17.
Yuna,
I guess I could apologize, but I don't think that I will. It wouldn't change anything. Since you're reading this (I'm assuming you didn't throw this away after the first sentence), then that means that we've already left. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done…yet you received the short end of the stick.
Saying that I'm sorry for that is the right thing to do, but it won't bring us back together. No one made me do it. You know, both mum and dad were absolutely convinced that I would run away with you. It crossed my mind more than once, but as it always is, the first sister kills the other one right?
None of it matters anymore. If I would have had the time I would've ran away with you. Knowing you, I highly doubt that you have become any closer with Madara, but I hope you find it in you to at least win his affection if not return it because when it comes to the lottery of husbands, you hit gold. You will never find a man stronger or more reliable.
I won't be sane for a very long time anymore. Though...I should tell you something you don't know already.
It always starts slowly, for me it was footsteps. I didn't even realise I was hallucinating until I was left all alone. It feels like the sand in the hourglass is running out. I don't know how long I can keep going on. Hurry up; maybe we could still go somewhere? If you want to you can go back to the Uchiha after my death, just stay with me for a while. Just lie for me this once. Tell them anything. I don't care what story you make up.
Please?
I love you
Izuna's eyes took in the dim room. It lacked any sort of personality, everything was in perfect order, but no works of art or colour were displayed. It took some convincing, but Yuna agreed to allow him to stay in the Kunisada residence on the condition that they were going to review everything there.
Nearly fifteen minutes had passed since Yuna left him there. She promised to be back with something to drink, extra candles and the documents. He was bored so he began to play with a kunai, trying to balance it on his fingertip with chakra.
The smooth surface of the table was covered with a thin layer of dust. It made him cringe inwardly.
The possibility of assembling useful information during Yuna's absence had crossed his mind several times. He doubted that she could stop him if it truly came to a fight, but Izuna had confidence regarding his skills and knew that he could make it back without Yuna taking notice. There were plenty of places to hide anything he would take back to the Uchiha…
Izuna sighed and closed his eyes.
Nothing was stopping him.
Yuna might be the clan's mistress by name but this was the first time she was truly doing something with the clan's best interests at heart.
Stereotypically, a wife's job was to bear children. The advisors couldn't stop stressing how important it is since Madara could pass away at any battle, despite Izuna's assurances that the chances of Madara being killed in battle were slim.
He advised them not to reveal their fears to Madara, as he would only hear an insult instead of concern.
"I refuse to die."
That was all that Madara had to say about the claims.
It was rather childish and arrogant, but it was important that he oozed confidence and certainty.
His nonchalant attitude about his personal life was a cause to fret over, while other lecherous men were just waiting for Madara to be hit by a poisoned arrow. Little did they know that Madara would most likely outlive their grandchildren.
Not that he desired the responsibilities of leading the clan, Izuna much more preferred to aid his brother from the shadows, but Izuna was still second in command. The scheming traitors will never even come close to siting on Madara's throne.
Izuna was still playing with the kunai, bored out of his mind. Perhaps he could convince Yuna to get impregnated?
Minutes trickled slowly and at some point Izuna realized that Yuna had left the mansion.
He wasn't in any particular rush to find her.
It would be only fair to drop a few hints to Madara, see how he reacts. It would make it seem like Yuna is a traitor, but the prospect of creating more tension in the clan had lost its appeal.
The balance of power was already hanging on a thread and Izuna had no intention of ruining Madara's authority or reputation in the clan.
Never, ever will he damage Madara or his position.
Izuna counted to ten before getting up.
"Time to rescue the princess," he announced to the void around him.
Izuna's steps were quiet and calm as he walked through the building. While it was a terrible idea to leave the place unguarded, the prospect of Yuna's little trip being revealed to the rest of the clan was a far more dangerous prospect.
Despite being characterised as manipulative, few doubted his sincere loyalty to his brother and the clan.
He located her chakra signature. She had stopped somewhere to the east.
