A/N:
This fan-fiction borrows very heavily from Frank R. Stockton (1834-1902), an American writer and humorist, best known for his fable "The Lady or the Tiger?" (1882).
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The crowd went silent.
Hyuuga Hiashi stood and looked down at the secret arena.
It had not been an accident that the Hyuuga estates had been built over the ancient ruins of a civilization that had stood long before the village of Konoha was built. It was not a coincidence that Hiashi's ancestors had strongly urged the other fledgling families to settle in shelter of the cliff and forest.
"You have all heard of King Kenmei," Hiashi said. "Some have called him barbarian or monster; but, he was a man who had a sharp intellect, impeccable manners, and a thirst for spectacle."
The crowd spoke in hushed whispers, wondering what was going to take place. As Hyuugas, they were sworn to follow the ancient ways, whenever the need arose. But no one knew what that might mean in this instance.
"The king had grand dreams. His authority was so great, that he could make his dreams become reality. His wants were met without question. The decisions that he made were never challenged." Hiashi looked down at the sand covered floor, bordered by dozens of flickering torches. The shadows that were formed looked like wild beasts, ready to spring at a moment's notice, or a mighty king's whim. "He was a man who loved to see the cogs of his political and social machines turning smoothly. As long as they did, he was a joyful monarch." He nodded. He was much the same way himself. "But, if something happened that brought a sour note to his symphony of ideas, his displeasure was legendary."
The power of the clan leader's voice was greater than anyone could ever remember hearing. They didn't know if that was because of the acoustics of that dry centuries old place, or because he had found his spirit matching that of a man who had died long before the first Hyuuga was born.
Dressed in a flowery gown, trying hard not to rub her fingers together, Hinata sat uneasily, as if her seat cushion were made of pins and needles rather than the rarest of silk. She swallowed hard when her cousin Neji bent over to whisper words in her ear.
"This stately and ancient arena was built because of Kenmei's great passion for order and justice." Hiashi marvelled that such a place could have held up this well, underground, for so many years. "He could use this very structure to refine the minds of his subjects like fine sugar, or add a touch of culture to their simple lives, much as the best yeast is added in the crafting of rice wine. But…" He walked the top of a massive curved wall, every pair of eyes in those musty sunken ruins fastened on his face. "… Don't be taken in by the beautiful carvings or the exquisite architecture. In this place, his barbaric nature came out. This arena was not built for the review of troops. It was not meant for concerts by talented musicians. There were no Chuunin exams held here. It was not used as a hallowed temple."
The crowd grew noisier. No one save for Hiashi himself knew the full breadth of the day's events. It was impossible to even know if it was day outside, as they were far from the warmth of the sun. Despite the countless oil lamps and fire pits, the darkness in that arena was nearly a palpable thing. That made things more exciting in some ways, but also carried with it a sense of fear and dread.
A number of men and women sat very uncomfortably, their glances darting about the room like swallows diving for small insects. Time and time again, they sought the location of guards and skilled shinobi, wondering if their crimes or petty iniquities had been discovered. No one wanted to be the one to go down on that sandy floor. The splotchy shadows near the base of the walls looked too much like blood.
"This immense work of brilliance… with its graceful sweeping galleries… its countless vaults and crypts… its secret hallways that lead to points unexplored… once provided the king with quick and simple justice of a type that no longer graces the world above us." Hiashi looked down at the crowd. He sought out his children and his nephew. He would learn something about them during this event. "Crime was punished. Virtue was rewarded. The decrees were impartial and incorruptible."
"What is this all about, Hiashi?" One of the Hyuuga elders coughed. He was getting up in years, and the air of the ancient arena did not agree with him. "Why did you call us all here today?"
"Patience, Elder Kodawari," Hiashi said. "We will get to that soon enough. This is not the kind of thing that can be… or should be… rushed." He continued on his circuitous stroll. "Long ago, men and women gathered in the seats you find yourselves sitting in. When a man was accused of a crime, he was brought here, and the public was notified of the time of his trial."
"Trial…" Hinata suddenly felt as if someone had walked over her grave. Her skin was prickly and her throat was dry.
"Your meeting down here is not a fluke," Hiashi said. "I did not call you out to give you a history lesson." He motioned to a number of guards, who went through a huge stone door to parts unknown.
Hinata tugged at the sleeve of her fancy raiment, wondering why she was the only one dressed in this fashion. Not only that, but she was asked to wear a circlet made of flowers and fragrant leaves, without being told the reason why.
