14.
I'd like to return to that beautiful compound.
I mean, I complained all the time, did I not? But I still haven't seen all of it.
Would you come with me? Just this one last time.
Yuna's eyes scanned her home and the familiar sights drew a sigh from her. Quite a long time has passed since she stepped inside the building and it was frightening to admit that this place didn't smell like home. The scent of the wood felt foreign to her, as if from a distant memory.
Madara simply asked her; surprisingly he refrained from barking a command, to invite her mother, father and little sister to have dinner with them at the Uchiha compound. The woman couldn't see where was this heading but Madara promised to explain it all later. It was all built up under the guise of strengthening the economic ties between the two clans and to encourage trade.
She maybe lived with Madara and was now an Uchiha through marriage, but her heart still belonged there. Even if it didn't smell right, Yuna knew as a fact that this was her true home.
Everything was exactly as she remembered, and the feeling of nostalgia waltzed into her mind. It was funny because it felt like years had passed, despite the fact that not even one had passed.
She noticed a familiar face and a huge smile appeared on her face. The maid though didn't notice Yuna before she shouted the maid's name and slammed right into her to offer the woman a bone crushing hug.
"Sakura, long time no see!" Yuna whispered, it sounded almost like a whimper. The maid, once she recovered from the surprise instinctively smiled and wrapped her arms around her.
"Yuna-sama, may I help you with anything? You're so skinny, are they feeding you well there?" Sakura asked.
The maid almost inquired about the reasons behind Yuna's visit, but that was considered extremely impolite for a maid to stuff her nose into a master's business. Yuna paused for a moment and she did remember one thing that she could use help with.
"Sakura dearest, no need to worry about me, but is my mother or father around? Either one of them will do."
Sakura nodded and motioned Yuna to follow her. Sakura's chest was filled with warmth. It was quite surprising that Yuna came back. Quite a few rumours had been floating around about her absence. It was common knowledge that she was living with the Uchihas, but no one knew why she had abandoned her family or why the Uchihas chose to shelter her.
"Hikari-sama is currently relaxing. Your father is currently busy, though." Sakura explained smoothly as she walked quickly through the halls. Almost like a ghost glides through deserted houses. Yuna had no problem keeping up with Sakura's pace though. The maid wanted to move Yuna out of sight as soon as possible. The inquisitive stares and passive aggressive jabs was something that Sakura wanted to shield Yuna from.
Sakura stopped behind a door already familiar to Yuna and cast one last glance before leaving.
The missing daughter knocked on the door, and without waiting for a response marched right in. Her mother wasn't even angry, she knew exactly who practiced this sort of intrusion of privacy and it took her just a moment to rise from the cushioned seat with a smile playing on her lips.
When Yuna came to visit her birthplace, it felt weird to call it home now; she didn't know what to feel about her mother, or her family. She didn't expect to feel like...It felt like all the time with Madara had been erased. No fights, no gift, it was all wiped from her memory and replaced with a sense of familiarity Yuna hadn't felt in weeks.
"I miss you." Were the first words to slip out from her lips before she embraced Hikari.
Yuna couldn't see how void of any emotion her mother's face was. The kind words sent from Yuna fell to the ground like dead leaves. Dutifully her mother's hand rose to stroke her daughter's hair like she always did. For a brief moment a genuine smile brightened Hikari's face.
When Yuna let go the sincerity had transformed into a mask of politeness.
"My darling, come sit down. How are you doing?" She asked. Yuna sat down across her mother on a comfortable pillow, hands resting on her thighs. Yuna's eyes looked into her mother's and felt like she was a child once again. It felt so childish that with just a small encounter Yuna had turned into a lonely child who desperately clung onto her mother.
"Well, as newlyweds things are hectic, but I'm fine personally. Though I didn't come here out of mere nostalgia, I came here as Madara's envoy. Since he couldn't come personally, he sent the next best thing."
Yuna didn't have to lie anything because Madara hadn't given her the reason yet. Hikari's eyebrow rose, she hadn't expected this, but collected herself quickly.
"Of course we'd be delighted to come, just to see you would be reason enough, but may I ask what's the occasion?" Hikari questioned further.
Yuna shrugged, "Madara wishes to discuss expanding trade with dad, but I think he just wants to make an impression on you."
All lies.
Uchiha Madara doesn't need people and he doesn't show effort to please anyone; he needs tools to fight for his sake.
Yet Hikari swallowed the primitive explanation without question.
