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Amongst The Daisies	By : katsuyo Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 1435 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Author�s Note:
Special thanks to my
readers and reviewers for patiently waiting for the update to this story.
This story is dedicated to
Deserter and the usual motley crew of regulars - thank you, you folks
are wonderful!
A sentence in Italics
denotes the private thoughts of a character.
Disclaimer: No � I don�t own Naruto or the
characters� hell, I can�t even afford to rent them by the hour.
If it takes my whole life

I won't break, I won't bend

It will all be worth it

Worth it in the end

Cause I can only tell you what I know

That I need you in my life

When the stars have all gone out

You'll still be burning so bright
Answer � Sarah McLachlan
Chapter 5 � Sanctuary Amongst the Vermin
Shino quietly slipped into
his bedroom and walked over to the base of his bed.
The young Aburame male
felt the corner of his lips curl up into a ghost of a smile as he watched Ino
reach out in her sleep, her fingers searching across the surface of the bed,
only to pull her hand back in disappointment, a tiny frown marring her smooth
brow.
I miss sleeping next to
you too, Ino�
Her creamy shoulder peaked
out from where the cotton yukata gapped away from her body during the night and
a slim leg shifted under the surface of the cool sheets before she settled back
into a deep slumber once more.
Shino continued to watch
her from behind the sanctuary of his dark glasses, the longing for her stealing
into the metallic depths of his eyes.
He dearly wanted to kiss
that bare shoulder...but knew that wasn't a good idea...given the present
circumstances.
He had tried to steal into
the room last night and had hoped to slide in next to her, to hold her against
his body until the early morning light streaked the sky.
Shino looked down at the
folded Kimono in his hands and frowned.
Yes� that had been his
plan� but he hadn�t counted on his father�s devious and protective nature being
out in force.
Tiny angry red bite marks
dotted his large hand from where he had touched the bedroom door late last
night, only to meet the persistent chaperones that the old bug nest left on the
surface before he had retired for the evening.
Yes � he had gotten his
father�s message loud and clear�the conventions had to be observed.
He was to let her sleep
in peace... Clan leader's orders.
�How is she?� murmured the
voice of his tormentor from the doorway.
Shino looked over at his
father briefly before returning his gaze back to the woman deeply asleep in the
large bed.
�She�s looking a little
better but there are still dark circles under her eyes.� murmured the younger
Aburame in a concerned undertone, wanting to give into the urge to walk over to
the side of the bed and tenderly push the hair out of her eyes.
�Mah, Son� I know you want
to molest Inoichi�s daughter in the worst way possible� but you need to give
her time to recover and rest.� replied Shibi slyly, not missing the dull flush
that came into his son�s face at his ribald comment.
�Father...� warned Shino
with a small hiss, before inwardly smiling when he heard Ino's two kikai
protectors hiss a warning out as well from their posts on the young woman's
collar bones.
They apparently shared his
sentiments and they didn't find his father's comment amusing either.
Shibi glanced over at the
bed when he heard the vicious little things making a fuss and gave those two a
calculating glare through the safety of his glasses.
Never in his life had he
seen such nasty, cantankerous...
The Aburame clan abruptly
halted his mental condemnation of the destruction beetles as a thought popped
into his head and the sly smile returned once more to his firm lips.
On second thought... it
wasn't such a bad thing that they were so territorial.
Anyone stupid enough to
touch the woman should soon get the message loud and clear that she was claimed
by an Aburame clan member.
�Son, why don't you put
the kimono down on the table? We can have a chat while we get breakfast
prepared for our lovely guest.� murmured Shibi quietly from the safety of the
doorway as the two little destruction beetles continued to hiss out a low
warning.
Shino continued his silent
surveillance of Ino's sleeping form before finally nodding his agreement and
moving to place the kimono on a nearby low table.
He really didn�t want
to leave her�but his father was correct� they still needed to talk about a
couple of things before Ino woke up.
---------------------------------------------------------
�Sit, Shino�.and tell me
what's on your mind...� murmured the elder Aburame, amused by his son�s
uncharacteristic nervousness.
�Father, how do you feel
about all this?� asked Shino softly.
Shibi paused in his task
of putting water into the kettle and turned to face the younger man sitting at
the table trying to stare a hole into the surface.
The Aburame clan leader
continued to study the bowed head of his son before finally leaving the kettle
on the nearby counter, walking over to the table and sitting down across from
Shino.
�Shino, I'm delighted that
you've found someone who loves you for who you are... and you're happy.�
replied Shibi quietly.
The older Aburame male
listened to the erratic hum of the kikai emanating from his son for a moment
and knew what he was thinking.
�You're wrong, son... I
don't give a damn what the gossips think... Why the hell should I when I am one
of the biggest gossips walking around this village?! Yes, this is going to take
everyone by surprise but so what?! It's none of anyone's business. She's a
beautiful woman and you're a lucky man... that's all that matters.�
Shibi heard the rustle of
his son's kikai before they finally settled down to a gentle hum.
�Father...thank you.�
�Mah � no need to thank
me, son... Are you worried about becoming a father?� murmured Shibi gruffly.
Shino sighed and replied,
�No... I'm excited by the prospect...just never thought it would ever happen to
me...that's all.�
The older Aburame propped
his head on an arm as he quietly countered, �Neither did I, son... Hell, I
thought all my Kikai were going to desert me when you initially approached me
to use the cabin.�
Shino made a scoffing
sound at the back of his throat as he murmured with a small smile, �Now, you're
exaggerating...�
Shibi slapped a hand across
his heart and exclaimed, �I am not... you wound me, Shino.�
The Aburame Clan Leader
felt a similar smile pull at his own lips when he heard his son mutter an
obscenity under his breath at his comment.
�You did manage to
surprise me though, Shino... I wasn't expecting you to bring home a woman as
beautiful and according to some rumors, as feisty as Ino... Yes... I knew who
she was because you had told me ...but that still didn't prepare me for the
shock of seeing her for the first time last night.� murmured Shibi in a serious
undertone as he clasped his hands in front of his face.
