Naruto 1. Chapter 1

This is my new AU fic that I talked about in Two Years and the Suna Karaoke fan fic. I am extremely pleased with it and they may be a little OOC right now but it will get better, I promise. And hopefully my grammar is better from reading this out loud to my sister. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 1

The young man frowned at the long dinner table. He was surrounded by loud men, all eating cacophonously, while they screamed about their wives, money, or latest mistress. He longed for the confines of his small, lush estate with his books and games. Here in court there was no one to see, no one to really bother with. All of his compatriots had gotten sent away to war or on an expedition or were doing other things, such as his best friends Ino and Choji who had just gotten married and were settling down in their new place about one and a half days horseback ride away from his home.

The new Queen caught his eye, though not in a seductive way. The Queen was older, elected by the Elders Council after King Sarutobi had died. She was one of the strongest mages in all the land and after much searching for, she agreed to help rule the kingdom. Even with all the pigs in the room, she sat up straight, regally, and as she breathed, her bosom rose slightly, suppressed by her corset and was eyed greedily, often for that reason. He knew better though. Even if he had been attracted to the Queen at a first glance she was too old for him, already in her 50's, using magic of hide her old features.

But the Queen did not look away and her eyes sparkled, asking him why her head scholar looked so bored. He frowned and rolled his eyes at some men ruefully laughing at their latest sexual adventure. She smiled and laughed. This was to be expected at court. Live a life of scandal. Trust few. Gain friends in high places. Get married but sleep with her as often as the blue moon. The Queen knew all of this but he was one of her trusted few now. All the others had been sent away to the war front or were elsewhere. For once, he was the only one she could count on. That meant staying at the cold and closing walls of the castle. Soon however, he would be relieved of his duty as her older advisors returned for various places and he would receive the vacation he was promised.

The Queen stood and the large hall fell silent quickly, minus the laughter of the drunk rolling on the floor. She ignored him however and made her formal farewell for the evening. The men remained silent as she walked out of the room, pausing to look at him and give him an encouraging smile. If there was anyone that could reform this country, he thought, it would be her. He gave a small bow and she continued to exit, the hall silent as someone sleeping. The large doors were opened enough for her and then the tall doors were slammed shut and the uproar began again. This time however, it was not for conversation.

After the Queen's retire was the traditional "merchants hour." He never liked it but sometimes, the merchants had gotten their hands on interesting magical trinkets that no one paid attention to except for him. That was fortunate because they were worth all the gold in the treasury. Those trinkets only appeared every once and awhile though. The main attraction were the latest queens of the night. The men hooted, fought, and paid fortunes for one night. He never participated and watched these queens be dragged off- young virgins, experienced women, and girls old enough to be his younger sister by 8 years which was saying much considering he was only 23. The men around him mocked him, saying he was queer and could never be satisfied by a woman, which of course was a lie. One day, he would be satisfied but only by one woman. Not a paid whore.

The toothless dirty merchant came in bearing a cart covered by a sun-faded cloth. His eyes perked up, the merchant had something worth value to him. The bidding began and he bought a milky white stone that was exactly like some others he had bought. He could feel the magic inside of the stone as it warmed to his touch. The merchant also had some old texts which he also bought and was quite content with his purchases. The other men however were getting rowdy. After he had taken a good look at the rest of the merchants cart, because he was the only one who would buy anything from it, he sat down and the merchant covered the cart with his sun-faded cloth and grinned. The men in the room settled down and sat quietly as the merchant motioned for someone to come forward.

The process of the bidding was always quiet as a girl was being brought out, they didn't want to scare her. As soon as the merchant opened the floor for bids, it got wild. He usually left by this point but the men had forced him to stay, partially to see if he would bid and partially to make fun of him when he didn't. So, it began. The first girl was brought out, fought over and won. Then the next and the next, one after another. It pained him to see some of them up there, the ones that were new and didn't want to be bid on. He felt even worse for the ones that had accepted their fate and taunted and teased the men. It must be hard at first but when you know that this was all your life was going to be until you were too old, well, that must be heartbreaking.

And so he sat there, watching the girls go by and the men filter out one by one. The smart men however knew that the merchant always had an exceptional woman saved for last, and was always the most expensive. The men that made him stay were gone but he didn't feel like moving, so he decided to see who the lucky woman would be to walk out last. The merchant disappeared for a moment and said something loud, but he had blocked out noise soon after the bidding began, when the pure tinkling of beads caught his attention. He frowned, more alert. None of the merchant's girls wore beads or any sort of jewelry, their clothes alone cost quite a bit. Now he was curious and sat, his hands folded on the table, waiting intently for the merchant to appear again. The beads became louder and clearer and then- there she was.

The merchant was saying something about where she came from but he wasn't listening. All he could do was stare at her. Her skin was a dark brown, as though she'd been out in the sun everyday from sunrise to sundown. Her clothes seemed to be traditional clothing from her home, he had never before seen the long roomy white pants with strings of beads sewed at the waist line or the cloth that held all of her bosom hidden, also covered with strings of beads. Her shoes were golden slippers and her golden hair was in a bun with gold ornaments sticking out. What captivated him the most however was her face.

Her face was smooth and angular at her chin. Her lips were the perfect shade of pink and her nose and ears were perfect, not too large or small. White eye shadow was brushed delicately on her eyelids, her eyelashes enhanced with black ink. Then he looked into her eyes. Her eyes were like whirlpools- once they are glanced into, there is no way to escape them. It wasn't the color of her eyes, that was the only plain thing about her, but was the shape. Her eyes were ovals, shaded by her bangs, that seemed to curve upwards and meet at a delicate point with her eye lashes that seemed almost cat like, which was rather interesting. He saw her look around the silent room, turning her head slightly, when he noticed one side of her lips curve upward into a half smirk. This woman was not planning to become a whore, that was for sure. Then, he realized that there was a slight power radiating form her body, that no one could sense but him. She knew magic and wouldn't be afraid to use it.

He felt his own lips tug into a smirk as the room became as loud as a jungle. This woman was trouble but interesting. His quick thinking deducted that she was probably kidnapped off of the road while traveling and couldn't escape because she had no idea where she was and most likely came from the desert. If one didn't know a specific route through the desert, they were as good as dead. He sat there thinking about his options as to what action to take when her eyes locked with his. As soon as he saw her face pull slowly into an ironic half smile he stood up abruptly.

The merchant stopped his countdown for the final bid and looked at him. The room fell silent and then erupted into laughter. He heard many insults, laughter, and angry cries as he slid his hands into his pockets, still looking at the merchant. The merchant smiled slowly and asked in a friendly voice

"How much are you willing to spend for her, my Trinket Man."

He paused for a moment, but only for effect.

"Enough to buy her as a slave."

There was a loud outcry and many men moved towards him. Before they could reach him, he crossed his arms in front of his chest and swiped them out so that each palm was facing a wall, his arms outstretched. The men farther way from him stopped moving as those close to him were blown away by a strong gust of wind. The room fell silent and he noticed the woman's head cock to the side in curiosity. He jumped and touching to table lightly with his foot, entered the center of the hall where the merchant was standing.

"Think about it," he began, "After one night, she will become another one of your useless whores. She will never sell for the price that you will fetch tonight. However in order to try and obtain the same amount, you will pamper her with your finest clothes and jewels. She will drain you pocket father than sand sifting through one's hand. Why not just sell her as a slave and save money?"

An outcry rose from the men again but was silenced by the merchant raising his hand.

"Those reasons are reasonable but I will need more persuading than that."

The young man cast a glance at the woman who seemed amused by the whole ordeal. He lowered his head towards the merchant and spoke quietly so that only he, and perhaps the woman, would hear.

"Look at her face. She is not afraid of who you sell her to or what should await her tonight. She is amused by the suitors in front of her, fighting and squabbling for a prize they will never obtain. She has magic flowing in her, this is no ordinary woman. She will kill whoever takes her home tonight and flee in an attempt to find her way home. What do you care about that, you have your money right? Wrong. The men will become scared of your girls and fear will eventually end up with you penniless. Let me buy her as a slave, I can take on her power you have my word on it."

His last words melted into the merchants ear who looked nervously at the woman and then said "Name your price."

He could hear the woman follow him slowly down the hallway, sauntering with pride as the beads clicked gently together. When they reached the room the Queen had given him, he opened the door and she walked in, smiling a rather deadly smile to him. He shut the door behind him, never taking his wary eyes off of her. He sighed as he walked over to a table and set his new possessions on it. He disliked the room greatly, the grey stone wall seemed to close in on him and the tapestries and carpets were faded. Even the covers on the bed seemed old and the mattress was stiff. The only comforting thing about the room was the large chair by the fire that he loved to curl up in and read. He was eager to translate the books he had just bought but the woman came first. He pointed to himself and to the couch then to her and the bed. The cocked her head, puzzled by his actions when there was a knock on the door and a servant called out to him.

He opened the door and the servant had brought a nightgown and a blue dress. He dismissed the servant and read the note and smiled. The Queen was gracious to him. Kakashi and Gai had returned early so could he leave the next day. She had also heard of his interesting purchase and saw through his plan entirely. He set the note down and handed the clothes to her, which she accepted gingerly. He moved towards a door by the fireplace and motioned for her to come over. She walked cautiously but saw that the door way led to a bathroom. He gestured for her to enter and backed away from the door. She looked at him oddly and then closed the door behind her. He took the opportunity to quickly change into his bed attire. By the time she emerged, he was changed and already immersed in translating one of the books he had received.