"The king would sit in the large stone throne you see in the royal gallery. He would make sure he was surrounded by his finest ministers, his favorite wives, his brightest children, and his treasured pets." Hiashi found that he was enjoying himself. Usually, he was a man of few words. "When the crowd had taken their seats… when the mood had reached its peak… and when the time came for the accused to decide his own fate… the great ruler would give a signal like this…" Hiashi waved his arm. The great stone door opened again, and the guards reappeared pulling a struggling figure between them.
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata stood up, hand upon her mouth. She looked down at the familiar figure, now draped in chains. Her eyes immediately sought her father after that. "Why father…" Her heart began beating even faster when she saw Naruto looking up at her.
Neji stood up as well. He looked ready to jump down in the arena at a moment's notice.
"BE STILL!"
Hiashi's voice echoed about the arena. "Not another unsolicited word or act." He motioned again. At the top row all around the arena, men stood and removed long robes. They had entered disguised as monks assigned to the Hyuuga temple. In truth, they were top shinobi, assigned to family matters rather answer to the village's jurisdiction. "These men have been ordered to strike down anyone who causes a scene."
Hinata began to walk down from her seat towards the place she entered. She wanted to find a way out onto the sands.
"If this matter is unjust, I will not stand quietly by, Uncle." Neji met his relative's gaze.
"Hanabi?" Hiashi looked down at his youngest child. "Will you support me in this?" His voice sounded very stern.
"I am undecided, father." Hanabi did not sound as young as she might look. "I have not heard nearly enough details."
"Hyuuga Hinata, return to your seat. You are a principal in these matters. Hence your fancy clothing," Hiashi said. "You will not do yourself or the young man any good by disobeying…" He looked down at Naruto as he continued to speak to his eldest child. "I ask that you hear me out. Then, you may make whatever choice you wish."
Obviously conflicted, Hinata stood as stiff as one of the mighty columns that lined the upper tiers. A chill passed through her that was colder than the stone itself. Finally, she returned to her seat.
"What about me?" Naruto spoke when a gag was removed from his mouth. He had been caught by a number of skilled ninjas within the city, a place he normally felt safe, especially since Akastsuki no longer existed as an organization with any clout. For a crazy moment, he wondered if the Hyuugas were part of some kind or strange or freaky cult. "Are you going to tell me what to do, too?" The chains the guards held prevented him from putting his hands on his hips. They did not keep him from glaring up at Hiashi, his face a mask of hatred.
"I think it would be in your best interest to listen and pay close attention," Hiashi answered. Looking around the room, he took in the looks on the faces of his clan members, as much as he could see them at that angle. Some looked satisfied, seeing the boy with the demon in his belly shackled and treated like a common criminal. Others looked uncomfortable. A good number appeared outraged.
"Go ahead…" Naruto stuck his lower lip out and set his nose in the air. "You have my permission…"
"S-I-L-E-N-C-E-!"
Hiashi's voice was amplified by the acoustics of that amazing structure. He watched as many of the audience members cringed. He hid a smile, seeing the boy stand even taller.
The clan leader cleared his throat. "When the king gave word, a door beneath him opened, and the criminal made his way into the amphitheater. Some accused me were forced in at spear point… some were dragged in by chains… some were coaxed in by large beds of smoldering coals… and some walked in of their own accord."
"Like I'm some kind of idiot whose going to step out here on my own?" Naruto shook his head angrily. He wasn't some kind of coward. That's not why he was in chains. Quite the opposite. "I don't deserve this, whatever it is. I've been treated bad my entire life!" Looking up into the vast stands, he saw countless faces he didn't know. In the strange light, they seemed to tower over him, much the way spiteful and hate-filled adults had done so when he was a small child.
"The rules to the king's justice were elegant in their simplicity," Hiashi remarked. "The methods were repeated time and time again with no deviation, so there was never any chance of inequity. Look at the wall opposite the one our young visitor walked out from. You will see two massive stone doors placed side by side." He made a series of signals. Men ran to lit a number of fresh bundles of wood in metal braziers on either side of each door. "The doors are identical. Great pains were taken so that no sound could be heard behind them… no scents could give a hint of mysteries they hid… and no vibrations could be felt upon touching them."
"That doesn't sound so bad," Naruto said to the guard on his left. He then looked over at the man on his other side. "I hope one of them is a bathroom. I have to take a wicked piss." His words carried throughout the large room, bringing about different reactions. Hinata blushed. Neji shook his head. Hanabi smiled.
