Hinata shivered from the rush of cold air, the haori wrapped around her frame provided little comfort. It was not surprising that the temperature suddenly dropped when Kiryuu ascended again, but did the dragon really needed to do that so often? Not to mention that her silky robes, that were rented to her in the Emperor's palace, were not created for such environment, of high altitude and increasing cold, but warm chambers and elegant company. Though she couldn't actually complain at the last part, since through the entire way to Norigami, as their destination was called, Hinata was practically glued to Naruto's backside, taking in comforts of his presence, warmth of his body, and the fact that she still had feelings for him, despite all this time they were apart.

Not to mention that the mere fact she was riding, or rather flying, a dragon of all things, with the man that she gave her heart to, was simply magical, like a scene taken from a fairy tale.

Similar thing could be said about Naruto, though for different reasons. Flying with Kiryuu was a rare, but also one of his favorite pastimes, especially after a very stressful day of work as the emperor. Tonight however the sensation was enhanced by the presence of the beautiful young woman that clung to his back with a strong grip in fear of falling out of the saddle. For now ignoring this nagging discovery of how much the girl has developed, from the feeling her generous chest pressing into his back, Naruto's thoughts wandered on the situation at hand: what did he actually wanted to accomplish?

Ever since he found that letter on the day of his banishment, Naruto couldn't stop himself from reading it over and over again, and think about this shy, weird, but kind girl, that encouraged him before fighting her cousin, the hailed genius of the famous clan. Now here she was, seven years since they last saw each other, riding a mythical creature in the last rays of setting sun. Honestly, this would be very romantic, if not for a fact that Naruto didn't really know what true love is. Were his feelings towards Hinata genuine just from that one heartfelt letter, a mere crush, or maybe just a physical attraction from seeing how beautiful she's now?

'Hopefully, this week will answer some of those questions,' Naruto thought solemnly. He didn't want to worry Hinata, so he did his best to hide those feelings.

"Naruto-kun, what is that?" Hinata shouted through the whipping winds, extending one arm and pointing at a large castle, though it was nothing she has seen before.

Its walls were even higher than those surrounding Konoha, and at least several times thicker. Every couple hundred feet a watchtower was placed, to keep surveillance on the surrounding lands in case of enemy attack. Inside the protective barrier of stone blocks was a clearly military settlement, judging from strategically placed barracks and other buildings, creating a maze that would make it very difficult for invaders to move around in great numbers. Then there was the second wall, creating and isolated inner circle from which the defenders could launch a counter measures on the invaders, who would be pretty much trapped in between the impressive defenses. Finally there was the stronghold, protected yet by another wall, creating the third and final line of defense, which was even more impressive than the previous two.

The stronghold itself was overshadowing everything and it was the biggest building Hinata had ever seen, easily dwarfing the Hokage Monument in terms of height and size. A small town could take refuge here and there would still be a room for a fitting number of soldiers to fight. There was one thing actually that made her wonder, why there was a large white swirl symbol on the front of the castle, so similar to what she saw on the jackets of chuunin and jonin of Konoha?

"That one is the castle that houses the protectors of the area!" Naruto shouted back. "I'd tell you more about it but we're almost at our goal! Look to your left!"

Obediently Hinata turned her head and saw a city. Because it was getting late in the evening there were a few lights already burning, but it was still too hard to see much details. It actually looked many of the larger cities in the Elemental Nations she saw during her various missions outside of Konoha. The most noticeable thing was a large mansion on the edge of the eastern wall that surrounded the settlement, and apparently Kiryuu was going straight towards it. Once over it Hinata could see a well crafted main building and spacious grounds around it, separating it from the rest of the town was a high wooden wall with a gate big enough to let a fully loaded carriage inside.

The main building was several stores high, its roof was a that of classical triangle-shaped style, similar to those in temples and large castles in the East, though the edges weren't as sharp, but more smooth. It gave the whole building a more country feeling. Hinata also observed several smaller sheds, most likely for storage, as well as a large and currently empty field on the side from the main gate, most likely a place of gatherings and training. While the back of the mansion was mostly unseen, Hinata could still see a part of the backyard, where a decent sized pond was positioned, over which a fully grown tree was bending its branches.

