A/N: (Updated: March 10th 2021)
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Chapter 5. Niwamachi
He was sitting on the curved end of the shrine's roof, his legs hanging in the air as he watched the dark sky. The Inari shrine stood atop the hill, overlooking the Uchiha compound below. It was a place of solitude for the Uchiha heir. His trusty steed grazed on the nearby patch of green grass, his weapons resting with the saddle. He was safe.
There was too much on his mind to process. There was the situation with the pink-haired time traveling physician. He was unsure what to make of it, but he believed her. Then again, he knew she did not attempt to deceive him. She was honest with him. She shared with him her burden. As unreal as her story seemed, it must have been true. It explained why she used the chakra to heal, how her knowledge over the human body was far superior than that of the doctors of this era. From what he'd witnessed, he knew that the rosette had a kind heart. She definitely did not belong to this era. And yet, he found himself looking forward to being in her company tomorrow once more. Besides, she did not tell him how she came to be in this time. That was something they would have to talk about next time they had a moment alone.
Then there was the situation with the daimyō and Homura Mitokado. Itachi knew that the old man would not leave the matter alone. In the old man's eyes, Sakura humiliated him, stripped him of his position, and therefore deserved to be punished. Itachi's thoughts wandered towards the worst possibility. If Homura's accusation would be supported by the rest of the clans, the daimyō would demand Sakura's head for swaying the Uchiha with her demonic powers — something the Uchiha would never allow. They were honor-bound to protect Haruno Sakura.
Lastly, on his mind was the omiai. He did not wish to marry out of duty. He believed he would die in battle sooner or later, before ever becoming the clan head. He was a reckless man in battle and for that reason alone, he assumed his end was near. He did not want a wife, to leave her alone to tend to their two or three children alone. He did not need a wife. Sure, there have been women that he shared a bed with, in the past, but that was merely to ease the urge. There was always the option to claim kotowari — a formal refusal to proceed with the arranged marriage.
"Seems like you've got a lot on your mind. Been while since you've bothered the Inari shrine with your presence."
"What do you want Shisui?"
"Temper cousin. I merely wish to talk, and I brought sake," Shisui said as he pointed to the item in his hand.
He tossed the ceramic sake bottle upwards, letting Itachi catch it with ease. Itachi unstoppered the sake and took a large gulp as Shisui climbed up the shrine's roof. Shisui sat downright next to him and Itachi passed him the bottle, to take a swig of the refreshing spirit.
"About?"
"Let's see, well I know you best, so I gather that there are three things that are currently occupying your mind. First, the daimyō's request. I mean it could potentially end in bloodshed, then there's your supposed omiai which is apparently happening this week, and of course let's not forget the sudden arrival of our mysterious and beautiful physician. Many of our men have been eyeing her up and down like a piece of meat," Shisui stated and then he took another swig of the beverage.
"Be respectful or I won't be so cordial," Itachi replied as he gazed down onto the compound below them.
"Hey, I was just stating the obvious. Well, if you attempt to injure me, I'll just go right to her and seduce her with my skills," he teased.
Itachi turned his gaze at Shisui, glaring at him with his dark eyes. He was not in the mood to deal with Shisui's playful banter. He came here with a purpose — to clear his head, so that he may approach tomorrow with calmness.
"Now, now, I'm only joking cousin. What's gotten you so riled up?" Shisui eased as he patted Itachi's shoulder.
"As you said, the daimyō's summon, omiai, and... Sakura," he added the last bit after a moment of hesitation.
"Ohhh, so Sakura?" Shisui grinned as he pried.
"Cool it!" Itachi warned.
As Shisui remained silent, heeding Itachi's warning, the Uchiha heir turned to the curly haired man and said," she's an interesting woman and I enjoy her company."
"Have you been investigating her?" Shisui pried.
"We spoke. It was an enlightening experience," Itachi surmised.
"And what have you learned?"
"That she is no threat to us."
"So, an ally. Good. Think Aoi will like her?" Shisui asked as Itachi took the bottle once more.
Itachi took the last swig of the sake, lifting the bottle a bit higher to get the last of the drops, before he tossed the empty bottle back to Shisui.
"Probably not. Then again, she doesn't like many people to begin with," Itachi replied.
