Chapter 8: Truths Within Lies
The journey to the daimyo's palace was a smooth and familiar one. Though Hinata had never been there for political purposes, she had been one of the many genin over the years to return Tora, Madam Shijimi's disloyal cat.
'Times have certainly changed.' She was no longer a genin chasing after cats and cleaning fields. No, she was a young woman who had seen her share of bloodshed and war. Not quite hardened, she was far from the innocent child she once was.
She eyed her traveling companions. As a Kage was never permitted to travel alone, no matter how powerful they were, they were accompanied by Genma, Raidou, and Shikamaru. Genma and Raidou had been bodyguards to multiple Hokage and were unquestionably devoted to the village and its leader. Despite that, neither had been told the truth about the relationship, or lack thereof, between Hinata and Kakashi. Hinata could feel them staring at her since they departed in the morning. They must have had questions, or even suspicions, but knowing their duty and their place, they said nothing. Hinata wondered if it would have been different if she were not present.
As they neared closer to the palace, their entourage indicated that it was a good place for her and Kakashi to change into their more formal attire, clothing they didn't want to chance snagging along the way. For Kakashi, this was simple, a matter of slipping a robe over his clothes and placing a hat upon his head. Hinata would need to change entirely. With no tent or any type of coverage, Hinata quietly glanced at Kakshi and gestured her hand toward the denser section of forest. A silent notice that she would undress over there, alone. Kakashi nodded his head in response. It wasn't as though he anticipated her stripping down here. Modesty wasn't necessarily on his list of things he looked for in a woman, but having glimpsed Hinata's form the night before and knowing he was one of very few who had been so lucky, he preferred to keep it that way.
Seeing Genma's eyes trail off as Hinata slipped away to change left Kakashi with a rather irritated feeling he couldn't quite name.
"Genma," he called in a stern fashion the two routine guards were unfamiliar with. "It's probably best to keep your eyes off of another man's fiancée." Kakashi smiled beneath his mask after he said it, his eyes coming to a brief close. Neither Genma nor Raidou could tell if it was a joke or if that chill in the air were his killing intent. Deciding it might be the latter, both men, even Raidou who hadn't been looking, turned away from the trees.
Genma awkwardly chucked, still clutching a senbon between his teeth. "Just making sure she's safe," he justified. 'So, he's the possessive type.' That was going to bode well with having a partner like Hinata. Surely, he knew what some of the younger men said about her. There was something about the way her clothing left things to the imagination.
Like the other guards, Shikamaru had the impression that Kakashi was serious. He passively wondered if Kakashi had said those words for his own honor or for hers. Regardless of the circumstances, this woman was to be his wife, and no man would take kindly to another eyeing what is theirs. But it was still possible that he felt genuinely protected towards her. Deciding it was too much of a bother to think about and better suited for the ladies, he dropped the analysis from going any further.
Before tensions rose any higher, Hinata had come out from the foliage in her lavender colored kimono adorned with a peony motif. Her hair had been pulled into a simple updo with pieces of hair framing her face.
For the second time that week, Kakashi found himself caught off guard by her beauty, and he realized he was far from the only one.
The only one unphased was Shikamaru who'd seen her in such clothes before and truthfully, was always more amazed with the speed at which Hinata was able to apply the multilayered garment. ' Really, what's the big deal about a kimono? It seems like such a pain to put on and even more annoying to take off. Hardly the thing you'd want on a woman.' But again, that may have been in Hinata's best interests.
Claiming what was his, Kakashi looped out his arm for her to take. Her non-shinobi sandals weren't meant for walking through these trails, or so he justified.
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When they arrived at the gate of the daimyo's palace, they were warmly welcomed, as the Hokage had always been. Their entourage was to wait in a separate hall, the typical custom, while Kakashi and Hinata were brought into a large receiving room with intricately embroidered sofa benches overlooking the koi pond in the courtyard.
The Fire Daimyo had already suspected why they might be here and after exchanging formalities, he spoke a bit more bluntly. "I take it, Miss Hyuuga, you will not be accepting a marriage to my son."
"Forgive me, my lord, but I am already promised to another." Instinctively, Kakshi placed his hand over hers as they sat beside each other. The callused warmth of Kakashi's hands atop hers was strange, but a welcome kind of strange. She wasn't a physically affectionate person and not because she was opposed to it, but because she was always too shy to initiate such contact. Growing up in the Hyuuga household, hugs and gentle caresses were far from common. After her mother died, the next person to hug her was Kiba, who never struggled to show affection to anyone. He would ruffle her hair no differently than he would Akamaru. This was very, very different.
