This chapter is late, I know. I've been really sick for the past week.
Madara was sitting upside-down on the couch with several books scattered around him. He had reread his books, and now there wasn't anything else to do. He flipped so that his feet landed on the floor and pushed himself up. If Hashirama had been right, then before long, he would be back in chains soon. Yesterday, Hashirama told him that they would be coming to fetch him some time today, so he could assume that it wouldn't be long now. The timing was perfect, as he was sure that he had a high temperature and he could barely move. He stepped into the kitchen and pushed himself up so that he was sitting on the sink.
Nothing was outside, but he noticed that the leaves had already fallen from the trees. Meaning that harsher weather would be on its way. When he was very young, maybe around four years of age, his elder brothers would take him outside and help him build snow forts. They were five and six years older than him. They had died at the young ages of 12 and 13 in the last attack.
A knock sounded at the door, and he heard the footsteps approaching him, but didn't turn to see who it was. "Madara Uchiha, you're going to be coming with me."
"Get on with it, Tobirama Senju." He put his hands behind his back and felt rope being wrapped around and knotted. Tobirama slipped his arms around him and placed his feet on the ground.
"You're running a temperature."
"The seasons are changing. Of course I am, idiot."
"Come on, then." Tobirama pushed him out of the door, keeping a hold on his shoulder. He pushed him in the direction of the gates until they were standing in a small group of Senju.
"Everyone is here. It's time to leave," Butsuma said. "I have already sent the other group on, they will be going the quick route."
Madara turned his head to take a look at his village. This would be good-bye for an unknown amount of time. Possibly forever. This was where he had grown up, he didn't know of any other place. He had never even left further than the woods. Sometimes, when he was much younger, Tajima would bring him back something whenever he left. A book or toy, usually. He stumbled as he was pushed forward.
And they left. Tobirama stayed behind Madara, making sure that he didn't run or get behind. Madara wasn't feeling so great, he was nauseous and disoriented, not to mention he was shivering. His pace was gradually getting slower and he could tell Butsuma was getting irritated. "It's been only two hours. Are you that pathetic, Uchiha?!" Butsuma snapped.
Madara didn't reply. Rather, he didn't have a chance to, before breaking Tobirama's grip and vomiting in a bush. Butsuma yanked him up and felt his forehead using the back of his palm. "I'm not a medic, but I'm pretty sure that he's going to go into shock if that fever doesn't come down within the next hour. And I don't plan on letting him die just yet."
"What can be done about it?"
"We're close to a small town. There's probably a medic there. However, that's about two hours away. First, I'm going to cool him down, bring the fever down to where it's manageable." He nodded over to a stream a few yards away.
"Forget it. I'm not going to sit in a stream."
"You don't have a choice. I didn't give you one." Butsuma stripped Madara down to his underwear and forced him into the stream, forcing him down with two hands on his shoulders.
"Let go of me damnit! It's freezing enough without being wet!" Madara started shaking and his face was red in humiliation. He couldn't even cover up his junk because his hands were tied behind his back.
"Keep complaining, and I'll sell you during the night. I'm sure I could find someone."
"Do you not feel ashamed to even look at me with sexual intent? I'm two years younger than your youngest son, you sick fuck."
"I don't care about your age. You would catch a handsome price. You are young and
an Uchiha. I don't think you understand. I've heard many whispers about you. The Uchiha prodigy and he they would kill for him in bed just once," Butsuma said mockingly.
Madara's face went even redder and he squirmed. "Get your hands off of me. You're lying. I've never even been out of the village. No one knows me or who I am."
"Not this time, I'm not lying. Even if you ran, you would end up somewhere else, perhaps half-dead in a dungeon somewhere, you know. I have been overly gracious and forgiving of you."
"If I am supposed to say 'thank you', you are mistaken, asshole. You fucking beat me and almost had me raped. So don't go around acting like I owe you anything!"
"You don't realize what being an Uchiha being prisoner really entails usually, do you? Well allow me to tell you," Butsuma hissed, moving his hands so they they covered his eyes. "Most would start by gouging their eyes so they can experiment on the Sharingan. A woman captive would have her uterus taken out, and a male would usually be castrated. After that.." Butsuma's hand snaked down and snapped the elastic band of his underwear. "They would be whores for the remainder of their time alive. And when they stop fighting.." Butsuma wrapped his hands around his neck without squeezing. "When they stop being of use, they are killed. Burnt at the stake, starved, skinned, tied to a post in the wild.. Most are not fans of the Uchiha, boy."
