Well. This is it.

Almost a year ago, I announced on the previous version of Marriage of Convenience that I was discontinuing the entire story and attempting to rewrite it. And for a year, I let it wallow. And then suddenly, inspiration struck.

This is the rewritten version of the old story. The beginning of the plot is mostly the same - Hinata is forced to marry Itachi because of a contract drawn up between the two families. However, if you go looking for any other similarities between the two, I'm afraid you'll be sorely mistaken. This Hianta is quite different from my previous Hinata. She's more agressive, and much, much darker. The same goes for the entire story in general, including all the main characters. If you've come here looking for humour or fluff, I'm afraid I must disappoint you. The theme this time is much darker, and there's going to be a lot of angst and reflection.

Another fact that I'd like to point out right now is that I've made some very obvious changes to the plot. Practically nothing except for the first chapter is going to be the same. When I said "rewrite", what I really meant was that the old story was being thrown into the dustbin, and a completely new one would come up in its place.

I repeat, nothing is going to be like what it was.

If you still want to read on despite my warning, well then, thank you.

The first few chapters of this story have been written already. The update schedule will be slightly irregular for the next month - however, after that, it will be a chapter every week, regularly, I promise.

Any and all questions are very much appreciated, as are reviews. Thanks!

Standard disclaimer applies for the whole story.

Chapter 1

It was so familiar to her now. The thump-thump of her footsteps, the shortness of breath. Her legs, hogging every bit of oxygen they could get as they strained with the effort. Her nerves screaming for rest. The running.

It seemed like she spent the majority of her life running, whether figuratively or literally. Whether training or during missions, her legs were always, always flying, always carrying her away from danger and the unknown. She was weak, easily beaten, and so she chose to flee rather than fight.

It was human instinct. Fight or flee. And she always, always chose the latter, even if by instinct.

She had tried to overcome this, truly, she had. She trained vociferously, allowing no one to interrupt her. She wanted to become stronger, to become someone worthy or being noticed, or being regarded. She wanted to be strong.

And yet she would never get a chance.

Her father was a strict man, to be sure, and disobedience meant severe punishment. This was why she had hastened to see him when he had summoned her, despite the fact that she had just returned from training and as a consequence was covered in dirt, filth, and dog pee.

She felt good. She felt earthy, real. Her teammates, bless them, were often so overprotective that they did not really practice with her. Their spars were more often than not one-sided, half-hearted attempts. She knew as well as they did that she was incapable of beating them at their full strength, and yet, because they loved her, they let her fight them.

And they let her win. So that she wouldn't be disappointed.

Today was not one of those days. Today she had fought – really fought – with enough vigour to even make Kiba shrink, and finally – finally – resort to something other than defensive tactics. She had lost after he went full-force, of course, but at least, she had not been beaten immediately. She had given him a fight to reckon for.

She had proved that she was a shinobi worth her salt.

It almost made her feel worthwhile.

And that was why she was nervous. After a very long time, Hyuuga Hinata had received a boost to her sagging self-confidence. She felt proud.

And if anyone was adept at making her feel lowly, it was her father.

Her attire didn't help. The Hyuuga valued cleanliness and a pristine, elegant appearance. Their heiress was supposed to be the very representation of those values. The Elders would not be pleased with her current attire, even if it meant that she had been out working her fingers to the bone trying to meet their expectations. They were never satisfied.

Neither was her father.

She slid open the door that led to his room.

As expected, her father was not the lone occupant. The room was filled with at least fifteen elderly occupants, neatly divided along gender lines. Their cold, cold blank eyes stared at her as she meekly shuffled to the center and knelt in front of her father.

"What is with this disgraceful appearance?" snapped one of the old counselors, an ancient woman with white hair pulled back into a bun, beady lavender eyes and a particularly nasty expression on her aged face. Hinata recognized her as Hyuuga Kaede, a distant relative on her mother's side, and an avid supporter of Hanabi from the very beginning. The woman seemed to have t in for her every since she was a very young girl. "Your attire is entirely inappropriate for someone who wishes to lead the clan. Are you trying to disgrace the whole bloodline? Now Hanabi, she would never allow this to happen…"

"Peace, woman," muttered another man with an irritated expression on his face. "I am deaf enough already without having to listen to your voice grate on my ears."

