Chapter 17
After the revelation of the two lovers’ secret affair, all eyes are now focused on them. The gossip was passed through different villages, scattering the princess’ little scandal all around the world. Shikamaru becomes more protective of her, afraid that someone might hurt her with words or anything. He knows she’s strong enough to protect herself but he still wanted to.
Naruto, Kiba, and Sasuke still do normal conversations with him, they tried not to touch anything that will lead to the topic of his secret affair with the princess. Shikamaru knows and could feel that his friends gave him the support that he needed, except for Neji. He’s still mad at what he did.
On the other hand, Omoi and Lee also support Temari in everything she does. She’s thankful for her newfound friends that they both trusted her and that’s all she needs. One morning, she received a news that the gossip or perhaps the truth about her affair reached her father, she was prepared for it, about her father’s reaction and the possibility of his actions.
Three days after the incident, the samurai armed forces left Kika island and rode their ship to the location of the war. Temari left their room and walked to the ship balcony so she could feel the ocean breeze. Her hands gripped the railings and stared at the endless horizon of the sea, it was refreshing and peaceful to look at it.
Shikamaru opened his eyes after his quick nap and found that Temari was missing from their bed, he stood up and wrapped his kimono to find her. He found her on the balcony where she gazed at the waves of the ocean. He walked towards her slowly, his hands gliding on her waist, and placed a gentle kiss on her back.
“What’s on your mind?” he whispered
“Everything” she turn her head slightly and smiled
He rubbed her shoulders for comfort and embraced her from behind “Everything is going to be alright”
She turns around to face him and stared at him with his worried eyes “Promise me if I didn’t survive the war, you’re going to find someone that you can build a family with? I don’t want to see you grow old alone”
“Shhh-why are you saying that? You know I'll never marry anyone if it's not you” His eyes start to moisten as the reality hits him, that death is inevitable, and seeing her in that scenario is one of the worst things that could happen in his life “You’re going to survive, I’ll do my best to protect you. I’d rather die protecting you than seeing you ----tch” his eyes shut and was unable to say his next word, he didn’t want anything to manifest those things.
Temari saw his red and moisten eyes, she felt guilty about bringing that topic up to him so she tried to change it “I’d really love to see Konoha. That’s probably one of the things that I'll look forward if I survived the war” she smiled at him
“You’d love it” He smiled in return “I’ll bring you to my favorite spot there where I watched the clouds, at the top of Konoha forest”
“They say there’s a lot of flowers in there. I’d like to see at least ten?” Temari didn’t know how much of flowers every village has but in her experience, Suna can only have less than ten species or sometimes none.
“Teeeen? I’ll give you hundreds”
“Hundreds? Konoha has hundreds of it?”
“Even more. I’ll show it to you soon. Let’s stroll there during the spring season” he grabbed her hands and kiss them.
She laughed and Shikamaru’s heart softens after seeing her smile and hearing her laugh.
“I swear to all heavens…….I’m going to love you until my last breath. I’ll never find someone like you Temari, no one can replace you. I’ll forever be yours” he softly said to her and Temari was startled by his words
“It’s funny cause I was thinking the same”
They both smiled after their conversation and Shikamaru leaned forward to kiss her “I’m going to tell the world how much I love you so everybody will know”
“Everybody?”
“Even after a thousand years, I’ll tell our grandchildren our story during the war and they will pass it to their own grandchildren until it will mark through generations”
“A thousand years seems like a lot but I’ll take it” she chuckled
Suddenly, one of the ship crew shouted to alert all the passengers on their ship.
“NAGI ISLAND! WE ARRIVED AT NAGI ISLAND”
A loud noise of running and stomping of feet was heard after the announcement, their ship just arrived at Nagi island.
Rasa observed the wholeness of the land that they were stepping into, the Kages landed on Nagi island before the five leaders arrived. Kankuro and Gaara filled the position of Tsunade and Mei since according to their law, women cannot wield a katana during the war. Both of the lady kages were responsible to protect all the villages in case of possible attack or deception from the Akatsuki.
