The Devil Queen
Chapter 4: Burning Bridges
Previously:
Sasuke leaned forward and looked at his adviser seriously and said
"There is this man, named General Naruto Uzumaki. He seems to hold an affection towards her and I'm certain she feels the same way. I want you to find out what is going on between him and Hinata."
Madara snorted and replied
"If you're jealous because of a commoner who became war hero then that's pathetic but, I assure you I will find something. I'm certain that her squeaky-clean image isn't what the people expected it to be."
He does not want to see her as a queen, he will slowly remove the smoke and mirrors in hopes that she will reveal her true self.
Sasuke is certain that he will divulged himself deeper into the mystery of Hinata Hyuga.
December 26, 1936
Winter's Kingdom
Hyuga Estate - Queen's Bedroom
Queen Hinata curled into her bed sheets and glanced at old letters and photographs, crumbled poetry and silly little gifts. A simple book about love and a broken picture frame of her former lover. Hinata inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, how heavy her heart felt after all these years of trying to close off emotion and become strong, emotionless and a perfect puppet for the kingdom, just one man change her world and make her fall apart over and over again.
"If this is about General Uzumaki suddenly showing up at the engagement party, then you're being silly for telling me to invite him." Princess Hanabi leaned lazily at the bedroom door and crossed her arms and continued
"You still love him, don't you?"
Hinata looked at her little sister and replied quietly
"I honestly don't know anymore."
Hanabi frowned surprised to see her sister defeated and confused, she stepped closer and sat down at the edge of the king size bed and murmured
"Do you love Prince Sasuke?"
Hinata uncharacteristically snorted and replied "No, bury me alive and burn me until I turn into dust. It will be impossible to love a vengeful man like him."
"Then why do you have to marry him? You can easily say no and choose Naruto." Hanabi retorted with her tone fierce and haughty, Hinata leaned upwards and pick up the old photographs and replied "Hanabi, you don't really understand what a Queen means. Self-sacrifice is my answer, it is my duty to protect and serve my kingdom. Even if it means marrying the man I despite, even if it means sacrificing my love."
Hinata stood up and placed the letters and pictures back into the lavender box, opened the curtains and looked at the mirror, adjusting her hair and posture morphing back into the Queen the world loved and despise. Looking deeply into the mirror and see perfection written all over, smooths her dress and faking a smile.
Hanabi softly whispered
"You are not the sister I know and loved."
Hinata turned around and walk towards the bedroom door and replied in a hush tone,
"Your sister is long dead once she accepted the position as Queen, she no longer acts and thinks for herself but for the people and the welling being of the Kingdom. You should understand that more anyone Hanabi."
The door closed and Hanabi is left in the bedroom staring at the wall trying to remember who her sister was before she become a monster of power and a Queen of selfishness.
December 26, 1936
Winter's Kingdom
Office of the Prime Minister
"That prince acted upon treason, he shouldn't be inside the Kingdom's premises anymore."
"What an outrage and all our General did was looking like a weeping man?"
"General Naruto is too young and too inexperienced, he should not be the General!"
"Chancellor Orochimaru, we should do something with that incompetent General."
The cabinet members looked at the tall, pale and mysterious man, Chancellor Orochimaru the second in command of the Prime Minister Sarutobi. Orochimaru crossed his arms on his chest and smirked cunningly
"We should not be hasty, I am not the Prime Minister yet. I don't have the power over the Military." His most trusted assistant Kabuto replied "Not yet, once Prime Minister Sarutobi steps down, we will be certain that you will be next in line, Chancellor Orochimaru."
The cabinet members nodded their heads in agreement, the only female cabinet member Tsunade Senju exclaimed
"We are here to talk about the possible economic inflation of our kingdom, not the traitor prince or the incompetence of the General. Have become fools gossiping about royalties?" the room fell in hushed silence, Orochimaru stood up and rolled his eyes and retorted
"We don't care about the possibility for economic inflation Tsunade, we need to focus on the situation now. These people can ruin our Kingdom's image!"
Tsunade stood up and looked at the pale man and replied with the same level of fierceness "Our reputation will be useless if we don't have the resources for our people! The economy might face a great crisis and we only care about grown men weeping? This is an outrage!"