"Enough," said Hyuuga Hiashi. Even though the command was said in a very low voice, all the hushed whispers amongst the assembly died down immediately. Their leader was not a man to be trifled with. "Hinata," he said, addressing his elder child. "Such behaviour is not acceptable from you. You know as well as I do that there are certain standards to be held to in the Hyuuga house, and I expect you to abide by them accordingly."

"O-of course, father," Hinata's voice broke in the middle, and she winced. Even though her father's voice was low, the reprimand that they bore was enough to sting. He was never a particularly generous person. "I apologize for the in-inadequacies of my attire. It's just that Neji-niisan told me that you w-wished my presence at once, and so I thought it of little c-consequence if…"

"Neji was quite right to do so," Hyuuga Hiash interrupted, clearly annoyed at her stuttering – and perhaps something beyond it. He pinched his nose, a clear sign that he was irritated. It was an unusual move for Hiashi, who preferred to keep his moods secret.

"The matter for which you have been brought here today is of the utmost importance, both to you and our family." His voice was slow, deliberate, as if he was choosing his words very carefully. "As you know, your seventeenth birthday has recently passed, so we have deemed that now is the appropriate time to tell you of this issue."

He picked up and old, aged scroll which had so far escaped her notice. She stared at it as much as she could without drawing the elders' ire. It looked as though it was weighed down with something heavy, and if the stains of multiple preservatives were any indicator, clearly great care had been taken to ensure that it stayed in pristine condition. Her father's mouth almost twisted as he held it up, and his eyes turned a shade darker.

"Do you see this scroll, Hinata? This is a contract that was drawn eleven years ago between two of the most important clans in Konoha," he explained. "The Third himself supervised the writing of this scroll, and the negotiations which had preceded it. The entire affair was conducted under utmost secrecy, for fear that enemy villages would get word and try to take advantage. This scroll has played a very important part in several important decisions made in Konoha. Surely, that should give you an indication as to how valuable it is."

Her eyes had widened considerably as her father had continued to recite the scroll's impressive history. It was almost unheard of for the Hokage himself to take part in clan negotiations, for both parties agreed that this was something intensely personal. For the Third to have thought it necessary, it was clear that the object in her father's hand contained something of vital importance.

It was clear that one of those "important clans" was that Hyuuga – but who was the other? And what part did she play in all this?

"The scroll was an agreement between the Hyuuga and the Uchiha…"

Well, at least that's one query answered, Hinata thought smugly, trying to overcome her shock at the answer. The two clans were notoriously antagonistic, and to hear that they had actually overcome their urge to commit mass genocide on the opposing party to sit down and haggle an agreement was news to her. She had not thought them capable of it.

"… and it was the first official accord we have made with the Uchiha since the dawn of time."

A bit of an over-exaggeration, thought Hinata, considering the fact that they didn't even know whether they had been around since the dawn of time. But it sounded impressive, and that was surely the intent. Hiashi wasn't a man who would let go of flairs when they presented themselves to him.

"This document was very enthusiastically supported by the Sandaime's former pupil, our present Hokage, Tsunade-sama. Its terms were thrown under slight doubt after the unfortunate and untimely death of the Third, but Tsunade-sama has pressed for this most zealously, and so the two clans agreed to uphold the document."

Clearing his throat slightly, Hiashi cast a glance at his fellow elders. If Hinata didn't know better, she would say that he was almost disconcerted with the way things were proceeding. But he was Hiashi Hyuuga, and he didn't get disconcerted.

She herself was trying to figure out the scroll's significance. It was not unusual for her father to summon her and make her recite and memorize many a long treaty and trade agreement. It was considered standard knowledge for any heir or heiress. But he had never done it with an audience. And so, the nagging feeling persisted.

What does this have to do with me…?

"However, times change, and with it, terms. With the blessing of Hokage-sama, we have been granted permission to… alter the terms a bit, if you will. I will now tell you the contents of the document."

