Warning: Typos (more than usual) I haven't edited this, it is basically a draft. Enjoy or don't it is up to you.

Chapter 8: Insider

Itachi opened the letter, he hadn't expected for him to send regards or write a full report but it was surprisingly short.

"They have someone inside the castle" -Kisame

He would give them points, that was a surprising discovery. The more he thought about it the more sinister it got, the Hyugas must have been planning this for at least a year. There was no way they could just infiltrate their castle in a few months, the Uchihas were highly selective of their servants and who entered the castle, their security had only gotten tighter after the war started.

"Ko finally wrote, they managed to get in contact with the bird in the castle" a man with grayish eyes said. The men on the table did not respond, they took time to think about what that meant. Really it only meant one thing but none of them wanted to bring it up.

"Our chance has come to use the bird." One man said

"One job. The bird can complete one job, we cannot risk it trying to do more and failing" another man said

"Well it's not a question of what the bird will do, we already know. It will bring us the Uchihas' head '' Hiashi finally spoke. The men all agree. There was only one objective and that was to win, at whatever cost it came to. After all the conversations were had, the men exited the room and Hiashi sat there waiting for them to leave.

"You don't agree with our decision" he finally said

"Hinata. She is in there" Neji said

"They will not harm her, not yet at least. Nothing will happen to her" Neji looked at his uncle, almost father. Did he really believe that?

"Can you reassure me that one hundred percent?" He asked

"No human can reassure anything one hundred percent." Hiashi said

"I know our duty and I know Hinata knows it too... but it's Hinata"

"There will be many casualties but I trust Hinata will not be one of them, she is a Hyuga. Even our weaker ones are fighters"

"She is not weak and I know she is a fighter, that is why I fear" Neji pursued his lips. Unfortunately he was too well aware of how some men would bask in breaking young women's hope. How they would get off in watching that drive in their eyes dull out.

"I am glad you want to come with us to Kurenai, I don't know what I would do without. I don't know what it would have been of me without you here, you are the only I talk to, you help me keep my sanity" Hinata smiled. In many ways Kurenai had been like a small escape for her. She would teach her about her recipes, ointments, and more. She could have a normal talk with her and oftentimes Hinata would read to a book while Kurenai embroidered her gowns. She had wondered about Kurenai's life previous to being a servant but one time she asked a question and saw the hesitation in Kurenai's eyes which told her that wasn't a comfortable topic for her.

"I am certain you would have done just fine, you are an incredibly strong young woman with a kind heart" she smiled

"Unfortunately not. But part of me... maybe the part of me that still has hope left, it believes a kind heart is rewarded at the end" Kurenai said with an equally sad smile. That was the only thing that could justify all this. If not, then what had she left?

"Hope is good. But it is also important to understand one's situation and one's duty" Hinata said, her father's words ringing in her head.

•••

"Do you know why you have been called here Hinata?" her father said while he sat behind the desk with his arms crossed.

"I assume I have upset you," Hianata said while fidgeting with fingers. She knew anytime her father requested for her to have a private talk with him was not a good sign. She knew the elders weren't impressed by her performance in anything and did not agree with her playing with her friends who just so happened to all be boys, it wasn't her fault nobody decided to have a daughter in the castle.

"How old are you?" Hiashi asked

"Twelve" Hinata tried has her best not to stutter; she knew just how much that annoyed her father.

"Exactly. You are much too old for me to keep ignoring your shortcomings." His voice was cold enough to freeze the air around him and send shivers down her spine. She had started to bite her lip as she religiously stared at the corner of the room, too scared to make eye contact with her father.

"I understand father" she said

"You are a lady, you are to dress as such, speak as such, and behave as such. I do not want to see you playing around with those boys." he hissed, making Hinata flinch. She didn't want to stop playing with Naruto, with Kiba, with Shino. She didn't want to be a lady, she just wanted to be a kid.

"I-I understand fa-'' Hinata's words got caught in her throat as she felt a sob coming she instantly covered her mouth swallowing her cry while her eyes betrayed her spilling tears. Hiashi's eyes softened when he saw his daughter trying her best not to cry in front of him.

"Hinata, I do this because I love you. The elders, they are already talking about marriage"

"No!" her eyes instantly shot up meeting her father's eyes which now had lost all their coldness.

"I know Hinata, you are still a child. You won't marry anyone right now, but please understand your duty, we are Hyuga and we stay true to our duty no matter the cost" His voice had softened but was still stern and she nodded.

"Thank you father" she whispered.

•••

"Ah yes the Hyuga way" Kurenai took her away from her memories. Hinata nodded, but before Hinata could say anything a knock was heard and Kurenai instantly went to open the door and there standing was Sakura.