"A-h-e-m…" Hiashi looked down at Naruto. The boy was certainly unique.
"Well I do!" Naruto glared at Hiashi again. "If you're going to kidnap someone, don't do it right after they've had ten bowls of noodles and broth, and six cups of tea." He grumbled under his breath "I'd like to see you hold it this long…"
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata grasped the sides of her chair.
"Hold it or not… it is of little consequence…" Hiashi began walking again. "If you choose wrong, there will be much messier things to clean up." Those words hung about the room like an ominous fog. The crowd began whispering in earnest again. "The accused man was on his own. He was given no clues to lead him true, or play him false. He would decide his fate by choosing his door. If he chose wrong… and showed himself to be guilty beyond challenge… he would find a starving tiger. The savage beast would leap upon him and satisfy its terrible appetite."
"Got anything else scary to say?" Naruto kept his knees tight together. "You almost made me wet my pants!" Even in a situation like this, he couldn't help but act like he usually did. "I just got them back from the cleaners today." His comments prompted all sorts of talk amongst the spectators,
The Hyuuga clan chief ignored that comment. "If that happened, the crowd would leave with sorrow in their hearts… trainers would remove the satisfied tiger… workers would clean the sand… and mournful bells would ring out throughout the city that once stood above us..."
"OK, that's the good news," some skalawag called out. "Now tell us the bad." Finding he still had something in his pocket left over from lunch, he threw it down at the young man held in irons.
Naruto wished he could use his hands to make the proper seals, so he would send dozens of clones about the arena, looking for the jerk who made the joke and tossed that tomato. As it turned out, he didn't have to.
"Guards," Hiashi said. "Take Huyuuga Sangokijin down from his seats and lead him into the holding area. Perhaps we will have two trials tonight." He didn't intend any such thing; but, this would serve as a good example.
"Wait… you can't do this… somebody help me…" The men and women in the audience sat uneasily, watching one of their number lead away.
"There was, of course, the other door. If the man on trial chose that one, he would not find a snarling uncontrollable beast." Hiashi muttered under his voice "At least not until after the marriage." He walked a good bit more while speaking. "There would be a woman. But, not just any woman. She would be a lady chosen by the king himself. Wise, and with a good eye, he would select a lady that was suitable for the man's age, and for his place in the community. There were no princesses for base men…" He let that statement echo about for a few moments. "There were no harlots for men of station..." Again, he let his words play about the arena. "The exonerated man and the waiting woman would be married on the spot."
"What if he were married?" Another of the elders did not feel any compulsion to stay silent. "What if he already had children, or a fiance?"
"It wouldn't matter," Hiashi replied. "The king would not let anything get in the way of his justice. Prior arrangements were revoked. There were no exceptions."
Naruto didn't like the sound of all this. If Hiashi was being literal, and meant to follow in that asshole kings' footsteps, he was faced with being torn to ribbons or marrying someone he didn't love. Maybe the marriage could be annulled or something. Old Lady Tsunade could help him with that, unless the Hyuugas meant to keep him a prisoner. Even then, word might get out to his friends. But, all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put a shredded Naruto back together again. The youma's healing abilities could only do so much.
He decided to bide his time. It might be difficult to escape; but, he still had some jutsus that Jiraiya had forbidden him to use. Hiashi would get a nasty surprise if things went too far too fast.
"You keep saying that the accused was a man," another elder called out. "What happened if it was a woman?" He looked down at his wife of many years and rubbed at his chin. "Would she get a choice between being eaten by a tiger, or marrying another girl?" He smiled a crooked smile.
"Yes," Hiashi replied. "But only if she was a member of the Branch family, Elder Sukebei." That comment was followed by a concerted gasp. Hyuuga Hiashi had just made a joke. This was indeed an auspicious day. "Seriously, I doubt there was any such separation of families in the ancient kingdom. And, while there may have been female criminals, they were not brought to the arena."
"They were probably brought to the king's bed for a bit of private justice," Naruto said. "Isn't that the way that men in power do things? They make whatever rules they like!"
"Would you like me to alter the choices?" Hiashi looked down at Naruto. "We could put a tiger behind both doors."
"Neji… will you help me…" Hinata rubbed her fingers together, a worried look on her face. This couldn't be real. If it was, she would be forced to see Naruto mauled and eaten, or married to another girl.
"I counsel patience," Neji said. "Now is not the time." He spoke so that Hanabi couldn't hear him. "I will aid him… if he wishes help..."
