A Beautiful Princess - A Bitter Meal
Dear God… How long has it been? Fifty years? No, more?!
I can only apologize. I have returned from the dead, hence the amount of dirt around you. Yes, I am behind you at the moment. If you looked back, the reason as to why I am not there is because I disappeared. Now, I am behind you again.
I kept receiving 'favorite' or 'follower' messages during my – I guess – hiatus. Trust me – I was wiping streams of tears as I forced my reluctant body to put my phone back in my pocket.
I'm sorry.
School is rough, but this is my last year, and once I have finished all the studies and taken the exams, I will be updating the hell out of these stories! To think, I've been writing for almost two years now (Okay, one and a half) and not even the slightest bit have I improved! Yay! Celebrations for me! World's most… unordinary author.
Okay, enough with that. I'm just a poser.
I will try to update tomorrow. No promises, but let's keep those thumbs tucked within the hold of our sweaty fingers – okay?
"Father…" Hinata began, not knowing how to express the plethora of shock and dismay that Hiashi's decision had caused. She did not wish to blame him for anything, but the reality of it was that Hinata would be marrying the prince of Konoha against her will. To any other ordinary girl –or woman, at that – being invited to a marriage interview was enough happiness for a lifetime, but to Hinata, it was nothing but a burden so great that she could never recover from it. It was, in a way, an opportunity for her to repay her father for all he had done for her, and although she understood that the fault did not lie with her, Hinata had always felt a tinge of guilt from her mother's maternal death. Hiashi had loved only her mother, and when the pain had been too great, Hinata was born. It was not as if she wished to not have been spawned, but a maternal death felt unnecessary, somehow. Besides, Hinata had no other cousins or aunts. It was only her and Hiashi, the only person she loved. Her real friend.
She rarely spoke her opinion, never asked for much, and had always been content with the way things were, yet fate had somehow drawn to her innocence and submissive personality. She was chosen to marry Uzumaki Naruto and there was nothing, absolutely nothing she could do about it.
But would she resist? Would she keep pushing him away from her when he'd attempt to put his hands on her?
Oh yes, she would.
"Hinata, I had no choice. He was either going to take you with my permission, or by force." She knew. She was aware of it already, yet the truth still stung like venom. Hinata bit her lip, directing her eyes at the jewelry around her father's throat that the king had gifted him with for accepting the proposal. It was her against the world now, with not even the slightest back up from anyone but her father.
She treasured all she had left after her mother's maternal death. Possessing no other siblings or cousins, Hinata was the only child in the whole family. It often worried her; would she ever find a man with good blood and a wonderful personality? Would he treat her well? That was all she really cared about, a man who cared for her like she would care for him.
But now she might as well write those wishes down and send them away into the ocean for someone else to find and laugh at. In five days, she would be officially marrying the sadistic prince of Konoha with more regrets than diamonds on the royal throne.
Did she hate the prince? After recollecting her thoughts and taking a few deep breaths, no. She did not hate the prince, but he walked a fragile line, and even one more punch could cause her to reconsider the question. He was nothing like what the people of the kingdom had said. The girls claimed that he was sweet, mature and caring. The only issue was that they were completely mistaken.
Three soft knocks were heard from the door, and both Hinata and Hiashi rose to open. Realizing that he was in no condition to be greeting people, the old man sat back down and nodded to Hinata. She left the living space and carefully slid the door open only to be med by someone, a person she had perhaps seen – not met – once before.
"Have I arrived at an inconvenient time, Miss Hyuuga?" The man had a strange manner of grooming his hair. It was somewhat tilted to the right, but stood straight up, and Hinata wondered for a split second if it was a wig, for she had never, ever seen anything like it.
"U-uhm…" His strong aura, and the confidence he carried with every word was overwhelming, she felt like she'd been stripped of her ability to speak, and was left with a stupid expression on her face.
"Pardon my intrusion. My name is Hatake Kakashi, employed as a butler of the Royal Palace. I serve Uzumaki Naruto, Prince of Konoha." He bowed courteously and cast her cold smile, and Hinata tilted her head somewhat backwards to gain a full view of the tall man before her. His silver hair mesmerized and teased her eyes as it gently followed all his head movements when he spoke. Her brain could only register half of what he was saying. Something about dresses and lessons. He's so young…
"Miss Hyuuga," The instant he snapped his fingers in front of her eyes, Hinata snapped out of her trance and was able to look at his face instead. "Please, do not allow your mind to wander at times like these."
