Not many people would smile when their country falls apart.
Not many people would lie in bed with their own kin, even in knowledge that it was incest.
But I did.
I laughed out loud the day my country fell.
I slept with a cousin brother whom I had known for years growing up in Konoha.
Thus, therein lies my sin: I've lain with my own kin and laughed at my country's ungraceful demise.
I regret, none of it.
----
DeathPlay-the last kingdom
-Chapter one-kingdom of fury-
Part 1: Unwanted guest
----
(13 years ago—Hyuuga Residence)
The small girl was waving and laughing gaily, waving her armload of wildflowers she had collected from the field. Her small dress robes were billowing in the air as well as her long hair. And Hyuuga Suzuka's heart was breaking.
"Hiashi…why? "
"…you know as much as I do, Suzuka, and don't you dare cry. " Hiashi gritted his teeth and forewarned his wife.
But she was already crying.
Her husband was immovable on the topic.
Hyuuga Hinata was to be brought up as a boy.
"She's only five!! What do you think making her attend the mercenary school would do to her?! Boys are rowdy; there might be accidents and….and she's a frail, sweet girl…Hiashi, please. Don't…please let's not….please…! "
Hyuuga Hiashi only cringed away from his wife's clinging hands, avoiding having to look into her eyes and face her tears.
The last rays of the dappled the sun, illuminating Hyuuga Hiashi's adamant inexorable face. He continued to ignore his wife's tears, her laments that Hinata was only a very small child, couldn't he please not? Maybe they can adopt?
"Don't be so tactless! "
He snapped, turning to her with acute fury. She lowered her head, defeated.
Adoption wasn't an option. The Hyuugas all had such a distinct physique—all complete with the glossy head of raven hair and lavender eyes—that someone adopted might as well be a scream in the hallways of whispers.
"We need a boy heir, and you know that very well Suzuka. It is the elder's decisions…and since, you…aren't able to produce anymore. I'm sorry. "
Hinata's mother, without a word, feebly slumped against a tree.
Five years ago, when she gave birth to Hinata, she had fallen into a stupor for over a week, the afterbirth bleeding had been that bad. She pulled through, due to the medicine man's expert medical expertise, but she was sterile. Barren. She couldn't bear children no more, and Hiashi wouldn't take on a concubine. He just outright refused.
He was that kind of a man.
"…stop crying. "
He commanded, continuing with a weary ironic tone creeping into his speech:
"A girl is useless to us. If only, she was a son…"
And thus, there and then, Hyuuga Hinata's fate changed forever.
----
(1629, summer—Hyuuga Residence )
"N…Neji's coming? "
Everything was wonderfully going wrong.
Hyuuga Hinata had meant to spend her summer days, occasionally training with other mercenaries, poring over books her friend Kiba brought over from the city… and most of all, relaxing, taking a laid-back stance on life for once. It was supposed to be a summer without having to attend the Konoha academy of swordsmanship; for once, she might even forgo the bandages she wore to hide her blooming chest.
Oh right, she'd for once, not care if anyone was watching how she was changing. How instead of growing tall and shaving, she was getting periods. How instead of attaining a low voice, she was gaining breasts. And she loathed every single moment of it. She detested the fact that she was changing, that she had to hide herself from everyone lest anyone noticed…
And this summer was supposed to be her respite from that ordeal of having to 'hide'.
And all of sudden, Neji was coming?
"W…why father?…I thought he was busy over his entrance tests, wasn't he training to be included in the royal army? An estine sentry? Why come here? "
The flurry of questions confirmed her distress.
Hiashi's brow folded, crinkling into small lines that indicated his irritation. The letter he had been composing with his immaculate calligraphy was discarded for now, and his head lifted to acknowledge Hinata's upset face.
"Neji passed his tests about a week ago. He is to be estine sentry, third rank of course since he's just started. But I am sure he will creep up the ladders of aristocracy soon enough; he's a talented boy. "
Here, his quiet eyes seemed to penetrate Hinata, as if to imply, "Why don't 'you' have that kind of talent Hinata? Why can't you impress me for once? "
She pursed her lips and bowed her head. So Neji had passed the tests already? And with flying colors, she bet. Oh yes. He probably came out top, but she did not feel like asking because it might as well be the damned truth.