"That was the enlightened ruler's method of administering justice," Hiashi stated. "To him, it was perfectly fair. The accused had no foreknowledge. He would be a meal, or a bridegroom, all based on his own choice. Fortunate men found a lady. The unfortunate ones found the tiger." He brushed a spider off of his shoulder, wondering how far it must have fallen. "I suppose that some of you might view the young man standing here as a criminal, thinking that he would be rewarded for his crime if he found a woman waiting for his embrace. Others may think he is guilty of a crime, but that the punishment is far too excessive. Many might think him innocent of any wrong-doing, feeling that the tiger would be a punishment he does not deserve."
There were numerous responses from the crowd, but they all blurred together. Hiashi looked at face after face, wanting to judge the mood and character of his fellow clan members.
"Why don't we wait to hear the nature of his offenses, before we worry that the trial is too harsh." Hiashi looked down at Hinata again. He was surprised to see that she met his gaze instead of looking away. "It may well be that you find yourselves like those long departed men and women who came to this arena. They never knew whether they would watch a messy slaughter, or be part of a glorious wedding. I would wager that they found the uncertainty to be more exciting than the act itself. It was the most popular entertainment in the history of that lost race. No one cried foul, because the accused held his fate in his own two hands."
"No one cried foul because they were all sitting safely out of reach," Naruto called out. "I don't think that either choice is fair. Who the Hell cares what a bunch of dead guys did to get their rocks off?"
"Men did not end up here on a whim," Hiashi said, speaking loudly. "The king did not have his people falsely accused, so that he might provide the masses with their opiate, the way the emperors did in faraway Rome." He looked down at Naruto again. "They were brought before the king when they had broken the rules."
"Father… if this is about the Kyuubi…" Hanabi's words had the crowd conversing amongst themselves louder than before. "I do not think it right that the boy be punished for the monster's acts…"
Naruto looked up at Hanabi, grateful for her words. He caught a very subtle sign from Neji. Hinata opened her mouth, but said nothing. She put her hand over her heart.
"We will not speak of that here," Hiashi said, a touch of anger in his voice. Just the same, he was proud of his younger daughter's stance. "The secret has come out before today; but, that demon's name remains anathema to us all." He saw many of the elder generation nod their heads. "As it turned out, the king had a daughter, who he treasured above all else." That had Hiashi pausing, reflecting on his own life. He had not been a good father to Hinata. Too often, he put the clan's need ahead of hers.
Hinata was thinking similar thoughts. Tears came to her eyes, as she sat there. She almost couldn't take it, realizing that she was the reason that Naruto had been brought before them all. She had little doubt what her father was going to mention. If she could have, she would have seeped through the cracks beneath her feet.
Hanabi watched her sister's posture and face like a hawk, just as she paid strict attention to her father's every word and intonation.
Neji looked calm as a still lake; but, his own thoughts buffeted him like strong waves. He thought back to what it had felt like, being a bird in a cage.
"The princess was the apple of the king's eye," Hiashi continued. "He would have moved Heaven and Earth for her, if it was within his power. It should surprise no one, that he made a decree that her suitor could only be a man of noble birth." He looked over at Hinata. "Strange, that we find a coincidence here, where a clan leader's daughter had been told that she must marry a man from the same clan, to keep the spark of the Blood Limit burning bright and pure." He put emphasis on that last word.
"Father…" Hinata brought her hand to her mouth. She had thought that she and her father had been growing closer together, even though it was a slow and arduous process.
Hanabi nodded her head. It was something that she had been told since birth. Neji too was expected to follow suit, even though he was from the Branch family. His father was Hiashi's twin, and his uncle knew how strong the Hyuuga talents ran in his nephew.
"But, there was more than that." Hiashi clenched his fists for a moment, and then let his hands relax. "The person of the princess was inviolate. All knew that she should remain a virgin until her wedding night. The punishment for any that trespassed upon her body could rightly have been death."
"Hey… you know… that kind of stuff is personal…" Naruto began coughing. He rightfully felt as if every eye in the arena was on him at that moment. He squared his shoulders. "It takes two to tango, you know!"
"Indeed," Hiashi said, moving his gaze back to his eldest daughter. "Even though one man will walk the sands today, two individuals will bear responsibility for his fate." He clapped his hands together. The crowd grew quiet again. "The king was true to his own justice. Even though the man who loved his daughter was a commoner, and had taken her maidenhood from her, he was given the same chance that others had. He could end up in the belly of the beast, or wrapped in the arms of a woman."
