And They Never Knew
They never knew he even existed.
The village had been taken, women were raped, things that meant ways of life to families that have been around for hundreds of years were stolen in only a few hours. What they did to Konoha left a bad taste in their own allies mouths. But they never put it together.
He was of course, horriblely young when they took over power, but even his own uncle had never realized that behind his pale eyes was no Byakugan, but the result of a back track in an already powerful bloodline.
His mother, the Mistress of the Hyuuga called him, in the pure safety of their home, the Master Heir of the Sights.
Itachi, who had become the main figure, had made sure not to kill off any bloodlines and rumor had it he planed to 'breed' the lines for his own reasons but nothing was curtain even 5 years after the fall.
The Aburame clan still morned the loss of their many members who fought and lost. Shino himself was still traveling miles out of town with an escourt just to go talk to Sakura's grave. Their daughter was now in training with little Neji Lee-Hyuuga and are good friends together.
Nobody ever wondered where Lee's looks were in his one and only child. The Hyuuga were never questioned about timing or any of the other obvious cover ups. Or even why it was that Neji was so good at mimicing others.
Nobody in Konoha ever asked any of this to the pearl-eyed mistress.
Because as long as they stayed quiet, they could keep hope. Hope there was someone that will one day be stronger then Itachi, and maybe one day they can dust off the secret catches of sonbons, kunai, katanas, and for those who had them the outlawed Jonin vests of their own or of their parents, brothers, sisters and friends.
Many lived with this hope. The hope that hangs on the life of a small child named for his mother's fallen protecter, friend and cousin. The young boy that even under Itachi's tutelage, hid his true father's blood beneith flimsy lies that the real people of Konoha held together out of the love of those that fought and died for a good life. A good life for them, and their children.
Maybe their prayers will be answered one day. But as of today, those that will stand with him later, will continue to pretend.
So as of today, they still don't know he existed...
Yet...