He didn't notice her, in fact, until he felt her hair brush him as she looked over his shoulder. He leaned back a little and she took the book from his hands. She had washed her face clean of the makeup and he realized that she smelled of different exotic fragrances. Then he noticed her hair was wet and that she must have taken a bath. How long had he been sitting out here? She gave it back to him, her expression unmoving. She stared at him and his face flushed. What was he supposed to do now? He stood up and walked over to the couch. She stood her ground, her face hard now. He'd better let her know that he wasn't going to do anything to her else he'd end up in a sticky situation. He pointed to himself and the couch, her and the bed again, took the blanket on the couch, laid down, and fixed the blanket over him and shut his eyes. She should understand that motion at least. He heard her move slowly and he opened one eye. She had breathed a sigh of relief and her stony visage fell to reveal perplexed saddened one. She picked up the book he was translating and opened it to a random page. She stroked the text tenderly and looked over at him. He snapped his eyes shut but he knew she saw him awake. He heard her set the book down, pull back the covers, and lay down in the bed. He smiled, thankful that she wasn't going to kill him and soon drifted of into a peaceful slumber.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

He awoke the next morning to find her eating some fruit silently, her eyes dazed. She looked up at him and he sat up groggily, rubbing his head with a fist full of hair in his hand while yawning. Frowning at him, she looked outside and then back at him and pursed her lips before taking another bite out of the apple she was eating. He wondered if she was guessing the time of day from the position of the sun. This woman was most curious indeed…

He sat hunched over, letting his eyes adjust to the light and he noticed that she was wearing the gown that he had given her. The tone of the blue was light enough to highlight her skin, making her even more attractive. Her hair was up in an unusual style, four spiked tufts of hair at the top and bottom corners of her head giving her a rather unladylike appearance, despite the dress. Nonetheless, he wasn't one to judge. All that mattered was that he was going home today.

He winced as his bare feet touched the floor and he waddled stiffly over to the table where she was eating and sat down in a chair next to the table. She watched him and seemed to be amused by the fact that he was not a morning person. He grabbed and apple from the bowl and slouched in the chair as he took a bite. Her eyes not moving from him, she slid a piece of paper to him and he groaned as he leaned foreword to read it, ignored the amused grin on her face. Ah well, it was better than that smirk he had seen earlier. And it was a lot prettier too…

The note was from the Queen, asking for his audience as soon as he was dressed. After audience with her he was free to leave. So, he decided to pack his things, have them being loaded while he was seeing the Queen, and by the time he got to his mare, everything would be set to go. He could take the woman with him to meet the Queen, it's not like she could understand them anyway and it would prevent her from running away.

He stood up and grabbed his riding clothes and changed quickly in the bathroom. The woman was eating another apple and he noticed that she took each bite leisurely, as if she had never had one in her life until now. This made him all the more eager to get home, he could find out where she was from.

He began to pack his clothes and she seemed to understand. She helped him put books away and the box of trinkets he had acquired while in court. She then handed him her own clothes and he packed them away carefully. He felt a tap on his shoulder as he finished closing the bags and he saw she was holding the blanket Ino had made for him on his 18th birthday. The blanket was brown and it held the scenery of a forest, two gray wolves here in the back behind two trees, one in each corner. In the middle and the center of the blanket was a grey horse that was thundering through the forest. She pointed to the horse then herself and then at he.

He frowned for a moment and then she repeated the motion. Ah, he understood now. He nodded and she smiled broadly and for a moment, he thought his heart stopped but brushed that notion aside quickly. She apparently liked horses and remained excited at the notion that they were traveling on horseback. She remained outside the hall while he went into audience. It was of no real importance, just to pay him and wish him luck in his findings with the woman and that if he needed anything, don't hesitate to seek her out. The Queen was also going to lend him one of her older horses for the woman to ride upon. They moved quickly to the stables after that and he saw the horses were ready. His own grey mare, Avalon, was ready and waiting for him. The other horse was a white stallion named Briton and both horses bore the small luggage that he had. He didn't even need to explain how to ride to the woman, she had walked up to the horse and whispered a few words in its ear, and mounted, looking at him with an impatient expression. He mounted Avalon and stroked her neck and she whined. He said a word of thanks to the stable boy and they were off.

It was a few days journey back to his small estate, Caer Carmel, and was rather difficult for him. With her dress, she could pass easily for a slave but not with her hair. After half an hour of trying to tell her that she couldn't go into an inn with her hair like that, she had refused to comply. His temper flared then out of frustration. He couldn't let her go in there without people assuming she was his slave. That way, men would stay away from her and it wouldn't cause suspicion. It took another half hour of arguing with her to get her to do as he asked. He was perturbed though. Within his frustration, he had mentioned something about being a slave or appearing as a slave and she had suddenly gotten quiet. She pulled her hair out slowly and reluctantly and pulled her hair into a bun, her head lowered. He could not figure out what was wrong with her though but shrugged it off hoping that she would be back to normal in the morning, or at least what he thought normal for her to be.

The next day however, she awoke the same as she had gone to sleep the night before. On the road she was not curious at the surroundings but kept silent and rode slightly behind him. As the horses walked through the gates of Caer Carmel, she seemed to perk up a bit. He led Avalon to the stables and she dismounted as well. He unpacked the horses and fed them and then grabbed a few bags and indicated for her to take a few as well. She followed him, now obviously confused. They walked up a short path to the small palace that he lived in. He heard her footsteps stop behind him and he turned to see her shocked and astounded. He didn't understand why. It was a different architecture but it was one he had seen in the books he was working on translating and with magic, renovated his house. He liked it better, the open hallways with the round doorways and the spacious rooms with the wind teasing the sheer fabric that hung from the ceiling. It was like walking in a dream for him and it gave him the room and space to think. But as to her reaction, why would she… wait, perhaps that was it…

"Master!"

He turned at the sound of a gleeful young voice and sure enough, Kiki was running towards him, nearly tripping in her yellow gown. The gown could not hide her grey bushy tail nor the grey ears that poked out of the black of her hair. He set the items in his arms down and smiled and she jumped into his arms.

"Master, I've missed you! Nana and Yaya and I were having a tea party! You're right on time!" She exclaimed cheerily, small fangs glinting in the sunlight.

"More like a week early."

"Yes, I agree. But welcome home Master all the same."

He looked up to see the twins Nana, in a white dress and Yaya in a black one, smiles on both of their faces. Nana and Yaya had no tail sticking out but it was obvious that they were similar to Kiki because of the grey ears poking out of their black hair. Their bodies were that of grown women but their smile hid their sharp teeth and their black eyes, enhanced for the dead of night.

He smiled at them, and they moved towards him. Nana picked up the bags he was carrying and Yaya went over to the woman who backed away, nervous. He watched them stare at each other, black on black, their eyes melding together like ink slowly being mixed when the woman slowly handed her bags to Yaya. Yaya smiled and bowed to her and the woman stood up straight and tall, her pride returning to her. As Nana and Yaya left, Kiki motioned for them to follow her. She had already prepared a room for the woman and he furrowed his brow, wondering how they had known about the woman. They were animal spirits, not soothsayers.

He had no servants in his small palace, magic took care of household needs and there was always his wolf pack to help take care of things. His family for many generations had been akin to the deer and wolves that lived in the Great Forest of Arden. It was unknown how exactly the wolves of the forest had come to serve his family or why the deer were the keepers of his family's graves but it was rather useful. The wolves and deer knew ancient magic that was passed on down through his family's generations. Seeing into the future was not one of their traits, unless it was something that was kept from him. He was sure the wolves and deer had kept their deepest secrets to themselves, which was fine but this was something he had never seen or heard of before. Even his Father, the strongest mage of all, had told him neither group had the ability to see into the future.

The twins stopped and gestured for them to enter. The room was one of his favorite guest rooms. The canopy bed and the low furniture gave a peace feeling to the room, more so than the others. This was also because the room overlooked the palace gardens, and the trickling of the fountain could be heard and was notorious for seducing one into a restful slumber. They gestured to the woman, indicating this was to be her room. She gracefully walked into the middle of the room and rotated in a circle, taking in everything. Nana and Yaya had begun to take her things and put them in the appropriate places and he felt a tug on his hand. He looked down and saw Kiki grinning at him.

"Come Master! You need rest. You can join our tea party later."

He allowed her to take him away to his own room which was similar to the guest room except that it overlooked the forest. Books were usually scattered about and his bed unmade however due to his absence, his room had been tidied up. On the balcony was his favorite chair, which he enjoyed taking naps and lying leisurely in. He changed out of his riding attire into a comfortable pair of pants and blouse that hung loosely about him. He laid down, one his legs hanging over one of the open edges, his hands tucked behind his head and was about to fall asleep when he head the clicking nails come towards him. He opened one eye to see Kousuke, the eldest of the wolf siblings that lived in his house. He was in wolf from, the large body was shown through his shadow.

The young man turned and laid on his side, one hand supporting his head. The wolf bowed low to him and then sat down, his large gray tail curling up next to his feet.

"Master."

"Kousuke."

"I am happy to see you home safely."

"I am pleased to see you as well. What's the latest news?"

"Nothing new really. We have been more in the forest lately with Mother and Father. One of us usually stayed though to keep and eye on the house and to make sure the house was being kept properly. I-" the wolf look down and he raised and eyebrow curiously –I have found a mate and she is willing to change."