His eyes stared at the bridge that connects Nagi island to Ouza island. They’ll be staying at Nagi to hide from the Akatsuki and to prepare themselves before attacking them the next morning.
A loud horn was heard from the shore and Rasa immediately turn his head to where the sound was coming from, the five leaders’ ship has arrived. He walked towards the shore where the ship will be decked, Kankuro and Gaara immediately followed their father.
When every samurai left the ship, Kiba glanced at Shikamaru to signal to him that it was time to move. He grabbed Temari’s arm and led their way down to Nagi island. Both of their hands were shaking as they saw Rasa and her brothers standing in front of their ship.
Their feets touched the land and Shikamaru immediately kneeled when he saw Rasa walking in front of them. Unsure if it will convince him, he knows it will not but it’s the only thing he could do at that moment. Temari quickly blocked her father when she saw that he raised his katana, and her brothers walked beside their father. Rasa looked furious, it was her first time seeing him with such anger on his face.
“I’m going to cut his headdd!” Kankuro shouted at the back while Gaara walked with furrowed brows and pursed lips.
“Temari, if you’re not getting out in front of him I’m going to cut both of your heads!” Rasa yelled
“RASA!” Raikage shouted and holds Rasa’s arm “This is not the best time to deal with your family problem. We are in the middle of the war! Settle this after”
The Kazekage stared at him furiously and pull his arm away from the Raikage. He gripped his katana so hard and clenched his jaw from frustration. Temari started to kneel beside her lover and holds his hand, Shikamaru kept his head in a bow position.
“I’d like to ask for your daughter’s hand in-----” Shikamaru said in his low and shaking voice
“I didn’t ask for you to speak! You’re not worth it for my daughter!” Rasa interrupted him
“FATHER!” Temari shouted
“SHUT YOUR MOUTH! You’ve been a dishonor to my blood! Stop this mess of yours and you’re going to marry the young Feudal Lord from the north. You will return to Suna now!”
Shikamaru gripped her hands tightly, afraid that he might lose her after hearing her father’s words that she’ll marry the young feudal lord from the north. Temari starts breathing heavily after hearing it and her face was visibly angry.
“No” she said in her low voice, it was almost a whisper but Rasa heard it.
“What did you say?” He walked towards her daughter and gripped his Katana. Gaara and Kankuro pull their Katanas and hold their father’s arms to stop him. Both of her brothers dedicate their hearts in protecting their sister even if it caused them to hurt their father.
“I’m not going to marry anyone that I did not choose” she said firmly “If there’s someone that I wanted to marry, it's him. I love him father, please let me choose this time”
“What do you know about love? You’re too indecisive with your action, you’re too reckless! You don’t know anything about it! We don’t marry for love; we marry for power! And that’s your duty”
“I know more about love than you did!...... Our mother taught me about it before she died” Her voice softened after mentioning her mother. Rasa’s eyes visibly widened and the gentle face of Karura starts to flash in his mind.
“Do you know what mother told me before she died? Huh?”
“She said that….Temari, you should find a man that will make your heart feel full of happiness and contentment like what your father did to my heart” this is the reason why she made that letter, her mother’s voice echoed in every word that was written in her letter. Finding the true meaning of love and how it feels to be loved.
“And I found him father, I found him. After searching for it……..like what my mother said that I should find a man that will make my heart feel full of happiness and contentment. I’ve never been so peaceful in my life after having him, even in this messy world we are living in. We are in the middle of the war and yet I felt the peace beside him”
Rasa was speechless after hearing what her daughter just said and a memory of his past wife invaded his mind. Karura, she’s the only person who gave warmth to his cold heart. He loved her dearly and it broke him when she died.
The Tsuchikage and Raikage interrupted their commotion.
“Kazekage, there’s no time for this. Let’s all settle the conflict after the war” Raikagi spoke
“Your daughter, she’s already in here. Let her join the war” Tsuchikage said
“Kankuro, Gaara! give your sister a war horse. Make sure that she'll be in our army” Rasa commanded
He immediately left their spot leaving the two lovers kneeling on the grass and the army who just witnessed the little scandal from the two villages.