18.
Yuna registered something buzzing in her ear. Oh yeah, she was being scolded by a man called…Takeru perhaps? This had been going on for nearly an hour.
Basically the elders grabbed this opportunity to point out every little mistake she had made during her marriage. Well, mainly it came down to only one thing.
The realisation did smack her square in the face that they still hadn't exactly…consummated the marriage…
The buzzing stopped and only then did Yuna begin to pay attention. Takeru had shut up, probably waiting for her response.
"You wish for me to commit more to this marriage and the clan," she summarised, keeping her face passive and hoping that the bluff worked. Oh please make it so they weren't scolding her about a completely different issue.
Luck seemed to favour her as Takeru carried on his monologue.
"Yuna-sama, you should be aware why arranged marriages are even formed," he crossed his arms over his chest, but not in an arrogant manner, "and the clan's best interest always has to come first for both sides. We are not pinning the entirety of the blame on you."
She had to work hard to supress the grin that was threatening to form. As if they would dare to tell any of this to Madara straight. Instead, she nodded empathically, "Of course, we are both working towards the same goal, and that is to secure the Uchiha clan's future."
Oh damn, she could go into politics. The old men seem to buy her sincerity for the time being. Perhaps because she wasn't spewing as much lies as it may seem.
Yuna had come to terms with the Uchiha, and her current position. There was no objective reason to damage her position in this union. A child would secure her future…
"It gladdens me to hear that you accept your wrongs and aim to improve," she lowered her eyes respectfully, "and I shouldn't take up any more of your precious time, Yuna-sama. Please take this discussion into consideration."
Yuna rose and smiled, "Absolutely, I'm not one to turn away wise guidance. Have a pleasant day."
And with that she gained permission to join the land of the living.
The hallways were freezing and soon the cold will be accompanied by a lot of rain and the world will turn yellow, red and brown.
Yuna sighed as she walked aimlessly through the halls, pondering if she should go to Madara and suggest having a child. Imagining the scenario was enough to change her mind. As if Madara would wish to discuss this now.
The carefree time she spent in the Uchiha compound made her forget why she was even there, and apparently people were getting impatient. The thought crossed her mind to join the men in the upcoming battle. Eyewitnesses to spread tales how she cut through relatives and…
It made her nauseous to think of it. Deep down she had acknowledged the fact that she will have to kill her previous clansmen, the men and women who witnessed her grow into a woman.
Even Sakura…
"...well it's not our business to criticise the mistress!" Yuna's ears caught a snippet of the conversation.
They were just behind the corner so without a better place to hide in a desolate hallway, she climbed up the pillars and pressed her back against the ceiling. That was the moment she wished that she had taken made a bun in the morning.
Just a second later two Uchiha women appeared from behind the corner.
"There were more appropriate candidates at the time. Why they chose her out of many eludes me! Madara-sama knows all of his duties and he is well aware that producing heirs is one of them. Maybe the mistress is refusing him? The insolence…"
Yuna had to hold back a snort. As if they could put up with his personality. They stopped right below her and Yuna had to grit her teeth. This had to be the most uncomfortable hiding spot she had chosen…ever.
"It's a pity really, she doesn't look half bad. I've heard that there even is some intelligence in that scull. Otherwise Madara wouldn't even put up with her…"
They began moving again and changed the topic of conversation to their own children and their voices faded away.
With a small thud she landed on the ground and kept walking as if nothing had happened.
Their words bothered her more than she dared to admit, and Yuna was aware of the fact that it was her own fault. The clansmen hadn't had many interactions with her, and they hadn't displayed much public affection either…
Her pace quickened and before she had time to notice she had broken into an all-out sprint.
Yuna didn't notice the children playing in the puddles from yesterday's rain, but she did notice an elderly lady dropping her basket of fruits.
She slowed her pace and picked the fruit up hastily and returned the basket with a hasty smile before continuing on.
Small acts of kindness to build up her reputation. Unless it was too late.
She was heading towards the forest. The voice in the back of her head told her to slow down so it wouldn't look like she was making an escape attempt, but the dominant part of her personality ordered her to keep on going.
She hurried through the crumbling leaves before coming to a sudden halt.
Yuna tried to catch her breath and closed her eyes. Someone was there with her.
"I'm not trying to escape, whoever you are," she shouted tiredly.
For a moment Yuna thought she had imagined it, but after a few short moments a figure stepped out from behind the trees.
It was a slim woman with a very familiar pair of black eyes, a bag dangling on her right wrist.
The grin on Sayu's face turned into a frown and she grabbed something yellow from her back and threw it right at the Uchiha mistress.
Yuna dodged well enough, but she didn't manage to elude all of the contents.
She raised her slim hand to touch her brown locks with disgust as they were now covered with a sticky yellow mousse. Though all thoughts of anger melted away as Yuna realised that she was looking right at her best friend.
"Sayu, what the hell!" She shouted, surprise mixing with annoyance.
Sayu didn't look like herself at all. Her hair was cut short and she was in a brown dress that was quite loose from the waist. The black haired woman raised her hand when Yuna took a step towards her.
"No hugs, because idiots don't deserve them, what the hell are you doing, huh?" She shouted.
Yuna tilted her head to the side, causing the vanilla mousse to fall from her hair onto her clothes, not quite registering what just happened.
She cursed out loud and sighed, it was too late now to save her white robe. It now had nice yellow, creamy smudge on the shoulder.
"Well you look..." Yuna's voice trailed off, as she eyed Sayu from head to toe.
She ducked quickly; this time prepared for the assault and looked behind her.
