Hinata awoke to something soft under her.
Where am I? She asked herself. I had the strangest dream.
When she opened her eyes, the sky was clear with only the moon. Under her was soft grass.
She bolted up taking in her surroundings. She was in a courtyard. Surrounding her was an estate with lanterns at every doorpost. At the top was a wrap-around porch and on the bottom was a doorway with a light shining through.
The bottom door opened to reveal Itachi. A tray of tea in his hands.
Once again, Hinata got into a defensive position ready to strike. It might kill her but she would die trying.
"Now Hyuga. None of that, please come sit with me and have tea. I will answer all your questions. If you will hear me out, then you can choose from there."
Hinata studied the man before her. He had dark circles under his eyes and looked exhausted. He looked at how she felt.
She took a deep breath and made sure there were no traps anywhere before she sat down next to him.
" want do you want Itachi Uchiha?"
" I want to tell you a story." He told her looking over the edge of his teacup.
Hinata stared in shock as he told his tale. Told her the truth, of the sufferings he had gone through and the sacrifice he made to save the village and his brother.
" but then… that would mean you have been innocent this whole time! The whole village thinks you're a traitor and – and Sasuke! Does he know that the third Hokage put you up to this? His hate for you would dissipate if he knew –"
" No," Itachi said firmly. " He still has every right to hate me. I could have said no to the mission but I didn't. I did what I did for the good of the village. But I am not here to talk about my past hinata. If anything I am here to talk about my future. A future with you at the center of it."
" me? What? What do you mean?"
Itachi sighed, his body relaxing as he moved a little closer to her.
" I'm dying and I have to fight Sasuke soon. I want to die in that battle. Knowing that my last moments were filled allowing Sasuke to take his hate out on me. His choices haven't been the best recently and I need him to come back to reality. While Kohona has its faults it's not the horrible place he thinks it is. The will of fire lives on in the next generation but it cannot be filled with deceit, hate, or manipulation. I have been watching you for a long time hinata. You have a pure heart and you are strong. You have a deep love for Naruto Uzumaki, a connection that Sasuke doesn't have. You are empathetic and understanding and you have a clear foundation of clan politics."
Itachi paused as he got to his knees and bowed before her.
" hinata hyuga, I am pleading with you. Will you bear my child and become the next matriarch of the Uchiha clan? I can only pray this will bring Sasuke to his senses. This is my dying wish."
Hinata swallowed hard. This man, this dying man who was forced to kill his whole clan, his whole family was asking her to do the impossible. The ramifications could be disastrous. She would be completely shunned from her clan, not even shunned she would no longer be a hyuga. She would be a Uchiha and what about Naruto? She had confessed to him a while back but he never had the chance to respond. She couldn't wait on him forever, could she? It didn't help that his life was in danger as well, therefore she was the last person on his mind.
" Itachi-"
" a contract would be signed hinata. For the next four months, if you agree you would officially be my wife. You would be the head of the Uchiha and I would teach you everything I know. Once the war starts you will be my widow and everything will be signed over to you. That includes the Uchiha district and all our funds. You will be protected from any consequences from the village or your clan. I will leave a letter for Sasuke telling him everything. You would then become his wife. And you both will raise our child. The Uchiha clan has to continue but it needs to continue in gentleness and yet not be destroyed by politics. You would be a perfect balance for the Uchiha, for Sasuke. I will give you a few days to think about it."
" Itachi… I- Where are we?" she asked.
" the Uchiha compound. I was able to renovate this small portion. I will make sure you have the funds to restore it properly. For now, I will take you home."
…
Throughout the week, Hinata ran different missions delivering supplies. In the evenings she trained with Neji and attended clan meetings about their strategy. The gossip still flowed throughout the clan about Neji being chosen over her. The branch family was proud and happy not that they had anything against her but it was nice to have one of their own leading the clan while the main branch elders and a few of her aunts complained with displeasure about how weak she was. Her father often rebuked both sides of the family, warning them that they were going to war and needed to focus.
