Chapter 23: The White Wedding

Tajima and Naori peacefully ate their breakfast while watching the two young men before them nursing their heads quite painfully. It was quite hard for the two older Uchiha to see these two as men for in their eyes they were still young boys whom they had watched grow over the years.

Today was going to be a historic day for their family and they needed the boys at their best behavior, but for now both brother and sister couldn't help but enjoy Naruto and Madara's suffering.

"How much did you two idiots drink?" asked Tajima amusedly, and watched Naruto glare at Madara.

"More than I'd like..." muttered the new King sourly, earning a snort from Madara.

"I organized a party for you because after today you're going to be bound to that woman. I don't regret making you have the best time of your life..." replied Madara without remorse, even as he groaned from his hangover.

"She's not that bad, brother. Maybe you should give her a chance..." urged Naruto tiredly,

"Hn"

Naori could not help but smile at the fact that Naruto atleast respected his future wife if not love her outright. But at the same time, he also knew Madara was still sour with the Senjus and it was best if he was not pushed any further. He had already sacrificed his revenge for Naruto which was more than Naruto could ever ask from the older boy.

But she also didn't miss the fact that her favorite nephew aside from his painful hangover looked quite nervous. And she had a feeling why. Just when she was about to speak, her brother cut her off...

"Am I to believe that you do know what happens on wedding night, Naruto?"

Madara spewed the lemon juice he was drinking all over the table before bursting out loud laughing while his younger brother blushed crimson and grabbed his forehead in agony and humiliation.

"Naruto!" snapped Tajima, and smirked when his son raised a patronizing hand.

"I am aware of the procedure" muttered Naruto,

"I'd say" teased Madara, earning a sharp glance from Naruto but was relieved when Madara gave him a reassuring nod.

"Good. I cannot afford for you to shame the Uchiha name in the marriage bed and now is your chance to clear away any doubts. Theory is quite different than the real thing, boy" advised Tajima seriously,

"You would know, wouldn't you, Father?" grinned Madara,

It was one of the rare times Tajima was left speechless and gaped at what Madara just said. Naori chuckled loudly at her brother's stupefied expression before giving an approving grin to Madara who returned the gesture.

"Not so loud!" muttered Naruto painfully,

"Oh shut up, you baby!" chastised Madara, before playfully smacking Naruto on the head making the younger boy groan in even more pain.

Madara's moment of victory didn't last long when he noticed his father gaining a cold smirk on his lips. He knew better than most what that gesture meant...

"Madara, since you're so cheery today I'd like you to oversee the final decorations of the royal castle. Co-ordinate with the Yamanaka and make sure all the flowers are in place..."

Naori howled in laughter when Madara cried out in horror and even pleaded with his Father to make him not do that dreadful work. Unfortunately for The Wild Dragon, his brother had similar thoughts...

"The King insists" said Naruto with a savage grin,

"Fuck you!" cursed Madara,

"Care to repeat that again?" asked Tajima a little too calmly, making Madara gulp and lower his head in defeat.

Naruto could not help but smile as he watched his family sit together and enjoy for the first time in years. Such a phenomenon would never have happened if the war had gone on. But most of all, he knew these three had given up a lot for him.

"I am glad you are all here today" said Naruto honestly with a smile,

"Wouldn't be good if I miss your wedding with the Senju..." mocked Madara, but the smile on his lips was enough to show Naruto that despite his reservations about this union, Madara would have his back just as he always had.

The King got up from his seat and approached the eldest members of their family. Despite his painful headache, he knelt before them and took each of their hands in his own. He could only imagine what kind of tragedies these two had borne together, the death of Naruto's own brothers haunted him to this day.

But these two had watched so many of their siblings be torn apart in ways worse than Naruto's brothers ever had. They watched their parents die painful and miserable deaths, their people almost fall apart...

Yet both Tajima and Naori despite their pain and hatred had given up everything for him.

Words would never suffice how indebted he was to these two but he felt he had to do this regardless.

"Thank you..." said Naruto sincerely,

Naori cupped his cheek and placed a warm kiss on his forehead before looking into his eyes.

"I wish you all the happiness in the world, Naruto. I hope you find the peace you deserve with Tsunade..." said Naori happily,

Tajima merely placed his other hand on Naruto's shoulder and looked at his son with a firm but proud gaze.

"Uchiha are loyal to their own. The Uzumaki are not the only ones who value family above all else" answered Tajima frankly,

"I understand" replied Naruto with a smile, earning a nod from Tajima as the older man adopted a distant gaze in his eyes.

"I just wish your brothers could be here today..." whispered Tajima sadly,

Both Naruto and Madara were shocked on hearing what their father just said. Never once had Tajima talked about his dead sons to anyone much less his own family except for Naori. However, the unending sorrow that the man had kept at bay for years was finally visible for his sons to see.

Tajima gave a weak smile and Naruto was stunned to see his father's eyes were moist. Before he could say anything, Tajima got up from his chair and hurriedly walked out of the room. Naori was about to follow her brother but Madara gave her a reassuring nod before running after his Father.

Her gaze then turned to Naruto and the emotion in his eyes was clear for her to see.