He smiled. It was about time Kousuke had settled down. The fact that his mate wished to be changed was a good sign as well. Changed wolves were wolves that were enabled to posses a human form but it could not be done if the wolf was expecting a litter. It was easier to change the mother. She would remain in her changed form for a week so she would have time to adjust to the new magic inside of her and then revert to her original form and the mating could commence. The mother would conceive and then pass the ability to change down to her children, but still give birth in the natural way for the mother. It was an exhausting process but it would be worth it. Kousuke would still be able to help run the house and his children would also help serve the household. It always made him happy to see the new cubs scampering about throughout the palace in either form, it added some life and happiness to the sometimes lonely halls.

"I am pleased to hear that. Is there anything else that is dire or can I sleep?"

"The rest can wait for later Master." The wolf bowed and turned, leaving silently. The young man rolled back over and drifted off into sleep.

He walked towards his dining hall rubbing his face smugly. Apparently, the best way for Nana and Yaya to wake him for supper was to give him kisses all over his face. The two wolves trotted at his side pleased at their endeavor. He walked through a doorway that led to a room with a low table and cushions for sitting on. He wasn't in the real dining hall, the table was too long for only himself, and came to the room he had created when he renovated his house. It was a homely place to eat and he could sit close with his friends instead of having them down at the long end of a table. He noticed the woman was there and sat down in the spot opposite of her. He looked up at her and he was caught by her appearance. Her hair was in its usual style, but her clothing was different. She wore deep blue pants with and a same color top that covered her upper chest and her shoulders. Her belly was covered with a deep blue fabric that was tied at on of her shoulders.

He blushed, embarrassed for staring at her. Dinner came to them and they ate in silence. There was an awkward feeling about the room and determined to break it he caught her attention and pointed to the food and then gave her a thumbs up questioningly. She looked at him and spoke for the first time. He was shocked by the odd language she spoke. He had never heard such eloquent and graceful sounding words in all his years of learning. He was so entranced by her words that he jumped when he heard Yaya's voice next to him.

"She says supper is wonderful and she thanks you for your hospitality and kindness."

He looked down at Yaya and then at Nana. Why were these two wolves so- so- troublesome!?

"Yaya, Nana. How and since when were you able to translate other people's languages?" He asked sternly.

"Always Master." Nana replied simply and Yaya completed their answer "It has never been necessary to do so before now."

He paused, and then sighed. "Tell her she is welcome and I only wish to see her home safely."

Yaya raised her head and looked into the woman's eyes. There was a pause between them and then the woman spoke again.

"She thanks you fervently, Master. I also told her you would attend to any of her needs."

"Of course." He responded as he finished off his drink. Dinner was quiet after that but the tension had dropped. When she was finished, Nana and Yaya escorted her to her room and he went to his study.

His study was open spaced as well but books were everywhere, on the shelves, desks, and floor. Here was his magic workroom and his library, the heart to the palace. He found his purchases laying on his large desk, the books were in a stack and the other knickknacks were placed neatly on the wood. He took the milky white stone in his hands and found the box that he had bought at his first merchants hour. He opened it and the three other stones glistened in the candlelight. He placed the white stone up at the top center of the box and slowly ran his fingers down to the left where a blue stone tingled his fingers. He continued down to the bottom of the box and directly in line with the white stone was a brownish green one. His fingers traveled up to the last stone, a red one, and the stone sent surging warmth throughout his body, more so than the others.

He pulled his hand away, and closed the gold lid gently and there was a knock on his door.

"Enter."

The door opened slowly and Nana, Yaya, Kiki, and Kousuke entered with the woman following them gingerly. As soon as they were settled, Kiki curled up in his lap, Nana and Yaya lying down next to the woman who removed some books to sit down in, and Kousuke sitting in front of his desk, Kousuke spoke.

"Master, the Lady wishes an audience with you but I asked her to wait until you are finished with us."

"That is fine." She cold not understand him without the wolves help so he asked what had been nagging at his side. "How did you know that I was coming home early with this woman?"

The older wolf snorted and Nana and Yaya's snouts curled into amused smiles. "A bird Master." He finally managed to say.

"A bird." He said flatly to his wolf.

Kousuke sighed. "At least, we thought it was a bird when we first saw it. We are not at liberty to say however. We are bound by a magic oath."

"Good. What is it that the woman wishes to tell me?"

Nana and Yaya looked up at the woman and she stood and walked towards him confidently, the blue sash ruffling at her movement. She walked up to his desk and took a piece of paper from a stack nearby and a feather with ink and began to write. He couldn't concentrate on her hand however, her proximity was overwhelming him. Fragrances wafted into his nose and her face captured his eyes. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he-

His thoughts were interrupted by her body straightening. She pointed to the paper and he stared at it in shock. Her writing was the same as the books he had gotten from the merchant! That meant that she was from that country, the reason why she was astounded at the architecture of his home was because that was what her homes looked like! What a discovery!

She pointed to flowing arcs and curves of the writing, then at herself and said firmly "Temari."

"Temari." He breathed and she nodded firmly.

He took the same piece of paper and wrote the straight lines and angular characters that made up his name. When he finished, he swiveled the paper around so she could see it.

"Shikamaru." He said pointing at it, then at himself.

"Shikamaru." She said slowly, letting the long name roll on her tongue. How much more elegant it sounded!

"Shikamaru." She said again firmly pointing at him.

He pointed at her and said "Temari."

She grinned broadly and he felt his heart skip a beat.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

For the past week, he had slept in late, a luxury that he was denied at court. He enjoyed the extra sleep. He was able to work late and not have to worry about being tired the next day and falling asleep in an important meeting, which had occurred once. He didn't make the same mistake again. Sleeping in allowed him to awaken much more gently however to nature's call. He could ignore the sunlight as long as it wasn't pouring into his face, and would usually awaken to the tickling of a breeze against the translucent fabric that hung from his bed and occasional bouncing on his bed caused by Kiki.

The woman however always awoke at dawn. By the time he was dressed and eating breakfast, she was sitting at the table waiting for him. He wasn't exactly sure what she did while he slept and Nana and Yaya would not tell him no matter how much he pried or commanded them. They always told him that some things were not for them to tell and that he should discover it for himself. It was an old saying of theirs that he rather disliked, but knew to be true. He enjoyed figuring problems out, cracking codes and unlocking new magic. There came a point however when he was absolutely stumped and his beloved wolves would nudge him in the right direction or sometimes let him push through his frustration.

His day consisted of practicing his magic and attempting to communicate with the mysterious woman. This was rather difficult since all he knew was her name and that she refused to reveal any more about herself. So, he went riding and hawking alone and lived as though she wasn't there. Whenever he would pass her in the hallway she would bow to him and continue on her way with whatever she was doing. What exactly that was however, he couldn't be sure. Nana and Yaya refused to tell him that too, which frustrated him considering that he did say he was going to help her find her way back home.

He didn't want to invade her privacy by using magic on her but after two weeks of treating each other as ghosts, he had no choice. He thought it through however and with Kousuke's second opinion, he decided to spy on her without magic. One morning, he had Kousuke wake him early, at dawn. He got dressed and quietly made his way down the hall towards her room. He hid behind a pillar as she silently walked to the supper room, wearing the same exotic outfit she had worn when she had first eaten dinner at his home but it was red with gold embellishments. He went into the kitchens and ate quickly and went back upstairs to find that she was already finished. He frowned and began to walk towards her room when he heard noise from the opposite direction.

He turned his heel and began to walk. He heard more noise and turned down a hallway that led to his study and he frowned. Why would she be in his study? Before he could turn the corner that led to the doorway, he stopped abruptly, almost running into her. She looked at him surprised, but only because of the near collision. Her lips unraveled into a small smirk and with a small bow she passed him silently. He frowned. She cold have been in his library but the same hall led to the outdoors. It was possible that she had taken a quick stroll outside and then came back in. As unlikely as this was, he couldn't condemn her for being in his library without permission.

He walked into his library and found everything as he had left it. He enjoyed basking in the sweet taste of magic that floated in the air form the books and recent trails. He pushed the books on his desk aside and took a smooth grey bowl from underneath his desk and set it on top. He then went over to a shelf that contained vials of various substances and took the grey one. He opened the vial and poured its contents into the bowl. The glittery water swirled around as he poured it in and recited the magic words. Instantly, a room appeared. He dipped his finger in the water and swirled it around and a new room came into view. He swirled it again and again until finally, he found her. She was outside, in the gardens reading a book, sitting on the edge of the fountain. He squinted and the bowl zoomed in but she suddenly sat up and stared at the pool of water. He saw her face burn with rage and before he could do anything, she threw her hand into the basin of the fountain and ripped her hand out, splashing water onto the ground and causing his head to seer with pain as his spell was broken.

Mumbling incoherently about troublesome spells and women, he put the magic water back into the vial and the bowl back underneath his desk. If she wasn't going to let him see her at all, he would seek her out until he found her and then they would have a heart to heart. Well, as much of a heart to heart as one can get with out understanding the other.

He walked briskly down the hallway and Nana and Yaya told him she was in the gardens waiting for him. He hurried over but as he neared the fountain he slowed his pace, his body alert. The air was thick with magic and she wasn't happy at all. She would most likely try to attack him and his suspicions were confirmed as a fireball came blazing down towards him from the sky. He countered it with a water spell and she appeared, her eyes blazing with anger. Her sash was off and he gulped. This was no childs play. But then again, he wasn't one to back down from a challenge from a woman.

