AN: Sorry this took so long, but unlike the original, I wanted to plan this story out better. Anyway, the forced marriage issue will come up in this chapter. It'll make more sense once we get to it.

4: The Land of the Ninth Lord

After the wind had died down, the bridge was soon swarmed by the villagers. Hinata found herself whisked away from the Ninth Lord, and rushed toward the village along with her family and accompanying friends. Strange as it seemed, the village, being so poor, was rich and alive as the people bustled about at the arrival of the newcomers.

As she was led through the village to a house on a small hill overlooking the village, she saw that there were boats, despite the choppy waters, moving in and out of the port. Boats that had seen better days. All of the boats left the port empty, and those that docked themselves were laden with crops, or large loads of fish from the surrounding waters.

Others came bearing enormous, richly colored bolts of silk, and cloth that looked fit for a feudal lord. She recalled that Demon Lords were subject to a yearly tithe of various goods to keep them happy or entertained. Apparently Naruto was no exception. Others were loaded with strange treasures of gold, jade, and other valuables gilded with jewels. She watched as those incredible little baubles were taken to a smithy and relieved of their precious stones, and then melted down to make bars of gold and silver.

One of the boats that came back forced Naruto to leave their little procession as it came back to the port heavily damaged by something large...which was possibly being dragged alongside the boat itself. Before she was ushered away, she caught a glimpse of a massive reptilian head, followed by a scaly body covered in fish-like fins, and ended with a tail suspended out of the water with a tattered rope. It was a fish!

The girl clutched his cloak tighter around her shoulders. 'Where did they drag that monster up from?' She wondered quietly as she saw the blond Lord rush over to the boat, and start helping the fishermen. She then noted a small red/orange fox with multiple tails bounding up to the young man. 'A fox?'

"Hinata, keep up, please," her father said as they came to the house, "I'm sure the young lord is busy at the moment."

A woman was there to greet them as she smiled at the young girl wearing the red and black cloak, "You must be the group from the Leaf Village," she smiled, giving a small incline of her head to Hiashi, and his daughters. "Welcome to the Wave Village. My name is Tsunami."

Hiashi bowed in return, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Tsunami," he said, Hinata and Hanabi following suit. "I must admit, I had thought the lands ruled by Lord Nine would be more - "

"Forgive me, but these lands have only just begun to recover," the woman smiled sadly, "I'm sure that you are aware, but Lord Naruto was arrested and brought before Lord Mifune for taking these lands from another." Her smiled turned to a frown, "If not for that, many of us would have surely starved to death by now."

"We were there when they lashed him," Hinata said, trembling at the memory.

Tsunami nodded, and then stepped aside, "Where are my manners," she said, "Please, come inside, and warm yourselves until my father and Lord Naruto are finished with the village affairs." She said, and immediately took charge of Hinata as the girl was sopping wet. "You poor dears," she said as the two Hyuga sisters as she went about sitting them around the hearth. "Out in such a horrible storm."

Kurenai and Tenten joined them shortly, "It was quite something," the red-eyed woman said, "What was more impressive, though, was the fact that we were rescued by the young lord himself."

"I've never seen such a technique such as the one he used to stop the hurricane,"Neji commented as he sat between Shino and Kiba. "It was like a massive amount of condensed Chakra formed into a shuriken. And he even managed to throw it of all things!"

Tsunami giggled as she brought in a tea tray laden with cups, and a large steaming pot. "Lord Naruto is quite something to behold when he's fighting." She smiled, and began filling and passing the cups around, "Why, you should have seen him when Tazuna brought him to the village. I hadn't even seen his face yet, but the moment he set foot on our shores, I could feel the fury rolling off of him like a tidal wave." She said, looking at the young Hyuga girls, the younger one looking spooked. "You don't need to worry, though, dearies, he's actually the gentlest boy I've ever seen."

Hinata smiled, accepting her cup, "I know," she admitted, surprising her sister and friends, "I...had a chance to speak with him briefly back in the capital."

Kiba snorted, "What, and he didn't try to eat you right there and then?" Tsunami set his tea in front of him a little too roughly, and sloshed some of the liquid onto the table.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't assume him to be the monster that everyone makes him out to be." The woman said was a motherly glare that Kiba recognized. "I apologize if I come off as standoffish, but you must realize that that young man, Demon Lord or not, has saved my village, and its people from starving to death, or being dragged off by Gato's thugs to be beaten to death. My son was among those to be dragged away. My father was close to starving himself from giving what little food we had to Inari and myself."

