Thank you to these people for reviewing: bogusbabe, motroshell, and dumdeedum.
Note: I haven't watched Boruto, so I'm just stealing Tento's name. His dad probably wouldn't have been Daimyo at this point, and he's much younger in canon than he is here. That's all. And the Royal Court I've set up is much different than the one in canon.
oOo
The servant hurried into the room, stopping in front of the spot where Hinata and the prince reclined on pillows. Hinata looked up, but the prince never moved his attention from the shogi board.
She smiled at the servant. He nodded back, but he needed to address the prince before speaking to her.
"My Lord," the servant said. "I have a message for Lady Hinata."
The prince ripped his gaze away from the game. His frown deepened even further. "We're busy."
The servant bowed and held out a palm sized scroll. "Your father is summoning her."
"My Lord Tento," Hinata said coaxingly. "We can finish our game later."
Tento took the scroll and opened it with a glare before passing it to Hinata. "I'm coming with you."
"The summons says he wants her to come alone," the servant tried but Hinata waved him off.
"I would be honored by your company," she smiled.
The fifteen-year-old stood, patted his carefully styled hair, and held out a hand to help Hinata stand. The juxtaposition of his vanity and chivalry amused her. He kept a tight hold of her hand as he marched them out of his suite of rooms towards his father's meeting hall.
Hinata glanced back at her maids and the servant following discreetly behind them. Her maids whispered behind their hands and Hinata resisted the urge to sigh.
Tento, even though he was her betrothed, would never love her the way her maids wanted him to. And with their age gap, Hinata was more than fine with that fact.
More than fine with that.
When they entered the meeting room, the Daimyo sat behind his desk. He greeted Hinata and raised an eyebrow at his son.
"I asked for Hinata specifically."
Tento pulled Hinata to the chairs in front of the desk and raised his chin. "We were playing shogi. You interrupted us."
The Daimyo raised his eyebrows at Hinata. "You spoil him."
Hinata wanted to argue that she did not really have the authority to tell a prince 'no.' But he was right.
She watched Tento grow up, and for many years acted as a playmate to him. She played ballgames with him, taught him cards and rudimentary taijutsu, and helped him with his homework. Her soft spot for him was a mile wide.
She smiled sweetly in response. The Daimyo shook his head. He held out an envelope to her, already opened.
"One of the letters in here was addressed to me," he explained. "And the second is addressed to you."
Hinata took the envelope, pulled out her letter, and let Tento snatch his father's letter.
She just managed to read:
Dear Lady Hinata,
My name is Nara Yoshino, from Konohagakure. You do not know me, but I have heard of you. I apologize for putting you at a disadvantage, but I would like to-
"Excuse me!" Tento yelled, surging to his feet.
His outburst startled Hinata. The Daimyo watched his son with tired eyes.
"What do you mean, Hinata won't be betrothed to me anymore?!"
Hinata pressed the letter and envelope to her racing heart. "What?"
The Daimyo pointed at Tento. "This is why you were to stay behind."
"Because you wanted to talk behind my back?"
"Because I wanted Hinata to be honest with me. About what she really wants."
Both men focused on the woman in question. She shrunk back in her chair.
"I don't know what's happening," she said meekly.
Tento opened his mouth to holler again, but his father pointed at him.
"You can either sit down and be quiet, or you can leave," his authoritative voice echoed through the room.
With a stomp, Tento chose to leave in a huff. Hinata leaned over and picked up the letter he dropped on his chair. She tried to offer it back to the Daimyo, but he shook his head.
"Read that one after yours."
oOo
Coming up: Hinata has a frank discussion with the Daimyo.
Word count: 650