Once upon a time, there was a princess who met a prince.
The king held a great ball in celebration and remembrance of the Amaterasu War. All the nobles from both kingdoms were invited. The young princess's return to the world of the living was heralded like the return of the Sun Goddess herself. She wore a kimono the color of the sky when dawn embraced the twilight, and an obi spun in the midnight color of the Moon Kingdom flag. All who saw her could agree that she was lovely. The lovely figurehead of a glorious campaign.
"You look tired." The princess looked at the boy who approached her throne. He was wearing the insignia of the Sun Kingdom and a sash the color of the burning sun. Though young, he already had several awards pinned to it.
"I-I am, y-your highness," she replied. He had a stony little face, but the warm spark of boyhood still in his eyes gave her courage. "Are you?"
"War tires everyone." His eyes suddenly burned with a kind of hatred the princess had never witnessed before, and she shrank back. Then, he blinked and the fire was hidden away. "My apologies, I do not blame you."
"M-many do," she stuttered. "I'm sorry. The deaths...they...they hurt me too."
"Then it will be difficult for you to rule a kingdom." He spoke the truth, but it still stung. The princess wanted to run away, but she only bowed her head politely.
Across the room, the Sun King and Moon King watched their children converse. The Sun King was intrigued for his taciturn son rarely interacted with his own generation. The Moon King was curious for his timid daughter rarely spoke to her peers. The two rulers looked at each other, measuring the other's worth.
And so, the princess and the prince were betrothed.
Prey for the Hunted
By Airyo
Chapter 6
"You know, Kin, I would be jealous that Sasuke is stalking you if I didn't know how obsessive that boy can get over dumb things like your identity," Ino said lightly over dinner. Sakura shoved her with a laugh.
"Ino-pig, you are so enjoying the chances to torture our prince. Normally he wouldn't even go within a five-mile radius of you in fear for his chastity."
"Hey, Forehead, I've gotten a lot better! Compared to some of those other girls, I'm practically an angel," the blond sniffed. Hinata watched the two friends bicker with wide eyes. She knew Ino acted out on purpose because she enjoyed teasing Sasuke, but it was a rather frightening thought that the noble was one of the more well-behaved ones.
"An angel of death, perhaps," Sakura quipped. As they continued bantering, Hinata surreptitiously watched the pink-haired girl. Under her thick cloak, she wore a deep green jounin vest over the standard issue uniform of black pants, warm tunic, and sturdy boots. The Sun Kingdom insignia on her dark red forehead protector seemed to glare at Hinata accusingly.
Much like the look Sasuke was currently giving her from across the room.
Despite Ino's best efforts, Hinata knew she couldn't remain in this nerve-wracking status quo. Her little exchange with Sasuke just this morning was an example. Necessity fortified her with steely poise, and she was immune to subtle barbs that slowly grinded away her defenses. But Hinata had not been expecting such a forceful, almost sloppy, interrogation. She had let her guard down, and revealed a potentially dangerous clue about herself.
It didn't escape her notice that Team 7 had followed the convoluted trail she'd left them in Sanso. They could have been lulling her into a false sense of complacency, but she had a hunch that the raven Sasuke used wasn't as accurate as Ino thought it to be. It seemed that the raven became confused by large crowds of people, so it was likely a chakra-based mark. Granted, Team 7 did find her, but that simply meant that Hinata needed to hide her tracks even better. Last time had been a haphazard mess because she'd been convinced that Sun soldiers were only hours behind her. In a larger city like the capital of the Sun Kingdom, she would have a much better chance of hiding. Hinata just needed to hide her secret for one more day, until they reached the capital city of Ganpon.
"Like you didn't have a crush on him that was even bigger than your forehead?" Ino barbed. The noblewoman dramatically put a hand to her brow in a swoon. "You even abandoned me for such a shallow reason."
"You can't blame the faint heart of a silly young maiden. Uchiha are bred to be beautiful, and he stands out among them." Abruptly, Sakura turned to Hinata with a conspiring grin. "Despite his horrid personality, even you have to agree that he's great to look at, right Kin?"
Hinata shrugged uncertainly. She'd seen plenty of the clan before. The dark eyes and sleek features made them prettier than most girls. Sasuke's face was symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing enough to be an artist's muse, but it only made her more wary of him. She'd grown up surrounded by cold beauty, and she was still shivering from the experience. There was nothing attractive to her about it.
"Really? Is that blindfold on too tight?" Ino sputtered incredulously. "Forehead, you need to check her. I believe she's ill!"
"I-I mean I agree, I agree!" Hinata corrected quickly. The glint in their eyes as they reached for her was alarming. "Just that he's not my type!" It distracted them from their original goal, but they latched on the new hook just as persistently.
