Naruto: The Prince of Lust

Chapter 240

The blond turns to the elders seated in opposing seats at the side of the warm room, seemingly cut off from the main group. Seemingly acceptable, Naruto slowly mouths, "okay. What's up Temari-chan?"

"I'd first like to say, thank you very much," she begins with a bow that her brother and sensei emulate. "All of you, for taking the time to meet with us and indulge my selfish request."

"It's our pleasure to have you," Hiruzen voices with his genial smile. "Like wind and fire, Sunagakure and Konoha are allies and I consider Rasa-san to be a friend. What would you like to discuss?"

Clearing her throat, Temari fakes a bit of blush to her cheeks as she reveals, "I'd also like to apologize. This will be a personal and deeply embarrassing request."

"Please, continue," Hiruzen directs.

Nodding, Temari asks Hiruzen and by extension, the room, "I'm curious if you're familiar with the custom of Omiai? If I recall correctly, the trend was abandoned by your nation's code of civil conduct."

"Mnn, it's been quite some time since I've heard that term," Hiruzen slowly voices, tilting his head as if eying into the past of all his out-of-date knowledge. "In my youth, the practice had only just been removed from common circulation. While not illegal today, peace between clans, villages, and nations made the practice unnecessary for many decades now."

From the side of the oval office, Koharu voices to the room, "Land of Wind has also ended its practices of arranged marriage."

Whipping his blond head to his Hokage, Uzumaki seems shocked to hear that. Though it's an official diplomatic meeting, a wide-eyed Uzumaki seems to have no qualms repeating loudly to his superior, "arranged marriage?"

"Not quite," Temari voices. "That's a common misrepresentation. Omiai is more aptly a meeting opportunity or series of meetings with serious considerations for the possibility of marriage; not forced marriage. Basically, a man and a woman are introduced to each other to consider the process of courtship. But many think of it as arranged marriage because Omiai has more to do with the family or businesses involved than actual love."

"It's matchmaking," Kankurō dismally adds. Though enthusiasm for the plan would be appreciated, it works in their favor if Kankurō appears very much against it.

"I understand the Yondaime's challenges quite keenly," Hiruzen acknowledges. "As allies, we will, of course, do all we can."

'You mean when your economy isn't suffocating our own very nearly to our demise,' Temari mentally berates the elder. "And Sunagakure is incredibly grateful," Temari thankfully responds with a bow her bother and sensei imitate. She continues to explain to the room, though more for Uzumaki's benefit, "in order to strengthen our position, our honored father covers our deficits-trades with our surplus-trades, as many nations and villages do, and for the good of the village, Kazekage-sama would utilize the practice of Omiai to secure a suitable match for the only daughter of the Land of Wind's Kazekage."

"And you're cool with that," Naruto gasps to ask, quickly following it with the obvious, "what if you don't love who your tou-chan picks?"

Temari finds it disturbingly funny the blond would ask that when her mission is to guarantee he falls in love with her by fucking him like a common whore. Showing a hint of sadness, even using melancholy thoughts of Daimaru-kun to make it feel genuine, Temari answers, "I will do my duty to our village."

"As it should be," Koharu slowly voices from the side of the room.

Naruto seems oblivious of her importance as he quickly asserts, "not when it comes to who you marry, baa-chan. That's insane," he huffs and rather than being reprimanded by the council, they simply sigh as the Hokage agrees with a humming nod. To Temari, it's yet more proof of how important Uzumaki-kun is to them as well as how much more vital her success needs to be.

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