She set another fire spell at him and he countered it and their movements became a blur. Every attack he sent was countered or dodged, every attack she sent was countered or dodged despite the fact their magic was quite different. He supposed that all magic must have its root somewhere though and decided to ponder on this later when he wasn't about to be washed out in a flood. As the day passed, he furrowed his brow. This needed to stop. He retreated to the trees and his finger tips touched each other, his thumbs pointing upward, as he thought.

To his surprise, a large gust of wind came through and he dodged her attack, hiding again. This wasn't going to stop unless he trapped her. He jumped up to a high branch so he could see her. she was scanning the forest, her visage serious. He held his hands out close to his body, his palms facing towards her, whispered a few words and his shadow suddenly zoomed towards her. She noticed it however and began to dodge it. When his shadow could go no further, he brought it back to him and by slicing her hand through the air, a slice of wind marked the ground indicating the shadow's limit.

She then took her hands together and cupped them at the bottom of her wrists. She brought her hands back to her should her and swung them around, sending a large gust of wind towards him. He leaped to another branch and sent his shadow out again and this time, she was caught unawares and his shadow crossed with hers. Her body became rigid and he jumped down and walked towards her slowly. She struggled to keep her body from moving towards him but it was of no use, the two magicians were soon face to face. She struggled to move her hand and she glared at him furiously.

He sighed. Now she was angry at him but he had to try and get her to spend time with him. It was the only way to get her home where she belonged.

"Temari." He said quietly and she stopped struggling. Her face however was still upset.

"I'm sorry." He said his eyes downcast. Even if she couldn't understand him, she should be able to understand his tone.

"Please, come with me." He looked up and saw that her visage was no longer upset but smug. He held out his hand to her and released his shadow. She stared at him, inspecting him and accepted it gingerly but she then 'humphed' and turned her head and he chuckled inwardly at her pride.

He led her to his study and bade her to sit down. He pulled up a chair next to her and got a quill, parchment, ink and something to write on. He then wrote 'My name is Shikamaru, welcome to my home.' He said it aloud to her, pointing to himself and his house. She stared at him and for a moment thought that she would never be willing to be in his company when she took the quill form him and wrote underneath. She said her sentence aloud a few times and the only word her understood was her name 'Temari.' It was difficult to learn. After about three hours, he could only understand a few words, hastily writing them down. It was exhausting but it was a start and everything must start somewhere.

About two weeks later, the learning process was moving along much quicker than he expected. He had decided that it was easier for her to go through the books in her language with her, where she would tell him the phonetics of the letters and the word's physical meaning by showing him and example. He would tell her what it was in his language and write it for her and she would copy it. They could talk to each other minimally, he in her language, she in his but they could at least communicate vocally.

A new routine was set in place. He woke up a bit earlier and after he ate breakfast, they would sit together and learn. When their heads hurt, they would eat lunch or ride out into the woods and have a picnic and enjoy each others company while learning outside the book and the library.

He liked watching her talk. Her face moved in certain emotions it seemed. One was curiosity and her voice pitch would slightly raise, making her seem more girly. Another was her proud face, a look she would give him when his visage became smug and he began muttering troublesome under his breath. Her voice was haughty, he could tell she viewed herself to be higher than he, and perhaps she truly was. his favorite face was a completely baffled one. This he had only seen once and it was the first time they went out on a picnic and he laid down and in crude sign language told her he liked to watch the clouds. Her face seemed to slant to one side and he couldn't help but laugh. He got her to lay down next to him but he soon dozed off. When he awoke, she was gone.

The afternoons were hard on him. For some odd reason, she avoided him and didn't want to be in his presence when his mind was yearning for more of her language. So he would retire to his library and translate what he could of her people's texts. By dinner he would have given up and decide to take another nap beforehand and during dinner he would make polite and limited conversation.

One humid evening, he was indoors in the cool bath pondering her. Why was she so resistant to being with him in the afternoon. It was almost as though she was learning only because it was a necessity and not because she really wanted to talk to him. He was startled that he was so disturbed by this. Did he really want her companionship that badly? He had never had a woman stay in his house for such a long time but when he was younger, Ino and her family visited him all the time. It was nothing then. He dunked himself underneath the water and came right back up. Kousuke brought him a towel and he dried himself off and changed. He scratched his head and when he climbed into bed, told his concerns to Kousuke.

"Master, I do not know her wishes or what she feels. I am afraid I do not spend time with her and I do not care to either with Reika around." He said in his deep soothing voice. "But I believe that your efforts to befriend her are worth it. You will reap the benefits on it later I assure you. She cannot avoid you forever. She is full of pride but she does desire companionship with another one of her species. Just be patient Master and you will see."

He frowned and his wolf jumped up onto the bed and curled up beside him. He stroked Kousuke's fur, thinking. "But how long? I don't want to wait forever. Pah, troublesome woman. Why must things be difficult after a seemingly simple and just act?"

"Do not misjudge yourself Master. What you did for her was just and kind. There is no doubt in my mind that she is beholden to you for it. That may partially be a reason why she only seeks audience with you when necessary, she feels obligated. But as I said before, in time she will seek you out more as she learns more about you. Trust me Master when I say she knows many things about you and the palace. She has roamed about in all her spare time, leaving no stone unturned. She wants to learn about this place and eventually she will turn over every stone in you."

He let Kousuke's words dink in and he felt his mind ease. He would just have to wait like Kousuke said. What was the point of rushing things when she wasn't going to allow them to be rushed anyway? He laid his head down on his pillow and drifted off into sleep to the soothing lull of Kousuke's breathing.

He was awakened abruptly however by Kiki yelling for him.

"Master, Master! Come quick!"

He shot out of bed, Kousuke alert as well. Outside, a thunderstorm raged about, the rain pounding against the walls and the lighting flashing brightly and thunder ringing powerfully. He knew it couldn't be a flood or a leak, he used magic to protect the interior of his palace from the rain. Kiki ran breathlessly in front of him, her words inaudible with the storm raging about. He was slowly filled with dread as she led him down towards the guest wing and towards her room.

Kiki veered into the room quickly and he stopped in the doorway to catch his breath, Kousuke halting by him obediently. He was shocked to hear whimpering and instead of the prideful woman was a girl hiding under her covers. He moved towards her slowly and Nana and Yaya approached him.

"There is no physical harm Master." Nana said and Yaya continued.

"But she has never heard such a raging storm in her life!"

He looked at them shocked and then at the covered whimpering figure. What was he supposed to do? It was summer and thunderstorms were common. Nana and Yaya nudged him towards her and he mumbled under his breath again as he moved towards her.

"She was already afraid of them before she came here Master, we don't know what to do!" Kiki cried.

He slowly pulled the covers up and saw her curled up in a tight ball, her arms covering her ears and her hands overlapping on top of her head. He reached out to her hands with his and he tried to pull them towards him but she resisted. He drew his hands away and moved closer to her so he could rub her back to give her some sort of comfort. He remembered that he too used to be terrified of the storms when he was younger. His father had told him that storms were worse in Caer Camel due to the magic protecting their home from natural calamities. To compensate for the protection, nature sent vicious storms to the area.

She seemed to relax a bit and he tried with one hand to pull her arms off her head and towards him. She resisted at first but she slowly let her hand go and suddenly flew at him, grasping him tightly about his waist. He could feel the tears on her cheeks as she shook and he rubbed her back and held her.

Nana and Yaya pushed the covers back to he could get up. The woman grasped him harder or at least tried to considering he felt as though his circulation was already being cut off. The hand that was on her back grasped it harder and his other hand looked for the curve of her knees. He found it and slipped his arm underneath and stood. He could feel her body tense up but she still clung to him. He carried her out bridal style and carried her to his room. He set her down in his bed and whispered to her

"Don't worry, the storms rage is a bit quieter here." His room was not as open as hers which caused the sound to become a bit duller. Still she was not comforted by this and desperately clung to him. He sighed and pulled the sheets over them both. When he laid his head down, she curled up in his chest and he blushed profusely as he put his arm around her curved form. He had no choice but to put an arm around her for comforts sake.

'Troublesometroublesometroublesometoublesome' he thought as he lay awake in bed but soon he drifted off to the feeling of the steady breathing from the form next to him.

Just before he drifted off however, he faintly heard his wolves in the door way.

"Ah, there must be something there that wasn't there before." Kiki sighed.

"Well at least things are in motion." Nana said.

"The women are spinning and sewing like mad now." Yaya concluded.

There was a pause and just before he slipped into slumber he heard Kousuke say "What comes, comes and we can only hope for the best."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The next morning, he had almost forgotten that she was curled up next to him due to the storm from the night before. She was still sleeping, her body was more relaxed and she wasn't curled up as much anymore. Her face left no trace of her fears from the previous night and wisps of her golden hair lay across her face. She was smiling a little it seemed, and despite the fact that the woman had ignored him when possible she seemed rather comfortable with him now as her body was up against his. He was thankful for the warmth but the last woman he was this close to was his mother.

It was still raining outside but the storm had lessened and the lightning and thunder had disappeared. He knew that there would be a nasty storm again tonight, it was the season. Still, the rain wasn't making the air too cool and it was rather humid, either that or the extra body heat made it seem that way.

