A week later the snow storm had finally calmed and stopped to show the glistening untouched snow. It is one of Izumis favorite things, to look out the window and see the untouched gorgeous white snow in the back gardens.
Her spirit had only brightened since than and with the birth of her child. Kushina had kept commenting on how Shinjiro looked nothing like the two newly parents but one word from Naruto and her comments had stopped.
Sasuke had walked into his room on the 16th to see a wrapped box on his desk. It looked untouched and when he opened the box, there the ring box was, holding Sasukes customized wedding ring.
He had stashed it in one of his winter coats and made sure to blend it in with the rest of his coats. No one would surely look there for the ring. And he was right, no one's found the ring (or made any sign they were looking).
Sakura was getting frantic as a rumor had rose in the palace that Sasuke had finally chosen which girl to propose to. No one knew it wasn't one of the two women except for Izumi and Naruto. That's why Sasuke let the rumor slide.
Mito was walking around the palace like she was already Sasukes wife. Telling people what to do and talking down to Narutos knights like they were play things. She was getting many complaints about the issue and had every intent to talk with Minato about it, seeing he seemed to be the only one who'd listen to her by this point.
It was lunch on November 19th. A Saturday. Mito was babbling on to her parents and glancing at Sakura with a smug victorious look as she described her and Sasuke-kuns perfect wedding. Kushina seemed to be intrigued with her choice of arrangements while Minato was trying to understand how both of the women knew Sasuke would choose Mito.
He loved his daughter but Sakura was a very gorgeous woman as well.
Naruto handed a bottle to Izumi and she was very grateful. Naruto always seemed to know what Shinjiros needs were and always was ready to inform her or help her. Of course if that meant she didn't touch him, no one understood why Naruto wouldn't hold Shinjiro.
A group of knights walked into the dining hall with their bags and armor off but bulky clothes on.
"Going?"
Kiba nodded. "Yeah most of us don't live too far away but we still want to make it before the sun sets."
"Be careful, the clouds heading our way don't look too friendly."
"Hai."
The group bowed and walked out. Itachi smiled at Naruto.
"More than half of your knights gone Naruto. What will you do?" He teased.
"I'll manage. It'll be easier without getting complaints about a rat stalking around them." Naruto side eyed Mito and she wiggled her fingers in a smug wave. Naruto inwardly scowled and walked to Sasuke.
Bending to his ear, she whispered. "Pick her, and I resign."
Sasuke sighed. "It's not her Naruto. How many times must I say it?"
"She seems very confident your highness."
Sasuke sighed as Naruto stood and walked out saying a brief. "Preparations must keep on track." before leaving.
Kushina stared at Shinjiro and Itachi caught her eye. His eyebrow raised but a warning look to call Naruto back was strong in his coal eyes.
"You must tell me what Shinjiro means again Izumi."
Izumi frowned. She wasn't stupid, she knew Kushina didn't approve of them adopting a commoners child. But Shinjiro is a lovely, happy baby and they think of him as their own, she truly can't understand why Kushinas being so critical.
"It means pure and true."
"Did Naruto help pick out the name?"
"No. I've always wanted to name my son Shinjiro. Naruto suggested the name Namie if my son turned out to be a girl."
Kushina stopped picking her glass up, and looked at Izumi.
"Namie?" She glowered.
"Yes." Itachi took Shinjiro as Izumi got defensive. "She said it meant blessed."
"I know what it means." Kushinas eyes darkened and she stood. "Namie is a silly name."
"Naruto said it was what her cousin would've named her lost daughter. I think it's endearing she suggested such a meaningful name."
Kushina laughed and rolled her eyes. "Her cousin was a fool just like her mother. That's why they died and I'm still alive."
"You shouldn't talk about your family that way." Izumi gave her a look. "Maybe it was best the Uzumaki clan was brutally murdered, I could only imagine what the other members were like."
Kushina slammed her fist on the table and Naruto appeared with her gorgeous dagger in hand.
"I think you should go to your chamber now. It's best you don't stir things up with the only ally you have left."
Everyone heard the warning in Narutos tone and even Izumi backed off.
"You dare threaten your mother." Kushina hissed.
Naruto stared into Kushina violet eyes and she scowled.
"This is what you've made my gorgeous future queen. A slave who only listens to orders." She accused Itachi. "You should be ashamed to be called a good king, or a king at all."
Sasuke and Kushina felt the strong push of Narutos growing rage. She looked back at Narutos glowing pupil slit eyes.