The doors of the cabinet room opened, revealing Prime Minister Hiruzen Sarutobi. He walked inside the room with his hands at his back and inhaled deeply, he sat down at the chair in the middle and said
"We should not meddle with the lives of our Queen and future ally, the Kingdom of Fire. The Winter Kingdom will be protected by us, the cabinet members and the Queen who's sole role is to become the stronghold we need."
The cabinet members looked at the old, frail man, he looks weak but his eyes still hold great wisdom.
"The General, he might be young and won the people's hearts through his bravery but he still has time to grow. As for the people and the economy," He paused and looked at Tsunade's eyes and continued
"We will prosper with a leader who is firmed and focused for the people, not the petty rumors or the desire of a higher position." He glanced at Orochimaru whose smugness turned into a sour frown.
Prime Minister Sarutobi smiled weakly and spoke with great wisdom and gentleness,
"As the leaves gone because of the winter, spring is coming on her way. The Queen is our hope of renewal and rebirth. We put our trust in her, God save the Queen."
The cabinet members declared with the passion for the kingdom and for the people but most importantly for the queen.
"God save the Queen!"
December 27, 1936
Winter Kingdom
Hyuga Estate
"Happy birthday, your Highness."
"Happy birthday our Queen!"
"Blessed birthday, Queen Hinata."
The staff men and women bowed in front of Queen Hinata as they greet her with a wide smile and a jolly laughter, Queen Hinata pleasantly smiled back and thanked them. As she walk towards the garden filled with snow, trekking towards the hidden greenhouse and removed her lavender coat. She stared at the beautiful flowers, roses, hydrangeas, lilies and sunflowers dazzle the gloomy air.
The smiled cheekily and exclaimed
"I know you are here, father."
Hiashi turned around and looked at his beaming daughter, in his hand is freshly picked sunflowers and a frail smile on his face. Hiashi chuckled and replied
"Ah, you found me. I told Ko not to tell you where I'm hiding."
Hinata giggled and sat next to her father, looking at the sunflowers blooming beautifully in the winter season inside the greenhouse, she gently chuckled
"Are you trying to surprise me with sunflowers from my own garden? How frugal of you, former King."
Hiashi smiled with the same tenor of gentleness and replied
"I used to think that you will appreciate lavish parties just like your little sister, but the more you grow the more you look and act like your mother. Kind, gentle and selfless, giving too much for others, for the kingdom and for the people but not think about yourself."
Hinata smiled and murmured "Hanabi thinks like I'm sort of devil. She thinks I'm selfish and spiteful, it almost feels like everything she said is true. The longer I become Queen, the more different I become."
Hiashi shakes his head and replied weakly
"But change is good, change for the kingdom is the best move you can do. Hanabi does not understand self sacrifice more than you do, all she sees is her perspective and what affects her. Hinata, there are some bridges that needed to be burned in order to grow."
Hinata sighed deeply and replied
"Even with my sister?"
Hiashi nodded and replied
"Even your sister and General Uzumaki, some people are stuck in the memories of the past but they forgot to see the importance of present and future."
Hiashi placed the sunflowers on Hinata's hand and he stood up, clutching on his walking stick and murmured
"I don't have much to teach you anymore Hinata, for I am not the king anymore but your father. As your father, I will be there to support you." He leaned forward and patted her head and whispered
"Happy 26th birthday, your highness." He bowed gracefully in front of her and walks out of the greenhouse.
Hinata sat down staring at the sunflower with a heavy heart, knowing that one day she needs to let go of her memories and love for Naruto, even if it hurts her the most.
The Queen's birthday dinner is a simple gathering with her closest friends and some cabinet members, the Prime Minister and his nephew Konohamaru is also present on the party. Champagne is distributed, jazz music played in the background as men and women slow danced beneath the dripping candlelight.
Shikamaru lazily smiled at intense conversation of Neji and his best friend Lee, everyone's heads turned when Princess Hanabi loudly cleared her throat and sat at the piano stool, placing her fingers on the ivory piano keys. The princess looks charming in her seafoam green dress and simple diamond crown perched on top of her soft brown hair, braided into a simple bun and she exclaimed
"Tonight is a celebration of the first Queen of our Kingdom, she changed our lives and molded our kingdom into the finest of all." She paused and exclaimed
"Let us all welcome our majesty, Queen Hinata!"
