Author's Notes: Yes, I haven't updated As Far As Innocence Goes. Shoot me, I have a writer's block. So instead, I decided to insert a sort of "Side Story Oneshot". Mangakas do it, so I'll dabble in this guilty pleasure and do the same. This piece was originally a DateMe entry. I know I told clockwork I wasn't doing one. But I'm using this as incentive for college apps and to update my other stories.

This is not polished enough for me to publish it as a seperate oneshot. Hence, it will be placed here to hopefully tide all of you over until I actually get around to finishing Chapter 13 of As Far As Innocence Goes.

Prompt: Fairytale

Inspiration: The Ch'i-lin Purse, Chinese folk story

Pairings: Itahina

Warning: Alternate Universe, also extremely Hinata-centric. Surprisingly realistic—I wouldn't call this angsty but… it's definitely not all rainbows and stars. Featuring an older, wiser Hinata. Originally it was meant to be Sasuhina but it kept verging on Itahina much to my great distress. I finally just let it go… and ended up much happier because of it.

Oh my god…O_O I can't even control my inner impulses anymore.

I'll do something else for DateMe.

Disclaimer: Not Mine

Dedication: All the nice people of narutofan. Bjorkubus, SunnyLore, clockwork, etc.

The Chi'-Lin Purse

Forced into an arranged marriage she did not want, Hyuuga Hinata quietly resolved that if she wasn't going to be happy at least someone was. Who knew giving away a part of her dowry to a poor unknown bride would have such long term ramifications?

"Halt."

Obediently, the procession stopped. Although the guards glanced at each other curiously, they knew better than to question the strange demands of their mistress. Only the captain had the nerve to sidle up the hua-chiao.

"Who is it weeping outside?" Her voice was soft, and although it was difficult to hear her above the pounding rain, her words were clear enough.

"Hinata-sama?"

Hinata narrowed her eyes before she reached out and pushed aside the curtains of her hua-chaio.

"Hinata-sama!" Neji murmured disapprovingly. To have the bride show her face before the ceremony was considered bad luck. At that moment, Hinata could care less however—to have someone crying on her wedding day (even if she herself felt like crying) was even worse luck (if such a thing could be possible).

"Who is weeping outside?" She demanded, no louder, but far firmer.

Neji sighed. When she had that tone of voice it was useless arguing with her.

"Let me check." He vanished with all the elegance of a well-trained shinobi, acting utterly ignorant of the downpour that plastered his hair to his neck. Not for the first time, Hinata envied her cousin's easy and natural grace.

"How coincidental. It's another bride," Neji said dryly.

Hinata inclined her head. "Why is she weeping, Neji-nii-san?" Not that Hinata couldn't imagine a few good reasons—arranged marriage being one of the more prominent ones that floated to the front of her mind.

Neji gave her a look. Hinata flinched at his critical gaze but remained steadfast. At this point, she was beyond caring and had only her curiosity to keep her spirits up. After yet another long moment, he sighed and vanished.

He returned promptly enough.

"The bride is crying because she has no dowry to give to her family," Neji said tolerantly. "Now may we proceed?"

Hinata tilted her head in contemplation and bit her lip. Neji narrowed his eyes in response as he warily watched her expression.

"Give her my Chi'-lin purse," she said abruptly, reaching out to hand over a marvel of silk purse. Although the base color was red, it was embroidered with so many gold dragons and phoenixes and real rubies that even in the low light the cloth glittered.

"Hinata-sama," Neji said in a strained voice as he reached out to hold the purse. Not only was the purse itself notoriously expensive, judging by its weight, it no doubt held a generous amount of jewels of inestimable worth. Although it wasn't part of her official dowry, it was nothing, nothing trifle to just give away. Tradition always stated that the bride received a Chi'-lin purse, and despite the Hyuuga's many faults, they were not ungenerous.

"Neji." She rarely called him by his first name only, but when she did he was always more inclined to obey.

Even after all that, Neji was still inclined to argue, but even he could not resist the look in her eyes. Neji mutely nodded and began to turn away. As he walked in the direction of the other hua-chiao, he thought he heard Hinata say:

"At least someone should be happy today."

There was little Neji could say to that.

