"Can you tell what it is?" Mego asked, curiously looking up at the healer, while the woman was finishing up with examining her. She smiled.

"There are some signs that commonly point to a girl or a boy, but don't count on them always being right, alright, dove?"

Mego nodded. Even Madara tore himself away from the healer lady's colorful medicine shelf and came closer to hear, standing by the headboard of the table she lied on.

"Your belly stands low, you see? The bump grew downward." She gestured. "That may be a sign you're carrying a boy. But!" The healer raised her tone sternly. "Do not trust that blindly, and don't claim to others you'll have a son. Women have done that before, and then everyone gets disappointed when they're wrong."

"We won't be disappointed either way." Madara said, to which Mego smiled and took his hand to squeeze it gently in gratitude.

"Good. Everything is in order, you are perfectly healthy." The woman went to the bowl with water in the corner and started washing her hands. Madara helped Mego up and held her coat while she put it on and they were swiftly at the exit.

"Madara." He looked back when the woman called him.

"Yes, Shime?"

"You stay a moment." She gave him a meaningful look.

"Wait outside with Sumi, sister in law." He told Mego. Both he and Shime watched the girl leave, then, when they were left alone, he turned to her.

"What is—"

"What do you think you're doing?" She cut him off before he even had a chance to ask what she wanted.

"What?" He frowned at her vague question. Her tone revealed it wasn't good, whatever she wanted to speak to him about.

"With that girl, your sister in law. What are you doing?"

Still no closer to understanding what she meant, he felt somewhat annoyed. Sighing, he quietly reminded himself to watch his tone. Not that Shime was too important a person, but she was one of rare people he actually liked. He didn't want to start a fight here.

"You really need to be more specific. What in the world would I be doing? I'm as good as I can be to her."

"Well, I hear you're better to her than you should be." The woman raised an eyebrow pointedly. "You two are way too close, Madara. People are talking."

"What people?! What would they—"

"Your people, your clansmen! They say you walk together until late at night, you hug in public. Your… your servants say they walked in on you two being close more than once." Her voice got quieter at the end. "Think what you're doing to yourself, and to her! You're supposed to lead this clan once, for gods' sake."

"Being close? What does that mean?!"

"Are you sleeping with her, Madara?" She finally asked, and he felt the genuine need to face palm. Bluntness of one of her traits he highly respected, but found it hard to appreciate it at the moment.

"What?! No!"

"Are you sure you're telling the truth?"

"Of course! How could someone even—"

"Then I don't know what exactly they saw you two doing, but whatever it was, they found it inappropriate. Be careful."

"I…" Madara sat down on the edge of the examination table. "I never even thought of her in such a way." He looked Shime in the eyes, wanting to get his honesty across.

"She's a sweet girl, it's easy to love her. It's easy to get close to her. But you must put some distance between you." She squeezed Madara's shoulder. "Some are even suspecting that the child she carries… You know."

He shook his head in disbelief, finding himself short of breath.

"Go now. I have a patient waiting."

He got up to leave.

"And Madara?" She called. "Be mindful."

He nodded, and left.

….

Madara's eyes nervously darted towards anyone who passed them by as they walked home. He was trying to catch a glimpse of judgment or mockery on their faces, and he didn't know if he was imagining stuff because of what he was just told or people indeed looked at him differently.

It was as if every other passerby's gaze lingered on them just a bit longer than normal, and it drove him crazy. To think he had been the topic of such a distasteful rumor, and had no idea about it until now. If some clan members really thought the child Mego was carrying was made by him… then the rumor had been circling around far longer than he even comprehended.

His jaw tensed, as he frowned harder than usual. How dare they even come up with such hideous ideas? The rumor basically implied he bedded his sister in law while his brother was still alive. Not that sleeping with her with Izuna dead would be any better, but they had to know how much he loved his brother! How could anyone think he'd do such a thing to him?

Suddenly, he tensed up, feeling Mego wrap her arm around his own. The girl's cheerful face turned worried when she noticed the grim look he was unconsciously giving her.

"Are you alright, brother in law?"

"Mhm." He confirmed, and pulled his arm away to put some space between them. Mego's confusion at his actions was obvious, but she thankfully chose to say nothing about it.

"Sumi and I would like to look at some fabrics for the wedding. Would you follow us over to the stand?"