Kurenai smiled at her, "Don't mind him, Tsunami," she said, "Kiba tends to say whatever's on his mind. And most of the children in the village that were from his age group were raised to dislike the Demon Lords. Particularly our own."

"Wasn't his mother the wife of one of your Kages?" She asked, frowning a little, "I've asked both him, and his grandfather, but neither of them like talking about the subject."

Hiashi nodded, "She was the wife of our previous Hokage, Lord Fourth." He said, "She was also the previous Ninth Lord, and the last known remaining Uzumaki pure blood. The Uzumaki are the only ones known to the world to be powerful enough to contain the Nine Tails, which is slightly fortunate because Lord Mifune cannot pass the death penalty onto him until he sires a child."

"Which is why your daughter is here, I suppose," she said, though there was no malice in her voice as she said so, the implication was clear. Naruto, at some point in time within their life to come, would be forced to seal his power inside of his child. Her child.

Hinata felt a spike of fear strike deep into her chest.

"I attempted to fight it," her father sighed sadly, "but one does not say no to the Shogun."

Tsunami nodded in understanding. "Well, that's enough talk of foolish things," she said, rising, "Please, enjoy your tea. Lord Naruto's islands produce some very fine plants for brewing teas."

(*)

"I warned you about the rougher waters around the islands," Naruto chuckled as he surveyed the damage done to the the fishing boat. "You're lucky this thing didn't pull you under when you hooked it."

"Surprised it didn't," laughed the captain, looking at their catch, "Strange looking fish, but I'll bet it'll taste fine all the same. Plenty for all, too!"

Naruto smiled at him, "Be sure to cut it up and make sure everyone gets a share, please? The village is still low on meat, ad this thing will do many families good. And I'll happily pay you for - "

"Gato killed my son," the captain said, stopping him, "Seeing him and his people being driven out of our village is enough payment for a lifetime, Lord Naruto, and don't ever think it isn't." He said, and smiled, "The sea's bounty is their for all that dare to tread its waters to share with others." He said, and turned to the villagers gathered around his catch, "Alright, stop gawking, and let's cut it up before it starts drawing sharks!"

Naruto laughed as the villagers hauled the leviathan out of the water and went to work. The giant fish was stripped down to the bones and scale within no time at all as the people took the meat home to start cooking it.

Tazuna chuckled as he watched it all happen, "You weren't kidding when you said some of the fish around your islands were monsters." He chuckled as the bones were dumped back into the ocean, "With a meal like that in their bellies, the people will be all the better for it tomorrow."

The blond nodded, and sighed, "Yes, but they'll all be hungry again in the morning and won't have anything until the fishermen return in the evening." He sighed, looking at the elderly bridge builder, "The sooner we get the new bridges built the better. Horses and carts will be able to move quicker than small fishing boats."

"I'll need a great many hands for such a built," Tazuna said, sighing, but then smiled, "Ah, but what a bridge it'll be, eh? Inari can handle the smaller ones once we're done with the big one, because after that, I think it's time for this old coot to retire."

Naruto smiled at him, "I can help out wherever you need," he said, "Remember, I'm a one-man-army."

"Talk for later," the old man said, waving the young lord off, "Right now, I do believe you have a young lady to entertain, don't you?"

The blond frowned, but nodded all the same and started off toward Tazuna's home. Kurama bounded toward him, looking up at the boy worriedly, "You okay, kid?" He asked, looking irritated, "And don't say you're fine, because I can tell you're not."

Naruto sighed as he looked down at his friend, "Just thinking...I know the girl the brought over for me to marry," he said, frowning. "She's the girl I met back in the capital when they - "

"Say no more of that subject, or I may just steal some of my power back just so I can obliterate that accursed swordsmen," the Fox said grumpily, "But this is good, isn't it? You told me that the girl you met wasn't afraid of you as much as others have been, didn't you?"

"Yes, but that only means that I might have involved her myself if I was seen talking to her," the blond said, guiltily, "You know that Mifune has been nagging me to take a wife since I turned fifteen so that I could produce an heir to pass our powers along to."

Kurama dipped his head, "I know, Naruto, but that is an eventuality," he said, "Much as I would like to be free of my curse, we both know that other humans will want to shackle beings like myself. And you are the only one that is currently capable of holding my powers."

