Iris and Crimson

--This means New person’s POV

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Sakurahime Kaden! I ownly own the people from the Cloud Kingdom

-Ayame-

I was in a tree. I climbed it as soon as I heard the news. The most outrages news I have ever heard!

“Please, Princess, come down from there!” Reira, my head servant begged me from underneath the tree. I stuck up my nose.

“Never!” I said as I started to fake cry.

“You’ll fall!” Reira said with a hint of fear in her voice. I stuck up my nose again and looked away.

“I don’t want to get married to some old kage fart!” I yelled at the top of my lungs, the tears now becoming real tears of frustration. That’s right, my father, the king of Cloud Kingdom, have decided the only way to have a peace treaty with the humans on the land beneath us, is if I get married to the lord of a human village. But he was a kage, an old leader like my father.

“Your highness, the kazekage’s messengers will be here to pick you up soon!” Reira shouted as she held my shoes ready. I clung to the branch I was on. I was not going to marry this old kage fart! Never!

I must have slipped when I moved and fell from the tree. Reira smacked her forehead as she watched me fall to my death. But two strong and warm arms caught me. I looked up in between my tears. A man has caught me. He had on a blue and white robe and a matching hat that covered most of his face, but since I was looking up into his face I saw his face. It was breathtaking. His eyes a blue/green colour, maybe Teal? Around his gorgeous eyes was dark circles, looked a lot like eyeliner, weird. I only saw a bit of his hair. It was red.

Reira sighed of relief when she saw that I was safe. A blush covered my cheeks. Who was this handsome man?

“Princess” the handsome man said. It felt like my heart went crazy. I can’t think like this! I’m getting married to someone else! I shook my head wildly.

“Sir, thank you for saving her” Reira said as she bowed and gestured for him to follow her. Het put me down gently, like I was something that can break easily and followed her. I stood there, shocked. Freya, my older sister who also had to get married by force a few years ago ran up to me and gave me a tight hug.

“Are you alright?” she asked me as she held my shoulders and looked me deep into my eyes. I nodded and Freya smiled.

“Did you see that guy who saved you? He was gorgeous!” Freya said when she was brushing my hair in my room. I was staring at the mirror, ignoring her. She always brushed my hair, she enjoyed it and it was the only way we could have some sisterly time. But soon that sisterly time would fade away when I have to live in Sunagakure with my new husband. My thoughts flickered back to the man in robes. Who was he? What did he want? Freya was babbling on about wonderful men when I heard my father call from downstairs. Freya fell silent and listened.

“Freya, Ayame! Come down here this instant!” he yelled. Freya and I exchanged glances, worried. What did we do? Was father mad at me? Freya threw my brush on my make-up table and we hurried down the steps and was greeted by my servant, Reira again.

“Princess, your father wishes to see you” Reira said as she held out my shoes. Why do I have to wear shoes to see my father? I sighed and put on my shoes. Then Reira fixed my obi of my Junihitoe (a 12 layered kimono worn my royals at special occasions) and made sure my Karaginu (a waist length Chinese style jacket that is worn with the Junihitoe) was neat. I sighed, I must look so fancy for a messenger?

The door to the throne room opened and I walked in, my father was sitting on his throne, looking tired and smiled when he saw me. Next to him on the queen’s chair sat my step-mother, Haruna. My mother died when I was three years old. I hated my step-mother. She merely wanted to be queen and always acted so sweet and innocent, but when your father turned his back she did whatever she could to make you go insane. She wanted you and your sisters out of the palace. She did one say: “One down, three more to go” and I knew she meant me and my three lovely sisters.

“Ah, Ayame my dear daughter” my father began as he stood up from his throne and walked down the steps of the platform to meet me. I spotted my rescuer standing next to the throne platform, his eyes fixed on me. His hat was off and now I could see a messy bunch of red hair.

They way my father talked made it sound like I really am in trouble. Maybe I was, for climbing in a tree and nearly breaking my neck.

“Ayame, love, I have someone you must meet” my father said as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and walked with me to my rescuer. I frowned, was he the messenger? I spotted his hat on the hat was the kanji for “kaze” in other words: “wind”. I froze. I finally understood, he wasn’t the messenger, he was the kazekage, my new husband.

