Forced Paths

The ceremony

The respected leaders of the clans had already decided of the future, not caring for the lives crushing under that decision. The wedding would be held within a month under a closed circle. Hiashi Hyuga didn't trust his newfound allies enough to let a big number of people enter his grounds. Both leaders agreed that time and secrecy was of absolute matter. They wanted to shock the other clans and send a message about how ready they were to answer in any situation. The union of Yamanaka and Akimichi had to be second to them.
Amongst the lessons of how to be a good wife, her father was slightly suggesting that she had to be of need in the clan to make the alliance stronger. Intel was crucial of course and he wanted that as well. She wondered if her future husband was suffocating too and in the hope he did her stress eased a little.
Fugaku Uchiha arrived a week prior for the last details of the union with a few men. His son and wife would come later in the excuse of not leaving the clan alone. In the quick glimpse she got before Neji walked him to her father's office, he seemed like an unpleasant man. Hinata hoped that he was an exception. Neji tried to get her attention, he opened his lips to form a word but she quickly fled. She hadn't talked to him after his betrayal. Her problems were big enough without hearing his excuses.
Her father called her that night to inform her about the details that involved her. She had to leave her sword behind, he told her. Uchiha was a clan that didn't let women fight and as the future matriarch she had to be the example. Hinata tried to protest. They took her freedom away, now they were going to take all the hard work as it never existed.
It was your decision. The cold eyes stopped her more than his words.
Be useful to the clan.
Hinata remembered that she wasn't a person to this man eyes. She was a tool exploited for gain. No words or cries would change that fact.
The second matter was that they demanded for a doctor to examine her to confirm her purity. He, along with the Uchiha would be present in the examination so no fool's play would occur. The blood drowned of her face. How much more humiliation would she had to endure to be left alone.
She cried that night, mourning for her separation from Hanabi, her body which would be sold to a man she didn't know, her sword which she had to leave behind along with her soul. She had endured everything in the hope that there was a line that would stopped it all. The last twenty years of her life was constant suffering but she thought it was going to end. Her reward slipped within her fingers only to replaced with a dark path until the end of her days.
Hanabi came the next morning to greet her. Her eyes were darker and tiny bags begun to form. She sat silent next to her with her eyes on the ground. Her palms became tiny fists before she spoke.
"I will do it Nee-chan. This isn't right."
Hinata took the angry hands and untangled them.
"I have made my decision and I'm fine with it."
The younger girl's eyes sparkled as she moved her gaze to meet hers.
"But... This was supposed to be me not you. You..."
A tear escaped the eye.
"No Hana. It was always me." Hinata spoke softly as she hold her sister's hands.
"Are you really fine?" The whiter eyes searched for confirmation. Hinata gave it with a nod.
"Father said that your job is also crucial. He said that my reign depends on your behaviour."
A thread that Hanabi missed. He was telling her that if she didn't please the Uchihas, her sister would suffer.
After many reassurings the young girl left. It was time for Hinata to take a bath and walk to confirm that she was untanned. As the wooden floor marked her steps, she questioned her fiance's presence in this farse. She was informed the night prior that he had arrived along with his mother. Was he coming to hold her hand as they were both in this together.
She entered the room that would be used for the examination. Hiashi and the man that would be her father in law were already there joining a conversation that seemed to be painful for both of them. The doctor was seating on his chair waiting. As she stepped into the room and the door was closed she froze. She wanted to scream as loud as she could that she didn't want any of this. A look from her father stopped her. The other man turned a gave a slight nod acknowledging her presence. In return she bowed slightly. It was the first time she looked at the man closely. He was little shorter than her father but not less intimidating. He was well built, more muscular with dark brown hair. He didn't seem like he was handsome even in his youth but his whole posture gave him a certain appeal. The wrinkles under his mouth suggested like he was a man in who displeasure came often. At least he seemed like he was uncomfortable to be there unlike her father who had the ever lasting cold face. The doctor saw she wasn't moving to the bed so he prompted her, guiding her to sit. The men moved by the door to not have access in sights they shouldn't have. As she laid her body, Hinata decided that the man she was supposed to marry wouldn't come. She hoped that maybe they could form a team as two people whom misfortune came upon. But as it seems she would be on her own once again. As the doctor looked at her exposed parts, she decided not to hope for anything better. She soon would be join a clan that men were above women. She felt a pain and closed her eyes only to remember that the white eyes were observing her with no emotion. She tried to open them but her body was making its own decisions. As she heard and unfamiliar forming the word good she knew it was over. She wonder what was good about this. She only felt disgust and betrayal. The first man exited as to move away from something dirty. The doctor left afterwards. Only her and her father remained in the silence. The noise of her clothes and little sobs she tried desperately to keep inside filled the room.
"Tonight they will be joining us for dinner. Be presentable." Was his only response before he left.
She stayed there trying to regain the composure that was expected of her. Perhaps she should cry before the wedding as much as she could to dry her eyes out. She has seen many over the years, men and women shed tears the day they became part of a pact. But she, the former heiress shouldn't. Maybe the Uchihas would take it as disrespect and father surely would not accept it. Maybe he would beat her again for the second time in her life in front of everyone without saying a single word. Only the glass eyes on her as the stick touched the skin. Or he would make Hanabi train until the small body collapse from the exhaustion and the hardships. This was the final test. You failed. His words were clear on her mind. She had thought that he never considered the marriage proposal until she caved in. That this was another punishment for the failure of a daughter the gods had sent upon him.
A knock on the door woke her from her slumber. Neji entered looking at her in the eyes and then everywhere else.
"Hinata-sama."
She tried to walk passed him but he was standing on the door blocking her way.
She raised her eyes to see the man that his betrayal erased all other.
"I have to get ready. I need to be beautiful for my husband." She mocked. She never spoke to Neji like that. She never spoke to anyone this way but she felt a rage and a saddeness that overflowed inside her.
"Hinata-sama please. Let me explain." Her cousin almost begged.
"Did you know? Were you part of the plan?"
"I didn't know when I came to see you. When we parted our ways that night, uncle was waiting for me in my room. He asked me if I saw the letter and if I had informed you. He said it in way that suggested it was all part of his plan. Then he asked me if I care about the clan. If my father's death taught me anything. If I was willing to let the clan burned to the ground to save one person." He stopped and took her hands.
"I hoped you would let Hanabi do her duty. Your place was here all along. You could led us in greatness."
Hinata felt the tears on her cheeks when she removed her hands off his own.
"No. I would always choose my sister."
Neji's face turned serious.
"Please forgive. I did what I thought it was best for the clan. I didn't want to hurt you."
"You did what my father thought was best for the clan." She told him,wiping the tears.
"What can I do for you not to hate me?"
She had never seen him this desperate. As she cried, she realised it was because of the bond the two shared that severed that day.
"Protect Hanabi."
She run in her bedroom, hoping noone would see the sorry state she was.