My Prince (BOOK 1)

Chapter 48

Orochimaru laughed when he had twirled Naruto far enough away. "High in ranking hm Naruto?"
"Please he was trying to use what I already fully well knew, against me. You arrived in perfect timing though."
Orochimaru lifted Naruto by her waist. "Lucky mee." He chuckled.

Spinning Naruto. Orochimaru took another young woman's hand and traded them off. Sakura squeaked when she saw the snake eyes.

"Hello dear."
Orochimaru smiled, pleased to have unnerved one annoying woman.

Sasuke looked surprised to suddenly have Naruto in his arms.
"I didn't know you came to the dance floor."
"I was pulled down by an old comrade of mine."
"Who?" He began to look around and Naruto rolled her eyes.
"No one. He isn't important."
"Well if he—"
"We both screwed the other over. You don't need to worry about it."
Sasuke hummed but complied. He looked down at Naruto and spun her. He watched as the bottom of her dress flew up before pulling her back.

"Who are you proposing to?"
Sasuke sighed. "We've already been over this."
"Your proposing in thirty minutes. I can know."
"No." He shook his head.
"It's Mito."
"No it's not Mito."
"Unless you pulled something without Kushina knowing, it's Mito."
He rolled his eyes. "I'm not an idiot."
"Fine than who is it?"
Sasuke took a quick scan around. "Hinata."
"No."
He looked at her amused. "Why not?"
"She'll decline and your not proposing to the Hyuga."
"Well her family was here."
"She's not on the table."
"Fine Sakura."
Naruto looked at him disapprovingly. "Baka."
"I'm not an idiot." He sighed.
"Mhm."
He rolled his eyes and spun her again and pulled her back to his body.

".. is it bad I'm nervous about proposing?"
"That means you like the girl."
"Your not nervous to know who I chose?"
'I've been trying to get you to not propose to anyone dumbass' "It's your life. Your mistake."
"It won't be a mistake."
"Than stop being nervous. If you aren't confident she'll say yes than I don't know why your even proposing to her."
"Because I want her to be mine."
Naruto hummed and pulled away when the song was finished.

"I have to go and get everyone ready."
Sasuke nodded as she walked away.

Sasuke soon walked back up the stairs and Itachi raised an eyebrow.
"You look ill little brother."
"I'm nervous shut the hell up."
"Nervous about proposing?" Izumi tilted her head. "I didn't know men get nervous."
"I was nervous." Itachi defended feeling offended.
Izumi smiled as Sasuke sat down. Itachi looked at  Sasuke.
"Why are you so nervous?"
Sasuke sighed. "Narutos acting like the girl will say no. It's unnerving me hearing it from her."
"Well she doesn't know who it is. Just ignore her, she'll be taking care of you till she dies anyway."
Sasuke sighed as Naruto walked up to them.

"Whenever your ready your highness."
"I'm not ready."
"No one's ever ready." Itachi assured. He looked at Naruto. "Where are the two girls Naruto?"
She pointed to two women standing in the middle of the ballroom.
Sasuke ran his hands down his face. "I don't think I can do this."
"The longer you take the longer it'll gnaw at you." Naruto commented.
"Naruto your not helping." Itachi sighed.
She shrugged and walked down the steps. Izumi hummed.
"Has she been giving you shit all night?"
Sasuke ran a hand through his hair. "Sly comments here and there. Before I disappeared for those two weeks, she took my ring and wouldn't give it back."
"Yes the whole running fiasco."
The brothers shook their heads at the thought.
"Maybe she's trying to scare you." Izumi suggested.
The brothers looked at her as if she was crazy. Izumi rolled her eyes.
"Don't give me that look. When I thought Itachi was going to propose to another woman I made damn sure he felt scared out of his pants to not propose to one of those women."
Itachi looked at her shocked. "What?! Why?!"
"Because I didn't want to see another woman around you." Izumi said it like it was the most natural thing she had ever done.
"Your woman's evil."
"Apparently."
Izumi smiled. "It worked didn't it? Seeing your not with another woman."
"All you did was scare me into almost not proposing to you."
"But you didn't propose to another girl."
Itachi went to continue this conversation but Sasuke stood.
"Your twos problems helped me. Thanks."
"How did that help?!"