The mood in the room sharpened, as though this was the moment the elders had been waiting for with bated breath.

Hiashi cleared his throat once again to proceed. "Under the supervision of the renowed Third Hokage, Sarutobi-sama, this document has been brought to life. It details the union of the Hyuuga and the Uchiha clans, with the hope of discovering a kekkai genkai which utilizes the powers of both the Hyuuga Byakugan and the Uchiha Sharingan. This document, which is a culmination of the wishes of both the Hyuuga and the Uchiha clan heads, Hyuuga Hiashi and Uchiha Fugaku, states that for the above to happen, a marriage of convenience must take place between Uchiha Itachi, heir to the Uchiha clan, and Hyuuga Hanabi, the younger daughter of the leader of the Hyuuga clan. The Council chooses the two individuals because if an heir wielding both the power of the Sharingan and the Byakugan is born, then he will lead the clan after Uchiha Itachi. If such an heir fails to make an appearance, and one with only the powers of the Sharingan is born, he will also lead the Uchiha clan after Uchiha itachi. However, if an heir with only the power of the Byakugan is born, then the leadership will be stripped of Uchiha Itachi and will pass on to his younger brother, Uchiha Sasuke. This marriage of convenience will take place immediately after the coming of age of both the individuals concerned. Signed, Hiruzen Sarutobi."

Shock. Horror. Fear. Anger. The emotions inside her were reaching a boiling point. Disbelief was predominant. How could they – how could they do something like this? How could they just decide a person's fate, map out their life for them without their consent, or even their knowledge? How could they have the audacity, the nerve to impose this upon Hanabi-chan…?

"Do you mean to say," the words choked, withered in her throat. Her rage was making it difficult for her not to shout. She did not even notice that her stutter had receded. "Do you mean to say that Hanabi-chan is to be married to Uchiha Itachi?" Even a deaf man could taste the incredulity in her tone. "The same Uchiha Itachi who happens to be a full ten years older to her, who is already a qualified ninja and an adult whereas Hanabi is only a child…!"

"Control youself Hinata!" Her father's voice was like a whiplash. "Remember your position and your worthlessness. You have no authority to reprimand the Elders, child! Remember your place!"

She startled, but looked down, bowed by the force of her father's will. Tears pooled into her eyes at the indignity and unfairness of it all. Hanabi was her sister, her imouto. How could she, Hinata, calmly stand by and listen to her sibling's life be destroyed just because some old, stinking elders wanted to experiment with the bloodline? It was unacceptable!

"In any case," Hiashi's voice was heavy as he continued. "I have no intention to marry Hanabi off. She is too young – who knows what kind of bright and illustrious future she has in front of her? She could even be the first Hyuuga Hokage." His eyes brightened a little as he contemplated the possibility. "The Hyuuga clan cannot afford to throw away such promising talent. No, Hanabi will surely wither away amongst the Uchiha."

His voice had acquired an edge now, and she could have sworn that the temperature of the room had plummeted at least ten degrees. She could not understand this. Wasn't Hanabi being safe a cause for celebration? And yet, apprehension gripped her mind, and only intensified with the next rush of words.

"As I mentioned before, some of the terms and conditions of this contract have been changed, with the permission of Hokage-sama, of course. We have decided that this marriage must take place, but Hanabi is to be exempted from the position of bride. She is too… valuable to the clan to be used like this. No, she would play a much better part as a shinobi. And so, as a result, we have selected someone else to take her place."

It was at that moment that she understood. The glances directed towards her, the stiff formality and slight regret in her father's tone – it could only add up to one thing. And yet, she remained frozen stiff, unwilling to believe the truth, that her family was cold enough to take these measures.

"The main reason for choosing Hanabi was because she was from the Main House. We could not really offer a substandard specimen to the Uchiha, could we? No, a Branch House member wouldn't do… and yet, the main House is limited. So few of us remain, and even fewer eligible for the job. Since we have decided that Hanabi should not be forced into this dreary existence, only one candidate really remains…"

She forced herself to look up, forced herself to see her father's eyes, to make him look at her tear-streaked face as her proclaimed the decision.

"… That girl is to be you, Hinata."

