On the steps of the temple Tobirama read the letter Seihana had written to him. She had written about her marriage to Madara and her apology to him in great length. Tobirama understood the reasons for her choices. Her request for him to return in November frustrated him. He wanted to assist her in defeating the onikage. However she feared as he was exposed to Kūjōshi's genjutsu he would be vulnerable to such attacks. At least he gave the Ebon Kunai to Izuna. The weapon Shichirō had created from the mysterious material Kūrō had received from the shadow realm.

Shima sat next to him, "You look troubled. What happened?"

"A close friend... She asked me to stay here."

Shima took the letter. He read it, "I don't have much experience when it comes to relationships but she cares about you that's why she told you to stay away. She loved you enough to set you free. You may stay here at the Suijin temple for life if you wished. Your skills would be useful here and valued."

"Valued? You are losing practitioners of your mystic arts?"

"Onmyōji arts are the precursor of the shinobi arts... Nevertheless... Yes, We are losing students dedicated to our creed."

Tobirama thought of the children. "I see... What is the difference between the shinobi arts and the onmyōji arts?"

"As the legend says the hybrid use of chakra came from an other- worlder non-human female whom passed the ability down through her descendants. I delved into the origin of creatures native of this world. The divine and mortal. The chakra that is used by immortals such as Suijin and the toad sages is very different from the hybrid chakra users whom descend from the legendary progenitor. On the other hand... The ordinary human possesses untapped chakra that is similar to the same divine type."

"So the candidates to become onmyōji must possess strong souls."

"Yes, Such is needed when summoning shikigami. Stubborn spirits they are."

"Yes but how would an ordinary person become become an onmyōji?"

"For chakra users it would be simple however ordinary people most of the time accidentally discover an affinity for the mystical arts. Descendants of deities, mortals chosen by the gods or those whom spirits gather around are all candidates to become onmyōji."

Tobirama remembered the soft feeling of fur, "Where is your shikigami?"

Shima spoke as if he adored her, "My kitsune Sayuri is resting. When you first arrived she healed your more severe wounds."

A small young woman adorned in pale green and white robes appeared after he said her name. At a closer inspection she possessed fox like eyes, auburn hair, ears and a tail, "You called for me? Master Shima?"

"No, But I'm relieved you have your power back." He teased her fox ears. "It seems you have a little gold coming into your fur."

She begged blushing, "Stop teasing me! Master!"

"I like teasing you. You are like a little sister I never had."

"I have a request, Master."

"Yes, Tell me."

She insisted peering down at the silver haired Senju, "I want Tobirama to repay me for saving his life."

"Yes, Go ahead."

"He will brush my fur, serve my food and sleep with me."

Tobirama accepted his fate closing the letter. A disbelieving Shima repeated, "Sleep with you? I will not let any man put his hands on you!"

Sayuri's ears twitched up. She cleared politely, "Master moron, I mean next to me not that."

Shima spoke tapping her on the nose with his fan, "Moron? You dare call your master a moron?!"

"You are quite persnickety, Master."

Tobirama bowed, "However, I would like to return home within two weeks."

Shima nodded, "Before you embark off there is someone who would like to speak to you."

"Who may that be?"

"Suijin."

"Hmm, Who is this from?" Sei spoke to herself looking through the wedding gifts. A gift from her aunt Ayanō caught her attention. Her soft spoken aunt Ayanō was born as the younger sister to her mother Hōtaru. Her new companion and cousin Mika was the daughter of Ayanō and a man she suspected to be her own father. Her aunt had been the one to get Sei to become interested in herbs. She had expected books as her gifts. She opened the book her aunt had gave to her. A book of herbal medicine for children.

Kūrō landed on the bedroom floor from the air duct, "Mother! I'm back."

She replied, "Why did you enter the house through the attic?"

"A dog lives across the street... I may not be an actual cat but dogs scare me."

She kissed his head, "Where have you been?"

"Helping Tobirama. My great sensei is coming back soon. In two weeks."

Sei angered, "Two week? I told him not to return until fall."

"He is worried about you. You may be the wife of another man but he still considers you a friend."

Sei exclaimed sarcastically balling her fists, "Ugh! I can't wait until he returns..."

Kūrō whimpered lowering his tail, "Mother... You are scary."

"Forgive me."

She felt another enter the room. It was Madara whom hugged her. "Your family is here to speak to you."

Sei jumped, "You frightened me! Husband!"

Madara grinned, "Yes, I am terrifying..."

Sei smiled warmly, "Cute too!"

"I'm not cute."

She kissed him on the cheek, "You are too modest, Madara."

They began to walk down to the main foyer, He commented, "You seem light spirited today."

"It's like living in a new world."

"My princess bride, Here offers many freedoms but I do have men safeguarding the area." Madara took her hand into his own.

"Not to mention others prepared my food and helped me dress... My lack of basic skills is shameful." She grasped his hand tightly.

He kissed her knuckles, "You will need to improve your cooking skills and you don't have to wear soo many layers of clothing."

She flirted, "No amount of clothing I wear will ever impede you."

Madara admitted bluntly, "It is difficult to make out the beauty of your full figure when you wear thirteen layers of clothing. Such is a waste of textiles and valuable time."

