the paper he was reading he addressed her, "You're Princess Setsuko I imagine."
"I am," she replied slowly, finding his behavior rude.
"I spoke with your Captain Hui, she seems…protective," he continued after the acknowledgement. Hearing her voice from outside to now was very different; he could hear the drastic change.
Dropping her gaze into an annoyed stoic glare, the temperature in the room dropped in a split second, both of their breaths turning into visible white puffs as they breathed. "She is more intimidating but she does have the best of intentions."
Gaara felt his entire body being taken over by goose bumps at the drop in temperature. Exhaling slowly, he watched as his breath practically turned to ice and then dissipate into the air. He only assumed it was coming from the Princess, "As I told her, everything has been arranged for your stay. But I must ask you a personal question."
"I will only answer such a question if you quit being rude and look at me when you speak to me," she spat, keeping the glare on her face.
"…" Gaara looked up at her and took in her foreign beauty. She was an almost stark contrast to Hui with her pale skin, blonde hair and ice blue eyes. "Forgive me…I am a very busy man."
The glare slowly disappeared from her face, "I understand the demands of running a village, but addressing people properly is also part of representing your position and village."
He smirked, "True enough."
"Please, let me properly introduce myself. I am Princess Setsuko Ayani of Aisugakure, it is my pleasure to meet you Kazekage Gaara," she said with a respectful bow.
Getting up from his seat, he walked over to her and returned the bow, "The pleasure is all mine Princess." He took note of her own smirk he watched cross her red painted lips as he stood back up. "Now, could you please return the temperature to normal? It's rather cold in here."
"Oh! Yes, please forgive me," she said as she complied, the temperature slowly rising back to normal.
Walking past her to the door he opened it, "Please follow me and I will show you where you will be staying."