Title: Ying Yang

By: DarkNightDreamer

A/N: New ficcy! It's NejiTen, btw. Love it. –starry eyes- LOL. Anyway, the title is subject to change, so after reading this prologue/chapter one, please review about the title, last name for Tenten (see A/N at bottom), and about the story itself! LOL. Ok.

Disclaimer: Don't own. T-T

Summary: Princess Tenten, and Prince Neji, enemies from the very beginning. When requested to marry, they have no choice but to choose the other. What happens when a conflict arises?

"The Princess is here!"

All the occupants in the room scurried to throw themselves on the ground, bowing deeply, foreheads touching the floor before the Celestial Princess of Zhong Guo, or China.

"All may rise."

Hers was a cool, pleasant voice, one that did not betray the turmoil she experienced within.

The court officials stiffly got up from the wooden floor, and she took sure, slow steps to her throne, layers of her golden robe swishing the entire time.

Finally seated, she gestured for the elderly men to begin.

Her closest advisor, Li Min, stepped forward, coughing and clearing his throat before beginning.

She would've giggled if she was a little girl, but no, she was a woman now. A woman expected to have poise, elegancy, and one of high status.

"As you know, Your Highness," Li Min started, "Your father has recently fallen ill,"

The rest of the court murmured, "Long live the Emperor," and Li Min paused for a second to mutter the line as well.

The Princess felt like rolling her chocolate brown eyes.

"And, before he…ahem…leaves this world, he would like to see you wed a man of high status."

The Princess rose silently, and her gaze promised death to anyone who objected of her sudden movement.

The officials backed away slightly.

"I refuse to marry."

"Your Highness!" Li Min protested.

She turned her sharp glance at his way.

"I will not marry a man who only wants my wealth, and my body! I do not want to be called 'his'!" She announced, struggling to keep her voice low, although it had raised a couple of octaves higher.

Her nurse pattered her on the back, urging her to be seated once again, and for goodness' sake, calm down before she woke up everyone in the palace at this ungodly hour.

The Princess faltered slightly, before slipping back into her high-backed seat, motioning for Li Min to continue.

"The Emperor, your father, has composed a list of appropriate suitors for your approval, in his own hand, Princess," He said quickly when she started to protest again.

She sighed quietly, a little resigned. Whatever the Emperor wrote down was law, even if she was his only heir to the entire kingdom ruling China, his only daughter, all her brothers before her non-existent or passed away, the only person he doted most of his attention on.

"Is father that desperate for a grand-child, Li Min?" She asked quietly, spirits a bit dampened. So men were going to have their way with her after all.

The high official nodded curtly. "It seems so, Princess."

Long, slim fingers toying with the golden sleeve of her robe, she bit her lip.

"Then I must agree. He is my father, and the Emperor, after all."

The officials all breathed a sigh of relief.

"However!"

They all stopped, stock-still.

The Princess stood up.

"I will choose out of all the suitors, whichever one I will wed."

Li Min stepped forward once again.

"That was your father's original intention, Your Highness. To have you pick, and have him—"

"Approve, yes I know."

She raised her head, defiant chocolate eyes boring into every single soul in the room.

"I will only marry suitors with a higher status than me."

The officials' eyes widened.

"But—but…" They all stuttered. Not many men had statuses higher than a princess!

"That can be arranged." Li Min said, loudly enough for everyone to hear, and the audience quieted down.

The Princess tilted her head a little to the right.

"How?" She inquired politely.

"There are ten men on the list with a higher status than yours, Princess." Li Min informed her, a glint in his eye, and she felt like cracking her knuckles. That was the look of competition, she knew.

"Enlighten me." She returned, stepping down from her throne, sifting her way down the stairs that led up to it.

"Six are your distant relatives," He said, humor coloring his eyes and tone.

She felt like gagging.

"Two are your father's closest officials," He continued, and once again, he felt like laughing.

The Princess took a deep breath, awaiting the next sentence, hoping for the best.

"The other two are First Born Princes of other countries—Han Guo, and Ri Ben."

"Korea…and Japan…?" She breathed, wonder evident in her tone.

"Who are they?" She snapped back to attention, after fantasizing for a few seconds.

Li Min smirked. Ever the Princess to stay on the task at hand.

"His Highness Chung Sung Min, and His Highness Hyuuga Neji." (A/N: Last name first, people!)

The Princess's head swiveled to inspect the official.

"Hyuuga Neji?" She asked.

Li Min nodded.

"Our lands have been close to a conflict for many generations, Li Min." She said gravely.

"The Emperors of both lands are willing to abandon the uneasy past, Princess."

Silence ensued.

"I am not." She responded.

All the officials looked up at her.

"Hyuuga Neji and I have a war between us ourselves. Has he approved of his father's choice?" The Princess stopped in her pacing.

Li Min cocked his head at his colleagues, and they all shook their heads no.

"No, Your Highness. He has not even been informed of this turn of events yet," He reported dutifully.

A smirk formed on the Princess's face.

"I shall make him bend to my will then," She whispered to herself, too soft for even her nurse to hear.

"Well, then, in that case," She said loudly.

The officials stared at her, pensive.

"I shall eliminate the choice of close officials and distant relatives."

The officials stared at each other, shocked. So fast!

"I shall choose between Chung Sung Min, and Hyuuga Neji." The Princess turned her back to them, her smirk growing even wider across her face. She turned back to the officials and servents.

"Court dismissed." Li Min announced, knowing his Princess well enough to know that the subject was closed.

The officials filed out of the room, servants following them.

"Li Min," The Princess called.

"Yes, Your Highness," The only remaining official bowed deeply.

She turned her head a bit to get a glimpse of her most trusty advisor.

"Who do you think I should choose?"

"Your Highness should follow your heart." He replied evenly, already knowing her answer.

"Oh? And how?" She challenged, a soft smile curving her lips.

"Ah…but Your Highness, you already have, as I can see from the glint in your eyes," Li Min responded bravely, and the Princess laughed.

"Just testing you, Li Min."

He did not answer.

"I already have an inkling as to who I shall choose, yes. But I want the most beneficial marriage to please father, and the people of our lands. I want to set up a few meetings, and a test." The Princess said, pacing once again.

"Do you have any advice?" She asked.

The advisor thought for a moment, then tucked his hands into his dark blue sleeves.

"Yes, I do, Princess."

She waited.

"Invite both First Borns to our country, and we shall decide a course of action then, shall we not, Your Highness?"

She nodded slowly. "Agreed."

"But first, we must get to know the opposition, Your Highness, as to not let our land fall into the wrong hands. Then, you must choose the right suitor to slightly interrogate, and, knowing the Princess, you would like to challenge them to a spar, wouldn't you, Your Highness?" He asked, smiling slightly.

The Princess laughed. "Of course."

"Those shall be our plans for now, then?" Li Min waited for confirmation.

"Yes. No hasty decisions. Lives and property are at risk here." The Princess agreed.

"You are dismissed, Li Min. Expect a reward on your table in your quarters tonight."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Li Min bowed one last time, before stepping out the wooden doors, closing them swiftly behind him, and proceeding to report to the Emperor.

That night, Tenten cried.

A/N: So, how is it? Hope you guys liked it. Anyhow, can anyone suggest a proper last name that is actually Chinese? So review about the story, and cast in your vote for the following surnames!

a) Ming

b) Xu

c) Qin

d) Chen

e) Other (suggest one!)

The one that sounds most appealing to me will be chosen! Or the one that's most popular, so pour in the reviews!

Love,

DarkNightDreamer