"He will be arriving tomorrow. Be courteous, and don't forget who you are. "
"Tommor…"
The words choked her, and Hinata grimaced before Hiashi's hand waved her away in the manner of waving away a fly. She hadn't known it would be that soon…but realized that Hiashi had kept from telling her in case she packed up and left for the mountains for the few weeks Neji was supposedly visiting. Hiashi already had predicted her reaction.
'You mean don't forget who I'm supposed to be.'
As she crept out of the candle lit room out to the wooden paneled hallway, clad in her mercenary uniform, Hyuuga Hinata gritted her teeth, hard.
Because in reality, she was supposed to be the 'boy' Hyuuga Hinata, heir of the Hyuuga blood line, and a prodigy. And today, she had felt far away from what she was supposed to be, as Hiashi's disapproving glance stripped her of her disguise. Façade. A girl, no, a weak girl at that, always compared with her 'genius' cousin, who was training in the 'main city'...
"Hinata sama, are you ready for bed? "
Her main servant, Hayashi bent his head with a curt bow, hands folded neatly over his black robes as she entered her room.
"…Yes. "
As other servants filed out one by one, Hayahi remained and helped her out of her mercenary uniform, pulling away the intricate belts and sword sheath. He pulled her robes down to her hips, revealing her torso, and Hinata lifted her arms obediently. She flinched as Hayashi's hands grazed over her bare skin and tugged away the bandages, the cool air finally lapping at her sweaty self.
Air. She could breath properly now.
"I heard Neji sama was coming to visit from the main city"
Flinch. Hinata gave a cursory grunt, not really wishing to discuss the matter. She quickly put on a poker face, hoping Hayashi would not see through it.
"…are you…excited, Hinata sama? Because you look, if should say so, quite distressed. "
Hayashi spoke quietly, his hands busy over the sweaty pile of bandages he quickly wrapped neatly. Hinata sighed audibly and turned her body away. She 'had' tried to look impassive.
Amano Hayashi was one of the few people in her household that knew of her 'secret', a boy servant that she had grown up with for the last ten or so years. He was the one who always put her to bed, who took the whipping for her when she made mistakes in her academics, the one who always stood behind her wherever she went. She did depend on him much, but it was irksome that he knew her so well.
Irksome that he knew how to hit her sensitive spot.
"No. I'm not distressed. Now if you'd please, Hayashi. I'd like to sleep. "
Noting her bothered tone, he courteously removed himself from her bedside, blowing at the candles as he stepped out of the room.
"Good night Hinata sama. And don't worry. No one will find out. "
Blink. The lights were all off.
'But what if…'
-----
(Next day—Hyuuga Residence)
"You're going to meet Neji ni-chan, he's going to come here!! We're going to see him!! "
A small girl was twirling around in the middle of breakfast, her black hair flowing in all directions, in apparent ecstasy. Hinata eyed this without a sound, a growing lump in her stomach preventing her from consuming anything at all. She could not understand why Hanabi was so elated over the fact that Neji would visit. He was just a cousin.
Hinata glanced at her 'supposedly' sister…supposedly, because years ago, the Hyuuga elders finally forced Hiashi into wedding a concubine, which is to say, ironic since her mother died long before they forced him into doing so. Unfortunately—Hinata started wondering with somewhat regret if this was a family trait—the concubine died in the act of giving birth to Hanabi, who was no less, a girl. After that, Hiashi refused to take on another woman. The only time he went against an elder's order.
But Hanabi did not have to be like Hinata. She was allowed to grow up in a perfectly normal fashion, something that Hinata desperately envied.
Sometimes even hated Hanabi, for that reason alone.
Anyways, she could not fathom why Hanabi was so excited. It was only Neji.
"Hianta ni-chan (a lie; Hanabi was supposed to call Hinata that, even thought she knew her 'brother's' real gender.) when will you leave to meet the group? It's so exciting!! And from the city too! Do you think they will bring gifts? "
Sighing impressively, Hinata chastised her sister.
