In the capital of Konohagakure, the kingdom of Fire. Servants of butlers and maids walked idly, their arms full of an assortment of things, through the corridors of the palace. Knights of rankings from grand collar to grand commander leant against walls, slacking from their duties with talk and low snickers of minuscule topics.
The kingdom was peaceful with the morning sun steadily climbing high and whispers slowly turning into full-volume conversations. The knights became more awake as the morning stretched, becoming lax, until, well, the highest of their commanding whisked by.
Each straightened, bumping their fists in greeting and dismissing their conversations. Servants of all class bowing their heads or sending a greeting smile.
The commanding of all ranking knights, their General, paid no mind to any of this. As she passed, and turned another corner, topics would resume and each individual would become lax once more thinking she was out of hearing range. Which she never was, but in the morning the General had other duties to attend to. Some idle chat did not matter, at this specific time.
Not until her name was called, of course.
"Naruto! Good morning!"
She glanced over her shoulder, raising a singular brow as his majesty walked her way.
"Morning."
Shisui, her Commanding Office, greeted her with a smile, as Itachi came into step with her.
"Has my brother woken yet?" Itachi asked, smile full of hope. Naruto glanced his way, but gave no indication.
Until a moment later, "I am on my way to wake his highness at the moment, your majesty."
"Oh.. well, how was your night? Get a full nights rest?" The hope returned, only this time in the gleam of Itachis coal eyes.
"I was very busy last night, your majesty."
"With work?" He asked, voice now turning squeaky. Naruto glanced his way, but did not answer.
Itachi slumped, seeming to dump his hope elsewhere, before turning to face Naruto.
"Why do you allow him outside the gates Naruto? You know what he does out there, and it is no way for a prince like him to act. Your getting sloppy."
Naruto raised another brow. "I am not sloppy in the slightest, your majesty. I simply do not see any point in stopping his highness when that would only fuel his need to escape."
"Yes, but why do you let him?"
"I keep a well enough eye on him." She instead responded.
Itachi seemed to slump more. Before he huffed and stepped into her path of walking. Naruto stepped a foot back, coming to be at Shisui's shoulder.
"As his personal knight, Naruto, may I remind you that it is your duty. He is a prince. Princes' do not do such things like sneaking out to pubs." Both Shisui and Naruto raised a brow. Itachi ignored this look. "He's getting too old for this Naruto. You need to start caring about your job more."
"I care deeply of my job."
"Not enough if your letting Sasuke go wherever he pleases!" Itachi exasperated. "I had allowed you into the academy on the promise you'd watch over this kingdom—hence Sasuke."
"I am watching over his highness, your majesty. But that does not mean I have the authority to drag him every which way anyone so pleases. You allowed me into the academy because of my potential, that does not entail locking his highness in his bedchamber."
"He's twenty Naruto."
"I'm aware."
"He should be marrying. Starting a family." Naruto nodded in agreement. "He can't do those things if you won't keep him in place!"
"Your majesty, while you and Shisui have an almost inseparable bond. One that has you take his word into consideration, his highness and I have no bond, hence no relationship. He is a prince, I am a knight. He wants to go somewhere, I go along. He does something ludicrous, I clean up the mess.
I have no right to tell him what to do.." Naruto side-stepped Itachi. "Now if you'll excuse me."
And she walked, turning a corner before Itachi could reprimand her way of thinking.
He grumbled, "Naruto come back here!"
She ignored him.
Climbing a flight of long, spacious stairs, Naruto walked to the end of the corridor. Coming to a stop in front of two double doors. Grabbing a single handle, she slipped through a crack in the door.
The room was dark, nearly drenched in black, as she made her way through the large bedchamber of high highness, the second prince.
Walking through the dark room, Naruto continuously stepped on clothing. Whether it was his highnesses or another's, she didn't much care as she reached the window opposite of a large four-poster bed. The curtains of the bed were pulled back, giving easy access for the sun rays to shine through.
Grabbing the parting of two black curtains, Naruto wrenched them open. Hissing immediately followed as the sunlight burned through the closed eyelids of the two inside the bed.
