A/N: It will be explained in the story. Obito was crushed by boulders, but came back to Konoha. Rin didn't die but is still the four tales Jinchuuriki. Other little details will be filled in the story. Enjoy.

"Hateful to me as the gates of Hades is that man who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another."
― Homer, The Iliad

Rin Nahara sat upon her chair with a stone cold mask over her face. She didn't really want to appear as a queen of ice, but how could she smile and pretend she was happy when she was the unwilling wife of the man sitting beside her?

Well not entirely unwilling, just not completely consenting. She supposed she could learn to love him and perhaps even be happy with him. The daunting prospect of this was that she was never going to be free ever again and would be tied to the interests of the Uchiha Clan and her husband for the rest of her days. Not even Isobu knew how to unbind such a seal and the Hokage could offer her no help.

After all such traditions were part of the founding of Konoha, however archaic. It would not sit well in diplomatic relations to refuse the Uchiha Clan their traditional ways. Still though, as she observed the tattoo like patterning on her wrist, Rin Nahara couldn't help, but feel pitifully used and betrayed.

To think that her own team mate, her best friend, would do something like this to her was unbelievable to say the least. The fact that Minato wouldn't do anything about the issue only rubbed salt into her wounds. Even though his wife, Kushina, looked upon her with pity, her only condolence was asking her to bear this burden for the good of the village.

Rin couldn't say much to argue against that. She was a jinchuuriki yes and a high ranking medical ninja, but no one of great importance or standing to prevent this from happening. She wasn't part of a clan to wage war on her behalf and to make matters worse, the threat from Danzo had warned her to keep the issue quiet to her friends and family.

Looking over at her parents she frowned at how oblivious they were to the whole problem. They thought she was willing. They thought she had consented to this farce of a marriage. Some small part of her was hoping that they'd take notice, get a hint that something wasn't altogether right, but much to her dismay; they did not suspect a thing. They were too busy talking to some members of the Uchiha Clan. Rin recognized one of them as part of ANBU. She resisted the urge to snort. They were probably there to distract her parents from noticing anything odd in the first place.

Suppressing a sigh, she rested back, feeling the weight of the kimonos on her belly. They hid her condition well enough, although it was no unknown secret that she was pregnant. How far along was she now? Almost twenty weeks? Did it even matter?

She wiped her forehead, feeling a little hot, but stopped short when she saw the damp cloth been offered to her. She looked at him, not an ounce of kindness on her face. His smile disappeared, but the cloth was still being offered. Not wanting to cause trouble, she reluctantly took it and wiped her forehead.

"We will end the festivities soon so you can rest," he offered. Rin made no acknowledgement of said offer and instead picked at her plate of food. Sleep sounded pretty good right now, but the thought of lying next to him only made her nauseated. Her eyes flickered over to Minato who was enjoying a conversation with his wife and their son who was swallowing Ramen by the mouthful. How old was the boy now? Seven or eight?

A disgrace Fugaku had called him. Terrible grades in academy, piss poor pre-genin skills and a bad influence on his own son. Rin frowned at that. He was a lively kid. There was probably an underlying cause for his lack of concentration.

Minato caught her looking at them and sent her a kind smile. Rin glared at him with the hatred and power of a thousand suns and turned away. She'd much rather stare at her new husband. She was really getting tired of this. All of it. Really now, she just wanted to be alone.

Swallowing her pride, she reached over and gently grabbed Obito's arm.

"I'm not feeling well and I have the mother of all headaches. Can you please excuse us?"

He stared at her through heavy lidded eyes and she bit her lip.

"Please," she said desperately. He sighed, but accepted her request. He spoke briefly and quickly and helped her to stand. Rin gritted her teeth at the cheers and catcalls as he led her past the dojo and into the quarters in the Uchiha complex they had been assigned.

He gave her some privacy to get herself ready for bed and Rin thanked the gods she had the excuse of pregnancy to refuse his advances should he choose to exercise them. As she started undoing her obi and letting the layers of kimono fall to the ground, she caught sight of her swelling stomach and then let the tears fall.

She looked at the marking on her wrist and finally understood their meaning.

'Forever Bound.'