Chapter 7

Sleepily Yuzuki cracked open an eye, the early morning light of the next day was streaming in through the shutters. She sat up and looked around a little confused, this bed wasn't hers and neither was the room. Her eyes widened as she recognised where she was and looked to her right, sprawled and fully clothed much to her relief lay Madara with his hair in a mess that covered half his face in knots. His mouth was parted and his breathss were heavier in complete relaxation.

She slipped out of bed and leant down, wrapping her kimono around her. The guards must still be at the door, could she leave yet? As quietly as she could, she tried to open the door and peeped around the corner.

The two Uchiha stood there, hands behind their backs and feet a shoulder width apart. They pivoted and she put a finger up to her lips for them to be quiet so Madara wouldn't wake.

'Can I leave yet?' She signed.

'No, not without permission from Madara-Sama.' One of them signed back. It was the first time she's seen someone else use the Uchiha sign language in the entire month she'd been here.

'My room is next door' she tried to argue.

'No, please go back inside' the other signed back.

Grudgingly she closed the door and looked around, it was odd spending the night here, she'd always walked in the next day to change the sheets and clean the floors and surfaces every few days. The dim lighting from the closed shutters gave it a more homey feel.

The walls were unlike the rest of residence, it was painted like a bamboo forest with animals peeping out occasionally but only on two walls, the other two were beige and the floor was hardwood. Surprisingly warm on her feet unlike in her room.

Yuzuki crossed the room and as slowly as possible to reduce the noise, she opened the shutters and popped her head out. The fresh air was too cold, autumn was coming but it was certainly refreshing.

"You could have at least woken me up." Said a groggy Madara and she looked back as he swung his legs out of bed and pushed himself out to join her by the window.

'Good morning' she signed.

"Is it?" He yawned and pulled her close. "I suppose with you here, although for future reference you should wake me up next to me. In bed."

She gave him a look of mild exasperation.

He chuckled and his manner changed as he thought back to the previous day. "I never did ask, were you close to that girl?"

Yuzuki thought back. "No but out of every woman I've met here, I spent the most time with her."

"Saki, Yuuki, Kurumi, Midoka, Liu and Misaki." He recited.

She gave him an alarmed look and he simply smiled.

"Nothing happens in the residence that I don't know about. You met Saki-san who gave you directions, you met Kurumi-chan who was head of the maids in the residence, she referred Yuuki-san to you to show you the residence and help you settle in, Midoka-chan is head of the help here at the main house where Liu-san was assigned under you when I promoted you." He explained.

Yuzuki didn't reply.

"You have to understand, I have an interest in you and I must do my research. I am after all, head of the Uchiha clan."

'I understand.' She signed.

"I'm glad," he put an arm around her and held her close. "My men will find the murderer, they most likely have a lead already."

'Do I have to stay here?' She asked and looked him in the eye.

He looked into her big grey eyes and couldn't deny her. "Of course not, my men will shadow you throughout the day until I tell them to stop. Which will be when the killer in caught."

Yuzuki pursed her lips at the thought of bring followed and brushed his arm off to pull out her hair tie and let her hair down. Madara watched silently as she made her way to the bed to start stripping the sheets and the pillow cases.

"I promise you it won't be long." Madara said calmly.

Yuzuki glanced up at him and tossed the bedding into the a wicker basket to wash later.

'When you find that evil man, kill him and make him suffer.' She signed with a fierceness in her eyes he hadn't seen since his son was beat by Misaki.

"I will, but be careful when using that word." He replied

'What word?' She questioned.

"Evil." He answered.

'Why?' She demanded, still angry.

"Evil means that there is no good. Evil and good, right and wrong? There's a fine line as much as we hate to admit it." He began.

She raised her hands to sign and he put a hand up for her to stop.

"Every evil man is good in his eyes and we are the evil." He explained.

'Did you learn to think like the enemy to understand their strategy in war through that?' Yuzuki asked.

Madara nodded silently.