"Sure." Madara sighed. He led the way over, and stepped aside to wait for the girls while they browsed through the colorful silk textiles and asked the merchant whatever they needed to. He heard them speak excitedly, giggle and saw them lean the fabrics of this or that color on each other.

Once again, he turned his attention to the people surrounding them. For the most part, nothing seemed different. Figures. Just because he was now aware of what most of them thought didn't mean everyone would suddenly act drastically different. Yet… Now when he paid attention to it…

"… right, brother in law?" He turned to Mego when she spoke to him.

"Excuse me?" He frowned.

"I was just telling Sumi we should definitely go for deeper red color for the wedding dress, right? The color of our clan."

"Yeah… Fine." He mumbled out. Not that he particularly cared, although, he probably should. "Yes, deep red is good."

She came even closer.

"Brother in law… Are you alright?" She whispered, her eyebrows raised in concern. His entire body tensed, again, when she took him by his hand.

Every time they made any physical contact he panicked, almost ready to give it up to those who came up with the rumor about them. He sure allowed Mego to develop the habit of touching him over every little thing.

"Yes, yes." He cleared his throat and withdrew his hand.

"Do you want to go home?"

Madara nodded. Mego rushed over to Sumi to let her know they were leaving first, and they were on their way.

They were exposed, he felt. It was early noon, and clan grounds were busier than any other time of the day. And the two of them were walking together among all those people, who were thinking gods know what. He walked quickly, rushing to get out of their prying sight, and although he took notice of Mego's struggle to keep up, he didn't slow down.

….

The evening came, fresh and windy, but way warmer than they were in a while. Madara stood on the training area in his backyard, looking up at the starry sky; listening to countless sounds of birds, crickets, bugs, and everything else nature held at that hour.

"There you are." Tajima said, standing next to him.

"Father." He greeted. He hadn't seen the man since morning.

"What did Shime say? How is Mego doing?"

"Good, she's healthy." A smile escaped him. "Where have you been, father?"

"I had a lot of paperwork to do today, and then I went to tavern with Yushiro. I haven't spent time with him for a while, he's been taking a lot of long missions."

"How is he doing?" Madara asked, not wanting to go quiet at the mention of the name. He didn't want Tajima to grow suspicious.

"Mostly, well. He is worried about Hisa, though. He thinks she might be unfaithful." Tajima frowned. "I did tell him not to take such a young wife at his age. Nobody ever listens to me." He let out a small laugh, looking at Madara.

"Does he know with whom?"

"No. Why? Have you heard something?"

"No, no. Just wondering..." He tried very hard to keep his tone nonchalant. Given that his father said nothing more about the topic, he deemed it safe to assume he succeeded.

Both of them focused on a different topic for a while, and then headed inside to have dinner. Sitting down at the table, he found he was still not accustomed to seeing Sumi at the big dining table with them, with another servant doing the work that used to be hers.

Good for her, he thought.

"Don't skip the vegetables, brother in law." Mego smiled at him, placing a leek atop the rice in his bowl.

"Thank you, Mego." He gathered the patience to accept her kindness, even though, with everything he learned today, he just wanted to yell at her to stay away. But she didn't deserve that, nor was she the one to blame for all this. He should have known better.

As soon as he finished his food, Madara got up and wished everyone a good night. Once he was safely isolated in his own bedroom, he changed into his sleeping pants. The servant who cleaned his room left the window open, and he went over, wondering whether he should even close it. The night air felt great in his hair and against his exposed skin. He inhaled deeply, trying to relax from the stress of that day.

Lying in his bed, he kept his eyes shut, resting, even thought he wasn't going to sleep just yet. He opened them, however, upon hearing a knock on his door.

"Yes?" He called and sat up. A sigh escaped him when he saw who it was.

"Brother in law? I'm sorry for intruding…" Mego whispered, holding a candlestick in front of her.

"You shouldn't be here at this hour." Madara said, his tone unintentionally colder than he intended.

"I just… I need to speak to you."

"Can't it wait until morning? What's so important, anyway?"

She remained quiet for a few moments. Candle's light wasn't quite enough to clearly illuminate her face, but he could very easily tell it didn't look joyful.

"You're right, forgive me. I'll see you in the morning." Her voice shook ever so slightly, someone who spent less time with her probably wouldn't even notice. "Sleep well, brother in law."

Madara was almost about to change his mind, get up and have her stay, but she already closed the door. So he stayed put. Distance, he reminded himself. If there was any way to achieve it, this was it.