"It's…" Hinata stood up. "It's…" She fought the overwhelming urge to run and hide. "It's not right. You… you didn't care about me… you didn't care about me when I wasn't talented enough to be the Heir. Why are you doing this now?"
"Is the honor of the Hyuuga clan at stake here?" Hiashi asked. "Is the future of the village's strongest Bloodline something insignificant?" He looked out over the entire audience. "How many here would die to keep our clan safe?" He watched as nearly everyone raised a hand. "How many would kill to save their family, as I was once forced to do?" There were fewer hands raised, but the majority of the Hyuuga's waved their arms. "Should we risk all for the happiness of one individual? Can I afford to let crimes against the clan go without acting?"
"COULD YOU BE ANY MORE OF A BASTARD?"
Naruto shook his chains, because he couldn't shake his fist. He looked up at the men and women in attendance, wondering if they were all going to sit meekly by, as their clan leader did something that would stain their honor more than a relationship between a boy and a girl.
"Funny you should choose that word," Hiashi said after one of the guards moved to cuff Naruto hard in the back of the head. "Were my daughter to become pregnant because of your indiscretions… and have a baby out of wedlock…" He shook his head as he watched Naruto examine his sandals more closely. "That brings us to another matter, one I think we should deal with at this time." He searched the crowd until he found the face he was looking for. "I did not discover my daughter's behavior. The secret was brought to me by another. He has long seen fit to ask me for her hand in marriage, wanting to make his way into the top family. Hyuuga Makeinu, please stand."
Everyone turned to look at a middle-aged man who stood up with some trepidation. Naruto glared at him with angry eyes. He wondered how that son-of-a-bitch found out about his secret with Hinata. Was he some kind of Peeping Tom? A stalker?
Hinata went stiff. She knew Makeinu tangentially, and always felt very uncomfortable around the man. Seeing the look on her sister's face, and on her cousin's, she guessed that they had a low opinion of him as well.
"You find yourself the recipient of a great opportunity," Hiashi said. "I have decided to allow you to pursue the hand of my daughter." He listened as the crowd grew chatty again, and Naruto shook his chains with greater fervor. He smiled, seeing Makeinu bow as if he had just completed some noble quest. "There is but one stipulation. You would have to take Uzumaki Naruto's place in the arena. Should you choose the right door, you will find Hinata waiting behind it, resigned to the blessed union." He paused. This was where he would learn all that he needed to know. "Should you be less apt in your selection, you will be left to romance the tiger."
Makeinu quickly sat down. Still feeling frightened, he crouched out of view.
"One less suitor," Hiashi said. "Remarkable. He had always sounded so full of passion and clan pride." He shrugged. "For anyone else who might wish my daughter's hand, now is the time to speak up, or forever hold your tongue. You have the same choice that Hyuuga Makeinu had." He slowly scanned the arena, not once, but twice. Not a single man stood. "So be it. Back to the main order of business."
Naruto felt very relieved for a moment, until he realized that his situation hadn't changed. Hinata almost found herself wishing that the cowardly suitor had taken up her father's offer, so that she could be sure of Naruto's safety.
Hiashi made it a point to tap his finger against his face for a few moments, while he stood and looked down at Hinata. "It comes to me that I may have been a bit rash in my actions. I believe my decision to be the proper one, but I should have spoken with my daughter first." He waved an arm towards a number of retainers dressed in Hyuuga colors. "Bring Hyuuga Hinata into the small antechamber at the back of the throne."
When Hinata found herself looking at her father across a room decorated by miraculous murals and tile mosaics, she opened her mouth to plead for Naruto. She stopped when her father spoke first.
"I will do the talking, daughter. You will speak when spoken to, and be thankful for the choice I give you." Hiashi put his hands behind his back and walked over to look a couch that had survived the ravages of time without losing its color. "I am very angry at what you have done; but, I was a teenager once myself." He thought back to the day when he had first met Hinata's late mother. "As such, I will allow some lenience. If you wish, I will tell you which door hides the tiger. I will also tell you the name of the girl that has been chosen as Uzumaki Naruto's potential bride." He turned to look at his daughter. "If you are clever, you will then be able to signal that information to the boy, without anyone in the crowd catching on."
Hinata hung her head. Tears came to her eyes. This would still kill her dream; but, it would leave Naruto alive. "Please tell me, Father." She fell down to her knees.