Itachi slumped into his throne as Sasuke pulled out the leather bag. Mito smiled and looked up at her parents. Kushina smiled while Minato didn't seem to be very into the whole thing.
Sakura picked at her nails, she doubted Sasuke would pick her after what she did.

Naruto clinked a butter knife for everyone's attention as Sasuke began to walk down the stairs. Many clinked their glasses with their nails or whatever they could reach.
Hinata slid beside Naruto as she put the glass and butter knife on the table.

"Couldn't stop him huh?"
"Regretfully."
Hinata put a hand around Narutos shoulders as orochimaru and the other part of Narutos family came to stand beside her.

"Who do you think he'll choose?" Orochimaru questioned.
"His highness says he's not proposing to one of the two women."
"He also promised Kushina he'd marry her daughter."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Orochimaru gave a small pat to Narutos head and she waved him off. "Oh not in the mood hebi?" He teased.
Naruto rolled her eyes. "Please having to take care of that incompetent woman I'm supposed to call my sister is going to be hell. You have no idea how many complaints I got in just a week because of her attitude." Naruto complained. "She's not even the queen and she's acting like some highly respected royal. It just pisses me off."
"I'll be staying here as long as you do Naru-chan. Don't worry."
She grunted but that was all Hinatas reassuring words got.

Sasuke walked down for the guests to separate until he reached Mito and Sakura. Mito felt accomplishment swell in her chest as Sasuke looked at her. Sakura nervously smiled and bit her quivering lip when Sasuke than looked at her.

"Could you two move?"
Mitos eyes widened in shock of what he was asking her. Sakura had the same reaction but she was shocked he hadn't gotten down on one knee and held that gorgeous red ring to Mito.
"What do you mean move?" Mito hissed.
"This."

Sasuke stepped through both of them, pushing them apart from each other. Kushina stood at this and Itachi and Izumi leaned forward in anticipation.
The crowd kept separating, not understanding what was happening until Sasuke reached two more girls. Hinata looked surprised when she noticed Sasuke walk closer to them.

Clearing his throat, Sasuke kneeled in front of Naruto.
Gasps came from behind them as he fiddled with the bag. Naruto crouched and opened the bag for him.
Orochimaru smirked at the Uchihas pink cheeks of embarrassment. Naruto stood back up as Sasuke pulled out a small ring.

It wasn't connected in a full circle. At the tip was a small arrow with a twisted band and at the other end were eight small uneven steal feathers.
It was very simple but was definitely made by inexperienced hands.

Hinata had to cover her mouth to stop from giggling at the ring. It definitely fit Naruto.
Clearing his throat once more, Sasuke looked up at Naruto.
She looked very calm, unnerving calm to Sasuke, but inside she felt like throwing up at the nerves knotting in her stomach. The steal chest plate under her dress hid the rapid chest underneath.

"Your rude, blunt, powerful and scary."
"Oh my kami." Hinata hid behind Naruto as she shook with laughter.
Sasuke tried to ignore Hinata behind the small woman in heels. "Your also patient, strategic and don't let anything get in your path of destruction."
Kabuto went to comment but Orochimaru stopped him. Sasuke continued.
"The first time I met you, you were the small girl no one ever took seriously because men were supposed to be knights and the ones who protected their nation. When you became my personal guard, you had just become the Chaplain and when I began my idiotic journey where I lost your trust and respect, you were the General of the idiots who serve my brother." He has expected someone to interrupt him than but no one did. "Five weeks ago you saved my life and did whatever you could to find me. For that I'm grateful. And while you were caring for Anastasia and making sure what happened to me never happened again, I was laying in an infirmary bed with nothing to do but think.
And for those two weeks all I thought about was you. What you've done for me. What you've sacrificed for this kingdom. And what you've overcome to be here, in front of me today.
So... Uzumaki Naruto will you take a break from your shoulder crushing responsibilities, and accept this ring I spent two damn weeks with an old coot mending?"
"He'd be pissed if you heard you insult him." Naruto mused.
"Do you accept my crap ring or not?"
"Yes I accept your crap ring."
"Thank kami." He muttered in relief.
Naruto chuckled as Sasuke put the perfectly fitting ring on her finger. Standing, he kissed her cheek.
"I'll save the actual kiss for the wedding."