�Why were you shocked,
father?� replied Shino, now more than a little concerned by his father's
comment.
�You do realize that her
father isn't going to let her willingly have her choice... despite the fact
that she's of an age to marry without permission and she's carrying your
children. There are men out there that would still be prepared to marry her �
just for the opportunity for an alliance with the Yamanaka Clan.� responded the
older Aburame, not surprised to hear his son's kikai hiss out in agitation.
�Isn't there any way we
can prevent him from doing that?� asked Shino after he managed to get his
destruction beetles under control.
The younger Aburame man
looked up in mild surprise at his father when he heard him let out a decidedly
wicked chuckle and reply, �Yes, there is one way to effectively prevent him
from doing so...but it's up to Ino whether or not she wishes to pursue that
avenue.�
�Up to Ino?� asked Shino,
a little puzzled.
Shibi reached over and
placed a comforting hand on his son's shoulder, murmuring, �I spent a good deal
of time last night doing some research into the matter. In order for that plan
to work... it needs to be Ino's decision... we can't influence her in any
way... but don't worry, son... I have a feeling that your woman has already
decided that she wants to spend the rest of her life with you...despite her
fears.�
Shino's eyes narrowed then
as he muttered in an undertone, �Exactly what are you up to, father?�
The older Aburame chuckled
once more and said with a smile, �Even if Ino doesn't go for the first plan...
there are still other ways to out-maneuver Inoichi, Son... In the meantime, we
should really get breakfast organized. It wouldn't do to keep a pregnant woman
waiting for food... not if we value our lives.�
Shino stared at his father
in shock before a smile touched the corner of lips and he pushed himself up and
away from the table as he felt his father pull his hand away from his shoulder
to get up from the table as well.
He was privately thankful
that his father was such a crafty and resourceful clan leader.
Yes � if anyone can
figure out a way to out fox the Yamanaka... it was his own father.
----------------------------------------------------------
Ino walked out into the
kitchen dressed in the borrowed kimono left for her and found the two Aburame
males in the full swing of breakfast preparations.
She saw Shibi stop what he
was doing and give her little Kikai beetles a narrowed look as they darted off
their perch in search of their own meal.
Shino turned around when
he felt the beetles crawl under his sleeve and walked over to the kitchen table
to pull out a chair for the young woman.
�Did you sleep well?� he
murmured into her ear.
She smiled, reaching up
with one hand and kissed his cheek, making the younger Aburame male blush and
Shibi snicker at his son�s discomfort. It was clear to the Aburame Clan Leader
that his son wasn�t used to an audience.
�I did, thank you� but
Shino, why didn�t you come to bed last night?� questioned the blonde softly.
She heard the older man
clear his throat then and reply, �Ahh Ino, I�m afraid to say that I am to blame
for my son�s absence from your side last night. A couple of things were brought
to my attention that needed to be addressed this morning.�
Ino looked up and felt
herself getting nervous by that announcement but she was surprised to see Shibi
smile gently and reply, �Relax, Ino� it will be fine. Promise.�
He slid a cup of herbal
tea over to the young woman as well as a piece of dry toast.
The older Aburame frowned
slightly as the little watchdogs came back to roost on the blonde�s shoulder
blades and hissed a warning at the man.
The little upstarts!
�Why don�t you keep those
little beasts of yours occupied while you have some breakfast, then we�ll meet
in the study for our chat, hn?� replied Shibi.
The two men sat down on
either side of the blonde and listened in wonder as she alternatively stroked
and scolded the little bugs during breakfast.
The older Aburame shook
his head wryly and thought to himself, �No wonder the little shits attack at
the slightest provocation. It�s obvious that they adore her.�
-----------------------
Shibi sat down at his desk
and watched behind his glasses as his son escorted the young woman to a seat.
Yes � his son had it bad for the blonde and it was obvious he cherished her
with every ounce of his being. It was equally obvious that Ino returned his
feelings in kind. It was good to see that they were in love. This was going to
make his job a little easier.
�Okay, first order of
business� all bugs out of the room. Let no one in until we�re finished our
discussion.� Announced the Aburame Clan Leader and looked over at Ino. �Those
two as well, Ino.�
She watched the Aburame
Clan Leader release his beetles and watched them take up position on one side
of the house. Shibi nodded to his son and his beetles took up position on the
remaining side of the house.
�Where do you want them?�
asked Ino with a cheeky grin.
Shibi grinned evilly in
return. He really liked this girl�s spunk!
�Outside the door. Those
little terrors can ride shotgun!�
Ino looked down at the
little buzzing blobs and murmured, �Well, boys� you heard Aburame-sama. I�ll
call you back when we�re done!�
The little Kikai beetles
zoomed quickly out past Shino and waited until he closed the door before
assuming their positions.
Shibi waited until his son
sat down before he addressed his first question to the blonde.
�Ino, it has been brought
to my attention that you were a guest in our home on one other occasion.�
Started the Aburame Clan Leader and continued when he saw her give a hesitant
nod. �When you realized that you were staying in Shino�s room, was there any
discussion of moving you into a guest room for the remainder of your visit?�
Shino stood up a little
embarrassed by this line of questioning and was about to protest when he felt
his lover�s small hand on his arm. Ino shook her head and murmured placidly to
the young man, �No, Shino� it�s fine. He has a right to know.�
The young bug wielder sat
down once more but kept a hand clasped in his own.
�Yes, he had wanted to
move me into another room once I gained consciousness because he was worried
about my reputation but I insisted on staying there.� Replied the blonde softly
and added in an even softer voice. �I felt safer staying in his room and he
made it clear that it was my decision to make.�
Shibi looked at his son
then before asking Ino, �If I was to ask you if you would prefer to be moved
into a guest room, would your answer still be the same as the first occasion?�
Ino had a feeling that her
response meant a great deal to the older man, so she replied honestly, �Yes,
it�s the same. I would rather stay in Shino�s room if you don�t mind.�
Shibi looked down at his
clasped hands, deep in contemplation over this interesting little revelation.