The doors of the small ballroom opened, revealing the Queen Hinata. Smiling dazzlingly dressed in the finest silk creamy white dress, the crown perfectly placed on her lavender hair, braided into an elaborate design, with diamonds dripping on her neckline and her engagement ring proudly placed on her ring finger, the world knows who she is bounded to be wedded to. As she gracefully walk inside the room, everyone's heads turned and looked at her with awe, the band singing songs of greeting and celebration and Princess Hanabi playing the piano.
The only thing the crowd saw is the perfect image Queen Hinata but not the true side of Hinata.
The crowd raised their glass and exclaimed
"Happy birthday, Queen Hinata!"
All Hinata did is smile, as the camera flashed towards her pretty face, the kingdom, the empire and the world sees a woman with no false pretenses, a woman that makes no mistake. They did not see the cracks and broken pieces hidden deep within her.
December 28, 1936
Hyuga Estate - Queen's Study
Hinata leaned on her plush leather seat and read the paperwork deliver by Shikamaru, a proposal on preparing the kingdom for a possible economic inflation and information regarding other cabinet members by the Chancellor Tsunade Senju. As she flicker the pages of the thick binder a knock coming from her staff interrupted her.
"Your highness, a call from Fire Kingdom."
Hinata glanced at the maid and replied
"Who is it?"
The maid replied "Prince Sasuke, your highness."
Hinata sighed and replied "Connect him in my private line please, thank you."
Hinata picked up her telephone and with a formal tone she said "Is there something you need to speak of, Prince Sasuke?"
A deep chuckle replied to her and a sigh, as Sasuke replied "Why do you sound so formal when you speak to me? Is there something I did wrong?"
Hinata leaned on her plush chair and replied with an annoyed tone "Hardly, you interrupted me while I was busy working."
Sasuke chuckled and replied "I just call to say happy birthday."
Hinata gaped slightly and replied "Oh, I-I thought you needed something."
Sasuke snorted and replied "I don't need anything, I just thought it's good manners to greet a happy birthday to my future wife, even if we just tolerate each other. Plus, I called to ask if my gift for you has arrived."
Hinata chuckled in response "Tolerate? We hardly even care for each other, it's just another royal marriage isn't it?" she flicker through the pages of the binder as she balance the phone on her shoulder and ear, then continues "I haven't received a gift coming from you, but thank you for the greeting. It's very thoughtful of you."
Sasuke paused and replied "Ah, certainly another royal marriage waiting to be down in the drain, I'm sure the press will eat that up." then he continues "I don't want to waste your time, I'm certain that your busy plotting your world domination, your majesty. If you received the gift please do call me."
As Hinata read through the proposal her eyes widen and for a brief second there is a pause then she hastily responded "Yes, I will. Good day Prince Sasuke."
She hung up the phone and stare at the proposal on her desk her mind isn't filled with the distraction Sasuke gave to her but for her kingdom and what may occur in this possible inflation but most importantly the traitors hiding within the cabinet members. She picked up the phone and called the person she least expected to have a conversation with, the first female cabinet member Tsunade Senju.
December 28, 1936
Kingdom of Fire
Sharingan Palace - Study Room
Sasuke sipped his whiskey as he placed the telephone back to it's server, he leaned back and subtly smile, grabbing his tobacco and lit it with his gold lighter, puffing the nicotine out and inhaling the toxic fumes in, his deep baritone voice filled the room as he questioned his guest,
"So, this General Uzumaki you speak of is the Queen's former lover?"
A mysterious voice in the shadows responded with a clipped tone "Yes, they dated while she served as a nurse during the Great War. He was just a corporal that time, he came from the orphanage. No parents, no friends and no family. He was an outcast."
"The how did he become the General so quickly?"
The mysterious man leaned on the shelf and replied "He was a war hero, he protected everyone during the Akatsuki attacks, the same attacks you Prince Sasuke betrayed the empire. But that question is still remain unanswered there are only theories not concrete."
Sasuke grumbled and gripped his glass full of whiskey tighter "If you talk about my betrayal once more, I will personally slit your throat."
The mysterious man chuckled and raised his hands jokingly "I was just kidding, I can give you more information if you want to. I just have one small favor to ask."
