The Bride of the Kazekage

"Ms. Ito, please approach this council." The words echoed in her ears, though she wasn't sure what the intent behind them could be.

Rin looked up to Gaara, who stood stone still and gently released herself from his grasp.

Her steps were surer than she felt, almost blindly leading her to the center of the great stone face.

The eyes of the Sand were on her, assessing her in a way they hadn't before.

Rin felt them all around, as she found her way before the elder councilwoman.

They stared each other down.

Kaba's voice softened, so only the two could hear. "You've walked through my mind, Ms. Ito. I know you've seen what waited inside my memories."

"Yes."

"You know why I've resisted your union with Lord Gaara then?"

The feeling of pain that rested in the woman's mind, stayed with her. "Yes."

Kaba closed her eyes, the hard edges of her face softening with the memory. "The Kazekage's mother, my precious Karura, showed herself in my mind. I'd almost forgotten what she looked like and yet; I see her in you. The curve of your smile, the fire in your expression, how you will fight for the life you want and the people within it."

Despite her best efforts, tears began to form and trailed down the wrinkled face, showing the sorrow that was a deep well inside her.

Rin's hand was moving before she realized what she was doing and rested on the woman's cheek, brushing the sadness away with her thumb.

Kaba's eyes widened at the unfamiliar touch, the kindness behind it burning. "How…"

Rin waited.

The councilwoman sighed, knowing this was unbecoming of her station and that she would receive a scolding from her husband later, but she stayed in the moment, allowing Rin to comfort her, going so far as to rest her hand over the young one. "We've been unkind to you. Karura would be ashamed of us… ashamed of me."

"You were trying to protect her son."

"Yes."

There was silence, every person in their world straining to hear the hushed conversation.

Kaba gently lowered Rin's hand, but didn't let it go. "Will you love him?"

"I do."

"Will you stand by him?"

"I am."

"No matter what anyone says about you or your status, will you put him and this village before your tempestuous mood?"

The edge of Rin's mouth curved into a smirk. "If you can, then I can."

Despite herself, Kaba laughed at that and it transformed her. Rin could see the young woman inside, the one who hoped and dreamed and loved just as fiercely as she did.

"Then there is only one thing to do."

She continued to hold Rin's hand, but turned to address the noble families, who were demanding answers, though no one said a word.

"Let this be a decree. Record and reproduce my words so that the world may here what I say. The Cleansing is complete, and a decision has been made. Ms. Ito of the Sound, has been found fit to stand beside Lord Fifth as the future bride of the Kazekage."

There was a collective gasp, a mixture of approval and disapproval clear, as she suspected there would be.

Kaba squeezed Rin's hand, the maternal protectiveness clear. "If any should speak out about this decision, let their words be said now and nevermore after."

The crowd fell into whispers, no one certain of who should speak their upset.

Rin's eyes turned to Gaara, who hadn't moved from his spot, though she could see the edge of his smile coming through.

Suddenly, the crowd parted and the leaders of the Houki and the Oribe stepped forward.

Kaba assessed them. "Lord Houki, you may speak first."

Rin tried not to smile at how that irked the head of the Oribe Clan.

The younger leader of the Houki was handsome, a warrior through and through and he carried himself with the grace of a jungle cat, all tensed muscle and fierce eyes, but, to her surprise, his voice was softer than she would have imagined. "Lord Kazekage, fair council, the Houki wishes to speak."

They waited and he turned to his younger sister first. "We presented a fair contender to the throne. The prized daughter of our clan is stronger, faster and stands surer of herself than her competition."

Kumi smiled at his praise, feeling as if this was meant more for her sake, than the rest.

Her brother's eyes were warm on her. "We are proud of our contender; however, we acknowledge strength in others as well."

He looked back to Rin and, to the surprise of all, bowed down on one knee. "Ms. Ito, you may not have the title required for this position, but when the children of the Sand hid at our Kazekage's wrath, you alone stood against it. You demonstrated grace under fire and put the safety and happiness of this village over the insult of your character. You've impressed the Houki and will have our allegiance. We recognize the council's decision and agree with it. You have our support in this union."

Rin's eyes went to Kumi, who bowed just as her brother did, though when she rose back up, the bright smile she'd seen the first time they met, painted her face.

