Author: Silver Star Dragon

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Pairings:

Main: Hinata/Gaara

Past: Hikaru/Hiashi, Mai/Mamoru

Secondary: Ino/Shino, Timoko/Genma

Rating: PG-13 (May go higher)

Timeline: Hinata is nearing her 19th birthday.

White Dove's Legacy

Mai Kuraku stared silently at the white-eyed Clan Lord across from her. Hiashi had been her teammate and had fallen in love with her adopted sister. Knowing how much they loved one another and everything that was involved, Mai had gone thru a great deal of trouble to help her mother and Hiashi's mother, the Lady of the Hyuga get a contract signed by the Lord of the Hyuga Clan, Hiashi's father and her own mother, the Leader of the Kuraku Clan.

Now, after all these years she was being asked to act on the contract and take Hinata. She'd have done it earlier if Hikaru had not made her promised not to unless Hiashi came to her. And it wasn't like she hadn't done it before. But the Hyuga contract was different. It required a little more work on her part. It was times like these that she wished her mother was still alive to handle. Getting up, she went to some bookshelves and started to put out scrolls, looking for the marriage contract.

"Before I go and do this, I must ask the reasons that you are giving her to me. If I am going to go thru this trouble I want reasons." She pulled out a scroll and looked at it before putting it up and picking another.

"Must I give you a reason?" Mai pulled another scroll out.

"Yes, but the rules set up between your father and my mother, you have to give me three. Each has to be better than the last one. I remember that part."

"Very well. Reason one: Hinata is too weak to lead the Hyuga Clan. She is just too soft and gentle. She can not even defend herself against her sister. Reason two: Hinata has feelings for the Kazekage of Suna and I know that he has the same. I've seen them together and I feel that they complete one another. If she is Clan Leader, they cannot marry. I know how I have treated Hinata and in truth I am ashamed of it. I want her to be happy."

"How very noble of you. Your reason one is weak. Hinata is stronger than you think. She takes after her mother, so she's a great model of common sense. Reason two has more merit, but like I said, how very noble of you. And here I thought I would be hearing of a marriage between Hinata and Neji. Thank god you aren't." She looked over her shoulder at him. "Reason three?"

"I can't protect Hinata from the one who murdered her mother. I have found traps; Neji has found traps that we know Hinata would not have seen since her Byakugan is weak." Mai was either shocked or she had found the scroll because she stopped looking.

"Mai, like I have said, I have done things to Hinata in the past to make her stronger and have only ended up hurting her. I know that Hisa and Hanabi care little for her and I know that they start fights with her that she can not win. Letting her go, giving her to you to protect and train is the only way I can save her."

Mai sat down with a scroll. Unrolling it, she held the marriage contract between the Kuraku and the Hyuga.

"Once you do this, there can be no going back. The Hokage may not interfere. You will give me Hinata FREE of the Caged Bird Seal. I know that the Main Branch uses it to keep the Secondary Branch in line and I will not have it on her. She will never be controlled. She comes with the things that she has bought, things giving to her by either her friends or by Neji, and her mother's things. She may marry whoever it pleases her to, and the Hyuga Clan may never interfere. If she has children, you will contact me to see them if it pleases you. I can not stress this enough. She will belong to the Kuraku Clan and the Hyuga Clan can never, EVER interfere with her life again. Now are you sure?"

"Yes." Hiashi signed the contract. This time it was to obey the cause in the contract. Mai signed it as well before calling a daughter in.

"Hazuki, go take this to the Council members. Tell them to please sign and keep a copy." Hazuki nodded and left with a bounce that made her gold hair float in the wind. It would be done. Mai looked at Hiashi, penning him with a hard stare.

"Who will lead, once you become fodder for the worms?" Mai had a good feeling she knew who.

"Hanabi, naturally. As my daughter by Hisa, she's full-blooded Hyuga. In truth, I don't want her to lead. She is selfish and uncaring. Wanting only for herself. Same as Hisa."

"Hiashi have attempts been made on Hinata? Ones that you haven't taken care of?"

"Yes, that is why I assigned Neji to be her bodyguard."

"How about Hanabi?"

"No, none. But she is the second daughter." Mai waved that away.

"We are ninja. You know that makes little difference."

"She is a better ninja than Hinata. Her Byakugan is stronger."

"Hiashi, please. Don't play stupid. It's annoying. If the Heir is gone then the Second becomes Heir and then-"

"No, do not speak of it!" Hiashi's eyes blazed almost as brightly as Mai's cool blue. "I refuse to believe that anyone in the Hyuga Clan would sink so low."

"And yet one Lady Hyuga rots in her grave and her daughter returned to her Clan. But if you'd rather play blind than who am I to stop you? Tell me though, when will you tell Hinata?"

"There is a Council meeting two days from now. I know that the Elders will be pushing for me to disown her then. One month after that, the Ceremony of Heir will take place to appoint Hanabi as the next Clan Leader. I suppose you'll be there?"

"As Clan Leader I can do no less. As Hinata's godmother that she had never seen, you bet your ass I will be there for her. In two months I will hold a ceremony making Hinata my seventh daughter and releasing to her, her mother's holdings. We will open up the House of the White Dove; Hinata will be considered the White Dove's legacy and given the contract for them."

"I will not say this in two days Mai, nor will I probably ever say it again but, thank you. And at the same time, damn you."

"You're welcome. I'll do a good job of raising her spirits. Better than you. I don't need for her to get stronger. She's stronger than you think. Good night Lord Hiashi. I hope you can sleep with what you've done to her. And damn you too." Hiashi stood and left.

From the shadows to Mai's left Timoko appeared. Her glowing red eyes seem to hold everything hostage.

"So... he's giving up Hinata? Or giving up on her?" Timoko asked her eyes starting to blink every so now and again.

"You should know you've been standing there the whole time." Mai scolded her oldest who was looking sheepish. "However, that was a good idea using a clone to bring tea."

"So what do you think though?" Hazuki appeared out of the shadows on Mai's right.

"I think we should prepare Hikaru's wing for the arrival of her daughter. And I want to open an investigation into the death of Hikaru and see who's attacking Hinata."

"The Hokage won't help us. She doesn't like us." Timoko looked deep into the flame of the candle.

"The other Clans will. The Council will force the Hokage if need be. The Hokage holds it against us that Moriko brought Dan in from the battlefield in her Cursed form. She couldn't save Dan and she's blamed us as much as the enemy." Mai looked at Hazuki who was starting to gain flesh as dawn was approaching. "Wake the rest of the Moons. Start cleaning the rooms. I am going to see the other Clans and the Council."

"Yes mother." Timoko blew out the candle leaving the room in total darkness.