"Shush Hanabi, it's early in the morning and I doubt if anyone in the house hadn't heard that…(another lie. The Hyuuga residence was immensely wide, they could fit a village in it. Hanabi would have to have a stereo sound system and a mike for her voice to be heard.) I'll be leaving soon after breakfast. "
"But you haven't eaten at all. "
Hanabi pointedly prodded the bowl of broth that lay forlornly in front of Hinata, untouched and cold. She pertly proceeded to dip her own spoon in it and taste, shuddering after the swallow. The spoon clattered to the table's wooden surface, leaving a streak of broth.
"Ugh, cold chicken broth isn't appetizing at all. Why don't you have a new bowl? "
"No…I don't think I need to eat. I…I'm not hungry. "
Hanabi glanced up curiously. It was obvious how anxious Hinata was. Her eyes still locked on Hinata's face, Hanabi spoke up with an accusing tone.
"…ni-chan, are you f…"
"I'd assume your breakfast is over, Hinata sama, why don't we get ready for the outing? "
Hayashi cut in expertly, his pleasant smile looking past the fact that he had just cut through Hanabi's words. Hanabi looked vexed at having her speech cut off by a mere servant, but flounced off, still excited at the prospect of visitors. Hinata sat a little numbly as she heard Hanabi's sandals clack over the marble stairs.
"…thank you Hayashi. "
"My pleasure, Hinata sama. "
---
Walking to the forked roads was not hard.
She could have used a horse, but Hinata did not mind enjoying her stroll down the grassy dirt road. But what she did mind was why she was setting out for it. She bet the roads in the city were not dirt. It was probably paved, with stones carefully set with perfect impeccable grooves.
"Hanabi was sure ecstatic over this visit. I'm starting to think I'm the only one who's annoyed by it. "
It sounded like words she spoke to herself, but it was really aimed at the figure that was walking right behind her: Hayashi.
"Hanabi sama was probably glad to meet her cousin brother after so many years. If I remember correctly, Neji sama did indulge her a bit. "
Hinata remembered with a sense of resent: Neji giving Hanabi sweets to eat. Neji coddling Hanabi as he read books to her. Neji feeling sorry for Hanabi, because everyone was so disappointed over the fact that she had been a girl.
'But what about me, Neji? You might not know, but I'm…'
She felt again, the complex thoughts that racked her head whenever she brought up the matter to think over. Neji did not know, so many things.
No. It was best if he did not know.
Hayashi stood from behind as he sensed the complicated whirl of thoughts that was going inside Hinata's confused and distressed mind. Deliberately, he commented loudly--and quite unnecessarily-- over a loitering butterfly—"Look! Hinata sama, a butterfly! Do you think it's a Monarch? "
He received a "I don't care" from his touchy master who completely ignored her servant's histrionic gestures at the sky, as well as a annoyed look. But he was content when he saw that her gait was a little more relaxed.
Until…
"Hinata…? Is that really you? "
A question she truly wanted to repeat back to the lean figure sitting erect on top of the chestnut horse, his hair billowing gracefully in the evening wind.
"Neji…?"
Boy, he had gotten tall.
-------
(bloodiedsugs's words on DP-
I'm really, truly sorry to some of my original DP readers…but I decided to put it on hiatus.
'This' was actually the (almost) real version of the story Deathplay (in manga form, of course), so I decided to rewrite…except that this version has NejiHina. I might slip in SasuHina and other factors later, but first…I just feel like writing the story, lol.
So…to anyone who might get confused, 'Deathplay: the royal scandals' and 'Deathplay: the last kingdom' are completely different stories. This one has less fantasy I think. (So good bye to demon slayer Jiraiya and Naruto lol. )
If that's clear then…enjoy.
First chapter's always boring…wish I could delve right into the story then and there.
PS: did you guess who the OOC character pairing was? It's Hayashi. Why not? ServantXMaster pairings happen all the time, *shrug*
Bear with me. )