She could see them being good friends.

Kaba nodded at the Houki's approval, her gaze drifting over to the man at his right. "Lord Oribe, do you accept this council's decision."

"We do not."

All eyes turned to the tall man, who was as rigid as ever.

Kaba's eyebrow raised. "State your displeasure, Lord Oribe. Why do you not approve of Ms. Ito as the bride of the Kazekage?"

"Why would we ever acknowledge the status of a whore?"

There was a collected gasp, everyone looking to Gaara, bracing themselves for another wave of his fury.

Gaara's face was hard.

Rin gave a slight shake of her head and turned her attention back to the prim lord.

She squeezed Kaba's hand and left the protection she offered, stepping closer to him. "Why do you say this thing?"

His dark eyes wouldn't fall upon her. "We have no interest in speaking to someone of your station. Return to the Sound and make way for the true bride. Lady Mai is clearly superior, in status and in her demonstrations in the ceremony."

There was a fire in her stomach, but she breathed through the rage. This wasn't the first time a lord belittled her existence.

Rin took a step closer still, her voice calm. "You're right."

That made him look at her, if only for a brief second.

The silence was thick under the hot sun and Rin braced herself against the hatred of this clan. "Lady Mai is better suited than I, in status, grace and breeding. In addition to that, her genjutsu was stronger than any I've seen before. She is everything the bride of a Kazekage should be and would represent this village with pride and nobility."

The head of the Oribe Clan was conflicted. He wanted to be proud, but he felt a trap was being laid before him, though he wasn't certain of its purpose quite yet. "Correct."

Rin nodded, looking past him and at the woman, who was frozen in place by the turn of events this day had taken. "Lady Mai, please come before me."

Her guards instantly stepped in front of her, blocking her from the sight of this Sound intruder, but her elegant hands parted them.

"Lady Mai, you mustn't."

"I wish to hear what she has to say."

Her mother and father were furious, though they said nothing. She knew she would receive punishment for this, but she would never back down from a challenge issued by this woman. She couldn't show belly now, especially after she had before with Gaara's anger.

Her floating steps led her to stand before Rin Ito, studying her as she had so many times.

She was lovely, that couldn't be disputed, if not a different kind than she was raised to be. She lacked the stance that proper breeding brought, but there was a calm elegance to her, more felt than seen.

Even if she didn't want to admit it, she could see why Gaara loved her.

"You wish to speak to me, Ms. Ito? Speak."

Rin nodded, her voice lowering so only the two of them could hear. "I know what this ceremony means to you."

"You don't."

"I do. I could see it from the first moment we met. This isn't a political move for you or even just expectation set down from your family, it's more than that. He is more than that to you."

Her kohl-lined eyes flicked to Gaara and back to the woman before her. "Yes."

Rin took in her finery, the high cheek bones and proud features, the grace that emanated off her. "We're not so different, you and me. Are we? Either of us could stand at his side and lead."

"Quite."

"Your clan won't accept me, not without your blessing. I know that and I know there is nothing I can do to earn it, but…"

"You have it."

Rin stopped mid-sentence and stared. "Excuse me?"

Mai looked back at Gaara and down at her feet. "I failed him. I failed him again."

"I don't understand."

Her red-painted lips curved into a sad smile. "He was a beautiful little boy; did you know that? Softer than his sister, more serious than his brother. He was beautiful."

Rin had seen the child, of course, but it was different outside the mental plane.

Mai sighed. "And he was wonderfully kind."

"He still is."

"No. He's not."

Rin felt the fire of her protectiveness burn within her. "Gaara is…"

"Cruel and not for the demon that was in him or the power he holds. He is cruel because he can look at me with those eyes I've loved for years and see someone else."

The fire doused, the cool understanding of pain replacing it. "I see."

Mai looked down. "I can't make him love me. I thought, that if I impressed him enough, if I showed all the ways I was better than you, he would choose me on merit alone, but that won't happen. I hid. I ran and I hid. There is no way he'll look at me the way he looks at you. The way he's looking at you now."

Rin didn't need to check, she felt Gaara's love with every fiber of her being, with every grain of sand surrounding them. She wouldn't insult Mai by pretending like she didn't.