"Then who is your type?" She shook her head, hoping to evade the question, but Sakura and Ino were eyeing her with an almost maniacal expression. If she didn't tell them something, they'd never let it go. Hinata anxiously looked around the room. A wild movement drew her attention. Naruto was gesticulating wildly as he spoke to Sasuke. His orange jacket was blindingly bright.
"Naruto!" she said quickly.
"Why?" They were genuinely curious, and it was a safe topic. Hinata let herself speak candidly.
"He seems...like an honest and open person. Like someone who will...stubbornly and stupidly and sincerely chase after his goals. I admire that kind of boldness..." She trailed off uncertainly. Girl-talk really wasn't her forte.
"No wonder you like Naruto better than Sasuke," Sakura said with a grin.
"He's the least sincere or open person you can find," Ino added with a giggle."I plan to marry the man and I still have to admit that."
Appeased, the two girls sat back.
Hinata shuddered. She really needed to get away from these people as quickly as possible.
"Dude, you probably should stop stalking Kin," Naruto commented in between mouthfuls of rice. Sakura had turned traitor and was eating with Ino and Kin. "It's getting creepy. Even compared to the Pervy Sage."
"I am not stalking," Sasuke corrected with a raised eyebrow. "I am investigating. That is what ninja do. Don't confuse me with your stupid fantasies." Naruto snickered, blue eyes dancing over some hidden joke.
"You were hiding outside their bathroom. You're lucky that I wasn't Sakura - she'd rip out your spleen." He wasn't exaggerating. Sakura was a good enough medic she could deal an exorbitant amount of damage to her teammates and then heal them without leaving any trace of her violence. Sometimes Ibiki called her down to help with interrogations and Sasuke never wanted the details on that relationship.
"I wasn't peeping, unlike a perverted moron I know. The bathroom is probably one of the few places Ino isn't hovering over Kin like a mother bear."
"Sure. I completely believe you...did you at least see anything good?" Naruto said with a leer in the girls' direction. Sakura caught him and shook a fist warningly at him. "I didn't get a good look last night, but Kin's got to be hiding a nice rack under those baggy clothes. Why are you so hung up on that chick anyways?" Sasuke scowled as he glanced over at the bodyguard. He wasn't surprised that she had suddenly learned perfect table manners since the last time he saw her eat.
"I don't trust her. She's a little too good at hiding her identity," he replied. Naruto shrugged.
"If Ino's trying that hard to help her, there's probably a reason," the blond justified with a carefree grin. "You know your brother isn't going to just let a Mooner walk into his castle like that. All you have to do is report Kin for investigation. No harm done."
"Dead-last, if everyone waited around for Itachi to do everything for them, we wouldn't have a kingdom." Not to mention that it irked Sasuke that Kin had been outsmarting him too many times. True, he and Itachi had been far more distracted with the attacks on the border, but it was also saying something about the huntress's ability to be so forgettable. But what did she have to hide that was worth such effort? Even if Kin had aided the Moon Princess's escape, her skill in anonymity brought up the questions of why she even needed to hide on this side of the border. And then there was that weird reaction to hurting the people of the kingdom...
"Then he did something bad enough that the Moon Kingdom chased him out. What'd the brat do, kill their king or something?"
"Woah, Bastard, you alright? You just broke your metal chopsticks" Sasuke reached for another set, which he promptly bent into a pair of horseshoes.
It was so obvious.
There never was a hunter or huntress or bodyguard or Kin.
She was No-Name Hinata.
A chilling sort of anger cleared his mind. It wouldn't be wise to jump up and accuse her here. He'd cause a political incident if he'd just yelled it out in front of so many commoners. The best bet would still be to find proof. Ino would fake offense if he'd just demanded for the blindfold to come off, so he had to find a way around that. He'd made too many false assumptions when it came to Hunter/Kin/Hinata. He stood and dusted off the splinters from his lap. Sasuke approached the girls' table, dark eyes piercing Hinata's skull as if he could pull out the secrets hidden in there.
"You and me. A spar. Now." They stared at him.
"Sasuke, why don't you wait until after dinner?" Sakura asked. "Like a normal person?" The prince shook his head.
"Now. Unless such a capable bodyguard can't even handle one little spar?" He purposely pitched his voice so everyone in the room could hear him. As much as Sasuke usually loathed the wagging tongues of the servants, their gossipy nature helped his argument this time. It would seem strange for "Kin" to turn down such a spar.