Guilt.

"Does this pain ever go away?" whispered Naruto, looking at this woman who could understand his suffering better than most people ever could.

"No" answered Naori gently but honestly,

"I often dream of them. Of what they would think of me now. Izuna had always loved me, Yashiro and Inabi were distant" confessed Naruto sadly,

"They were boys, Naruto. They didn't understand..." consoled Naori, as she caressed his hair making him chuckle humorlessly.

"They were mean to me most of the time. I'd call them Twin Demons, but those same brothers nearly pummeled other boys to death when few of them tried to take my baby dragon toy from me. I asked them if I'd ever see a true dragon in my life, they laughed at me and said dragons don't exist anymore. When I started crying, Yashiro bonked me on the head and smirked before pointing at himself and calling himself a Dragon. Inabi did the same...they had such stupid grins on their faces which made me laugh. They were angry and sad because Mother died giving birth to me...but they did love me, Naori. I know that now...I swear, I'll go to my grave thinking about the stupid grins on their faces and their god awful howls as they tried to imitate a dragon's roar" whispered Naruto with a wistful smile,

She embraced him in her arms and felt him shudder for a few moments before he managed to regain control over himself. Naori knew better than most what pain their family had endured and yet Naruto had found it in his heart to forgive the Senjus. It could be said both Uchiha and Senju had murdered each other in equal measures, but to her their family was not just murdered but butchered in very cruel ways. The faces of her own lost siblings flashed before her eyes followed by the faces of the various clan heads that now infested Naruto's court. Those men and women had also their own pains and grievances, all it would take to shatter this peace was Naruto's death. If such a horror happened, Madara and Tajima would wage war and kill every last one of those traitors before getting killed themselves.

Naruto had a good heart but Tajima and Madara were both going away. Madara was going to focus on the upcoming war against the other nations while also building the ninja village, Tajima on the other hand would be focused on maintaining peace in their own nation while also governing the Uchiha Clan.

That left Naruto alone in the midst of these former enemies, none of them would dare attack him openly or risk being butchered by the fox but ninjas had other subtle ways of making their enemies go away.

She looked at this boy who was her son in all but name and the thought of seeing his cold corpse would break her completely. Her decision was made...

"I'm staying here with you" said Naori fiercely, making him look up at her.

"The clan-"

"Can survive under Tajima. I'm not leaving you alone here in the midst of these snakes" said Naori seriously, her tone leaving no scope for opposition but it only made Naruto smile.

"I can live with that" said Naruto cheekily, making her smirk.

"You better"

Naruto and Madara both observed the finely decorated Capital before them. There were still traces of the battle that was fought here not so long ago but with the help of the ninja clans, much of the damage had been repaired. The residents of the Capital were initially hostile to the new regime until Naruto despite the warnings of his advisers marched out and interacted personally with the people, a phenomenon that had not happened in nearly a century with the previous Daimyo's considering it beneath them to personally visit their subjects.

Madara had watched his youngest brother patiently listen to the people and their grievances. He immediately punished the few former royal guards still alive who had terrorized the civilians, imprisoned the corrupt officials, with winter coming the citizens requested more food, work and coin for their families.

A demand which the King promised to fulfill with his first act giving a considerable sum of the crownlands for civilians to grow farms upon, build houses and claim some lands for themselves. The kindness didn't go unnoticed and now the tales of Naruto The Good were spreading like a raging fire throughout the Land of Fire.

To add further to the joy of the civilians, their King had organized a grand festival for them on the occasion of his marriage. Tonight, these poor and impoverished families would eat a feast they could have never imagined in their wildest dreams, they would get to share some good wine and be happy with their friends and loved ones.

At first, Madara thought his brother to be to more than lenient with people whom ninjas could pacify very easily. But as each day passed, he watched his brother's popularity grow to the point that now if anyone tried to take this city from Naruto, they would have to go through thousands of civilians loyal to their King.

But right now the same King looked nervous...

"What is it?" inquired Madara with a raised eyebrow,

"I don't know if I can be the husband Tsunade wants me to be" confessed Naruto, making his brother snort in disbelief.

"Trust me. If the Senju cannot see your worth then she's stupid. You're more than what she deserves..." assured Madara confidently,

"I don't know, brother. If she ever finds out about my unborn daughters..." whispered Naruto, his fear over that possibility clear for Madara to see.

"We'll deal with it when we get there. But if it gives you peace, I've already assigned 100 of my best men near the temple. If anyone tries to harm my nieces, they'll have to go through those 100 Uchiha first and I won't be far away. I won't let anything happen to them, Naruto" promised Madara fiercely, earning a smile from the King.

"Thank you, truly. But I need another favor..." said Naruto hesitantly,

"Careful, brother. You owe me quite a lot already..." japed Madara, earning a nod from his youngest brother.

"I know. And whenever you need me, I will be there for you" promised Naruto sincerely,

"I'll hold you to it" replied Madara seriously, before continuing with a smile...

"Good. Now tell me what you need..."