This certainly changed the situation dramatically.
�Ino, there is an old law
of the Aburame Clan that is more binding than a marriage contract. If certain
conditions are met, it automatically overrides any contractual agreements. By
your own admission you have voluntarily spent two separate occasions in my
son�s bed. There is one other condition that must be met before the law comes
in effect.�
Shibi got up from the desk
and opened the safe hidden in the corner, pulling out a small and very ornate
casket. He closed the safe and walked back to table, placing the delicate box
in front of him.
Shino stood up and
murmured in a low voice, �Father, no!�
The elder Aburame frowned
at his son and replied, �Son, it will be fine. It�s up to Ino if she wishes to
follow through with this.�
He hated asking the woman
but it was an essential component of the law.
�Knowing what type of Clan
this is, did you of your own free will enter into an intimate relationship with
one of its members.�
The young woman looked
over at the agitated young man still standing and gently pulled him down,
effectively gaining his attention. She understood what was being asked and
strangely enough, she wasn�t scared about the possible ramifications of her
answer.
Ino reached over and
carefully tugged off Shino�s glasses and placed them in her lap before
returning her hand back to his face.
She wanted to see his eyes
when she answered the question, so he wouldn�t have any doubt about her
decision.
Ino brushed his lip softly
with her thumb and answered the clan leader�s question then.
�Yes, I did� and no, I
have no regrets.�
Shino felt overwhelmed by
emotion then.
�Ino� you don't have to do
this�� whispered the younger man, his voice cracking.
�Yes...Shino...I do. After
what happened yesterday, I finally realized that I couldn't imagine life
without you being there by my side... and I'm not stupid...I know despite the
verbal agreement, there is an excellent chance that my father will refuse to
sign the marriage contract...Yes, I know it's selfish...but I don't want to
spend the rest of my life having regrets when I have a chance to be in control
of my destiny for once...� replied Ino quietly as she softly stroked his cheek
and watched the different emotions flit through the mercurial depths of those
eyes of his.
Even Shibi looked down at
the table, feeling the emotion swamp him. His son had chosen a rare woman
indeed or rather, she chose him.
�Shino, by your woman�s
own admission... she has met the conditions set out by the law.�
�Ino...If you agree to
this� there is no walking away. The law is binding.� murmured Shino, still
choked up with emotion.
She leaned forward then
and tenderly touched her lips to his, shocking both men with her actions and
her next words.
�Yes� Shino. I know.�
---------------------------
Shibi was feeling highly
emotional and that was a rarity.
The only other time he had
felt like crying or even given into the urge to ball like a baby was when his
beloved wife had passed on.
And now this little slip
of a female was reducing him to the same state with her admissions.
The elder Aburame cleared
his throat and got the attention of the kissing couple.
Shino broke away then,
blushing profusely and sheepishly looked over at his partner in crime who was
sporting a similar blush on her own face.
�The Sanctuary of the
Kikai is an extremely old Aburame law that is held sacred by our clan. In fact,
the last time it was enacted was nearly two hundred years ago. It states that
any female willing to seek sanctuary or protection from a male member of our
clan on three separate occasions can be bound in wedlock to that man without
the permission of the Hokage or the woman�s family.�
Shibi gave the young woman
a look of consideration before murmuring �So, do you still plan to stay in my
son�s room? If you do, you realize that you will be formally acknowledging that
you have actively sought out sanctuary with him and this will be recognized as
the second occasion you have willingly done so.�
Ino looked down at her
belly then and gently stroked it, a small smile tugging at her lips before she
looked back at the clan leader. The significance of that action wasn�t lost on
either man.
�It�s my decision, right?�
asked the blonde.
The Aburame clan leader
nodded and replied, �Yes � if you decide on following through in accordance
with the law, a marriage will take place after the acknowledgment of the third
granting of sanctuary. The marriage contract just completed will be in effect
null and void. Your parents won�t be obligated to provide a dowry for you and
your groom won�t be obligated to give you a groom�s gift.�
Shibi had to admire the
young woman�s courage at even considering this course of action.
He watched Ino behind his
glasses as she turned to his son and looked at him in quiet contemplation, just
holding his hand. Shino was nervous but he knew that it was ultimately her
decision.
�So, does Shino have to
move out of the bedroom indefinitely or can he share it with me?� came the quiet
and calmly spoken response.
Shibi felt the grin
threatening to break out on his face.
Naughty girl!
�My son can stay if that
is your wish and it will be considered part of the second sanctuary granting...
until such time you decide to exercise your right to seek sanctuary from my son
once more.� replied the Aburame Clan Leader slyly.
�That is my wish.�
------------------------
Shibi was secretly
delighted with the woman�s decision. If anything, it cemented her position in
the clan by electing to enact the Sanctuary of the Kikai Law. The last time a
woman gave up everything for an Aburame male was almost two centuries ago.
The clan was going to be
enthralled with the romanticism of the situation and the village was going to
be rocked with the biggest scandal they had experienced in decades. This was
guaranteed to easily eclipse the sorry incident involving Ino and Shikamaru
Nara. Yes � the Aburame Clan Leader couldn�t be more pleased with this
unexpected turn of events.
Hell � he was going to be
in for free drinks for a long time for the strength of this gossip alone!
Shibi looked over at his
son and smiled broadly. The younger Aburame had finally given into his
emotions. The young woman was now in his son�s lap and wrapped up in his arms,
her head cradled on his shoulder.
The elder Aburame pulled
out the small pile of official scrolls that he spent the remainder of the night
working on just in the hopes that Ino would choose this option and placed them
near the ornate casket.
He heard some shuffling
while he was busy retrieving the marriage contracts from another drawer and
looked up after a while. He was relieved to see that his son had regained his
composure and they were back in their own seats, waiting for him.
