Senju Estates

Tobirama seethed in anger as he trudged to his quarters. He could just picture the ordeal in his head. Madara corrupting her innocent mind and setting her against everyone around her. After all, he was a bloody Uchiha who strived to wage war on every competing clan, he would totally manipulate her pure spirit. He sat in his chair which faced the window, reminiscing of the last time when she was with him and they sat silently in each other's company as it rained.

He had made his decision.

He would go to the ceremony and get her out of there even if it meant taking her against her will. He could not let the Uchiha have her or let alone Madara own her in any way. He would not have it any other way as he could not tolerate the thought of her with anyone but him. He knew it was late in time to muster up a plan to try to convince her to leave her own wedding, but he had to try it for his own conscience.

He heard a knock on his door as it slid open to reveal none other than Touka. The one presence he had wanted to avoid throughout his time there. He could hear her walk towards him and stop behind his chair. Her hands made their way onto his shoulders as her somber tone made its way to him.

"Tobirama..." she called out to him solemnly.

She had never addressed him by his full name. To her, it was always Tobi.

Something must have really offset her; he had guessed that much. "Please pardon me for this, but I heard you and Hashi nee-san arguing." Tobirama grimaced at her query. He expected her to have an outrageous outburst any moment now. Touka walked from behind him, to face him as she kneeled in-front of him. She took his rough hands into her own and her brown eyes gently looked into his eyes, seeing his rage.

"I heard everything… everything that you had to say about her." Her eyes shifted downwards as she continued, "I'm so silly to have thought of things that way. Did you know Tobirama, ever since I had laid my eyes on you, I had fallen in love with you. I could never imagine any other life. I knew you were younger than me, but I could not help it. You had always called me One-chan but I had never thought of you as a brother. I have always prized you above all, and when Butsuma Oji-sama had proposed us for each other, I could not have been more elated with the news. I want to be with you… I have wanted to be your wife from the days when you did not even know yourself. I want to be your wife. Someone you can call home." Tears formed on the rims of her bold brown eyes, threatening to fall.

She had just begged him to stay. She had unleased her deepest secret, and she could not let him go to that Uzumaki heiress.

Tobirama shifted uncomfortably and gently pulled his hands from her hold and gently held onto her shoulders as he pulled her up. "I am sorry you had to hear that Touka, but affection for her is not a lie. If nee-san had informed me earlier about the arrangement with you, and what our fathers had secretly discussed, I would have confronted him about it then." He said, as he turned to walk away from her. She immediately grabbed his arm and stopped him in his tracks.

"What does she have that I don't? Is it because I chased you and she did not? Tell me, what did I do that makes me unfit to deserve you!" She half yelled as tears fell from her eyes.

"Stop making a scene Touka." He grit his teeth as his eyes hardened. "I have never indicated that I'd harbored any feelings besides respect towards you. If anything, you have always approached me, and I have never reciprocated your gestures. It is wrong of you to approach me in this manner when you know that I am troubled in my heart and mind. This was uncalled for... You knew that I had loved her from the first time I had laid eyes on her during nee-sans betrothal. Please forgive me…"

Tobirama pulled his arm away and made his way to the door as he heard her sob behind him.

He felt truly sorry for her, but he could not help her now because he had to help himself first.

Uchiha Stronghold

Mirai was woken from her slumber by a handful of Uchiha maidens from the higher echelons of the service staff to be taken to the hot springs. The spring waters were known to be good for the skin with special healing properties. There were various springs present on the property, however, the one she was to bathe in was a special one. It had crushed pearls mixed with salves of sorts and the spring itself was called the 'maiden spring.' Previous Uchiha Matriarchs had bathed in it on the day of their weddings as a tradition. The spring had been untouched for years as it was only to be used 'once' as a ritualistic practice. Mirai was stripped to her under robes as she stood in front of the spring. Unlike a regular hot spring, a towel would not suffice. With the special springs, she would need to undress and fully dip herself into the bubbling water.

She walked to the edge of the rocks surrounding the spring and slowly dipped her feet first, allowing herself to adjust to the hot temperature. Gradually, she untied her robe and submerged fully into the water. The water was comfortably warm and soothing on her cool skin. It was the middle of winter since it was January. She poked her head out of the water to look around her. The springs were closed off to the outside with long bamboo panels which blocked the outside view, but she could see the communal bath house in the distance through the crevices of the bamboo boards, which was now bustling with villagers and civilians. However, no one was allowed in this area due to her presence. The spring smelled of a minty lavender scent which seemed to calm her nerves. She closed her eyes and breathed in the essence of everything around her and slowly made her way to the edge of the spring. She rested her arms on the ledge for support and placed her head on her arms. She could see at ground level, the dewy grass, the clear skies, and the occasional sounds of birds and the wind. This was going to be a very long day, or a long life, she thought.

