Coast Region – Kato household (3 days later)
This had to be a joke.
She was past the age of marriage. In fact, she thought she was totally discarded as an option. But it was a suitable punishment for her meddling, she thought. How could her father agree to this?! Sending her away when he was obviously losing his grip on reality. Who would be in charge of the men and their training routine? Who would intercept the messenger birds passing by the zone with precious information? Nobody else knew how to use the whistle. And to a Senju… She could never escape them no matter how good she was in stealth. They were far too good. Even if she could escape, her father had already sent the answer. He knew the move they would make and sent it even before their letter arrived here. He even knew it would be a Senju! Damn him and his years of experience. But she was a good daughter. She would not bring shame to her family… to him.
She burnt the letter in the fireplace until the wax seal disappeared and went to her room to pack for the journey, her flame slowly losing it's power.
-o-
By the time she was on the journey she was more like a corpse than herself.
At least she could bring Shimobashira with her. The white dire wolf was her only comfort and she was petting him while trying to ignore her sister's annoying jibber jabber with her maiden. They were here to make sure she dressed and acted like a proper lady.
The valley was undeniably beautiful. The meadow full of different flowers before the dark green forest was an outstanding contrast and the river reflected the sunlight in a way that made it very appealing since the valley didn't have the cold breeze like the coast. The coast… She would miss the beach and the caves. The sea carved in the cliffs… Even if they were nomads before, they had always remained near the sea.
-o-
Valley region – Konoha Barracks
"They're here Tobirama! Let's go to greet them!"
"Stop it! You are the only one happy about this!"
"Why are you so grumpy Tobirama?! I got you a cute and collected woman to meet. Or is it you prefer…other company?"
This time he didn't even answer with sounds and just limited himself to a scowl. Hashirama has been annoying him since the acceptance letter arrived two weeks ago. He had scowled so much lately that his forehead hurt. But the day had come and he was trying to put on a blank face as if he didn't care. It had worked putting aside the moments Hashirama annoyed him. He just kept on with his work and ignored Hashirama's presence.
"Tobirama, you'll have to meet her sooner or later. And I recommend sooner since you will be marrying her. I'm sure you don't want an unknown in your room…or in your bed, don't you?"- Hashirama put his cat face trying to break some of Tobirama's ice walls, hoping he had some blood in his veins. He seemed stressed. The kind of stress only a woman's soft touch could take away.
~sigh~
Well at least he made a sound.
"I'll go after the barracks's water supply is functional."
"Yes!"- Hashirama congratulated himself and walked outside the barracks directly to his house but not without screaming some recommendations to Tobirama.
"Remember to get a shower and wear some perfume Tobi! Women don't like smelly, grumpy cats!" – He avoided a wood piece and got himself out hastily.
-o-
Hokage house – Male baths (five hours later)
The shower wasn't pleasant. He could hear Hashirama laugh fondly, like he knew these people all his life. Sometimes he envied his easiness to befriend people. His marriage had been arranged too, for the good of an alliance, but he and Mito seemed truly in love a year after their union. He wondered if he could do that.- No - He knew he could not let another enter his routine so easily. He would make that woman very miserable.
By the time he headed to the room it was late into the night and he could hear the noisy conversation in which they were engaged. When he opened the rice paper door Hashirama and Mito were sharing sake with two strange women. One laughing resoundingly and the other more reserved but smiling anyway. The noisy one, he thought, should be the General's daughter. His stomach clenched uncomfortably. She was with no doubt beautiful. Impossibly long and straight shiny brown hair, slightly tanned skin, a juvenile heart shaped face with big dark hazel eyes, just like her father , with large dark eyelashes that fluttered quickly when she noticed his presence. She was noisy as hell. He put the blank face and nodded in acknowledgement to the guests.
"Oh! Tobirama you deigned to appear!"- Hashirama was very happy and you could deduce this wasn't the first sake bottle they shared.
"Brother, you've kept our guests waiting! How rude of you!"- Mito scolded him and although she was drinking she looked far more composed than Hashirama.
"I apologize." – he nodded again but said nothing, waiting for the rest to introduce themselves.
And then, the dark haired woman broke into a noisier laugh than before.
"Ajem, ajem! I'm sorry if I annoyed you my lord. It's just you sounded so much like her."
"Her?"- Tobirama was already a foot out of the room. He obviously made a face of disgust when the woman laughed because she, as drunk as she was, noted it.