�Ino, do you still wish to
enact the Sanctuary of the Kikai Law?� asked the Aburame Clan Leader, giving
the young woman one last chance to back out of it.
Ino had felt a wonderful
sense of calm come over her the moment she had woken up and instinctively knew
that she would be safe with these men.
Not once had the Aburame
men made her feel uncomfortable during this discussion but rather made it clear
to her that she held all the cards and she was in effect, mistress of her
destiny.
Ino had never been more
certain about a decision in her life than the one she was about to make.
The young woman nodded
calmly and said, �Yes � that�s my choice and that�s what I want to do.�
-----------------------------
Shino looked at his lover,
stunned and secretly amazed at the level of sacrifice she was prepared to make
to be with him. He vowed then and there that she would always know that her
decision wasn�t one that she would ever have cause to regret.
Shibi watched the young
woman proudly from the haven of his sunglasses and knew he too would do what
was needed to make sure she was happy within this clan.
The Aburame Clan leader
gestured for his son to come to the table.
�Shino, it seems that we
will not be using the marriage contracts after all. Why don�t you put them in
the fireplace now and set fire to them.� replied Shibi in a deceptively calm
voice.
Ino watched her lover put
the contracts into a large kettle in the fireplace and set them on fire before
replacing the lid.
Shino sat back down and
reached for her hand, gently caressing it with his thumb.
Shibi waited for them to
get comfortable once more before addressing the matter at hand.
�In order for the
Sanctuary of the Kikai Law to be in effect, two things need to happen.
You need to be presented
to our clan and then we need to formally notify the other clans and the Hokage
of your decision to voluntarily seek sanctuary with the Aburame Clan.�
Shibi stood up and picked
up the ornate casket sitting on the corner of his desk and walked over to the
young couple.
�In order for our clan to
be assured of your sincerity in being a member of the Aburame, there is a
special ring unique to this law.� continued the elder Aburame in a
conversational tone.
He knelt down and opened
the casket in front of the couple.
�Ohhhh.� whispered Ino.
She�d never seen anything so beautiful. It was a large oval sapphire in the
shape of a Kikai, surrounded by tinier Kikai beetles in white diamonds.
Shino reached in and
carefully removed the delicate ring. He gently grasped her left hand and slid
the ring onto the ring finger. Both Aburame men looked at each other in
complete shock as it glided up the young woman�s finger, a perfect fit.
Ino lifted her hand up and
admired the ring in the light and murmured, �It�s so beautiful. Is it supposed
to feel so comfortable?�
Shibi cleared his throat,
suddenly all choked up and replied, �It�s only comfortable for those worthy of
bearing the Aburame name, Ino.�
The young woman watched
the clan leader slowly get up and walk back over to his chair.
She was further confused
when she saw him suspiciously wipe at his eyes before answering the unspoken
question he saw in her eyes.
�The last time that ring
was worn was nearly two centuries ago by a young woman in a similar position to
your own. She too made the same decision you just made today. It�s an excellent
omen that it feels like that. It has always been rumored that the ring is
enchanted. The fit of the ring apparently signified the purity of the woman�s
soul. If she had put all her heart and soul in her decision, the ring would fit
perfectly.�
Ino looked at the delicate
ring on her finger and sighed. It was certainly a romantic tale.
She felt a hand on top of
hers and she turned to find her lover smiling sweetly at her, his glasses back
on his face.
Shibi smiled at the couple
and said, �Well, Ino� you may as well call in those two little hellions of
yours before we go and call the clan together.�
Shino walked over to the
door and opened it a crack.
Ino was about to call them
when she saw the older Aburame shake his head and gently murmured, �You need to
learn to call them mentally, Ino� try it.� She understood what he meant. There
were going to be times when talking wouldn�t be an option.
The two Kikai beetles
zoomed in and settled into the hollows of the young woman�s collar bones.
Shibi shook his head at
the little beetles and then stood up. He was about to walk over to his son when
he heard the little perverts do something he never heard a Kikai do before.
Shino heard it too and
looked down to see the two Kikai now crawling over the ring. They were cooing.
--------------------------
Father and son flanked the
young woman as they made their way to the front of the large house to the clan
meeting place.
They made a startling
procession as they walked through the massive Aburame compound. The beautiful
blonde dressed in the delicate Aburame Kimono with a tall Aburame male in high
collared jackets and dark sunglasses on either side of her.
The men called their
beetles back to them as they got closer to the meeting area but were perplexed
when the Kikai fell in behind the young woman rather than returning to their
bug hosts.
They could hear a lot of
murmuring now that they were closer. Apparently the sight of the destruction
beetles barricading the main house had caused quite a stir and there was
conjecture as to what was going on.
Shino looked down at his
lover as they stepped into the covered meeting area and wasn�t surprised to
hear the noise die down to a muted silence.
Shibi quickly scanned the
group and was satisfied to see everyone had turned up at the sudden summons.
The elders were clustered in the back of the room waiting patiently.
He could see by their
faces that they were all curious to find out what was going on and equally
curious of why the beautiful blonde was flanked by the clan leader and heir.
They were stunned when
they saw two little Kikai flit off a very ornate and rare ring to land in the
hollows of her shoulders. The clan got a further shock when they saw the
Aburame Heir reach for the young woman�s hand with the ring. The whispers
started in earnest, with shrouded eyes darting over the couple from time to
time.
Shibi cleared his throat
and addressed the clan, �Ino Yamanaka has expressed the desire to enact the
Sanctuary of the Kikai and has voluntarily sought protection from my son, Shino
Aburame.�
The clan broke out in
excited whispers then at this news. Everyone knew that the law hadn�t been
acted on in nearly two hundred years.
One of the elders of the
clan shuffled to the front of the room and reached for the young woman�s hand.
The two Kikai hissed a
warning but Ino managed to get them under control.
The old woman looked at
the little protectors in surprise and then grinned in delight at their
significance.