'It must be hard to kill someone understanding that they aren't just a piece of meat.' Yuzuki signed and Madara nodded again.

"I'm glad." He said quietly. "You understand the difference between murder and killing."

Silence fell between them.

A harsh knock on the door made her turn, a twang of annoyance filled Madara and a maid bowed at the door, behind her the two guards closed the door for security.

"Yes?" Madara asked with clear irritation in his voice.

"The new cook would like to inquire if you would like breakfast here or downstairs in the dining room?" She asked and bowed again nervously, refusing to make eye contact.

Yuzuki turned to quickly turn to Madara.

'Can you replace my guards for the morning?' She questioned and he nodded in surprise. 'Madara-Sama will be fending for himself this morning'. Yuzuki told the maid and she nodded and bowed yet again

"Where are we going?" Madara asked curiously as the maid closed the door behind her.

'When you said Yuuki-san, you reminded me of the food stalls near the food court for the maids.' She signed.

"Excellent idea, lets get dressed." Madara complimented her and loving her initiative.

'Actually you'll need make yourself unrecognisable.' She signed happily.

"What?" He demanded to know why

'People are scared of you, let me show you what it's like on the other end of that.' She replied.

Hesitantly and amused, he agreed.

Madara exited his room.

"Is she still getting ready?" He asked the two guards and they nodded, bowing curtly before returning to their positions. "You can both leave, I'll take it from here." The two bowed and before their heads were raised they disappeared into a puff of smoke.

He crossed the hall and knocked firmly on the door.

"Yuzuki-chan?" He called out. "You're taking too long, I'm coming in."

Immediately there was a rapid knocking of denial. The Uchiha bit back a cheeky smile and replied.

"Oh do you need help?" He feigned and pushed the door aside to reveal the small woman tying the sash of her incredibly plain kimono that had seen a bit of wear. It had no design and was clearly cheaply made out of cotton and the colour was fading in places. Just like someone who wasn't lower class but neither middle class. Her hair was tied up and away practically and no decorative hairpin stuck out.

Madara crossed the room and opened her jewellery box, pulling out a hairpin with a common gem at the end and a smaller version of the gem dangling from a strong thread.

"Come here," he beckoned, Yuzuki finished tying the bow and stepped towards him. Carefully he slid it into her hair and cupped her face. "You're beautiful no matter what you wear." Her cheeks turned pink and she smiled a little bashfully.

Changing the topic she looked him up and down and bit back a laugh. He had chosen to wear the guards uniform with leather armour at the shoulders, calves and upper chest. Complete with a mask that hid half his face that had been pulled down to show his face, his hair was pulled up into a high but loose pony tail with a leather hair tie. It was so different from his usual wild bush hair and almost suited him but she still preferred to see him with his loose locks.

"You better call me Mada-kun while we're out and about. My name is not that common and I may be recognised even in this uniform." He informed her and she nodded in agreement.

'This way...Mada-kun.' She hesitantly signed and his smug reaction assured her it was appropriate.

She had gestured him towards the door, looking back to see he had pulled up the mask. He had really thought through his uniform through, it was perfect for the high street because no one could see his face and he had a legitimate reason as to why. Sometimes she really underestimated his intelligence.

Yuzuki led him down the stairs towards the great doors ahead and out into the open. He reached out and put his hand next to hers interlocking knowing fully well she wouldn't be able to sign.

With her other hand she signed a question mark and she could see his eyes twinkle over his mask.

"You don't need a voice to convey everything, I know you." And with his other hand he tipped her head up and leaned in for a kiss, coming an inch from her face to realise his mask was in the way.

She silently giggled and forced his hand off and signed.

'Behave, we're in public.' Looking around she saw no one, still to far from the high street.

"Realllly?" He teased.

