Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Hitomi collapsed onto her bed, exhaustion and emotion making her feel as if she had aged decades in a single night. After ensuring that Hinata was indeed asleep and safe, the mother had fled to her tiny garden sanctuary before finally allowing herself to fall apart. She hadn't even realized her daughter was missing before Hizashi was already returning with the girl tucked in his arms, trembling like a kitten. Hitomi had rushed to them, scooping Hinata's petite body up while Hizashi had surreptitiously pressed a kiss to the top of Hitomi's head. "Take her to bed, she needs her mother. I will deal with rest. For now, just be with her."

A tender glance of comfort was all that Hizashi could offer at that moment. Hitomi had nodded, giving his arm a tight squeeze before she carried away the little girl whom she loved more than life itself. A warm bath and fresh soft pajamas had soothed Hinata as the story tumbled out between sobs. Hitomi had nearly dropped her when she heard how close they had come to losing the precious child. She tucked her daughter into bed and crawled in next to her, holding her close until sleep eased her mind. The mother couldn't help but smile softly as Hinata blushingly described her blond hero. Naruto again? I see...

She had waited until Hinata's breathing was easy and even before slipping out to the herb garden that she kept well away from the main house. Within the refuge of the lattice fence, she finally allowed herself to go to pieces as she sobbed out her pent up panic and anger.

I am so useless, she mourned internally as she raked her fingers along her scalp in frustration. Listlessly sliding down to the cold ground, she yanked on snarled strands of hair while continuing to berate herself. Even if I had known, there is nothing I could have done. She would be long gone if it were not for Hizashi and Naruto-kun. Her head fell back against the wood with a thump and she glared up at the stars. Why has Kami trapped me in this worthless existence? Everything I desire, that I strive for, is blocked from me. My poor daughter is destined to follow my path and my hands are tied to change any of it. I am as much a caged bird as any Branch member.

The indulgence of her self pity was only fleetingly tolerated. Before long, Hitomi had pulled herself together, wrapped her cloak tightly around her shivering body and trudged back to her room. The mother cast one last baleful glare at the heavens, where at times she was sure Kami had fallen asleep on duty. There would be no mercies of fate to lean upon. This incident would not go ignored. It would be a ripple that could easily grow into a tsunami, wreaking destruction upon carefully constructed dreams.

Restlessly turning over in her bed, she tried to stamp down her mounting anxiety. Even as her body begged for the sweet oblivion of sleep, her mind was spinning. She had to try and anticipate the next move in the game. Within the Hyuga, ignorance was rarely bliss.

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Hiashi's glare could melt ice. Had the Hokage been a lesser man, hell, a lesser Shinobi, he would have been face down on the tatami mats begging for mercy. As it was, he stood as a mountain stands against the raging wind, hands clasped behind his back, not a note of uneasiness in his body.

"I will not repeat myself, Hiashi-san. This is what is best for The Leaf. We have already lost the Uchiha, only just recovered from the Kyuubi attack, and the desolation of The Third War still hangs over us like a black cloud. We cannot sustain a battle, let alone a prolonged engagement of any kind." A note of gentleness crept into his voice and Hiruzen's eyes softened. "I know what it is I am asking of you, Hiashi. If I were in your place, I would expect no less from myself and my clan. Sacrificing your life is the only way."

It was only due to having years of protocol and custom beaten into him that Hiashi was barely able to restrain himself from sneering back at the aged Hokage. How dare he make such demands of The Hyuga! Ever since the demise of those psychotic Uchiha, the Hyuga had easily stepped into the position of premier clan of The Leaf. Hiashi had personally seen to it that their influence spread far and wide throughout the web of politics within the Land of Fire. No one could dispute the honor and worth of the Byakugan. This high level of prestige hinged on the belief that the Byakugan was inaccessible and infallible. And it was these very beliefs that were so infuriatingly brought into question by the very child who's kidnapping had sparked the current debacle.