"Ah… You thought I was your fiancée? I'm honored my lord. You are a very handsome man but the lucky girl is my older sister."- She said with a suggestive look as she scanned him without shame.
"And she is…?"
"In the room assigned to her, until you share yours my lord. Yuu can lead you if you wish."
The dark purple haired maiden was standing as the door of the opposite side of which Tobirama had entered opened.
"That will not be necessary."
"M-my lady! I'm… the lord Hokage invited us to drink…."- the maiden seemed suddenly stressed, as if she were being caught doing something wrong. The woman ignored her as she looked around the room with a serious expression.
"She's more upset than me."- Tobirama thought her square face and high cheeks gave her a stern semblance. She also had slightly tanned skin but that was the only thing she shared with her sister. She had a snub nose where her sister's was straight edged, her hair reached a little more than shoulder length and held a lighter shade of brown that almost matched her tan skin and a small mouth with fuller lips where her sister's were wider and more shaped. But what caught Tobirama attention the most were her eyes. Not like her father's dark and friendly. These were deep turquoise predator eyes and were silently defying him. He had seen them before but he didn't quite remember where. She too was very beautiful in an entirely different way.
…..
The short embarrassing pause was interrupted quickly by Hashirama.
"Oh! Mako-chan you came back! Are u feeling better? You came just in time. It must be the connection between you guys!"
"The noise stopped. I supposed someone came in."- she said quietly, examining Hashirama but making it sound like the most obvious thing in the world.
She nodded to acknowledge everyone and before Tobirama or anyone could reply she closed the door and turned away.
…
"Well, she's kind of intense isn't she? Hahahahahahaha!"- Hashirama broke the awkward moment with his drunk laugh as he motioned for Tobirama to come sit by his side. An offer Tobirama impolitely rejected as he turned around and led his steps to the kitchen. He was starving.
-o-
Hokage household – kitchen's yard
At least they had quinces which were hard to obtain on the coast. But here it seemed they had a tree. And that was enough to make her life a little less bitter.
She knew that guy. He was the Hokage's brother and was quite proficient with katanas and a long bow and… That was all she knew about him.
Her father always praised the way he moved on the battlefield and it seemed they worked together on the tactics and strategy but he never gave any details and she hadn't minded it in the past. Now... She was a little insecure. Even afraid perhaps… She had hoped the Senju she was assigned to to be older. Maybe with a dead wife and grown children so she could persuade him to pity her and not ask anything of her. Things were horribly wrong now.
~sigh~
This man was a highly praised bachelor. Young and strong. A male in the prime of his life who most surely wanted children and an active bedroom life. She didn't want him or what came with him. She didn't even know why they gave her to him. There must be a good number of younger virgins waiting for him and…. No. She knew why the Hokage did it. He was his right hand and was immersed in the strategies and tactics unit. ~sigh~ This was far worse than pity.
"Is that quince too dry? Your sighing reverberates in the kitchen."
She must have been very immersed in her thoughts because she didn't hear him approaching. Or he was too stealthy…Or both.
She ignored him and continued to eat her fruit looking at the tree roots as if they were going to bloom any time soon.
He just sat at the other end of the bench eating with a bowl of miso soup in one hand and smoked fish in the other.
They were like an old married couple brooding in silence.
"Tobira- Hey! There you are! I knew you would get along!"
Tobirama finished his food, took the quince heart from her hand while ignoring her glance, nodded in her direction and retired through the kitchen to his room with Hashirama on his heels wearing a confused expression.
"So… What do you think? Isn't she beautiful? Although she doesn't speak too much. But that doesn't bother you. Quite the contrary, hmmm?"
"Maybe. But shyness isn't the reason for her lack of dialogue."
"C'mon Tobirama! I know you liked her! You didn't make that disgusted face and you looked soo cute eating together in the moonlight!"
"It's not like I have an opinion in this. We need her. The end."
Hashirama put an arm on Tobirama's shoulders and put his face so close Tobirama could smell the sake.
"Aww… Don't be so shy Tobi! You didn't take your eyes off her in the room! I could even see some kind of realization crossing your face."
~sigh~ "Maybe… She was just so…"
Hashirama's eyes glowed in hopes that his brother would have a crush at first sight, just like him, but Tobirama was far from that. And the only thing that came to his mind was-
"Golden?"