The bride immediately brightened when he tossed her the purse. By the time he reached Hinata-sama's side again, the girl's sobs had stopped. Hinata gave a small smile that was vastly different from the tight smile she had earlier of dread and trepidation.

"Let us go," she said quietly. The guards obeyed. Neji soon tossed the unknown poor bride out of his mind. There were other things to worry about, such as Hinata's unknown fiancé.

He was a daimyo, and he was handsome, young, and well-meaning. He was also blonde and blue-eyed. For all logical reasons, she should be ridiculously in love with him (he was the epitome of Prince Charmings) but—

He treated her like an interesting pet (How interesting, a real live kunouchi!) who played with shruiken and kunai to please her masters, and she hated him.

So this is what it means to be a trophy wife.

However, he was also powerful and rich and an ally Konoha and the Hyuuga clan needed. Sacrificing her happiness seemed paltry in comparison to the greater good.

Thankfully, the wedding was postponed for a whole year. The fortune tellers had stated such an important marriage had to be done on a specific auspicious date. For once in her life, Hinata thanked the gods for capricious fortune tellers and her superstitious future mother-in-law. If it meant extended freedom away from the man's fingers and lustful eyes, she was willing to pray to the god of doormats.

So far away from home, with only a loyal Neji to keep her company, Hinata felt her loneliness keenly. Not for the first time she wished she had been strong enough to fight the powers of the Elders for forcing such a marriage on her—but every time such a thought occurred, she squashed it viciously. She had chosen to accept this burden. The Elders had mentioned it, had strongly encouraged it, but ultimately in the end it was she who said yes.

If it kept Hanabi from the curse seal, she was willing to do anything.

It made her feel a little braver, especially every time she felt terrified at the strange eyes that roved her back and judged her. Shinobi-bred, shinobi-born, shinobi-raised, Hinata had never spent extended amounts of time in a civilian society. Although she was nobility, nothing prepared her for the excesses of being a daimyo's wife.

Being a daimyo's wife meant having maids who attended to her every need, and although she was a noble by shinobi standards and had maids before, even the shinobi nobility had known how to dress themselves! Apparently, it wasn't such a case for daimyos. The maids were all of highborn civilian families, and Hinata dared not fire one for fear of angering someone important, even when all the maids (angry that they had not been chosen for the illustrious position of such a handsome daimyo's wife) played horrible pranks with the same maliciousness that would make any shinobi interrogator proud.

Neji couldn't well protect her from her own female companions. Even the dark tales of shinobi could not protect her from the jealousies of vain ladies whom had never seen a true shinobi in action and viewed the whole profession as something like a butler, to act at their every call and whim.

Never mind the act was killing.

Her days, once spent training how to break even the tallest and strongest men, were now relegated to embroidery and the inner gardens. Beautiful yes—but a prison with devilish criminal inmates.

It took her two months before something in her finally cracked.

"Go away."

Like always, it was said softly but there was an underlying edge of steel in her voice.

"Excuse me, Hyuuga-sama?" one of the maid (the one who had tore her favorite sash in secret) asked with faux innocence.

"Go away. I can dress and wash myself."

"But Hyuuga-sama, it would not be proper—" the maids tittered, even as they hid malicious smiles behind their sleeves. Trust such shinobi trash to come up with such barbaric ideals!

Hinata narrowed her eyes and her Byagukan manifested subconsciously. The maids all flinched; they had heard the tales, but nothing had prepared them for such a grotesque sight.

For once, Hinata did not feel ashamed at their barely veiled disgust. Instead, she felt pride and almost vindictive joy. If they were going to think of her as lowly shinobi trash, then so be it.

The sound of metal scraping on metal was cringe-worthy. But it wasn't the only thing that made the maids suddenly freeze.

To be sure, the sudden killing aura probably had something to do with it too.

I've killed more people than you'll care to know.

Despite the makeup and the young virginal body, Hinata was a kunoichi and she'll be damned if they didn't remember that.

"I said… I can dress and wash myself," Hinata enunciated quietly as she carelessly, almost flippantly twirled two kunai on her right hand. The maids all drew back as one.

For a moment they looked as if they were to argue. But when Hinata threw in a third kunai, they all quickly backed away. Somehow, Hinata could not resist chuckling as they fluffed away angrily like ruffled hens. For the first time, she could enjoy soaking in a bath in piece.

