The cursed prince

{8}

Kushina walked down the corridor guiding her darling tiny fox cubs, as she affectionately refers to them, with her. Every kingdom on the earth has a spiritual animals that connects its people to their culture. The foxes of the wind realm are famed for their immense energy and powerful wills, yet each spirit has its own downfall and demons, such as the demonic nine-tailed fox. According to legend, looking directly into the demon's flaming red eyes will send you to an unending pit of pain, the polar opposite of the spirit animal in the fire world. The fire citizens have their own spiritual animal, a dragon, to represent their power and ferocity.

The fire kingdom, unlike the wind kingdom, does not have demons that could cast curses on the unfortunate residents; yet, the dragons are enormous and powerful enough to keep the fire kingdom afloat. As they approached Naruto's guarded room, Naruto looked up at his mother, allowing the guards to open and seal the doors behind them. "Do you have any friends outside the kingdom, Mother?" As he sat on his bed, Naruto queried, allowing Kurama to sit next to him while Kakashi remained behind the young princes. Kushina paused for a moment in her search through her son's walk-in closet in response to the query. Kushina turned back to face her two boys and issued the order to the room's maids to find the Wind's royal attire for their young prince. Kushina took a seat between Naruto and Kurama and embraced her sons in her arms as she began to tell herself and her friend's tale to her beautiful sons.

"So you were friends with Itachi's mother and she abandoned you in a minefield between the water kingdom and our realm?" Kurama tried to figure out how the royal family of the fire kingdom was connected. Naruto was perplexed as he looked at his older brother, wondering how Kurama knew someone from the Fire royal line. Kushina smiled down at her youngest son's puzzled expression as she nodded, confirming her son's suspicions. She didn't want to sperate her children from the fire princes, but she also didn't want them to be traumatized at such an early age. The Uchiha's are really wolf in sheep's clothing, and you never know when they'll strike.

"Your highness, prince Naruto's attire is complete; may I pack the luggage for the journey?" The queen was informed, and she nodded, leaving her sons alone and accompany the maids to keep the luggage and the walk in closet organized. Kushina, like the rest of the wind's royal line, never looked down on anyone because of their position. Any member of the palace staff was considered a member of the family, but the royal family was always treated with respect and love by the palace staff. Naruto locked his gaze on his mother's fleeing body, then turned to face his older brother as soon as she was out of sight, a worried expression on his face. The young prince was terrified by the things he had heard, believing the Uchiha were nothing more than demons.

Kurama saw his younger brother's troubled expression and hugged him tenderly and securely, as though he were expressing his intense affection for a delicate glass. Naruto relaxed in his brother's arms, but the young prince's mind was still haunted by the recollection of his previous sensei Mizuki. Unlike Naruto, Kurama is terrified on the inside; this is the first time either brother has been brought outside of their kingdom, let alone their palace. His reasoning is still clouded by the prospect of losing his younger sibling. "Don't worry, Naruto, I'll be here for you," Kurama told his younger brother as he gently stroked his back in a soothing cadence, attempting to psychologically soothe him.

"All right, my baby fox cubs, let's get you dressed up," Naruto's walk-in closet echoed with the queen's voice, allowing both princes to turn in the direction of their mother's voice. Kushina stepped away, allowing the maids to approach their youngest prince and prepare him for the journey. The thought of one of the palace servants rising against them to attain the nine tails demon powers still haunted Kushina's mind as she silently gazed at Kakashi, expressing her fear for her son. Kakashi nodded, recognizing his queen's concern, and walked straight to the closet to keep a check on the prince.