As much as those on her side tried to hide it, Akane knew not everyone supported her as future Matriarch. Pretty much every kunoichi from a Lineage was eagerly awaiting her death in the hopes that they could take her place. Then there were those who were simply snobby and thought someone from a Lineage should only marry people who were also from a Lineage. And that wasn't even counting the glass heart Sharingan purist that felt she would never be worthy of the clan heir simply because she hadn't awakened the clan bloodline.
There were plenty of people who made her life difficult solely for the engagement she'd had no say in. Akane didn't let it get to her. As she'd heard her entire life in her previous world; haters were gonna hate. So she didn't acknowledge the snide looks, or sideways 'subtle' attacks on her worthiness to join the family of the Clan Head.
As Madaras intended-Akane was technically of the Amaterasu Lineage, but much like the rich didn't associate with the poor, the Amaterasu lived lives curiously free of the less fortunate Uchiha. If Akane was actually banking on being clan Matriarch, then she would be having tea with Amaterasu members and asking for introductions to those of the other Lineages. She would have to put in a lot of work and master the social graces necessary to be sure of her footing in the rich and powerful social circle within the clan.
As it was, she barely had tea with Madara-her nominal fiancé, who mostly blushed in her general direction and solely talked about his brothers. Her relationship with Madara was actually a lot like what she remembered from the one neighbor in her building growing up who went to the same school but was always in a different class. They also had parents that could afford after school activities and so-while Samantha had known them since kindergarten, she didn't actually know much about them.
Akane had been following her mother to the Ametarasu residence since she learned to walk. She'd seen the future heir plenty of times, she'd just never talked to him. She saw him more when her nanny apprenticeship started, he'd come to play with his younger siblings after training sometimes, and they greeted each other genially enough. She'd been, and technically still was, watching him grow up.
Honestly speaking-Akane did not want a child bride. Samantha had died at twenty five, which was dying young-but not young enough to consider a twelve year old dating material.
She knew what grooming was-and while technically her current body was younger than Madaras, Akane was mentaly in her thirties. She knew her current world had very twisted standards for what qualified one as an adult, but that didn't mean anything to her and her understanding of what made it so predatory for her to romance a kid.
When it came to matters of the heart, Madara was a clean slate, while Akane had a solid decade of experience on him. It would be far too simple for her to twist him around her little finger. Too easy to influence and control the relationship when she knew what she was doing, while Madara would just be happy to share their lives. He had no real understanding or expectations for partnership, Akane would be taking advantage of that, no matter what she tried to justify to herself otherwise.
Even if there was never anything between them until they were both past the eighteen year old mark. It just made her feel like one of those ephebophile creeps that aggressively waited for the jailbait they were interested in to be 'legal'. Akane figured her best bet was keeping her distance and maybe advancing their relationship once they were married at a snail's pace.
It still didn't make her feel particularly good about it. But Akane knew helping her clan was all that was keeping her sane lately, and being matriarch would help a lot with that-so she did her best to suck it up.
Madara was cute and he tried to be helpful, but she found herself grateful he was constantly out on missions and spent the majority of his time in the clan with his family. It was why she so often found herself mediating any fights the brothers had. She really didn't want to be his first choice for company.
Akira treated her like she had always been his older sister and her willingness to coddle him affectionately had built a solid trust between them. She was the one to patiently explain to his older brothers that they had to stop treating him like he was useless when Akira blew up at them about treating him like a baby.
She'd also been the one to sit Madara and Izuna down when Izuna had tattled about him meeting up with some Senju who was definitely the first Hokage–classic Anime coincidence at work, she'd know even if she didn't remember that from the show.
It had taken a solid hour of Akane's life that she was never getting back to get them to pull their heads out their ass and apologize to each other. That had been early on when her leg was still broken though, and it had set the tone for her dynamic with the brothers; in which they were hot headed and terrible with emotions and Akane had to be the voice of reason.
Letting the girl do all the emotional labor was sadly also Classic Anime bullshit at work.
But the brothers mostly only bothered her when they needed advice and it was for the best really.
It let Akane focus on more important things-like raising the clan standard of living
She'd set up Uchiha Porcelain to be the latest fad among the nobles and that had given her all the money she needed to raise the quality of life for those basically abandoned by the clan. Of course she couldn't actually let the clan know that-they were at war, and it would be far too simple for the clan elders to justify taking all of Alkanes money as 'reallocating clan resources'. She wouldn't actually care if the money wouldn't all be immediately spent on weaponry and food, leaving everyone in the clan not a direct part of the war effort in the cold, clan policy being what it was. All of Akanes money was being kept in a fancy bank and being used solely as needed-but even that had to be hidden well.