In a separate wing, Rei Uchiha had arranged a meeting with the females of the council elders; Mikoto and Kagami.

Elder Kagami paced across the floor as she voiced her concern about the examination of their soon to be matriarch. "Rei-sama, if the rumors are true, she would be certified impure for breeding. The head physician is a stern woman who does not go easy with such matters. She won't let this pass."

"Kagami, we are the only ones who know about her frivolous past. Should anyone else know, they would object to Tajima-sama's will." Mikoto paused to look at Rei-sama. "We will just have to wait and see what the verdict is. I still hold true to my prediction though. The girl was a fool to have fallen into the affair with Tobirama, but she was not a bigger fool to consummate her relationship with him. It would be against her principles, especially being from Uzushiogakure royalty."

"Rest easy Mikoto, the girl has not transitioned into a woman. If she were involved with the Senju physically, she would either be with child by now or she would've acted differently towards my grandson." Rei-sama said calmly.

She knew the girl's erratic behavior when Madara appeared in her vicinity. She definitely had never been alone with men in an intimate setting.

Rei-sama settled on her tatami mat, as she made sharp eye contact with elder Kagami.

"Takara must step down Kagami. She cannot leave and do as she pleases here. It is my stronghold, and it concerns the future rulers of this stronghold and clan. Do not for a second think that I do not condone what she did at the banquet that night. I do not want to hear of her insolence again. Is that understood?"

"Your grace… pardon her. She is still sore from her break off with Madara-sama. What can I say? Poor Takara has been heartbroken." Elder Kagami requested.

"I will not allow for anyone to interfere with Madara's future. I admit that Takara was verbally promised to him when she was seven, but the promise had ended years ago when Tajima revealed his plans for expanding our horizons with our allies. She was too fickle minded to understand love or liking back then. She has created an idea of her life in her mind and I cannot allow her to hold onto such a thought. She will only hurt herself if she does. Besides, I can say it without hesitation that my grandson holds neutrality towards her." Rei Uchiha explained.

"As you wish Rei-sama" she replied.

Elder Mikoto quietly watched on as the discussion was carried onto other matters. She secretly knew about the poison Takara carried in her heart for Mirai, but she also knew that Takara would never displease Madara. She had decided that she would quietly observe Takara for now. If things were to get out of control, she would handle it swiftly.

While everyone was going with their meetings and tasks, on the third most floor of the stronghold, where no residents were allowed during the day, Madara sat in his room with his eyes closed and posture straight, deep into meditation. He was to head over to the springs in sometime to bathe and then attend a prayer meet before the official ceremonies. In the last few days, he had welcomed former allied clan heads and the truce clans which were now bound to him through the Uzumaki alliance. Perhaps this alliance was not all that bad for the Uchiha, it had single handedly drawn out a few of their key enemies and made them their allies. And speaking of allies…

He had specifically sent a summons for dear Senju friends. His pieces laid out, and ready to align, he waited for Hashirama's presence, along with the filth he referred to as Tobirama. He had recently learned about Mito's news of the twins and Tobirama's return to the Senju estates. He truly looked forward to his confrontation.

Despite the off-limits zone of the third floor, he heard a hard knock on the shoji panels of his new space. However, he already knew who it was due to their erratic chakra nature. Takara stood on the other side of the panel with her back against the paneled entrance. Madara had waited for her to say something and ensued silence in response to her bold knock. 'I… am a loyal servant to the Uchiha, but even more so…I have promised myself to you in every lifetime Madara-sama. I will stay with you like Karma does with people, whether it be good or bad, I will be with you,' she recited in her head as she took deep breaths to calm her emotions. Never had she ever had to say or even feel anything remotely close to the humility she had felt in finally confessing her feelings to him. Madara shifted his posture and got up from his seated position.

The Shoji panel flew open to reveal Madara clad in a white kimono with his long and silky mane resting to one side over this right shoulder. Takara, who was now flustered with his sudden actions stood shaken to her core against the opposite wall. Her restrictive kunoichi outfit suddenly felt hot on her skin as she swallowed the lump through her parched throat, and looked to him in disbelief as his deeper gaze questioned her unannounced visit.

She pretended to fix her outfit and straighten it out as she heard his smooth voice resonate around her.