Yuna found it difficult to stay still and kept throwing displeased glances at Madara. She sighed and decided to look at her hands instead. At least they won't talk back.
The woman felt like a traitor, like she had brought death sentence to her family. Madara never stated such intentions and nothing in his body language suggested any ill will; it was just a hunch in her stomach. She kept repeating it over and over again, that it's just a hunch.
There is no proof that anything is wrong. The dinner might be a ruse for…literally anything.
"You're a real ass," she hissed.
Madara didn't even flinch, "Duly noted," was his bland reaction.
"You could at least tell me what this is all about, since I'm already an unwilling accomplice!" Yuna tried to keep her voice down. She wouldn't mind dining in a pair of grey, baggy sweatpants, but the Uchiha leader insisted that the mistress has to look perfect and therefore ordered some poor maid to doll up Yuna.
She was glad to see that Madara hadn't taken off the necklace. It was hard to tell if he had stored any chakra inside yet or not, as his natural stamina was so monstrously dominating that it was nearly impossible to sense the crystal's energy.
"The reason I'm not saying anything is because I'm trying to prove something. If I'm right then you won't need a conformation from me."
Madara's eyebrow twitched when Yuna snorted and crossed her arms on her chest before looking away stubbornly, deciding to cut this conversation short. Madara pushed a few strands of hair away from his face.
Despite the strange domestic balance they had achieved he still had to stand by his belief that women were so incredibly troublesome at times. They took their places that the dinner table and as if on cue, the opposite door was slid open by a maid and the family of three entered.
Madara rose from his seat, the epitome of stoic politeness, "Kunisada Aoi-sama, Hikari-san, Eiko-san welcome. I'm grateful that you accepted my request."
The man who would even put his feet on the table and fall asleep on a meeting with the feudal lord, just look at him now! Now she was more than certain that he was plotting something sinister, and this time, Yuna decided to step back and do or ask absolutely nothing and see where the current takes her.
Her father hadn't changed, his eyes were harsh as usual, but a small smile appeared on his lips when he saw Yuna, disappearing relatively quickly. Despite his stoic nature, Aoi cared deeply for his legacy. The 3 Kunisada members bowed and all conversation from their part was carried out by Aoi.
"We're more than curious to discover the purpose of this meeting. Yuna only conveyed a few mumblings about trade." Aoi noted, casting a witty smirk at Yuna. Her hand twitched and she remembered exactly the reason those endless family dinners bored her. Now where was the alcohol?
Every single word uttered seemed like it was practised beforehand. Then again, the dinners just a game of plotting, scouting and messing with the participants, all this while keeping up pleasant appearances and polite conversation.
Yuna's eyes trailed to her younger sister whose eyes were wandering around. Those youthful blue eyes took in every single detail of the room. The measurements and what materials were used to craft the floor.
When her eyes landed on her older sister she smiled automatically. It wasn't a fake smile, but something that happened out of instinct.
The introductions were over and the intimate moment of sisterhood was interrupted with the delicious scent of fresh fish and warm sake.
Yuna kept to herself most of the time, drinking some sake to pass the time while Madara and Aoi argued over…taxes maybe? She was dying to speak to Eiko, but didn't feel comfortable talking with her sister when her parents and the arrogant husband were present. Something that private wasn't meant to a dinner party.
They exchanged only short and meaningless sentences like 'What a lovely hairdo, sister', 'Likewise, how was the harvest this summer?'.
The only excitement that shook the monotony of this social gathering was when Yuna managed to spill some sake on her. Madara looked at her and sighed, most likely forming a plan to spank her later for imbibing. The kimono cost a fortune, but luckily sake was still transparent.
Eiko poked her sister's shoulder and leaned down to her ear.
"Could you show me where the bathroom is?" she whispered. Yuna couldn't help but to giggle, but she quickly shut up when she saw everyone looking at her. Yuna bowed lightly, her pitch dropping to resume the 'politically correct voice'.
"Excuse us please, we'll be only gone a short while."
The silence and glances that followed the pair were tense. Yuna waited until the door was closed before she and Eiko broke into a sprint, slipping and sliding down the hallways.
When the two were far enough they erupted in laughter. Yuna entwined her fingers with Eiko's, the two merely strolling down the corridors.
"Hey Yuna...do you know this place like the back of your hand already?" she asked after they passed a hallway that looked dubiously like the last one.