"Very well, then," the bodyguard agreed slowly. "But...I declare the rules." Sasuke raised an eyebrow as he smirked. She would want to avoid using any techniques that gave her Hyuuga heritage away. It didn't matter. His real goal was to unmask her. In a controlled setting, everyone would be at a distance so they wouldn't also see her eyes and cause a ruckus. As much as Sasuke would like to be the hero to arrest a fugitive, Itachi would kill him for thinking so linearly. A political figure like the Moon Princess was worth far more hiding in their shadow than rotting in some jail cell just to appease the masses. But that would require careful maneuvering. And proof.
"Fine by me."
The current inn they were staying at had a large empty lot in the back. There was only a light dusting of frost over the hard dirt ground. What looked to be all the occupants of the inn had crowded out around the clearing, anticipating an exciting fight between the Crown Prince and the mysterious bodyguard of Lady Yamanaka Ino. Sasuke and Hinata faced each other in the middle.
She'd shed her extraneous gear, but it was too cold to take off their cloaks. Her robes swelled on the harsh winter air, making her look like a faded violet flower lost in the snow. But the dark strip of fabric across Hinata's face blended with her equally dark hair in the waning light of the day, and her long braid whipped about like the tail of an angry feline. She almost looked intimidating.
Hinata pointed her unsheathed naginata at Sasuke. "Taijutsu only, with your choice of weapon." Somehow, her low voice wasn't lost in the whistling of the wind. The Uchiha twirled his sheathed katana deftly, before catching it backwards and held it out towards her provokingly.
"Again, fine by me. Yamanaka, call the spar for us."
Ino looked worried, but she obediently stepped forward from her position by the fence. "Ready?" Sasuke slid his katana loose with a click as the ex-princess dropped into a low stance with her naginata lying along her back like a scorpion's sting. "Fight!"
Neither of them moved, staring intently at the other.
Ever so slightly, Hinata shifted her weight. Her blindfold made it impossible to tell where she was looking. Sasuke waited, muscles tense with anticipation.
"Just fight already!" Naruto suddenly hollered in impatience. Hinata jumped and glanced over. He took that moment to attack.
He closed the gap between them in the blink of an eye. She folded in half. His sword sang through empty air, only to be answered by the lower whistle of her glaive. Fast. Sasuke blocked the strike, feeling the solidity of the hit. Decent strength, too. He jumped back just as she went for another swipe, the blade passing easily under his boots.
"Not bad," Sasuke had to admit. He landed on the ground, creating a small cloud of dusty snow around his feet. Hinata remained silent, returning to the scorpion stance as before. This time, neither waited.
They clashed blades in mid-leap. Sasuke flipped over the guard's head and stabbed down. She spun her naginata in a counter, and Sasuke ducked, feeling the wind of the glaive brushing his hair. He tensed to jump, only to hastily change course when the blunt end of the naginata snapped back around with startling speed. Too close - have to watch both ends. He caught the wooden handle and pulled hard. Hinata stumbled - not so graceful now, are we? - and suddenly rolled forward in a tumble to land a hard hit on his leg. Hissing with more surprise than hurt, Sasuke retaliated automatically with a kick to her ribs. That was the first move he'd been forced to make outside of the sword kata. They both pulled away, breathing hard.
"You fight dirty." Hinata's lips pulled into a curl of displeasure as she clutched the injured area. Sasuke smirked, feeling the excitement drive his heartbeat up. This was a thrill that could only be found in dueling a worthy opponent.
"Scared of a few dirty tricks, little huntress?" She huffed and flicked her robes condescendingly.
"From you? Hardly."
The ex-princess adjusted her stance, and then suddenly threw the naginata like a spear. The movement drew Sasuke's eyes for a fraction of a moment even as he easily sidestepped the missile. It hit the tree behind him with a reverberating thud, a stony moment parting the rush of the river currents. That was all she needed.
Then she was in Sasuke's face, pulling off a rapid combo of palm strikes and hard kicks that tingled painfully despite the lack of chakra. She pushed Sasuke back - no, he was not going to let her get to the glaive - depriving Sasuke the full range of his katana as he was forced to block. Sasuke purposely let a punch land with a grunt. Surprise flickered across her face even as Sasuke had her in an awkward headlock. Her hair tickled his nose - she even smelled of cool shades of purple -
Then Hinata liquified.
It was the only way to describe the way the girl slipped from his grip.
Sasuke caught himself before he lost balance completely and was forced to block an overhead strike from the reclaimed naginata. He slashed out, forcing her to jump back, and she seemed to float in the air for moment like crumpled origami paper tossed in the wind. Then the huntress landed in a low stance and rushed him with a storm of swift swipes at his legs and feet. Sasuke danced back, parrying away the more dangerous attacks. As Hinata twirled the naginata in a broad move to keep him off balance, she released one hand from her weapon - ha, hitting outside the pattern won't work - and then the other hand. She's throwing away the glaive? Wha- Sasuke was forced to smack the abandoned naginata away with his katana. By then, Hinata was dangerously close enough with daggers flashing in both hands - too slow - and Sasuke slapped the tanto out of her hands. Simultaneously, he hooked a foot behind her leg and smoothly flipped her on her stomach to the ground.
