"Let her go," Madara glared.

The man tightened his grip on me and pressed his kunai harder on my neck, "I should've just kidnapped her in the first place…" He responded with a smirk.

I whimpered a little bit, okay so this was not entirely my fault on how we got into this situation. Let me re-trace back, so Madara got the time and place to meet this guy. We met in a nice tea shop and talked over some biscuits and cake. Well, they talked and I ate. When they poured the tea, I instantly recognized it, well, like most teas that I do, all thanks to all the visits to the tea shop. (I guess I exchanged the knowledge of teas with a heart break). So anyways, it was the green tea that is prominently found in the Wind country. It is known for its fresh mint scent to it, so it popular choice during the summer.

The man who we spoke with, Kabou-san, he was a man around the age of 30 or so, with his outfit and look he definitely did not seem like an ordinary ninja. Even the way when he walked over and greeted us, he had proper footwork that would be at least Chuunin level. He seemed very warm and friendly, but at the same time quite assertive. As the waiter came back with a pot of hot water (as requested by Kabou-san), he poured the water into the tea pot. Then he refilled all of our tea cups. This time, he held up his tea cup with both hands and faced Madara, "Toast to the union of the two clans!"

Madara held up his cup with both hands as well but with no expression. I quickly picked up my tea cup with both hands for manner sake. Just before they were about to toast and drink their tea, I noticed something about my tea.

"Did you brew different tea leaves?"

Kabou looked at me, "No I did not."

"…Why is the color darker?"

He chuckled, "It is common sense that tea gets darker as you brew it."

"Yes, but that doesn't apply to this tea." I said, "As the tea color gets darker, it is an indication of the taste being stronger. However… This tea is often drank during the summer because the taste does not get stronger… So the color does not change."

"…."

"Unless you added something to it…"

As soon as I finished my sentence, in a flash Kabou jumped back which caused the table to fall, and took out two Kunais and threw it at Madara, but Madara was even quicker to respond. He was already in a fighting stance just as Kabou jumped up and quickly dodged the kunais. I, on the other hand screamed like the other customers in the tea shop. Under a minute or less, the tea shop cleared of people and they were already fighting, so I tried to back away to get away from the scene…

But then somehow I ended up in this situation…

"Who are you?"

Kabou smirked, "It is not a surprise that Uchiha Madara would notice…The messenger Kabou was killed." His eye brow muscles tightened and suddenly his eyes turned red, "The two clans can never be at peace! Has all the wars in the past not taught you Madara?! Take it back!"

Another Uchiha?

"It has already been settled."

"What changed your mind Madara?! The death of Izuna?!"

That name sounded familiar to me.

Madara's facial expressions didn't change, but I could tell that sentence affected him.

"Stop now and you won't be punished."

"Stop?! You're out of your mind!" He yelled, "We are born to fight! We will never be at peace with the Senjus!" He raised his hand that held the kunai and targeted it towards my chest. My heart began to beat extremely fast and I shut my eyes in fear of what he was going to do out of anger.

But all of a sudden, fake Kabou's movements stopped and I felt his grip loosen. I opened my eyes and saw Madara's bright red sharingan, then Kabou began choking as his kunai fell on the grounded. I ran towards Madara and held onto his arm. I looked at Kabou and he was on his knees, struggling to breath and then he fell on the ground.

"…."

I looked at Madara, his expression still didn't change.

At this point, I didn't know what I should be more scared of, the fact that I nearly died or that I'm with one of the most powerful men I've seen? He could take down a highly skilled ninja without even blinking an eye. When Tobirama said Hiroshima and Madara are on the same level, he was not exaggerating. He could probably take down an entire army as if he was squishing an insect.

I felt Madara gaze down at me, I quickly let go of him and put my arms behind my back and got nervous. "…T…Thank you!" I blurted out, not sure what to say.

He scanned my body to see if I was injured anywhere. Seeing as I was safe, his eyes turned back into normal. "It seems your brothers taught you the wrong survival skills." He said, implying that I should know more about protecting myself rather than what color tea leaves are.

"But I discovered the tea was poisoned!" I said, "I saved you!"

"I knew the tea was poisoned," He said, "The moment I discovered he was not the messenger I was prepared that something was going to happen."

"…You say that now!" I crossed my arms. But he was right, these situations happen all the time, if Madara was so easily tricked he would've died long ago.

He did not respond to me and began leaving.

"…Do we still have time to buy souvenirs?!"

Rou-chan slept quietly in his mother's arms, "Wow her hair is growing so fast!" I whispered.

Her mother, which is a distance cousin of mine, Mariko smiled at me. "Doesn't it?"

"Soon enough she'll be talking… Then walking, then running!" I gasped, "Finally someone will call me onee-chan!" Then Mariko and I fell quiet because I realized I was only going to be here for a couple of hours. Neither of us is certain when I will come back next time, I probably won't be able to see Rou-chan's growth.

"But Tsuri-chan, you can have one of your own!"

My face went blank, "That's…Gross."

"Gross?" She chuckled, "It's human nature!"

"Just the idea of me and Madara… Our kid?" I scratched my head, "That thought hasn't even come to my mind."

"You guys haven't done it yet?"

My face went red, "D-done it? NO!" I shouted, which caused Rou-chan to shift a little in Mariko's arms. I put my hand over my mouth for a bit, "Sorry…" I mumbled.

Mariko stood up and gently placed Rou back into her cradle. She then got close to me, like, really really close.

"You haven't fucked him?" She whispered in a serious and deep tone voice.

Times like this is what makes the sweet, motherly Mariko scary. I backed away a little in response to her question, "No!" I said again.

"He is such a good looking man! I don't see the issue? If my husband had half the looks of his, we'd be having plenty of babies!"