"The tiger is behind the door on the left," Hiashi said, sitting down on the couch, listening for any telltale sound of cracking wood. "It is the fiercest beast the animal dealer could find. The best ninjas in the clan will work to make certain that none of the boy's jutsus will work against it. He will be forced to face it with whatever weapons he carries in that pouch of his." He saw how the tears falling from Hinata's eyes made spot after spot on the dark marble floor. "The woman is your cousin Yariman."
"She…" Hinata looked up at her father. "But…" She found herself trembling.
Hyuuga Yariman was the daughter of her father's sister, an aunt who had died during Kyuubi's attack on the Hidden Leaf village. How could her father think to marry her to Naruto, the very boy who had the demon sealed away inside of him. She would make his life a living Hell, if she didn't murder him in his sleep. No. She wouldn't do that. She might even come to love him, if only to spite her younger cousin.
"Yariman was guilty of her own indiscretions," Hiashi said. "She slept with the fiance of a girl whose father is one of the top Elder's of the clan. This would be a fitting punishment for her as well."
"Naruto…" Hinata bit her lip. Yariman was the last woman on earth that she would want to see Naruto with. But, that wasn't only because of her feelings for him. Ever since she could remember, there had been bad blood with her beautiful cousin. The older girl would steal her favorite toys… get her in trouble with lies… and make it a point to show her up in every way possible. She could imagine how she might act, if she ended up with Naruto as her husband.
"You will be able to save the boy's life by handing him over to your cousin. She in turn will let you know what you have lost, every day for the rest of your life." Hiashi's eyes bore into those of his daughter. "Or, you can leave him to try his hand at the tiger."
After the retainers led Hinata back to her seat, the Hyuuga clan head stood a few moments in total silence, his eyes closed. Taking a deep breath, he let it out and nodded his head. Walking down a set of carven stairs, he made his way out onto the sands of the arena.
"Remove his chains," Hiashi said to the guards. "I would have word with him alone." He watched as the guards moved to follow his orders, looking a bit uncomfortable leaving Naruto with the ability to work hand seals.
"Aren't you worried that I might kick your ass?" Naruto clenched his fists. "You deserve that! If you were real man, you'd go pick one of the doors yourself. Maybe you could use a woman. It might improve your attitude a bit." He rubbed at a sore spot made by one of the shackles. "The tiger would probably just bury you, thinking this place was big litter box."
"You're the boy who keeps claiming he wants to be Hokage, aren't you?" Hiashi raised one eyebrow. "I doubt you would attack a man who made no effort to defend himself." He stepped closer, speaking so that Naruto was the only one who heard him. "I have also come to let you in on a fact that could save your life."
"What fact is that?" Naruto tugged at one ear. "Is it a way that I can win Hinata's hand in marriage the way everyone else could?"
"You are not a Hyuuga," Hiashi said, merely mentioning an obvious truth. "But, Hinata is. Despite what she may feel for you, she will end up being true to her clan. That is why she returned to live at home, even though I had thrown her away, sending her to be trained as shinobi." He watched Naruto's face as that truth settled in. "It would be against family tradition for you to marry any Hyuuga woman from the highest families. It would set a precedent that would be very difficult for me and future leaders to deal with. The Byakugan… like the sharingan… can be considered one of the treasures of Konoha. It must be protected, at all costs." He paused again, trying to catch sound of some of the conversations taking place above his head. "Hinata had been told which door holds the tiger, and which one holds her cousin Yariman."
"Yariman?" Naruto made a face. "Who the Hell is she?"
Hiashi went on to describe the woman is great detail, explaining how Hinata had felt about her throughout her entire life. "So… you can imagine… it would break her heart for you to marry her cousin. I wouldn't be surprised if she took the route of jigai after that, even though such a ritual suicide has not been seen in a number of generations." He shook his head. "I imagine that can be quite messy, cutting one's own jugular vein." He looked up to where his daughters were both sitting. He saw Naruto follow his gaze out of the corner of his eyes. "But, you would find yourself with a family, so to speak. I know that you never had one of those." He raised his hand when Naruto furrowed his brow. "By no fault of your own. Many of us suffered when the Nine-Tailed fox struck. We are not here to worry about how you were treated in the past. This is about how you behaved with my daughter."
"It wouldn't be much of a family, if I couldn't marry the girl I love." Naruto kicked at the sand, sending a large number of grains flying. "I know that things are done differently in some clans. But, that doesn't mean I have to like it."