Kakashi listed as she spoke and remained poised. He was rather impressed. They had yet to have such a conversation like that between them.
"Of that much I have heard," the daimyo let out a disappointed sigh. "It had come to us through the grape vine as they say, that you had already been betrothed to the Hokage. But Lord Kakahi, I am surprised we were never told. Why the secrecy?" he probed.
They had anticipated this line of question and Kakashi easily drew on his scripted answer. "As you could imagine," he began glancing toward Lady Shijimi, "it's not easy to be married to the Hokage. In fact, the wives of the first and fourth even died in the line of duty. I didn't want to ask that sort of burden on her."
Hinata never realized what a smooth talker Kakashi was. He said it so easily, like it was true, but Hinata knew that it wasn't even a consideration. And as a shinobi, she would lay her life down regardless and as the Hokage, he would expect no less of her. He'd even seen her do it on multiple occasions, although the fact that she was there beside him was testimony of her failed attempt at altruism.
"I see. And what prompted this shift in your stance?" the daimyo dig deeper with yet another question Kakashi already prepared an answer for.
"It was a proposal from the sand village," he explained. "It would seem her beauty and strength caught the attention of many. I couldn't just let her go." Gently stroking Hinata's hand for the added effect, Kakashi continued to address the Fire Daimyo. "After she came of age, I asked her father for his blessing, and now we'd like to ask for yours."
There were truths to their lies—half-truths some may call them. It was a fact that they were only engaged because someone else had proposed, only it was the offer of the man in front of them instead. And while it was her eyes and genes that couldn't be lost, they were the essence of herself and therefore one and the same.
"It's a pity," the daimyo asserted, looking at Hinata. "My son would have provided you with all that you could ask for."
'Is that supposed to be a shot at me?' Kakashi wondered. It was as though no one saw him as a suitable husband.
"Ah but there's no winning love," came the passionate voice of the daimyo's wife who had been listening in eager silence. "Tell me, I've been so curious! How did you two meet?" She was full of excitement as she spoke, authentically interested in all the details of their story.
Kakashi hadn't thought about that part of their background. They had met years ago, when she was still just a child. Before he could attempt to answer, Hinata had already begun to weave her own tale.
"I apologize, my lady. It is unfortunately not a happy story," she offered. "I first met him at the shinobi memorial for all the men and women our village has lost when I was still just a genin. I don't even think he noticed me then." Hinata offered a soft smile.
'At the memorial?' Kakashi couldn't fathom why she'd say the memorial of all places but the way she answered so effortlessly made him wonder if there were any truth to it. They had agreed to offer as many partial truths as possible. A half-truth was easier to keep consistent than a lie.
Tears formed in the eyes of their matronly host. "Then is it true what they say—that you've found comfort in each other's arms after losing your loved ones in the war?"
'I-in each other's a-arms?' Hinata's blush was faint, but evident, and Madam Shijimi took this as a sign of truth.
"A mutual understanding of duty and sacrifice," Kakashi added. "I've kept my intentions with Lady Hinata pure." 'Does everyone think I've just been defiling her in my office?'
"I see! How beautiful to find love even in the darkest places!" came the explicit joy of their host.
"Well, you have our blessing nonetheless," the daimyo relented.
The rest of their afternoon with the daimyo and his wife had been uneventful. Hinata had been given a tour of the grounds by Lady Shijimi herself while the men had moved on to other topics, political ones from the way Shikamaru's presence was requested. Just as she recalled from her days as a genin, Lady Shijimi was rather out of touch with the world and its problems and focused instead on what secrets Kakashi held under his mask. She was awfully disappointed when Hinata stated that she was sworn to secrecy. What else could she say when she hadn't the courage to see his face the night before despite his offer.
The more she thought of it, the more flustered she became.
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When they arrived back in Konoha and were about to go their separate ways, Kakashi offered to walk Hinata home. In a way, it was to ease the suspicions of his guards who could not recall ever seeing the two together, but also a way to ask her the question that had been eating away at him.
They walked side by side in equal pace, neither saying much of anything, but figuring they were far enough from the eyes and ears of Genma and Raidou, Kakashi finally asked.
"What made you say we met at the memorial?" He had come up with several reasons why it was the logical choice, but something about the words she said, about him not remembering, implied he had really forgotten something.
Hinata looked up at him, her face kind and unassuming. "Because," she said with a soft, nearly inaudible sigh. "That is where I first met you."
'So then he really doesn't recall.' If she were being honest with herself, she hadn't expected him to take notice of her then, but deep down, she kind of hoped he had.
Kakashi dropped her off at home more confused than he had been the night before.
-End Chapter 8-