He breathed in deeply and sighed. He wanted to get up, he didn't know what time of day it was and he was hungry but he also didn't want to disturb her sleep. He frowned, trying to figure out what to do, when his problem became solved. She began to stir underneath him and she stiffly pulled her head away and then her hands that were curled up underneath her chin against his body, and he shivered as the warmth from her body left him. She slowly pushed her body up and brought her legs underneath her. She turned to him slightly and he was unable to see her face, due to her hair covering it haphazardly. She then turned towards the window where the storm was going on. Almost immediately, she gravitated back towards him, throwing the sheets over her head.

He couldn't help but smile inwardly at her childishness and he gently pushed the sheets back so he could see her head. Her face was pressed to his chest and she titled her head up towards him and he gently brushed back the hair covering her face. He pointed to the rain and then brought his finger to his lips and went 'shhh.' She sat up and ran her fingers through her hair, sighing dejectedly. Then, as if she had forgotten he was there for a moment and then suddenly remembered, she turned her face to the side haughtily and he inwardly rolled his eyes at her pride. She then turned her head to him slowly, her face uncomfortable and slowly opened her mouth when there was a knock on the door.

"Master! It's almost noon." Nana said coming in with Yaya behind her, finishing Nana's thought.

"And so we brought you something to eat." Yaya said holding a tray for food.

He sat up and propped his pillow up so that he could lean against the head of his bed. The woman sat cross-legged on the other side of the bed. Yaya brought the tray to him and Nana revealed two plates. She handed one to each of them and they ate in silence. After they had finished, she slid out of the bed without glancing at him and Nana and Yaya walked with her out, back to her room he assumed to change.

Just as he predicted, when he entered his library about ten minutes later, wearing long pants and a warm long sleeve shirt, for the warmth he felt in bed was from the body heat, she was already sitting in there patiently waiting for him. Instead of her odd clothing, she wore a dark green dress, trimmed with gold lace around the bosom and sleeves. Her hair was not in its usual style but instead, some of it from the sides was braided and brought to the back of her head where there was one small braid. They began their usual schedule and he was pleased that they were both equally picking up each other's languages rather easily. Lunch came and left and he headed back to his library to work on translating the texts and figuring out the stones when he heard someone walking behind him. He stopped and turned around and the woman was standing there. She must have seen his confusion because she glared at him impatiently and said

"We go?"

He turned back around and they walked into the library together. He went to his desk and he watched her go immediately to one of his book shelves and pull out a book. She then sat in one of his large chairs and curled up, absorbed in the book. She was using her finger to guide her eyes slowly but surely. He pulled out his texts and his necessary papers and began to work on translations. Every now and then she would rise, ask him what a word meant and he would explain it to her and she would go back to the chair. He too would ask her questions and when Kiki announced that dinner was ready he was surprised at how fast the afternoon had gone by. As they walked through the hall, he noticed that he rain had gotten harder and he assumed she did as well because she moved up next to him, her eyes shifting towards the rain often.

They walked into the small dining room and he was glad for the sudden rush of warmth that greeted them. They sat down opposite of each other and their meals were brought in. Kiki jumped into his lap and curled up. They ate quietly until he decided to engage in conversation.

"_What book you read?_" He asked in her language. She looked up at him and responded thoughtfully in his tongue.

"Book about potons. Is very funny." She said shaking her head and he looked at her confused.

"Potons?" He thought for a moment and said "Potions?" and she nodded.

"Yes, potion book. Very funny." She said and took a bite of her food.

"_Why is book funny?_" He asked confused.

"So- _you use so many things to create them when my people use very little_."

His head was a bit slow at processing what she said but he caught on.

"Can you show me?"

She paused before she answered, "_I do not know. You may not have the herbs I need_."

He thought again, deciphering her speak. "What you need, I will make sure you have."

She paused and then her face suddenly lit up. "Thank you."

"_You're welcome_."

After dinner, they went back to the library where he took down the herbs she needed. He hadn't heard of some of them but some he was sure his mother had planted in Caer Camel's gardens. He would go check and see when it stopped raining. They talked some more and he was thrilled that she was finally opening up to him. It was nice to have someone else to converse with besides his wolves, not that he minded their company, but a new face and voice was nice to have. It seemed that both of them had lost a sense of time because when Nana and Yaya told them it was two hours till midnight, both of them were surprised.

He bid her goodnight and as they went their separate ways to their rooms, he noticed the rain was pouring. He heard no thunder and saw no lightning so he assumed she would be alright. He changed and as soon as he pulled the covers over him and laid he head down, he fell fast asleep. He was shocked later when he felt a body press against him after what seemed like multiple hours later. His head had raised groggily and he heard the thunder crash outside and his head fell back to his pillow. He fixed the covers and slid his arm around her body again and went back to sleep.

The rain had stopped and the sun finally peered through the next day, waking them both. She did not acknowledge him as she woke and slipped out of the bed to her room and he was grateful for it, he had no idea as to what he would say. He dressed slowly this time and Kousuke informed him that she was bathing and would see him later. So he ate and then took a tour of the ground with Kousuke.

He always enjoyed it when the rain ended. He liked watching life creep back out of their hiding places and assume full vibrancy. The vegetations always seemed to sparkle with the rain drops on their leaves and petals, as if they had left over food on their plate from a giant feast the night before. He checked the horses and Avalon and Briton were fine and had enough to eat. He decided that he would go riding after his rounds and so went to the gardens to see what herbs he had for her.

He found her already examining the plants, wearing her odd clothing in light blue and gold. The only thing that was different was that this time, she had a white fabric around her head covering her hair, which he assumed was to help keep her from getting sunburned, despite the fact that her skin showed signs of already being exposed to the sun. He didn't mind though, the wrap around her head only made her more mysterious and intriguing. So, he got down on his knees and joined her as she examined the plants.

After they had finished and made a list of what she needed, he asked

"Do you want to go riding?"

She nodded and as they were down in the stables, it occurred to him that they had no lunch. But, as they always seemed to do, Nana and Yaya read his mind and arrived with a picnic basket and a blanket for them to eat on. He hopped onto Avalon with the basket and he saw her get on Briton saddle-seat. The horses walked out and she followed him to a small clearing that was shaded. He tied up the horses as she laid out the blanket for them to sit on. He sat down on the blanket and he helped her pull out the food Nana and Yaya prepared.

He bit out of an apple and she pulled down the fabric that covered her head to her neck and she fixed her bangs by shaking her head. Her hair was pulled back into a low bun and as she ate her meal she looked up and around at the tress surrounding them.

"_There are so many_ شَجَرَة ." She said in her native tongue but the last word was lost to him.

"So many what?"

"شَجَرَة" the foreign word flowed off of her tongue again and she pointed at the large brown trunk behind him, the green leaves sheltering him from the sun.

"Oh, tree!"

"Is called tree? So many trees here. At home, no trees." She said quietly looking around at the forest. She then turned to her food and began to eat. They ate at first in silence and then began to converse a bit more. He discovered that she was indeed from the desert and had naturally never seen so many trees. He told her his people didn't know much about the desert except that it was too dangerous to cross. She smirked at him and said slyly,

"Only dangerous if don't know **how** to cross."

He couldn't help but smirk back.


	5. Chapter 5

I promise the other Naruto characters are coming!!!! A lot of you lovely reviewers have inquired about them and they will show up next chapter. This chapter, they head towards them as you all will see.

Chapter 5

The early summer months dwindled away and the late middle of summer came upon them. Until the storm season had passed, the woman had kept to his side and now from growing so accustomed to his presence, took it upon herself to share his covers. He hadn't realized it until one night he went to bed later than her. He was startled but then shrugged it off. What could he do about it?

Their days were spent in pure idleness, with the occasional requests from the Queen that were quickly and easily granted. He was able to speak her language almost fluently, still leaning new words every day and vice versa. She was also beginning to reveal her true personality which he wasn't sure what to think of. She was demanding and was easily cross and her haughtiness did not go unnoticed. Her gentler side did not escape from him though as she murmured a thanks now and then, and the tender way she would walk about his house, as if something new would pop out and one day, something did.

He was in his library, working on a potion for the Queen when she came in and announced there was a messenger waiting for him. He went out and saw that the messenger was from Choji's house. He ordered Nana and Yaya to take care of the messenger and give him what he needed before he opened the note in his library. She was there with him as he read it and stared at him impatiently.

"What do it say?"

"What _does_ it say. He is requesting my presence in his home to celebrate his new wife. Our other friends will be joining us." He took out a quill and paper and began to write back.

"And?" She asked.

"We will go as soon as I wrap up things for the Queen." He said, not looking at her.

"But…" She said hesitantly and he looked up to see her frowning.

"Don't worry. Choji is my best friend along with Ino. You will be treated as if you were my relative, a great friend. Besides, they are already aware of you being here thanks to court gossip. You have no cause of worry and the sea will do us some good."

"The sea?" Her face seemed to light up and she inhaled excitedly. "We are going to the sea?!"

"Yes. Their house is on the coast."

He was surprised as an almost inaudible shriek came out of her mouth. She darted from the room and he assumed it was to pack. He as he was leaving his library with the potion in hand, she was standing outside the doorway, her arms crossed and a smug look on her face.

"Would you hurry up already?!" She snapped. She was completely prepared to go, she was in a simple dress that a normal servant would wear and her hair was in a low bun.

"I have to give this to the messenger from the Queen."

"Well then I'll have Nana, Yaya, and Kiki start packing for you." She said briskly walking by him and his head turned as his eyes followed her retreating figure. Since when did she tell his wolves to do anything?