Kiryuu finally descended and landed on the empty space right before the entrance to the main building. Naruto simply jumped down out his seat on the dragon's saddle, not even waiting for the mighty beast to crouch down. He looked up at Hinata and spread his arms, giving her a devilish smile and a wink at the same time. While trusting her skills and physical fitness, Hinata found herself a little perplexed, the reason being that if she did jump down in her current outfit it was a very high possibility that her underwear will be visible, even for a split of second, to the blond man below her. The mere thought painted her cheeks in a beautiful cherry color.

Thankfully for her, Kiryuu seemed to sense what his friend-slash-master was planning. In an attempt to ire him a little more, the dragon raised his right forepaw, creating that way a decent step for the young woman to use without having to jump down.

"Thank you, Kiryuu," Hinata said, as she climbed down from his back. She even patted the mythical beast's head gently on her way down, giving him a reason to growl contently. Seeing the annoyed expression on Naruto's face was just a bonus.

"Naruto-sama!"

The pair turned their heads towards the source of the voice they just heard. A young woman, most likely in middle of her twenties, was approaching them, along with several other people. She had long dark hair, that was reaching all the way down her back. The kimono she was wearing was good quality, sporting fashionable shades of yellow, green, violet and brown. What had caught Hinata by surprise was a pair of animal ears, most likely cat's or fox's, sprouting atop of her head, and a cat like tail that lazily moved around.

Just behind her were another woman and a man, both wearing light armors of some kind. The woman had short blond hair and fierce look in her dark red eyes, so similar to the Hyuuga's former sensei's. Her blue bodysuit looked similar to the ones Hinata saw back in Konoha, though this one was made from some kind of elastic material. It hugged her figure nicely, leaving little to imagination. Pieces of armor were placed in strategic places, protecting her vital points like her chest, thighs, and upper arms. On the belt around her waist hung a simple but also a very long dagger.

The man on the other hand, was tall and well built, his face showed confidence, and his dark eyes sharply assessed the surroundings, a trait of someone who saw many battles. His armor looked much more like a warrior's than the one his companion was wearing, similar to those Hinata sometimes saw Daimyo's guards wearing, not to mention the samurai from the Land of Iron. It consisted a bright red breastplate, a shoulder guard over his right arm, along with a pair of sleeve armors, while his legs were protected by thigh guards and greaves. The robe this man was wearing underneath was white and very high quality, from what Hinata could observe. In his hands was a long spear with a tri-bladed head, a little similar to the special kunai the late Yondaime has used, only bigger.

"Okaerinasai (Welcome back), Naruto-sama," the leading young woman said, as she approached the two newcomers and the dragon. Her two companions stood just a few feet behind her, like bodyguards.

"Hey, Kaoru-san!" Naruto called out happily. For unknown reason Hinata found herself feeling a pang of jealousy. Kaoru was a very attractive woman, and the way Naruto has greeted her showed familiarity, maybe even friendship. "Hope everything is ready, right?"

"Hai. The guest bedroom is fully prepared, though I would like it if you warned us a little earlier than mere two hours before your arrival, Naruto-sama. Through Kurama-sama's communication channels nonetheless," Kaoru complained, looking a little annoyed at such sudden visit from her lord. Her two companions were trying to hide their smirks of amusements, and failing miserably.

"Sorry for that, it was a spur of the moment kind of thing," Naruto apologized. Next he took Hinata's hand and brought her before the three people. "This is my guest for the remaining of the week, Hyuuga Hinata."

"Nice to meet you, Hyuuga-sama," Kaoru welcomed the Hyuuga woman with a deep bow, making the young kunoichi a little uncomfortable, reminding her of how the Branch members of her clan behaved around her because of her status as the heiress. "My name is Matsuya Kaoru, and I'm the caretaker of this residence during Naruto-sama's absence."

"Heh, Naruto-sama sure knows how to pick them," the warrior man commented quietly to himself, while giving Hinata a quick look over. He straightened up and gave a salute by hitting his right hand to his chest, where the heart was, while holding his spear up tightly in his left hand. "Mitsurugi Kentarou, captain of the local guard. May I dare to say that you're one of the fairest maidens my eyes had the pleas-ough!"

