A/N: Here's the next chapter! They're kind of short but I'm proud of myself for finishing these all within less than a week especially during exam time. Have fun and stay safe:)
I don't own the characters or places taken out of the Naruto universe.
KANA POV
"Lord Hashirama, Lord Tobirama, may I please introduce to you my eldest daughter, Lady Kana. Kana, these are the leaders of the Senju clan. Lord Hashirama is the Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves," my father said.
I bowed my head respectfully, "It is a great honour to be in the presence of such brave warriors and splendid leaders, Lord Hokage, Lord Tobirama." I murmured. "Would you like me to pour you some tea Father?"
Father consented before continuing his discussion with the two brothers. Even without being on the battlefield myself, I had heard much of the two Senju brothers, especially the eldest. The news of his battles with Madara Uchiha had spread across the land like wildfire. It made me disgusted thinking about all the chatty women at the tea shop with nothing better to do than spread long tales of gossip, all threads of the real story that amounted to nothing.
Finally, something that Father said made me stop in my tracks, the teapot still in my grasp.
"Kana, I have called you here to tell you of your part in the alliance with the Senju. To cement it, a marriage must happen between our clans, to ensure a strong and lasting bond. You are to wed Tobirama and move to the Konohagakure after the wedding." He said calmly as he looked at me. But his eyes were intently set on mine and I felt as if he were the one that could read emotions and not me. My father's chakra was unrested and agitated, I could tell that he didn't really like this arrangement. I had always been closer to him than my mother so I knew that he wouldn't do this if he didn't have to. While my father did not agree with the traditions of our clan there were some that he still had to maintain, such as giving away the daughters of the main branch for alliances with other clans to be solidified.
I stared at the table, my eyes following the grooves and swirls of the knots that were once there. I set the teapot down gently, lest it falls from my shaking hands. My hands were clasped tightly together to hide it but I doubt it did much with three highly skilled shinobi in the room.
"This is very good news, Kana. It will bring prosperity to both families." My father added, probing me with his eyes to reply. Some might have seen it as disrespectful for me not to answer, so I finally looked up and addressed the three men.
"Yes," I said quietly, "This is good. I will bring honour to us all." This was all I could muster at the moment and I cursed myself on the inside for being born a girl. If I were born a boy, I would have been Father's successor. I would bring prosperity to my clan through my gifts, not through being a good housewife to a man I have not known even for 10 minutes.
"Then I believe that our agreement is finally settled then, Lord Masanori," said Hashirama, his brother, and Father stood up. I remained seated. I couldn't care less at this point what they thought of me. I would have the rest of my life apparently to show them I was an adequate human being with decent mannerisms, so why to start now. "The wedding will be held in one week and then we will journey back the day after. I would allow us to stay longer and allow your daughter more time to prepare but my brother and I cannot stay far from the village for too long." Hashirama then turned to me, "Thank your sacrifice not only for your clan Lady Kana but for peace in the Land of Fire. I look forward to getting to know you better in the future." he said with a dimpled smile. I gave them a small smile in return but Tobirama did not say anything at all, did not even glance my way. I felt my stomach drop. How would I survive a marriage with a man like this?
Eventually, they left, leaving only my father and me in his study. The silence stretched between us, the tension in the air. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.
"Really Father, an arranged marriage?" I said, trying to veil my emotions but failing to do so.
"Kana. You know that I wouldn't do this if it weren't absolutely necessary. But with the formation of the ninja villages, it was necessary for our clan to join Konohagakure. It would be impossible for us all to move there when we've already established a village here. Most would refuse to move that far away from the ocean anyways." Father sighed. Though I didn't like it, I knew that the number of requests our family has been getting has noticeably gone down since Konohagakure was formed.
"This also means that it is time to put an end to your secret outings," he continued, giving me a look. "I don't know what the Village Hidden in the Leaves' opinion is on women shinobi but it would be in your best interest to keep your skill set hidden. I love you very much and that's why I've let you carry on like this for so long. But if they were to find out the true extent of your capabilities, I doubt they would let you have an easy life." Being so adept to sensing chakra, it gave me access to much more than an average sensory ninja, such as their emotions and if they were lying because lies poison the chakra of that person. When I had disclosed my ability to Father at a young age, we decided to keep it hidden from everyone else. Not only would it cause an uproar for a daughter of the main branch to wield chakra in such a formidable way but it would have prevented me from any semblance of a normal life.
"I understand that Father but if I had been born a son, you wouldn't need to do this. I would be able to bring honour to the Aikawa family on the battlefield," I whispered as my Father held my hand tightly as if he were pained by the conversation.
"If I had the choice, I would change nothing about my life, including being blessed with two daughters," he said, "But a daughter must bring her family honour through a good marriage. I have no doubt that you will do well Kana. But this also means that you must be very careful in hiding your chakra."
I agreed before he got up and hugged me, the tight hug that used to soothe me when I had nightmares as a child. And while it did make me feel a bit better, the knot in my stomach refused to dissipate. The bitterness and shame of knowing that I was not able to be myself ate away at me. I knew that there was nothing I could do about it and yet it had always been my dream to be able to live freely, without the restrictions of being a woman.