He pinned her to the ground with a knee in the middle of her back just as the daggers landed with distant thuds to the side. She gasped as if in pain, but Sasuke refrained from lifting his weight - it was probably another trick. Hinata weakly struggled and then went limp in defeat at the feel of Sasuke's katana along her throat. Hinata turned her head so she could look back at him. The stark contrast of her pale complexion and the half-veil reminded him of his original goal. He'd almost forgotten. Sasuke traced the tip of his blade along her jaw, aiming for the blindfold. He watched her face intently.
Her lips moved like in a dream, and it took him a moment to process what the girl said.
"Taijutsu only," she whispered. "It's my win, Prince Sasuke." She reached up and pushed his sword away from her face. The image of her proud little smile even as she was prostrate in the snow was forever frozen into his memory.
Sasuke had been forced to activate the Sharingan.
"Winner, Prince Uchiha Sasuke!"
Ironically, the crowd broke out into cheers for him. They were at an angle so his eyes couldn't be seen. No one but he and Hinata knew the truth. Sasuke gritted his teeth as he let her up. Then to mock him, she stood and bowed low to him, as if she were the loser of the spar. She trotted back to Ino.
"Good job bastard!" Naruto was pounding him on the back. With a snarl, the prince shoved him aside.
"What the hell's your problem?" Sasuke stormed back into the inn, ignoring Sakura as she hurried after him.
"Sasuke, are you hurt? What's wrong? I thought you won-"
He slammed the door in her face.
The ground was all icy needles against the side of her face. Sasuke's knee dug uncomfortably into her back, applying painful pressure to tender ribs. The hair on the back of her neck stood on an end as she felt the tip of his katana draw a chilling line for her half-veil. Something. She glanced up at him. Anything to distract him. Sharingan eyes pierced her.
It was worth the risk.
"Taijutsu only. It's my win, Prince Sasuke." His blade stopped, and she pushed it away from her face. A grimace of relief and pain curled her lips into a parody of a smile.
"Winner, Prince Uchiha Sasuke!" Cheers broke out as Hinata felt him slowly ease off of her. She scrambled to her feet and bowed as deeply as she could despite the strain on her faintly throbbing midsection - the kick and then the knee did not help. Hinata knew that people like Sasuke could not tolerate humiliation. She knew she'd angered him. Hopefully, her respect for him as an opponent would sooth the sting on his pride. It had been a while since Hinata could really test her skills in a controlled setting, and her blood sang with the thrill of the fight.
If only Sasuke felt the same way.
She watched as the prince rejected his teammates' attempts to assuage the hurt to his ego. She'd tried. Even if Hinata's efforts were ineffective, it didn't matter. She would be gone after they reach Ganpon anyways.
The next morning was a quiet one. Sasuke sulked and ignored her, choosing instead to fume like a human storm cloud. The rest of the entourage tip-toed around him as if crackling ice was the only barrier between them and the abyss of his black mood. The wheels of the coach creaked and crunched over a new blanket of snow, and the frost-stripped trees lined the road like soldiers saluting a funeral procession. Hinata watched from her old spot at the back, standing on the footman's ledge.
They reached the sturdy gates of Ganpon at noon. It was one of four entrances through the towering stone wall surrounding the city. The two soldiers guarding the entryway bowed low to Sasuke as he walked past them. One of Ino's servants presented her seal, and the Yamanaka entourage was also waved through without further trouble.
As a little girl, Hinata had heard stories about the wondrous city of Ganpon. It was a place of fire and festivals and fortunes found. She'd dreamed of visiting it one day, maybe even arrive with a great parade in her name.
The stories didn't lie. Banners emblazoned with hues of fire wove the cobbled streets together with color. People from every corner of the world filled the spaces between tall buildings with excited chatter about the Winter Festival. They passed by the marketplace, teeming with endless stalls selling everything from exotic weapons to palm readings. It was a cacophony of sight and sound and smells, a contained chaos with all the energy of a great bonfire.
Hinata let herself grin like a child. If she tried, she could even pretend that the entourage was her parade, a great welcoming celebration. At the back of the coach, she stood at the highest vantage point among the sea of people, and she could see the Sun Palace rise above their heads. The elegant spires reached so high it seemed that the palace was holding the sky up.
The rhythmic clank of Sun soldiers marching by the coach pulled Hinata back to earthbound reality. Their crimson armor reminded her of an army of beetles, all sharp precision plates and uniform clicking parts, and that the castle will be crawling with them. Even if Ino kept her promise, no one could protect her from the jaws of such a death trap. And Ino would face a death charge on her own head if their dealings were discovered.
