CHARACTERS: Hyuga Hinata, Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi, Uzumaki Naruto, and many more to be revealed!
AU(s): supernatural!au, princess!au, knight!au, royal!au, assassin!au
GENRES: romance, supernatural, drama, angst, smut, some action and thriller
POV: alternating 1st Person Point of View between Hyuga Hinata and Uchiha Sasuke
DISCLAIMER: this story is purely a work of fiction. names, characters, places, events, etc. that can cause a resemblance is coincidental, as they all come from the author's imagination.
PREFACE:
Act 0, Scene 0
"Love is begun by time, And time qualifies the spark and fire of it" - Shakespeare (Hamlet)
HINATA
Cold.
Bleak.
White.
Nothing.
Those are the only things that I can feel and see with my nearly blurred vision. And yet, even with most of my sense useless against this situation, my body seems to be the only reactor as it shivers like I'm stuck in some sort of snowstorm with hardly any clothes on. As the seconds pass, I feel my blood wearing thin in my veins and I'm on the verge of collapsing onto my own knees. At this moment, I feel the utmost vulnerability. I'm defenseless against this storm as it simply intensifies right before my very eyes.
Suddenly, a seemingly bright orb appears. Out of mere curiosity, I attempt to get closer to this light, but I can't seem to move. Not only am I defenseless but I'm immobile. With everything else becoming out of my control, I squint my eyes to look closer as this is the only thing I can seem to do. Much to my demise, this light only gets brighter and bigger. The mouth opens and quickly, but silently, bites into my flesh and consumes my entire body.
But, I don't complain. This light has somehow shielded me from the coldness and has provided a blanket of relief (literally and figuratively) to me. I close my eyes to bask in this abrupt warmth. My body begins to relax due to it, and I feel myself succumbing to this mysterious orb.
However, it truly is too good to be true as the next thing I feel is an ember strike my skin. I unconsciously gasp from the immediate pain. I briskly shoot my eyes open, and I automatically find myself in a completely different world than what I was previously in. Instead of the bleak whiteness surrounding me, hues of red and orange are now my company. This isn't just any kind of red and orange, however, as aggressive heat emits from these colors - striking and slashing at me. Once again, I remain useless against this new environment.
It didn't take me long to realize the exact world I currently am in: that being an active burning house with dangerous flames bombarding my consciousness. Upon further inspection, I see just how close these flames have traveled towards me. Just like that white bleak world, these flames will soon bite my flesh and engulf me down like dinner if I don't do something about it.
Like an instinctive motive, I attempt to wave off the blistering flames from getting any closer, but to no prevail. Instead, they just get faster and faster, nearly licking at my soft pink, lacey nightgown. Once I realized that is truly is nothing that I can do, I stop my movements, defeated.
Am I invariantly this weak? Am I really this useless? What am I good for...?
At my own dark and morbid thoughts, I feel my eyes heat up with fresh tears. This does not stop the, now, enlarged embers from getting ever closer. What is my true purpose...?
As if on beat, the door swings open. This in turn caused the flames to lessen in volume for a split second before enlarging once again. At the doorway, I find a distinct male whom I can't seem to make out quite well due to the smokey atmosphere. Without any time for me to register my thoughts, a voice emits from the male as he shouts, "Hinata! Get outta there! Now!"
Thus, I do what I'm told. However, even with moving a single limb, I'm still unable to advance in any sort of way.
"Hinata! What are you doing?! Get outta there!"
The more the voice shouts out to me, the farther away it seems to get, and the more I struggle against these invisible shackles. Even when I'm trying my best to move, these shackles just get tighter and tighter around my ligaments. "I-I can't! Please, help me!" I plead out to the unknown male, but he doesn't listen. Rather, he continues to shout out to me, until finally...his voice disappears like the wind, and silence and nothingness becomes my company once again.
Thus, I am soon to be consumed by these colors and forever be tainted by this haunting memory...
I awake with a start as my eyes shoot open and I gasp like a fish out of water.
Instead of being met with the shining summer sun, I quickly realize that it's still nighttime as the rest of the world seems to be asleep, except for me. Though even with this rather abrupt start of me waking up, it doesn't take me long to see that I'm not as alone as I think I am.
Instead, my eyes immediately catch sight of red orbs accompanied by a dark figure looking right back at me. At first, I think I'm still dreaming and this is part two of my horrible nightmare. After rubbing my eyes a few times to adjust my sight, I see that those red eyes have not dissipated. They only grow stronger and simply, more frightening.