"Y-yes…" She mumbled, casting her eyes downwards. The butler's facial expression did not change.
"May I enter? We currently have much to discuss, and the prince expects me back at the palace before long." Hinata nodded slowly, watching as Kakashi stepped into the house with a slightly skeptical expression. Considering their economy and busy lifestyle, they have preserved their home very well.
Once they were seated in front of the silver-haired man, silence was no longer an option. His eyes scrutinized Hinata and Hiashi before he began speaking.
"I understand that you must be very surprised by this sudden event. Rest assured, the whole royal house lost control once the news began to spread. A prince rarely, if not never marries a commoner."
"Then why has he chosen my daughter?!" Hiashi lashed out, as if he had been wondering over that specific question for a long time. Kakashi remained phlegmatic to their emotions.
"My master has never shown interest in a female. Until recently, his parents had begun suspecting that he may have a tainted mind. Despite all these years of serving him, I have still not quite learned to understand him, but it seems like he dislikes women born into royalty." The butler narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps even he realized that humans are ephemeral creatures and chose you without much thought, or-"He leaned forward in his seat. "You may be a special young lady."
Hinata's eyes widened momentarily at the man's words. "S-special…?"
He lowered his eyes. "Besides, the prince's interest never lasts." At this, Hiashi looked up.
"What do you mean?" He urged, and Kakashi looked somewhat disinterested.
"It may appear as though his standards are at a heavenly height. No one can live up to his expectations for a prolonged period, no one. Shall you do something which displeases my prince, he will no doubt have you returned to your father." He sighed before continuing. "And nearly everything displeases him."
"So…-"Hiashi was about to conclude Kakashi's statement, but was interrupted.
"Be yourself, Miss Hyuuga, and everything will most certainly work out." The butler's eyes met Hinata's, and she was frozen in amazement. Somehow, when he spoke those words, she was given hope, hope that what he was saying may actually be true. This man is remarkable…
"Anyway, we mustn't fudgel. Once you come to live at the palace, I will begin giving you lessons. Disciplinary lessons. Also, the prince wishes to have you visit him tomorrow for more dress-fitting and a brief conversation regarding the wedding. Sir Hyuuga, you will receive your end of the deal once the wedding is complete. Until then." He lifted a fine bag from somewhere below the table and placed it before Hiashi. The bag clearly contained money, and Hiashi was surprised.
"I have things to do, bodies to dispose of." The mysterious butler raised himself from the sofa and headed for the door. "I will see myself out."
Eventually mental constructs and imaginary plans started to melt and concoct into something... Else. The hazy desert of direction-less imagination simply flowed on and on into eternity like it usually does, cosmic indigo water ran over the ridges of his mind and stars of ingenuity dazzled his eyes where no-one else could see. His eyes were not blank, no, instead he was seeing whatever intrigued him the most. His body reacted on reflex, leaning back into his chair and bringing up one hand to his jaw. His head curved into his palm as the indigo water continued to run down the walls of his own world. There was something profoundly satisfying about it. A finger sneaked into his open mouth to roll around like some masochistic cat in a window facing the lagoon of stars he was picking out in the indigo river. It was addictive, he couldn't stop. His hand playfully struggled with the canine grip as he playfully smirked as his own game as his head leaned into the action. His sighing breaths bathed the trapped digit in hot air, his roguish grin never quitting as he regarded whatever fancied him the most in the boundless space of indigo waters that was his own mind. Solar winds suddenly washed over the scene and evaporated the sparkling stars. It was Kakashi's voice. "Finger" was the only word he managed to hear as the lagoon of cosmic rays died in his eyes, He let the finger go.
"Where is she?" he asked impatiently, turning to look out of the window behind him to avoid Kakashi's gaze. One could argue that he occasionally felt awkward around his very own butler.
"Hyuuga Hinata arrived fourteen minutes ago, sir." Came the reply. Kakashi bowed courteously and left the room to fetch the young lady without so much as addressing his dismissal.