She glanced around. The ninja weren't paying attention. She started to undo her cloak, the most distinctive part of her current appearance.
"I wouldn't do that, if I were you." Ino lifted a perfect, sunkissed eyebrow as she leaned out of the window of her coach. "Stripping for the Guardian following us isn't good for your health. Rather cold, I'd say."
"Guardian?" Hinata echoed in surprise. She'd sensed nothing.
"You know, the Twelve Guardians, the personal guards of the king? Prince Sasuke gets one when he's in the city because there are too many possible political enemies around." Ino sighed. "It's going to get even harder to talk to Sasuke after we enter the palace. Those Guardians are so strict about touching. They'll be even harsher on public nudity."
"I know who they are. So the Guardian has been tailing us since we entered the city, then?" Hinata said with a sinking sensation in her stomach. Ino shook her head.
"Before that." Hinata frowned and the blond noblewoman nodded. "They're that good. These are the best, after all."
"Thank you...for telling me," Hinata finally said haltingly. It didn't escape her notice that their conversation remained perfectly harmless out of context. So their shadow was either close enough to hear everything or could read lips.
Ino gave her a half-smile and pulled her head back inside. Hinata cast her senses out around her, but the noise of the buzzing crowds swarmed her perception. She couldn't even guess where the Guardian was. Trying to do anything with such a hazy awareness of her enemies would be suicide.
She didn't have any choice but to grasp the coach handhold tighter, and let herself be carted into the heart of enemy territory: the Sun Palace. Sasuke led them through a series of high security gates, each one fortified with successively greater numbers of soldiers. As they were cleared to pass through each gate, Hinata's heartbeat climbed to a new high, until she felt her pulse pushing against her throat.
"Boo." Someone jumped up next to her.
Hinata yelped and lost her balance. A large hand caught her by the waist and steadied her. She looked up into sky blue eyes squinted in laughter.
"Sorry, Kin" he chirped mischievously. "Didn't think you'd scare that badly."
"N-naruto!" Hinata admonished. She could feel her face heat slightly with embarrassment. Who actually got startled by a "boo" of all things? "That...wasn't nice."
He laughed and shrugged. "Sasuke-bastard's raining prissyness and Sakura's busy trying to make sure he doesn't kill anyone. I'm bored."
"There's Lady Ino," she suggested neutrally. If Naruto was aiming for information, he was in for disappointment.
"Don't like her," he said bluntly of his fellow blond. "She's always asking me about the bastard. She's stupid about him. It's just Sasukesasukesasuke. "
"She tries hard for her goals," Hinata defended with a slight frown. The Kyuubi vessel seemed to realize that he'd spoken wrong and waved his hands harmlessly.
"Atch, said that wrong," he grumbled as he scratched the back of his head. "Just meant that I don't want to talk about the bastard. Don't know what the hell his problem is today - punched me again."
"Are you okay?" Hinata hadn't worried too much about the implications of her win against Sasuke, as she had originally planned to be far away by now. However, the presence of a Guardian changed her plans, and Team 7 would likely be a large factor in her future.
"Sakura healed me. I'll just get him next time we spar," Naruto said with a careless shrug. Hinata had to smile. No wonder Team 7 somehow worked. Sasuke wasn't one to pull his verbal punches. But both Naruto and Sakura seemed to be the straightforward types to forgive just as easily as they seemed to lose their tempers.
"It...must be nice to have a medic." Hinata felt awkward. Not only was the pressure of her paranoia slowly suffocating her as they slowly advance into unknown territory, she was also just terrible at small talk. Chit chat. Idle, harmless conversation without any apparent direction. It made her uneasy, because from experience, there always was a deeper, more insidious purpose.
"Yup. I'd be in pieces all over the kingdom by now if Sakura wasn't around to put us back together."
"You guys fight...often?" Naruto burst into loud laughter. But before he could calm down to explain his amusement, the group was allowed to pass through the final gate. They entered into a vast courtyard awash with the sounds of activity. Scattered groups of soldiers concentrated on various jobs such as polishing armor and fletching arrows. Others tended horses or labored at the roaring flames of a smithy.
"Oy, Shika! How ya doing?" Naruto cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled. A narrow-eyed jounin with his hair in a spikey ponytail and features twisted into a frown waved reluctantly as he approached them.
"It's Shikamaru," he corrected in a nasal tone. The blond just grinned unapologetically. Shikamaru glanced at her, and then the closed curtains of the coach, before returning his gaze to Naruto. "Where's Sasuke? I have troublesome news." Naruto jumped up on the top of the coach, impelling a faint squawk of surprise from inside the vehicle, and looked around. "He's talking with that blacksmith. You'd better be careful though. Bastard's been in a real bad mood today."
