Lavender Roses
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. Unfortunately, update rates will continue to be unpredictable due to my schedule and the fact I have several ongoing stories at the moment. Still, I have no intention of abandoning this story and hope you all enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 10
Sasuke wasn't sure when he dozed off, but he must have. A small noise was enough to jolt him awake and for him to send a kunai flying by the doorway.
"Sasuke, don't you think you're overreacting?" His brother catches the kunai easily. "It's not as though I knew that you were…indisposed."
Wonderful. He was never going to live this down. Sasuke sighs as his eyes drift over Hinata's still sleeping form. He could only hope that somehow she wouldn't wake up during Itachi's interrogation.
"Are you really going to lecture me?" Sasuke snorts, perhaps he could embarrass Itachi out of his room before the bluenette sleeping so peacefully in his arms woke up. "You were 'indisposed' yourself last night. The difference between me and you is that I had the grace to leave once I realized that."
Itachi has gall to smirk. "No, I'm not here to lecture you about spending…quality time with your fiancée. I'm rather relieved that you two are getting along so well actually."
Sasuke twitches. The temptation to Chidori that smirk off his brother's face was nearly irresistible. Though the odds of landing the strike were marginal at best and that would surely wake Hinata up.
It was bad enough that he had to be subjected to such torment. Hinata didn't need to hear his brother's commentary about their love life.
"Good. Then what the hell do you want? Shouldn't you be curled up to your wife about now?" Sasuke shoots Itachi a smirk of his own.
Two could play this game.
"Believe me, I would much rather be indulging in such things than contemplating why my foolish little brother neglected to mention that someone tried to assassinate him last night."
Damn it. Itachi knew. Of course, he knew, though. Almost nothing ever slipped passed his older brother. It was as annoying as it was reassuring.
"I was going to tell you, but you and Kurenai were indisposed." Sasuke scoffs, crossing his arms. "Someone had a Ninja Cat's claws coated in poison and tried to assassinate me. It was easy enough to deal with. I'm perfectly fine. I'm more concerned about the political fallout than worried about my life."
There were very few people who could pose a serious risk to him and as formidable as most Hyugas were, they didn't fall onto that list. Itachi had to know that.
"I'm not terribly reassured by that. Sasuke, you're going to be married to her. The fact that your fiancée's family tried to kill you is most disturbing." Itachi sighs, watching him with wary eyes. "I've already sent the Ninja Cat off to inform Hiashi I've been briefed and why you didn't tell me sooner. He was most perplexed about why I hadn't addressed the matter."
Sasuke grunts in affirmative. If nothing else, Hinata's father was an efficient man. He wouldn't allow something like this to fester. Doing so was simply too dangerous.
Hinata squirms slightly, her eyelids moving. Great. Hinata had heard all of that and was still feigning sleep.
Well, Sasuke wouldn't give her away. "I imagine so. Well, give us a few minutes and we'll head to the Hyuga Estate."
"Alright. I'll tell Kurenai that we'll be leaving shortly." Itachi nods before Flickering off.
As soon as he was gone, Hinata opens her eyes and Sasuke sighs. Dealing with an attempted assassination attempt wasn't how he had hoped to spend this day.
"I'm assuming you heard all that?" He presses a soft kiss to her forehead. "Putting it off will only make things worse."
Hinata nods, her face a peculiar mixture of embarrassment and concern. "You're right. Do you think locks on the door would help at all?"
"No lock is going to keep a competent ninja out who really wants in, but maybe. Itachi does tend to respect privacy. He actually knocked politely on Naruto's door when he attempted to kidnap him." Sasuke snorts at the story his lovable idiot of a best friend had told him. "Itachi is weird like that."
"H-He attempted to kidnap Naruto?" Hinata blinks as she gets out of the bed and throws on her clothes at lightning speed.
Sasuke was definitely going to slaughter Eito. Slowly and painfully. The bastard not only tried to kill him, but he was ruining what could have been a most enjoyable day.
"Once. He was still with the Akatsuki as a secret agent and they were after the tailed beasts." Sasuke shakes his head. "It's okay, though. Naruto is fine and so is Itachi."
He didn't waste any time dressing. There was no point in putting it off any longer.
"I g-guess you're right. I really am sorry about this." Hinata's gaze was awash with guilt. "I knew there would be those who would protest the match, but I didn't think anyone in my family would stoop this l-low."
"It doesn't matter. He'll be punished and that will hopefully be enough to deter the next idiot who thinks that I can be killed so easily." He offers Hinata his hand. "It's insulting really. A Genin could have come up with that plan."
Hinata gives him an incredulous look and a sputter that was intermingled with a giggle. "Sasuke, this is serious."
"Yes, it is serious. A mosquito tried to kill me. He'll be treated accordingly." Sasuke nods guiding her down the stairs. "For now though, we shouldn't keep them waiting."