"Doesn't make it right to turn that poor girl into a brood mare," he all but growled, "And look what happened to her as soon as she set foot in our territory? A hurricane whipped right up, and blew all her belongings into the ocean!"

"Circumstances, nothing more, nothing less," Kurama said as the neared Tazuna's home, "Besides, what good are material possessions? She has her life, and can find new bits and bobs to call her own."

"Remind me to teach you about human sentimentality some time, Kurama," he chuckled, smiling at his friend, "Still," he said, remembering his meeting with her on the bridge, "When she looked at me, she didn't look afraid."

Kurama chuckled, "I suppose that she is what you humans call beautiful, is she not?"

"Very," Naruto nodded, blushing slightly, and spotted Inari coming toward him with a large scroll tucked under his arm, "Inari, where'd you get that thing?"

The boy shrugged, "I found it washed up on the beach down near Grandpa's bridge." He said, holding it out to him, "I thought it might belong to those shinobi that arrived a while ago, but this was all that was out there."

Naruto took the scroll from the boy when he held it out to him and examined it, "It's a storage scroll, one meant for storing large objects."

"The girl's luggage?" Kurama asked, sniffing at it, and nodded, "Yup, it's hers alright," he grinned, and looked at the boy, "Good job, Inari. This'll make that girl's day."

Naruto reached out and ruffled the boy's hair, "Thanks, Inari, I owe you one," he said, and sniffed the air, "Smells like your mom has supper going. Go on and get your grandpa, and I'll go and greet our guests properly."

"Okay," the boy raced off, smiling.

Naruto laughed, and continued on to the house, "Lively as ever."

"Got some meat on his bones now," Kurama commented, licking his chops, "Still too stringy, though."

"Kurama!" Naruto burst out laughing as the Nine Tails grinned mischievously.

.

Hinata found herself laughing as Tenten teased her little sister over her relation with the Hokage's grandson when Akamaru let loose a angry growl as the large dog rose to his feet, the hackles on his neck raised. Kiba turned to his friend, wondering what was wrong when a knock came to the door. Tsunami smiled and went to answer it.

"Hold it!" The Inuzuka snapped, "Something's not right, here!"

Tsunami looked at the boy, frowning, "It's only Lord Naruto."

"Akamaru didn't act like this around him when we met on the bridge." Kiba said, looking between the dog, and the door. Tsunami shook her head in disapproval, and opened the door.

"WOMAN!" Roared a tiny-sounding voice as a furry red blob launched itself at the woman. Hanabi shrieked in alarm as the small creature turned its attention toward her, spying Kurenai, Tenten, and Hinata as well. "WOMEN!"

"No ya don't," Naruto said as he grabbed the offending animal's tails, and hauled him away from Tsunami before he could have a go at the other females in the room. He looked at the woman sheepishly, "Sorry about that, Tsunami, Kurama was just trying to freak out the Leaf Shinobi."

Tsunami giggled as the sound of Akamaru's barking and the sight of Hanabi and Tenten hiding behind Kurenai seemed to be just what the little troublemaker was aiming for. "I think he succeeded." She laughed as the Fox pouted while he dangled from Naruto's grasp.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry, will you let go of my tails?" He grumbled, "You're squishing my favorite one!"

Naruto dropped him to the floor, where he started fluffing out his tails, "Aren't they all your favorites?"

"Your point?" The Fox huffed.

Hanabi peeked out from behind Kurenai, "Please tell me I'm not going crazy, and that that's a talking fox?"

Tsunami giggled again, "No, Deary, you're not going crazy," she smiled as Kurama stood on his hind legs, and puffed out his chest, "Believe it or not, this little fellow is none other than the Nine Tailed Fox."

"At your service," Kurama gave a mocking bow, grinning, "Not really, though, I prefer the brat's company to most humans."

Naruto shook his head, and brushed past the talking fur ball, hefting the scroll in his arms, "I think this belongs to you, Miss." He said, smiling at the girl still wearing his cloak. "Tsunami's son found it washed up on the beach near the bridge."

The girl's face lit up in delight as she was handed back her belongings. "Thank you." She breathed out, "This has something very important to me inside it."

Naruto smiled at her gently, and glanced around the room, "Well, I haven't seen your house this crowded since Tazuna threw that party after I ran out Gato." he said, turning his smile back to Tsunami, "I'm sorry to put you out like this, but I had to see to something in the village after someone brought in a fully grown dragon fish."