She gave him a look of exasperation and held her hand out. Instead of taking it, he pulled her up and onto his back and jumped up to the nearest building which was the residence, just next to where Misaki was staying. Thinking back, she must have silently left to return to her family in disgrace at the divorce or perhaps they supported her, that thought was even worse. Yuzuki grimaced at the thought of the child abuser and Madara carried her to the next building, sliding down the tiles to jump to the next. He ran at a building much taller than the one they were on with no windows or a ledge to hold onto and her heart leapt into her mouth.

They landed sideways and her stomach flipped, reassuringly Madara rubbed her thigh and carried on his way running up the building wall to the a flat surface where gravity was happier and so was Yuzuki.

"Are you okay?" He asked in a low voice and jumped across a small gap, they could hear noises in the distance of the beginnings of the day. She squeezed his shoulder and he nodded, jumping down to the dirt road.

It wasn't uncommon to see a couple like them, one from outer town but clearly working there recently and a low ranking guard. No one stared and no one cared.

Yuzuki looked around, a little disorientated and confused where she was. Looking up she recognised the food court's roof over a few buildings that Yuuki had warned her about and remembered something about food poisoning. She pointed and Madara nodded, reaching for her hand again but she was already off towards a shortcut alley way to the high street.

She edged around a dustbin and Madara followed, a little irked that he was the follower instead of the leader.

The noise wasn't as bad as she thought it would be, even this early in the morning. Actually now she looked up at the sun position it had to be mid morning, the high street was full of people doing this and that. Stalls lined the street with signs and smells telling her they were mostly food stalls but a sections further down she could clearly see groceries and across from that were stalls selling hair pins, materials and other items. It reminded her of the town she sometimes went to with Kyou where they had a larger market and traders went to.

"It's so lively." Madara muttered and she looked up at him in surprise. She remembered how huge the market was with Kyou and how she came out with bruises on her elbows from cramming past people and the bruises from other people's elbows that had lined her waist. The noise had been so loud that she shouted and still couldn't hear herself. This street paled in comparison.

Yuzuki shrugged, Madara was a warlord and was waited on hand and foot, perhaps this was his first time going to the streets to get food.

She watched him curiously as he looked around in amazement like a little child, standing fully still in such a busy place made him look like such a foreigner to the residence it was beginning to look suspicious. She tapped his shoulder and pointed to a less busy dango shop and his eyes lit up nodding vigorously.

They pushed the hanging cloth door out of the way and entered a large room filled with booths and some benches and tables. There were less people than she had imagined, a large family at the booth nearest the door and a few people just grabbing brunch.

A waitress showed them a booth and they sat, examining the menu.

"I've never had dango before," Madara confessed.

Yuzuki looked up in surprise. 'There are several types,' she pointed to the menu. 'Botchan dango is made up of three different dango, red bean, egg and green tea. Chichi dango is slightly sweet, you may like that since you have a sweet tooth. There are others.' She explained and continued to go on about it in surprising length.

Madara nodded and summoned the waitress and pointed to the menu.

"I'll have this and she'll have." He looked over at Yuzuki. She smiled silently and pointed at another item on the menu.

The waitress nodded and assured them their food would be with them shortly.

'What you said earlier about having an interest in me.' She began to sign awkwardly.

"Yes?" He inquired smugly.

'What exactly do you mean by that?' She asked.

Madara paused in confusion and thought for an explanation. "When I think about you, I feel peace. It makes me relaxed and I need that."

'When I first began working here you slept with so many women.' She confronted him, vividly remembering the banging on the walls and the heavy bags under his eyes from staying up all night. Looking at his face it had barely changed but she had seen him sleep first hand now several times, it was a little confusing.

"I didn't have peace a month ago." He replied. "This is new to me, a shinobi should never be this off-guard but I can't help it around you. It's addictive. I need it, I crave it."

Unusually she wasn't blushing, she was deep in thought and the way her eyes seemed to have cogs running in them made him stare.

'I'm not sure I want that.' She answered.

"I'd like to say that you don't have a choice but this is a paying job that you have, not to fuck me or entertain me but to clean my sheets, bring me food and run my baths. You're not my whore." He said with vigour.

She felt a little warmth in her heart, but a little uncomfortable with how he was talking.