Madara listened as Naruto explained to him of the fact that Mikoto was leaving the Kinsguard. He didn't have to be a genius to see his brother had great affection for the woman and was now worried about her future. When Naruto told him about her fighting skills, Madara was quite impressed. But he soon frowned when Naruto told him about her origin of being a servant's daughter and how many would try to take advantage of her now that she was not under his protection.

"I'm thinking of forming a small elite force loyal to me. Considering her experience and recommendation, I'll see her worth and if she proves herself then she can command men sworn to defend me, not that I need it" said Madara honestly with a wink,

"I owe you one" said Naruto happily, earning a light bop on the head.

"More than one...''

Naruto wryly smiled at that statement knowing it was true. Still another concern crossed his mind and only his brother had the answer to that problem.

"Is Father okay?" asked Naruto worriedly, earning a grim nod from Madara.

"The old's man more tougher than the both of us combined. He'll be fine..." assured Madara, and didn't miss his brother sighing in relief.

Without hesitation, he placed a hand on the nervous boy's shoulder.

"This is your day, Naruto. And your family will be there for you, so cheer up and enjoy" encouraged Madara,

Naruto could not help but smile.

Winter was coming along very fast and as a result the royal gardens that would be the place of the historic marriage were now sporting a few layers of snow here and there. Naruto wagered that it would turn to muddy slush by the end of the day, and he had instructed a group of servants to clear a path through the courtyard to the Gardens. He was walking along that cleared path now, pleased to see that they had done a good job. It was not himself he was concerned with, it was Tsunade. He knew how much importance she gave to her appearance which had greatly increased now that she was to be Queen, and he imagined she would be upset if the bottom of her wedding dress was soaked through and stained with mud and snow by the time she reached the Gardens. Though he thought it likely that she would inevitably damage the bottom of it, he was hopeful that it would not be as bad now that she had a clear walkway.

It would not be long. Soon she would be making her own way to the Gardens. The thought of it had his hands coming to rearrange his clothes nervously. He declined the urge to look back at Madara, who was walking behind him carrying the cloak bearing the roaring red colored three headed dragon on a background of black silk, the new sigil of his future family that elevated them above the Uchiha clan. Many of his bannermen had made the effort to join the wedding. He had been expecting many to decline, and he was not offended when a few like the Shimura, Inuzuka and Yamanaka declined and it was for the best considering this peace was still hard for those clans to accept , he only hoped that Tsunade would not be offended.

Besides every ninja lord would all have to meet her at the first gathering of the Royal council tomorrow after the wedding where he would formally announce The War of Conquest, and Naruto was confident that Tsunade would be able to make a good impression then. He had been unable to help liking her as days passed and started to enjoy her company. She was not a Senju to him in anything but looks, and that he was more than happy to live with. He did wish they did not have to get up and leave in the morning after their wedding though to start a war and crush the remaining Daimyo loyalists. Once upon a time he imagined he would relish any chance he had to be away from her. Not now though. Now he looked forward to spending time with her and enjoying her company. Their strolls around the gardens had slowly become his favorite part of the day. He smiled wryly, knowing that when the snows fell thicker they would no longer be able to participate in that particular pastime.

They had learned a lot about each other in the past week. Tsunade had taken upon herself to participate vigorously in the wedding preparations while he sorted out the royal court. In that time, he got to know she liked gambling, drinking, dancing, riding horses as well as Katsuyu and sparing. She was no delicate flower and was a warrior through and through, a fact which he respected and admired. But there was also compassion in her heart which she brilliantly showed when she recommended him to offer the Daimyo's prisoner daughters and wife to either join The Nadeshia Clan as priestesses for the rest of their life or choose to marry any minor ninja lord of Naruto's choosing. Unsurprisingly, the entire family chose the option to live free than be saddled with men who overthrew their husband/father. When that was done, Naruto swiftly executed the Daimyo. Tsunade had been there and was surprised when Naruto carried out the sentence himself, unlike her brothers who always executed traitors and criminals with the help of special jailers.

At the same time, Tsunade also pleasantly discovered that unlike most rumors that claimed Naruto to be a savage monster, he actually enjoyed reading stories on occasion and listen to bards. He was a pretty decent player of the flute and had made her cry with one of his songs. He also enjoyed spending time with his subjects and often made it a habit to visit them everyday to interact with them personally. For the ninja lords he was The Dragon King, but for the common folk he was Naruto The Good. He also liked eating new foods but was terrible at drinking, a fact for which she teased him endlessly much to his embarrassment.

Naruto tore his mind from those thoughts as he finally entered the Gardens, noting that all those attending were already present, besides Tsunade and her brothers of course. He strode towards the holy tree to take his place, seeing his family lined up nearby as he came to a halt. His heart panged dully for those he was missing. Three of his brothers who should be here were not there and words couldn't describe how badly he wished Izuna was here on this important day, his only solace was the fact that he had Madara right by his side giving him a reassuring smile which made his sadness vanish.

He was glad to see his childhood friends were all there except for Mikoto, but he understood why she chose to skip this event. Unlike the ninja clan heads who chose not to come to this event due to old grudges and wounded pride, Mikoto had a valid reason to avoid watching him be promised to another woman for the rest of his life.