"What did you do this time?" Naruto clasped his chest in mock hurt and toppled backwards off the top of the coach. He deftly landed on his feet next to the other jounin.
"How could you accuse me so quickly?" Shikamaru just gave him a flat look. "It was all Kin's fault." The spikey-haired ninja turned his head slowly to regard Hinata with intelligent eyes. He shrugged.
"Troublesome," he muttered as he turned and headed towards the prince. Naruto bounced after him. Hinata watched as he conversed briefly with Sasuke while the blond joined Sakura elsewhere. The Uchiha stiffened and then glared back at her. He summoned his raven, who proceeded to peck him, mess up his hair, take his message, and then dispel with a puff of smoke. Hinata's eyes followed Sasuke as he then followed Shikamaru into the castle. Only after she'd lost sight of the ornery prince did she breathe a small sigh.
"Is he gone?" Hinata leaned down to see a single blue eye peeking out from between the curtains. "Shikamaru. Is he gone yet?" She nodded, confused by the oddly shy behavior of the bold noble. "Good." Ino reached out and waved a hand. One of her servants opened the door for her and helped her step out of the coach.
"Tidy up my usual suite and bring my luggage there," she told the servant. She turned to Hinata with a disturbingly wide smile. "We need to go greet King Itachi soon, so we don't have much time. We need to pretty you up."
Hinata didn't realize that "pretty you up" was code for "drag to royal tailors for completely new wardrobe" until it was too late.
Before Hinata could regain her bearings, she found herself standing before a three-panel mirror, surrounded by a team of seamstresses that poked and prodded her with needles.
"You can keep the purple cloak you have now, since it already matches. I'm having someone embroider the Yamanaka clan symbol on the back." Ino tossed her a matching set of gloves and boots, both made of supple black leather. "You're my shadow bodyguard now, so you need to look the part. Thankfully that half-veil makes you look nice and mysterious." The Yamanaka heir herself had already changed into a robe set in swirling hues of purples, complemented by a frothy, pale pink skirt that swayed when she walked.
A messenger slipped into the room and whispered something to her. Ino turned to the seamstresses and clapped her hands. "We have about an hour before someone comes to escort us. Please hurry up."
It was a haphazard scramble to finish in time, but Hinata admired the end result in the mirror. Her original cloak hung open, framing a sleek purple tunic so dark it appeared black from some angles. A black and gold obi cinched her waist and secured her loose black pants, which were tucked into her new boots. The obi also cleverly concealed a multitude of pockets and loops for her weapons. Her katana and wakizashi set hung at her left hip, and the handle of her naginata leaned over her shoulder. The shades of her outfit brought out the deep violet tints in her high ponytail, nicely offset by the pale gold Yamanaka clan insignia on her back. The half-veil stayed in place.
Outfitted as such, Hinata felt that she didn't even need to act for the role of the capable, intimidating bodyguard. When the soldier arrived to escort them to the throne room, he gave a small nod of acknowledgement to her. Hinata returned it with a sharp nod of her own.
They followed the soldier along the richly decorated hallways. Deep crimson carpet paved their way to the royal wing of the castle. The soldier led them to a pair of towering double doors with dark gold knobs. Lady Ino paused briefly at the sight of two guards wearing pale animal masks flanking the entrance. Matching, red-brown hoods concealed their hair and shoulders, and triangular waist-sashes identified them as members of the Twelve Guardians.
"Hello, Gorgeous," one of the Guardians said with a mechanical tilt of his head. His mask depicted a smiling crocodile. Somehow, his epithet for Ino seemed exactly that, a description that was wholly bereft of any flirtatious qualities.
Ino smiled in mild amusement and waved to Crocodile in reply. The soldier knocked on the door. He let himself in after a faint 'come in'.
"Lady Yamanaka Ino has arrived," the soldier informed the king politely. Hinata hung back as the blond noble entered the room, planning to wait outside.
"The bodyguard accompanying Lady Yamanaka may also enter," Itachi's distant voice added. It wasn't a request. Hinata's muscles tensed. Normally, the visitor's guards were left outside as a sign of respect and trust to their sovereign. She stiffly let herself be waved through the door. It shut behind her noiselessly. She was trapped.
Deep red carpet directed a path across the spacious throne room to where the king sat. The throne was an elaborate affair of plush velvet and swirling designs, held high on a platform of stone steps. Behind the throne hung a richly woven tapestry that hung from the ceiling and nearly touched the top of his throne with long fringed fingers. On it, the Sun Kingdom insignia was cleverly merged with the field of the Uchiha fan, creating the scene of a bloody sun rising over the horizon.