'You've never been in love have you?' Yuzuki asked.

"I'm Uchiha Madara, I married for the clan. I'll probably marry again for another alliance." He said more quietly in a hushed undertone, glancing around at the neighbouring customers.

Yuzuki nodded. 'I fall in love easily.'

"Is that good or bad?" He said in slight alarm.

'Depends on the person. I find that there's always a lesson to be learnt in every relationship. I was engaged to a man I loved deeply, I don't want to be hurt again Madar-' She stopped herself. 'Mada-kun.'

Madara said nothing.

'I think I'll get hurt with you.' Yuzuki signed. 'I'm already hurt.' She put a hand on her neck indicating to her voice. 'And you never told me why.'

Madara looked away.

'I saw you.' She continued.

"Tch, that was none of your business." He snapped.

He felt a little stab of pain at her hurt expression, she was looking away and towards the oncoming waitress with her arms full of dishes.

'Thank you.' She signed and the waitress looked surprised at the mute and glanced curiously at the two before her. A guard that had seen too much battle for his basic armour and a foreign mute.

"Enjoy your meal." She smiled and returned to her post by the door to welcome guests.

'Can we change the topic?' She signed uncomfortably and Madara nodded in agreement.

"How do you like your dango?" He asked politely and ate a green one whole. A pleasant green tea taste filled his mouth.

Yuzuki took a bite of her own and nodded vaguely. 'It tastes like home, Ren-kun would love this.'

"Home?" He questioned curiously and met eye contact.

She looked sad still.

"Maybe... we should take him with us next time." He tried to perk her spirits.

She nommed on a sticky dango from a stick. 'Next time?' She signed after she set the stick down.

Madara nodded. "I'd like that."

Yuzuki laughed silently, eyebrows raising incredulously. Still laughing she ate another dango and tried hard not to choke on it as she looked up at his serious face.

'You're a complicated man, Mada-kun.' She signed.

"Maybe I can un-complicate it for you." Madara ate his food.

'And how would you do that?' She asked.

"If you weren't so far across this booth I'd lean over and kiss you." Madara said as if it was a completely normal thing to say in public.

Yuzuki hesitated.

'Would you want it to mean anything?' She asked tentatively, giving him her full attention.

He paused painfully long.

"It's only been a month, Yuzuki-chan." Madara said in a soft, low voice that sent a shiver down her back.

'You're attracted to me but not emotionally?' She signed to confirm and he nodded as he chowed down on a red bean dango.

Yuzuki finished her dango and watched in silence, disappointment in her eyes and a face as blank of emotion as she could. He looked so calm across her chowing down, almost happy with a look of indifference. She bit her lip to hold back something and and began to stack their empty dishes for the waitress.

Madara didn't seem to notice.

Eyes scanning the menu, she calculated half the cost and slid some coins across the table to cover her expenses. She tapped the table lightly for him to pay attention to her as she signed.

'I'm going back to the residence, I have work.' She announced.

Madara shook his head and finished his dango before speaking.

"I replaced your guards, remember? I can't let you wander off." He told her and Yuzuki slid out of the booth anyway. "Do you understand?"

'I understand perfectly, but I don't need it.' She signed as calmly as she could.

His eyes narrowed in frustration.

"Let me walk you back to the residence." He commanded.

Yuzuki shook her head and headed out towards the door, Madara sat there watching her with exasperation. He didn't understand what he did wrong.

KNOCK KNOCK

Yuzuki looked up from her futon and crossed the room to slide the door open, Ren looked up at her with big black eyes full of innocence. She bowed.

'Good afternoon Ren-kun.' She signed.

"Why are your guards secretly guarding you? There's no need if you already know." He said, completely perplexed.

It was uncanny how similar he was to Madara, even that at that young age Ren could see hidden shinobi who had years of training.

'I don't know Ren-kun. Maybe someone ordered them to watch me even though I don't need them. What a waste of man power.' Yuzuki feigned an oblivious expression.

