Swift as a Coursing River (MadaNaru)

Chapter 2: Of Pride and Self

Note: I did what I could to keep it Chinese, please don't take offense if it's not quite right, Mulan is set in the Sui Dynasty of China (despite what many think) and there were quite a few things I couldn't find when I researched it. That being said, please do enjoy!

Extra Note: The title might change, tell me if you have any ideas ^.^ Also, short Chapter sorry.

"Name, status, age, hair length, and interests please." The woman judging him was a beautiful lady, light blonde hair, done neatly in a bun, age not yet showing, and lips graced with the blooming pink flower. Her voice was warm, soft-spoken, but there was an underlayer of irritation.

Naruto wasn't too surprised after all, she was a beta. While beta was not outwardly discriminated upon, they weren't perfectly placed into the current mold of society at the moment either, though they had served in the army frequently amongst the Alpha's, that was no longer the case. The war had changed the outlook of beta's too much of China, and they were not respected as much as they had been.

She'd probably been in this job for a few years at least, and as far as he'd heard it wasn't very well paying as those Alpha's could get, he wouldn't know much, Omega's weren't permitted to work unless it was a seamstress beautician, or something to do with pampering other Omega's, and the occasional Beta. Mostly they didn't work.

Naruto himself found it irritating, still, he refrained from complaining to his family, though he had his suspicions that his Dad both knew and agreed with him.

He'd do what he could to ease this woman's job for her. Hopefully, she'd not be too irritated by his antics and there would be a chance of a good match.

"Namikaze Nahito (Chinese translation 漩渦), I'm mostly addressed as Naruto, however." He didn't very much like his birth name, and all who knew him well understood that, as it was made very clear. The woman simply nodded at her, and jotted his name down quickly in an elegant scrawl, he noted that his nickname was not placed beside, though he didn't mind, it was official business after all.

He continued on. "I am sixteen years old, and I am heir to the honored Namikaze Family." She rose a brow at this, and he shifted where he sat, his family was well renowned within those who knew anything much of war. It was well respected, thus his marriage was an important insurance of that honor and respect. He himself coughed to disrupt himself, and aid in controlling his nervous mannerisms. "As for my hair..." He paused, thinking it over, he hadn't gotten the chance to measure it lately, but he knew his own height and he could compare it to that.

"I myself am "5'4"ft, so my hair is approximate "5'1"ft, it reaches to my ankles in any case." He smiled at her, satisfied, she looked ever so slightly baffled, but wrote it down nonetheless."

"Quite fertile then." It wasn't a question. "Good, many of the potential matches were at war and face several fertility problems themselves after such a traumatic experience. Stress as it is." A shiver worked its way down his arms, and a flush rose on his neck.

"I won't have to... Conceive immediately, will I?" She looked up at him from sharply from her documents, looking him over for a moment, before lifting her head and smiling gently at him, something like sympathy and understanding in her smile, and the tilt of her eyes.

"No, that law hasn't been in place since your mother was preparing for her marriage, you have two years to make arrangements and get to know each other before an heir is expected." He nearly slumped in relief almost forgetting where he was in place of the woman's sympathy, he quickly righted himself. She gave him a small smile, as if in understanding of his relief, it was for the barest of moments before her formal demeanor returned.