"You look… relaxed Hinata-sama," Neji said later that day.

"I am relaxed," Hinata agreed gaily. Although her cousin gave her suspicious look, he did not delve further.

Ironically enough, her fiancé thought the whole episode was amusing and doted on her more than ever, even going as far as to pet her head like a pet, much to both her and her maids' shared disgust.

"You look so much like a doll." He was so close his breath ghosted her cheek.

Yes, he was handsome. He had blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes, just like Naruto-kun. However, while her Naruto-kun sparkled with honesty and goodwill, this man sparkled with deceit and malevolence.

A Hinata of yesterday might have even fainted at this man's bold actions. However, the Hinata now calmly took the whole manner in stride. Hyuuga Hinata was more than just a disgusted girl—she was also a kunouchi , and a kunouchi who knew how to be deceitful. So, she carefully stowed away her true emotions and let only a maidenly blush pepper her cheek even as his hands played with her obi in a dangerously familiar manner. Something in her told her that this man had plenty of experience unraveling complicated obi and kimono.

Hinata wasn't one to disregard her instincts.

"Milord, it isn't appropriate," she murmured shyly even as her hands gently but firmly guided his hands away from her clothing.

"How cute and innocent you are," he marveled. He didn't seem too nonplussed by her casual rejection. They both knew it was only a matter of time anyway.

Hinata flirtatiously flicked open a fan and daintily hid her disturbed gaze away from his lustful one.

The man's subsequent laughter sounded eerily like Naruto's but it had none of Naruto's sunshine. Hinata inwardly mourned. No matter what happened, the daimyo probably would ruin her opinion on blonde hair and blue eyes forever.

"Run Hinata-sama!"

Who would have possibly known that the daimyo would have been busted for corruption just two days before the already-rescheduled-wedding?

Kami-sama, there really was someone up there listening to her prayers!

"Hinata-sama!" Hinata barely dodged the incoming kunai in time.

Well, the assassins that the angry debt collectors (and various other men the daimyo had blackmailed in the past) had sent did complicate matter slightly. Still, this was something familiar to Hinata, and she couldn't help reveling in the thrill that raced up her spine, or drowning in the heady rush of freedom.

"Hinata-sama!"

Oh dear, the assassins had set the house on fire. Such a shame, because it really was a nice house even if the inhabitants had acted otherwise.

Hinata hissed as a wall suddenly came crashing down, separating her from Neji. She activated her Byagukan, but the heat of the fire made it difficult for her to track down Neji's specific charka signature.

"Just run Hinata-sama!"

Hinata hesitated for a brief moment—and then ran. While the Hinata of yesterday may have been preoccupied with noble sentiments, the Hinata of today was far more pragmatic and practical. She knew in the larger scope of things her life was more important than Neji. But more importantly, she trusted Neji to get out of the situation alive.

Trust was a very adult concept that Hinata only recently understood, especially in a devious, cold, seething, plotting daimyo court where trust was a rare commodity.

In the end, the fire had spread shockingly fast. The assassins had also made quick work of the servants and the surrounding villages. Hinata couldn't help but disapprove of such senseless killing, however it did help sour public opinion against the disgraced daimyo.

Now that she was suddenly left adrift in a foreign place that was disturbingly close to Cloud Country, Hinata bolted. She dared not advertise her heritage and bloodline out of fear of bounty hunters and other opportunists that were all too eager to relieve her of her Byagukan eyes. She had no money or possessions except for the clothes on her back. Although they were of high quality, the ash from the fire had dulled its silken glory thankfully. If it had been left in a pristine condition, she would have been a target for all kinds of merciless thugs.

As civil war erupted (for the daimyo was heirless), Hinata found herself swept up with the rest of the refugees. She fled. Where to, she wasn't sure, but she was constantly on the move. She moved to the next area frantically, moving out of Cloud territory and into Sound territory.

For the first time, Hinata understood hunger.

Hunger was such a strange pain. It wasn't like any of the mortal wounds Hinata had in the past. Those pains had been of an erratic nature, alternating between numbness and spiking horror depending on her natural endorphin rush or the morphine on hand. Unfortunately, hunger wasn't a pain that endorphins could numb.