"Don't let that middle-aged playboy over here catch you with his honey layered words, Hinata-san," the last of the three newcomers, the short haired blonde woman, have said, while her outstretched hand was still on the Kentarou's head in a chopping gesture. "He's a shameless flirt that hits on almost every new girl he lays his impure eyes on."

"Oh, come on Anju, don't be such a downer," the proclaimed guard captain whined. His protest apparently went completely ignored, judging by the next hit his head have received right afterwards.

"Kurashima Mitsurugi Anju, second in command of the town's guard," another hit to Kentarou's head has been delivered. "And this idiot's younger sister."

"Enough of the rough treatment already!" The battered captain shouted, finally releasing himself from the vice grip of his sibling. "Why are you always so serious, Anju? If you worked on your personality more then maybe your husband wouldn't have ran away from you."

Complete silence have fallen over the gathered, the few guards that were standing nearby, suddenly stiffened and straightened themselves. Kaoru took a few large steps away from her companions and much closer to Naruto's other side. The young man himself just shook his head, knowing what will happen next.

"He's screwed," was the only answer Hinata got from the blond man beside her, and it was just a whisper.

The Hyuuga woman never expected what happened barely fraction of second later. In that short amount of time the Captain of this town's guards, has been grabbed by his younger, and a head shorter, sister, by ear. The pair quickly disappeared behind a corner of a building, the bigger man basically dragged on the ground, his loud protests completely ignored. A painfully sounding 'thud' echoed, and Hinata could swear that she heard joints popping over the screams that came over the whole courtyard.

"Aghhhhh! I give! I GIVEEEE!" The large man's voice cried out from the corner, before his battered form crashed from behind the building's corner, while Anju graciously walked out right after him, dusting her hands in a satisfied manner. She returned before Naruto and the two women beside him.

"Naruto-sama, Kaoru-san, Hinata-san, please forgive me for this outburst," Anju apologized, bowing deeply before the three. "If you'll excuse me, I still need to make rounds around the town."

"That's fine, Anju!" Naruto replied with a grin. "Do whatever you need, we'll be fine."

"Thank you, Naruto-sama." Anju then turned to her still downed brother. "You're coming with me!" Without even an ounce of sympathy, she grabbed the back of his shirt and started dragging him away, ignoring all protests and choking sounds.

"That girl..." Kaoru sighed, shaking her head, while the faint screams of the Captain of the Guard were still heard from distance. "Truly, the day when Takeru-san comes back will be the one when I stop worrying about her."

"Is that the name of Anju-san's husband?" Hinata asked curiously.

"Yeah," Naruto answered. "And don't listen to that idiot. Takeru didn't run away from Anju because of her temper, but was sent on an official expedition to the northern region. I heard that they've made major progress last month, so it's a matter of time when he's back." Naruto took Hinata's hand, again causing the young woman to develop a noticeable shade of pink on her cheeks. "Anyway, we should settle you in your new room. The flight was quite long and that was your first time, so you're probably tired."

Hinata only nodded, trying to stifle a yawn that threatened to come out of her mouth. Truthfully, the last couple of days were very stressing and tiring for the Hyuuga, and right now she desired nothing more than a warm bed to sleep a whole night. Strangely enough however, the feeling of warmth coming from Naruto's hand through her skin actually made her a little more energized, not to mention that the contact also triggered something in her mind, which now started to make strange combinations of words like: bed, Naruto, night, se-

"Ano, Hyuuga-sama? Is everything alright?" Kaoru asked the pale-eyed woman.

"H-Hai, w-why do you ask?" Hinata's nervousness caused her to stutter, just like she did all those years ago, making her secretly curse that annoying habit of hers.

"You stuttered just now, for one thing," Naruto replied with his mischievous grin in place. "Just like when we were kids, you still blush and stutter. It's still cute."

Hinata couldn't help, and if it was even possible, her blush intensified deeply, the normally porcelain white cheeks were now cherry red. Kaoru just shook her head at the antics of her master, while being slightly amused by the foreign woman's reactions. The three of them finally walked inside the main building, which surprised Hinata at how humble it was. It was very much like her clan's compound, focused more on practicality than useless trinkets. They walked through a few corridors until the group reached their destination.