The muscles in my body seize up and my heart drops into the empty abyss of my stomach. Those eyes...they're not from some random animal that somehow has broken in...
Upon registering that an intruder has definitely broken into the palace, I immediately open my mouth to let out an ear-shattering scream. The eyes look startled for a split second as they attempt to search for a way out without getting caught. Thankfully, several shrill alarms begin to blast all throughout the palace in which I currently behold. Alarms so loud and frightening that they sounded like they were recorded straight from a horror movie - which is indeed the point.
I take note that the intruder has realized there is no safe escape route except through the industrial-sized windows. I stop my screaming in order to grab ahold of them, but they are much faster and seemingly stronger than I am, and they hop out of the window with ease. I curse at myself for letting them get away before security could come.
Speaking of the devil, I hear the simultaneous footsteps of the guards inching closer from the stone hallways. Once they were at my door, they swing it open, revealing lonesome me. Beyond the doorway, I spot the two most valued and respected guards that we have in the Royal Kingdom, Shino and Kiba. They are fitted in traditional royal security guard outfits that are color-coded with red and white pigments. The story behind those outfits greatly symbolizes their daily duties. Professionalism, courage, and integrity ooze from all royal guards as they are trained from the time that they are able to walk in order to turn into the perfect vessel. After many decades of training, which mostly consist of physical combat, emotional deterrence, and much more that I still don't have full knowledge of, they are molded into what they are now known as. Royal guards have many duties to attend to with high levels of expectations and rules. They carry a grave amount of responsibility not only to the royal family, but to the whole kingdom. Because of the high pedestal they are put on, failure is not an option and can result in intense punishment by the royal family. And, I soon realize...they have indeed made a mistake due to the fact that they were simply a millisecond late to this call.
And, that is where I come into play.
I'm nothing like the rest of the family. I can see through the facade that these guards carry; I see a real human behind all of those clothes. Mistakes were made to happen, especially considering just how quickly my encounter with the intruder ended. Perhaps I'm a bit biased towards them because I've known them since the time I've been born, but it doesn't change the matter at hand. Although most decisions are confirmed through the current Queen and King, I still have a big part in the background since I'm second in command, and first in line to the throne. I thought to myself, I won't let anything bad happen to Mr. Kiba and Mr. Shino...
"L-Lady Hinata! Where is the intruder?" Mr. Kiba calls out as he looks around hysterically in hopes of locating said intruder.
I, on the other hand, remain flustered and still shaken from the past events. I shake my head at his severe inquiry. "I-it's alright now...The intruder fled."
At my answer, Mr. Shino steps forward with a furrowed brow and pursed lips. He's always been the most serious one out of the bunch which gives out a very intimidating vibe. Then again, it's all those years of training and brainwashing that have created him this way. Deep down, he's quite the sweetheart. "Lady Hinata," Mr. Shino starts with a low tone, "we can still locate them. Do you remember what they looked like? Even the smallest detail is important."
All of a sudden, my face heated involuntarily. I quickly look off to the side to avoid all eye contact with them. I felt ashamed knowing that the only detail I could remember was their deep, red eyes - and that's not nearly enough information to give to them. I must be honest with them. It's the only way. Biting my lip, I mumble out, "I...don't remember..."
It's pure silence and it only humiliates me more. The fact that I didn't even know the gravest of details such as their gender haunts my inner core. What kind of Princess doesn't gather this sort of intel in order to try to put a stop to occurrences like this? Am I even worthy to be Queen...?
I glance at the two worthy guards before me through my eyelashes, and I quickly notice their confused demeanor. "Lady Hinata...we swore on an oath to protect you with our lives, even if it means getting our hands a bit dirty. Please, help us help you," Mr. Shino coaxes. Mr. Shino has always been the kindest out of the guards, leading me to sometimes refer to him as the "good cop". He's the expert as knowing how to put a smile on my face when needed, and he gives the best advice I could ever ask for. However, when things get bad and times are dire, Mr. Shino knows how to get serious.
Knowing that they'll continue to pester me unless I make up an excuse, I let out a quiet sigh. "I'll be sure to let you two know if I can remember any specific details. Get some sleep - you both deserve it."
The two looked like they wanted to retort, but they briskly knew that would've done no good. So, they bid their goodbyes, bowed, and did a mandatory salute before finally leaving the room.