Hiashi had long been disappointed, disgusted even, by the pitiable child produced by his wife. Aside from being female, which in his opinion made her inherently questionable as future clan head, the child had manifested all of her mother's weaknesses. Why was it that his brother had been the one blessed with a prodigy the likes of which the Hyuga had not seen in generations? It was unacceptable for the Main Branch to be insulted by Kami in such a way. Adding salt to the wound was the fact that his own cursed woman had not continued to produce a more suitable offspring. Surely she is tainted, and has passed her corruption on to that girl. How could such a weakling have sprung from his loins? It was incomprehensible.

Hiashi's mind wandered to the captivatingly witty conversation he had exchanged with the young and beautiful Ane-san as they strolled around the koi pond earlier that day. The woman was practically hypnotizing in the way she swayed down the path, hand resting with just the right amount of pressure on his arm. Did she have any idea how her kimono gaped open to reveal creamy, soft cleavage when she bent to toss food at the swarming fish? The way he craved her was agonizing, he was determined to claim her, she couldn't hold out for forever. Not against the Clan Head himself. But Ane-san's demands for acknowledgment of their relationship, not simply a quick rendezvous, were a legal nightmare for obsessed man. As long as Hitomi and Hinata walked the halls of the Main House, Hiashi would be denied all his desires on all counts. For the millionth time he found himself wishing there was a way to just erase them all, start over...wait, yes. Pieces started clicking into place and soon Hiashi's mind locked onto an idea. Kill two birds with one stone.

Hiashi stood abruptly. "I understand Hokage-sama. I will have everything arranged by midnight." The Third Hokage narrowed his gaze upon the stone faced man. Hiruzen was no fool, he had observed the power grab that had characterized Hiashi's rise as Clan Head. Many had hailed him as the esteemed leader who elevated the Hyuga into preeminence. The man who had orchestrated the recognition and glory the clan had always deserved. However, this rise in status had also succeeded in increasing the disparity between Branch and Main House to the point where the clan's dynamics more resembled that of servant and master than family. The borderline barbaric practice of sealing the Branch members had the Hokage frequently cursing the village laws that forbid him from interceding in the politics of any clan.

And the game of politics was where Hiashi excelled. Which only served to make this sudden capitulation even more suspicious in the eyes of the Hokage. The Raikage had delivered the nigh unbelievable demand that an unsealed Hyuga be given in recompense for the life of the Lightning Shinobi killed by Hizashi, threatening all out war as his ultimatum. Hiruzen had physically flinched when he first read the scroll, knowing that logic dictated the fact that a sacrifice of one person was justifiable in the effort save the lives of thousands. It was a heartbreaking reality of true leadership, a reality that the Yondaime had willingly given his life to uphold. And the wizened old man didn't trust Hiashi to do the same.

"See to it that you do," was Hiruzen's cold response. He turned and slowly departed from the council chambers. Walking past the guards he glimpsed the figure of Hizashi leaning against the wall in the shadows, and paused.

"He has agreed then?"

Hiruzen grunted in affirmation as he reached for his pipe, lighting it neatly with a small jutsu. "He has said as much. However, to what degree he will comply remains to be seen." He settled the familiar object between his teeth, and pinned Hizashi with dark eye. "Be on your guard. The spider is spinning his web." He didn't wait for a response before stepping into the night.

--

Hitomi stepped out of the night through the sliding door. She had seen Hinata to bed herself, again declining the aid of the maids in preference of offering her daughter the comfort of a loving parent's embrace. She had done a lot of thinking since the incident with the Kumo ninja, and Hitomi's instincts were telling her that something was coming. Hizashi's warning to be on her guard was superfluous, for she knew her husband. She was not blind to his machinations towards her, nor deaf to the hushed rumors that leaked from behind the closed council meeting's doors. Neither was she so ignorant that she couldn't predict their consequences. The recent incident had escalated everything. And once again she was at the mercy of Hiashi's decision. But this time, she had laid plans of her own.

Hitomi was no longer the weakling that Hiashi dismissed her to be. To survive amongst the Hyuga, in the very den of lions that is the Main House, one must be resilient at the least, and conniving at best. She had proven as much to herself when she had cast all tradition aside in pursuit of her heart, refusing to relinquish her love despite the danger involved.