"True. Well, we'll see this week once she returns from the land of Grass," Shisui added.
"I still think it was foolish she left to investigate," Itachi sighed as he pulled off the leather strip that tied his hair in the back, letting his hair loose.
"She's stubborn and hot-headed," Shisui commented.
"No wonder she's an Uchiha."
"So, the omiai..." Shisui changed the subject quickly.
"Don't start Shisui," Itachi warned as he hopped off the roof.
"What? You must be curious who that old hag will pair you off with," Shisui said as he tossed him down the sake bottle, before he also jumped down.
Itachi made his way towards his mount, his hand reaching towards the black steed's neck caressing it softly. Then he reached for his saddle and pulled out a small carrot and brought it towards the horse's mouth.
"The nakōdo will be selecting only from the Uchiha clan and there aren't many choices to begin with," Itachi said, as he tended to his horse.
"Well, considering a woman is ready to be married by age fifteen, I'd say you have plenty of choices," Shisui commented.
"No thank you," Itachi replied with a cold voice.
"Well, you could always decline the match," Shisui suggested.
"I hope tomorrow something goes down, so I don't have to go through this ridiculous outdated arrangement," Itachi said suddenly.
"Like what? You plan on running away? You know, you're twenty-seven and the heir. It was bound to happen," Shisui added.
Itachi looked over his shoulder at Shisui and said, "you sound like Saizō."
"That old turd? Thanks for the insult Itachi, truly befitting of an heir to the famous Uchiha clan," Shisui replied, as if pretending to be hurt by Itachi's words as he mounted his horse.
"Technically Aoi should have been the heir to the clan, not me," Itachi retorted.
"Yeah, well too bad Madara did not change the clan law that a woman may inherit the title. Now his daughter has to listen to her father's youngest brother as the leader of the clan," Shisui replied as he watched Itachi mount his horse.
"My father does not have it easy either. He lost two brothers to the Senju because of an altercation twenty years ago and we were pushed to the outskirts of Niwamachi. Then my mother nearly died giving birth to Satsuki. It hasn't been particularly blissful for us either," Itachi said sadly.
"Yeah I know. The fate of the Uchiha is not kind," Shisui commented, "I mean come on, you and omiai, hopefully your wife will be nice."
"Just wait, I'll tell the nakōdo to find you a match too," Itachi threatened with a small smirk playing on his lips.
"Who says I don't have a woman?"
"You? A woman? When?"
"None of your business, all that I'll say is that she's beautiful, and hopefully she'll agree to marry me once I pluck up the courage to ask her," Shisui grinned at him as the pair of them began their descend towards the compound.
"No omiai for the great Uchiha Shisui? She's from a different clan, isn't she? She's not a Senju, right?" Itachi questioned, intrigued that his cousin has managed to keep this little romance hidden.
"She's not a Senju but yes she's from another clan," Shisui confirmed.
"You will need luck to deal with the elders then. They will try to stop you," Itachi warned.
"I'm in love, and I'm willing to fight for it," Shisui declared as a smile appeared on his face.
"Well, then I'll wish you best of luck cousin," Itachi said as he shortened his horse's reigns and he rushed ahead of Shisui home.
"Thanks cousin. Your support means a lot," Shisui replied and then he shortened his horse's reigns and squeezed his legs against the steed's body, commanding it to gallop towards the darkened compound.
The following morning.
Sakura had not slept that night. It was not her fault that her rather vivid imagination began to weave a never-ending web of the worst possible situations that could come out of her council meeting. She wanted to wake up. Surely, this was all just an elaborate dream. That's right, she must be in a coma and all of this is her imagination running amok. She went to the shrine and because it was so incredibly ancient its roof gave way and crushed her but somehow, she managed to survive. She needed to wake up from this vivid dream. And yet, it was all real — a very tangible reality and not a figment of her imagination.