"I suppose you must be here for a very genuine purpose, for it to have been now? of all times…" He stated and questioned at the same time. He had an ability to toy with her mind on a separate tangent. Takara cleared her throat and took a step towards him in the midst of her confused state.

"Madara-sama… I-I wanted to speak to you. In fact, I should have come sooner."

Madara watched her coolly. He clearly knew why she had snuck onto the third floor, and that too on the day of his wedding. She was trying to justify the events around her as a misconception, and unreal, and the fact that she was the only truth that existed or in short, the only one that cared for him.

"Your presence at this stronghold is beginning to irk many people. This time, you should work on building your own respect, no?" he replied to her nervousness. 'Cold as always,' she thought. It was not that he had never been cold to her before. He was always sharp around her, with his comments and instructions. She had known him almost all her life but the moment she had known about their betrothal, she fell deeper in love with him. She would follow him around when he would be at the stronghold, and in his absence, pray for his wellness.

He had never indicated his interests towards her, but she would hear things about him all the time from the gossiping servant girls in the stronghold. They would giggle about his striking looks, war streaks, and the types of women he would prefer to bed during his war endeavors. Of course, most of it all was based on rumors, and not facts, or so she would have liked to believe.

She cleared her throat and fidgeted a little. "I apologize for this intrusion my lord." She fell to her knees and bowed to him out of sorrow, and forgiveness. "It shall never happen again, but I must… I must tell you this before it is too late. Madara-sama, I have never pictured my loyalty with anyone besides you. I beg of you to not tie yourself to that enchantress from Uzushiogakure. Stay with your blood, it is what you and everyone needs. I would happily give up my being as a vessel for your future," she continued. Madara clearly knew why she had been there in the first place. The woman had been sent to reason with him over his father's last wishes, but her opinion mattered very little in the bigger arena of political decisions and the elders.

Madara looked into the irises of her coal eyes and proceeded with a rude awakening for her. "A falcon breeds with a falcon, not a crow," with that, he walked away from the room to his now required presence at the bath springs.

Takara stared in front of her with a bewildered look. He had just insulted her being with such an implied meaning. She may have been in love with him, but she felt her ego burn within her.

Uchiha Temple

Mirai climbed down numerous stairs towards an underground chamber where it was getting darker by the minute. Their only source of light was the torch that one of the servants held up in the air. The further she went; she could feel the smell of burning musk in this cave-like structure that kept going deeper. Everyone came to a halt and was escorted by priests dressed in dark blue garments. She entered what looked like a deep cave with stone tablets and catacombs holding stone caskets and urns. She could guess by the granite used in the caskets, that it must have been the Uchiha royalty. She could see a whole procession of priests standing in the front, and another group of people sitting on mats, facing the front. She was the last to join them.

The order of people was straight forward, with the Uchiha Elders of the council sitting at the front, and Rei-sama accompanying them. Mirai quickly made her way besides Rei-sama and sat down with the crowd.

She could see Izuna and Madara sitting in the front of the procession with their heads bowing towards the alter in front of them. The alter itself was a whole different story, lit with incense, and the portraits of previous clan heads and matriarchs perched in order which was rather nostalgic. Everyone in the procession prayed for the departed souls and for their blessings for the later ceremonies.

Rei Uchiha stepped towards the front of the procession and faced her grandson who was to be wed today. Madara raised himself to stand in front of her.

"My dear grandson, today you shall uphold a very important purpose in the absence of both your honorable mother and father. We hope that the departed souls accept our prayers and bless your union." Madara was given a tray of white lilies which he placed at the feet of the alter which consisted of various portraits of previous clan heads and matriarch son the alter. He could spot his mother's face amid many unfamiliar other faces. She looked young and delicate with a solemn expression on her face. She was a pure bred Uchiha and related to his fathers extended family. She had spent most of her years bearing children. He and his deceased brothers would have counted for five siblings in current times, but circumstances had changed that of course. He lost three of his brothers to clan wars, and his father to the Senju. He did not feel much towards the others, but he did feel relieved in a way that his mother had passed before witnessing the death of her children and husband. In that regard, his Oba-sama had dealt with pressing matters that would have turned anyone grey and old. Yet this woman, held herself with such robust strength. In that moment as he put his hands together in prayer to his ancestors, he felt grateful towards his mother, the woman who had brought five children into this world and held his father's honor intact.