Sasuke leaned forward and smirked "Name it and I'll do it."
Stepping out of the shadows is a man wearing round glasses and a maniacal grin "Use your power to persuade the Queen to make me the Prime Minister instead. Orochimaru is a fool thinking that he can outsmart me, when all I do is puppet him around in my advantage." Kabuto smiled as he adjusted his glasses.
Sasuke sipped his whiskey and replied "I'll see what I can do, remember Queen Hinata is not an idiot she knows what you might be up to."
Kabuto nodded and replied "It will be impossible to outsmart her but we can change her mind. All she needs is a little push and maybe I can be the leader and the right-hand man you need to take control over the Winter Kingdom."
Sasuke leaned forward and looked at the chess pieces on his table, the King has been knocked down by the Queen as she rules once more but he is certain he will play the cards right and have the stronghold over her.
December 30, 1936
Hyuga Estate
Garden
Hinata sat on the cold marble bench at the snowy garden, wrapped around the fur coat and mittens on her shivering hands. The snow kissed her full flushed cheeks, Hinata tilted her head up and stare at the gloomy sky, on her lap is the gift Sasuke sent to her. A book about flowers and it's meanings, inside the book is a pressed flower of an orange rose, a rare kind to find in the Winter Kingdom but orange roses are popular at the Kingdom of Fire.
She crumbled the pressed flower and frowned, in front of her is a bonfire. The orange, yellow and red flames flicker harshly on her pale face, a strange sight at the cold winter afternoon. The lavender box filled with old memories of her former lover General Uzumaki, photographs, pictures and gifts are next to her. Her most trusted adviser Shikamaru walk towards the shivering queen and asked
"What are you doing, your highness?"
Hinata frowned and whispered with harshness "I just met with Tsunade," Shikamaru hesitantly asked "And how was it?"
"Terrible."
Hinata sneered, she opened the lavender box and tossed the love letters on the bonfire, seeing the letters burn into ash. As the queen continues "There shall be no trace between my relationship with Naruto and I, if I need to burn everything into dust I will not hesitate."
Shikamaru frowned and replied "This is impulsive for you Hinata, why are you doing this?"
Hinata continues to toss the pictures, gifts, letters into the fire and continues "There is a snake within the members of the cabinet, anyone of them will expose my relationship between Naruto and me, I'm doing this to protect him. The people already doubted his capabilities, I don't want them to think he got the position because he used to sleep with the Queen."
Shikamaru nodded and casually replied "But aren't you doing this for yourself as well? You want to protect your pristine image so much that you will go all lengths just to do it, even burning bridges?"
Hinata threw the last remnants of the box into the fire including the orange rose Sasuke gave to her and she spun around and glared harshly at Shikamaru "I'm doing this because I want to, I don't need your knowledge and reasoning to know that what I'm doing is right or wrong. If I were you, stay out of my personal life and do your duty as the royal adviser not as my therapist."
Hinata frowned even deeper and walk back towards the estate, she is settled to do this even if it breaks her.
December 30, 1936
Winter's Kingdom Military Office - Northern Division
"General Uzumaki you have a guest."
Naruto looked up from his piles of paper works and nodded in an exhausted manner, he sips a bottle full of bourbon and nodded
"Yes, bring them in."
He looked down and heeled steps echoed inside the room and a voice as clear as day pulled Naruto out from his foggy mindset. In front of his is the woman he loved, the woman who broke his heart and he is willing to let her break his heart over and over again just to have her back into his life.
Queen Hinata Hyuga stood in front of him with a thin line on her lips and she whispered
"Naruto, I need to speak to you."
AN: I'M BACK! Well not really haha I'm so sorry for not updating this story :( I was so busy working and studying at the same time.I haven't abandoned this fanfic yet, I have another SasuHina prompt idea on my mind but I wasn't 100% sure about it yet. Someone asked me if I abandoned Blind Date & honestly, I feel so uninspired on finishing it:( A lot of people requested to have Hinata's perspective & it's clearly shown that she is still confused & unsure about herself and her position as Queen. More SasuHina moments in the next chapter (no Naruto bashing in this fanfic! He will rise up and fight for Hinata's love)
Thank you for reading!