Hinata Hiden: The Princess and the Invisible Cage

Chapter 1.5 - Weakness

As Hinata and Naruto left the estate, Lord Hiashi walked up to have a word with his younger daughter, away from the ears of the rest of the family.

"I know what you were doing in there, Hanabi. You mustn't coddle her, she must learn to defend herself."

Hanabi felt a flicker of annoyance.

"Well Father, she's been coming to these dinners for the past 2 years and hasn't done it yet, she's too kind to fire back in the way that the elders respond to."

"And you are being too kind by doing it for her. A leader must possess strength, and the confidence to defend themself. That is why you are the heir Hanabi, you possess that strength which Hinata does not."

"If that's the case, then why keep forcing big sister Hinata to put up with it? If she's not the leader then why not let her keep her kindness?"

"Just because she will not lead the clan, doesn't mean she doesn't need that strength, if she is not willing to go on the offensive, then she will never reach her true potential."

Hanabi eyed her father suspiciously, she knew she disagreed with that sentiment, but she didn't have the argumentative skills to disprove it, so she let him walk away for now. She had also been watching Naruto throughout the night, and could see that the evening had left a bad impression on him, which she couldn't blame him for. She was pretty sure he had noticed what she was doing, which meant the comments were getting to him as well.

She had started subtly defending Hinata during these dinners as a way to entertain herself mostly, give her barbs a clear target, but as time had gone on, she had become sincerely concerned about the effect all of those belittling comments were having on Hinata. They did the same to her, of course, but she knew not to take them to heart. They were petty comments by foolish old men, trying to assert their power in a world that was increasingly leaving them behind. But Hinata was too kind to think like that.

She went up to her room, and watched from the window as Hinata and Naruto walked down the street. She knew Naruto wasn't exactly known for his subtlety, and felt in her heart that something was going to change tonight, for better or worse.