As she stood in line for free porridge at a shack sponsored by one of the local rich families, Hinata couldn't help but marvel at the remarkable turn of fates. One moment she had been the bejeweled bride-to-be of the daimyo himself. The next moment she was like any other refugee on the street with her hair and skin (once hailed family treasures) cracked and matted with mud and grime along with her distinctive white eyes masqueraded as a dull brown by an increasingly-difficult-to-maintain jutsu.

Hinata was exhausted, weary, and sick of looking at all the poor starving people like herself.

When it was finally her turn, Hinata brightened at the sight of porridge in her bowl. True, it wasn't anything like the porridge she was used to, but it was food. Her dirty fingers were already reaching to raise the gruel to her mouth (who cared about chopsticks and spoons) when she heard the porridge-man tell the woman behind her that they had ran out of porridge.

"Sorry, please come back tomorrow," the man said brusquely.

Hinata paused and the hesitantly turned to look at the sobbing woman who held the hand of a young girl with big eyes and straight dark hair.

She looked like Hanabi.

Although her stomach was screaming and although she was dying for even a soldier pill, Hinata reached out and emptied her porridge into the woman's bowl and wordlessly walked away. She did not stop to look back even as the woman called out praises and thanked her profusely.

Even underneath all the dirt and grime, she was a Hyuuga (damnit) and she was a kunouchi of Konohagukare.

She tensed as she felt someone run after. Resolving not to answer, she quickened her pace.

But the person was faster, and Hinata couldn't afford to waste chakra. The jutsu she had to hide her eyes was wearing away at her strength far too fast as it was.

"Young lady!"

It was the porridge man.

"I don't understand. Why did you give away your porridge—are you not hungry?" he inquired curiously.

Hinata felt her lips tighten irritably and couldn't help but look resentfully at the man's obviously well-fed physique. Even amidst all the chaos, it was always the wealthy who survived. Sure, Konohagukare was a village whose main currency was death, but as far as political disasters went, they were largely removed from their surroundings. Skilled murderers were always in high demand after all, no matter what economic climate.

"I am hungry," Hinata answered quietly. "But I am young and I can stand hunger a bit longer." She ignored the headache that throbbed at her temples and the jutsu that continued to drain away at her strength.

"You are very unselfish." Hinata pursed her lips. Was this what he had flagged her down to tell her? She opened her mouth to give a quick, insincere thanks, but he held up a hand quickly.

"I would like to help you. My master, Uchiha Fugaku, is looking for maids. If you are interested, I would be happy to recommend you."

Hinata's eyes widened. Uchiha!

The Uchiha had once lived in Konoha like their cousins, the Hyuuga. Although Hinata wasn't clear about the exact details, she knew some political decision or another had driven the Uchiha out. Although they still retained distant ties with Konoha, they were for the most part aloof. Uchiha was to the newly established Otogakure what Hyuuga was to Konohagukare. They bowed to no one anymore.

Although the Hyuuga in her rebelled at the name (she had been brought up with the name equating profanity. The Hyuuga viewed the Uchiha as nothing but traitors, the whole lot of them) she readily agreed.

She was starving and cold, and her family were many miles away.

She may be a Hyuuga, but Hinata was a kunouchi first and she demanded survival.

"That would be… very kind of you," she replied weakly.

How fateful her words would prove to be.

"What is your name?"

"H… Hito K-Kureani…" she weakly replied. It had been the name of her Jounin-sensei and she'd made up her surname on the spot.

"You are allowed to go anywhere you like except for the Pearl Hall. It is a sacred place. If you go there, you will be dismissed immediately. Do I make myself clear?" Fugaku had boomed. Hinata could do nothing else but meekly acquiesce.

Although the Uchihas were just as numerous as the Hyuuga, and their house was just as stately and awe-worthy as the Hyuugas, they were… different.

The move from Konoha had rid the Uchiha of the pride issues that Hyuuga had and they were a far more practical people. Here, in the Sound As a whole, the family was far more closely-knit than the Hyuuga were. It was amazing, considering how much political and economic power they had amassed in such a short time. They had even overthrown the previous Kage (a certain Orochimaru, so Hinata was told) and had installed one far more aligned with the interests of the people. The servants always murmured about the miracle of the Uchiha's success; Hinata ignored it as she always did.