-Gaara-

I stood, holding my hat and waited for the young princess to come. The one I saved from falling to her death out of the tree, was she the one I would marry? I know that King Satoshi had four daughters. But I had no idea which one I would marry for the alliance. Next to me stood Kankuro, my brother and Temari, my sister. The door opened seconds after the king called for two of his daughters. I waited, impatiently for my fiancée to arrive. The door opened and the same young princess you saved walked in. Instead of having on her kazami (am outfit which resembles the Junihitoe only less layers and a bit different and comfortable) from before she had on a pink floral Junihitoe. Her long white hair was loose.

“Ah, Ayame, my dear daughter” the king said. The way she said her name it sounded like she did something wrong. Ayame must have noticed it too. The king greeted her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. You saw queen Haruna narrow her eyes.

“Ayame, love, I have someone you must meet” her father told her and walked with her toward you. He spotted your hat and froze. Then Ayame looked up at you in your eyes. You knew what she wanted to ask so you nodded. She was still frozen and then smiled, well forced a smile anyway.

“Ayame, this is Sabaku no Gaara, the kazekage” the king gestured at you while he spoke. Ayame curtsied.

“Gaara, this is my daughter, Ayame, the one you will be marrying” the king said with a large smile. You bowed. Ayame already seemed bothered about your presence, she didn’t want to get married. Neither did you, but becoming allies with the Cloud Kingdom would be great. The Cloud Kingdom was not a ninja nation and lay high in the clouds about 200 kilometers to the right from Konoha. Cloud Kingdom, once was part of the Fire Country, but when during the war something must have triggered it, and the whole Cloud Kingdom flew up into the air. That’s right, Cloud Kingdom used to be on land.

Ayame was a very cute girl. Even if I had to say so myself. She was shorter than me and had pinkish/redish eyes. Her long white hair fitted perfectly with her pale porcelain skin. At least I got to marry someone beautiful.

Ayame was blushing for some reason until I noticed that Kankuro was staring at her. I rolled my eyes. Temari must have noticed since she hot him on the head.

“She’s Gaara’s” Temari hissed as Kankuro rubbed his head. I glanced at Ayame who was now blushing even more crimson since Temari said she belongs to me. Well when we get married, she will belong to me. Wait, did I just say that?

I glanced at the king, to ask him a very important question.

“How old is she?” you asked the king while looking him in the eye.

“Fourteen, kazekage-sama” the king said as he sat down next to his wife. She was two years younger than me.

“Is it ok for her to marry at such a young age?” I asked.

“Of course, it is not against the law, yet” the king chuckled and wrapped his hand around queen Haruna’s hand. I nodded. I didn’t want to make things awkward for Ayame. I will get to know her, and then ask her to get married. Even though we are going to get married anyway. But we have to do it the right way. For Ayame’s sake.

“Kazekage-sama, do you wish to sleep in the same room as Ayame or not?” the queen asked me out of the blue. Ayame gasped and blushed so red it looked like my hair. Kankuro yelped in jealousy and Temari hit him on the head, again.

“Leave her alone for now” I said calmly. I did not want to make it torture for Ayame. But I knew the queen wanted us to bond faster that way. Well she was only going to be here for another month, and then she would be moving to Suna with me. And then three months after that is our marriage.

“Now then, Kazekage-sama, dear Ayame, you have a date today to get to know each other” the king said excited and clapped his hands. Two servants walked in and lead you to the garden, and the other one took Ayame to get dressed in something more comfortable.

-Ayame-

I changed back into my pink floral kazami and kicked out my shoes but Reira forced me to put them n again. I then headed outside to meet Gaara. He was sitting on a bench in my mother’s garden, which I now took care of. I blushed and felt butterflies in my stomach as I sat down next to him.

“So,” I said shaking, “tell me more about you, kazekage-sama”

“Don’t be so formal, just call me Gaara” Gaara told me. I nodded.

“Well, you know my name, you know I am the kazekage, I am rather silent, I guess” Gaara shrugged. He was rather silent. He didn’t even tell you anything interesting. You sighed.

“Well, you know my name too, and you know I am the princess of the Cloud Kingdom, I am rather shy and a klutz” I said. Gaara frowned at the word “klutz”. Well I was…I trip over nothing, I burn myself when making tea, I almost drowned in the hotsprings once…

I decided to got for a walk through the garden and Gaara followed me silently. I tripped over nothing but luckily Gaara was in front of me when I fell and he caught me. I felt my face heat up.

“Uh, t-thanks” I stuttered. Gaara nodded and walked on. This marriage doesn’t seem too bad….I think….