Mirai was called to the front where she was given a tray of fruits which she placed by the alter with some incense sticks. She then put her hands together in prayer and genuinely wished for the transition to be easy. She had not been spiritual at all before, but she felt that she needed fate to be on her side for many reasons. With that, Madara and Mirai walked back to their respective spots but not before briefly locking eye contact. Both were dressed in similar white kimono's.

She could see his damp hair, 'perhaps he had been at the springs as well?' she wondered. It was the first time she had seen him in such personal attire. No doubt, his handsome features stood out in the minimally lit atmosphere around them. She could see his serious face with his haunting coal eyes searching her soul for slippage. She could feel her heart skip a beat and anxiety take over. As soon as she had locked eyes with him, she looked away in that instant. He of course noticed her uneasy behavior and found it amusing. He took in the dark waves of her wet and long tresses cascading down her head onto her shoulders and then to the small of her back. His eyes followed her wanton form slowly treading back to the procession. It almost felt predatorial to him, and she was hardly a difficult prey, or so he thought.

After the prayer, Mirai was escorted to the physician's quarters. She sat on a futon as she waited for the head physician to make her way towards her. A simple woman in her forties who carried the typical Uchiha physical traits, dressed in a lilac kimono approached Mirai as she checked her vitals. Next, she questioned Mirai about any complications she had suffered in the past that would have troubled her vital functions, and about her blood moon cycle. Mirai had been fortunate to have had no complications in her past with such matters.

However, she was unprepared for what came next, the physician, or 'Mari-san' as most addressed her, requested that she stand straight and remove the kimono sleeve of her right arm. She could see a small jar of red in Mari-san's hand as she took a brush and ran it over Mirai's upper arm, drawing a horizontal line across her pale flesh with a crimson pigment. Almost immediately, Mirai could feel a tingling sensation and the crimson liquid absorb into her skin. The pigment of course, stayed in the form of a horizontal line like a tattoo. This potion was referred to as the 'Gecko Cinnabar,' an old concoction which was made from gecko's which were fed red cinnabars. They were later deposed and dried and then crushed to create the powdered pigment, and females were marked with the pigment on the day of their wedding. It would fade away once the female became sexually active. It was used as a symbolic form of losing one's virtue as dictated by the old standards of the clan. Ofcourse, she did not believe in the tradition or the accuracy of it. Even in Mito's case, Hashirama had not allowed any pre-screenings to take place. However, she knew specifically why this was all happening to her. Mari-san asked her to wait a few minutes before she could be allowed to leave. In the duration, she explained the significance of the pigment, that it should disappear if the female was sexually active, and if she had any questions about any processes. Mirai being taught lipped and embarrassed, looked the other way. She was overwhelmed by it all, the suspicious nature of everyone, the quietness, and hidden meanings to all these checks and procedures. Afterall, she was also a medic in training during her reign in Uzushiogakure. Mari-san carefully eyed the horizontal line, as she finally asked Mirai to redraw the sleeve of her kimono. She wrote down a few notes on her desk, and politely dismissed her.

Mirai slowly traced the mark through her kimono sleeve as she was escorted to her guest quarters to get ready for the wedding processions.

In her mind, she started to count every hour that led her closer to the time of her wedding ceremony. Instead of feeling numb like she had been earlier during her engagement processions, she felt erratic and jumpy. She knew all eyes were on her, especially Madara's. She did not miss the way he had stared at her today which was quite different from before. Previously, his expressions either revealed distaste, or amusement, but today, he had felt like a preying hawk, and his keen sense of observance was getting to her.

The door of her guest room opened to reveal quite a few people awaiting her presence. Elder Kin stood there with a proud smile along with Hiroyuki whose face beamed like the rising sun; as usual. Many hand maidens rushed through, some clearing some seating space for her, and others helping with the placement of her Kimono on a mannequin. The inner layers were still being arranged before the outer additional layers could be added, and Mirai watched them iron out the creases of her Kimono.

Elder Kin drew her into an embrace before she could seat herself, and in her calm voice, she whispered, "Do not be scared little one, for you were born for greatness. In this life, situations will happen to us all… misfortunes and good fortune go hand in hand. Perhaps the man that chose you was not for you, and the one that was chosen for you shall be beyond all compare." Elder Kin had been the source of all discipline when she was younger. There was not a single matter that she had not been scolded for. However, as things progressed, she found herself respecting the woman that she had once referred to as the 'old hag.' Elder Kin understood ties and compromises better than anyone she knew because she did not belong to the Uzumaki clan. She had joined the clan through marriage. She had indeed given her life to the current day Uzushiogakure, and Mirai was thankful for her that.