She had far more pressing concerns to worry about—such as a certain young master.

Originally, she had assigned to caring for Uchiha Sasuke's laundry. Although it had been a chore that she was (for many obvious reasons) quite unfamiliar with, she learned it quickly enough and although the work was laborious it was really nothing compared to her old shinobi training.

Oh, if only she hadn't opened her mouth—!

She had been carrying laundry to Sasuke-sama's room when she had happened to glance at the scroll on the wall. Out of idle curiosity, she had paused to read it. Some part of her didn't quite register that the scroll had been written in elegant kanji of the educated nobility and that maids of her stature generally didn't know how to read such elevated language. Like she always did, she read the poem softly underneath her breath, relishing the beauty of the words.

Too late, she felt eyes boring into her back.

She whipped around hastily and her eyes widened at Itachi's gaze.

"Uchiha-sama!" she gasped, almost dropping her basket. Not bothering to wait for a reply, she scurried out of the room, telling herself she'll put the clean clothes in later. If she'd waited a moment, she would have seen the speculative look in his dark eyes.

Hinata thanked the gods that he did not attempt to question her. After a heart-stopping twenty-four hours, Hinata consoled herself that he had forgotten.

What a fool she was. Uchiha Sasuke might have overlooked her slip due to his preoccupation with other matters—but Uchiha Itachi was another matter entirely. Even when he was busy with politics, shinobi duties, et cetera, he wasn't about to let such an amusing matter go.

I suppose that was the mark of all evil-inclining geniuses.

She didn't know what happened exactly, but suddenly she was shaken awake one day by the housekeeper and given a new uniform that was slightly nicer than her old one—and then told she was to become Uchiha Itachi's personal maid.

Hinata had seriously considered bolting at that moment; however, she had a comfortable life here and although she would love to return to Konohagakure, she wasn't sure how whether her return would jeopardize Hanabi's position as heir. While she didn't want Hanabi to have the curse seal, she certainly didn't want to be branded with it either.

Besides, she'd said her goodbyes quite some time ago.

In the end, she'd gone with the flow and quietly accepted being a personal maid. It was a step higher than her original position and besides… she'll just be more watchful from now on.

However, regardless how watchful she was, there was some things you couldn't conceal, especially from the eyes of Uchiha Itachi.

It was in the way she used her chopsticks.

It was in the way she bowed.

It was in the way she seemed to instinctively knowing all the political protocol.

It was in the way her eyes gleamed when she watched them spar.

To her credit, it was all subtly done and no one the wiser would have suspected her to be anything more than an educated merchant's daughter. However, even merchants' daughter didn't have quite the grace and class she moved it. It was a marvel she had managed to go incognito for so long—however she did have a tendency to fade into the background when she wanted to.

Still, there was no mistaking the aristocratic tilt of her nose and cheekbones. And that interesting jutsu around her eyes…

It was all so interesting.

Oh dear. Sasuke seemed to be a preoccupied with the maid as well.

"Focus, otouto." Sasuke just barely managed to dodge Itachi's punch. He couldn't dodge Itachi's kick however, and ended up sprawled on the floor.

"Ugh," Sasuke grunted as he flipped back onto his feet, rubbing his smarting head.

"Although the maid is indeed, attractive, that shouldn't be enough to make you lose your focus otouto," Itachi lightly scolded.

"I am not distracted!" Sasuke shot back irritably. Itachi raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" he said smoothly.

"I'm just interested why you keep looking at her," Sasuke scowled. Itachi barely resisted the urge to twitch.

"Foolish otouto," Itachi said automatically, even as he inwardly scolded himself for being so obvious.

"By the way, where's okaa-san?" Itachi said carefully.

"Praying at the Pearl Hall… as usual."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes impetuously at Itachi's attempt to change the conversation. Before Itachi could stop him, he threw a senbon in the maid's direction.

Itachi kept himself from grabbing the senbon out of the air. Although it was, admittedly dangerous, Sasuke had aimed a safe two inches away. There would be no harm done… and Sasuke had thrown at her blind spot. A civilian wouldn't even realize it.

Somehow though, Itachi wasn't too surprised to see the maid grab the senbon out of midair with what could be nothing else but shinobi reflexes, surprise registering on her face.

