Chapter Text
Sacrifices
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Summary: Hinata is a good daughter, and a good ninja of Konoha.
It was, as the elders explained it, an extremely logical decision. Marriage was an age-old tradition to cement such alliances, after all. The Hyuuga were the oldest clan in Konoha, and made up a good portion of it's strength, Hinata was a passable ninja in her own right, and the you don't need her to take over the clan, anyway was danced around in delicate coughs and mutters and meaningful looks at Neji sitting in barely contained rage as the oldest male child and Hanabi gaping slightly as the heir-apparent.
Hinata sat, and listened, and at the end of it, when the elders had left and her father was shaking and Neji-niisan had marked a punch-dent into the wall said, "I'll accept."
Hanabi gasped, quietly, stared at her weak, indecisive sister sitting seiza near the door, Neji forgot himself enough to snarl, you will not and Hiashi… just stared at his daughter, who loved flowers and plants and the sharp smell of earth under her hands.
"Father," said Hinata, "Brother, Sister," picking at the edge of her sleeve, "I would be honored to do this for the clan," her chin rose, unsteadily, "and for Konoha, as well."
"Sister," said Hanabi, "He's a monster."
Hinata shook her head, firmly, "No. Naruto-kun," her voice did not tremble, and Neji was faintly proud, "has said he is not. I trust that."
And Hiashi looked at his weak, not-enough daughter, whom he had loved the most, once, when she had carried such hopes for the clan that they had drowned out all of her own, when she had not been so jaded with the ways of the world, proposing to leave her family, her friends, her home, and start one with a man until recently (still?) ruled by bloodlust, make new ones among unfriendly eyes, and live in an acrid desert with sand that would sting her eyes.
He would have cried, if the head of the Hyuuga house did such things, to see her holding herself so still that she shook all over, or Neji shaken out of his calm to gape at Hinata with blank, blank eyes, (was this how it had looked like/was this how it had felt when the lightning had demanded his head, so long ago?) mouth falling open around a Hinata-sama Neji didn't voice because it would have come out broken, over a child he had been told would his to protect always and a girl he had tried to murder because his father had died in her name.
Now Neji was looking at a woman who wanted to create more peace in the leaf than any fighter, willing to create a new future because her old dreams weren't worth clinging to. Who would soon be marked with seal he despised.
Hiashi blessed his daughter, cursed his clan, and prayed that someone, somewhere would appreciate this, his daughter's sacrifice for a formality.
The elders were informed the next day, and thus as a concession to Hinata's compliance ruled that the wedding would be held in Konoha, which was the brides home and much, much easier to get supplies in.
Hinata adds on the last part her self, and is not at all surprised.
.0.
Hinata was marked with the seal. Neji's request to be excused was overruled. Hiashi made a choked sound and pressed his lips to his daughter's marked forehead, daring the assembled clan to comment. Hanabi hid in her room later, and cried. Hinata stares at her face in the mirror for a very long time.
Gaara of the sand arrives in two weeks. She hopes he will not mind a marked bride.
.0.
Temari of the Sand is loud, brash, and here on the behalf of her brother, after finding out from Shikamaru that her future sister-in-law is the shyest girl in the village.
Hanabi does not stop her. Neji does not stop her. Some of the stupider branch house members try, but Temari just flicks them through a wall.
She has a long talk with Hinata. It involves, at one point or another, the words 'my idiot brother', and 'not that bad'.
Hinata agrees with the second point, and Temari hopes that her brother's marriage will not be as bereft of love as the most of his life was.
Hinata also agrees.
-tbc-