"Sakura, Hello. May I be of any help to you?" Hinata smiled Sakura nodded and entered the room.

"I actually wanted to talk to you," she said biting her lip.

"Of course, do you want to talk here? Or do you wish to go somewhere else?" Hinata asked

"Here is fine, I would like to do it alone" She said looking at Kurenai who instantly got the message and excused herself leaving the two women alone.

"Is everything okay Sakura?" Hinata asked

"Hinata I need your help"

"M-my help?" Hinata cocked her head confused.

"Yes, your help. You and Itachi seem to get along wonderfully, he seems softer around you. He has let you see his vulnerable side hasn't he?" Sakura asked her eyes desperate for an answer, Hinata was just confused.

"H-his vulnerable side? We have talked about our feelings... I wouldn't say w-we have completely opened to each other" she answer truthfully

"Hinata how did you do it? I have been trying to talk to Sasuke but he seems uninterested in letting me understand him." Hinata could see that happening, Sasuke seemed to completely lack manners as well as an overall likeable personality or the minimum of a tolerable one.

"You are beautiful and kind Sakura, it is his loss" Hinata gave her a smile

"I know that, but he will be my husband and if I was to have a happy marriage, to have kids and live my happily ever after. I have to understand. I want to understand him. But I must be doing something wrong so I beg you tell me how you did it?" Hinata wanted to tell her she hadn't done anything wrong that Sasuke was just an insufferable dick but she knew that answer wouldn't satisfy Sakura.

"Sasuke and Itachi are different... Sasuke is more reserved and Itachi he likes to communicate with people more and seeks to understand them" in other words Itachi had manners.

"S-so he is just shy?" Hinata inwardly cringed, she wouldn't say Sasuke was shy he was just an asshole.

"I don't know him so I am nobody to dictate his personality but I just want to let you know that Itachi and I have grown comfortable with each other because we have both been willing to understand each other and I doubt you are the one that is stagnating that process"

"You are very smart Hinata... but it just makes no sense. Hinata, we are women, our duty is to our husbands, I came here in hopes to not only fulfill my role but my childhood dream. Many men have asked for my hand, they have begged for it... but Sasuke isn't doing that and I need to know why to change that or I will fail. Do you understand? I will fail as a woman, as a daughter, as a wife, I would fail myself" Hinata nodded. She completely understood Sakura, she remembered the coldness of the elders and how they would constantly remind her of her failures.

"I am sorry, I just don't know how to help you," Hinata said sadly. She felt bad for Sakura as she was just trying to make things work.

"Don't worry, it's fine, letting out my feelings is enough. Hinata, I have a theory" Sakura said, biting her lip.

"A theory?"

"Yes, it is mere speculation but it is the only way I have managed to make sense of his actions" she said almost whispering.

"You can share it if you're comfortable" Hinata was a bit curious as to what she had come up with, she had nothing against Sakura but she did not seem to be the most perceptive person.

"I think there is another woman"

"Another woman?" Hinata thought about it, it wasn't far-fetched or impossible, but the idea Sasuke could genuinely care for another person was still laughable to her. The answer was way simpler, he was a horrible person.

"Yes that has to be it, it would explain why he seems so uninterested, his attention is on another woman. I am not really worried that just means I have to show him how much better I am." Hinata simply nodded, she felt bad for Sakura but she also failed to understand why she was giving him so much credit, he wasn't a misunderstood individual just a shitty person. There were many of those.

"Damn!" Naruto kicked the broken wheel in frustration. He hadn't expected to take so long in the trip, but almost as if planned a slew of misfortunes kept delaying his departure.

"We have sent men to the village; they should come back here before sunset," one of the guards told him. He simply nodded in acknowledgment. He didn't know why but during his time in the village he felt as if he was under surveillance, not only from some villagers, but one of the guards as well. It was an odd feeling but there was something else going on during the trip. The villages weren't as big as he had expected them to be, the exports were neither as high quality nor as important to warrant a trip there. He wondered why he was being sent there, who had sent him there. He was the only one apart from the guards who was sent there; the pessimist part of him which Sasuke had unlocked wondered if he was chosen for the trip because whoever sent him thought Naruto was oblivious enough to not question all those things.

"An heir is to be expected of any marriage" Fugaku said finally breaking their silence

"rushing to be a grandfather?" Itachi asked with a raised brow

"I don't particularly care for children and you know that. Impregnating the girl would be-"

"another personal win against Hiashi. Consider it done" Itachi said, his father nodded with approval before leaving. Itachi had lied of course, not that it would matter his father wouldn't live long enough to know that.