"An assassin," Sasuke hissed loudly, already jumping to conclusions. Itachi was just fast enough to restrain the boy before he went flying at the maid with kunai and shruiken.

The girl's eyes widened. Unsurprisingly, she spun away, chakra already flaring at her heels.

Aw damnit. Stupid, foolish otouto. Itachi sharply knocked Sasuke's head with a knuckle, causing the boy to fall unconscious. It wouldn't do if the boy started calling for the guards and raising all hell.

If there was one characteristic Itachi wholly embodied, it was the need to deal with everything himself. It was a flaw most of the time due to his need to micromanage everything, but at times it was quit ea commendable trait.

Besides, despite his love for Sasuke, Itachi knew the boy could be… vehement at times.

Chakra spiking at his heels, Itachi gave chase.

Hinata had been a very good kunouchi. But she hadn't trained seriously for quite some time, and even at top form she had been no match for Itachi's speed.

She couldn't have run further than two hundred meters when she was grabbed and then slammed into the wall so fast the pain didn't even register until several seconds later. By the time the pain came, she had been dragged into a shaded corner that ensured privacy.

She whimpered as the back of her head throbbed. But before the whimper had fully left her mouth, she clamped her mouth shut.

Damnit, she was a kunouchi!

Hinata narrowed her eyes. However, it was difficult to look nonchalant when both of your arms had been grabbed and held above you and a male body was pressed so close that it was difficult to tell where her shirt began and his ended.

"Who are you?"

She did not shiver at his low voice, but she did twitch. She did not go dizzy at his distracting scent (so overpoweringly male), but her nose did flare. She did not cringe away from his chest that was pressed against hers, but that was because her back was against an unforgiving wall.

What drove all thought away from Hinata's mind were the red eyes that were boring into her own. Vaguely, she registered a handsome face, but that was all insignificant in comparison to those terrifying red eyes.

He leaned closer, if that was even possible. His noise was just a hairsbreadth away from hers and she was blinking so furiously she bet he could feel the small wind she generated.

"Remove the jutsu from your eyes," he ordered, voice velvet soft and dangerous.

Goodness, she could feel his warmth from the top of her head down to her toes.

Hinata's first reaction was to comply, but she resisted at the last moment. Her eyes narrowed and she glared back as her teeth clenched aggressively. She may be utterly caged but she had not surrendered.

He looked amused for a moment before his red eyes swirled.

Hinata didn't know what he did, but she literally felt the jutsu peel away. She instinctively closed her eyes; but from the way his shoulders tensed and his sudden prickly aura, she knew he had seen the tell-tale whiteness.

Crap.

"A Hyuuga… and an unmarked one." His breath ghosted over her cheek. This time, all bravery flew out the window and she gave a full-blown cringe.

"What is a Hyuuga doing here?"

She didn't know what, but suddenly her mouth was babbling and her voice was moving so fast it was a marvel he even understood any of it. But somehow, by the time she ended her spiel he had released her and given her the necessary space she needed. Hinata could not resist giving a sigh of relief.

"Interesting."

Hinata looked at him fearfully.

"S-so… may I stay?" her voice cracked.

She did not want to return to wandering the world alone and friendless again. She did not want ever want to feel hungry again. Although the Uchiha house was austere it was warm in ways that Hyuuga house had not been and she had made a comfortable life for herself in Otogakure.

Hinata used to have romantic dreams of living a life in total freedom--no longer. If there was something Hinata prized above all else now, it was security and stability.

Itachi didn't know which was more amusing: her terrified face or her request.

A Hyuuga, an unmarked Hyuuga, wanting to stay a maid? It was preposterous. Itachi wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it himself. Well, just goes to show you, even geniuses could be surprised once in a while.

"Do you care for your sister that much?" he couldn't help asking.

The girl, who couldn't have been much older than his brother, screwed her face with a stubbornness he could recognize.

"I would do anything," she answered steadily.

Itachi could sympathize.

"Very well."

Her elated face was characteristically un-Hyuuga like. But Itachi was already beginning to suspect this girl was perhaps the antithesis of everything Itachi knew about Hyuuga. Surprisingly enough, Itachi found himself almost amused by the whole affair rather than irritated.