The door slid shut behind her, and she paused at the desk to run her fingers across the paper of the letters. Her very life was contained within the words on these pages. Hitomi understood the risk, but there came a time when the lies could no longer be born. She would be strong for Hinata. She would show her how to face her demons with head held high. How to weather the storms that would otherwise sink those fragile souls who navigated their destiny with hesitance instead of fearlessness. How to walk unwaveringly towards her dreams and grab onto them with both hands. She must show her how stand for the hard truth, against the easy lies.

Hitomi's thoughts were interrupted by the knock of a Branch House guard. "Hitomi-sama, Hiashi-sama summons you to the council chambers at once." Soft footsteps disappeared quickly, not waiting for her to follow. Hitomi stood still, staring straight ahead at the wall, where her eyes came to rest on the familiar painting of a bird on the branch of a cherry blossom tree. She had always imagined that the bird had a look of longing in its eye as it watched the sakura blossoms float away on the wind, carried off by an unseen hand with complete trust that wherever they landed, they were in the arms of destiny. Perhaps the bird had just forgotten that it too could fly? That it possessed the strength to lift its wings to the breeze and soar above them all, untouchable. Free. Perhaps, it was time to remember.

--

Hiashi dropped the scroll he was attempting to read when Hitomi finally entered the council chambers. It was late, and he needed to make his move quickly, before the Elders were completely aware of exactly what he was conspiring to do and demanded to have a say in the matter.

"You took your time," he snapped. The regal countenance he so carefully maintained around most people had recently seemed to slip in the presence of this woman. She was infuriating, and her growing aloofness only fed his ire. Her posture was straight, her steps were even, and her hands calmly clasped. It was as though she no longer saw him as someone to be feared. Hiashi narrowed his eyes on her bowed head. I will remind her of her place, once and for all.

Hitomi did not respond, knowing he was not looking for a verbal answer, but for her to wince and tremble. She refused to cower. Not anymore. The die had been cast, she had made her moves, and now she awaited her judgment.

Hiashi slowly walked towards her, the picture of intimidation. He had never laid a hand on her, never raged or screamed at her. His way was to dominate, control, and manipulate. He would break her down piece by piece until she was left questioning her very existence in this world. Tonight was his checkmate.

"The Sandaime has demanded that we settle negotiations with Kumo for the attempt they made at taking the girl." He refused to call her his daughter. "The price for peace, is an unsealed Hyuga." Hiashi circled Hitomi, slowly. Close enough for her to feel the air shift as he loomed over her, close enough for him to feel her fear.

But he felt nothing.

He ground his teeth as he rounded on her, catching her serene expression in profile. "As a loyal member of The Leaf I am left with no choice but to comply. However, I will not be so stupid as to send them that which they think they have obtained in this insulting compromise. They can have what was originally wanted, a breeding mare, for it is of no use to me anyways." Hitomi's whole body tensed, her knuckles turning white. Hiashi closed in and squared up to face her as she raised eyes filled with hatred to him.

"The Elders will never allow you to give Hinata away to those--"

"I never said anything about the girl." Hiashi sneered, his eyes twinkled at Hitomi's frozen expression. He waited for the panic to crush her like a fly realizing it was caught in the spider's web, too tangled to escape. But her infernal mask of calm slid back into place.

Anger swept through him and he began to lose control. "Don't think that I am blind woman. I see you! You think you can continue to call yourself my wife, to call yourself a Hyuga when you cannot even fulfill the most basic role that nature had bestowed upon your useless sex and give me a goddamned heir that is worthy of my legacy!" He paced before her like a lion in a cage, licking it chops at the sight of its prey.

"You thought you were safe within the traditions of the Hyuga, didn't you, wife? That I would not dare to put you aside for fear of tarnishing my reputation? You have underestimated me. They all have! I will send them an unsealed Hyuga. You, and your useless eyes, and your tainted womb, shall be delivered to the gates at midnight. And don't worry about the pathetic girl, I am sure she will make a welcome addition to the Branch House."