As he walked towards his room after seeing the messenger off from the Queen and the one Choji sent, Kousuke approached him.

"The horses are fed, loaded and ready to go Master. I saw to your packing and packed your usual items and clothing. You will need to think of a gift though." He said deeply, trotting by his Master's side as he turned around towards the library.

"Tell her I am retrieving a gift for Choji and Ino and that I will be by the stables shortly." He said and Kousuke obeyed.

He then paused in his library. What to get them? It should be a gift for their child, when they have one. If he gets them a present for the child, that's also a present for the parents. Hmm… oh, how about…

He walked over to a shelf in the back and picked up a dusty mahogany box. There were no engravings on it but he knew that this was no normal box. Before his mother had left to the Lake, she liked to invent little trinkets using her magic. This was one of them and one that would benefit a child. He found a sack to put the box in and he walked out of the library and sealed it shut with his magic, so that only his wolves could gain entry while he was gone. He sealed up other places as well, such as his room and her room, and other nooks and crannies that held the air of magic.

He began down the path to the stables and saw that she was already mounted but he looked at her, shocked. She had changed her clothes and was wearing his pants, boots, and shirt. Her hair was in a low ponytail and she pinned back her bangs, giving her the appearance of a young boy.

"Well?"

"Wha-. Never mind." He said as he mounted Avalon.

"Goodbye Master!" Kiki said and he waved goodbye. He nodded to Kousuke, Nana and Yaya and they left.

Near dark, he began to looks for an inn and frowned when he remembered that the nearest one wouldn't be for awhile. That meant they had to travel at dark, which he never liked. Thieves always came out and caused trouble. So, he stopped Avalon and dismounted.

"What are you doing?" She asked him but he ignored her as he picked up a stick from the ground.

He murmured a few words and the tip of the stick burst into flame and then began to shine. He handed the stick to her and remounted and took the stick back.

"Thieves appear around this time. The light should scare them away." They continued along a bit before she spoke again.

"In my country, road thieves are not afraid of the light. But they also take to roads that are far away from the law. It is quite a problem, especially for _caravans_."

"_Caravans_?" He asked, turning to her. She scratched the top of her head, causing her bangs to slowly filter back down. Despite the fact that she was a woman, he had to admit that she easily passed for a young man and fooled many women as they traveled, for kicks she said. But now her cleavage was more apparent and perhaps she didn't care as much because it was dark now.

"Yes. They are merchants that come from all around, well except here, and they travel the desert back and forth selling goods and entertaining people for money. I like to see them enter town and set up shop because they have many exotic fabrics, spices, and jewels. My favorite though, is the different kinds of foods they bring. My personal favorites are dates but my brothers aren't too fond of them which is good because then I don't have to worry about them eating them all!" She laughed heartily but her happy face soon fell and a saddened distressed look came over her.

He felt a pang in his chest at her state. He was supposed to be sending her home, like he promised he would from the beginning. Instead he had kept her in his home and he was so eager to learn her language that he forgot about finding her way home. He opened his mouth but then paused. He didn't want to anger her or make her feel worse about her situation but she spoke up again, away from the topic.

"When will we reach the next inn?"

"Not for another 2 hours or so. We left a bit late but tomorrow we will get up early and travel all day and reach their home by suppertime."

"That's good." She said and they fell into silence again.

He felt bad and it seemed her solemn mood was contagious. There had to be some way he can make her feel better! What could he do for her? Wait! That was it!

"Temari," he asked and he looked at her and her face cocked to the side a little. "Do your people use magic to communicate?"

"Commnimicate? What?"

"Um, talk to one another. Communicate."

"Oh. Com-un-i-cate. Communicate." She said slowly, the letters rolling of her tongue. "_No, we don't_."

"Well, my people do."

"_Your point is?_" She asked, an eyebrow raised.

"All we need is a mirror, a simple spell and you can look anywhere you want, as long as you can envision it in your head. You also need a mirror or water to communicate through, though." He said ignoring her question and he sighed, relieved as her face became excited.

"_Anywhere I want? Even to my home? Will it work?"_ She asked rushed.

"It should. We can do it when we reach Choji and Ino's house."

There was a silence before she spoke up again. "_Can I show them the sea?_"

He turned to her, her eyes full of hope and relief. "I'm sure you can. We just have to get a portable mirror."

She faced foreword and small smile on her face appeared before she whispered "Thank you."

As the sunlight hit his face, he was ready to stretch but then remembered that she was practically on top of him and that meant she would get woken up roughly. The last time he had done that accidentally, she hadn't taken it very well and yelled at him the whole morning. The bed they were sharing at the inn was smaller than the one he had at home, so some overlapping had to happen. Of course, he would have preferred that they slept separately (there were two beds in the room) this time around but as soon as he lay down, she snuggled right up next to him. For a woman that seemed so strong and independent, he didn't understand why she still clung to him like a child.

Saving the question for another day, he shook her gently and he pressed the back of his head into the pillow as much as he could to avoid her arm that stretched right above his nose. After her arm was stretched she let it fall on his chest, and she groaned.

"Come on, we have to get up now." He said hastily pushing his body up.

"Nooo…" she moaned and tugged on his shirt, trying to get him to lie back down.

"We have to leave. Especially before the maid walks in and sees us in the same bed."

"_What's so wrong about that?_"

"You came into the inn as a man, remember? I'm not going to have my reputation more stained than it already is."

"_If you're so picky, why didn't you tell me to get out?_" She said huffily.

He looked down at her and her sharp eyes pierced into his, a small pout on her face. "Because… because… I don't know! Why did you get in?"

Her surprise went unmasked and was quickly replaced with an arrogant look and she got out of the bed haughtily, ignoring him. He stared at her back until he realized with a start that she was changing. "You could have given me a warning." He said bitterly as he turned around.

"What else would I be doing?" She sneered and he saw her out of the corner of his eye go towards the wash bowl, dressed. He turned around and went to his bags and began to change. When he turned around and faced her, her face was bright red.

"What else would I be doing?" He said glaring at her and her mouth opened and closed but she didn't say anything. Even though her mouth was silent, her eyes told of the fury raging inside of her.

As they finished up in the room and ate breakfast downstairs, neither of them said a word to each other. As they rode out together in a rather uncomfortable silence, he felt bad and tried to speak with her but she ignored him. After about four or five tries, he gave up. If she wanted to sulk, let her.

Her mood seemed to lighten as the scenery changed from the edge of the forest to grassland and from grassland to the beginnings of the coast. Cooler air began to greet them and the salty air filled their nostrils and she soon forgot about their quarrel from the morning. When they had almost neared the castle he stopped and told her she should probably change into a gown. She frowned at him and he said he refused to walk into his friend's house with her dressed as a male. Also, the air is cooler around the sea and therefore gets a little chilly at night, which is why the dress would be better suited than her thin foreign fabrics. She scowled at him and he thought that perhaps she still held a grudge against him, but she found a hidden spot to change in and did so.

As they neared the small castle, she stopped Briton and stared at the beach, now visible and in walking distance. He let her take it in for a minute and he gently touched her arm.

"We have to get going. You can ask Ino if she'll take you down to the beach tomorrow." When she stayed still and didn't reply, he tried again. "Temari, listen we-"

She didn't reply to him but moved foreword, her head raised. He didn't follow her immediately and really wanted to yank the four pony tails that he was glaring at but swallowed the urge down and caught up to her.

"Troublesome woman…"

"What was that?" She hissed, her eyes promising him fire and brimstone.

"Nothing." He mumbled but internally was yelling his head off.

As they approached the gates of the small castle, his anger died down and she was watching the sea as they passed by. The guards let them in and the stable boys took their horses as servants came and took their belongings. As the servant led them down the hallway to the feasting hall, he offered his arm to her and she looked at him surprised.

"Well, are you going to take it or not?" He asked dully, a bored expression playing on his features.

She glared at him and turned her head. "It's standard protocol for you to be escorted, as a friend of my house." He said and she turned her head towards him, smugly pouting.

"_Otherwise they'll think less of you. Like a servant or slave_." He said quietly so only she could hear and he paused for an effect before saying "_Or a whore_." Immediately her hand shot up and grasped the bend in his elbow. He grinned and before he knew it, they were in front of the large wooden doors.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

The familiar round, red face and slender, rosy, cheeks were the first thing that he saw when he entered the room and set his troubles aside. He didn't stare at them long however because they soon disappeared from view as he was suddenly crushed by a weight upon him.

"Shikamaru! I'm so glad you could make it!"

He smiled affectionately at the high pitched joyful voice and said "I've missed you too Ino."

Ino released her tight hug and smiled happily. Her white blonde hair was down and in the back some of the strands were twisted in a fashionable manner. She wore a light blue gown trimmed with silver, complimenting her looks. He thought she had never looked better and it filled him with joy to see her so happy. He felt even happier when he turned to his other friend, her husband.

They clapped hands and it was easy to see how joyous and proud Choji was of his new wife and home by the way he held his large chest and the gleam in his eye. He was wearing simple clothes, Choji never like the glam of court, but he most certainly feasted in a courtly manner- all you can eat every day. Most people found it hard to believe that Ino had married him, considering her phobia of heavy people but true love conquers all, or so they say, and Choji did seem to slim down some before the wedding and even now as his best friend stood before him did he seem thinner.

"It's good to see you Choji. You look wonderful. Congratulations to you and your new wife."