Scarcely an hour later, Hinata tries not to wince. For such a large Clan, her family had always tilted towards the miraculously quite side. Today though, it had gone from a quiet Clan to a silent one.
Hundreds of people were no on the estate's ground yet, no one made a sound. Not even the children.
"I'm glad you are all here. This is a matter that needs to be addressed at once." Well, except for her father.
Hiashi Hyuga was a model of efficiency. All of the Clan had been gathered shortly after their arrival and now, all eyes were on the Hyuga patriarch as he stood in the center of the courtyard next to the Uchiha Clan and herself.
"LET GO OF ME! YOU KNOW THAT WHAT I DID WAS RIGHT! THIS MATCH IS DISGRACEFUL!" Eito kicks and screams, trying desperately to free himself from Neji's hold, but it was no use.
Her cousin swiftly jabbed his pressure points sinking him to his knees. "Conduct yourself with more dignity. This is your trial. If you wish to plead your case do so in a manner befitting your station."
So much for the quiet.
"How dare you strike me? I am a Main House Member and you are, but a Branch Member." He hisses.
Her feet move on their own before her mind had a chance to catch up. Hianta's hand moved even faster, striking Eito with a near bone crushing intensity. "Neji is a ninja of honor. Branch or Main House makes no difference in this case. He is your superior as is Sasuke. Neither of them attempted to strike down an ally of our Clan by using an innocent Ninja Cat to do their dirty work."
It was far more satisfying to see a trickle of blood stream from his mouth than it should have been.
"Lady Hinata, can you honestly not see that he's already corrupting you? You never would have struck one of your own kin before this farce of an engagement." Eito hisses.
Hiashi's eyes narrow as he closes the gap between them. "You tried to kill her fiancée. You're fortunate all she did was slap you. I wouldn't be opposed to her slitting your throat right now if she desired to do so. You've already admitted your guilt and your actions could have easily triggered a Clan War."
Anger races through Hinata's veins at the knowledge her father was right. This could have easily spiraled out of control.
"You're also fortunate that the Uchihas are holding their tempers. They have more than enough justification to do that and worse." She glares, looking back at Sasuke who was shaking with rage.
Well, at least that's what she thought was happening until his legs buckle underneath him. Sasuke grunts as he falls to the grass, gasping for breath.
"Sasuke!" Hinata races over to him in horror. "What's wrong?"
She couldn't see anything wrong with him and yet, Sasuke was now struggling to breathe. His coughs were turning more bloody.
"Looks like the cat must have nicked you before you picked him up." Eito smirks, even with blood sliding down his chin. "Of course, Sasuke Uchiha wouldn't notice something as trivial as a cat scratch. I knew you'd be immune to most poisons. I did my research, but it seems that even Orochimaru didn't have the foresight to raise your immunity against Summon Poisons."
Itachi darts over to Eito and wraps his hand around his throat in an instant. His eyes red and whirling with fury. "You're going to die. It's up to you whether you die screaming or not. Where can we find the cure?"
Eito smirks. "You're going to kill me anyway. You seem to think that you're word means anything to me. That poison is going to kill him. My only regret is that you aren't going with him. Though at least I can keep your cursed Clan's line away from my own!"
"We need to get Sasuke to the hospital and Eito to Ibiki. He can probe his mind. Make him talk." Hinata lifts Sasuke into her arms. "It's going to be okay. Just hold on a little longer. Lady Tsunade will be able to help and we'll get their cure."
After all, only an idiotic ninja would gather a poison without something to reverse it. There had to be antidote somewhere.
"I'd f-feed him to Aoda if it wasn't animal cruelty." Sasuke's entire body wracks with the vicious cough.
Hinata nods. It was a good sign. "You're right it would be." She Flickers off with him.
The others could handle Eito. Right now, Sasuke needed medical attention. "I'm assuming that Orochimaru made you immune to most kinds of animal venom. It must have been a delayed reaction."
Maybe Sasuke had been immune to whatever animal counterpart the Summon had. That was why he had seemed fine yesterday, Hinata thinks as she rushes into the hospital.
"I NEED A MEDIC. HE'S BEEN POISONED BY A SUMMON!" Hinata had never screamed louder in her life. Not even when Pain killed her, but it was a relief to see Tsunade come running towards her.
"Come with me. Do you know what kind of Summon?" Tsunade watches her with anxious eyes as she leads her to the nearest room.
"No, but we'll find out soon. Eito is going to be interrogated. Please save him." Hinata feels tears running down her cheeks. "This is all my fault. I should have had him looked at after we saw the Ninja Cat."
She probably sounded crazy, but it didn't matter. Sasuke's eyes wser already becoming unfocused as Tsunade places him on a hospital table. Damn it. How could things have gone wrong so quickly?