I DO NOT OWN NARUTO
As Neji had predicted, Haishi Hyuuga was waiting in stony faced silence for their arrival. As they entered the main doorway of the compound, he turned and jerked his head, indicating that they were to follow him to his office. Neji seated himself gracefully, his hands laid on his thighs as he bowed to his uncle. Hinata also sat down, her normally graceful movements inhibited by the extra material of Kakashi's over-sized clothing. She bowed to her father and stayed down with her face almost on the floor. Although she did not have very high hopes that she would get out of this situation without physical harm, maybe her obvious repentance would lessen the severity of her punishment.
"Report Neji." Her father said coldly. Hinata cringed inwardly as she heard the suppressed rage in his voice.
"I searched all of the places that Lady Hinata normally frequents, as well as all of her friend's houses, and could not find her. I went to Kakashi Hatake's apartment with the intention of asking for the use of his ninja hounds to track her. When I reached his apartment, I found the two of them asleep in bed together." Neji stated impassively. He wanted to apologize to Hinata, but at the same time, it was impossible to hide anything from his uncle. He knew that her father would be upset, but he was unprepared for what happened next.
Haishi was silent for a minute, and then quicker that Neji's eye could track, he reached out and backhanded Hinata across the room. She hit the wall and there was the sickening crack as one of her ribs broke. She cried out in pain, and curled her arms around her midsection. Her father leaped to her side and snatched her up by the hair, pulling her face up to his.
"What have you done you little slut?" he hissed at her.
"F-f-father, n-n-nothing h-appen-" her words were cut off abruptly as he hit her on the other cheek. As he prepared to strike her again, he was stopped by Neji. The younger man flinched visibly at the violent gleam in his uncle's eye.
"Neji, you have one minute to explain why you are interfering and it had better be a sound reason, or I am activating the seal until you learn not to question me…" Haishi growled lowly.
"Hyuuga-sama, there is no indication that anything of a sexual nature occurred between the two. Hatake said that he found her passed out at the base of the memorial monument and took her to his apartment to care for her as it was closer than the compound. Apparently, this happened right before the storm hit last night. Her clothes were still wet, and that is why she is wearing some of his. May I suggest that it would be prudent at this point to request the nurse to check Lady Hinata before she is punished further?" Neji forced himself to meet the older man's eyes, his face as emotionless as he could make it. The two men battled wordlessly, eyes clashing, before Haishi's eyes calmed down and he released Hinata, throwing her callously to the floor.
"You make an excellent point, Nephew. Very well. Hinata you will go to your room and await the nurse. If you are found to still be pure, I will lessen your punishment. If you are found to be impure, Hatake will be approached about a formal alliance, and if he refuses, I will personally wipe this clan of your shameful existence. All you were ever good for was to marry off, and if you have lost your virginity, your usefulness to this clan is at an end." The older man starred down with hatred at his daughter.
"H-hai." She said in a quivering voice as she rose gingerly to her feet, obviously favoring her left side. She left the room with as much dignity as she could, and made her way to her bedroom. Hinata entered the room and as soon as the door was shut, she sank to her knees, sobbing helplessly into her hands. I would already be dead if Neji hadn't stopped him. Why does he hate me so much?
.
.
.
Neji left his uncle's office and went to summon the Hyuuga's personal nurse, Haruna, to Hinata's bedroom. As he crossed the compound, he contemplated what had just occurred. He was beginning to regret that he had told his uncle about finding her in Kakashi's bed. There had been times in the past when he aware that Hinata was being physically punished by her father, but he had not realized how sever it had become. He seemed to despise the very sight of her, and made no secret of the fact that he preferred Hanabi over her. What little warmth and attention he gave out was given solely to his younger daughter, and now that she was dead, his hatred of Hinata seemed to grow exponentially.
That look in eyes-he enjoys hurting her. For her sake I hope that she wasn't lying to me earlier. Of course, even if she is a virgin, he is still going to beat her for being found in Hatake's bed. The young man was pulled out of his thoughts as he knocked on the infirmary door. After explaining the situation briefly, he waited as she gathered the necessary medical supplies, and then escorted her to Hinata's room.
"My Lady, may I enter?" the nurse inquired softly. She greatly pitied the young woman as she often had to care for her wounds after each of Hyuuga-sama's lectures about 'the proper behavior of the Hyuuga Heir'. These 'lectures' invariably ended with a beating, though he was normally carefully to hit her only where the bruising could be covered by clothes. She thought it was shameful that any father would treat his daughter in such a manner, but their lord ruled with an iron fist, and no one cared enough to risk his wrath.
"H-h-hai." Hinata called out weakly. The nurse entered and was shocked by the sight of Hinata's face. Both cheeks were swollen with large dark purple bruises the size of a man's fist. Her lip was also split, and it was apparent from the way that she was holding her side that she was also hurt there as well. The nurse's hands trembled as she carefully helped the young woman out of the large tee-shirt. She almost gasped out loud when she saw the amount of bruising on Hinata's back. Quickly, she pulled chakra to her hands and examined the heiress's ribcage.
Hmm, one rib broken and two cracked. I wish that I was a better healer! By the time I finish with her ribs I am only going to have enough chakra left to ease the swelling. She will still be hurting, but I know better than to ask my lord to allow her to go to the hospital. Her chakra is too low right now for her to help me with the healing. She finished healing Hinata's ribs and bound them for extra support, aware that the binding was pushing into the bruises, but it was necessary. She then did what she could for the rest of Hinata's injuries, before performing the procedure to check that the young woman's hymen was still intact.
Oh thank Kami! She is still a virgin… She left the room and went to inform the clan leader of her findings. He accepted her report impassively and then asked her to fetch Hinata.
"Your father wants you in his office, my Lady." Haruna told her gently. She watched as the young woman's eyes closed briefly and her hands clenched at her sides. After a few seconds, Hinata looked up with blank eyes and thanked her before walking towards her father's office. She reached out and laid her hand softly on Hinata's arm in a small gesture of comfort. The young woman smiled at her before gently pulling away. The office door opened, and Haishi ushered Hinata in, closing the door with a click. The dull sound of a fist hitting flesh was heard and then a loud thump.
Haruna and Lord Hyuuga's guard met eyes fleetingly as they acknowledged to each other what was happening behind the closed door. They both wondered if this would be the time that their lord took the beating too far. The door rattled as a body was flung against it, and they heard Hinata whimper in pain. The faithful servants cringed as they listened to their heiress take blow after blow. Finally, there was silence behind the door, and they jumped to attention when it opened.
"Remove her." Haishi told the guard tonelessly. He watched with absolutely no emotion on his face as the guard carefully lifted Hinata's battered body and left the room. As soon as they were out of his hearing, the nurse ran quick hands over the young woman's body.
"We have to take her to the hospital!" she exclaimed in panic. The guard shook his head at her.
"You know the rule, she is never to be-" she quickly interrupted him.
"I can not heal this amount of damage- she is bleeding internally! I am scared too, but I won't let her die because I am afraid. Is your life more important to you than your honor, Hideki?" She whispered to him irately. He starred into her eyes and knew that she was ready to risk her life to protect the young woman laying unconscious in his arms. He looked down at his mistress, and saw that she was deathly pale and barely breathing. He hesitated for only a few more seconds before he turned and sprinted towards the gates of the compound. The guards there almost detained him, but with a quick glance at his burden, they allowed him to leave. He ran to the hospital without looking back, knowing that if he returned, his life was forfeit.