"Thank you Shikamaru. Welcome to our home!" Choji said and gestured to the hall. Shikamaru was about to take a step when he remembered the woman standing next to him.

"Ah, please forgive me of my rudeness. This is… Lady Temari who is currently visiting from here homeland and is taking cultural notes for her country."

The woman took her cue and curtsied "Thank you for inviting me into your home. I-"

"Oh you're Temari!! Shikamaru told us all about you and I've been waiting to meet you for so long! Don't worry about formalities, just call me Ino! Come on, I'll introduce you to the other ladies" Ino said cutting her off and dragging her to the tables to introduce her to the other women gathered there.

Choji chuckled and grinned at his friend and the two men walked over to the other men who were grinning widely. One of them stood up, and said loud screechy voice "Shikamaru! Where have you been while we've been slaving away at court, eh?"

He rolled is eyes and responded, "I've been busy Naruto."

The tall blonde haired man snorted and a brown haired man jeered "With his new woman."

He comment earned the laughter from the men but one of them spoke up. "You shouldn't say such things Kiba. Especially because the court gossip is only true half the time, right Shikamaru?"

"What have they been saying about me at court?" He asked the man who spoke. His white eyes flickered to the woman and back at the men.

"That the queer bought a woman as a slave. Not any woman but a rather exquisite one, as if to prove he isn't queer. Of course, that failed because he didn't even sleep with her the night he bought her. All of which is said and elaborately pronounced by none other than Lord Rathburn."

"Rathburn eh?" Kiba said scratching his chin. "I heard it from other people but it makes sense that he started it."

"Really, Neji? Rathburn?" Choji said frowning at the white-eyed man.

"Of course. Ever since I got the position he wanted he wants t destroy me by any means. Of course, any plot to kill me will get seen through quickly by myself and by you all. We're not apart of the Legendary Eight for nothing." Shikamaru said and the men fell silent.

"So what have you been doing? The Queen said you were on vacation but working at the same time." Naruto asked him seriously.

"I've been working with Temari and learning about her language and culture. It could prove useful in the future, especially if we can become allies with their country and set up trade."

"Nice." Kiba said nodding. "You get to do nothing all day long basically."

"Sort of. I'm translating texts and learning a completely different language. It's not as easy as it seems." He paused before continuing gingerly. "How is court?"

"Terrible." Naruto said grimly. "No one respects me even though I'm one of the Eight. I don't understand why!"

The Legendary Eight are the country's best of the best, the crème da la crème of fighters and thinkers. These eight make up the top strategists and fighter in the kingdom and assist and aid the ruler of the kingdom. It is a high honor to be given but the best honor is to e declared a Secret, the spies and secret advisors to the Queen, like Kakashi and Gai. All of the Secrets were mentors to the Eight and hope to see them in their places one day.

"It's because you treat everything like it' a joke." Neji said flatly and Naruto shot out of his chair.

"Shut up you-"

"NARUTO! SIT DOWN!" Naruto sat immediately as the voice of his wife, Sakura carried across the room. The men laughed at him but secretly Shikamaru knew that he was going to be a great ruler someday. He knew that the Queen had marked him to follow in her footsteps and while he was a buffoon at times, he was the strongest fighter out of all of them and also had the biggest heart.

"Have you heard from Sasuke, Shino, and Lee?" Shikamaru asked and Kiba scratched his head.

"They all have missions I think. I know that Sasuke is negotiating right now with Coress but I don't know about Lee and Shino."

"It bites not to have Fuzzy Brows and Sasuke-teme around. I even miss Shino a bit…" Naruto said frowning slightly and asked, "That means that war is getting more intense. We'll probably get pulled into it as well won't we?"

There was a silence amongst them as the answer rang loud and clear in their heads.

The women laughed loudly from the other side of the room and Shikamaru stood up and Choji followed suite.

"Bed?" his friend asked and he nodded.

The two men walked over to the women and Temari said goodnight to them and Choji led them to a large bedroom that overlooked the sea. He bade them goodnight and left the two.

Temari walked around the room slowly and plopped down on the bed. Shikamaru walked over and opened a window that overlooked the sea. The salty air began to mix with the musty castle smell of the room and he felt at ease, that is until he remembered that she was mad at him. He glanced over at her slightly but she caught his gaze and looked away sharply. He sighed and went over to his bag ad began to rummage around until he found a medium sized round mirror.

He walked over to her and held it out to her. "I can't perform the magic if I don't know where I'm contacting. You have to imagine a place with water or a place with a large mirror." He said dully. She looked up at him blankly and he sat down next to her and sighed.

"I'm sorry about this morning. Just didn't want to cause an awkward scene with the inn for your sake and mine. I didn't mean to insult you."

When she didn't respond he turned to look at her and saw that she was staring straight ahead, her face wasn't blank, it was sad.

Before he could say anything she asked him quietly "Can I really see them?" She turned to face him, her eyes desperate "Is it really possible?"

He silently handed her the mirror and she took it gently. "Just close you eyes and keep the image strong in your head. Focus everything on it and don't let go of it."

She closed her eyes and held the mirror flat on her palms. She looked so helpless, so needy at the moment. He wanted to just lean in hold her and- wait, he did? He shook his head and focused on the spell. The mirror began to shine and a pool of water came into focus.

"Temari you can look now."

She opened her eyes and looked into the mirror.

"_Kankuro? Gaara? Anyone? Is anyone there?_"

There was a silence and she called again frantically and his time, a girl with dark skin and black hair appeared in the mirror.

"Megumi!" She cried happily and the girl on the other side began to sob "**My Lady, My Lady!**"

"Megumi Megumi!" Temari cried and covered her mouth in disbelief. She began to speak rapidly in her native tongue and he couldn't pick up much other than the fact she told Megumi that she was alright. He watched her and never realized how much she really missed her home. He was jerked out of his thoughts when he heard her sob

"_Kankuro, Gaara!" _

He was shocked as she was sitting o the bed, tears pouring out of her eyes while two male voices began to talk rapidly. She talked back to them; he didn't really pay attention to what they were saying. It wasn't his business and was surprised when she beckoned him to come over and look in the mirror.

He sat next to her and he heard her introduce him. He bowed his head politely and made some response. He wasn't really paying attention to the conversation, he made some comment about taking care of her was no problem and the brothers thanked him over and over again. What struck him about them was that they looked nothing alike. She had told him once that her family was the most screwed up one anyone could find. But the elder brother with dark brown hair, brown eyes, and purple face paint, and the younger brother with red hair and markings around his eyes ad a small red symbol on his forehead seemed to really care. And she seemed to really care back.

Then, it hit him. He was guilty inside. They had spent the entire summer in pure idleness, getting to know each other and each other's languages. While that was fun and all, her brothers had no idea here she was. She was kidnapped by a sex trader and all summer she had been safe while her brother were worried sick. He could have used this magic the entire time, she could have communicated with them the whole summer but no, he just had to forget about the spell until recently. How much of an ignorant jerk could he be?

She had stopped crying and was now talking with them quietly. She had a smile on her face and she looked so happy, happier than he had ever seen her. The guilt inside of him was pressing harder on his chest and he felt as though he was going to burst. Why was he so insensitive? How could he be so insensitive? Why-

She suddenly stood up and he watched her go to the window and turn the mirror around so it was facing the ocean. He heard their cries of amazement and he heard one of them tell her she was lucky. She looked back at him and he stiffened under her gaze. She smiled however and replied that she was indeed lucky.

The guilt inside of him lifted a bit and he felt a bit better. At least she got to see the ocean, something she may have never seen in her life before. And at least he got to save and know her even if he did forget. Still, he made a mental note to apologize to her about forgetting the spell.

She returned to the bed and she told her brothers goodnight and handed the mirror back to him. He took it and her brothers thanked him again for taking good care of her. He gave the proper response and the image faded. He got up and set the mirror down on a table and grabbed his clothes so he could change in the bathroom.

When he emerged, she was already changed and was writing in a notebook. This was something he had given to her awhile ago, to practice writing in his language but overtime it became a diary he presumed. He slid onto the bed just as she closed the book. He eyed cautiously, suddenly nervous. She pulled the covers back on her side and looked at him expectantly.

He slowly pulled his side back and she looked at him curiously. He sighed, might as well get it over with.

"Listen, I'm sorry about not using the magic earlier."

She froze and looked up at him, her face blank. His insides churned with self disgust as he continued.

"I forgot about it." He mumbled.

"_That is a silly excuse_." She snapped and she got under the covers, glaring at him.

"I know." He said quietly, his eyes averting hers. He got under the covers and laid his head on the pillow, his back towards her. This time he understood if she was mad at him. He would be mad.

What he didn't understand is why she cuddled up next to him anyway. He turned to face her and she gave him a half grateful smile. "_Better late than never._"

He smiled, relieved and her lips glided into a full smile. He felt his heart jump and he was suddenly nervous with her next to him but grateful and happy as well. She snuggled up closer to him, her head on his chest and he was overwhelmed by the desire to truly take care of her, see to her every need on wait and call. Wait, what? Where did that come from? His eyes looked down at her sleeping figure and the feeling inside him welled up again.

No, this was different. It wasn't a desire to take care of her, that was only a part of it and what he had been doing this whole time. He frowned as he wrestled with his inner self, trying to pinpoint exactly what it was. He sighed however and gave up for the time being. He did come to one conclusion however and as his eyelids became heavier and heavier, he whispered softly to her

"After this I will take you home. I promise on my honor as a man."