Useless. She was nothing but useless.

Sitting here, in front of her father and the elder's, she could not help but laugh a little inwardly. How hard had she tried, she wondered? How hard had she tried to be that "perfect" daughter, the perfect heiress? She had worked her fingers to the bone, disregarded her own mind, body, and self, just to achieve one objective. Just to be good enough in their eyes.

And she had failed.

Anger wasn't an emotion native to her She was far too naturally gentle for that, far too refined. But when anger crept up on her, then it was truly for a reason.

Her failure did not only signify her inability to meet up to her family's standards. It was a thumb in the face of so many people who had helped her encouraged her. Kurenai-sensei, Kiba, Shino, Tenten, Shikamaru, Neji-niisan, Naruto… the had also spent their time and energy cheering her up and boosting her morale, convincing her that she had it in her to rise to the top and show them all.

And now she had failed. She had failed without even being given a chance to exhibit her improvement, to prove to them all that she really had become better, had become worthy.

All around her, she could hear the elders talking to her. They were instructing her about the various formalities that would take place before she married the Uchiha heir, the various training programmes and preparation she would have to go through in order to fill the shoes of High Uchiha Lady. They spoke as though she wasn't in the room, as though they were addressing an inanimate object.

Suddenly, she was reminded of a line that her late Uncle Hizashi, Neji's father, had once said to her when she had inquired as to what the pretty green tattoo on his head was.

'We're nothing but puppets bound to the ends of their strings, Hinata-chan.'

She hadn't been able to understand it then, why he called them puppets. She had been to many puppet shows, and she quite decidedly knew that they weren't puppets. She hadn't been able to understand the hidden meaning in his words, the sad smile that had crept across his face at the knowledge of his predetermined fate.

But now she did.

She had perhaps never felt so helpless. Even when the elders had previously summoned her to insult her, to demean her, and to gleefully state that, order of birth notwithstanding, she would have to step aside in order to make way for her sister. She had never felt so helpless, because inside, some part of her had always insisted that she really wasn't as good as Hanabi, and wouldn't be able to lead her clan better.

But this… this was a whole new development.

Weak though she may be, she didn't deserve to be thrown aside so casually. She didn't mind if Hanabi replaced her – she had never really wanted the leader's position, anyway. But who were these fat old crows to decide who she would be married to? Who were they to decide that she would be sent off to live with some strange, hostile man with whom she had never exchanged a word in her life?

It was this thought that was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"How dare you?" Her voice was trembling, but through sheer force of willpower, she prevented her stutter from coming back full force. "How dare you just stand there and proceed to take control of my life without so much as asking for my opinion? Have you no shame?"

It was against everything she had ever been taught, and she knew that she could be punished horribly for this little indiscretion. It was forbidden, and frowned upon, and she loved it.

She loved feeling that little thrill go through her, loved seeing the expressions on the elders rotten, stinking faces as they processed what she said, and loved seeing indignation and fury flare in their eyes. And before they could utter a word, she continued.

"You sit there, all proud and gloating, imposing our will on whomever you see fit. Don't you even consider the consequences of your actions? Don't you see that you're ruining someone's life?"

She shouted the last word, her voice breaking at the end. Tears were flowing freely down her face, making it hard to see, and she would definitely be rebuked by her father for it later, but for the moment, she didn't care. Let him do whatever he pleased to her – hadn't he already sold her off? Hadn't he already proved that she was nothing more than a worthless object to him, only fit for experimentation and whatnot?

The elders sat frozen in front of her. She knew them too well to think that they were truly regretting their decision. Most likely, they were just trying to process their shock at seeing their quiet, well-behaved, subservient little heiress let go of herself and all her deeply-ingrained training and insult them so. It would not last.

She stood up so suddenly that her head reeled. Her clothes were still covered in muck, she noticed distractedly, but she didn't care. Let them get dirt on their perfect floor for once, she thought viciously. She turned around to leave.

A hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. Hyuuga Kaede's vulpine face was suddenly right next to hers. "Insolent girl," her betel-stained breath fanned across Hinata's face, suffocating her. "How dare you speak like that to your superiors? You worthless, good-for-nothing brat…"

A sharp snap. A howl of pain. The sound of maids' feet as they hurried to find out what was wrong.