Naruto scanned his family again, noting for the first time that his Father was not clad in black. It was the first time he had seen him in anything that resembled color in so many years, and he was touched that he had managed it for his wedding. Even in his simple but elegant blue colored shirt with the Uchiha crest on his back alongwith simple black pants and sandals, Tajima Uchiha cut a striking figure. Unlike the Senjus, the Uchiha's were never one for extravagance and Tajima was the living definition of that philosophy.

Naori on the other hand had decided to skip that tradition and Naruto could not help but notice how stunning she looked, a fact which was clear to see as many ninja lords despite being married were silently staring at her form. Naori was wearing a blue dress, albeit a rather dark shade of blue, beneath a grey cloak. He sent her a small smile and she returned it, inclining her head slightly.

Before he could finishing looking at the other guests, he heard stunned gasps and was forced to turn towards the source that evoked such a reaction. He froze...

Blasting the tradition of choosing one family member as escort, Tsunade had chosen to have all three of her brothers walk by her side as she entered the Royal Gardens.

Her dress was as white as the untouched snow around the pool of the Gardens. Even from a distance he could see that the bodice was sewn with pearls and silver and golden thread. Pearls were woven into her hair as well, which was half braided back from her face to allow her golden curls to tumble down her back. Around her shoulders was a black cloak made of fine velvet, and Naruto imagined that the roaring Antler of The Senju would be woven into the back of it. He swallowed hard as she and her brothers came to a halt on the opposite side of the pool to him. Everyone in the Gardens seemed to have turned to stare at her, and he vaguely wondered if she looked as enchanting to them as she did to him. He had always known she was beautiful, it seemed only now he was appreciating just how captivating she really was. He took a deep breath, knowing that this was it. He could not allow the silence to continue much longer.

Thankfully, The Senjus had reluctantly agreed to carry out the marriage in the old ways followed by the Uchiha. It was a good decision because Tajima would never allow any of his sons to be married in a temple of gods whom he considered false and blasphemous. At the same time, The Senjus had made clear they would not appreciate to marry their only princess in front of the old gods of the Uchiha. It was another one of the cultural differences between the two former enemies despite the fact that they were once a part of the same family. In the end, a compromise was made when Naruto suggested the marriage take place in the Royal Garden under a simple holy tree with the blessings of a priest who knew enough about both religions.

It would seem this Union was going to set a lot of new rituals and send cultural shocks throughout the elemental nations, if it had not already done so. A fact which made Naruto smirk internally before he was brought out of his thoughts by Madara's loud voice.

"Who comes? Who comes before the Gods?" Madara asked clearly, Naruto's eyes stayed on Tsunade who smiled at him, as her eldest brother answered the question.

"Tsunade, of The Senju Clan comes here to be wed." Hashirama announced proudly with a beaming smile,

It was her second brother who followed the ritual although his ice cold eyes seemed to bore into Naruto's very soul and his clenched fists was enough to show how much he hated this. "She comes to claim the blessings of the Gods. Who comes to claim her?" Tobirama asked coldly,

"Me," Naruto said firmly, determined to show the white haired Senju he was not intimidated by him in the slightest, that his opinion did not matter to him. That he was glad to marry Tsunade , regardless of Tobirama's bitter feelings. "Naruto, of The Uchiha Clan," he continued clearly, "The Dragon King and Rightful Ruler of the Elemental Nations. I claim her. Who gives her?" he asked, finally moving his eyes from his bride and to his last good-brother.

"Itama, of The Senju clan," Itama replied, meeting Naruto's eyes for a moment with a smile before he turned his attention to Tsunade. "Princess Tsunade, will you take this man?" he asked amusedly referring to her former title earning an eye roll from the blonde beauty and slight chuckles from the guests.

"I take this man," Tsunade said, her voice strong and clear as her eyes found Naruto's.

He smiled a tiny smile for her, and she relinquished her hold on Itama's arm at the gesture. Slowly she walked from away from her brothers, and stepped around the pool until she stood face to face with Naruto. He offered his hand at once and she gave her own without hesitation. Naruto put a little pressure on her hand as he took it in his, holding her eyes and sharing a smile with her before they both turned slightly to face the holy tree. They knelt as one, their hands still clasped, and bowed their heads in submission to the priest who started the ceremony. Naruto knew that unlike him Tsunade did not believe or pray to any gods, new and old, but he himself sent a silent prayer to them.

A happy and contented life.

That's all he asked for. That's all he ever wanted now. He squeezed her hand lightly again once he had finished, hoping that she would understand the pressure. She squeezed his hand back, and he assumed that she had.

He raised his bowed head before rising slowly to his feet, keeping Tsunade's hand firmly in his own to keep her steady as she rose gracefully back up. With that Naruto glanced behind him, nodding slightly to the Madara, who approached slowly with the Royal Uchiha cloak draped over his arm. Naruto turned his attention back to his bride, moving his fingers to the clasp around her neck. He could feel her warm breath on the back of his hand as he unfastened her maiden's cloak from around her and slipped it away from her shoulders. He passed it back to the Madara, receiving the royal Uchiha cloak in return and sweeping it quickly around Tsunade's shoulders before she had the chance to get cold. His fingers shook ever so slightly as he fastened the clasp, knowing that this final gesture was the one that bound them fully as husband and wife.