Footsteps thundered down the hallway and the door slid open with such force the ink wells on the desk rattled. Hizashi was breathing hard, the veins around his eyes bulging as his gaze passed first over Hiashi and then Hitomi. He blinked when he took in her expression, the mask of deference she had firmly locked in place, but her eyes spoke to him as clearly as always. Please, they seemed to beg, don't interfere.

Ignoring her painful gaze he faced down his twin. "Hiashi you cannot be serious! Kumo is obviously expecting you to be the exchanged party. This trickery will start a war that we cannot hope to--"

"Do not presume you have any right to tell me my mind! If you were not already sealed I would have sent your body to them without a second thought. As it is, my leadership is needed here, and I certainly do not intend to present them the Byakugan on a silver platter. Let them try to breed her, they will soon discover how useless her spawn turn out to be." Hiashi squared up to his brother, the only person who could claim to be his equal, if he dared. Should his younger twin forget, the Clan Head would not hesitate to remind him of his place. Hiashi unconsciously rocked his weight onto his toes, poised for any attack.

To his surprise, no challenge was put forth, but instead his brother turned his back on him, focusing on Hitomi. The cold mask that she had carefully kept over her features the whole time Hiashi had berated the woman seemed to melt away as Hizashi reached out for her. What the hell is going on?

Hizashi's hand wavered as he reached out to tuck a strand of that wonderfully silky midnight hair behind her ear. Her eyes swam with unshed tears and she bit her lip to keep it from trembling. Oh how she hated to hurt this man. This wonderful man who had restored her soul with his love. Who had given her everything her heart desired and more. But he must see, there was no other way. This was her destiny, the one that would free her, free Hinata, and she could finally decide her own fate.

Hizashi pressed his forehead to hers, just as he had that night all those years ago, and once again hoarsely uttered the word that had changed her life.

"Stay."

It wasn't a question this time. They both knew this was the end. Hitomi gripped his arm, slowly pulling his hand from where it had tangled into her hair, and stepped back to look him in the eyes.

"Take care of her," she whispered. If she meant to say more it was cut off my the rage of the beast behind them.

"Whore!" Hiashi hissed. The shock of the revelation had momentarily frozen him, but now he descended upon the pair, hand raised to strike Hitomi with the full force of his wrath."How dare you--"

"You will not touch her." Byakugan instantly activating Hizashi delivered a single palm strike that was enough to bring Hiashi to a knee and blood to fill his mouth.

"Insubordinate...piece of shit," the Clan Head gasped out, and performed a certain hand seal.

Inhuman screams brought guards thundering into the council chambers, a few Elders shortly behind them. Hitomi was on the floor cradling Hizashi's convulsing body as best she could, tears streaming down her face, begging Hiashi to stop.

"Enough! Hiashi, control yourself! What is the meaning of this?" demanded the twin's father, who remained an old but commanding Elder on the council since passing on the position of Head, and who could still strike fear into any Hyuga with his icy stare.

Hiashi released the hand seal and stood up, breathing deeply through his nose and running a hand over his hair to regain some semblance of dignity. He looked coldly down at his brother, who had lost consciousness, before turning to meet the expectant faces of the Elders. Hiashi's fury may be strong but his pride was stronger. He refused to allow the elders to see him as a cuckold, disgraced by the pathetic wife who was his to keep under control. No one could know he had been passed over in favor of his own brother, of all people. I must make this all disappear.

"I have made my decision in regards to the negotiations the Sandaime has presented on behalf of Kumo and Konoha. Hizashi questioned my judgement and has been reprimanded for his insolence." Without allowing a pause for the Elders to question what exactly that decision was, Hiashi turned to his guards and barked out orders. "Remove this woman. You know where to take her."

The guards snapped to obey, but gripped Hitomi gently as they pulled her to her feet. She watched Hizashi's prone form slide off her lap and onto the floor. Keeping her eyes fixed on him until the door slid shut behind her.

The air in the dark hallway of the Main House was stifling. The walk seemed to stretch on forever. As Hitomi finally stepped out into the moonlight, a cool night breeze lifted the hair from her shoulders. Long, midnight tresses danced around her body, spreading out like wings in anticipation of flight. Freedom called to her on the wind, and she boldly stepped off the edge.