Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Naruto.


Possessions

"Hinata-chan, you look so pretty."

She looked up to see the woman who was tying her hair in a fancy bun. In the past four years, this person had become the closest thing she had to a mother.

Hinata smiled at Mikoto who kept her face in an emotionless mask with quite some difficulty.

"Mom, doesn't Hinata-chan look pretty." She blushed at the compliment she received from the boy sitting across from her.

"Sasuke-kun, please don't disturb me. I have to get her ready." He pouted at his mother but left after winking at the girl.

"Uchiha-san, what are we going to do today?" Hinata asked when Mikoto began applying makeup at the young girl's face.

She was turning thirteen today and she was going to celebrate it, so it was necessary to dress up. She usually despised wearing fancy kimonos since they restricted her from running whenever she tried playing with Sasuke, but today she did not mind. Hinata actually thought she looked really pretty today.

"I really want to race through the maze in the garden with Sasuke-kun again. He promised me a rematch and I'm sure I can beat him this time." Hinata laughed.

"Hinata-chan, please don't move too much."

Hinata sat straight but inwardly frowned at the woman. She was acting weird. Usually she was cheerful and always smiled at Hinata, but today she was quiet, almost sad.

"Uchiha-san what's wrong?" Hinata asked in concern.

"All done." Mikoto said ignoring the girl's question. She quickly got up and turned around to pack the things she had taken out to get Hinata ready. "Hinata-chan...take care." Her voice seemed to quiver as if she was holding back tears. Hinata shook her head thinking that she must have imagined hearing it.

Slowly Hinata got up from her chair and carefully walked out the room. She could not wait to show all her friends her new dress. It was her birthday after all.

Mikoto watched as the girl basically ran out, barely able to contain her excitement. A few silent tears slipped through as she pictured Hinata's smiling face. She could not bear to have that smile taken away, but she did not have the power to do anything. No matter how she was treated, Hinata was a prisoner here whose fate had finally caught up to her.

"Hinata-chan, follow me. I want to show you something." Sasuke grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him. He was running and Hinata could barely keep up, but she did not care. She was too happy to care. The last time she had been this happy was when she was still with her family.

"This is so beautiful." She gazed at the sunset on the horizon across the lake.

These grounds were restricted especially to her, but Sasuke decided to sneak her here for her birthday since she loved the colors of the sunset. "T-thank you, Sasuke-kun." Hinata inched closer and got on her tiptoes. Silently, she kissed him on the cheek and went back down to avoid his gaze shyly. Both of them were blushing, although Sasuke not as much as Hinata.

Grabbing her hand once again, Sasuke smiled at the girl beside him as she looked up at him with a smile of her own.

"It's time," a servant spoke to Mikoto as she stood on the porch, watching her son and the Hyuga prisoner. The girl was a prisoner forced to stay with their family, but Sasuke had never treated her any different.

"Just give her a few more minutes." Mikoto pleaded.

"Mikoto-san, you know he does not like to be kept waiting." The servant bowed and went up to the two children.

Mikoto saw as Hinata followed the servant after waving goodbye to Sasuke.

Hinata was surely confused on why she was being called but still she obeyed because she did not have much choice. Mikoto's heart broke at knowing what the girl was walking towards. Her heart broke even more at the look her son was giving at her retreating form. She could not help let loose all the tears she had been holding back that day. It wasn't fair but she couldn't do anything except to let it happen.

Hinata walked as the servant led her through all the intricate hallways in the new building. She had only been in here twice before. Once to meet the King, and once to meet her family for the last time.

"Hyuga, wait here." The servant left the girl in front of a tall door that was guarded by two soldiers. She waited until the door opened and the servant announced her arrival. Turning around, the servant grabbed onto Hinata's shoulder and guided her into the room.

"Ah Hinata, I'm glad you're finally here." The King sat in one of the chairs from the dining table in his private chamber when she walked in. His smile grew wider as he took in Hinata's dress and makeup. He had been waiting for this day for years. "You may leave us." He waved at the servant who quickly left the panicking girl to stand alone with the King in his bedroom. "Come here Hinata." he commanded in anticipation to claim the prize he had been waiting for since she was given to him at the age of nine. He had to wait four years, but looking at her now, Madara couldn't help but smirk at the thought that it was all worth it.

That night Hinata realized what she was: a prisoner, a possession. She lost her childhood and gave everything up at the command of her owner. She was never meant to be more than that but she wanted to thank Sasuke for making her feel that it could be different when they were younger, if only for a little while.

Years later, Sasuke still scowled at his nativity to think that everyone was equal. It was obvious that Hinata was a prisoner and her purpose was decided before he even met her. She did not have the privilege like the others did. She was an object, someone's possession without any rights, and he was the naive fool to fall for her only to have his heart broken. It didn't help that Sasuke was reminded of how foolish he was every time he caught a glimpse of her moving around in King's Tower. She was the king's possession. She was always meant to be.

Now Sasuke would never make the same mistake twice. He would never let his heart open to someone who was supposed to be beneath him because now he knew that they were just possessions owned by another man.