When he moved his hands away again he met her eyes before talking both her hands in both of his, tugging her closer slightly. She moved willingly, her head already tilted up so she could meet his eyes. In that moment he wished that he had kissed her that night when they were alone in her chambers, when there had not been any other eyes on them. Now they were surrounded by people, and he could practically see Tsunade's nerves shining in her eyes. He couldn't not kiss her. For one thing he wanted to, and for another, it would look bad to those in attendance. They would make assumptions. Wrong assumptions, that he wished to avoid at all costs. He pushed that from his mind and leaned into Tsunade, tilting his head and closing his eyes the moment before their lips met. Hers were soft and warm as he had expected them to be, and he let his own linger for a long moment before he pulled back. She smiled widely when he did so, and he returned the gesture gladly, unable to believe that this moment he had dreaded for so many days had brought him such an inexplicable joy.

"It's gorgeous, really, but I could not have another bite," Tsunade protested, raising her hands up to stop Naruto from tempting her with another forkful of raspberry and cream tart.

"Are you certain I cannot persuade you?" he asked her teasingly, and she shook her head determinedly.

"No you cannot, not in this matter at any rate," she answered him, and he chuckled, laying the fork back down against his plate before contemplating his new wife. She had discarded her cloak due to the heat in the dining hall, and the unblemished skin of her arms was teasing him through the delicate lace of her sleeves. He was so busy admiring her that he didn't notice that she was no longer occupied with sipping from her wine glass. She cleared her throat slightly, and he snapped his eyes up to meet her amused gaze.

"Admiring the lace?" she arched that one brow, and he smiled sheepishly.

"Something like that," he muttered, holding her eyes for a moment before he turned to pick up his own glass.

"It's been dark for rather a while," Tsunade mused quietly as he sipped down the sweet wine.

"Indeed," he agreed with her after he swallowed his mouthful.

"I wonder when…" she hesitated, "when the call will come for us to leave," she finished, and Naruto moved his hand to lay across hers.

"I will not allow anyone to accompany us to our chambers and risk having them embarrass either of us" he soothed her, rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand.

"What do you mean?" she turned to frown at him,

"I mean I will not have you teased, with the men and women ogling at you. I won't allow it, you're my queen," he explained, "we will retire when we are both ready."

"From that I can only assume that you are waiting on me," she smiled rather wickedly at him, and he narrowed his eyes at her.

"And will you keep me waiting?" he asked her softly, leaning in slightly closer to her.

"No," the simple word sounded like magic, and Naruto's eyes could see the quickening of her breathing in the way her bodice rose and fell more rapidly.

"Then will you allow me to escort you to our chambers?" he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Yes," she breathed back, that one word making his pants feel uncomfortably tight. Gods, he had been far too long without a woman. Looking at Tsunade, however, had him certain that his patience would be well rewarded. Slowly he pushed back his chair and rose up to his feet, offering her his hand. She took it, rising up to her own feet. At their action the dining hall seemed to pause, and Naruto swallowed hard, knowing he would have to address them.

"The queen and I are retiring for the night," Naruto declared knowing it was already close to early morning, the feast and celebrations had gone long into the night with all clan heads and other leaders actually enjoying themselves to fine wine, delicious food, and exotic women whom Naruto had to reluctantly acquire for their amusement.

Feeling Tsunade add pressure to his hand at his words gave him the courage to finish his addressal "Please, in our absence continue to feast, drink and dance until whatever hour you choose!" A cheer went up at his words, and there was the distinct clanking of many tankards and glasses.

He saw his friends giving him amused grins with Madara and Naori being the same. Tajima gave a brief nod but the small smile on his lips was all the assurance Naruto needed from his Father. Hashirama had far too many drinks and was already passed out, Itama was busy watching the exotic dancers but did give them a nod, but if previously Tobirama looked cold right now he looked murderous. Unlike the other guests, the sour man had not enjoyed himself and sulked in a corner despite Tsunade's best attempts to cheer him up. Naruto could still remember the few words Tobirama had said to him when he managed to corner him away and when Tsunade was not looking. Tobirama had looked at the drunk clan heads before giving Naruto a cold look...

"King Naruto, you'll be fighting their battles and grudges forever. I wish you good luck"

Those words had hit a nerve with Naruto and if not for the fact that Tobirama was Tsunade's brother and quite dear to her, he would have been more than willing to throw the bitter man in the dungeons. Maybe it was best if he kept an eye on him, an endeavor in which Tobi Shimura would prove greatly useful considering the man's utter contempt for Tobirama as the Senju had killed two of the Shimura clan head's brothers in the war.

He felt Tsunade's worried gaze staring at him which made him dismiss those dark thoughts and give her a reassuring smile. It was better if she didn't know about her brother's attempts to ruin their wedding with his bitter attitude.