•••

As he Itachi sat on the bed he thought about children. In truth he had no desire for children. He had seen too much and had too much experience for that to even be an option. He looked at Hyuga next to him, he couldn't picture her with a child in her belly he couldn't even fathom a child being his. He had a plan for peace and it did call for children but that time was far away, Hinata was young and they had time. Maybe by that time, Itachi could have delt with his demons, achieved peace. That way if he ever had children they could live in a peaceful world, like the one his mother wanted. Itachi was about to get out of the bed when he noticed Hinata's heavy breathing, he stared at the woman and saw her brows furrow, and lip quiver.

"Please don't," she whimpered. She was having a nightmare, Itachi was well acquainted with those. He had spent many nights awake refusing to fall prey to the hellish realm sleep transported him to. "Ngh. No" her voice became more desperate.

"Hinata'' he gently touched her arm and began moving her carefully, not to frighten her any further. He kept trying because he knew as horrid as life was, dreams could be worse. Her whimpering stopped and her hands latched onto his arm and wrapped around it. For a moment he was puzzled, he stared at her face as she snuggled his arm. Her breathing had gone back to normal and her features had softened. He was left in an awkward position between laying down and sitting up, he didn't take his arm away. Instead he fixed his position while letting her have his arm. He looked up at the ceiling, he wondered what her goal was. So far their relationship was decent but she still was being secretive, she was always controlling what came out her mouth and what emotions played on her face. He wondered if she knew about the castle spy if she had contacted them. She didn't talk to anyone in the castle, other than that servant.

She hugged the warm object closer to her, she didn't question its warmth, why it felt so odd, or why it said her name. Her name, it said her name. Thoughts began to disturb her newly serene sleep. What was she holding so close to her? Her eyes slowly opened and she blinked a few times before eyes gained focus. Her cheeks began to heat up when she saw the man in front of her. He looked at her and gave her a smile.

"Good morning"

"good morning" she smiled awkwardly. She let go of his arms and watched as he sat up.

"How was your sleep?" he asked.

"Not good. I-I had a nightmare" she pouted still laying down in the bed.

"Want to share?"

"M-my family they were killed." she didn't need to say by who he already knew.

"You known that won't happen" he gave her a reassuring smile. That was all he could do, he couldn't explain to her his plan did not involve killing her family but rather some of his own.

"You don't know that." oh but he did.

"But I do. I won't let you family die" it sounded like a promise but he was just stating a fact. Itachi had a plan and in all his years of life his plans had always worked.

"Your father would" she said

"I can be persuasive enough. Don't you agree?" he grinned. He decided to switch the tone, he couldn't keep talking about that; specially when she did not understand his grander plan. He watched her sit up and strech before she turned to him.

"Yes I do." She smiled. She noticed his usually neat hair was messy from the sleep, she leaned over and fixed the hair that stuck out. When she finished she felt Itachis eyes following her every move. She felt his hands on her jaw followed by his lips on hers and for a second she froze before returning the kiss. She felt his hands on her waist pulling her closer and she let him. He was surprisingly gentle but dominant, her cheeks burned the whole time. She was kissing Itachi, an actual kiss. She felt confused as to where his actions had come from, they were man and wife but it wasn't real. She was still a Hyuga. The kiss itself was good, Hinata enjoyed the kiss, the way he caressed her back and how he would pull away slightly giving her time to catch her breath as he placed kisses on her jaw. He was clearly experienced.

She was his wife, whether by choice or not they were still bounded togther. No true love was shared and from what he saw of Hinata he doubted she was one to sit and day dream about true love. If they had to pretend they might as well enjoy themselves, he might even learn new things about her. Things she was yet to share, maybe things that would be useful.

A knock on the door interrupted the moment. Hinata slowly separated herself from Itachi, a permanent blush on her cheeks as she looked down her heart beating so fast; She doubted she could look him in eyes without her heart bursting out.

"Lord Fugaku has called for an urgent meeting" a servant informed him from the other side of the door

"I'll be there," he said. He looked at Hinata and grinned. "I hope the rest of your day goes better," he whispered in her ear before kissing her cheek. Hinata felt the hair on her neck rise. She couldn't find the right words to respond.

As Itachi entered the room he felt the tension in the air, he looked at his father who seemed to be a foul mood.

"We have learned there are some Hyuga spies in the west lands" Kakashi said. Itachi nodded without any expression. It seems like they caught up a bit faster than expected. He looked at Shikamaru, it was probably his work. It was an annoyance but nothing he couldn't work around.