The hall was akin to a painting. Beautiful, majestic and still like a corpse. A lush red carpet streaked across the floor with a color so intense that it practically glowed as it skipped down the stairs and ran around corners like a river, graciously licking the posts at the edge of the stairs. Golden flowers that made up the railing framed the coal-like, black wood that kept her supported as she nervously made her way upwards. The plush river silenced her steps to sound like wooden stilts thumping into the ground. She dared not step on the marble floor in fear of leaving a speck of her existence in the mausoleum dedicated to one man's worship. The four windows strategically placed in symmetrical order in front and behind her showed only the greying sky along with a glimpse of the rooftops. A person could've been locked in here and no-one would ever know. The isolation scraped at the back of her scalp like a cold shiver coiling around the vertebrae in her spine, tightening and testing its grip. She stood outside the two massive white doors framed with bronze embellishments. The air itself was cold, shuffling around the room like dead men come to life. One of those men, however was completely alive. She noticed as he glided up the stairs she had just ascended.
His footsteps were curt. Shallow one could even say. A youthful face that was seemingly devoid of compassion analyzed and dissected everything he saw before you could even ask his name. His supple skin was devoid of imperfections and as a result looked nearly artificial in its sickening perfection. Indeed, the only thing that would indicate life was the grey hair that flowed atop his head uncharacteristically organically. He was immovable and stoic, a grey gargoyle a true terminator. However most simply called him Kakashi. He told her to follow him, not as an invitation but as an order.
What will become of me once I marry the prince? She could not halt her thoughts from spinning out of her own control. She did not want to marry yet, but she had no choice. Soon, she would be chained by his side, forced to abide whatever he commands no matter what the cost. She would spend a majority of her days in the bedchamber, crying and hoping that someone would come and save her.
"Welcome." As soon as Kakashi opened the doors, Naruto glanced up from his papers and smiled vaguely before pushing the work aside and straightening himself in his seat. He was clearly content with the way she stood before him in such a submissive manner. I belong to him.
"I see you enjoy wearing the dresses I design." He smirked, earning a frown from Hinata. You force me to wear them. She did not approve of his smugness, but there was nothing she could do given her gender and rank. She could, however, show her emotions through the expressions on her face.
"Of course." She spoke robotically, seating herself. As she proceeded to straighten her dress out, Hinata missed the brief exchange between Naruto and Kakashi.
"Speak with more warmth when addressing the prince, Miss Hyuuga."
And so the meeting went on for hours and hours. Hinata had not been permitted to speak even a word during the entire conversation, except for when asked to. So far, she had been given the opportunity to decide what kind of flower she wanted in her hair. Ridiculous.
On the topic of the royal announcement, she raised her voice, however.
"I-i…" She began, already losing her confidence upon seeing the annoyance etched on both Kakashi's and Naruto's faces as they slowly turned their heads to look at her. She had interrupted their conversation.
"I wish… t-to wr-write thank-you le-le-letters… T-to… the ci-citizens… who come…" Naruto scoffed.
"Don't be ridiculous, there will be hundreds of disease-spreading rats crawling on the fine red in the hall. If anything, they should thank us for letting them into the palace without the intention of executing them. On that note, Kakashi, have the palace cleaned thoroughly once everyone has left. I don't want to get any of their wretched curses before I become king."
"Understood." Hinata gaped at the two of them. Are they serious?!
"T-that's a ho-horrible thi-thing to say…" She whispered, shocked and disgusted by her kingdom's prince. To think that someone like him is one day going to rule over Konoha frightens me to the core.
Naruto chuckled and leaned back in his chair. "Just you wait, Princess." And although she did not understand what he'd meant by that comment, she nodded and took her leave, for she could no longer stand the company of the prince. He was a sick, twisted boy who did not deserve such a worthy title. It would certainly reach his sanity before he'd be crowned king of Konoha.
Kakashi hurried after her with quick footing. He pushed the thin notebook back into his pocket and checked the time before leveling his steps with hers. "That went well." He said, sparking a conversation.
"I trust that I will not n-need to return before t-the official announcement."
"Unless he requests differently." She stopped, causing Kakashi to do the same.