"It would also bring you a fair amount of wealth," Hiashi said. "My dear sister had placed her own inheritance aside for her daughter and the man she marries. I know that you never had an inheritance of your own." He brushed off some of the sand that had landed on his robes. "And it would bring you power, as you would be allowed to speak at Hyuuga clan meetings. If you showed yourself to be true to our beliefs, you would find the path to being Hokage a much easier one. It is by no means a sure thing, even if the clans choose not to speak against you."
"That…" Naruto bit his lip until blood flowed. His words came out in a near growl. "I don't care if everyone stands against me… I'm going to be the best Hokage ever…" He pounded one fist against the cut stone of the arena wall. "I don't care about money or power…" Speaking very quietly, he added "I care about Hinata."
"In any case, I suspect that my daughter will try to tell you what she knows about the doors, in some clandestine fashion. Watch her closely." Hiashi spoke in a lower voice. "It will then be up to you to decide whether she is telling you true of false." He folded his arms across his chest. "Will you go ahead with this trial of your own free will, knowing that I will take no action against my daughter, if you accept all punishment yourself?"
"I…" Naruto put one hand behind his neck. If he answered 'no,' Hiashi might call this whole thing off. On the other hand, he might do something terrible to Hinata. "Yes… if you give me your word… Hinata won't be punished…"
"You have my word," Hiashi said. "If you refrain from using any form of jutsu, I will forget about punishing her. I think that sitting here and watching will be punishment enough." He looked directly into Naruto's eyes. "Things could have been far worse. In my grandfather's time, she would have been put to death, and your punishment would have been the lesser. Women bore the brunt of many judgments in the past." He looked up at the audience and called out in a much louder voice. "He has spoken his peace. He will go ahead with the trial of his own accord. He has turned down the offer for an easy way out."
Hinata stared down at Naruto. Her father had given him a way out? He hadn't taken it? Why? Was he protecting her in some way?
Neji sighed. If Naruto had volunteered to walk this path, he would honor his friend's decision. Otherwise, he would have taken his chances against the tiger, side by side with his friend.
Hanabi drummed her fingers against the arm of her chair, lips pursed and eyes narrowed.
The men and women in the arena all examined their own feelings. Some were awash in anticipation. Others couldn't bear to watch. There were those who whispered words that could be taken for treason. Many saw this as a chance to get rid of the hated Bijuu, at the small cost of one overly-amorous young man. So many people. So many different thoughts and emotions.
"It is finally time," Hiashi said. He sent guards circulating amongst the crowd when he heard loud shouts of dissent. "Like I said… this is the boy's choice… of his own free will…" He murmured "More or less." Then he said "Uzumaki Naruto, I will exit the sand, and leave you to decide your own fate. You may open your door when you wish." He made his way back up the stairs.
"Well… I had complained to Kakashi that things were getting a little too boring…" Naruto swallowed hard. Knowing what he had to do, he looked up at Hinata. She made a quick and subtle gesture, motioning to her right. He opened his mouth to say "Is that your right or my right," but stopped in time. The answer was clear enough. Only two unknowns remained. Had Hiashi been telling the truth? How about Hinata?"
"I LOVE YOU HINATA!"
Naruto shouted at the top of his lungs. He would trust her. Hyuuga Hinata was not the kind of girl who would let him die, just because she would be jealous of her cousin. He would have to take on faith that Hiashi would tell his daughter the truth. He walked and stood directly between the two doors.
"Have you made your choice?" Hiashi stood atop the wall again. "And, will you tell us why?" He looked out over the crowd. "In the story of the king, the last pages of the manuscript are missing. We will never know if the princess' love chose the lady or the tiger."
"I will choose the door on the left," Naruto said. He didn't notice Hinata getting to her feet. "Because Hinata told me that the tiger is behind that door."
"I see," Hiashi said. "You don't trust my daughter?" He spoke more sternly. "Didn't you just call out your love for her? How can you love someone you don't trust?"
"I do trust her," Naruto claimed. "You promised you wouldn't punish her, if I went along with this sick game." He looked up at all of the faces staring down on him. "For those who wanted to help me… thank you…" He then held up the middle finger on one hand. "For the rest of you… I hope you can sleep well tonight..."
"So you would willingly face the tiger, instead of marrying someone other than Hinata?" Hiashi folded his arms across his chest. "You would give up your life, even though you might find happiness with someone else some day?"
"Who said I give up?" Naruto crouched down, orange chakra swirling around him. The audience gasped when they saw his face and eyes change, and his fingers and toes lengthen into bestial claws. "It's a pity the poor tiger doesn't get a choice…" In one quick movement, he drew a brace of shuriken from his pouch, holding them between the fingers on one hand. He hadn't used a single jutsu.