"Why? It's not as if an Uchiha can help they were born an Uchiha. The same goes for any other clan. What makes my clan so feared?"
"You are very young and somehow you do not bare your family curse. Yet. "
"Curse?"
Butsuma pulled him up on his feet and pulled his underwear up on his hips before dressing the Uchiha. "You should be alright for the next two hours."
"You didn't answer me."
"Nor do I have to," Butsuma said, shoving him towards Tobirama.
By the time that they arrived in the village, Madara had already vomited again and his fever was once again rising. His whole body was aching, and he was trembling from chilling. Butsuma signaled for Tobirama and the rest of the men to stay with Madara.
"Uchiha, sit," Tobirama said, pushing him towards a nearby bench. For once, Madara didn't argue.
Several villagers were staring at them, and he shifted uncomfortably under the gazes. Madara clenched his teeth together and waited.
About twenty minutes later, Butsuma was coming back towards them. "There is a medic right down the street. Come." Tobirama pulled Madara on to his feet and towards a building on the other side of the village. Butsuma took him by his arms and pushed him inside.
"Ah, there you are. I was told that a Senju would be coming."
"Could you take a look at him?"
The middle-aged man turned slowly and limped over to Butsuma and Madara. "An Uchiha, yes?" It wasn't a question. He looked at the bindings and gestured towards a seat. "A pure-blooded Uchiha, no less."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Madara said as he allowed the medic to sit him in the seat.
"You clans breed so much that you have tend to have illnesses more often than not. You seem overall healthy other than that fever you're sprouting. I'm going to give you feverfew for the fever. If you've been nauseous, it will help with that as well. You need to rest."
Butsuma had an irritated expression across his face before nodding and stepping outside to inform the rest of the men.
"You are Madara Uchiha."
"...Yes. How did you..?"
"Two Uchihas, a young boy and his mother, were passing by not long ago. They were injured, so I healed them. I heard them mention a Madara Uchiha was being held captive."
"How long ago was this?"
"About a month ago."
"Did you tell him?" Madara asked, nodding towards the door.
"It is none of his business."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because the young one gave me a message if I ever came across you. He said 'We are heading opposite of the rising sun to the edge of the mountain'."
Madara closed his eyes slowly and something close to a smile appear on his face. "You have given me a great gift. One day, I will repay you."
"I have done nothing. Do you hear? I do not want any trouble, child."
"I understand."
"You understand what?" Butsuma growled, walking back inside.
"That he must take feverfew twice a day until the fever is completely gone." The medic turned and reached into a cabinet, taking down a container of the herb. "This is what I have left. My stock is about to be refilled, I have packages coming in from the south. Take it. Make it into a broth."
Butsuma dipped his head before taking the container, tucking it in his bag, and pulling Madara to his feet. "Come." He pulled Madara out of the building, making him stumble over his feet and trip to the floor.
"Can you let me walk on my own?! I do much better not being dragged," Madara hissed, using his feet to push himself back upright.
A look of anger flashed over his eyes before he struck Madara on the face, sending him flying down. Blood dripped down from his nose and he looked up at Butsuma calmly. "You are nothing more than an insect, Senju. If you are trying to make me fear you, you are not doing a great job of that."
"Careful with that tongue before I decide to cut it!"
"Do my words cut your ego, Senju?"
Butsuma knotted his hand in Madara hair, dragging him up on his feet. He punched him once more in the cheek before throwing him and his bag at Tobirama. "Take him to the inn before I decide to cut his lifespan short!"
Tobirama bowed his head respectively before pushing Madara in the direction of the inn. When they were out of earshot, he snorted. "You don't know when to hold your tongue."
"You have no room to talk."
"Shut up, Uchiha. I am not as kind as my brother. You will not walk over me."
"Scary. I'm shaking."
Tobirama led him to a room in the inn and untied his hands so that he could tie him to a bed post. Once he was sure he was well knotted, he took out the jar from the bag and started preparing it. Madara sneezed as he opened the jar and twitched his nose. Once it was finished, Tobirama carried it over. "Drink it." He pushed the cup against Madara's lip and tilted it so the liquid drained into Madara's mouth.
Madara coughed and glared. "So you're going to drown me in broth?"
"Interesting idea. Let's try it one day."