Hyuuga Kaede lay on the floor, letting out whimpers as she cradled her broken wrist. Hinata towered over her, her Byakugan activated, a fierce expression on her face.

"Now you listen to me, Kaede-sama," the honorific was spat out as if an insult. "I have tolerated more than enough of your jibes. Hold your tongue, unless you want me to tear it out."

And with that parting shot, she briskly left the room.

Running, running. Still running.

She was fleeing away from the Elders, away from the knowledge that they had so gleefully imparted upon her. How she wished that she could wind the clock back an hour, when she was blissfully unaware of what was brewing inside her own house.

She shouldn't have come back. She should have stayed put at the training ground, despite her father's summons. Or better yet, she should have run away.

But where would she run to?

The Council Room was in an uproar, as Hyuuga medics struggled to pacify and heal their bawling elder. The other members of the Council stared at each other in shock, and indignantly complained to Hiashi about his eldest daughter's lack of manners.

"Hiashi-sama, how could she just…!"

"Such kind of behaviour is unacceptable…"

"How are we ever going to present such a disgraceful specimen to the Uchiha…?"

The pandemonium was only rising, and try as he might, Hiashi Hyuuga could not summon up the necessary force required to subdue it. Perhaps he, too, was in shock over the abrupt change in attitude of his daughter.

Finally, he succeeded in making himself heard. "It means nothing, Imoko-sama, the girl will have to go through the proceedings nevertheless. We have succeeded in notifying her of what is expected…"

"I wonder if it really is the right course of action to take now," a soft, clear voice interrupted him.

Hiashi turned to face the speaker, and was for a moment surprised. Hyuuga Yamamoto was one of the oldest elders, and rarely deigned to speak in the meetings. In fact the last time when he had expressed his views had been when…

"Yamamoto-sama? But were you not the one to suggest that we replace Hanabi with Hinata in the first place?"

"And that was my statement at that point of time," the elder member replied evenly. "However, today's events have somewhat forced me to reconsider things. I now question the wisdom of disregarding Hinata as heiress."

"But she is so weak! How could you even consider…"

"The main problem that we have faced with Hinata was her timidity. Today, however, she seemed fairly assertive, did she not?"

The room was silent. No cries of dissent could be heard.

"Exactly. So, after going over the facts, this is what has come to my mind. I propose that…"

This had to be a joke.

They couldn't be summoning her again, could they? Not after what she had done last time…?

Or maybe this was just her father's way of humiliating her. She would be punished in full public view, in front of all the elders. Maybe he hoped to curb her wayward tongue. It certainly wouldn't be out of character for him. He was a strict man, who held old-world thoughts on discipline and respect. And she had violated both these doctrines today, and that too with a flourish.

She hadn't even noticed that she had zoned out until Neji stuck his (visibly worried) head in front of her face, with a questioning "Hinata-sama?"

She shook herself out of her reverie. "Ah, Neji-niisan!" She smiled brightly at him, hoping that his clever eyes wouldn't detect the false mask of cheerfulness that she had donned. "Thank you for coming to inform me personally. I'll be off to see the Elders now, eh?"

Neji smiled, but clearly, he wasn't convinced. She felt a cold wave of apprehension as she wondered exactly what her blank expression had given away to those all-seeing eyes. He seemed to be searching within her for an answer, his piercing eyes digging within her mind.

Her beloved cousin. Both of them had gone through so much, and now he was perhaps the one person she was closest to. She could confide whatever she wanted in him, for she knew that he would keep his lips sealed until and beyond the grave. And yet, she could not bring herself to tell him of this new development, this new obstruction that the elders had thrown her way.

But Neji was perceptive. Already, it seemed as though he was on the brink of figuratively delving into her mind and snatching out the chain of thought…

Therefore, it came as a relief to her when he nodded his head as an approximation of acceptance, and let her go.

She smiled in genuine feeling, touched at his concern, but that smile dropped the instant her back was turned. There could be nothing pleasant waiting for her at the Elders room, of that much she was certain.