He could have sworn that she nuzzled into him more and he decided that the inner feeling definitely wasn't a bad one at all.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 

Drip.

Ripples.

Drip.

Ripples.

Drip.

An odd light.

Drip.

The water…

Drip.

…flowing through…

Drip.

…through the body…

Drip.

…through the body…

Shikamaru's eyelids fluttered open as the sun peered in through the window. He felt his arm gently moving up and down as it was curled around the sleeping woman. He didn't know how it came to be this way every night but it was comfortable and dare he say it- felt right? He couldn't think about that now, he was going to be taking her home after this visit. And then she would be gone. Forever.

He felt his heart twist at the thought of not being able to see her again, he had grown accustomed to her presence and enjoyed it greatly. She was pushy and arrogant but she was also intelligent, sweet, and beautiful. No, no! He needed to stop thinking about her! But… she was he could think about.

Her body was soft and in the sunlight looked like porcelain as her body gently rose up and down. One of her arms was wrapped around his side and the other cured up underneath her chin and her head lay on his chest. Before he new what he was doing, his hand reached out to the one curled underneath her chin and slipped in between her fingers. He felt her stir a bit and a blush rose in his cheeks but before he could pull his hand away from hers, he felt her grip tighten slightly. He relaxed as she still seemed to be sleeping but he knew better.

Even so, she said nothing and he didn't want to break the beautiful silence they were in. They were in a spell that could easily be shattered by the slightest movement, the slightest sound. As he drifted back to sleep, lulled by her breathing, he hoped that even though it wasn't possible, that they could stay like this forever.

"What are you thinking about?" Choji asked and Shikamaru looked way from the clouds and at his best friend. The cool water from the ocean rushed up against his ankles and then quickly retreated, allowing his feet to sink slightly in the wet sand. Eventually, someone had came knocking on their door and disturbed their small sanctuary. In silence they ate breakfast, stealing glances each other when they thought the other wasn't looking. Everyone had gone down to the beach and the men except for Choji and Shikamaru who wanted to catch up and enjoy each others company.

Shikamaru ignored him and looked down the beach as he heard the laughter of the women. They all seemed to welcoming and accepting of Temari, despite the fact that she was wearing her traditional clothing. Her white fabrics seemed to dance in the wind that gave her an air of elegance and beauty while the heavy dresses seemed to pull the other women down.

"Ah." Choji said knowingly. "So it is her."

"No it's not." He replied quickly, but unable to take his eyes off of her.

His best friend put a hand on his should her shook him slightly, telling him he knew, there was no point in denying.

"I can't." He said quietly as the women stopped walking and looked at Temari. She seemed to say something to them and they all cheered her on.

"Yes you can. We all do." His friend replied gently and the mage shook his head slightly his eyes still locked on the woman.

"No, no I can't. I-" His voice was cut off as he watched her walk onto the water. She was obviously using magic but it was still incredible to watch her feet gently touching the top of the water as though she was walking on something fragile and delicate. She beckoned to the other women and they slowly stepped on the water and they too were walking on top of it. The only one still on shore was Hinata and he watch Temari hold out her hands to the timid woman who took them and Temari slowly helped Hinata onto the water. The women began to laugh and skip when Temari called out to them. They looked at her confused and then all at the same time, the women fell through the water and they laughed as they stood in knee deep water.

"But you are." Choji's words seemed to float in his ear. The women began to splash each other and fool around in the water but Temari's head turned and their eyes locked together. He felt his face heat up and he began to breath deeply in and out to try and control there nervousness that suddenly crushed his body. Her lips pulled into a small smile and he felt like jelly on the inside while his heart beat rapidly. She turned away from him and his knees fell to the ground.

"But I can't." He whispered softly and Choji helped him up and put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not about can or can't. It's about whether you are or not. And you my friend are."

The words echoed through Shikamaru's head as he prepared for bed that night. He sat down at the small table and took a apple from the bowl and was about to take a bite when the bathroom door opened. He glanced up and then frowned.

"I thought you were changing." He said and she paid him on heed as she took her sari and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"So did I. get changed into something you don't mind getting wet. We're going out." She said and began to fix her hair into it's usual four ponytails.

"Going where?" He said unmoving from his chair.

"Outside to the water."

"For what?"

"Just get ready!" She snapped and he wordlessly got up and changed into an old shirt and pair of pants. As he finished she was waiting for him by the door and was carrying a small box that looked sort of familiar-

"Hey! That's my box!"

"I know. And I'm going to show you how to use what's inside of it. Hurry up! We have to do this while the moon is out so we have light!" She snapped and he quickly left the room and the quickly made their way down to the beach.

The waves crashed against the shore thunderously and he shivered as a cold breeze blew. He looked up at her back and he wondered if she was cold in her thin clothing and in her wrap. She turned so they were facing each other and she put the box down in the sand. He watched her quietly open the lid and take out the blue stone.

"These stones are relics from my country and contain elemental power. This one holds the power of water and this is the perfect place to teach you how to use it."

He stared at her in disbelief and shock. If she knew that these were from her country, why hadn't she said so before?! And why was she teaching him how to use them? Didn't she want them back?

" I know what you're thinking. These stones, they belong to you. Only you can use them. Why, I cannot say yet. It isn't necessary."

"I think it is." He retorted and her face twisted into a glare.

"I think it isn't and I know best!"

"Oh yeah? How so?"

"Because! It isn't necessary for you to know yet! It has not come up yet as a matter of importance!"

"So you're going to wait to the last minute?"

She sighed and glared at him hard. "No." she scowled. "The time is not right yet. Now shut up and get over here. We need the moonlight while its out!"

"For what? Some weird ritual?" He said half jokingly as he got up and she looked at him like he was stupid.

"No, for the light. I'm not going to show you this during the day." She said as she stepped into the water, the blue stone cupped in her hands.

He followed her until they were knee deep. She turned around to face him, the moonlight illuminating her face, making her visage look like a dolls.

"Temari." He breathed but he wasn't quite sure what to say.

She didn't say anything but lowered her hands underwater and the stone began to shine. She then brought it back up and held it out to him. As his hands neared hers, a water bubble formed around the softly glowing stone and floated above his hands.

"Can you feel it? The water running through you?" He heard her ask.

Inside he felt a though something was running through him and wanted to come out of his fingertips. It was cool but comforting, like a nice breeze on a summers day or a small brook that was nice to splash in. It was circulating, going in circular motions through his body, like his blood as it went through his system and in and out of his heart.

"Now, can you catch the water?" She asked and she bent down, scooped up water in her hands and flung it in the air. With one hand, so as not to drop the stone, he reached out for the droplets and all of them stopped in mid air.

"What?" He asked amazed and out of the corner of his eye, he saw her smile.

"Now, can you move them?" She asked.

Slowly, he waved his hand and the water droplets came together to form a stream and as his hand moved, the water moved. Inside, the current running through him felt stronger than ever, pulsating through his body. As he moved the water around more, he realized that this was the magic of the stone- the ability to control water.

The magic was different from the magic he was used to. While his magic used his hands and his mind, this magic used his whole body as well as his mind and, as he pushed the water so it glided around the beautiful woman, his heart. He slowly moved his other hand from underneath the stone and the stone stayed in place as he began to use both hands to move the water up, down, in the water, out of the water, around her, around him, and in anyway he could think of and he didn't notice that he was now standing on the water, just as she had earlier.

He heard her laugh and he turned to face her and she reached out to his stream of water and pulled some of it towards her and she too began to play with the water. Inside, he felt a pull towards her and he figured that it was because he was loaning her his magic. He was a bit nervous about it but as soon as she began to move with the water, his reserved thoughts disappeared.

She moved slowly at first, taking the stream of water with her and it grew as he gave her his. Her feet, glided along the water and her arms moved up towards the moon slowly and delicately. Her body twirled around gently and gradually her movements picked up, her body moving with the water as though it were a scarf in a dance. He watched her mesmerized as her body arched, turned, and twisted, and arms and feet gliding through the water and the air. He couldn't find the right word to describe her; a swan, a witch, a queen? An enchantress that had stolen his heart?

She leapt into the air ad when she landed right in front of him, she turned and his eyes locked with her aquamarine ones. He had never felt so emotionally attached to the woman standing before him until then. His heart was pounding, his mind racing, his body pulling him towards hers and all there was him and her and nothing else but them and her eyes closed and his lips met her soft ones and just as his eyes closed he saw the water fall slowly in drops and there was nothing, nothing sweeter than the gentle caressing of her lips.

As he held her and bore his sweet affections for her he didn't realize that they had slowly sunk into the water until he felt his feet touch the sand. They parted and he watched her slowly open her eyes, cherishing but yet saddened by the moment?

Before he could say anything to her she brushed past him quickly, leaving him and his churned heart in despair as the waves crashed against the sand.

**PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE!!!! **

I have decdied to possible publish and sell my fanfiction like doujinshi. There will be art included in it as well that goes along with the stories, provided by my sister(lineart) and one of my friends(coloring). You can view thier works at www(dot)hareno(dot)deviantart and www(dot)cancan-group(dot)deviantart. What I need to know is if you, the reader will:

1. Buy it

2. Buy it if and only if there is fanfiction that has not been posted included in the book along with published fanfiction.

3.Buy a small collection of RoyxRiza (FMA) works.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!! I need to get a good idea of how many poeple will purchase books so I can decide if this is worth pursuing or not. Thanks! -CJ


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