Tsunami looked alarmed, "Oh, dear, is everyone alright?"

"Fine, everyone's fine," the blond said quickly, much to her relief, "The boat was just a little banged up. Still an impressive catch, though."

Kiba frowned, looking between the two of them, and growled, "Uh, hey?"

"Hm?" The blond turned to him, "What is it?"

"You're the Demon Lord?"

Naruto nodded, "One out of nine of us."

Kiba jerked his thumb over at the girl wearing his cloak, "Then how about paying attention to the girl who's life you just ruined?"

"Kiba!" Kurenai and Gai shouted at once.

"That was totally uncalled for!" Neji shouted angrily. "If this is how you conduct yourself, then it's no wonder you've yet to reach Jonin!"

Kurama growled at him, "Oh, here we go again!" The Nine Tails growled, "You might not realize it, you mongrel, but actually tried to turn this whole thing down!"

"Pfft," Kiba snorted, undaunted by the Fox, or the Branch Hyuga.

"Please," the girl said, hoping to avoid a fight, "It doesn't matter. Besides, he saved us from the hurricane." She looked up at the young lord, and saw that his smile had fallen. "And I never thanked you for saving my little sister."

Naruto looked up at that, "You don't need to - "

"I do," she stood, and moved to stand in front of him, and gave a small bow of her head, "My sister and father mean so much to me, and saved all of us by putting a stop to that storm."

Naruto smiled at her, "I thought you might've believed I was the one that called it." He admitted, making Kurama scoff. "What?" He asked, looking down at the Fox, "You used to brag about being able to summon hurricanes at will, ya know?"

"Yes, but you would have a hell of a time calling one yourself without my aid," he grinned, "At my full power, a little drizzle like that would've been nothing."

Hinata giggled, "Even if I believed such a thing, I still owe you for helping us."

His smile drooped a little, "I wish our second meeting didn't have to be due to the fact that we're being forced to wed." He said, to which the girl blushed, and Naruto scratched his cheek shyly, "I...don't think I even know your name?"

"It's Hi - "

The door burst open, Inari blundering in. "Big Bro! Trouble!"

"What now?" Naruto groaned, "Another damaged ship?"

"That samurai's back!" Inari blurted out.

Hinata, if she hadn't been afraid of the young Demon Lord before, she was then, for his features turned entirely feral, more so than even Kiba's features, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. "M-My Lord?"

"Stay with Tsunami," he growled, his voice warped, and bestial. "Kurama, if anyone you don't recognize come near the house, catch them for me."

"Got it," the Fox growled, angered.

With that, the blond disappeared in a rush of wind, and flew out the door. Hinata looked flummoxed, and was about to follow him, but the little Nine Tails blocked her path, "Best if you stay here, Little One, just in case things get ugly."

Hinata looked down at him, and gave a small smile, "I'm not some shy princess, Lord Nine Tails," she said, beginning to remove her Kimono, and revealed her shinobi flak jacket beneath it. "I'm a Kunoichi. I can handle myself."

Kurama regarded her for a moment, and smiled, "Well, it's not like I care all that much." He said, stepping aside. "Go on, then."

Hinata smiled her thanks as she rushed out the door, her teammates moving to follow her, but Kurama again blocked the door, this time growing to twice the size of Akamaru, much to the shock and fear of the shinobi in the house, "No I said that she could leave. You lot stay with me and help me guard Tsunami and her little one."

.

Angered beyond his own belief, Naruto's wind whipped through the village like a typhoon, his animalistic senses finding the scent of not only Saito Hajime, but several others as well.

As Naruto materialized in the center of the village, it was to find Tazuna of all people standing in front of a group of five men, including Hajime, brandishing a fishing spear. "Why can't you lot leave out people alone?" The old bridge builder hollered, "Haven't our people suffered enough?!"

"Suffer you say?" Hajime frowned, "Your lands are now under the care of a Demon Lord of all things, and you think your lives will improve?"

"Better the caring hands of our Lord than the greedy mitts of Gato, and thugs like you!" Tazuna yelled, making the men in front of him growl in response, "Why are you even here? Has the Shogun changed his mind about something concerning our lands?"