Naruto pulled Tsunade away from the high table and off the dais, skirting the edge of the dining hall rather that leading her through the middle of the throng of people. Her hand was holding on tightly to his, but he did not complain of the pressure, knowing that she was likely nervous. He himself was nervous, having never taken a Senju into his bed before. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her, but he knew well enough that he would not be able to prevent all of her discomfort. It had been a surprise to him when she revealed to him that she had not been with any man before, considering how beautiful she was he found that hard to believe, not that it bothered him. It would be hypocritical of him, but the sincere look in her eyes was enough to make him believe her. In the end he could not deny he felt happy to be her first and was determined to make it as bearable as possible, that was about as much as he could promise. After the first time he could promise her pleasure, his time with Shizuka and Mikoto had taught him the best ways to satisfy a woman.

He almost shuddered with desire, thinking of manipulating Tsunade's glorious body in any number of ways. How he longed to have her shaking beneath him, clenching tightly around him and crying out her relief to the Gods. Damn it all, his pants really were unbearably tight now, and they were not even half way up the stairs. He quickened the pace slightly, hoping that Tsunade would not be offended by his eagerness. With every step he reminded himself that he could not just remove her gown and ravish her as soon as they closed the door to their chambers. He had to be slow with her.

Gentle.

He had to be patient and reassure her that he was happy to go at her pace. This time, at least. Gods. He almost groaned as he realized morning was barely a few hours away and they needed to rest thoroughly before the important announcements tomorrow. It wouldn't be good if they showed up half exhausted, most of the clan heads would understand but it would also send a bad message that their new King and Queen valued their pleasure more than their duty. Neither of them could afford to let such rumors flow, not with this new peace so fragile and many clan heads still bitter with their grudges. All it would take was a minor slight and the war could start again. He could not afford that, not after everything that he had to give up. Everything his family gave up for him.

Naruto could have wept in relief when they came upon their chamber door, and he pushed it open, pulling Tsunade in after him before he closed it firmly behind them and slid the lock into place. He turned to look at her then, seeing her eyes lingering on the locked door. "I would leave it open, but we have rather a lot of people in the Castle tonight, and a large portion of them will likely end up drunk and disorientated," he smiled reassuringly at her and she giggled slightly. His eyes were drawn to her hands, seeing how her fingers flexed towards her palms. He frowned, crossing to her and gently taking hold of her hands.

"Are you okay?" he murmured, looking up to meet her eyes and seeing that a frown adorned her own face. "I hate to think that anything here makes you feel uncomfortable. That I make you uncomfortable, if that is the case then I won't- "

"You don't!" Tsunade protested at once, her hands flying to his chest as her head shook almost violently. "You couldn't, you never did…not once have I been Uncomfortable in your presence. Apprehensive, yes. Nervous, yes. But not Uncomfortable. You don't frighten me, Naruto. You have been kind and honest with me despite how cruel I was to you when we first met"

He let one of his own hands come up and caress one of hers in response, hoping to calm the wild look in her eyes. Or control his own guilt, while it was true that he had been kind to her but honest? Not by a long shot, a fact which haunted him every moment he was with her.

"I wasn't accusing you," he said softly, "I know you're nervous about tonight, but I swear the last thing in this world I want to do is hurt you."

"I know," she whispered, her free hand coming to toy with the leather lacings of his cloak. He didn't move. He kept silent, just watching the progress of her finger as she wound the lacing round and around it. When she tugged on it slightly, as though for permission, he met her eyes and inclined his head slightly. At his action she pulled more firmly, undoing the top of his cloak. He heard her take a steadying breath, and he stepped closer on hearing it, moving his hand from hers so he could place both of his on her waist.

"As slow as you like," he promised, not moving his eyes from hers. "Say 'stop', and I will, without question." She nodded at his words, both hands at his chest working to unthread his shirt now. Naruto kept his hands resting gently on her waist as she slowly removed it and left his chest hanging open.

He leaned in closer to her and brushed his lips against her cheek. She tilted her head at his action, turning it closer towards him. Her action was enough to encourage him to capture her lips with his. This time it was far from chaste, as he sucked her bottom lip between his own to encourage her to grant him access to her mouth. She did so, with a surprised gasp, and Naruto wasted little time, slipping his tongue into her mouth and kissing her deeply. Her own lips were tentative, but they were ever so soft and wonderful against his as she slowly adjusted to the rhythm he had set. He caressed her tongue with his own and she twisted hers deftly with his, causing him to pull on her waist until her body was pressed flush against him.

She didn't protest as his closeness, if anything she reciprocated his advances, her hands moving from his chest so she could wrap her arms tightly around his neck. Her movement encouraged him to let his hands wander up her back, feeling the lacings of her dress as he did so. When he found the top of them he blindly worked his fingers to untie them, feeling them come away beneath his touch. Tsunade twisted the fingers on one of her hands around the hair at the nape of his neck as he began to slowly unthread the lacings of her dress the way she had loosened his own clothes. She pulled away from his kiss when he reached halfway down her back, her breathing ragged and her eyes wide.

"Should I stop?" he asked her, and she shook her head.

"I just needed to breathe," she panted out, and he chuckled at her.

"You'll get used to it," he said, still deftly unthreading her laces.

"I do hope so," she smiled that wicked little smile that he had seen during the feast, and he couldn't help but return it.

"I can't promise you a perfect night, Tsunade," he said seriously when he pulled the last of her lacings free.