�Are they little boys,
girls or one of each?� asked the Aburame elder softly, gesturing to the little
Kikai on the young woman�s shoulders.
�Oh! Rex and Spike are
both boys�� replied Ino grinning.
�Ahh� you named them too,
eh?� chuckled the old woman, slyly looking over at the Aburame Clan Leader, who
was also smiling slyly behind his collar.
�Could you raise your hand
with the ring on it for me? Your little boys will attack if they feel I am
going to hurt you.� murmured the elder.
Shino�s hand dropped away
from hers as she raised it high enough for the old woman to see. Ino watched
the old woman slide the ring off her hand slightly, only to push it smoothly
back into place. She raised an eyebrow at the Aburame Clan Leader and watched
him give a slight nod in response before bowing her thanks to the young woman
and returning to her place in the back.
She felt Shino take hold
of her hand as she watched the group of elders cluster around in a group,
evidently deep in discussion.
She saw the old woman
raise two fingers and nod sagely to the rest of the group.
�Shino�� whispered the
young woman, �What�s going on?�
Shibi answered the
question. �The elders are now discussing the sanctuary agreement. They just
needed to verify that you are indeed wearing the ring.�
The two little Kikai chose
at that moment to make their feelings known on the matter. They flit back down
on the ring and started cooing. The clan leader and the heir were greatly
surprised to hear their own beetles start cooing.
The old woman looked up
when she heard the sound and shuffled over to the group in a hurry as more and
more Kikai beetles in the large meeting space started to coo as well. She was
careful to stay away from Ino�s beetles but looked directly at the clan leader
and asked, �When did this first happen?�
�Her Kikai shortly after
we put the ring on her finger and ours, just now.� Murmured Shibi.
She looked at the two
kikai and watched them coo once again. The two Aburame males beetles joined in
the cooing.
The room was starting to
fill the noise of cooing destruction beetles once more.
Two more elders shuffled
over when they too heard the beetles and nodded.
�Shibi, tell the clan we
accept the young woman�s request for sanctuary and send out the messengers. We
will join you in the formal sitting room shortly.�
----------------------
The Aburame Clan were
greatly excited at the prospect of seeing the Sanctuary of the Kikai Law put
into effect during their lifetime. A woman giving up everything just to join a
bug clan was romantic stuff. Messengers were swiftly dispatched to the
respective clans and the Hokage.
Shibi, Shino and Ino sat
in the formal sitting room waiting for the elders to arrive. They were confused
as to why the elders needed to talk to them privately.
They were about to stand
when the elders shook their heads and gestured for them to stay seated.
The old woman spoke,
�Shibi, we would prefer if all beetles went out of the room for this
discussion.� The Aburame clan leader nodded and his bugs left the room to again
prevent anyone from disturbing them. Everyone in the room slowly released their
beetles until only Ino�s remained in the room.
�Same as before?� asked
the young woman, only to hear, �No, not hers� they stay.�
Shino got some of his to
guard the door before he slid it closed then joined the group at the table.
�What�s this about?� Shino
quietly asked.
�It�s okay, Son� the
elders will explain it all soon, I�m sure.� Replied Shibi and was relieved to
see the elderly woman nod her head in response.
�Young woman, can you
place your hand with the ring on the table, please?� requested the female
Aburame Elder.
Ino complied with the
request, only to have the two little Kikai flit down onto the ring�s surface
and start cooing again.
The elders watched in
excitement over the little Kikai�s antics and they started talking in excited
whispers amongst themselves.
They could now hear
Shino�s destruction beetles on the other side of the door beginning to coo as
well.
�What�s wrong with those
beetles?� asked the Aburame Clan Leader, now frowning openly at the Clan Elders
as the noise got progressively louder around the surrounding compound.
�Her Kikai have accepted
her claim to the Sanctuary gladly and your combined beetles are in agreement
with their wishes. The others are now raising their voices in support.� replied
the old woman with a small smile.
�Wait. Are you telling me
that the Sanctuary of the Kikai is determined by the beetles and not the clan?�
murmured Shibi, a little surprised.
�Yes�it�s always been the
case with that particular law � hence its name.� murmured one of the male
elders.
�Will they continue to do
that?� asked Shino a little worried. He wasn�t really relishing the idea of
using cooing beetles on a mission.
�No � they will keep
cooing until the sanctuary is formalized.� Replied the old woman.
The Aburame Clan Leader
and his Heir looked at each other then, clearly perplexed.
�Formalized?�
----------------------------
One of the elders produced
a small container and an ornate dish, placing it before the cooing beetles
still on the ring.
A buzzing could be heard
as the bugs allowed the Aburame clan member through the barricade with what
suspiciously looked liked the makings of a traditional tea ceremony.
The clan member placed the
tray near the two little Kikai on the ring but soon fled in terror when those
two hissed ominously at the young woman.
The group in the room
chuckled as the frightened woman made her hurried exit from the room.
�Are they always that
intimidating?� asked the old woman to the clan leader.
Shibi nodded and pulled up
the sleeve of one arm, showing the elders angry red welts from his own
experience with the Kikai beetles.
The old woman nodded
sagely upon viewing an example of the two little beetle�s ferocity.
Ino gasped at the damage
on the Aburame Clan Leader�s arm and scowled at the little beetles still
cooing. �Now, boys� that wasn�t very nice!�
�It�s to their credit that
they are so vicious, dear. The more nasty the bug, the better protection they
will be to their host�s woman.� replied the old woman with a soft smile.
Tea was formally served
then by one of the Elders to everyone seated. Ino watched in surprise as the
old woman opened the lid of the container and carefully scooped out a tiny
amount of the paste into the dish before the Kikai.
The group watched the
little beetles hop off their perch and land onto the rim of the dish before
disappearing into the bowl. The Kikai slowly devoured the offering, which
seemed to be a signal for everyone at the table to drink as well.
Ino sipped the hot brew
carefully and was surprised by the sweet taste.