Itachi himself looked unchanged, despite the passage of the years. Same ponytail, same impassive glance. She'd never seen him in casual wear, but he looked more like himself in his understated black uniform. It was made of rich material and tailored to perfection, but characteristically bare of further embellishments. He was reading a scroll as they approached - only one of the countless piled next to his seat.
Ino and Hinata waited patiently for him to finish. Itachi closed the scroll and set it to his side.
"Greetings to the Sovereign Ruler of the Sun Kingdom, King Itachi. The Yamanaka clan bows before you," Ino said smoothly as she curtsied. Hinata opted for a low bow. They both held their low stances, waiting for Itachi's signal.
"At ease, Lady Yamanaka Ino," the king said. He gestured for her to kneel. Lady Ino gracefully settled onto the cushion at the foot of his throne. Hinata followed her example, taking her place several feet behind the blond.
"Welcome back. I am glad to see that you have safely completed your journey, despite the events several days back."
"Thank you, your highness. Your concern is too great for a mere noblewoman like me."
"I see that you have been motivated to hire a bodyguard." The blond smiled prettily as she nodded.
"That is correct. I hope that isn't a problem? I only have the best things to say about Kin's service to me thus far."
"Kin will need to attend a few training sessions and tours so she can better protect you in the castle, but I do not foresee any troubles." Itachi glanced at Hinata before turning back to Ino. "While you are in the palace, my soldiers will also be vigilant for your safety. So please be at ease."
"Thank you, my king."
"That is the least I can do for my subjects, Lady Yamanaka. You are the heir of a powerful clan. The Uchiha fan would not be carrying the Sun Kingdom insignia if not for your support."
"We are pleased to serve."
"I am grateful to hear that. You may go wait outside, Lady Yamanaka. The guards at my door will watch you. I have a few quick topics regarding security to discuss with your bodyguard that will only bore you." There was nothing Ino could do but obey. She rose smoothly to her feet and Hinata watched with a sinking heart as her only ally left her. Hinata remained in the room, trying to keep her breathing even as her heart attempted to burst through the bars of her ribcage. The king ignored her, scanning yet another scroll. When he finished, Itachi looked up at her.
His Sharingan flashed.
"Would you like to explain to me what a Hyuuga is doing uninvited in my castle?" His voice was a sharp whip in the silence. "Answer me. Are you here to steal secrets? Assassinate me? I can assure you masquerading as Lady Yamanaka's bodyguard is a poor strategy."
Hinata trembled. His killer intent was heavy, crushing any courage she had under a cruel heel. This was the famous Uchiha Itachi, a war hero at the tender age of ten. He could have already killed her several hundred times over in the past few minutes.
"Itachi, I c-can explain," Hinata stuttered out. She blinked, and then he was suddenly standing in front of her. She couldn't move. She couldn't breath.
"Who are you to address me so casually?" he demanded as he leaned in, towering over her. "You will take off your silly blindfold." She complied.
"You..." His eyes widened in shock as his Sharingan faded back to black. He stared at her for a few moments, and then huffed with disbelief. "So you are still alive, Hinata."
The weight of his aura lifted as he slowly ascended the steps back to his throne. He sat down, calmly resting his chin on one hand, watching her with neutral curiosity. He didn't appear overly pleased nor displeased to see her. That was a good thing. A considerable reaction could only stem from a considerable reason, so apathy was the most favorable attitude for her.
Hinata was glad that she was already kneeling. Her knees had liquefied to uselessness with his blast of killer intent, but her mind was already rapidly assessing her situation.
Whatever the differences between the kingdoms that they represented, they both knew that the other person was not a living manifestation of those causes. While many feuds started from personal insult, Hinata and Itachi had always defined their relationship by remaining impersonal. It had worked before because they were both so scrupulously fair, and Hinata fervently hoped it would be the same now. She was a forgotten relic who would remain harmless as long as no one remembered her. She prayed that Itachi agreed with her.
"I thought I was dead when you activated your Sharingan," she confessed in an even tone as she gripped her pants to keep her hands from shaking. "Using that amount of killer intent on someone like me is excessive."
"I sensed a Hyuuga," Itachi said bluntly. "I did not realize it was you." Hinata shook her head.
"My chakra belies my name now."
"Ah, yes, you're No-Name Hinata now. But that doesn't tell me why you are here."
"A series of...highly improbable events," she admitted wryly but honestly. Trying to keep anything from Uchiha Itachi would only be in vain. "It started with your little brother forcibly hiring me to hunt for myself."