"You w-want me to – what?"

Hyuuga Yamamoto sighed impatiently. He was not a patient man by nature, and his grand-niece's expression of terror and confusion wasn't doing anything to help his urge to scream at her. He tried to explain it all again calmly.

"Originally, the Elder council had decided that you, Hinata-san, would be stripped of your position, and immediately betrothed to Uchiha Itachi, and for you to marry him when you came of age. However, we have decided to reconsider our decision a little. You are still stripped of your position as heiress – that honour goes to your sister, Hanabi-san, now – but your future is not definite. We have given you one year's time to earn it back."

Hinata blinked, confused. "Eh?"

Yamamoto did his best to suppress the tick that had started to beat a tattoo on his forehead, but failed. He continued, slightly exasperated. "During this one years' time, you will be trained in all that is expected of you as High Lady of the Uchiha. You will attend your daily classes with an instructor personally recommended by the Hokage, who will assess your abilities and improve upon your etiquette. You will also meet – under strict supervision, of course, for we cannot risk a scandal – your betrothed, so that you become somewhat familiar, and thus do not waste time after your wedding in order to achieve the desired objective. Your engagement to Uchiha Itachi will also take place. You may also be prevailed upon to make certain public appearances with him, whenever the Council and the Uchiha council sees fit. However, there is still a year to go before you can legally be wed to Uchiha Itachi. You may also utilize this year to train and improve yourself, although you will not be allowed to miss any classes and any other responsibilities that the Council of Elders places upon your shoulders. At the onset of your eighteenth birthday, you will be given another chance to prove yourself, and must fight against the current sitting Heiress, that is, Hanabi-san, to prove yourself. If you win, then your father will immediately retire and bestow upon you this position, and you will be the leader of the Hyuuga. However, if you lose… you will follow the Elders will and marry Uchiha Itachi without any complaint or disturbance. That is our will."

She stared at the elders, who were noticeably missing one member – Kaede-sama must still be recuperating from the impromptu attack. Could it be… that they had deigned to give her another chance at life?

Suddenly, a horrible sneaking suspicion snuck into her mind. "And what if I win?" She demanded testily. "Who is to marry the Uchiha heir then? Are you going to throw Hanabi to the dogs again?" Her fear for her sister was paramount.

She saw the elders share an uneasy glance amongst themselves, but before she could be convinced of her suspicions, her father spoke. "Guard your tongue, Hinata." His voice was stern, and she was sure that he would not tolerate any outbursts like last time again. "It does not befit the daughter of the Leader of a Great House to speak with such impertinence."

Then he sighed, and raised a hand to mop his forehead. She suddenly noticed the beginning of grey hairs among his ebony strands. "However, I will answer your question. Your sister shall not be forced to marry Uchiha Itachi in the event that you best her, unlikely as that may be. She is an excellent shinobi, a prodigy, even, and I will not see her waste away as a common housewife in the Uchiha Compound. We will choose another to marry the Uchiha boy… a Branch House member, perhaps."

The relief that she felt was tinged with guilt. Yes, her sister was exempt from this forced marriage, but someone else's sister would be forced to take her place. And if Hinata herself was not successful, then she would be the one being married off to a complete stranger.

The thought frightened her. Married, and to an Uchiha, even! She had been taught from birth not to associate with them, or to become overly friendly – the two clans were rivals, and their children must be so, too. Hiashi had even encouraged her to beat her Uchiha classmate at school, but he had been touted as a genius, and though her grades were more than acceptable, she could never match him. This had always been a source of disappointment to her father, that his daughter could not beat his rival's offspring.

And now she would be betrothed to one of them, would be made to marry him, to produce a child with him, as though she was nothing more than a brood mare…

It was the last thought that scared her the most, for that was one boundary which she had let only one man cross before, and that too after great deliberation.

"Listen to me Hinata, and listen well," her father's voice was gravelly and hollow, as though he was echoing the power of the leaders who had come before him. His face was stern and heavy as always, but his eyes held a semblance of something almost… fatherly in them. "We have been generous with you. This is your last chance to prove yourself. Do not waste it!"