Yuna looked down to her before giggling, "Are you kidding me? This place is gigantic. I just know my way to the kitchens and back to the bed." Yuna hadn't laughed this much for quite a long time. Madara sneered at fun, unless it was a cunning sort of fun, or sex.
Eiko sighed and gestured Yuna to lend her ear, as if anyone might evesdrop on the pair.
Yuna leaned down to her sister's level, "What is it?" she asked. Eiko raised her hand and placed it gently on Yuna's forehead.
Her eyes widened, before they looked empty. She felt onto her knees with a small thump. Eiko kept her body from falling flat on the ground. The polite smile had melted away from her face.
"Sorry, sister but I haven't got another choice...I'll just look through your memories, alright?" Eiko mumbled to herself. Her brows were knitted in concentration as she tried to scan through the memories quickly. She doubted that anyone would come there soon, but Madara was bound to wonder if they took too long.
What Yuna saw wasn't horrifying, and it wasn't uncomfortable. The serenity derived, most likely, from the fact that they were sisters. What the woman saw was actually quite beautiful.
When Yuna opened her eyes she found herself on a meadow. She looked around, feeling quite confused. Wasn't she somewhere else just a second ago?
"What is this place?" She asked out loud. Yuna looked down and she was still wearing the kimono she wore to the dinner party.
The sun was warming her, exactly the way she liked. It wasn't too hot or too cold and all she wanted to do was to never leave this place.
She got up and couldn't help but to smile. The meadow was covered with white lilies, her favourite flowers. She reached down to pick one up, but just as her nail touched the flower it disappeared, dissolving into ash.
Yuna jumped back and looked around. The woman just caught a glimpse of the meadow before all it disappeared. The pieces fell apart like a puzzle. Until there was only darkness. She was losing consciousness, which made Yuna laugh.
It's a dream isn't it? How could you faint in a dream?
Eiko let go of Yuna, and before her sister had hit the ground she was already running. Looking through Yuna's memories, she found exactly what she needed. All she had to do was get in. Killing one or two members won't be that hard. It's all for the clan.
You can't hesitate when the matter benefits the clan.
Everyone has to earn their place.
Madara's fingers were strumming against the surface of the table. His eyes snapped to Aoi and Hikari. Their eyes and demeanour had changed radically. Hikari was the one that broke the silence.
"Uchiha-sama...surely you have noticed by now?" She asked, clearly amused by the entire situation.
Hikari and Aoi got up as on and so did Madara, his eyes glinting with bloodlust, for a moment there was surprise when it dawned to him.
"When Yuna spilled the sake, that's when you saw your chance. Though I have to ask...Why all of this scheming?"
The couple smiled, "Because it was a game. Where's the fun if we just barge in? When we can slowly gain your trust."
Hikari sighed, "It was sad to sacrifice our oldest daughter to your clutches but…"
A normal person wouldn't have seen the quick movement in which Madara threw two daggers at the Kunisada clan members. They disappeared, leaving two thick logs behind. Madara snorted, amazed that they had managed to cast such an elaborate genjutsu.
His admiration was cut short when Izuna barged in the room.
"The girl escaped. We have people checking the documents...Who would've thought that the Kunisada had any fight left in them!" Izuna's voice was far from pleasant or cheerful and for once Madara was grateful that his brother wasn't trying to turn this into a joke. Madara pushed past him to see the damage himself but Izuna wasn't finished.
"They found the mistress as well. She was lying on the floor, non-responsive, but alive."
Madara stopped, "That is currently irrelevant."
Yet it wasn't. Even when claiming detachment he was formulating possible ways to bring her out of the stupor.
Izuna sighed deeply. The stupid, stubborn brother of his...
The Uchiha suffered great loss that evening. Izuna had predicted their movement, but he had made a miscalculation - Eiko.
No one ever thought that the youngest Kunisada present would be the one to go and try to steal the documents in the library as there were no records of her skills recorded anywhere. Where she even got the info of the location was unclear, but Izuna wanted to interrogate Yuna when she wakes up.
If she wakes up.
That night, the people were even scared of Izuna. No one dared to utter a word. They all worked in silence, hoping for the best because it was quite clear that this was going to turn into a war. No one crossed the Uchiha like this and survived.
Izuna punched the wall near him.
"Damn it!" He shouted.
His first outburst in years, 'Mom would be proud'
Though I'm afraid that if I return, the mansion won't be there anymore.
Constantly losing the places where I belong, it gets tiring