My Prince (BOOK 1)

Chapter 8

"Tonight we celebrate the arrival of our esteemed guests. This evening a masquerade ball is being held within the palaces most extravagant ballroom. We hope you are willing to attend our welcoming ball as we are not short on entertainment for nights like these.
A guide will come after dark to collect you. We hope you take a liking to the gowns, masks, and suits our seamstresses have tiredly prepared with only you and your family in thought."

"A ball?" Minato smiled up at his wife, "Sounds fun."
She scoffed, already looking over the gowns that had been folded nicely on the bed when they arrived. "Hardly."
"We should go."
"We only just got here Minato."
"We got here yesterday, dear. I think it would be fun- they did plan this to welcome each of their guests. It would be rude if we didn't at least show our attendance."
Kushina sniffed, "I believe it would do good. Give us all an extra night to rest- and after what Itachi did I don't see why we should humor him."
"I don't believe it would be humoring him." Minato replied thoughtfully. "We'd simply have fun- and since Mito was the last of the girls to arrive this would give her an extra chance to get to know Sasuke."
Kushina rolled her eyes. "You want our daughter to associate with someone like him?"
"Sasuke doesn't seem too bad."
"That's because your an optimistic, Minato. I can already see what trouble that boy causes."
Minato raised a brow. "You're very negative about this. If you didn't want to come, than why accept at all?"
"Because if we didn't that would look bad. Even the Sabakus are here."
"I think that's just because of Gaara," Minato muttered. "Seeing a curtain General is also here."
Kushina glared at Minato. "That 'certain General' is our eldest. Our supposedly dead eldest."
"All the more reason to go. Mito will get to know Sasuke and we can get to know Naruto."
"I already know her."
Minato chose not to comment.

"Well I am taking Mito when this guide comes. You can stay here and rest if you so please dear." Minato said, whilst standing.

Three floors down, Naruto was in her bed chamber. The room a quarter the size of any esteemed guests is.
Inside she was busy braiding her hair into two long braids on the top of her head. In nothing more than a papery slip. The material barely covered anything, hardly covering what it was meant to- showing the lengthy length of her tanned legs and dips to her waist and around her rib cage.

Ending the second braid with silver strips of material tied into a bow, Naruto grabbed the gown from her bed. The dress is a long thin thing made of white material and silver patterns on the skirt.
Climbing into the top, Naruto pulled the light material over her hips to her ribs where she placed her arms within the sleeves that fan at her elbows.
Silver lace lined the end of the fanning sleeves, with a thin coat of white flopping to the ends of her toes. Looking down, Naruto had doubts about how well Hinata had taken her measurements- than again the Hyuga was no professional seamstress.

Moving the pile of hair over her shoulders, Naruto pulled her shoulders together and grabbed the beginning of the white material to tighten the dress.
A knock interrupted her just as she pulled it taut. Naruto glared at the door, willing the knock to be a figment of her imagination.
It wasn't.

Sighing, she let go of the material, and walked to the door. Cracking it open, the most unpleasant figure entered her line of sight.

"Can I help you?"
"I'd like to talk."
"I'm busy."
Gaara looked down at the loose material around Narutos chest. "Clearly."
"Don't look at my chest."
"Tie your dress."
"What do you think I was doing before you knocked on the door?"
Gaara glared, "You're very rude."
"Thanks." Rolling her eyes, Naruto closed the door. The knock came again. This time she ignored it, instead beginning to pull at the material.

"You really can't ignore me forever, Naruto." Gaara called through the door.
"Before or after I start giving a crap?"

The door opened, and when Naruto went to turn around, a hand pushed her shoulder back around.
Naruto gasped as the lace was tugged tightly.