Using the rougher pottery now shaped by some widows and burned by some Shinobi that had recently been forced to retire due to some awful injuries, to peddle as a screen for being able to pay for shit had been a stroke of genius almost as good as the scheme that had netted her the Prime Ministers appreciation for her porcelain Vases in the first place.
The plan had taken a stupid amount of steps, but Akane could say she'd used what she'd learned from her previous life and her new mother with aplomb.
Madara had known who the Prime Minister guy was, and most importantly-could name several rich idiots desperate to please the guy for a little influence. Tracking them down, using genjutsu to have their aids 'overhear' a few 'servants from the Prime Minister's house' bemoaning the man's notoriously rambunctious child had broken his fathers favorite porcelain vase. And then figuring out who the Prime Minister would happily suck up to and convincing their aids to recommend they gift the guy a porcelain Vase for his birthday celebration and having the Prime Minister guy do the politician version of gushing over their vase in comparison to the others had instantly made the Uchiwa brand one of a kind Porcelain vases that were massively overpriced suddenly the perfect gift to give any noble.
The price of the porcelain only went up as brand recognition and popularity grew. Of course it wouldn't last more than the season, but that was all it really needed to do. At least for Akane to set up more self sustaining workshops and figure out how to better feed her clan.
If her eldest brother and some of his more trusted friends hadn't been willing to take that mission in secret and delay the payment date-it wouldn't have been possible at all. But Akane had a lot of credibility among certain groups of Uchihas and that trust was only going up.
Especially when she pulled a similar-but open trick with the rough river clay pots. She'd gone the route of good old blackmail with the Daimyo's cousin though. Ninja were especially good at that.
At least she'd finally managed to entice the Clan council to legitimize her efforts by offering them money from the workshops. Something that would also silence the quiet grumbling that had only begun about her making her own money in the first place. It was anathema to most of the Shinobi that all that wealth wasn't going to reward their constant risk of life and limb in some way.
Akane had claimed she was forking over fifty percent, same as the mission office, but she took her own fifty percent prior to writing any numbers in the ledger-and if all that money wasn't immediately then turned into rations she claimed were the majority payment for her workers-then Akane might feel bad about it.
But she was literally feeding people who would otherwise starve so the Elder council could kiss her ass. The other 'fifty percent' she claimed brought all those previously mentioned rations and paid her workers-which actually went directly into her workers pockets.
Which she was also incredibly happy about because she had seen the results in better armor and weapons for her non-Lineage Clanmates.
If Akane had noticed a difference on the field, then the entire clan had to be feeling it. The thought helped her sleep at night. Especially after nightmares of blue fire and ash on the wind.
Akane had been feeling very optimistic about life-watching her older sister and her wife falling deeper and deeper in love every day. Teasing both Akira and her youngest brother about his giant crush on Akio. All good things that she had to remind herself very firmly of when Cho informed her that Ryota was getting re-married, and his wife-to-be had no interest in raising Akane's nieces.
Akane couldn't kill her former brother-in-law. It would make her family look bad, and Akio at least, would probably want to get married someday.
It probably wouldn't have bothered her so much if Ryota hadn't given her so much hope that he would stick around and try. Akane had treated him sincerely under the belief that he'd been sincere to Akemi, and being wrong about Ryota stung as much as it made her heart hurt in sympathy for Hinata and Haruki. There was no way in hell Akane would let them suffer when she could do something about it. She barely managed to wait long enough to clear her plan with Aiko and her wife.
Once they agreed, Akane didn't waste any time in tracking him down and demanding that he hand over Akemi's treasures.
"I'm sorry," Ryota said.
She briefly wondered if he was speaking to her or the twins.
He looked defeated.
Akane had no sympathy left in her for him when his daughters were functionally orphans until Akane convinced Aiko and Emiko to adopt them.
At least the family dinner they had to welcome the twins into their new immediate family was nice. Akane had gotten very good at ignoring the head of the table where her mothers chair remained painfully empty. She wasn't often home when her brothers were these days, and she tried to imprint the memories of sharing those stolen moments of family and warmth deep in her heart.
She needed them to draw strength from in the fields of war.
x
So yes-Akane is an adult who feels like a creep every time she looks at this kid and thinks 'I'm going to marry him.' Sometimes what breaks the immersion for me in SI fic is the age of the love interest tbh.
Next up we have Ryota who should be an interesting POV because we get a glimpse of the clan from inside a Lineage for the first time. Also for those of you eagerly awaiting Madara's POV, it's gonna be chapter thirteen. Regarding the future relationships in this fic, please allow me some mystery. A lot of times I want to answer questions and stuff-but I feel like it's a spoiler? I know not everyone cares about them-but I don't want to ruin it for those that enjoy being surprised you know?