"Judging from the previous discussion," She began with a sarcastic tone. "Yo-you cou-could almost thin-think it was the y-young Pr-prince and his butler get-getting married." His facial expression darkened immediately.
"It may be worth mentioning that simply because you have been privileged with the title of 'future princess', does not imply that you are permitted to speak in such a manner. Do not forget where you come from, young girl."
Hinata was taken aback by Kakashi's sudden coldness. She looked up at him through her thick eyelashes and saw nothing but the fine material of his black suit directed at her. He began to walk away from her, most likely with the intention of heading towards the next task on his list. She could not think of anything to say that might cause him to wish to speak with her again. I thought he was a nice person, but I guess he is quite like his master after all.
But as she continued to walk down the hall, lost deep within her thoughts, she could not seem to locate the exit. The tall, seemingly endless hallways dragged her further and further into the depths of the castle until she could no longer recognize even the wallpaper. She had passed at least one-hundred doors, but everything looked the same to her at this point. Even though the architecture was different after each turn, it all seemed plain and banal. And yet, each room seemed arbitrary, as if it was being generated as she opened the door to it. There were no maids around, but everything - and by that she really did mean everything – was clean.
"Where am I…?" She whispered to herself, as if hoping for an answer that she could already predetermine would never come.
"We're close to the library." A sudden reply and Hinata spun around on her heels to be met by the one and only: Prince Uzumaki Naruto. He had his arms crossed as he walked meaningfully towards her.
"W-what are you do-doing he-here…?" Would it be too much to say that a foolish comment like "I was just walking by" would be completely inappropriate in this context? Surely, Naruto does not take hour walks around the castle in order to kill time! Or could it be that he was following her? Hinata wanted to slit her hair off in bewilderment, but decided not to.
"You walked to the right when you left the office. The exit is to the left." He mumbled somewhat wistfully. Why was saying that an hour ago out of the question?
"The library is this way." Naruto kept his eyes averted as he took her hand in his. "I could show you, if you'd like?" The corners of his lips curved upwards, and for a moment, Hinata wondered if perhaps he wasn't such a bad person.
"Bu-but… Women a-are not permitted t-to…"
"It's my library. A princess should at least be able to read." Breaking rules somehow felt… exciting, and even though Hinata had never done it before because of the consequences, right now she just wanted to find out what a library looked like.
But would being with him suffice? Why should she suddenly be kind to a boy who'd punched her across the face? He was the one who told her to respect his rank, and now he was completely contradicting himself.
"Do not misunderstand my intentions." He spoke, as if reading her mind. "I simply wish for you to become an intelligent princess worthy of a seat beside me." So that is the truth. At least he speaks with honesty.
"P-perhaps… Once ev-everything has been finalized." She whispered, thinking about what Kakashi had said. If he is right, this may be the last time I spend time with the prince like this. His hand is so cold.
"Hmm…" He turned and looked back at her with a small frown painted upon his face. Although he was a strange boy, Hinata could tell that even he was human when he wore such expressions. His frown was usually cold, but a smile would certainly give him some warmth. She had never seen him smile. Then again, the amount of times they had met were very few. "You don't presume that I will change my mind, do you?"
"N-no…" She hesitated, and the blonde prince snickered.
"I have made up my mind, princess." He mocked her title once again. "You may as well study before the princess training catches up with you." I think not.
"I-I would li-like to… to leave…" Hinata tried pulling her hand away, but he held it with more strength.
"Not until I have given permission. Did you know that I am turning sixteen the day after the wedding?"
"I… see…" I am turning fifteen on the twenty-eighth of December… So we're approximately one year apart. "This castle, it's enormous." As if distracted, Naruto looked around with slight wonder and nodded.
"Indeed. It goes on for what seems like decades. Quite fitting for royalty." He's obsessed with his rank. It will be the end of him, someday. She bit her lip in thought and averted her eyes to the intricate designs on the stone floor.
"I thought I told you not to do that." He whispered, stepping closer. "I won't be able to hold back." The words were hissed through his gritted teeth, and Hinata quickly found herself looking at him with a dark blush spread across her cheeks. Hold… Back…?
"Your highness." Kakashi came walking from the corridor with a quickened step. Neither Hinata nor Naruto had heard him, and they both jumped in unison upon hearing his voice.
