Chapter #4
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it all belongs to Masashi Kishimoto
"There is a land of the living and a land of the dead and the bridge is love, the only survival, the only meaning."
― Thornton Wilder
"My son, welcome back."
"It's good to be back." the dark haired man nodded, as he closed the heavy mahogany doors to his father's study
"Come," Fugaku motioned him towards himself, stepping out of the office through the glass doors that slid left
From their view,high above Yuki, the veranda wrapped expansively along the castle.
"What do you think?" Fugaku smiled, a proud glint in his eyes
"Of?" the impassive voice of his son followed, causing a slight scowl to his father's features
"All this. It will soon be yours." the Uchiha head began walking the veranda, his sandals echoing upon the concrete
"No."
Turning to face his son, "No?"
"I cannot take leadership of Yuki. It is not ours to lead." Itachi's voice assured
"This again." Fugaku shook his head, proceeding with his walk. "No one was closer friends with Hiashi than myself. He would want us to lead in their stead."
"She is alive." Itachi's voice, smooth as silk, rebuttaled
Quietness wormed around them, the chill wind of the night blowing past them.
"It's been seventeen years. For the past seventeen years you've been adamant on there being an heir…" his father turned to him, squaring his shoulders to his son who stood a foot taller
"Because there is." The younger Uchiha turned, unwilling to converse any longer
"And if there isn't?" Fugaku pressed
Itachi paused at the slide doors, head bowed in contemplation, "Neji Hyuga."
Fugaku stared his son's retreating form in appalence at the level of insolence.
~.~.~
"You are not dead."
"What is your name?"
"My name is Mona."
"I don't have a clan, so what exactly are you talking of."
"Your highness, I've a story for you. Kindly sit.
For seventeen years, your clan, the Hyuga's, reigned alongside the Uchiha's over Yukigakure.
The Hyuuga's were a formidable clan. A clan with so much strength and valor possessed by no other clan in Yukigakure but their partners the Uchiha. Both clans had been reigning alongside each other for 6 centuries.
Flashback:
"Mona,"
"Lord Hiashi,"
"The Uchiha clan has proposed a merge between our clans; by marriage."
"Such a thing has never been done."
Hiashi shook his head in agreement as he walked up to a pond in the center of the compound. "Mona I fear for my clan,"
"I know Fugaku is faithful but there have been many disagreements between the Uchiha and Hyuga clans as of late." Hiashi proceeded to speak as he fed the fishes.
"Mikoto is pregnant again, alongside Hitomi. According to the doctors, Hitomi will be having a girl and Mikoto a boy."
Mona walked up to Hiashi, then stepped into the pond, walking till she reached the center of the extensive pond. Looking at Hiashi's face as the orange rays of sunset hit him, with darkness slowly shadowing him. "What bothers you Hiashi?"
"If we do have a girl, it means the Uchiha's will reign over the Hyuuga's. And with Fugaku already possessing a son who is already proclaimed a genius, I don't want my clan to fall to death."
"The Hyuuga clan exists more than just in Yuki Hiashi, do not forget Hizashi."
"I'm aware, Mona but after the branding of the tattoo on Neji, I don't think Hizashi wants anything to do with us."
"As with all things, family is family, and the tattoo serves to align the clan with the spirits of the sage. It serves to lead. You did Hizashi no disservice by branding Neji"
"Yes Mona but it comes with a price, a price I'm not ready for my first born, my first daughter to pay."
"I've seen many die. It is unfortunately the destiny of all mankind. But what makes man remarkable, legendary, is not that they die but how they die. Being bound with a sage helps keep the Hyuuga bloodline protected, and the sages alive. A life for a life."
"But no one knows of the Sages of the Hyuugas"
"And it must be kept so, if found, many clans will seek its power. They will seek to kill. *Il ne faut rien laisser au hasard."
"**Oui, mais…"
"Hiashi, we cannot merge both clans. It's too dangerous for a clan as proud as the Uchiha to find out about the Sages. ***Quand le vin est tiré, il faut le boire."
"****Vous avez Raison."
"*****Bon. Greetings to the wife Hiashi. My love to my future student." And with a wave, Mona dissipated into the water."
End of Flashback
"So what happened?"
"The Uchiha's found out about the sages."
AN: *Il ne faut rien laisser au hasard - Nothing should be left to chance
**Oui, mais - Yes, but
***Quand le vin est tiré, il faut le boire - a proverb, means you must finish what you start.
****Vous avez Raison - you are right
*****Bon - good