Hinata awoke to find herself in unpleasantly familiar settings. There she lay in the same boring, pale room in the same pallid, bleached covers next to her husband and cousin, Neji. Hinata thought of killing him right then and there and ending all her suffering but she knew there would be no freedom as long as there was her family. Hanabi had grown pretty but fierce, determined to win her Neji someday, somehow. Neji stirred in his spot on the bed.

"If you're awake then go prepare my morning breakfast and tea. Don't make any mistakes this time, Hinata-seme."

"Hai, Neji-Nii-san."

Hinata dressed herself in a plain white and lavender Kimono before she went into the kitchen to prepare his meal and tea. It was like this every morning with Hinata's soul bursting with beads of want. Want for affection, cuddling, kissing, and warmth. These things, she knew, could not be obtained from Neji but from her Gaara-kun. How she longed to wake up in a bed with him, to see his smiling face, to see that brilliant red hair catching rays of sunshine and hear his voice say,

"Good morning Hina-chan."

Her soul was empty; her heart was missing, buried like treasure in the sand and she was lifeless. She chopped vegetables for her Neji, made his tea, wrapped the rice balls with seaweed, put in a lacquer box with chopsticks and put that on a small table for him to kneel by.

"Neji-nii-san, it is ready for you."

Neji's was in the same colored robe as Hinata was, it was their morning attire, their longing about attire, their relaxing attire. He kneeled down and silently ate while Hinata gingerly poured the tea into its little cup.

"I made your favorite tea today, Herbal chai tea, the strong kind with no sugar or milk. Just how my nii-san likes it. It is to your liking isn't it, oh beloved husband?"

Neji looked up with his cold, hard eyes into Hinata's round, gentle, yet lifeless ones. One of his eyebrows rose up. While he was stoic he was also icy, and yet though those things could be said of Gaara it was like night and day to her.

"People say I have no emotion, if this is true then what do they see when they look into those soulless eyes, the eyes of a doll peering back underneath a shadow of silky Indigo locks? An empty porcelain shell with a painted face matched to any expression of the focus's choosing with no soul inside that fake, ceramic body. You think I'm the devil? Your eyes are burning with such hatred of me that it sickens me to the core and you are a snake, rattling to warn people not to get closer but they do. They get a taste of your sweet, potent venom and they are under your spell. You see they can't hear your rattle or even feel your venom but oh do I feel it. I feel it every day of my life that drones on and on with you, Tsuma-san, but what I desire to gain from you will never be obtained so long as I am the object of your deepest, most burning detestation. If anyone is the devil it is you Hinata-seme, you who have no real emotions yet pretend like you can feel. You've told me your heart is encased in sand and I cannot wash away that sand with the purity of Hyuga chakra, for we flow strong like the water. You go and deceive people, you go and bat your eyes and flip your hair, laugh like an innocent girl but know that I know inside you are a dark mass of seething rage, revulsion, and despair; a ticking time bomb that will blow any second."

Neji took his tea cup then calmly walked away as if nothing happened. His voice during the whole thing was just as his face, a brick wall of emotionless wonder with slight variations in emotion from disappointment to slight agitation. Hinata had seemed unfazed as she watched a cloud in the sky move. Everything was true. Not a single lie came from Neji, Neji was always blunt about things and never lied, he told everyone how it truly was while still having worth and high respect from the other Hyuga's and fear from his comrades or people in the village.

"Neji…You are my Teki. I cannot help but despise you with such scorn like hell could not imagine. You tore me away from the life I only dreamt I could have with a man who loved me for me. I will never see him again and was forced to be this way for you all, was forced to marry my own cousin and have him claim me. I have no choice but to loathe you. You are the monster in my fairytale that has no happy ending with a prince charming that will never rescue the princess who is slowly becoming the villain. What a twisted story I live in. Nothing is real, except this festering hate. Neji…do you see me as a monster or a princess or perhaps some strange abomination that is a mash of both?"

Somebody knocked on the door so Hinata rushed to answer it in a slow, graceful way. A woman who Hinata knew served in the Hokage tower was at the door.

"Our honored, virtuous, true, beloved Hokage wishes to have the presence of the honorable Mistress and Master Hyuga, lord and lady of the Hyuga clan, by this afternoon."

"Thank you I will the tell the lord immediately."

Hinata bowed before Neji, oh so properly, and then told him the good news. He seemed pleased about it judging by his slightly interested monotone. They dressed in something nice but not too flashy; Neji had a light blue shirt with white sash, white pants with silver decals and thick silver borders and his hair tied back just like Hiashi's. Hinata's was green with blue borders, large white squares and a blue obi while her hair was pulled back into a strict, demeaning, unfashionable bun. They arrived to be welcomed into the Hokage's office. The Hokage was a very busty blonde woman with the ability to look very young when in fact she was very old, she was wise, kind, helpful and a great fighter but she was a heavy sake drinker and was either liked or deeply hated.

"Konichiwa Hokage-Sama."

"Good evening Neji."

"Konichiwa Lady Tsunade."

"Good evening to you Lady Hyuga. I have summoned you both because I need a favor from you, actually I don't know why you both came for I really need Hinata."

"Me? I'll do anything to help our Hokage, please tell me what I must do."

"The Hyuga's are known for hospitality and extensive knowledge of Konoha; therefore, they are more than perfect for this task."

"What task would that be?"

"Simple, Neji. We have a very special guest coming from our sister village, the Suna and we're not sure who it is, most likely the Kazekage, but none the less he or she is important. Hinata, you are known for grace, poise, elegance, beauty, a prestigious upbringing, nobility, respect, and if I remember correctly you were very close to matching Sakura in wits, who proved to be one of the smartest young ninja's of her time and age group. You are perfect to be the Kazekage's guide around town for our biggest cultural festival is coming up, the spring festival. So, do you accept?"

There was no such thing as no to Hinata anymore but even if she could she wouldn't. It was for the unity of the two villages and for the Lady Tsunade so it automatically was a must. The Kazekage came from the sand village, where her heart lie beating, engrained in the hot desert sand. She could almost taste the humid desert air as she said yes. This Kazekage would unlock the passage to heart and with it, the protector, Gaara.