She tugged his sordid hair, "After listening to what my family has to say... You are taking a bath with me tonight."

"I'm looking forward to tonight."

Sei sensed her family members outside, "By the gods. My family hates my decision to make you my husband... They think of you to be a warlord peasant."

"A peasant warlord? So that is what they think of me? I assure you their judgement of me is entirely wrong."

"My dearest love, I know who you are and that is all that matters..." Sei advised clutching his sleeve, "Just be careful of what you say to them."

"You should not have to fear your own family. I know how to deal with these type of people. They have already made a judgement on our relationship. Your brother told me earlier your father think's I forced myself upon you so you would have no choice but to become my wife. Just watch and play along." He offered her his other hand.

She locked her fingers between his own, "I see... Thank you, Madara."

They both walked out to meet Sei's family. Her younger siblings Raiko and Suzume greeted Seihana with warm hugs. She patted their heads.

"The baby is getting bigger, sister." Raiko put his ear on her tummy. "Can I be her teacher when she is older?"

"You are twelve years old... By that time... Maybe."

Brave Suzume exclaimed to Madara, "Lord Uchiha! You have to show me your fire techniques!"

Madara crossed his arms, refusing, "Little girl, Fire jutsu is not meant for entertainment purposes."

She stuck her tongue out at him, "You boring old geezer."

'This is Seihana if she was younger... I wonder what would have happened if I met her back when I was child... By kami, Is this what my daughter is going to be like? A disrespectful little brat?' Madara thought to himself.

Sei giggled thinking, 'Te-he, He kinda does act like an old man.'

Madara replied to the ten year old, "I'm thirty-one years old. Hardly an old man. You have years of maturation ahead of you to get to my level... If you are even capable."

Suzume's eyes widened and her mouth dropped, "That is why you have such long hair. How do you grow your hair that long?"

He gave Sei's younger siblings the best advice, "Never loose in battle."

Raiko stood in awe, "Your hair is the source of your power?"

Madara lied, "Unfortunately... Yes."

"My father is wrong about you. You are awesome." Suzume complimented him.

"Children, Step aside. I must speak to your sister." Their father demanded. With Daisuke and Mika beside him their father approached Seihana and Madara.

Her brother handed a box over to Madara, He joked, "This is a portion of my sister's dowry. Make sure my sister doesn't use it for something stupid like make up."

Sei wanted to slap her brother, "Brother, Unlike you I'm not a gambler."

Her father presented Mika, "Here Mika will live with Sei as her attendee. When the time comes I will send a skilled midwife to help with the delivery of the grandchild."

Beside Mika was her mother Ayanō. Sei rejoiced giving the elder woman a hug. "Auntie Aya! I'm soo happy you are here!"

Ayanō kissed her forehead, "My flowering niece. You look radiant."

"Thank you."

Much later that night Madara waited for Sei to join him in the hot bath water.

Madara delved deep in thought, he stared into the water motionless. She arrived wearing a towel and carrying two vials in her right hand.

"I saw you naked before... You..."

She stepped out of the towel and into the water, "I know that... I was cold."

She rested beside him, "The water is warm."

"Yes, Now let's get to work." She emptied the sweet smelling contents of the first vial. With her hands she caressed his sculpture to make a soapy lather.

"What are you doing?"

She answered simply, "I'm using your full head of hair to test my hair washing concoction."

"You are using me as a guinea pig? How long is it going to take?"

"You need a distraction?"

"Your whole beautiful body is a distraction..."

She kissed his lips, "I'm glad I please you by doing absolutely nothing but existing."

"If you did not exist a puzzle piece of this reality would be missing."

"Maybe awhile after our daughter is born... You and I should go to the springs together. For a two day date."

"Whoever will watch over Usagi?"

"I have many family members."

"None, I would trust with my precious daughter."

"You talk like you have experience with children."

"When I was young I had to care for Izuna. My father was too busy with warfare and mother had passed."

She dumped the bucket of water onto his head, "I see."

"You know about my friendship with Hashirama and his friends... I wonder what would've happened if I met you when I was younger."

"A pointless thing to wonder about. When I was a child others could not tell Daisuke and myself apart. You would mistake me for him."

"Hmm, Maybe you are right. Now however is a different case. You are very different from your brother."

Sei rested her head on his chest, "Yes, You would not have liked me. I was mean and quite the tomboy when I was a little girl. I picked on my brother and the other kids. My ex-fiancé Yoshi and later the onikage both put me in my place."

"I like your fiery side."

Sei giggled her finger tips tracing his firm muscles, "That counts two of us. We both have a little fire in us. If I wasn't pregnant this water would be much hotter."

"If that is how you feel..." Madara thought of something.

"Oh, I almost forgot... Tobirama is returning in two weeks..." She revealed, "Even if I told him not to."

"Whatever happens to him... He gets what fate had intended."

She sighed relief, "True, Other than that... I thought my father would bring the whole clan over here just to tell me how disappointed he is in me."

"Yes, However coming over here judging my wife and his daughter in such a way would not improve his image."

She nodded, "True. My father is unpredictable and hard to kill."