The old woman saw her
surprise and softly commented, �Your condition dictated that we use the
alternative tea for the ceremony rather than the usual.�
Ino blushed and nodded.
She heard a soft chuckle from across the table.
�Don�t be embarrassed,
child. It�s the presence of the Kikai that told me.�
A high chirping filled the
room then, followed by the surprised chuckles of the Aburame assembled around
the table.
Ino was confused until a
smiling Shino murmured in her ear, �They want more of the paste before they are
willing to make a formal agreement. They say that even their bug host isn�t
that stingy!�
Shibi shook his head at
the Kikai�s antics and muttered with a small scowl, �Little Rogues!�
----------------------------
The sound of the Kikai
purring in contentment back on the ring seemed to signal the next phase of the
agreement, when one of the elders produced an old scroll and a small container
of an ink-like substance.
The little scroll was
unfurled on the table and the ink was poured out in a shallow container for the
beetles.
Shino and Shibi looked at
each other in shock when they saw two beetle signatures on the document,
stunned by the revelation that the last woman who had made this particular
agreement with the clan had also been protected by two kikai.
Shibi darted a look over
at the elders and wasn�t surprised to see them smiling. They knew this!
The more vocal of the two
beetles went first and sucked up a small portion of the ink before crawling
over to the scroll. The old woman put a finger on the area where the beetle
needed to sign.
They watched in silence as
the two beetles took their turns in signing the document.
Shino was dismayed to hear
his father getting emotional until he saw the last names listed for each beetle
was the same.
�Rex Ozuru Brewster and
Spike Yemon Brewster.� Murmured the Aburame Clan Leader in wonderment. The two
beetles shared the same grandfather. Shino�s mother�s own Kikai to be exact. It
was definitely a sign of his late wife�s approval of Shino�s choice of life
mate.
The two kikai returned to
the ring and waited for the elders to complete the ritual.
The elders then turned the
small scroll around and place it in front of the blonde.
�Place your right thumb
into the ceremonial ink and press it on the document below where your Kikai
beetles signed.� Murmured the old woman.
Ino did as the woman
requested, encouraged by the happy sounds of her Kikai.
The Aburame Clan Leader
and Heir watched on in silence as the clan elders carefully dried and sanded
the new signatures before rolling the document back up.
�The sanctuary document
signing is now complete.� Quietly intoned one of the male elders, only to be
interrupted by a curious high pitched warbling coming from Ino�s Kikai beetles.
Shino�s beetles outside
the door soon joined in with the strange chirping and the sound got louder as
more beetles added their voices to the noise.
�What�s going on?� asked
Ino.
�It�s the Kikai way of
announcing that the sanctuary documents have been properly formalized.� Replied
another male elder, awed by the sound of the beetles.
�Noisy little beasts.�
Muttered Shibi.
Who knew Kikai had such
a sense of ceremony?
--------------------------------------
Emiko sat nervously on the
edge of her seat, trying to think of a way to make her husband change his mind.
This was bad...
She knew that her daughter
had her heart set on the tall quiet man from the bug wielding clan but it
seemed that her husband had decided late last night that he wasn't going to
sign the Marriage Contract when it showed up.
�Why are you determined to
refuse Shino's offer to marry our daughter when it's obvious they love each
other?� asked Emiko.
Inoichi turned back to
look at his wife sitting on the small sofa and growled, �If you think that I am
going to let a clan of vermin carriers call all the shots... you're sadly
mistaken... Besides, there are men out there that would welcome an alliance
with our clan despite Ino's unfortunate condition.� replied Inoichi with a
small growl.
Emiko turned her face away
from her husband, a little sickened by his logic and whispered, �So...rather
than let your daughter be happy... you're going to marry her off to some man
for the sake of a better alliance for the clan.�
The Yamanaka frowned when
he heard his wife's soft condemnation of his actions and coldly replied,
�Emiko... clan business needs to take priority and I have determined after
giving the matter serious thought last night that an alliance with a clan like
the Aburame isn't in our best interests. I will informing the Aburame of my
decision when he shows up with the marriage contracts.�
Emiko slumped forward then
and knew that it would be useless to argue with her husband when he was in this
mood.
I'm so sorry, Ino...I
tried.
Emiko looked up in shock
as she heard the rap on the front door and watched her husband walk over to the
front door with a self satisfied smirk on his face muttering, �Well, they're
eager... I'll give them that.�
She watched with wide eyes
as Inoichi opened the door to allow the Aburame Clan member with the ornate
sash hanging off one shoulder into the house.
Something wasn't right
about this... she didn't know what it was but...
�Tell your Clan Leader
that he is wasting his time with the Yamanaka Clan. I have decided that I will
not be signing a marriage contract between our two clans.� replied Inoichi coldly
to the Aburame clan member who merely shrugged and handed over a scroll with a
small quirk of his lips before bowing slightly and taking his leave of the
Yamanaka residence.
�Arrogant bastards... I
told him that we were refusing to sign the contract and he still hands it to
me...� growled Inoichi as he continued to glare at the back of the Aburame Clan
member now walking out the door and down the short garden path without a
backward glance.
Inoichi looked down at the
scroll in his hand for a moment before stomping off to the direction of his
study.
Emiko watched him in
silence as he disappeared down the small hallway and slammed the door behind
him before she quickly got to her feet and slipped out the door to chase after
the messenger.
�Please... wait.� called
out Emiko, a little agitated by this situation, only to be surprised when the
man paused and turned to face her with a slight bow.
�Mrs.
Yamanaka...Aburame-sama asked me to deliver this into your hands and asks that
you forgive him for his deception.� murmured the Aburame Clan messenger,
slipping a small scroll into the woman's hands before turning to leave once
more.
Emiko looked down at the
small scroll with a mixture of alarm and dread as the man suddenly disappeared
with a flicker.
Deception?
Her eyes widened in alarm
as she heard her husband's roar rattling the windows of the house then and
quickly slipped the small scroll inside the folds of her yukata to read later.