"Gah, I told you to stop doing that!" Naruto yelled in anger and slight embarrassment while Hinata only gasped and placed her free hand over her chest as a habit. The butler straightened himself out and bowed before speaking.
"My sincerest apologies. It seems as though Hinata's appearance at the castle has been taken into account by some citizens and they are currently requesting that you speak with the kingdom about your secret."
"Perfect timing." Naruto grinned mischievously, strengthening his grip on Hinata's hand. "I shall announce it today, then."
"That cannot be done. Tomorrow." Naruto narrowed his eyes.
"Today."
"You have a meeting to att-" Naruto cut him off, his voice loud and clear.
"Today!" He demanded angrily.
"As you wish." Once again, the butler gestured courteously. "Your royal highness."
Hinata watched their exchange with great interest. The whole world pivots around him. He's the center of the crowd even though he intended to be nothing more than what he is.
The personality of her future-husband was giving her mixed signals. What was he really like, and what were his true intentions? Could Naruto be the redemption, or the destruction of Konoha?
Together, Hinata and Naruto had found their way back to the stair-room with ease. Being led by the hand, Hinata could not memorize neither the path nor what Naruto had been telling her up until then. Replying with simple "mm"s had not been overlooked, however.
"Do not speak a single word. All you need to do is stand on the balcony and look pretty." She nodded, puzzled by the event at hand. Announcing…
Naruto inhaled deeply, closing his eyes and running a cold hand through his hair. He was still holding her hand quite firmly, but even though he wore a blank expression, it was embarrassing Hinata. She had, after all, never had her hand held before. This boy… was her fiancé.
Once the glass doors were pulled apart and the unexpected sunlight escaped in through the widening gap, they stepped out together to meet the crowd of people below them. Sudden important speeches which were held to the public would be performed by the royal family on this balcony. Standing on it, dressed in the fine dress, Hinata began feeling shards of realization regarding the weight of Naruto's coming words.
"Citizens of Konoha," He began, looking down at the people of the kingdom with his strong blue eyes. "It seems that word has been sent around that the royal family of Konoha is keeping secrets from their people." As he went on, Hinata continued to observe his profile. The highlight of his jawbone glistened in the sunlight, as well as his celestial eyes, which were directed at each and every individual in the audience. He seemed to see not a crowd of people, but person to person. His eyes kept shifting from one citizen to another, and it may have been too analytical to guess this, but Hinata wondered if he may not have been seeing it as though he were talking to everyone in person. Indeed, he addressed them by 'citizens' and not their actual names, but something told her that he held care for each and every one of them. He saw them for who they were and not what they were.
"-which brings me to this." He kept blinking, bringing her center of focus to his eyelashes. They were somewhat feminine, being voluptuous and long like hers. His lips didn't stand out nearly as much as his eyes did, but they too, were beautiful. To conclude: Naruto was an extremely handsome boy. It really was saddening that his personality was not nearly as handsome.
Suddenly, the whole audience went quiet, and in the midst of the silence, Hinata felt a tug on her hand. Naruto threw their entwined hands up towards the sky for the entire kingdom's eyes to see, and at once, extreme noise filled the air. It was the loudest cheering Hinata had ever heard in her life, and it was all for her and Naruto. He announced our wedding. It… it really is official now.
Her opinion had evened out to nothing. Hinata had come to accept her fate with Naruto. She felt somewhat guilty for being so ungrateful for what she had been given, but convincing herself to be happy about marrying Naruto was not quite working for her, either.
Would things really be okay?
It would be an underestimation to say that Hinata was a little more than nervous at the wedding. The dress she'd worn was way larger than any she'd previously even seen, and the amount of people staying in Konoha to pay their respects seemed like the whole world to her. In a mere month, Hinata had gone from the poor daughter of a florist… To the Princess of Konoha.
"The princess is a real beauty!"
"I don't think that even a woman born into royalty has been this gorgeous!"