This was not the way she pictured herself visiting Niwamachi city. Here she was, sitting on the back of Itachi's horse, her arms wrapped around his midsection as they trotted in formation towards Niwamachi. Her long pink tresses swayed with the gentle breeze. At the head of the formation was Fugaku, leading the Uchihas on his trusty white stallion. Behind in sync and side by side were his two sons — Sasuke on his chestnut-coloured steed and Itachi with Sakura on his large black stallion. Behind Sasuke was another young Uchiha warrior called Nagao. His raven hair was pulled up into a tight top knot, and his face was decorated with a large scar that traveled from his lips to his jaw. Behind Itachi was Keisuke, an Uchiha closer to Fugaku's age. His black hair was peppered with soft gray and it reached his mid back. His chin was decorated with a greyed patch of a beard. All men proudly wore the red uchiwa fan on the back of their white haori.
As they entered the main gate of the city, she glanced to the left noticing rows upon rows of traditional homes with people scattered on the gravel paths going about their daily lives. As they made their way farther into the city, they passed the busy market filled with everything from exquisite kimono makers, to renowned blacksmiths offering their services, to food vendors offering everything from meat to vegetables. Then there was that mouth-watering aroma that wafted from the grill pits. Sakura closed her eyes for a moment, focusing on the delicious smell of grilled yakiniku. It reminded her of her mother's Sunday lunch cooking — and for only a moment, she was back home and not on the back of horse being paraded through a city long gone.
As they continued farther into the city, Sakura glanced over to the other side of the road and her hold on Itachi tightened slightly. He was not oblivious to her sudden hold and he slowly turned his head slightly to glance at her over his shoulder.
"Is something wrong?"
"The temple, that's the temple I prayed at when I was brought here," she whispered to him.
Itachi looked over to the old temple for a moment, but he continued on, following his father's horse. They moved past the temple when he spoke over his shoulder.
"We'll talk about it after."
"Right. Sorry," Sakura mumbled as she loosened her hands around him slightly as they began their ascend towards the castle.
When they came to a halt, Sakura remained seated, but she loosened her hold on Itachi's haori. Sasuke hopped off his horse and offered his hand to Sakura, so she could come down safely. She took his hand gladly. When her feet touched the ground, she muttered a soft thank you to Sasuke — to which he simply nodded. Itachi landed right next to her, and she remained shielded by the Uchiha from every direction. In front of her was Fugaku, on her left was Itachi, on her right Sasuke, while behind her stood Keisuke and Nagao. As they began to ascend the wooden stairs that led into the main palace, Fugaku looked over his shoulder slightly.
"Stay in formation and remain calm. We need to be smart," he said.
"Hai, Uchiha-sama."
The palace guard swung the large wooden door slowly, revealing a large hallway. Sakura glanced around the lavish space, taking it all in. This was very different from the simplicity of the Uchiha compound. The hallway was alight, the gentle flickering of fire danced in the golden lamps along the walls. It illuminated the red-coloured wooden structure of the inside of the castle. As she looked ahead, she noticed at the very end of the large hallway gold-woven fusuma panels that were marked by large kanji sign depicting the element fire. There was yet another guard on each side of the panels, each of them holding a naginata firmly in their grasp. The panels slid open and the Uchiha party entered a large meeting hall.
The walls of the hall were decorated by several other fusuma panels — no doubt leading into different places of the castle. At the center and elevated several steps above the rest was the daimyō. He was sitting in seiza, looking forward right at the Uchiha party. He was dressed in a red and gold kimono; his black was pulled up into a tight knot. His face was composed of gentle features. He appeared to be bored, as if he wanted to be anywhere else but here in this hall. He seemed quite young — especially to be in such an esteemed position of power. Sakura assumed him to be the same age as her, if not even younger.
On his left, and on a lower level, sat the head of Shimura clan, then the head of the Nara clan, then there was an empty seat — intended for the head of the Uchiha clan. On the daimyõ's right and on a lower level, sat the head of Senju clan, then the head of the Namikaze clan, then the head of the Yamanaka clan, and finally the head of the Hyuuga clan.
Fugaku made his way towards his seat, while Itachi and Sasuke along with Keisuke and Nagao remained by Sakura, right in the middle of the meeting hall — left for all the clan heads to take a good look at them.
"This meeting has been convened due to some rather suspicious charges being placed against your clan Uchiha Fugaku," the daimyō began.
"I have answered your summon Adachi-sama, but I am here to defend my clan's honor. Who dares sully the name of Uchiha?" Fugaku asked in return.
The daimyō raised his hand and signaled for the guard that stood along the sides of the meeting room.