The door rattled on its
hinges as Inoichi opened it up with barely controlled violence thrumming
through his veins.
�Those bastards... how
dare they do this to me! Emiko... if Ino comes here while I'm seeing the
Hokage, you are to make her wait until I return home.� growled Inoichi before
stalking off in the direction of the Hokage's office.
Emiko waited for her
husband's form to disappear before she fished out the small scroll to read its
contents.
Mrs. Yamanaka,
I had hoped that we
would have been introduced under more favorable circumstances than these but
sadly that is not the case.
I am afraid to say that
I am responsible for your daughter making the choice she did.
I provided your
daughter with another option that would allow her the freedom to choose and she
decided to take it..
Ino decided this
morning to exercise her right to enact a clan law unique to us called �The
Sanctuary of the Kikai�.
Your husband is now on
his way to the Hokage's office to see if he can break our clan law but will be
soon finding out just how difficult that will be.
The bad news is as a
result of your daughter's actions, she has effectively turned her back on her
clan by asking the Aburame Clan for protection.
I don't need to tell
you what this means.
However...
If you feel the need to
visit your daughter, I won't prevent you from doing so.
I leave the decision up
to you, Mrs. Yamanaka.
Sincerely,
Shibi Aburame
�Oh...Ino... baby... I'm
so sorry we pushed you into this situation.� murmured Emiko saddened by the
decision her daughter was forced to make.
No...she didn't blame
her child for doing what she did.
Emiko sighed and started
rolling the scroll up but abruptly stopped when she saw a separate piece of
paper flutter out and drift down to the ground.
She frowned as she bent
down and picked up the small scrap of parchment, surprised to see a detailed map
with directions on how to get to the Aburame Compound.
Emiko stared at the piece
of paper for a while before a small smile tipped the corner of her lips.
There was nothing she
could do about this... it was done... but there was something she could still
do for her daughter to show her that she had her mother's full support.
The blonde woman turned
and walked back up the front steps and into the house.
She had things she
needed to do while her husband was otherwise occupied at the Hokage's office.
--------------------------------------
Hokage�s Office
Tsunade was alternatively
grumbling and cursing the inordinate amount of paperwork on her desk when there
was a knock on the door.
�Who is it?� grumped the
stressed Hokage.
�Messenger from the
Aburame Clan.� Called out one of the guards.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow
at this and wondered what that troublemaker Shibi was up to. She had a feeling
the message was going to be worth of the price of admission alone.
�Tell him to come in.�
replied the Hokage.
The Aburame clan member
came into the office dressed in formal Aburame attire and wearing an official
sash of the clan on his arm. Tsunade held out a hand for the scroll as she
continued to appraise the messenger.
The Aburame clan member
left the office as the Hokage slowly read through the contents of the scroll.
Her eyes got wider and wider as she read more of the scroll.
Holy Shit! She was
reading what amounted to the scandal of the century!
�Shisune! I want you to
get a team of Anbu up here! It seems that we are going to have a visit from the
Yamanaka shortly. Also � I want you to grab a law scroll from the archives -
The Aburame Clan�s Sanctuary of the Kikai.� Called out Tsunade and then added,
�Shisune - get Sakura Haruno from the Hospital and tell her I need to see her.�
Tsunade chuckled evilly to
herself. She was going to have to buy Shibi Aburame a lot of sake to hear this
particular gossip.
--------------------------
Sakura walked into the
Hokage�s office more than a little curious over the sudden summons to Sensei�s
side.
�Ah, Sakura� why don�t you
close the door and come sit down. There is something I need to ask you.�
Greeted Tsunade a little too cheerfully.
Something wasn�t right.
�Sakura I have a strange
question to ask you before we receive an unwanted visitor and I need you to
answer it honestly.� Murmured the Hokage in a careful tone.
�During the last twelve
months, was there any time you noticed your friend Ino missing for an extended
amount of time � say longer than a couple of days�� asked the Hokage vaguely.
Sakura frowned at that
strange question and then replied, �Yes, there was that time after Shikamaru
announced his engagement. She was gone for better part of a week and no one
knew where she had disappeared to. Why?�
�It seems that your friend
has invoked her right to enact what is known as Sanctuary of the Kikai. Since
you have just confirmed what the Aburame Clan Leader has stated in his message,
it looks like Ino is going to cause the scandal to end all scandals.� Returned
the Hokage.
�The Sanctuary of the
Kikai? I don�t understand.� Replied the pink-haired woman clearly puzzled.
�It�s an ancient law
unique to the Aburame Clan that's still considered legal and binding despite
the fact it's been enforced only on a couple of other occasions in the past. It
essentially allows a woman the right to marry into the bug clan without the
interference of the Hokage or her family. Is there a reason why your blonde
friend would wish to follow through on something like that?� replied Tsunade in
an oh so casual tone, still perusing the open scroll before her.
Sakura�s eyes widened like
saucers as she understood what Ino had done. It could have meant only one
thing. The chat with her parents hadn�t gone smoothly.
�Yes, I�m afraid I do,
Sensei. I just confirmed Ino�s pregnancy three days ago and I have a feeling
that her father was most likely unhappy with the news.� Replied the young
woman, a feeling of dread sinking into her stomach.
�The father of Ino's baby
is a member of the Aburame clan then?� questioned the Hokage.
�You could say the father
is actually the Heir of the clan, Sensei�� replied the pinkette with a small
smile to her lips.
Tsunade leaned forward and
gave an unholy grin, �You don�t say?! No wonder that old bug nest is up to his
scheming best.�
They could hear loud
noises coming from outside the building. Tsunade looked down into the street,
not surprised to see the Inoichi Yamanaka growling under his breath as he made
his way up the street.
�It seems that we�re going
to have some company, Sakura�� murmured the Hokage and then asked, �You want to
stick around for the fireworks?�
Sakura grinned and agreed
to stay.
She wouldn�t miss this
for all the tea in China!
