Seeing as I'm neglecting a birth defect report for this, it obviously isn't very long.
My apologies.
But, well, it answers some of your questions about Reika! I have a plan, don't worry. :)
"I wonder who won...?" Sae craned to see over the sea of heads, the crowd going wild at the very last match. She could catch glimpses of two men, but nothing identifiable.
"My, you come back even after that humiliation?" A sleek, feminine voice caught her attention, Sae's head snapping to see Reika with her hand on her hip, her son at her side with a foul expression.
"Reika." Madara's voice was dark, as he shifted dangerously on his feet. Immediately she looked away, mouth a grim line.
"What...?" Saezuri's voice petered off as she finally pieced it together in her mind. Whirling on Madara, her fists balled and she had to repress the urge to swing at him. "You. You've done something."
"Intelligent." His eyes shimmered, amusement coloring his features. Sae opened her mouth to question further, flinching heavily when the skin stretched over her busted cheekbone split back open. Adverting her eyes, she clamped a hand over the pulsing wound, gritting her teeth at Reika's feathery laugh.
"Anyhow, my husband would like to formally invite you for dinner." She addressed Madara, her tone mild. A cruel smirk stretched Madara's lips, as he accepted an ornate card from her.
"We'd be delighted." He was mocking, and Sae frowned when Reika, willful as she was, stayed silent at the subtle jab.
"Jaa." Her son mumbled sullenly as he left with his mother, leveling one last sour look at Saezuri.
"Was it necessary to knock me out?" Her voice was flat as she turned to Madara, upset at the dull look he gave her.
"Reika is a manipulative, cunning daimyo's wife. She would have you bound by your word before you had time to think." He stared down at her, aware of the betrayed spark behind her eyes. The crowd roared, and he caught the small twitch beneath Sae's eye. "Come though, I'm sure your head must hurt." He ushered her out with a lofty hand, quickly glancing over the invitation as he followed Sae. "We'll have stunning accommodations tonight." His mouth curled, the card disappearing up his sleeve.
"Reika, why does she follow you so?" Saezuri asked, her previous anger forgotten. She glanced at Madara, his neutral expression only raising further questions in her mind.
"She owes it to me, for the good fortune she's stumbled into." His eyes glimmered intensely, as he looked down at her, "And she knows I could rip it all away, at a moment's notice." Sae's brow crept up, things connecting.
"And...why is it that you can be so cruel, so unempathetic to these people, yet you swept me away from a miserable future?" If Madara was surprised at her blunt question, it didn't show. He glanced away, and Saezuri was even more bewildered to catch the smallest quirk of his lips.
"Simply, my dear, you are useful to me." His dark eyes met hers, and a hearty laugh escaped his lungs at her parted lips, that same dumbfounded expression that never failed to amuse him. Madara had found himself subtly seeking for it, oftentimes.
"Well." Sae glanced away, flustered. She felt the slight pressure behind her cheeks and knew she was blushing, the rushing blood making her wounds throb.
"Uchiha-sama?" A handman caught Madara's attention, bowing his head. Sae paused next to him in the street, curious. "There's a rickshaw waiting." Madara cocked his head, while Sae's eyes flew wide at the ornate cart.
"Daimyo." Madara murmured to her when he caught her surprise, helping her up into the cart, then sitting himself. The servant immediately started jogging through the streets, many people turning to stare curiously. Saezuri sank against his side, the cart jostling her svelte form combined with her weary muscles making it impossible to hold any decent posture. "You might as well sleep; it's going to be a far ride to the estate." Madara shifted and slung an arm around her shoulders, Sae's head falling comfortably on the hollow of his chest; she blinked when she felt that he had a slight sunken divot. There was less racket as the roads turned to dust, vegetation replacing buildings. Saezuri allowed herself to close her eyes, figuring sleep would at least distract her from the dull ache in her face, and hopefully restore some of the energy to her body.
Thoughts?