"Accuser! Step forth," the daimyō announced.
One of the fusuma slid open and the old doctor walked in. He made his way towards the daimyō slowly. He came to a stop by the edge of the Senju's seat, and he looked at the daimyō directly.
"Homura Mitokado is it? You came to my palace, spouting very grave offenses towards the Uchiha clan," the daimyō stated.
"I have, and I stand by my accusation! This woman, nay this demoness invaded the Uchiha compound and poisoned not only the patriarch but also the matriarch of the Uchiha. She used witchcraft to bring back Fugaku-sama from the shinigami's claws! She needs to be disposed of immediately for she is making a laughingstock out of all the doctors in the land of Fire," Homura stated as he glared at the pink-haired woman.
"A woman cannot be a doctor!" Homura exclaimed loudly, his face reddening in anger.
"I am afraid Adachi-sama that the house of Senju does not agree with this statement. Women are just as efficient at healing if not better in certain cases than men. There are several women healers within my own clan that prove this," the clan head of Senju spoke up.
The daimyo turned towards the Senju and nodded," We shall speak later Hashirama-san."
Itachi hand instinctively rested on the hilt of his blade, his foot gliding slightly forward as if to shield Sakura from the doctor's verbal venom. He remained calm and vigilant as he observed the elder doctor. It was not until his father spoke up that Itachi's vision shifted from the doctor to the Uchiha patriarch.
"Poisoned? How has this woman poisoned my wife or me? You, Homura, are no fit to be called a man of medicine! There were several witnesses to your supposed medical skills when I was brought home from an ambush— yet another ambush my clan successfully deterred to protect the land of Fire. You did not bother to save my life! You have no authority to speak over this matter and were rightfully stripped of the title by the Uchiha matriarch!" Fugaku said, his voice like thunder as he stood up from his seat.
"Lies… daimyō-sama, he's lying!" Homura exclaimed suddenly pointing with his index finger at Fugaku as he looked over to the daimyō.
"Careful Homura, my father may be many things, but a liar isn't one of them," Sasuke suddenly said fearlessly.
"What do you know? You are nothing," Homura said out loud.
Sasuke's katana became unsheathed and with a single elegant frontal swing of the blade he came to a sudden halt nearly a couple of millimetres from Homura's chest. Sakura bit her lip nervously as it reminded her how over a week ago the same blade rested on her shoulders. Sasuke was a force to be reckoned with, just like every warrior of the Uchiha clan — fearless and dangerous. Homura let out a sudden scream and quickly backed away as the threat to his person became real. Fugaku turned to his young son.
"Sasuke! Sheathe your sword!" Fugaku said firmly.
Without hesitation, Sasuke retracted his blade, tucking it quickly into its sheath against his hilt while his eyes remained on the scared old man.
"Now Homura, I believe your presence is no longer needed. Guard! Take him away," the daimyō said.
His guard stepped forward and grabbed the old man by the shoulder, shoving him towards the door to the far right. Homura began to struggle as he was pushed by the guard.
"No, my lord, not the dungeon! I swear, the Uchiha clan is at fault! That vile woman is at fault!"
The council remained silent as they listened to Homura's screams fade in the distance. Sakura could not help but wonder. Was she to share the same fate as the vindictive old physician? Would she be dragged away from the Uchiha clan? Would she see Satsuki again? The daimyō broke the silence first.
"Your son needs to learn better manners Uchiha-san," the daimyō commented.
"Surely you'd agree daimyō-sama that the young lad was only defending his honor. Besides, he had warned Mitokado-san beforehand," the head of the Namikaze clan spoke up.
"Perhaps you are right Minato-san. Very well, but I won't tolerate that sort of brusque behaviour. Now, let's get back to the matter at hand. Haruno Sakura is it?" the daimyō asked, his sight settling on the rosette standing behind the barrage of Uchiha.
"Hai daimyō-sama," Sakura replied with a soft voice.
"What was that now girl?" the daimyō asked.
The tone of his voice was rushed, showing signs of impatience. He straightened himself slightly on his seat, looking directly at the rosette. Sakura met his gaze, remaining in her safe spot between the Uchiha sons as she stated once more — only this time a bit louder.