"This will be your room, Hyuuga-sama," Kaoru said while pointing at the door. Once open, Hinata peered inside. The room wasn't anything that special, but it was above average, with nice cream walls and solid wooden furniture. Her attention was focused especially on the nice looking bed, big and definitely soft enough for her to sleep soundly. It was big enough for two people, a thought that warmed her cheeks again when she stole a glance at her blond companion.

Kaoru kept a close eye on the foreign woman. She was suspicious of the Hyuuga's intentions towards her young master, after all she was responsible for Naruto's safety inside the mansion. However, much to her genuine amusement, the pearl-eyed female showed all book examples of infatuation, maybe even love, for the blond man. Every so often Kaoru had caught Hinata on stealing glances at Naruto, the pink dust on normally pale cheeks also a clear sign that confirmed her assumptions. A cute yet impish gleam sparked in her eyes.

"Hyuuga-sama, you must be exhausted after travelling in such unconventional way." Kaoru casted a meaningful stare at Naruto, who suddenly found a certain part of the wooden wall very interesting, coincidentally placed where he wouldn't face either woman. "Would you like for me to show you our baths? It would easily warm you up."

Hinata only now realized that she was still wearing the thin dress from her supposed dinner with the emperor. Along with that thought a shiver has ran up her spine. Yes, a warm bath really did sound tempting.

"I would really like that, thank you," Hinata replied with a smile.

"Then we should go right now. Maybe we could get Anju-san to have a bath with us," Kaoru pondered. "It's always better to have a bigger company for girls' time."

"And that's my cue to exit," Naruto exclaimed, getting the attention of the two women. "I still have several things to do here before calling for the night. Hinata, I'll leave you with Kaoru, she will get you settled and comfortable." He came up to the Hyuuga and hugged her tightly. "I'll say it one more time, it's great to see you again."

"Thank you, Naruto-kun. You too." Hinata was smiling brightly. The blond man always knew how to cheer her up.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning, alright?" Naruto asked, getting a nod in response. "Both of you have a good night."

"Goodnight, Naruto-sama." Kaoru bowed deeply after her retreating lord. Then she turned to the Hyuuga woman and politely pointed the direction of the baths. "This way, Hyuuga-sama."

"Please Kaoru-san, could you call me by my first name, without a honorific?" Hinata asked almost pleadingly. "I appreciate your manners, but I'd be grateful if you treated me as someone equal, a friend." The other woman looked surprised by such request, but Hinata was being honest. Despite her status as the heiress of the clan, even though now it's actually more paper title than anything, she never liked being put on a pedestal. Since her early childhood, even though many questioned her ability to lead in the future, Hinata had servants of the Branch House bowing to her, but she could see and feel their hate, pain, and grief over being enslaved by their own family. It only made the matter more insufferable for them to be under someone so much weaker than them. That's why Hinata wanted those of common background to see her as a person equal to them, not a royalty like the elders of her clan like to think they are.

"If you so wish for, Hinata-san," Kaoru replied with a small smile. "I'll be honored to be friends with someone Naruto-sama holds close to his heart. Gods only know that he needs such people." The last comment made the lavender-eyed girl frown a bit, not knowing what to make of it. "Shall we proceed to the baths?"

That was all the invitation Hinata needed. The two young women arrived to an enormous bath area, where everything looked like in those high-class inns that the Hyuuga heiress had several occasions of visiting. Not wasting much time, they shed their clothes and left them in baskets for the servants to take and wash them, then clad in only bathing towels, they walked into an open-air onsen. Surrounded by a bamboo fence, with several beautifully cut trees growing here and there, the whole scenery was enough to make Hinata awe at it. Once she got over her first shock, the kunoichi finally stepped into the hot water. It had a very immediate effect, warming up the girl's body and relaxing her muscles. Hinata let out an appreciative sigh.

"I see you enjoy yourself, Hinata-san," Kaoru said while scooping closer to her lord's guest. Hinata took a glance over the other woman's body, completely bare except for a towel that was resting on her right thigh. The demi-human woman was very beautiful, with her long and slender legs, slim waist, wide hips and decently big, firm breasts. As Hinata observed her hostess for a moment longer, the two of them were actually similar in body-build, she concluded.