Something caught his eye and Izuna doubled back. The room's door had been left ajar.
In the middle of the table was an envelope, addressed to Yuna.
Izuna had no idea whose room this used to be for the lack of personal items.
He was about to pocket the envelope when he hesitated.
Should he put back where he found it, out of respect?
He couldn't deny that he was curious to read the contents of the letter. It might come handy in the future, but what if the contents are sensitive, even for the Uchiha. Anyone could just pick this up.
Curiosity outweighed responsibility and carefully, as if handling a secret, he opened the envelope and pulled out the letter.
Neat handwriting, obviously belonging to a female.
He slid his eyes over the words, memorising the content and congratulating himself for the good judgement. The tone was absolutely depressing.
His curiosity sated, Izuna put the letter back into the envelope and pocketed it. He'll make sure Yuna receives it at one point or another.
Too lazy to use the stairs, he left the room by the window, landing gracefully on the grass.
His eyes moved towards the small road that led to the woods. Yuna was still stagnant, making his life easier. The least she could do was walk in circles at the very least!
That letter - that childishly written letter had stirred something in him.
The prospect of freedom was just as delicious as power, just beckoning him to come closer. Personally, Izuna would've left, but only with Madara.
Rendering the dream impossible as Madara loved power and he wasn't going to give it up. Crude as he might've been occasionally, he hadn't been a bad leader. Quite the contrary, he was the best thing the Uchiha clan had experienced.
Madara had the knack of manipulating the clan's desires to match his own and present them in a way others could stomach.
The road ended there, but Izuna pressed forward through a row of bushes and ended up near a lake.
In the autumn light, the water looked like black glass. No ripples or movements to disturb its surface.
It wasn't hard to locate her, floating in the water as if she was a ghost.
Her hair floated around her face, forming strange abstract shapes. The tips of her fingers skimmed the water's surface.
She wasn't sleeping; Izuna could tell as much, but she seemed to ignore his presence to the best of her ability.
"What did you hope to accomplish with this? Quit wasting my time and your own." Izuna scolded the girl like a parent might.
Only then did Yuna bother to open her eyes.
"I'm enjoying a sense of freedom. As of now, I belong to myself. Well…technically I'm legally tied to Madara."
Izuna snorted and crossed his arms, "People would kill to be in your shoes. You have a bright future handed to you on a silver platter, minimal effort involved, yet you preach about freedom without knowing anything about it."
"And you do?" she shot back.
Silence ensued between the pair.
"Are you going to kill me, Izuna?"
"Under the pretext that you tried to betray us to the Kunisada? I could, theoretically, but not yet. You still haven't given us the information we need, yet even then I might hesitate."
Yuna laughed, "I can't believe people aren't absolutely terrified of you. You reason like a true psychopath."
"Just look where it has gotten us," he retorted back without a trace of benevolence, "to power."
"Were you bullied? Is that what drove you over the edge? What is this abstract 'power' going to give you? The higher you climb the harder the fall."
That was the straw to break the camel's back. Izuna grabbed Yuna's hand and yanked her up sharply.
Her expression was carefully guarded when Izuna's grip around her arm tightened, but she never made a move to retaliate.
"Don't ever presume to know anything about me. You joke and jest, but I won't let you harm Madara's position of power. Where are the documents?" He demanded.
Yuna's face remained passive, though her heart was threatening to burst.
"Believe it or not, I do not bear Madara any ill will. We are past that already."
This was the first time that Yuna caught a glimpse of Izuna's true motives. The layers of politeness, sweet words and jokes covered up the fact that he was exactly like his brother – calculating, careful and a dormant lion. All she could do was reason with him.
"Madara already knows everything he needs to know about Eiko's power," she continued. Izuna released her right away, his hand leaving a faint imprint on her skin.
"The why waste our time?" he snapped.
Yuna sighed and shook her head, "This was an act of selfishness. I wanted time out and this was my chance."