Her damp hair was combed down and smoked with musky incense and then arranged into an elaborate bun on top of her head. Her pressure points were rubbed with a deep rosy musk oil. She chose not to sit in front of a mirror for she did not want to look at herself during the process. Within moments, a few stronghold maidens arrived at the guest chambers and presented a red velvet box in her direction. When the box was opened for her, she witnessed the most beautiful pieces of jewelry arranged together. There was a gold diadem carved in the shape a thin leafed wreath, with large pear-shaped rubies encrusted within it. It came with large pear-drop ruby pearled earrings, and lastly, a delicate ring for her middle finger with a pear-shaped ruby encrusted in it. The gesture had left her breathless. The jewels shone against the lights of her room, drawing a lot of attention. Elder kin turned to the maidens and inquired about the gift and who may have sent it. One of the maidens holding the box replied with pride, "Her excellency, Rei-sama and the elders had commissioned this for Mirai-sama, for her wedding day." Mirai was ever grateful for the grand gift. This would be the first of her many wedding presents. Just as the Uchiha maidens had arrived, they dropped off the box and quick left the premises of her guest room. Hiroyuki was requested to wait in the prayer hall on the main floor of the stronghold.

It was about time that she stepped out of her yukata, bare in her white under garments. The first layer of the Kimono was taken off the mannequin and placed onto her shoulders, a fiery red transparent chiffon layer. Red being an auspicious color, representing blood and life; at the very core. Another transparent white layer with the Uzumaki emblems at the back and on the chest was placed atop the red layer and folded together. Next, a cotton layer representing the unique Uzushiogakure seasons printed in white embroidery was placed on top the two transparent layers to encase the underlayers, and a red silk sash was used to tie all three layers of the under kimono together.

Now came the final two layers consisting of the outside attire. A white silk kimono was wrapped around her with the Uchiha crest at the back. The next, and final layer was zesty orange in color with a long dragging terrain behind it. The orange outer robe had a magnificently large phoenix stitched onto the back with sharp hues of reds, oranges, and gold. The final robe was so silky and slippery that the hand maidens struggled to keep it in place while tying her gold obi around her. The wedding outfit itself was breathtaking, as it shone a bright orange with the phoenix on her back, signifying power, and fire. She had paid tribute to both the fire users and Uzushiogakure with the color and depiction. Her collars were high, so to conceal her collarbones but hung behind her slightly to expose the back of her neck. The whites and reds could be seen folded under her bright orange outer from the slightly hung collar at the back.

Her face was powdered with crushed pearls to give her a doll-like appearance, and her eyebrows were shaped with charcoal. The inner lids of her eyes were lined with Kohl made from the local Uchiha sediments. Her cheeks were brushed with a light powdered rouge, and her lips were painted a light pink, almost clear - something which went against the red lips stereotype on the wedding day.

The ruby jewelry gifted to her by Rei-sama and the elders was taken out of the velvet box. First, the delicate diadem was carefully placed onto her head, and a few pins were used to secure it into place. Next, the pear-drop ruby earrings were clasped into place, and finally, the ring was placed on the middle finger of her right hand. She was helped up by her maidens and made to walk towards the standing mirror in the corner of the room, and she was then left alone in the room with Elder Kin.

Mirai stood in awe of herself. Her fingers reached out to touch her cheeks and ran her hands slowly to her lips. She could not recognize the reflection staring back at her. They had done such a good job with her that any speck of tension or anxiety was barely visible. She slowly inhaled and exhaled and steadied herself, patting her sash on the sides. Elder Kin came behind her and tapped her shoulder. In a swift movement, elder Kin slid something square into her palm and squeezed her hand shut. "This was the only memorabilia of your mother that I could sneak out," she murmured. Elder Kin walked out of the room and left her on her own to reflect for some moments before her attendance in the ceremony hall.

Mirai opened her palm to see a small red omamori charm for luck. Omamori charms were small amulet charms in a fitted square or rectangular pouch carrying inscriptions for good luck or whatever one needed from them. Mirai could not believe this belonged to her mother as she raised it to her chest and held onto it tightly. She then slid it into her obi sash and stared into her mirror once again for a final time before her chest tightened and her heart nearly jumped out of its cage.

Behind her, in the reflection, she could see the figure of the one person she had hoped she would not see. She jolted around and stared in horror. What more could happen at this point she thought. Why him? Why now? She backed into the mirror as he walked closer.

"Mira-" he called out.

"S-S-Stop, do not come any closer Tobirama." She whispered, afraid of what catastrophe this situation could bring about.