The cursed prince

{41}

With the sun setting over the kingdom, Naruto decided to turn back into the palace and towards the dining hall. He would rather not risk getting his mother upset once more by skipping on dinner. Hopefully spending some time with his family would shimmer down the nausea threatening to come out from his previous interaction with his coadjutant.

However, before he placed his hand on his bedroom door handle, the thought of his training instructor informing his parents over his absence today brought a sense of foreboding. What will he tell his parents now? If they manage to piece through this entire dilemma, then Neji's threat of civil war will more than certainly become a reality.

Everything his father and ancestors built will go up in flames because of his carelessness. Naruto's steps quickened as he headed towards the palace dining hall, the fading sunlight casting long shadows in the corridors. The anticipation of family warmth battled with the gnawing worry about the consequences of his actions. He hoped the shared meal would be a sanctuary, a brief respite from the storm that brewed in the wake of his absence, uncertain of how he would navigate the turbulent seas of his own mistakes.

As the prince entered the dining hall, the aroma of a hearty meal filled the air, momentarily distracting him from his worries. Not many people were present in the dining hall, just the few kitchen staff distributing the dishes on the vast table while the others were brining in trays of trays of food.

Naruto took a deep breath, attempting to mask his inner turmoil as he joined the familiar setting. The clinking of cutlery and soft murmurs of the kitchen staff provided a semblance of normalcy, but the weight of his secret loomed over him. The challenge ahead was not just to savor the meal but to maintain a facade of composure, concealing the tempest within him.

Taking his usual seat, the prince braced himself for what was about to come and hopefully a reasonable excuse over his absence in the training hall. Guy-sensei has probably informed. As Naruto settled into his seat, he noticed his parents at the far end of the long dining table, walking into the dining hall. The king, his father, looked up from his conversation with a visiting diplomat, his stern expression softening as he saw his son sitting by the dining table at the far end of the hall. Beside him, the queen, Naruto's mother, greeted him with a warm smile that belied her concern.

"Naruto, there you are," The kind said, her voice filled with a mix of relief and worry. "We were starting to wonder where you disappeared to today. Might Guy even had to persuade your mother not to get angry with you over your absence." Naruto ears started to heat up in slight embarrassment. The fact that his his sensei had to persuade his mother to calm down makes him extremely grateful and guilty that his sensei had to take witness the fury his mother could become when worried.

However, the implications of this revelation weighed heavily on him as he watched his parents take a seat. The Fire prince will not be here until after two days, and he will have to dodge the training sessions with his best friend all because of a crazy, overly obsessed and possessive coadjutant who believes that he owns him. "I apologize, Father. But mother has informed me that prince Sasuke will be coming to stay in the kingdom, I got excited and lost track of time. I promise it wont happen again." Naruto explained, carefully choosing his words to downplay the severity of the situation. "I hope it didn't cause too much trouble."

His father nodded, a hint of understanding in his eyes. "We were concerned, Naruto. You know how important your training is, especially considering the Nine tails demon powers inside you. Once you manage to control it properly in order to use it for protection, then will we be able to let you roam free in the kingdom." Naruto winced at the reminder of the Nine Tails within him, a constant source of scrutiny and concern. His father's words carried the weight of responsibility, a reminder that his actions not only affected his personal life but also the destiny of the entire kingdom.