His movements were quick, close to inhumane. She barely managed to dodge his punch, though Yuna was well aware that if Izuna had been serious, she would have a mouthful of broken teeth.
She left eight feet between them.
Izuna's face was passive while Yuna struggled to keep her composure. It was then that she caught sight of Madara and all of a sudden the prospect of melting into the lake seemed much more appealing.
Madara was like a mediator, standing right between them.
"Where did you get the idea that you have any right to raise hand against my wife? During the old days they broke hands for acts like that."
He sounded legitimately angry and Yuna wasn't sure how much of it was directed at her.
"My apologies, Madara. My judgement was clouded by remembering those we've lost on the way. She might make light of this situation, but I know the names of all the brothers we have lost during this ordeal." Izuna admitted quietly.
Yuna cast her eyes down and gather the remnants of her courage before speaking up.
"Please, don't fight...the two of you. I'm the one who should be apologizing." Madara's eyes snapped to Yuna.
"The rules are there for a reason. I'll deal with you later."
His voice was icy and it felt as if he had doused her in a bucked of ice. She quickly shut her mouth and removed herself from this ordeal.
She was unsure what to do next. Would Madara view it as an escape attempt if she just…left?
"Yuna, I suggest you head back before you catch a cold," Madara uttered calmly, taking notice of her wet hair.
The thought of running away didn't even cross her mind. She nodded and quietly left the brothers to sort this matter out on their own.
Izuna wasn't taking this well, and Yuna had to admit that he was right. She was being selfish, unjustly so. She hadn't forgotten the first attack on the supply wagon, how humiliating those deaths were.
The strong will devour the weak and Yuna couldn't afford to stand alone. The only choice for survival was to assimilate into the Uchiha, properly.
Yuna sat down in the empty dining room and started to eat; not really paying attention as to what was she was ingesting. She was anxious for Madara to return.
It was infuriating, but she wished to apologise for her behaviour and maybe…swear loyalty somewhat? Promise to take his responsibilities as a wife seriously?
No, it would sound ridiculous and she was not about to provide Madara with anything to tease her about.
She finished dinner, and still Madara hadn't returned. She closed her eyes and sighed, men. Most likely they were fighting it out, alleviating stress.
It was safe to assume that they would have a nice long chat once he returned and it seemed unwise to leave before he returned. Yuna slipped into a state of hovering between dreams and boredom.
With a sudden jerk her eyes flew open and Yuna groaned inwardly. She had to stop falling asleep everywhere.
Madara had his back towards her, but when his ears picked up movement he spared a glance, before shifting his attention back to his meal. She sat up, leaning against the wall. The silence dragged on, yet still Madara hadn't demonstrated a reaction.
Alright, to hell with it, she thought. Yuna thought of it as a band aid, better to rip it right off.
"Are you angry with me?"
Madara sighed and set his chopsticks to the side, "Don't confuse Izuna's anger with mine. He had a right to be angry, though his methods of getting rid of the frustration left to be desired."
Madara took a sip and placed the cup down…without breaking it. That was always a positive sign.
"Look, I want you to know that I'm loyal to you, not the Kunisada clan. They made it abundantly clear that I'm not a part of them when they left me here."
He scoffed, "Please, as if you could deceive me."
Yuna had to use all of her willpower to hold back a snarl. That ass! To hell with him! He didn't deserve her heartfelt confessions.
"I beg to differ! Maybe the necklace I gave you is poisonous and killing you slowly,"
A lie, but it was worth a try. Madara rolled his eyes, "Primitive, I had it tested already."
"…You really thought I might poison you?"
"Would you?"
"Stop deflecting the question."
"The ask something that has a shred of intelligence hidden behind it," was his condescending response.
"Well," she moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around him and leaning close to his ear, "What's going to happen now? A full on assault?"
"Search and destroy, we'll head out as soon as the Kunisada are located."
Yuna smirked and planted a kiss on his cheek, "Aren't you jolly. Well, I'm going to find Izuna and apologise. That itself might be enough to cheer him up."