The feedback from everyone had been surprisingly positive, too. Although the issue with "mixed blood" still prevailed, many had begun seeing things from a brighter angle, allowing Hinata to better fit in among society with her new rank. All the people she knew would certainly support her, no matter what their viewpoints were. The ceremony was not much to speak of. It was exactly what one might imagine, silent, almost solemn, stiff, stoic and yet still quite emotional. The priest had spoken the words, some had cried, while some had been sitting without showing even one other expression than respect. Because of the importance of this event, the event had to be translated for some foreign representatives to understand.
The worst part was the kiss.
At first, she had tried to ask him to pretend to kiss her, but was turned down almost immediately by him. Even though she could tell that he wasn't listening to a single word that the priest was saying, Naruto ignored her for the rest of the wait. The words "you may now kiss the bride" had caused so much suspense that three people –all elderly women – had fainted. And when they finally kissed, it was extremely brief and awkward. The only good thing that she'd gotten out of it was that Naruto was not a boy who was very open with his feelings.
After the wedding was complete, Hinata was, according to the contract, given away by her father and given a private room to stay in with Naruto inside the palace. She could only visit her father three times a month due to danger risks.
There had been a lot of crying involved, but it was finally over, and the only things left were the citizen meetings and dinner with the princes.
"Next." Naruto muttered, playing with the silk on the bottom of the throne as he leaned back in it. At his word, a rain-wrinkled farmer stepped up before them and bowed as low as he could before holding out a small bag to them. While Naruto rolled his eyes, Hinata gave him the best smile she could and walked up to the old man to personally retrieve the gift.
"I wish you both the best… I am nothing but a poor farmer, but I want to give you something…"
"Thank you so much." The warmth in Hinata's voice danced mellifluously across the room, reaching even the visitors by the door. "We will consume this with you in mind, kind sir." Holding the bag with potatoes close to her chest, Hinata gave a light bow to the farmer.
A new age had come. The age where perhaps kings and queens would create a bond with their kingdom rather than staying within the walls of the castle and commanding substitutes to receive their gifts in their stead.
The farmer, with tears streaming down his eyes, smiled back at her. His yellow teeth showed slightly as he tried to express how happy he felt. Naruto felt the same. He sat up in his chair and stared at Hinata from behind. She really puts everything into caring for these people whom she has never met.
The truth was, Hinata also wanted to cry. This may have been the absolute worst day of her life, but she couldn't bring herself to weep before the eyes of the people she was now the leader of. I vow to take care of each and every person for the rest of my life.
"Thank you… so much."
"Next!" Yelled a guard. It wasn't the first time he had to cut the visiting time short.
"Do you really plan on greeting every single one of these people like this?" Naruto asked, already tired of it. Hinata nodded, not looking back at him.
"I-it's my duty… A-and I p-plan to ta-take it seriously." Unlike certain people. She thought to herself.
The event continued on, and as promised, Hinata met every visitor with a smile until the very end. The dinner with the princes had to be postpone due to her social behavior. She knew that a dinner together with people like Naruto would be strange and unsettling, but she was given no choice. As long as I can stay from that room as long as possible.
She knew what the wedding night had in store for her, and detested the thought of it. Her deflowering would most likely be littered with pain and screaming, considering the kind of person that Naruto was. Hopefully he would be too tired to deal with her this evening, and the one after that as well. She had even begun to think that having a mistress for such matters could not be that bad.
"Stay away from the bachelors." Naruto muttered, straightening his shirt before the mirror. "They're deviants, and shall you have even a dalliance with them, I will have both him and you beheaded before the entire world." Hinata looked at Naruto with a hint of fright in her eyes. Was he really serious when he said those things?
"I understand…" She replied carefully, so as not to sound ambiguous.
"Good. Then I assume we are ready for the dinner?" Hinata nodded and took Naruto's arm, allowing him to escort her to the dining hall. She was a bit excited to meet boys in her age, seeing as they would almost certainly be as handsome and intelligent as Naruto.
… Or so she thought.
"Where's the food?!" An overweight, somewhat loudmouthed boy rested on a chair outside the dining hall in wait for his first course. His cheeks were round like the rest of his body, and because of the chubby face, his eyes were closed.
"That's Akimichi Choji." Naruto sighed, running a hand through his hair. "He's married to Princess Ino whom you can find talking to Prince Uchiha Sasuke." He glanced suspiciously at her. "Don't fall for anyone, alright?" She blinked and looked at Naruto with a raised brow.
