Title: Athelas

Fandom: Naruto

Pairing: Team 7, NaruHina, SasuSaku

Summary: Fantasy AU (based on the colorspread of chapter 679). When Elf Princess Hinata falls deathly sick, the only thing that can save her is a rare Athelas. Kakashi had to wonder. Were having a dense dragon tamer, a spoiled elf prince, and a dwarf with super strength really the best choice for this mission?

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Knock.

Naruto frowned as he twitched in his sleep.

Knock.

Grabbing his pillow, he used it to cover his ears.

Knock. Knock.

"Ugh…" Naruto grabbed his blanket and covered himself.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.

"For the love of Eru!" Naruto growled as he got up from his warm comfy bed and angrily walked to his door to pull it wide open.

In front of him was nothing but the view of the green forest in front of him and the riverbank on his right. Looking around his cabin, there was no one around. So who was knocking and disturbing his sleep? Shaking his head, he headed back to bed and got comfortable again.

"You know, if you didn't choose to ignore me, I wouldn't have to break into your home." A deep voice said causing the blonde to jump out of his bed. Falling on the ground hard, he quickly got up and glared at the unexpected guest in the corner of his room.

Dressed up in blue robes with a large wizard hat to match, the Great Wizard Kakashi pulled out an orange book. "Yo!" With his green scarf covering most of his black facemask, Naruto could barely see who it was.

"What do you want Kakashi?" Naruto asked as he tried to wake himself up.

"The Queen has summoned us." That got the young blonde interested.

Naruto wasn't a stranger to the Royal Highness. His father and mother had ruled these lands before he was born. However, one fateful night a dragon by the name of Kuruma came and attack. His parents, especially his mother who had just given birth to him, sacrificed their lives to make sure these lands were safe. Seeing as Naruto was next in line yet too young, the position was to be given to the Wizard Jiraiya who then suggested that the Slug Princess Tsunade was a better fit with her beloved Dan. Naruto's goal was to become King of these lands like his father had been. However, hearing that his mother was known as the great dragon tamer, he chose follow in his mother's footsteps for the time being.

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Arriving at the castle, everyone bowed as Naruto and Kakashi made their way to royal chambers. Sitting in the large thrones before them were Queen Tsunade and King Dan. Next to them was the Frog Wizard Jiraiya.

"The Great Wizard Kakashi." Dan acknowledged with a nod of his head. "Prince Naruto."

"My have you grown." Tsunade said as she looked at the other blonde in the room. "You must be turning eighteen soon, am I correct?"

"I'll be turning eighteen in a two weeks." Naruto corrected. "Why have you summoned us?"

"Did Kakashi not tell you?" Jiraiya smirked.

"No, he seemed to have forgotten." Naruto frowned.

"As you may know…" Tsunade began to say. "You were in line for the throne after your parents' deaths. Now that you have come to age, you are still in line as my successor after my time has ruler ends these year."

Naruto's eyes widened with excitement! "I get to be next in line! Did ya hear that Kakashi!?"

"Silence!" Tsunade said raising a hand. "I have not finished yet. The elders still believe you are too young. So they have come up with an agreement. You are to become the next king if you are to find a bride by your eighteenth birthday."

"What?!"

"I have found one for you! As you know, the relationship between humans and elves haven't been well recently since that night. Talking to the South King of the elves, we have agreed to unite our kingdoms through marriage between you and Hinata Hyuuga, Elf Princess of the South." Tsunade continued. "However she had been attack and fallen under a poison that can affect that of even an immortal elf. She has fallen deathly sick. King Hiashi has come to me hearing about my healing. This is where Kakashi and you comes in. You two are to go in search for a magical healing herb called Athelas. It is the only herb that can cure the princess."

"Athelas?" Naruto tilted his head.

"Athelas was first brought to Middle-earth by Númenóreans," Dan began to explain "But by the end of the Third Age the knowledge of its healing properties had been forgotten by all except the Rangers of the North."

"Easy, I'll just pick up this herb and bring it back to you." Naruto said with a Cheshire grin.

"Idiot. It's not so simple. Since Kuruma's attack on these lands, the Athelas have slowly become extinct. There is a rumor that there is still one flower left to exist." Tsunade frowned as she crossed her arms.

"Ironically, it lies in the cave of the nine-tailed dragon, Kuruma. I have reached out to the elves and dwarfs to help you out in this mission." Jiraiya began to speak. "I will accompany you on your mission to the northern lands of the elves. There may be someone we can recruit to help us. I would ask help from the southern lands but they have their palace on lockdown as they care for Princess Hinata."

"Will you take on this mission?" Tsunade asked.

Naruto looked up at the Queen with excited cerulean eyes. "I'll do my very best, believe it!"