----------------------------
The Anbu stationed at the
Hokage�s door effectively stopped the irate Yamanaka Clan Leader from barging
into the office.
�Let me in! I need to talk
to the Hokage!� growled Inoichi.
�You can come in only if
you agree to settle down, Yamanaka!� growled back a female voice from the
bowels of the office.
�I do.� Grouched the large
man grudgingly before the Anbu silently moved out of his way to allow him
access.
Inoichi prowled into the
office, stopping suddenly when he spied Sakura�s presence in the room.
�I asked Dr. Haruno, your
daughter�s physician, to stay while we have our chat. Do you have an objection
to this?� queried the Hokage, one eyebrow raised.

The Yamanaka swallowed convulsively at that unwelcome news and shook his head.
�Inoichi, why don�t you
sit down and tell me what�s going on?� asked Tsunade in a deceptively casual
tone.
�My daughter Ino has made
some kind of agreement with that bug clan and I want it broken.� Snarled the
large man.
�I don�t believe the
Sanctuary of the Kikai can be broken, Inoichi. It�s a very old law unique to
the Aburame Clan.� murmured the Hokage in a conciliatory tone.
There was a knock on the
door and Shisune craned her head around the door frame.
�Hokage, I have that
scroll you requested.� Murmured the assistant.
�Excellent, Shisune.
Please bring it in.� smiled Tsunade.
Shisune brought in the
scroll and placed it on the table. Sakura looked on with great interest as the
Hokage perused the official looking document.
�Ahh� I see. This law is very
unusual, in more ways than one.� Murmured the older woman.
�What do you mean?�
gruffed the Yamanaka Clan Leader, not liking the sound of this.
�Your daughter has offered
to enter into a union with the Aburame clan of her own free will, independent
of the wishes of her own clan or the Hokage. It effectively protects the
woman�s right to choice.� Replied the Hokage casually.
�It lets the woman decide?
What kind of a law is that?� countered the large man.
�Inoichi, I understand
that Ino and the Aburame Heir had paid you a visit the other day. Apart from
the destruction beetles, did you notice anything different in the way he
treated your daughter?� asked the older woman.
Inoichi frowned slightly
then remarked, �Now that you mention it, he treated my daughter like she was a
rare treasure.�
�Aburame males have a
tendency to treat their women extremely well, on account that the Kikai are not
a huge selling point.� Commented the Hokage slyly then continued, �They are not
going to willingly give up a woman who wants to be with a member of
their clan.�
�The other unique aspect
of this law that makes it binding is the contract is not with the Clan itself
but rather with the Kikai that serve the Clan.� murmured Tsunade, waiting for
the coin to drop in the man�s mind.
�Are you saying my
daughter made a pact with vermin?� spluttered Inoichi.
Sakura stood up then and
glared at her friend�s father. �I would be careful what you say, Yamanaka-sama.
Your grandchildren will be carrying those same beetles you are criticizing. Ino
can�t have better protection than what Shino will provide for his family and
those bugs make it possible.�
Tsunade�s eyes widened
fractionally as she understood what Sakura just revealed. Ino Yamanaka was not
expecting just one child�
Well, well� She really
did need to buy the proud grandpa to be a few rounds�
The Hokage kept reading
the document before her and asked her student casually, �Sakura, according to
this document, the sanctuary agreement is formalized by the woman�s Kikai. Were
you aware that Ino had destruction beetles that belonged solely to her?�
Sakura chewed her bottom
lip thoughtfully, then suddenly grinned, �You must mean Rex and Spike� her
little companions.�
Tsunade grinned knowingly
at that information and looked down at the document again.
There it was � a kikai for
each child present, the sex of the kikai indicates the sex of the child.
Twin boys!
It was now patently clear
to the leader of the leaf village that Shibi Aburame was giving the Yamanaka a
clear message that he was fully intending to employ every trick in his arsenal
to protect and claim his grandchildren... and she had to admit this plan was
extremely clever.
Tsunade steepled her
fingers in front of her, deep in thought as she silently admired the man's
level of deviousness.
�Hokage, are you telling
me that there is nothing that I can do about this?� huffed a disgusted Inoichi
Yamanaka.
Tsunade looked up with a
sour expression firmly planted on her features at the disgruntled clan leader
as she coldly replied, �Mah, Yamanaka... you lost this battle the moment you
decided to oppose the Aburame's offer of a marriage contract between your two
clans... Now instead of losing a little pride and accepting his offer for an
honorable alliance with an old and noble clan, you've lost your daughter and
your grandsons as a result of your stupidity.�
The hokage watched
dispassionately as the man before her digested her words and watched the horror
and dismay creep into his features.
�You mean that...I've
lost...my little girl? I'll...never see...my grandsons...grow up?� whispered
the man in a broken voice.
Sakura turned her face
away, a little upset at the crushed look on the Yamanaka's face.
Tsunade pushed herself up
to a standing position then and snarled, �Pull yourself together, Inoichi! You
were the one who decided he was going to be an ass and refuse the contract
without a fair hearing... If you wish to salvage a relationship with your
daughter, I suggest that you go home and figure out a way to come to a suitable
compromise between your two clans. You will find that Shibi Aburame can be a
reasonable man to deal with, but I warn you now, Yamanaka-sama...you're going
to lose if you continue to be difficult about this.�
Inoichi stared at the
bristling blonde woman in front of him for a few more moments before finally
giving a slight nod of his head.
The two women watched as
the large blonde man walked over to the door and out of the room without
another word.
They stared at the closed
door for a long time before Sakura finally murmured, �What do you think he's
going to do now, Sensei?�
Tsunade glanced over at her apprentice before turning her gaze back at the
door and replied with a small smirk to her lips, �Pah... men � so damn
predictable... don't worry, Sakura... your friend's father will come up with a
suitable plan to redeem himself in his daughter's eyes... he just needed to be
reminded of what is important in his life...�
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Amongst The Daisies