"Hai, the water is very relaxing. Thank you, Kaoru-san," Hinata replied with a genuine smile. This bath truly worked miracles over her tired body, she could feel all the tension in her muscles melting away. There was also this pleasant fragrance of flowers in the air, which only helped easing the exhausted kunoichi's mind from all the troubles that haunted her. "Kaoru-san?"

"Hmm?"

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you and Naruto-kun met?" Hinata asked genuinely curious.

"That is quite a long and personal story, however I see no problem in telling you about it, Hinata-san." Kaoru shifted her body a little and sunk herself into the warm water, sighing in content at the soothing feeling spreading through her. "Mhmmm~ This feels great!~" The woman moaned loudly, then turned to the waiting Hyuuga. "Before Naruto-sama and his army liberated this region, things were very harsh for people living here, for demi-humans especially. This town was once a simple village, like many others, under the rule of the local noble family, the Nishigami family. Those were very hard times. The lord's family owned this land and all of them had demands, but no one was as eccentric as our last ruler, Nishigami Gorai. He ascended his father at quite young age and we already got a feel of his ideas for prosperity. Our men and youngsters were being taken into his army, he especially wanted demi-humans."

"Why is that?" Hinata asked.

"He hated us, or at least, he hated that our men were naturally stronger than he and normal soldiers will ever be, despite any training they could do," Kaoru explained. "As for women, well... Every unmarried girl from ages of fifteen to twenty five, were to be sent to his castle for service... In reality, all those girls and women were either used by the lord or his men, and then sent back, many of them pregnant or broken from the abuse, or shipped off as slaves to other regions."

"That's horrible!" Hinata exclaimed with disgust in her voice.

"It was. Barely a week after I turned twenty, Gorai arrived to my village, flanked with his soldiers, to collect the monthly taxes. He noticed me and demanded that I will come along with them, 'to fulfill my duty'," Kaoru spat and shivered from the unpleasant memory. "Just as some soldiers were trying to restrain me, Naruto-sama appeared in the village, Kurama-sama at his side, in the half-demon form. If it wasn't for his multiple tails and predator aura, he could pass as one of our people," she giggled. "The voluntary army they have gathered was right behind them, on the outskirts of our small village, looking fierce in both experience and numbers." The cat woman submerged herself further into the warm water, while remembering that particular day. "Naruto-sama made it clear that no one should be forced to do anything against their will, and he delivered the message to the lord in a very direct manner..."

"What did he do?" The Hyuuga was entranced in the tale, wanting to know more about the man she gave her heart to, and his adventures in these foreign lands.

Kaoru grinned widely, almost like Naruto would, when he succeeded in a grant prank. "He slugged the bastard right in the face! It was so fast that none of the soldiers had time to react!"


A well dressed man was writhing on the ground, screaming in pain, while holding his face in both hands. The rich clothes were ruined by dirt and horse droppings, though that didn't seem to faze the man, as the swelling that quickly formed on his face was the biggest concern at this moment. The guards were stunned, so were the villagers, so much that everyone forgot about the young cat-woman, who took the opportunity and fled into the crowds, just away from the armed men who held her just mere minutes ago.

Kaoru peeked up at the two strangers, that so suddenly appeared in the village. Both were wearing armors, though much different than what she had seen upon the lord's men, as the duo had their protectors died in bright colors of red and orange, though in different patterns. The blond youngster had his entire equipment in the color of sun fruit, only highlighting a few details in rusty shades, while the redhead was wearing a set of armor that looked like it was bathed in blood.

Meanwhile, Gorai finally got a grip of himself, and with the help of few of his men, managed to get to his feet, staring hatefully at the two strangers.

"You mongrels! Scum! I'll hang you for this!" Once the noble managed to stand straight, he didn't waste in throwing death threats and cursing the ones that dared to lift a hand on his person. "How dare you to strike me! I'll have my men skin you alive! Castrate! Your entrails will be fed to my dogs!"

"I think you've made a new friend there, Naruto." The taller of the two figures, a red haired man in crimson armor, animal ears on top of his head, and multiple long tails swinging behind him, brought his weapon, a massive naginata spear, up onto his shoulder, not really bothered with being surrounded by the soldiers of the now angry noble.