"I promise…" She answered, and Naruto, as if satisfied with her answer, cleared his throat.
"Well, well, if it isn't the married prince of Konoha!" Footsteps were heard, and soon enough, a brown-haired, lively-looking, finely-dressed prince came rushing up the stairs with a small dog after him. "We've been waiting!"
"You're going to scare her." The door opened, and a slumped boy with somewhat long hair walked into the room with a blonde girl behind him. "If your appearance hasn't, already."
"Wow! You're beautiful!" The brown-haired prince ignored the other one and stood before Hinata with little care about Naruto's existence. "No wonder he chose you, you're stunning!" Hinata averted her eyes to the floor, feeling too embarrassed to speak. Naruto tugged her closer to him with a deeply irritated expression on his face. He furrowed his brows and pulled her down the stairs towards the rest of the guests. "Ignore him."
"Welcome everyone." Kakashi opened the room to the dining hall and bowed respectfully. "We have prepared your seating arrangements, so please come in." Everyone entered eagerly, and Hinata tried to find out who everyone was by looking at their name tags. She was, for some reason not placed next to Naruto. Kakashi was probably trying to give her the opportunity to answer any questions personally directed at her.
"Inuzuka Kiba… and…" She looked to the name tag on her right, "Uchiha Sasuke." She had no clue who they were. It seemed as though Naruto had been placed between two women. Finally, she could see what he was like around other girls.
"I'm next to you? This must be destiny!" the brown-haired boy threw himself down in his seat and leaned closer to Hinata. "Hinata, was it?" Now having found out his name, she hurried to speak. "M-must you b-be so cl-close, Pri-prince Kiba…?" His eyes lightened up.
"You stutter, how cute!" Prince Kiba rested his head in his palm while studying her facial features. Hinata attempted to hide her face, but he tugged her chin lightly to get a good look. "You don't look like a peasant…"
"Kiba, I suggest you keep your filthy hands to yourself lest you wish to start a war." The prince immediately released Hinata and laughed nervously.
"Sorry, I got carried away…"
Hinata had failed to notice that the second guest had seated himself on her right side, and did not react until another prince spoke to him.
"Prince Sasuke, how goes the economy within your country?"
"Steady. It seems to slowly be progressing." He took a sip of his wine and let out a sigh. He looks… Sophisticated.
A majority of the princes were –like Naruto- extremely handsome. Their ages ranged from fifteen to seventeen, and the only ones married were Prince Choji, Prince Gaara and Prince Neji, meaning that there were in total only three women present, excluding Hinata. Princess Ino, a beautiful blond girl at the age of fourteen who had been forced into an arranged marriage and did clearly not have even a hint of feelings for her husband Prince Choji. She could not be certain, but it seemed like she was harboring feelings for either Prince Shikamaru or Sasuke. The second, Princess Sakura was unhappily married to Prince Gaara, a cold yet prestigious prince from the southern continent. She was indubitably in love with prince Sasuke. The last Princess was the only one in love with her husband, Prince Neji. He and TenTen had grown up as friends, and because of the resources that their countries could offer, their parents had decided that they could marry. Everyone was so different from Hinata, and even though they were all seated at the very same table, she felt so far away from everything.
The meal was excellent, with a combination between sliced potatoes, ox fillet and red wine sauce gifted by prince Gaara. As the night went on, Hinata learned more and more about the different kingdoms and their leaders. Naruto's was the strongest and the only independent one, while the others relied on different countries in order to have the same possibilities as Konoha.
I don't know who I am anymore… I don't feel like I belong here… Hinata glanced over to Naruto, who was conversing with princess Sakura about the passing of laws and politics, things she had no idea about. It did not seem that Sakura had any idea either, she simply kept nodding and smiling. Is this all women do? Look pretty and agree to everything their men say.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" A low, deep voice spoke to her, causing her to momentarily tense up. She looked to the boy next to her only to see him staring right back at her. Sasuke had kept quiet during the entire meal, but now he spoke, and to her! She didn't really know what to do, or what to say.
"W-well…"
"Leave the room in exactly five minutes." He stood up and left the room without another word. What..? Naruto was looking suspicious, but nevertheless kept talking to his guests.