"Huh... I wonder who would do that. I'll have someone find out next time I'm at the reception." Ren replied, very confused.

Yuzuki smiled and nodded along.

"Father wasn't at this morning's training today." He commented and disappointment swept through Yuzuki, was Madara even trying to be a father?

'I'm so sorry Ren-kun, I didn't realise that was this morning. I took your father to a late breakfast at the high street.' She signed and bowed.

Ren's eyes lit up.

"Oh I don't mind at all, please take him to breakfast, lunch or dinner any time. Spend as much time as you can together. Did I mention together?" He dashed forward and embraced her firmly in happiness.

Yuzuki gently squeezed him briefly and pried his fingers off her to sign.

'I thought you didn't want him being around me.' She commented.

"Well I thought about it. I decided that I should behave like a leader and it's much easier if your subjects are getting along. Also I just really want you to marry father and then you can become my mother." He said the last in a rush and flushed bright red, looking away and shifting his feet uncomfortably.

Equally as uncomfortably, Yuzuki replied.

'I don't think I'll be marrying your father, Ren-kun.' She signed.

All the hope drained from his face into an unhappy frown.

'But-'

He perked up immediately.

'I will always look after you as long as I'm here.' She finished and he dove in for another hug.

'Have you had lunch?' She signed but he didn't see. He grabbed her hand and at a brisk pace brought her down the hallway to the stairs.

"I want to show you something." He said excitedly, she smiled. He was finally acting his age.

He brought her down the stairs to the front of the residence.

"This way." He grinned and let go of her hand to race ahead, Yuzuki gathered up her skirts and followed him down a few twists and turns of alleys.

She arrived at a T-junction with high walls and the only day light coming down from the sky. Ren was no where to be seen. Her footsteps crunched on the barely trodden path and she turned right, wanting to call out. Frustration flushed through her at her inability and she picked up a dust bin lid. Banging it against the side of a wall.

No answer.

Yuzuki bit her lip nervously, were the shinobi still watching her? Could they help or did they lose her amongst this maze of houses and their huge walls. She pondered, taking deep breaths.

She was the last adult to see Ren, she was responsible. Nervously she banged the dustbin lid against the wall as she walked quickly, trying to retrace her steps. The lid was metal, maybe made out of tin or copper but it made a satisfying clang that was reassuring amongst this soundless neighbourhood.

The room wasn't homey, the light was dimmed by the shutters and everything about the room was bland from the beige walls to the hardwood floor with the only piece of furniture being a large rectangular table surrounded by ageing men. At the head of the table sat Madara, clearly one of the youngest there with scrolls and reports placed before him. At the other end of the table sat Elder Sora, the only one to have a cup of jasmine tea and a smile. Although it was only a slight curl of the lip.

"The problem isn't that a maid is dead. The problem is that someone managed to get into the residence in the first place." Said an elderly man with a permanent look of anger on his face. "We have a leak, one of our own let a foreign menace in."

"That..." All attention turned to Sora. "Or simply that our security is lax because it hasn't been updated recently, we are old and the young are always inventing new ways to get around our rules and security measures." He smiled into his tea.

"Well I don't think-" The angry elder began.

"Neither can be certain Takahiro-sama. We'll respond to both and hope we find out which the problem is." Madara interrupted. "I'll have the strategists update the security and in the mean time we'll triple the patrols at the border and minimise the rest of the security at the centre to maintain map-power." He ordered.

"Madara-kun, what if the killer hasn't left? You'd only be placing the residence in danger." Sora asked.

"We'll split our forces, one to the border and the other to search and interrogate our own if they're suspicious." Madara answered. "Then we'll go back to the prior plan once we're sure of the innocence of our clan and those under our protection."

"You mean your servants." Said a man at the middle section of the table, one of the younger men with a goatee and a western appearance.

"Ambassador Alexander, I didn't think this matter included you." Madara replied.