"Hey, you're just mad that I did this before you had a chance to cleave the pig, Kurama!" The blond youngster was sporting a large grin on his face, so bright that some people thought it was sparkling. His amaranth armor glistered in the sun, same went with the ebony black scabbards of a pair of kodachi swords that hung around on a belt, both weapons positioned on his hips, making them very easy to drawn.

"Tch, nothing he wouldn't have coming," Kurama replied with a scowl. Noticing the slowly approaching soldiers of the downed lord, the fox warrior swung his weapon in a wide arc, creating a very strong gust of wind. While it wasn't enough to actually throw people off their balance, it was still very noticeable, enough to make the soldiers stop in their tracks. They were very reluctant in approaching the mysterious warrior again, not even threats from their superior were enough to convince them, neither was the advantage in numbers. Seeing this, Kurama prostrated himself, hitting the end of his naginata into the ground, managing to bring a small shockwave from the impact.

"Listen here, you miserable mortals!" Kurama's voice bellowed loudly, some even covered their sensitive ears. "I'm Yoko Kurama, and beside me is Uzumaki Naruto! We are here to announce that Lord So Kishou's Unifying Army will arrive soon to this region! You will be presented with an opportunity: will you join the ranks of the newly created country that wants everyone to live peaceful lives after the war ends, or will you stay independent from it, still ruled by that scum on the ground?!"

There was a deafening silence after this thundering message. Many started looking between their lord and the two newcomers, their anxiousness could be felt in the air. Meanwhile, Gorai finally managed to get on his feet, his face almost purple with anger.

"What makes you even think I'll surrender these lands?!" The lord put his head higher, showing off his status in the pose. "I own everything in this region, be it game, plants or even people! They are mine! I can do whatever I want with them!" The fat little man either didn't notice, or blatantly ignored the heated glares he was now receiving from his 'subjects'. "Soon enough more of my soldiers will come here, and I'll burn this dirty village to the ground! Men will be sent to mines, but women and children will make fine slaves in the south, though before that me and my soldiers could use some stress relief after everything ends." He glanced over the crowd, noticing a few young girls and some quite attractive older women, licking his lips in anticipation, and grossing out all present, with the exception of his personal guard, before turning back to the two intruders. "In about ten minutes you two will be dead and this place will be a history! Here come my reinforcements!"

Everyone turned towards the nearby hills visible from the village, and indeed, there was a growing line of approaching army. Thinking the lord actually has made truth of his threats, the villagers were beginning to grow restless, their fear building up as the approach continued. Before any panic could settle however, Naruto started laughing loudly, it was like he just pulled a prank of century and now it was showing results. His laughter was abruptly stopped by his bigger companion, Kurama, who simply hit the blond man in the back of his head. Naruto only shot him a small glare, but in the end he sighed and calmed down.

"It seems I have underestimated our troops. I thought we had like an hour before they get here," Kurama commented to himself. "Must be general Akihito's doing, that guy really wanted to come to this region."

"You surprised? His girlfriend lives in one of the villages around here." Naruto then faced the gawking Gorai. "I'll make it simple for you, since it seems your thoughts are a bit scrambled. Those there on the hills are our armies marching, not your hired goons. The deal is: you surrender all your lands and assets, taking only so much as you personally can carry on your back, and get away from this region within two days, never to return."

"What makes you think I'll accept such outrageous proposition?!" Gorai shouted, his whole face red from anger, but it didn't make any impression on Naruto or Kurama.

"Only that if you don't agree, I will have to capture you, bring your sorry ass before Lord Kishou, and then you'll face judgment from the very people you ruled over." Naruto took a look around the faces of the villagers, many of them glaring daggers at the fallen noble, some already reaching for the nearest tools to use them on their hated ruler. "And as I can see in this village only, you won't be getting unscathed."


"Needless to say, Gorai had little choice in the matter," Kaoru continued her tale. "He had about ten men loyal to himself that went with him, he took about seven full sacks of money and other riches, then they all simply left. Never heard about them since." The cat-eared girl submerged herself a bit more, looking at the ceiling deep in thoughts. "Everyone is worried about Naruto-sama."

Hinata blinked confused by this statement, without saying anything, hoping that her companion will continue. It didn't take long for Kaoru to open up more.