"I'm sorry." Was all she could offer instead.

Mai nodded, her voice catching in her throat. "My clan won't acknowledge you. My father is a proud man."

It took every scrap of strength Rin had not to scoff. "Yes."

She inhaled. "But I can do my best. Consider this a wedding gift, since I'm sure you won't receive any from us."

Rin gave a small smile as the lovely woman turned to her clan. "I concede."

Her father sputtered, losing that tall composure that seemed to be his life's blood. "Mai!"

Her eyes were firm on him. "I. Concede."

"But, you can't just…"

"I concede to Ms. Ito as the bride of the Kazekage, not only for the strength and bravery that she displayed today," Mai gave Rin a small smile, "But for the grace she's demonstrated in the past. Grace that not even I can compete with."

The Oribe Clan's whispers were fervent disapproval.

Her father's face was red as the Ember roses in her windowsill, but it was her mother that spoke instead. "How can she have more grace than you, Mai? You were raised for this moment!"

Mai closed her eyes, remembering the first time she'd seen the strange girl from the Sound. "Because she wasn't raised to be like me, she's able to understand people in a way I cannot. Mother, when was the last time you walked through the village without an entourage?"

The woman opened her mouth to answer but found nothing.

Mai nodded. "Father, when you called the orphans of the Sand trash, Ms. Ito called them 'precious' to her. I've never even spoken to someone outside our status before, let alone considered them precious."

For once, the mighty lord had nothing to say and neither did Rin.

Mai gave Gaara one last look and managed a small smile. "I would have been a good wife to you, my Lord."

He bowed his head. "I have no doubt, but you're correct, my heart belongs elsewhere."

She sighed, giving Rin one more glance over, her plucked eyebrow arched. "You'd better not embarrass us when diplomats arrive."

Rin nodded. "You know, I could use some help with that. If you're interested in becoming a foreign advisor to the bride of the Kazekage? I am, as you know, hopeless in that regard."

Mai's smile was liquid gold, just as enthralling and exotic as her presence. "Well, now that is something, we can both agree on. We shall see, Lady Kazekage."

She drifted back to her clan, ignoring the angry stance of her father.

Kaba stood beside Rin and spoke to the crowd. "If there are no other objections, Lord Kazekage, please join us in this hallowed space."

Gaara was there quicker than they could blink, standing beside the woman he loved with as much pride as a man could muster.

She smiled at his response. "Lord Fifth, do you acknowledge the decision of the Cleansing and this council?"

"I do."

"And do you accept it?"

He turned to address the love of his life. "If she will accept me, yes."

"Ms. Ito?"

Rin felt like she would cry, but she offered a small nod instead. "Always."

Kaba bowed her head. "Then the decision is final. From this day forth, Ms. Ito will be known as 'Lady Rin' bride of the Kazekage."

There was a riotous cheer from the Houki Clan and even an impressive display from the Oribe, though the head wasn't included in their support.

Rin noticed Temari and Kankuro, standing to the side of the stone face and didn't miss the display of emotion on their faces.

Kankuro cheered louder than the rest, raising his fingers to his mouth and releasing a piercing whistle. "That's our girl!"

She smiled at his support, but it was Temari who touched her.

The proud woman crossed a hand over her chest and bowed her head to Rin.

When her face was seen again, it was wet with happy tears and it was all Rin could do not to run over and hug her.

She wouldn't appreciate that now. Such displays of affection were reserved for private quarters, though she was certain her brother would tease her later, by the way her wrapped an arm around her shoulders and continued his loud cheering.

Kaba applauded, along with the rest of the council, but pointed to the sky. "Lord Kazekage, if you would?"

Gaara, never letting Rin go from his side, raised his hand up, the leaders of the noble families joining him their stance. "Let the rain come and wash the dust away from our land. Bring with it life and bounty and bless this union."

If the sky opened that moment, Rin wouldn't have noticed, all she could see was the proud man beside her.

This man who brought her more joy than she ever thought she would know. These hands which held her heart. Those eyes that saw the best in her, even when she couldn't see it in herself.

All of these things made him who he was; the Kazekage of the Sand and the lover of her heart.