Can you imagine? A Hyuuga hiding out at the Uchiha?

It must all be some divine joke.

Besides Sasuke, who had been told the bare minimum, Itachi had been careful to keep the true identity of "Hito Kurenai" a secret. Partly because it was safer, but also partly because some small part in him wanted to be the only one who knew the whole truth.

It was a selfish wish, and Itachi spent many a night wondering about his strange desires.

The Hyuuga girl was, for lack of a better term, odd. She never failed to surprise him at random intervals; there was an unpredictable-ness about her that he suspected was brought upon by a rare case of self-consciousness (shinobi generally lacked that moral factor) and an open outlook in life that hard life had brought. In some cases, she was still hopelessly naïve, but in other cases she had eyes that were worldlier than they ought to be.

Life progressed as it should—up to a certain point.

One moment she had quietly brought him tea as he watched the sunset from his personal veranda. The next moment, she had one hand cupping his cheek and suddenly there was a strange pressure on his lips. His heart and stomach did interesting jumps and leaps.

Only Itachi's shinobi training gave him enough fortitude to push the tea aside. Then he could focus on kissing her back properly.

To her credit, Hinata honestly did not ever expect to kiss Uchiha Itachi. Never, ever, ever.

However, sitting on the veranda, hair ruffling in the wind, sun causing his skin to almost glow, he had been practically irresistable. True, he wasn't blonde or blue-eyed. His voice certainly didn't chirp and he didn't shout heart-warming mottos. However, somehow, Hinata decided she liked Itachi all the same. More importantly, she trusted Uchiha Itachi.

How interesting.

Their relationship never progressed beyond mostly chaste kisses and the occasional caress. However, even that was utterly unacceptable in the eyes of a certain Fugaku Uchiha.

Apparently, they hadn't kept the fact she was a Hyuuga as hidden as they thought they did.

Hinata gracefully flipped off a railing and onto a roof, dodging a shower kunai as she did so. In the distance, she could sense Itachi's frantic pulsing chakra that was growing progressively stronger every second—but even then it was no use. The whole clan had pretty much bonded together as as one to restrain him and unless he wanted to seriously hurt his brother and father, Itachi was held down as neatly as if they had shackled him. Meanwhile, Hinata dodged enraged guards. Truth to be told, she was getting tired and terrified.

Blind with desperation, she ran toward the one compound she had never entered under strict orders.

Well, since her masters were determined to kill her, she guessed their rules were pretty much moot anyway.

The Pearl Hall was empty save for an altar, two candles, and several incense sticks. Hinata could tell from a whiff that the incense sticks were the best that money could buy. The whole hall was marbled and utterly pristine. Hinata would have continued onwards if something hadn't caught her eye. Where people generally placed wooden name-tablets, there sat her Ch'i-lin Purse!

Hinata could not help but halt and wander over. For a moment, she forgot about the guards chasing after her and her sticky predicament. Instead, she found herself trembling as she reached out to touch the purse. Although it was associated with ugly memories, she could see the distinctive Hyuuga symbol embroidered in the center. Unknowingly, a tear ran down her face. She had not cried for a long time.

Despite her reminisces however, nothing could dull the shocking feeling of cold metal placed on one's neck.

"What are you doing here?"

Hinata tensed before she slowly turned her head to face an angry-looking Mikoto Uchiha. Mikoto Uchiha was usually a very soft-spoken person, but Hinata could tell from the way she held her knife that marriage hadn't softened her shinobi skills.

"I…I…" she sputtered.

"Why are you crying?" Mikoto asked in muted amazement.

Hinata, too stunned to say otherwise, blurted out, "Because I saw the purse that once belonged to me."

The kunai was instantly withdrawn. "Where are you from?" Mikoto demanded, a tremble in her voice as she sat down on a chair that leaned against a long table.

"I am from Konohagukare…"

"Bring her a stool," Mikoto suddenly ordered her handmaiden.

"Ma'am, the guards outside…"

"Never mind them," she said brusquely. The maid quietly obeyed and placed the stool to Mikoto's right.

"You may sit down." Hinata, bewildered, sat down.

"What is your name… your real name," Mikoto stressed.

Hinata hesitated before she shakily answered. "Hyuuga Hinata."

"When did you last see this purse?"

