🧡💜ภคгยђเภค ๓๏ภtђ 2023🧡💜

Protecting His Empress

This idea was given to me by an anonymous commenter going by the name 'Empress', they wanted a fic of a Emperor Naruto and Empress Hinata from the official tarot cards. I have a different story for the alternate prompt on the same day as the tarot card prompt already, but needed a prompt for day 6, so I moved the idea over here.

Thanks to the anon for the idea!

Also, this is not a COMPLETELY in character Naruto. He's got the characteristics, you can certainly recognize him but this Naruto is more of a product of his time period, position and experiences, so keep that in mind as you read.

Chapter Six

Protecting His Empress

Prompt: Right Person, Different Ideologies

Naruto liked to believe he was a fair and just Emperor.

He cared about his people and the quality of their lives.

He didn't brutalize unnecessarily, or tax them excessively.

Every decision he made was executed to ensure their safety and continued prosperity.

Even with his good intentions, many were finding it hard to adjust to the new meticulous regime.

His older brother Menma, the former Emperor, had been a hardheaded, selfish yet naive leader. Having spent his entire life behind the walls of the Imperial Palace being pampered and living a life of luxury, Menma hadn't quite developed a realistic and practical view of the world. He was never truly exposed to the harsh realities beyond, nor had he had an interest in them outside of what could be gained for his creature comforts.

Spoiled and lazy, he was a lax ruler to the point of dereliction.

He spent lavishly and celebrated frequently.

Everyday was a party.

Lavish balls and legendary feasts, obnoxious parades and arrogant posturing speeches.

Foreign nations wrested valuable trade agreements, resource access and marriage alliances that were absurdly detrimental to the Empire's present state and distant future through fast talking and ego stroking of.

While a relatively small group of lower class citizens, mostly farmers and low skilled workers suffered greatly beneath his incompetence, the majority of the people hadn't suffered overmuch, unfortunately leading to public opinion trending towards favorable for the irresponsible Emperor, and sowing a sense of complacency that persisted despite the lack of prosperity among the general populace.

There was stability at least...

Until Menma's undisciplined dominion finally led to rampant crime, a bloody revolt, the execution of the entire Imperial family still in residence, Menma included, and nearly toppled the entire Empire.

Leaving the next in line to clean up the mess left behind.

The only in line; Naruto Uzumaki.

Naruto, much like Menma, spent years being groomed for the possibility of inheriting the throne, though nowhere near as extensively as his eleven older brothers and sisters.

Twelfth in line for Imperial Ascension, Naruto's royal education ended when he turned thirteen, after which, he'd been enlisted in the Imperial Army to learn the ways of combat and to fight in the name of the Empire. Those years amongst chaos and death had stripped him of much of his innocence, instilled a sense of discipline (as long as he kept his temper in check) and shaped him into the fairly stringent ruler he was today.