Hajime frowned at the man, "He hasn't, as a matter of fact," he said, his eyes narrowing, "But I have, if you must know." He reached for his sword, having not yet noticed the arrival of the blond, "While I cannot rid the world of the Demon Lords, as it should be, I can, however, rid the world of Demon worshiping heathens like the ones in this village."

"You can't mean to slaughter the villagers!?" Tazuna yelled in disgust.

Hajime smiled cruelly, "You heard the man," he said, addressing his men, "Slaughter all those that call Naruto their lord!" He drew his sword, raising it above Tazuna's head, "We start with this one!"

Tazuna gripped his spear tightly as he rushed the man as his sword came down. Naruto moved in.

In a blur of motion, Hajime found his sword blocked by a clawed appendage that had once been human, the skin hardened with Demonic chakra as a red miasma rose from beneath the blade. The other hand had gone around to stop the spear which now threatened to impale the one holding him back. Between the samurai and the bridge builder was not the Naruto they knew.

His face had become gaunt, the whisker-like marks on his face darkening into scar-like marks, his ears now pointed. His eyes had gone a bloody-red with a slit-pupil in their center, both of which now rooted him to the spot as his elongated fangs snarled at him.

Sparks flew from where his sword met his claws, their strength shocking the man and his warriors as he pushed the samurai back, causing him to stumble as Naruto straightened his posture. A bestial growl rose in the back of the young lord's throat as he released Tazuna's spear. The old man stumbled back away from the young man, sensing danger.

But his eyes were trained on the group of samurai in front of him. "I warned you," he growled, his voice coming out in a harsh guttural growl, "I told you to leave, and you came back, and now you're threatening my people." One of the men behind Hajime took an involuntary step back.

That was a mistake.

In a flash, Naruto was in front of the man, a clawed hand reared back, and slashed down on him with his claws, easily shredding through his armor, and rending flesh. He fell back with a startled, pained scream, alive, but out of the fight.

"KILL HIM!" Hajime roared, rounding on him with his own sword. The samurai converged on the Demon Lord, and Tazuna watched as he was surrounded, the swords slashing down. Only for the sound of rending metal to reach his ears as the katana, the samurai weapons that were forged from purified meteorite iron, were shattered as the young blond whirled around in a maelstrom of claws and fangs as he tore their armor and weapons to shreds. Hajime backpedaled away from the Demon, his sword cracked and unusable.

Naruto rounded on him, his red gaze thirsty for blood, "Your men I leave alive," the blond growled, his eyes narrowing, "You, I kill."

Hajime's hands began to tremble as the Demonic being advanced on him slowly, gripping his sword like a lifeline. He looked around for any means of escape, seeing none but the treacherous waters surrounding the island. And then he caught sight of a girl running toward them. A kunoichi from the look of her attire, which gained a smile from the man.

"Kunoichi!" He roared out, "Aid me in ending this Demon's reign!"

Naruto suddenly appeared in front of him, his eyes dark, "I'll thank you not to talk to my wife like that." He sneered, "Remember? The girl you said that I was to wed? Well here she is." He said, smiling slightly as the girl came to his side and dropped into a Taijutsu stance. "And you just threatened to kill the people of this village. Her village, now." He said, and looked down at her, "What do you think we should do with him?"

"Throwing him off the island would be nice," she said, panting a little in her haste to reach him, "Killing him would only cause trouble for you later if his men lie to the Shogun."

Naruto smiled at her, and reached out to grab the man by his face, "Lucky for you." The blond said, and then whipped around, hurling the samurai into the deep waters of the harbor. He then turned to the remaining men, who looked utterly terrified. "He had a little blood on him, so I'd suggest you all go and fish him out before the sharks finish what I started." He suggested with a disarming smile, "So please, get the hell of my island."

"And don't come back!" Tazuna roared, brandishing his spear as the men headed for their boat.

Naruto chuckled, and looked down at the young woman at his side, "My dear lady, I think you and I are going to get along just fine," he smiled at her, making her blush prettily, "Now, about that name?"

The girl smiled up at the young man, "My name is Hinata Hyuga," she said with a slightly mocking bow of her head, "And I am to be your wife."

AN: Not much to say about this chapter, except that I'm sorry for the lateness. As I've taken the time to think this story through, we'll be seeing a fair few sets of bad guys, Akatsuki included, and you can all guess that Saito Hajime is going to be back. As for Naruto and Hinata finding out just how far back they go, that'll come up in another chapter or two.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this one, and leave a review for me to enjoy. Ciao!