She hissed a breath when an imagine of orochimarus haunting golden eyes came to mind instinctively.
"If anyone should be ashamed to call themselves a ruler it is you." Narutos eyes slowly began to swirl a demonic red. "I suggest you leave before I truly loose my temper and show you just what the Fire has hidden within its palace gates."
"Do not talk down to me, before you I had the tails power."
"And you destroyed lands with it. I'll use it to destroy you if you don't. leave. this. room."
Minato stood and grabbed his wife's arm. "Kushina."
She pushed him off and looked at her daughter challenging. "And what could you do? A mere boy has more power over you than you have on that beast. At least I could control it."
"You locked it away." She glowered.
Itachi stood as Izumi quickly took Shinjiro.
"Naruto." He warned.
She ignored him. Sasuke was entranced by Narutos growing whisker marks and demonic eyes.
"I controlled it. I was the best vessel for that beast."
Naruto flipped her dagger and threw it. It took milliseconds for her to put enough power in the dagger to match the rate and power of a sniper bullet.
When time sped up with her and her body went into a straighter posture than her attack position. Half of Kushinas luscious hair was up to her shoulders and a large crack was in the stone wall, Narutos dagger deep within the stone.
She touched her hair and looked down before looking back up at Naruto. She raised an eyebrow.
"I cut my hair to save someone I care for. You got your hair cut as a warning from another Uzumaki."
Kushina clenched her shortened hair and bit her lip to keep it from quivering. "You little snake."
"Like my fathers." Naruto raised her nose, showing her pride to be called Orochimaru and Kabutos daughter.
"I'll have you killed for this!" She screamed.
Kushina expected the table to break and everyone to be thrown from her shrill tone of voice just like when she possessed the nine tail beast.
When nothing happened, she met Narutos blue eyes and that evil smirk lacing her lips.
"What's wrong? Lose something."
She clenched her fists and slammed them on the table. It didn't break. "What have you done?"
"Coming in close quarters with the new vessel transfers the power quicker than if we were nations apart." Naruto connected her hands behind her back. "You've spent one too many nights here Kushina. Your no longer the nine tails true vessel."
~~**~~
Minato sat on the bed as Kushina stood in front of the mirror. She stared at her plain belly where the nine tail mark used to be and felt her shoulder length hair.
Minato sighed when Kushina grabbed and pulled a robe on as if ashamed.
"Kushina you've complained about having the beast for so long. Why do you look so sad without it?"
"She took that power away from me. It was my only way to be on the same level as her."
Minato sat up on the bed and swung his legs over the edge. "Naruto isn't a small child anymore Kushina. Even if you still had a bit of the beasts power, there was no way you'd be able to control her."
"You don't know that!"
"She's my daughter too." He snapped. "We originally came here to convince Sasuke to marry Mito and get our daughter back when we first saw her. Now all you can fucking think about is over powering our strong and independent daughter when she's finally happy. When she was with us, there was never a day when I saw her smile or laugh and she may not do those things now but she's happy with her life. Why can't you just leave our daughter the fuck alone?! Your only becoming the bad guy in her eye!"
"She's a future queen. Not some... knight."
"If that's what makes her happy—"
"I won't allow it! Her hands look like man hands with those calluses and she's become so stubborn! I won't allow her to be delusional when she's made to be more than some fucking knight!"
Minato ran both his hands up his face and through his hair before standing with slippers on. "Itachi is a great king because Mikoto and Fugaku never forced him into anything he didn't want to do. Itachi has a loving family because he was allowed to lead his own life with his parents watching over him just in case something terrible happened. They died protecting their sons could be a free king and prince." He looked back at Kushina with his hand on the handle of the door. "Sasuke is developing into a great man after our daughter saved him from something that could've killed him. He is actually beginning to act like a young man would Kushina. That is all because of our daughter. The Fire kingdom is in peace instead of on the brink of war like our Kingdom because of our daughter. I'm proud of her for everything she's done. I hope you learn to grow up just like the boy under our daughters watch and leave her alone. She has said she will come back when it is needed, and I will put my faith in that she does because what amazing things she is doing right now will go to waste in the Wind. I love Naruto and I'm proud to have her as my eldest daughter, I won't stand by and allow you to talk to her as if she's just some object to make a treaty out of. I hope you open your eyes and see she's more than some princess, wife, mother, and everything else you have tried to force her into."