"On the eighteenth day of the sixth moon… almost two years ago now."

"Bring her a chair and put it to my left," Mikoto ordered. Hinata blinked when she was told to move to that chair, surprised to see herself treated as a guest of honor. Well, that was a sudden jump from being chased down as a felon for 'seducing' the Uchiha heir.

"Tell me how you lost the purse," Mikoto said, far more gently now.

"It was… a gift from my family. My wedding precession was a bit delayed on the road due to the storm. Next to my hua-chiao, there was another one with a bride crying in it."

"Move her chair to the middle and move mine to the right side," ordered Mikoto. The chairs were dutifully switched, and once again Hinata was told to sit down. Stunned, Hinata found herself sitting in the middle seat—the place of the highest honor.

"Please continue," Mikoto said.

"I gave the bride my purse. I never saw it again… and I have no idea how it got here."

Mikoto's eyes widened and her lips parted. "So you are our mysterious benefactor…"

"Excuse me?" Hinata asked hesitantly.

"The bride you gave the purse to was to be married to Itachi's cousin. They had married out of love, so the family situation had been a bit unbalanced. Our family had disapproved, but I thought her skill as a shinobi had made up for her background. When she arrived she handed me this purse as a way of thanks. When I opened the purse, I found it full of valuables, including this." Mikoto opened the purse and drew out a large piece of jade. "As you know, when we left Konoha, our wealth was quite lacking. After pawning the jewels, we were able to regain our wealth and then some. Later, I reclaimed the jade and kept it in the purse ever since. We built the Pearl Hall to house the purse… and to honor you."

"I knew you were probably living along the Cloud-Country border when that diamyo situation broke out. At the time, we prayed day and night, hopping Kami would protect you from harm. I was sincerely hopping that one day we would be able to show you our gratitude. And here you are a personal maid of my son!"

Hinata was speechless as Mikoto placed the purse and the jade in her hands. So stunned was she, she barely heard the loud clamoring outside.

"Tell the guards to stand down," Mikoto ordered sharply before turning toward Hinata.

"You better run and hope Itachi hasn't seriously hurt himself yet," Mikoto said with a small smile.

The girl could not run fast enough.

In the end, they had all survived the near disaster save for a few broken bones and a few realizations. Although Fugaku was recalcitrant, he melted under both his wife's assurances and Itachi's steady glare. Itachi had came scarily close to doing something they would all regret and Fugaku didn't want to tempt fate by going against both his wife and his eldest son. Itachi and Mikoto were a potent mix that even Fugaku was reluctant to cross.

Ultimately, Hinata was given Uchiha leave to properly date their elder son, although judging by Mikoto's chortling and sketches of bridal kimono, there was really no question how "happily-ever-after" went.

While Sasuke was still slightly confused at the whole situation, he was more concerned with the fact that the attractive maid his older brother had apparently been dating (the word drew such amusing looks on both Hinata and Itachi's face, as well as chortles from Mikoto) turned out to be some Hyuuga Heiress. He, even more so than Itachi, had been well brought on Uchiha doctrine that Hyuuga were swine. (Really, it was no wonder which son took after which parent.) Of course, after he had bluntly said that out loud, Itachi had proceeded to pummel the poor boy into pulp—until of course, Hinata had yanked him off and proceeded to avenge her honor herself.

Hinata was a kunouchi, and kunouchi didn't need shinobi defending their honor.

Eventually, the Hyuuga would be notified and there would be an uproar. Eventually, Neji would stop flying at Uchiha Itachi with blades every other second.

But that's another story for another happily-ever-after.

Gah. Wrote this all in one go. I may re-edit this, I may not. I probably will. If I do, I will post it seperately. For now, it will suffice. Yes, I screwed with canon big time.

Author's Notes: My sad attempt where Hinata plays a sort-of-princess who takes fate in her own hands. Notice throughout the whole piece, she's quite proactive. My mini rebellion against Disney princesses, although clockwork tells me the latest princess in Princess and the Frog was quite kickass.

Yes, I took certain liberties with the original folk tale. But the general framework is there.

Gah… this one shot... [sputters] Well, it was always meant as a way to get me re-inspired for Pandemonium and As Far As Innocence Goes.

Regardless, review. I need love… lots of it.