"So you're this mysterious hunter?" The king sounded mildly amused. Hinata knew that for Itachi, it was the equivalent of rolling on the ground as he laughed uproariously. She didn't get why that was so funny, but humor was a favorable sign. "You were safer out by the border. Why try to infiltrate my castle? And I am curious as to how you blackmailed Lady Yamanaka into covering for you."
"I...I threatened her life. She had no choice."
Itachi chuckled. It was rich noise that sounded odd against Hinata's memory of a silent, serious boy.
"You are still a terrible liar, Hinata. The truth, this time." Simply demanding the facts was a method that only worked for Itachi.
"And you are still a terrible interrogator," she replied politely. It was easy to fall into their old roles of mere acquaintances, a threadbare connection that already exposed their faults. There was no point in hiding. "I wish this was all due to my own machinations," Hinata admitted. "Prince Sasuke left me with no choice. If I did not serve as her bodyguard, my identity would be revealed." She told the truth, but nothing stopped her from presenting it in misleading fragments. Hinata was determined not to condemn Ino when the other girl had already risked so much.
"And you still have not told me why Lady Yamanaka would keep your secret," Itachi noted.
"She was the one...who subdued me with mind-possession jutsu," Hinata added.
"So she was aware of the implications. Interesting," Itachi mused with a look towards where the blond noblewoman waited on the other side of the door. "Lady Ino rejected further training as a shinobi, but she still has such control over the family techniques." He gave her an approving look. "You were wise to comply."
"I am well aware," Hinata said with a falsely nonchalant sigh. He'd figured out Ino's potentially treasonous intentions. She interlaced her gloved fingers, staring at the embroidered Yamanaka insignia at the cuffs. Neither of them missed the faint tremor of her hands. "You are perhaps the only other person who wouldn't arrest me on sight. Anyone else would try to redeem my bounty immediately."
"You shouldn't be so trusting of me, Hinata." Itachi looked down at her with dispassionate eyes. "I am not so fond of you that I am willing to harbor someone that the Moon Kingdom wants dead and all Sun Kingdom soldiers will most likely kill on sight." He remained relaxed, despite his cold words. Itachi wanted something from her. Maybe Ino wasn't in trouble.
"It would be political suicide if you helped me for altruistic purposes," Hinata encouraged softly. The edge of his mouth quirked.
"Your perspicacity has not diminished," the Uchiha praised. "There are a few things you could do for me. In exchange, I am willing to allow you to retain your role as Kin during the course of those tasks." He continued without asking for her consent. Not that she was given much of a choice. "For now, continue with your little show. I will inform you of your assignment at a later date."
"Thank you, your highness," she said sincerely. The sharp, tight claws around her heart released and she inhaled deeply. This was best scenario she could hope for.
"Do not mistake it for kindness," Itachi warned. "If I were to take a guess, such presumptuousness was what landed you in your predicament in the first place." The king silenced her with a hand before Hinata could reply. "I am only interested in the political implications. In fact, you are to write a report. You may go."
It took all of Hinata's control to walk calmly to the door and exit.
AN
In Japanese:
Ganpon = "capital" (yes, I am swimming in name originality here)
In my mind:
Castle = palace (technically incorrect, but easier for me when writing...)
(I starred and bolded the really important bits. Feel free to skip everything else. )
*****Thanks to my wonderful beta, Rhinst!
***** Amaterasu is not only the name of some very destructive black fire, but also the name of the Shinto Sun Goddess. The short gist of things is: after she had a big ol' fight with Susanoo (the Storm god...hm), she hides in a cave. Later, she is convinced to come back out, and light is restored in the world.
-Horses are sacred animals to Amaterasu, by the way.
- More fun mythology: Tsukuyomi is the Moon God. He was supposed to represent Amaterasu at a feast, and the Food Goddess created the feast by: spitting out fish, shitting out animals (not joking, wiki it), and coughing out rice. Tsukuyomi killed her because he thought the method was too disgusting (LOL). Amaterasu got really pissed at him, so that's why the moon and sun never share the sky together. (I may or may not integrate this into my story. I was just researching and though it was hilarious.)
-I found this great website, julywintertheories(dot)weebly(dot)com, that explains the Shinto Trinity and how it all relates three million times than I ever could. Go read up if you have the time! And there is always Wiki.
- Now that I've apparently established Naruto as a boobs man, here's the really important question of the day: what kind of man is Sasuke?
-Three guesses who Crocodile is. And the first 2 don't count.
- So apparently, by "minor ItaHina" I meant "rampant hints to distract you from the lack of SasuHina". Teehee?
- Btw, the ItaHina is dedicated to Rhinst. NaruHina for Macky(Li?). I do take requests into consideration, btw. (hintreviewhint) Once again, please let me know what works, what doesn't. Thanks for reading!