"This is already more than I ever imagined," she said just as seriously, and he smiled slightly.

"I swear to you, I will make up for it very soon," he promised her, and she blinked slowly at him.

"I don't know what that means," she said, her eyes wide on his.

"It doesn't matter now," he said, shaking his head and moving his hands to run down the length of her arms. When he reached her shoulders she allowed her arms to unwind from around his neck, moving them back do her sides.

"Can I?" he asked her permission, digging his fingers underneath the silk covering her shoulders. She nodded her consent, and he dipped his eyes to look down at her hands as he began to pull down her dress. Her fingers twitched slightly, but they did not curl back against her palms as he peeled the silk down her arms and torso.

She was wearing a flimsy shift beneath, and he was gratified to see that the buds of her breasts were peaked. He knew it could not be due to the cold, as their chamber was almost as warm as the dining hall had been, and there was no sign of gooseflesh on her skin. He delighted in revealing her skin, the soft, creamy expanse of it was entirely flawless. Nothing marred it. Not one scar nor blemish. Not so far anyway. Naruto made it his silent mission to explore every inch of her skin.

Perhaps not tonight, but one night, one night in the not too distant future. He would scour every inch. He promised himself that. He wanted to promise her, too, but he wasn't sure whether she would want to hear it at this point, as her beautiful wedding gown dropped and pooled at her feet. Naruto moved his hands back to her shoulders, massaging her gently as he met her eyes.

"You can take this off yourself, when you're ready," he nodded towards her shift.

"Thank you," she smiled at him, a proper smile that lit up her eyes.

"That doesn't mean it has to be tonight," he elaborated, and she nodded, though he noticed that her eyes had widened slightly in surprise.

"Perhaps if you lose a little of your own clothing," her tone was teasing, but he could hear the tiny shake in her voice.

"As you wish, my queen," he decided against drawing attention to it, matching her intended teasing tone. He shrugged his pants carefully before reaching for his last piece of clothing. Suddenly he felt incredibly self-conscious with her eyes fixed so intently on him. The few scars across his body were now clear for her to see, it had never bothered either Mikoto or Shizuka when he took them to his bed, but none of them had been Tsunade.

Mikoto had battle scars of her own and Shizuka was actually aroused by his scars. But the woman before him now was unlike his previous sexual partners.

She was his milk-skinned wife and perfect in every manner.

He bit down on his lower lip before he pulled the last piece of clothing, tossing it aside before looking to her for a reaction.

Her eyes had widened slightly and his heart hammered, seeing how the perfect hazel of them was pulled towards his left leg. That was the worst of his scars, one which he had gained during an intense sparing match with Kurama. It hadn't been deep, but was bloody and he had always known it would be with him forever. At least it was no longer angry, and pink, and raw. It was fully healed now, a flawless white against his skin. He swallowed, keeping his eyes on Tsunade as she moved her eyes over the rest of his chest and arms. She took a step closer to him, her fingers coming to whisper along his forearm and up to his bicep. Her forefinger traced a tiny scar just above the crease in his elbow, her eyes raising to his again.

"How did you get this one?" she asked gently, and he wanted to kiss her and never stop. The relief in him was so overwhelming that he was almost crushed by the weight of it.

"As a child, sparring with wooden swords with my brothers," he told her, "we were only wearing shorts because of the intense summer heat, and Inabi caught me on the arm. There was a nasty splinter in the wood and it embedded itself in my skin. The doctors pulled it out with and I screamed the whole time, more to make Inabi feel guilty than anything else." He grinned at the end, and she smiled back at him, her eyes blazing with an intensity that he had never seen before as she looked at him. Slowly she moved her hands up to rest on her own shoulders, and Naruto swallowed hard as she hooked her fingers under the thin straps of her shift. He kept his eyes on hers as she slipped them slowly along her shoulders, unable to look away from her piercing gaze.

"Take me to bed," she whispered, the wisp of silk that was her shift falling to the floor at her feet.

Naruto didn't need telling twice, placing his hands on her now bare waist and steering her slowly towards the bed. He turned her gently so that she stood before him as he lowered himself to sit on the edge of the bed. She bit down on her lip as he allowed his eyes to wander the splendor of her. Still he could see no flaw. No blemish. Nothing to suggest she was anything other than sheer perfection. Her breasts were firm and perfectly rounded, and he couldn't help but imagine how they would fit perfectly in his hands. Her waist was narrow and her stomach flat. His eyes wandered the curve of her hips, biting down on his own lip as he sought out what was between her creamy thighs. Gods. He wanted her. He looked up to her face again, seeing her eyes wide once more. "You're beautiful," he breathed, and he could see the relief relaxing all of her features.

In the next moment he bent down to hurriedly throw away his sandals, before he straightened up again, pulling back the furs on the bed as he slowly stood up.

"After you," he gestured for Tsunade to climb in, and she did so, clearly unsure of how she should arrange the furs around her.

"Whatever makes you comfortable," he reminded her, and she drew them up around her waist at his words. Naruto averted his eyes momentarily as he moved to adjust his painfully hard length on the bed.