"He survived this horrid war fighting on the frontline and commanding armies. Because he lead people to battle in the first lines, the soldiers under him respected and admired him for bravery and boldness, even if some of his strategies and plans were borderline insane." Both women smiled at each other knowingly, the two of them used to the male Uzumaki's unorthodox ways of acting before thinking. "However, there were also times when Naruto-sama had to make very harsh and difficult decisions. Soldiers under his command weren't always righteous, some decided to plunder and commit other atrocities, while claiming to be working for a higher cause." Kaoru sighed again. "I can't even begin telling how disappointed and enraged Naruto-sama was when those deeds were brought to light. He personally executed all those found guilty, but I could see that it took a heavy toll on him." She turned to Hinata, smiling brightly. "It was a very long time since I saw Naruto-sama so happy when you came here with him! I'm so glad that you are here too, Hinata-san!"

"And I'm happy to see him again," Hinata replied with a blush on her cheeks, one not caused by the warm bath. "I was afraid that he won't want to see anyone from his old home again, me included. Does he-..." Hinata stopped suddenly, the difficult question stuck in her throat. After taking one deep breath, she managed to calm her nerves. "Does he have someone in his life? A mistress or concubine?" Hinata prepared herself for the blow that she was sure will come with the other woman's answer. It surprised her when Kaoru laughed merrily.

"You do like him!" The cat-eared woman exclaimed, while her companion submerged herself deeper in the water. "I had a feeling that may be the case when I first saw you two together! Don't worry Hinata-san, there is no other woman in Naruto-sama's life, much to our grief."

"What do you mean, Kaoru-san?"

"In the common peoples' knowledge the lords of the lands always had several wives, mistresses or concubines, to ensure their lines will not end. Naruto-sama never took a woman for himself from what I saw, despite many noble ladies making advances at him. Even local girls and maids sometimes tried to flirt with him, but Naruto-sama never took a bait. It is very vexing to think that Naruto-sama may want to abstinate from leaving an heir for his tile and right to rule these lands." Kaoru then looked seriously into Hinata's eyes, startling the Hyuuga a little. "Hinata-san! I can see how Naruto-sama is looking at you! I support you!"

"Th-Thank you, Kaoru-san," Hinata replied embarrassed. Her head felt light at the thought of Naruto actually wanting her, though that could be also the effect of staying in the hot bath too long. "M-Maybe we should get out? I feel a little light-headed and would like to rest for the night."

"Of course, I will walk you to your room."

The two women got out of the still hot water, dried themselves and dressed up. It didn't take long before Hinata was in the room designed for her, lying on the bed in a simple white yukata provided to her as a nightwear. Her mind buzzed from all the thoughts and experiences she encountered the last few days. Surmising, she was in a foreign land, under the surveillance of the man that she once had a crush on. Not to mention that she rode a dragon of all things! However, the main question haunted her: what does Naruto really think about her now?

This was the last thought as Hinata drifted into a peaceful sleep.


AN: *a cover of a coffin explodes open* I'M ALIVEEEE! I am so very sorry to you all! I haven't updated anything for YEARS literally, and for that I apologize to all people who still follow my works. This huge hiatus was caused by many factors, both personal and external, that prevented me from writing. I had a huge writing block on this particular chapter, not to mention losing all my notes when my hardrive failed me.

I cannot promise regular updates but I will try to make them more often from now on. Also, I have in mind several new projects and few re-writes of my current stories. Some are risque, some may earn me hate all over, and some seem to be hits for fans. All will be certain after I manage to write those new stories down.

One of such projects is the challenge "Shattered Team Seven", issued by Ander Arias, where basically you have Sakura accompanying Sasuke to Soundn instead of being knocked out by him. I have several ideas on what I could put into this story, as it is a very interesting concept. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about my other stories, I will get back to them at some point, but I can't promise it will be soon. What I can promise is that I will finish all of them at some point, and if some I can not do so, I will first tell you about it.

Again, big apologizes to the readers who waited for me, and thank you for your patience. Please Review and tell me in all honesty what you think. If you have suggestions or ideas, you are free to share them here, I always like to hear other people's ideas, they motivate me to write more.

Have a nice day everyone!