Finally, the dessert was served and Hinata took her opportunity while everyone was scrutinizing the delicate design to hurry after prince Sasuke. She was both intrigued and worried by his invitation. He body was trembling slightly as she stepped into the cold, open room with nothing but a frozen summer dress on. The lit fire within the dining room had made her forget just how cold the rest of the castle was, and now that it was evening, there was no sun to heat any part of it up.
The raven-haired prince stood, leaning against a pillar with a relaxed expression upon his face. He smirked upon seeing her close the door behind herself with such care, and began walking towards her with calm, slow footsteps.
"We haven't met properly. My name is Uchiha Sasuke." He took her hand in his and leaned down to kiss the back of her hand. Hinata was overcome by surprise and fear of being caught. She knew nothing of the limits. Perhaps meeting him was a bad idea, after all? Naruto had said that a 'dalliance' would lead to execution, but she had no idea what was considered to be a dalliance!
"N-nice… to-to meet you… I-I-"
"Hyuuga Hinata?" He guessed, locking his gaze on her while still leaning down with his lips nearly touching the back of her hand. "You're the talk of the show. Every nation calls you the most beautiful non-royalty to have ever lived, and I must say…" Sasuke kissed the back of her hand again, this time with more feeling. "You live up to it." This is bad… Really bad.
"T-thank you…" Her voice was barely audible, and Sasuke chuckled quietly.
"Are you nervous? Because we are doing something naughty?" She was hit by a clear warning when she felt him push her up against the pillar. He caged her in between two arms and leaned down to level his menacing eyes with hers. "It's exciting, isn't it?" He said, smirking.
Even though their height difference was not all that great, Hinata felt small in contrast to him. His features were not much larger than hers, it was his demeanor, rather, which caused her to feel so. I'm scared… Someone, please… Help me…
She shook her head. I didn't think… That this would happen…
"Why are you disagreeing?" Something wasn't right about this boy, Sasuke. His words just did not seem to match his gestured, and while his mouth may have displayed a smile, his eyes did not. "You can't deny it, can you?"
"Let g-go… of m-me…" All the courage she tried to muster came out as a small squeak, barely reaching Sasuke's ears. He laughed away her confidence.
"I-I a-am married… t-to Na-naruto…" She tried again, but failed.
"You don't love him though, do you?" He said, grinning teasingly. Sasuke grasped her chin and leaned a bit closer, whispering seductively in her ear. "We can have an affair and he wouldn't have to know." Shock and regret overfell Hinata as the words rang out in her ears. She wanted to push him away, but her body wouldn't move!
"S-stop…" She begged.
"That tone won't convince anyone."
"Ge-get away from m-" Just then, her words were cut off by an unexpected kiss. His warmth against her trembling fear did not match well, and she wanted to push him off her, but he was quick to grab her wrists. No matter what she would say, no one could believe that she was trying to resist. H-help me!
A natural instinct, something she'd done before.
She bit his lip. Hard.
He threw himself back, letting go of her, but quickly whipped his arm across her face, causing her to fall to the floor. It was like deja-vu.
"You're not as bad as I thought." From above her, Sasuke grinned, his lip bleeding somewhat fiercly from her bite. "I'll come back for you sometime."
The blood dripped onto the floor, and strangely enough, it was a lot louder to Hinata than it was to anyone else. Sasuke began to walk, and as soon as a guard caught sight of him and asked him what had happened to his lip, he answered: "I bit it while eating the food."
"No…" Hinata whispered, her palms pressed hard against the floor. "No…" She repeated, eyes widening. "I can't take this…" She shut her eyes instead, and pressed her lips into a hard, thin line.
"What might you be doing outside the dining room on this floor?" A familiar voice spoke to her, and she threw her head up to meet Kakashi's gaze. "You're awfully violent, m'lady." He reached a hand out to her, and once she took it, he lifted her off the floor with ease.
"Kak-Kakashi… How did you…" Was all she could say before he'd figured out what the rest of her sentence was and answered.
"I'm always here. Now, let's fix your cheek and get you back inside the dining room. The dessert is delicious."
7,000 words?!
What do you think of the rest of the princes? Unexpected, huh? Any predictions?
REVIEW! Or i'll grant you with pain.