"HAI DAIMYŌ-SAMA."
"How have you bewitched the Uchiha family? What witchcraft have you performed?" the daimyō demanded with an unforgiving tone.
Sakura felt her heart begin to race wildly and her hands began to shake as her survival instinct kicking in. This was it. This lord had already made up his mind to throw her in the dungeon or worse, dispose of her as he saw fit. She had no choice. She had to defend herself.
"I am no demoness and I am no witch. I am a physician and that's all. I have knowledge of the human body and how to heal it to the best of my abilities. Homura-san failed to provide medical care to his patient. I did what was necessary, and I see no reason why I am being judged like a criminal for saving a man's life!" Sakura stated, trying her hardest to speak with a clear voice.
"Mind your tone girl!" the daimyō Adachi warned.
The head of the Nara clan turned towards the daimyō intrigued as he decided to speak his mind.
"If I may Adachi-sama, perhaps we should question how this woman managed to heal Fugaku-san or even have her display her healing abilities before we decide on what course of action to take."
For a moment it seemed that the young daimyō decided to ponder over the clan head's words before he nodded in agreement.
"You're quite right Shikaku-san," the daimyō concluded and then he turned towards the Uchiha patriarch, "Fugaku, tell us, how did this … woman heal you when the previous doctor said it was impossible?"
Fugaku had stood from his seat and cleared his throat slightly before he began to speak.
"Let me start by saying that Haruno Sakura is an exceptional physician whose medical expertise has been nothing short of extraordinary. Yes, she is a woman but as Uchiha we do not discriminate against the gender. She has proven her skill over and over again and for that I have granted her a space among us. She has my respect. She is under the protection of my clan. As per my injury, I have not witnessed her healing technique for I was unconscious. However, Haruno-san's healing was witnessed by several other members of my clan, including both of my sons, my wife and another member of the Uchiha clan. Since then, many members of our clan have been coming to seek her treatments and she has only been with us for a little over a week."
"I see. Then, I guess we will have to speak with your eldest son and heir, Itachi correct?" the daimyō asked as he turned his attention towards Itachi — if to confirm the identity of Fugaku's eldest child, to which Itachi merely nodded.
"Tell us what you witnessed," the daimyō ordered.
"Haruno Sakura uses a unique technique to help stop the bleeding. She uses her own chakra to manipulate the skin tissue and speed up the healing process. I watched as she sealed the wound on my father's back with the green glow of her hand," Itachi said as he met the lord's gaze.
"Fascinating! I thought chakra could only be used to do damage," the head of the Yamanaka clan said.
"I quite agree with you Inoichi-san. Chakra is used to deal great damage towards an enemy, not heal ...wounds… what kind of a preposterous idea is this?" the daimyō commented.
"No, my lord. Chakra can be manipulated into healing techniques; however, such techniques are only known to the members of my clan," the clan head of Senju suddenly spoke.
"And you are mentioning this only now because? Why should I believe you Hashirama?"
"Because I believe that this pink-haired woman is a long-lost member of my clan. In particular, I believe this young woman to be my niece who was stolen by Uchiha Izuna twenty years ago. Forgive me, Adachi-sama but we must summon my younger brother to confirm her identity," Hashirama stated.
"Very well, but make it quick," the daimyō said as he waved his hand to signal the guard to deliver the summon to the Senju compound at once.
Sakura was completely taken aback by the clan head's statement. She a Senju? Impossible, she had very real parents in the future, even though her father has long passed, her mother was still very much alive. She did not belong in this era. This was all a bad dream.
She looked at the raven-haired man next to her. His eyes met hers, his gaze cold and devoid of any emotion. Wait, did he not say he believed her? She told him the truth. She was not a Senju. Hell, she was not from this time. Panic began to well up within her as her eyes wandered from Itachi to Sasuke — his look identical to that of his elder brother, icy glare devoid of emotion. They did not believe her. They thought her to be a spy for the Senju — their enemy from the look of how the Uchiha She looked towards the Uchiha patriarch, who's gaze was fixated on the Senju clan head — his gaze filled with hate and disgust. There was history here, and now she was stuck right in the middle of it.
Sakura knew one thing. If she ever lived through this ordeal, she would never pray at a shrine again.