"Wait!" Hinata got up from her seat and leaped. Somersaulting, she landed near Naruto. Neji and many shinobi in the crowd stood up, ready to make their own difficult choices.
"NO… ONE… MOVE…"
Hiashi's shout echoed about the arena. He followed that up by saying "This is a matter for the two of them. If they can defeat the tiger alone, I will allow them any prize they want!"
"I knew it…" Hanabi smiled, and folded her arms smugly against her chest.
"Are you ready, Hinata?" Naruto's voice was deep and guttoral.
"Right!" Hinata nodded. Live or die, her place was at Naruto's side.
"Here… we.. go…" Naruto pulled open the door on the left. "What the…"
"Meow." The sound that came out from the darkened area from behind the door was anything but the growl of a hungry tiger. "Me-owwww-www-ww-w…" A small frightened kitten walked out into the torch light. It was striped, very much like a tiger.
"So that's where she went," Hanabi said.
"Then what's in here?" Hinata walked over and pulled the right door open. She turned and gave her father an accusatory look. There was a doll inside, done up in a wedding dress.
"He took that too!" Hanabi made a face. She knew that the Heir to the Hyuuga clan was not supposed to play with dolls. But, she was only a kid.
"That… this… you…" Uzumaki Naruto, the most talkative ninja in the history of the Land of Fire was having great difficulty finding words.
"Father," Hinata felt a great wave of relief pass over her. "This was all a trick?"
"Yes," Hiashi said. "I was the only one who knew that. The clan members were told nothing. Each animal handler thought that the other was working with the tiger. This was a great opportunity for me to judge a great many people." He looked at Hinata for a moment, and then Naruto. "Two people in particular."
"You wanted to see how much I cared for Hinata." Naruto felt like a choice fool. "You wanted me to see how much she cared for me."
"The same was true for me," Hinata said. "You wanted to know if Naruto is someone worth breaking tradition for." Tears came to her eyes. She had always worried that she would grow to love him more and more, but never be allowed to marry him.
"I wanted to know how the story ended," Hiashi said, glad to finally be able to do something for the daughter he had put through so much. "That's all."
"Sure.. right… like we were all born yesterday…" Naruto looked at Hinata's father in a whole new light. He was probably still a sanctimonious hard ass; but, he was a sanctimonious hard ass who was willing to change. Regardless, he was someone who had just pulled off a prank better than Uzumaki Naruto ever had. He would take a lesson from this. He smiled. "Sensei…" He put a hand over his groin area. "Excuse me!"He ran off in search of a place to take a leak.
"You did well, daughter." Hiashi flinched when Hinata ran over and gave him a big hug. "Not in front of the clan…" The noise inside the vast underground structure grew very loud as the crowd shouted and hollered.
"Well… I guess that means we can have any prize we want…" Naruto took Hinata's hand in his own when he returned.
"No." Hiashi spoke very firmly.
"But you said… if the two of us could defeat the tiger…" Naruto began getting angry again.
"There was no tiger, Naruto-kun." Hinata sighed. She almost fainted when she saw her father wink at her. Her father? Wink? Did that mean they could have whatever they wanted?
"I caught that!" Naruto hopped up and down, pointing at Hiashi. "I saw that wink!"
"Things will never be quiet, will they brother Neji…" Hanabi sighed herself, looking over at her cousin. "…If he ever becomes part of the family."
"I'm afraid not." Neji actually smiled, something he had been doing more of lately, after he and Ten Ten had secretly begun dating. If his uncle was willing to allow Hinata to be with someone of her choice, regardless of his clan or lack thereof, then his own future looked much brighter. It seemed that Naruto had once again acted as a key for a cage that had him trapped.
"OK… your turn…" Naruto took a shiny coin out of his pocket. He showed it to Hinata. It was stamped with the name of Naruto's favorite restaurant. "I'll hide that token in one of my hands. The other will remain empty." He put his hand behind his back, slipping the coin down inside his pants. "Find the coin… and you get to keep it… good for one free bowl of Ramen. Pick the other hand, and you get the dreaded justsu, 'One Thousand Years of Pain'." He held both fists up in front of Hiashi.
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata shook her head.
"I can still find a tiger," Hiashi said.
END
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Postscript:
In 'The Lady or the Tiger?' the author left the ending open, forcing the readers to speculate whether the princess told her lover true, and leaving them to wonder what was behind the door he chose.