"You're mistaken, Madara-Sama. It was a maid who was murdered, it could easily have been one of the servants you hired from outside your clan which I believe is in my field of expertise." Alexander said.

"And in my field of expertise I don't believe that the murder was meant for anyone other than Uchiha Liu. Which brings us to the reason she was murdered." Madara said and pulled out a sheet of paper. "The current theory is that the killer was hired to kill my personal maid and thought that was Uchiha Liu. They believed that my maid and I are... involved. And I would retaliate to the Okasara Clan or Senju to start another feud thinking that I would suspect them out of my general distaste for the clans."

"Involved?" Asked clearly the eldest of the council.

"Sex, Tsubasa-sama. He means sex." Sora explained. The elder paused and it clicked a moment later.

"Ah." He nodded, understanding.

"Alternatively I believe this may be a plot to kill my maid but because she replaced my ex-wife even though I would have divorced her, maid or no maid." Madara announced.

The council murmured amongst themselves for a moment and Madara tried desperately not to rub his temples from the headache he was getting.

"Nonetheless," Sora began and the rest of the council paid attention. "We should follow Madara-kun's plan to divide our forces, investigate the clan and those living with us. Protect the borders while our strategists devise a new security plan and make this our number one priority. This cannot happen again."

"Perhaps a curfew?" Suggested Takahiro.

"Something we can agree on." Madara commented darkly.

"All those in favour of these plans?" Sora asked.

Slowly the council members raised their hands, except one.

"When will this curfew be?" He inquired suspiciously.

Sora looked up the Madara for help.

"End of sunset." Madara intervened.

Sora nodded. "Sounds reasonable if the killer is still living here."

They looked looked the one objector for approval. He nodded in agreement.

"Does anyone else have anything to say?" Madara asked, looking around at the wrinkled faces. "Then this council session is concluded."

Slowly the men began to file out of the room, Madara stayed seated and so did Sora. He sat back more comfortably and sipped on his jasmine tea as the younger Uchiha began to pack up his papers. Watching the man across from him stand and scoot his chair back into place, his finished his cup of tea calmly.

"Things aren't going well with her are they?" Sora half commented half asked. Madara looked at the elder with an odd expression on his face. "Or maybe things aren't going well for you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Madara demanded with a fierceness in his eyes.

"Well when you were talking about your personal maid, you looked a little... agitated." Sora replied. "I'm guessing you had a fight?"

Madara paused and pulled up a chair next to the elder.

"I should come to talk to you more often, you're not a babbling fool like the rest of this council. You're very observant." He gestured to the empty chairs around them.

"Indeed." Sora smiled into his cup. "Fool is a very good term for them but you're ignoring my comment. What's come between the two of you, my sources say you were at the point where you had kissed. Frequently."

"Sources? If your sources are watching us then you should know what 'came between us' and not be asking." Madara replied.

"Let an old man indulge in his hobbies." Sora chuckled. "Yuzuki-chan is delightful and Ren-kun has taken quite a liking towards her, may I remind you she is his only friend and he is starting to see her as a mother. Your problem is that you're not acknowledging her as a man, you see her as a shinobi would. A source to partake in to help you satisfy your cravings for human comfort and sex."

"I am a shinobi." Madara said, pointing out the obvious.

"You see this tea," Sora handed him his cup. "It is delicious, I drink it because it is such and not because it sustains me."

"The world doesn't revolve around tea and your analogy doesn't make any sense," Madara passed the cup back.

"A shinobi does only what he needs to survive, so when he looks at tea he sees sustenance, but as a man you should be looking at it because it's delicious. A man uses his emotions and a shinobi doesn't. Madara-kun, you must learn to relax and give into your emotions, bottling them up will cause them to overflow like fermented beer and no one wants beer. They want tea." He said nodding, agreeing with himself and he took a sip.

Madara paused.

"I don't know how." He said finally and a little begrudgingly.

"I'm sure Yuzuki-chan knows, she'd a clever woman and could really help you. Take Ren-kun for example, he was such a meek boy and now he's doing better than ever because he paid attention to her council. He will become one of the greatest leaders this clan will ever see if he continues to follow and that's because he has a healthy in-between for shinobi and Man." Sora pointed out.