He breathed a sigh of relief before he turned to climb in next to Tsunade, avoiding her gaze for the moment, only looking at her again when he too had drawn the furs up around his waist.

"I don't know what to do next. I mean I know the procedure but not sure which route is best" she told him quietly, her hand reaching out to settle on his chest.

"Will you guide me?" she asked shyly.

"Of course," he replied, shifting himself carefully so that he could move above her. A flash of uncertainty crossed her features for a moment, but then he noticed her slowly moving her legs apart for him.

"Follow your instincts," he breathed, settling himself between her legs before pressing a kiss to her neck.

"If I do something you don't like, tell me to stop," he whispered, lavishing more kisses along her neck and collarbone. "And if you do like it, tell me to do it again," he continued in an amused tone, feeling her hands come to lay flat against the top of his back.

"I like that," she said quietly, "what you're doing now." He smiled against her skin, imagining the light blush that would have flared up on her cheeks.

"Then I will continue," he murmured against her softness, nuzzling along her collarbone before he latched onto her neck.

She gasped, her back arching up slightly against his body, her reaction encouraging him to let his hand wander slowly up towards her breast. Another gasp left her when he enclosed his hand around the perfect mound. He had been right, it did fit perfectly in his hand, and a tiny little hum left her mouth as he began to tenderly massage her. As he continued kissing her and caressing her she began to slowly raise her hips up and grind against him as slowly as he was touching her breast. He stifled his own groan of pleasure in the skin of her neck, as a more pronounced hum of pleasure escaped her lips. The rolling of her hips was almost driving him wild now, and he shifted himself slightly so that his length could sit between her legs.

"Don't stop," he gasped against her neck as her movements faltered. She obeyed him, continuing to grind herself against him in an agonizingly slow way.

Naruto could feel her arousal against his hardness, and he knew that he could not ignore his own desires any longer.

"Tsunade," he panted against her, tensing all his muscles in a bid to keep himself from peaking right there and then.

"Have me," she gasped in response, "I want you to have me, completely…" Gods, her words alone were the most arousing thing he could imagine. Her consent had him sneaking his other hand beneath the furs to squeeze around her thigh and encourage her leg to come and wrap around his waist. She took his hint, lifting her other leg to do the same.

Naruto was positioned right at her entrance now and he lifted his head up to meet her eyes. They were slightly unfocused, her forehead clammy with sweat and her hair mussed across the pillows.

By the Gods she looked stunning. So undone and beautiful. Perfect in her imperfection.

He held her eyes as he pushed down, her nails pinching little crescents into his back as he felt himself push through the barrier he was met with. A whimper escaped her, her teeth coming to clamp down on her lower lip once more.

"I'm sorry," he hissed, forcing himself to still within her, even though the urge to rock himself over and over within her tight warmth was almost overwhelming.

"Don't stop," she shook her head, her nails ceasing to dig into his back. He obeyed. Against his better judgement he obeyed her, rocking his hips back and forth. She grimaced and he faltered, but again she shook her head. There were tears in her eyes but still she refused to let him stop, and fool he was he could do nothing but continue thrusting into her. He knew she was hurting, but she felt so good around him and she was telling him to go on.

In the end he had to bury his head in the crook of her neck so he didn't have to see the discomfort etched on her face. It was selfish, he knew, but he couldn't stand knowing that he was causing her pain. He kissed her neck, knowing from her own admission that she liked him to do so. Her fingertips whispered down his back in response, and he arched further into her involuntarily. His movement caused him to rock deeper inside her, and a cry that seemed half pain and half surprise escaped her. He closed his eyes tight shut as he thrust again, forcing himself to keep the pace slow as he felt his release building in him. He would not make Tsunade come this time, but he was determined he would show her every pleasure he knew how to illicit on the first chance they could get after tomorrow. He promised himself that as he exploded within her, panting hard and crushing his exhausted body down against her own as he twitched to his end inside her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered again, when he had recovered enough breath to speak again.

"Don't be," her hands came to settle in his hair, gently twirling his locks around her fingertips.

"Would you let me stay here?" she asked him quietly, unsure if he was ready to sleep by her side. She knew it was ridiculous after they just performed the most intimate act a couple could ever perform, but she just had to be sure that she was not violating his need for privacy. Alas, her concerns were totally wrong.

"You don't even have to ask, of course I want you to stay here," he lifted his head up to meet her eyes.

"I want you to stay here even when I am not here, I want these chambers to be ours, Tsunade," he told her insistently, and she smiled weakly at him.

"Hold me," she whispered, and he shifted himself carefully to separate himself from her once more. He moved to her side and helped her settle herself across his chest, nestling her head under his chin and stroking one of his hands soothingly through her hair.

"Will you promise to wake me so that we can leave tomorrow for court together?" she asked him sleepily, her nails clenching into his chest slightly as she spoke.

"If that's what you want," he said, and she nodded against him. "I promised to treat you as my queen, my equal. I will honor that promise." he said sincerely, making her smile and kiss him deeply again. A gesture which he was more than happy to reciprocate.

Many things were uncertain even after their wedding and their challenges were just about to begin.

But for tonight, they both nestled closely against each other and decided to forget about the world for once.