As soon as the door shut closed, I wanted to fall back into bed and slumber in order to get this occurrence out of my mind, even if it's short-lived. But, the peace that I desire disappears as I recall the horrific nightmare that I had before the incident. It's a nightmare that I used to have all the time when I was younger, and it started after that fateful day that the kingdom was terrorized by our enemies during the Royal War. Yet, I thought since I've gotten older, I wouldn't have such a trivial dream anymore, and I especially won't get upset by it anymore. But, why do I have the sudden urge to cry? Why does it still have this effect on me...?
Before my thoughts could further, I notice that my bedroom door slung open as quickly as it had been shut by the guards. This time, the doorway revealed my mother and father, Areum and Hiashi - the Royal Kingdom's rightful Queen and King.
My heart unconsciously dropped at the sight of them as it's almost never a good time when they show up together. Then again, I have to remind myself that an intruder did break in unexpectedly, and they are my parents at the end of the day. They were probably scared to death at the thought of someone potentially harming me...
My suspicions were indeed deemed correct once I inspected my mother who currently has her face doused with tears. Father, on the other hand, just looks deeply distressed as his arms are folded tightly around his chest.
Before I could even greet the two, my mother suddenly rushes over to me before swiftly taking me into her arms for an embrace. My breath hitches in my throat from the smothering hug. "Oh, my dear, Hinata! How could this have happened? Ohh, I'm so sorry for not coming any sooner! I wanted the 'ok' from the guards - ugh, speaking of those damned guards! They didn't do a single thing to protect my precious - "
"Areum, that's enough," my father intervenes before she could go any further with her angry monologue. I silently thank him in my head. "You know those guards only want the best for Hinata."
Mother gives a defensive look towards father until finally realizing that her being mad won't make the situation better. With reluctance, she sighs a bit while caressing my face like a newborn baby. Just from mother's touch do I begin to feel assured that everything will truly be okay. I'm safe now - there's nothing to worry about anymore. Not even that nightmare can defeat me.
"You're right, Hiashi," mother says with a low voice. After a while, the ends of her lips quirk up into a soft smile. "Everything will be fine now, Hinata. Please, get some rest so you can be fully prepared for the annual ball tomorrow night. I hate that this had to happen at such a terrible time..."
Suddenly, my eyes widen at the words 'annual ball'. How could I forget about such an important event?! Though, I can't exactly blame myself considering everything that has happened tonight. The best I can do is forget about it and keep my mind focused on what actually matters.
Every year, the Hyuga Clan throws an annual ball to celebrate the allyship that we have with the other kingdoms. Because of the Royal War that happened nearly a decade ago, the Kingdom of Konoha was in shambles with no sign of recovering anytime soon. However, the Clans surrounding us saw how much help we needed, and they were able to make a significant impact on the stability and security of the town. They donated money, materials, crops, tools, and much more to help us get back on our feet.
The Hyuga Clan is especially close with the Uchiha Clan who has saved our lives many times, even before the Royal War. The Uchiha Clan, who reside in Amegakure, house some of the most recognizable and remarkable members within their royalty. One of those members consists of Uchiha Itachi, the Prince of Amegakure who, as well as me, is first in line for the throne. Itachi and I are very alike and very unalike in many ways. He's much more stoic and introverted, and he's always been a mystery to me. For years, my parents have tried their best to get us closer in hopes of uniting the two clans in matrimony. Much to their demise, I've always hated the idea of being with someone who I'm not necessarily interested in, as well as being with them for the sake of power and status. Unfortunately for me, though, I've yet to find my perfect 'one' with who I can share the throne - and for the right reasons, as well. Will I ever meet him...?
"Well, I suppose it's best that we say goodnight now, Hinata," mother breaks me out of my reverie, and I'm reminded yet again what kind of predicament I'm in. "Don't worry, security will stand behind and be on guard for the rest of the night in case that intruder comes back."
I nod at her with no words exchanged. Honestly, all I could think about at that moment was the annual ball that is as close as tomorrow, and how I don't even know if I'm excited or dreading it. Either way, I have this uncomfortable knot in my stomach that only seems to tighten as the seconds pass.
Finally, mother and father excuse themselves and leave me be for the night. I can hear them from the other side of the door as they speak to Mr. Kiba and Mr. Shino about what they informed me. Without realizing it, my body collapses onto my bed in exhaustion.
I force my eyes closed albeit with a racing heart and a pounding head.
That night, I fell asleep to the image of dark red eyes staring down at me as I remain defenseless once again under their intense gaze.
a/n: i have arrived back to fanfiction and i am now writing naruto stories! i hope you all enjoy it and please favorite, follow, and review for more chapters!