Madara thought, "I've only known her for a month." He concluded.

"I only knew Hikaru-chan for a month before we decided to elope and I can't say it was the happiest day of my life because she makes me happier every time I'm with her. She is the most amazing woman I know." Sora said with a wistful look in his eyes, craving her presence.

Madara sighed.

"I am a leader, I can't afford to relax or have another life beside the one I already have which is this." He gestured to the empty council room. "Any other person I'd encourage that balance but for me it'd be unwise."

Sora simply smiled.

"Think of it more like this, shinobi and a regular man are inside of you like yin and yang and neither can survive without the other. You must master both to work functionally." He explained

"I'm beginning to understand, I must be a normal man first to be a greater man." Madara almost to himself.

"Close enough." Sora replied. "Yuzuki has the potential to become someone quite great. She's very sensible and has good instincts."

"And intelligent." Madara said smugly.

Sora chuckled and mulled in empty tea up over in his hands. "Remember Madara-kun, her job may be just a maid but if you want her you must treat her as an equal and believe it. I hold my Hikaru-chan above all else and in turn she respects me equally."

"Don't romantics worship their lovers?" Madara asked coldly. "It's creepy, that a person would do anything for another purely based off of emotion."

"No, a healthy relationship is one where they are equal. Take Misaki-san for example, she would have done anything for you, she was not stable and thus your marriage didn't work out and that was only a few days ago too." Sora explained.

"I don't understand what I should do for Yuzuki-chan." Madara said a little begrudgingly at that thought.

"It'll come to you, it's all very spontaneous with the two of you, you went to the dango shop this morning. I assume that once you're apologised to her and shown you've cared that you'll be up to the same sort of thing in no time." Sora replied.

Madara nodded. "I suppose I did hurt her."

"I find that apologising as soon as possible is the best way to resolve arguments. Not that I argue much with Hikaru-chan. It's been several years." Sora smiled.

"Well not all of us are symbiotic with our wives." Madara said. "But I will be going, I'll keep you updated."

Sora put up a hand for him to stop talking. "Please. I have my sources."

The air was nippy now that the sun was setting and she could hear crickets in the distance, it was so dark now with the walls that seemed to be getting higher and higher. Yuzuki dropped the dustbin lid in despair and sat down, the arch in her feet and calves were aching from racing around corners in hope to see an exit.

It must have been hours, she bit her lip and wrapped her arms around her knees in a small ball of warmth. She had tried to retrace her steps so many times but there didn't seem to be an exit. The Uchiha were not friendly enough to passing villagers or passing anyone to let them into the residence, now that she thought back to her first day. The entire 'public' entrance was covered in brambles.

The sky above was a tempest of light greys with darkness coming from the left side, it was a cloudy night and she wouldn't be able to see her way without the shine from the stars. The walls and alleys all looked the same and in the dark she feared she would only become more lost than she already was.

Her nose tingled slightly and she rubbed her eyes to stop her tears, she took a deep breath and began to strategize, if she couldn't get out by wandering around then she could climb up like a shinobi would. Yuzuki stood up with new vigour and briskly made her way back to the dustbin, setting the lid on it. Carefully she stood on top of that and reached for the high window of the house, barely out of her reach. She cursed her height and jumped.

She made it, scrambling up to the top. Terrified of falling, she looked at her grazed hands from the hard rock and winced from the pain. She hiked up her skirts and eased her way to the top of the roof at the peak.

The sun had gone down leaving little light for her to see where she was but she recognised the main building to her left about 800 yards from her and the food court for the servant in front of her about 300 yards away.

Examining the surrounding she realized her situation, she was stuck. The gap between buildings was too great and jumping down would end up in a twisted ankle. Someone would find her eventually right?

Author's Note: I'll finish this eventually, I plan for many more chapters to come. Thanks for waiting.