Her nights were filled with wondering and worries. The consequences and implications of her decisions. If she were to go forward with Itachi's proposal it would open a whole new world of enemies and there would be a child involved and yet the child's father would be dead within months and Sasuke would be left alone.
Himata sighed. It was a heavy burden and yet her heart went out to Itachi. Searching for someone to bring your clan back to life while dying.
And yet there were positive impacts as well. Hinata would be clan head in her own right. This also meant that she and Hanabi wouldn't have to fight against each other and no one would receive the curse seal. Hinata could still be involved in clan life and be useful not to mention itachi would train her.
The protégé of the Uchiha clan training her. Then she could help protect Naruto and her comrades after all. And yet there was still the thought of her being a mother.
Would she be a good mother?
She always dreamt of children but she always envisioned them with blue eyes and whiskers. Instead, they would have black hair and dark eyes.
Maybe she could dare to dream after all?
….
The next night, Hinata dreamt fitfully and when she woke up there was Itachi. He was sitting in a lotus position against her wall eyes closed.
"Have you decided?" He asked without opening his eyes.
"I have… my answer is yes.."
Itachi eyes opened revealing his sharigan.
" why?" He questioned
" why not." She answered.
Itachi smirked and stood offering his hand to her.
She slid out of bed only wearing a black nightgown, taking his hand.
" I have a kimono for you. We have to go see the fire daimyo."
…
The fire daimyo rubbed his eyes as he looked at the people before him.
Two kohona elders, a village traitor, and a Hyuga clan member.
" it is three in the morning, we have a war at our doorstep and you want me to sign a marriage contract!" He exclaimed.
" it is for the good of the village my lord." the kohona elder spoke.
The only reason the elders were there was because Itachi blackmailed them into coming threatening to reveal all their secrets to the village if they didn't follow him.
And Itachi wanted extra protection for Hinata. If her clan or the Hokage threw a fit the council and the daimyo would back her up.
" so what's the details of the contract?" the daimyo questioned irritably.
" the contract is as follows. From today and forever hyuga will become Hinata Uchiha. She will be the head of the Uchiha until Sasuke is ready to lead then they will lead together. As of right now she will be my wife and bear my child. When I die she becomes Sasuke's wife by law anyway. It will be up to them if they start a relationship. Once I die, Hinata will be guarded by two people I trust. They will be allowed clemency for their crimes and allowed to be in kohona for the rest of their lives. Hinata as my wife is in charge of my estate, my money, and anything else that is under the Uchiha name. She is to not be harmed under any circumstance. I have things in place if she is. The children she bears belong to her and the Uchiha name. They will not be used as tools for the village."
It was then the fire daimyo turned to Hinata with a grim look.
"And you Miss Hyuga, you want to do this? You are only 16 years old. You shouldn't have to choose to bear children and revive a clan."
" and yet you're sending me to war, while you sit comfortably on the sidelines my lord. At this point, I don't think age should be too much of a consideration." She addressed him, cooly.
" Speaking of war. I have a request." Itachi spoke. " I ask that Hinata be given the task of helping guard the daimyos"
" what! No! Itachi!-" she began to argue.
" hear me out. By the time the war starts, you could be pregnant… we can't have you getting hurt or almost dying. "
"Then put me on the medical team! I want to fight by my comrades!"
"you are not a medic." One of the elders pointed out.
" but she can learn. She is a hyuga after all. I can help train her." The female elder suggested. " who do you think taught Tsunade? It's why I've been around for so long."
Itachi sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
" very well. Let's get this signed."
Everything happened in slow motion. The fire daimyo and elders signed their signatures on the marriage contract as did Itachi and herself.
Copies were made to be sure everyone knew what they had signed and that it was done.
She was officially Uchiha Hinata
So now she found herself on her back with Itachi hovering over her.
" I know this is not what you imagined. I am sorry and I am also thankful. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. "
Hinata didn't say a word, she simply buried her face in his shoulder. Too embarrassed to say anything.
" let me know if I hurt you or if you want to stop." He told her.
Hinata nodded and closed her eyes.
When she awoke the next morning blood soaked the sheets.
She was a virgin no longer