I began to cringe at her comments, "Mariko…"

She crossed her arms and observed me, "Unless… He's not attracted to you."

I looked up at her, "Well… I haven't thought about this stuff at all. I don't have a lot of experiences with guys… Plus, what he thinks of me? It doesn't really matter to me."

"Nonsense!" Mark said, "If you two are married, then you should be-"

"I don't think Madara and I wanted this marriage in the first place." I said.

Mariko was silent for a few seconds, "But the marriage has happened, and as a woman you should take on your current role. If the marriage ends… Then the union is pointless!"

"…I guess," I began to mumble again as I looked down.

She sighed a bit, "Perhaps you're too young for this. So Tsuri, if you need any help or advice come to me okay?"

I nodded, but I probably won't ever ask her. "Thanks Mariko."

Just as Mariko was about to speak again, Rou-chan woke up, she began to kick her little legs in the air and started to make sounds. "Okay, I need to care for her now. Meanwhile, you should go see your brothers." Mariko said with an eye brows raised, as if she knew we all had a fight and I am reluctant to see them.

I sighed, "Will do…"

I left the room and gently closed the door to Rou-chan's room, then I stood there for a few seconds. What should I say to Harashima or Tobirama? Thanks for marrying me off and now I'm back? I began walking to the general direction of where they would be. Should I ask them to tell me the full story? Should I go to the elders and demand a full explanation from them?

"I'm sorry for Izuna."

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked around, I realized I'm in the meeting room area. That was Harashima's voice? I quickly darted to the nearest bush and crouched down. Since I've sneaked around here so much, I already knew the good hiding spots. I looked through the shoji of the room which the voice came from, and I saw Harashima sitting there and Madara walking to the door to leave. But after what Harashima said, Madara stopped in his tracks. He closed his eyes and opened them again, as if like a very slow blink and left the room.

I waited for a bit then dashed to a track where I knew I would intersect Madara. As I jumped in front of him, he looked to me.

"Izuna… He was your younger brother, wasn't he?"

"Why?"

"…He's the one that Tobirama killed?"

Madara was quiet and continued his path, I guess he didn't want to talk about it.

"If you want to stay, stay." He said.

I turned to him, "What?"

"There is no point of you being with me. I came here to drop you home." He said as he continued walking, I suddenly felt confused and began to follow him.

"But what about the whole union thing? What are you going to say to the elders?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Is it because I mentioned Izuna?"

I could tell every time Izuna was mentioned, Madara would subconsciously pause a bit, no matter what he was doing. "It has nothing to do with what you have said or done."

"I'm not staying."

He finally looks at me and stops in his tracks, "…."

"On our way here, I've seen so many changes because of the peace treaty between our clans! People that live around our territories aren't scared anymore! There are new villages being built everywhere, and everyone just seems happier in general! And after seeing Rou-chan today, it is because of us that she can grow up in peace and not in war! I know you can see it too!" I exclaimed, "I know we were both forced into this, but do you not see the benefits? And… And if it means for me to marry an Uchiha and live there with him… It's okay! Because that's my responsibility for the Senju clan!"

Madara looked at me, I could tell he was surprised from my little speech. From the side, I heard the a shoji slide open and Harashima stood there. Overwhelmed with emotion, I ran to him and tackled him with a hug. I didn't let go and began to cry. He didn't say anything to my hug and held me.

"Tsuri." He spoke with smiled, "I'm proud of you."

I pulled back and wiped my nose with the back of my hand, "I guess you heard what I just said… I miss you! I miss you and Tobirama!" I mumbled the first part of my sentence.

His smiled was still there, but it softened, "We miss you too."

"If you are to come with me," Madara said, "You need to train a lot more."

I turned around to face him, "Train?"

"I can protect you with my presence." He said, "However, if you are to come home without my company in any circumstances, you need to know how to fight."

I sniffed a bit, still trying to recover from my cry just then. I can come home often?

"I'm sorry that I've spoilt her and did not train her to be a ninja." Harashima said, "But I hope you can guide her."

I still held onto Harashima tightly, I didn't want to be trained, but if it means that I can come home without Madara, I will.

Afterwards, Harashima got the horses ready for our departure. While he did, I wrote a letter and left it in Tobirama's room. He was going to be back in 3 more days, and I couldn't extend my stay that long. In the letter, which is sort of meant for him and Harashima, I wrote about forgiving them and hoping that I can see them again. Of course, I doodled funny pictures around what I wrote because Tobirama would find it funny. When I finished, I ran to the outside to meet with Madara. Madara got on a horse and I gulped a little at the other horse I'm suppose to get on.

"What's the matter?" He asked.

"I…Don't know how to ride a horse."

Madara looked at me dully, it felt like he wanted to frown at me. He tugged on the rope which caused the horse to turn to the side and walk a couple of steps to get closer to me. "Do you know how to get on a horse?"

I shook my head.

I could tell he was getting impatient, he got off the horse and went to my side. "Put your foot on this, hand here.." He guided me, and soon enough I jumped on the horse.

He then got on the horse as well, he was right behind me. Our bodies were touching each other closely. With this, I noticed how physically bigger he was than me. His head was at least another head above mine, his torso was broad and my foot only reached the height of his knees on the horse. I felt I was suppose to feel a little uncomfortable, but instead I felt extremely secure.

"Hold the horse's mane or the horn of the saddle." He said as he grabbed the rope.

I nodded at his instructions, then Madara tugged on the rope and the horse began to move, I was a little nervous at first and it was strange feeling the movement of the horse's body. But as the horse continued to walk, it eventually felt natural.

"Thank you," I said.

"Just don't fall off."

I pouted a bit at his response.