Naruto stepped aside, allowing the brilliant light to do its thing.
The woman, a blond with burnt skin from the sun and, of course, naked, squealed long and high. Rolling over, the woman covered her face as best she could in the crevice of the princes arm. The man-child didn't seem to appreciate this though, as he pushed the woman not-so-kindly away and smacked a pillow on his head.
"It's time to wake up, your highness." Naruto announced, finding a twisted pleasure in hearing the annoyed snarls of Sasuke and his company.
The woman, with her short blonde hair and petite arms, flailed around. Being so bold as propping herself onto her elbows and glaring at Naruto.
Naruto would've smiled at the adorable look, if she weren't in such a rush this morning.
Walking to the door, she reopened it to allow one maid and one butler in. Yuki greeted Naruto with her delicate smile as she came in carrying buckets of steaming water and a bag of soaps. The butler greeted her with a nod, pushing a round tub to the extinguished fireplace.
Wordlessly, the man picked up Sasukes discarded clothes and left through the door. Yuki sat the buckets down and took the bag of soaps from her wrist.
Naruto walked back to the bed. Her steely gaze connected with the woman's.
"Your visit is expired. Collect your clothing and leave."
The woman sneered. She sneered as she said, "And who are you to tell me when I go?"
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "The one with a sword."
The woman glanced down at the sword at Narutos hip. Than looked back up at Naruto.
"I'm not leaving."
She hummed, bent and picked up a dress from the floor. The material was of low grade, made before bought and worn. She threw it at the woman.
"Your stay has expired, you may leave." Naruto repeated. The woman threw the dress back to the floor, determinedly splaying herself across the bed.
Naruto tilted her head, her chest stuttering with a snort.
"The bath is ready, General."
She turned to Yuki who stood by a filled bathtub. Humming, Naruto toed off her boots, and stepped onto the bed.
Walking across the dipping surface, Naruto pushed Sasuke onto his back, than onto his stomach until he was on the edge of the bed. The prince stubbornly continued to lay within the sheets, the pillow hiding his face, or blocking him from the suns hellish light. Nudging him with her foot once more, the man fell to the floor.
Thud!
A grunt.
"Time to wash yourself, your highness."
Slowly, Sasuke looked up.
Now, the man was very handsome. His hair a deep black, matching that of a ravens feathers, with a pale complexion inherited from his mother. He was tall with muscles trained from years of physical force by his trainer and personal guard.
But currently, instead of looking his usual charming self, Sasuke looked as if he were washed up from the oceans shoreline. His hair a rats mess, and bags so large under his eyes it was a miracle he weren't sick from the sluggishness of his being.
"You could've done that a lot nicer." He snarled, voice deep and words rude.
Naruto ignored him, instead turning to start toeing the woman out of the bed.
"Stop!" The woman squeaked, and squealed. She slapped any part of Narutos lengthy legs in protest until Naruto ultimately shoved her to the floor with her foot.
She yelped as her hip hit the hard stone floor. Naruto jumped from the bed, toeing her boots back on before grabbing the woman's arm and thrusting her dress once more into her arms.
The woman fought, wiggling and squirming from Narutos grasp. Even going as far as cursing her out for the incompetence Naruto was showcasing by treating a future princess in such a way.
Naruto nearly rolled her eyes at the woman's rambling. Only continuing the force the woman's clothing into her arms until they reached the door. Wrenching it open, Naruto pushed the woman out and slammed it in her face.
The splashing of water came from behind as Sasuke lowered himself into the hot water.
"You must stop bringing commoners to the palace." Naruto glanced over her shoulder quick enough to see Sasuke wave a hand.
Scowling, Naruto instructed Yuki to make quick with washing the grime from Sasukes body as he was needed in the dining hall before Itachi and Izumi left to start their own day.
Yuki nodded and Naruto slipped out.
Glancing back at the door, Sasuke heaved a sigh and laid back in the bathtub of water, placing a hand on top of his eyes to try (but failing) to block the sun from his throbbing head.
Yuki, sticking to Narutos words, began to efficiently run a soapy cloth over Sasukes shoulders.
It wasn't long before he was dried and in new, fresher clothing.