Another pudding was spilled on the ground. The creamy sticky substance was splattered on the ground and tree trunks. This might be the first time Yuna had witnessed anyone littering here.
"I'm pregnant, not fat," snapped Sayu.
Yuna groaned in frustration and licked her fingers clean.
"Then stop wasting your god damn pudding because of hormones!" Yuna snapped at the woman.
This was the good stuff as well. Pity that some of it would only feet the ants.
"Quite daring of you to sneak in here. Times are quite tense, I'm surprised you weren't attacked on sight," Yuna muttered while brushing her wet hair.
Sayu snorted and took a sip before taking a bite from a cake, "Shut it. I came here hoping to see that you have adapted, and now all I have to hear is that you're losing it because of some hags that were trash talking you?"
A smile caressed Yuna's lips. She couldn't help it. Whenever she needed to man up and get real, it was Sayu to give her the final kick she needed.
"You know if the Uchiha patrols let a pregnant woman slip through, then I don't know what will happen when an actual spy tries to break in…I should discuss it with Madara."
Sayu placed down the teacup and finished the cake slice.
"So the two of you are carrying civil conversations? That's a start."
Yuna snorted, "I guess they could be called that…"
"The most tactical choice for you," she said while pointing the spoon at Yuna, "is to get a bun in the oven. Madara would rather die than let anything happen to his heir."
That drew a grin from Yuna, "Since when did you become an expert on Uchiha Madara?"
Sayu rolled her eyes, "It has nothing to do with his personality, but his position. He only needs two things to keep the power – loyalty and a secure line of succession and only you can provide the latter."
"Are you sure you don't want to become my tactical advisor or something?" asked Yuna hopefully, but that dream was crushed quickly enough.
"This is probably the last time I'm doing anything useful. I'm retiring sort of, for the baby and for my man. I can't leave him home alone with my kid wondering if I'll come back."
Yuna nearly choked on her tea. Sayu, the crass and prone-to-violence friend of hers was actually settling down.
"Are you sure you'll be able to take it? Sitting at home with a child?"
A gentle smile was on her face and subconsciously Sayu's hand moved to her stomach protectively, "I think that…this is a change I will gladly welcome to my life."
She paused, "And this is probably going to be the last time I help you. We won't see each other for quite a while after this," she hesitated, "actually...I'm not sure if we'll see each other again."
Yuna who was working on a tangle in her unruly mane nearly yanked a good chunk of hair from her scalp.
"What are you implying?" Yuna questioned.
Sayu smiled sadly, "I have to keep a low profile for a while, until everything calms down. But I don't know if we can meet again or not after this. I can't predict the future."
She covered Yuna's mouth with her palm before the mistress could start her loud protests, "Hush now, and hear me out. As my parting gift to you, I tracked down your family, but they might've seen me. So that's why I am going into hiding, and I forbid you to cry because you know I hate that. If you survive all this, I'm sure you can pull up the resources to find me again."
Sayu got out a piece of paper and slipped it towards Yuna, face down.
It was a map, with red markings on it.
"It was about two weeks ago when I spotted them, but their camp here," she pointed to the north-western part of fire country, "seemed pretty permanent. But boy they seemed ready for war, from what I know, you guys shouldn't have the resources. Take this to Madara, use it to earn the clan's loyalty and his, and wipe them out in one sure blow."
Yuna grew silent. Sayu seemed complete detached, completely ignorant of the fact that it was Yuna's family that they were discussing.
"This is…quite sudden," she muttered.
The battle was only a concept in her mind, something far away in the future, or maybe like a story from a book.
A question dawned to Yuna, "Did you see Eiko? How is she?"
Her face was lit with hope. She just needed to know that Eiko still has her sanity, some tangible assurance that there was something left to salvage.
"Is there any reason to worry? I didn't see her though, I never went that close."
Yuna looked down to her lap and sighed. Of course Sayu wouldn't know and it was better to keep it that way.
"I was just hoping to hear some news of her...she is still my sister."
Sayu sighed and folded the map and put it into Yuna's hands. Yuna looked up, her clear eyes looking into Sayu's.
"This is your chance to fix your reputation and your future. This counts for all future birthday presents. No more weakness, you're better than that. I can retire in peace when I know that the Uchiha clan is in good hands."
Yuna looked her straight in the eye, "Do not worry. I've got this."
That earned her a painful slap against the shoulder, "Of course you do, and as always it is me pulling your ass out of a shitty situation," she giggled, "I feel like an illegal immigrant...smuggling myself out of the country. But I need a fresh start."
Sayu got up and headed to the window. She stopped for a moment, the shopping bag dangling around her fingers. She despised goodbyes…
"The baby is scheduled to be born around April." She said with a smile and waved before leaping out and running.
Yuna rushed to the window and watched Sayu disappear to the woods. The map was still clutched tightly in her hands.
Her lips tightened into a thin line and she stepped away from the window, holding back the tears that were threatening to slip out from the corners of her eyes.
She couldn't break her promise to Sayu already. It was time to step up her game.
She opened the door without hesitation, marching right into the meeting and meeting the displeased glare of Madara head on.
"I'm in a meeting. Don't interrupt," scolded Madara, as if he was speaking to a child.
Yuna grinned, dangling the folded map between her fingers. Oh how she wanted to see their faces already.
"Oh darling, you'd beg me to intrude more often if you only knew what I have here,"
That was a bluff, Madara would never beg.
Yet it was enough to peak their interest. Even the old man Takeru was there.
With just a second the disapproving looks were replaced with curiosity.
"Very well, what have you got?" he asked.
Yuna just now took notice of Izuna who was sitting in the corner of the room. His eyes were polite as they followed her movements closely.
This hopefully counted as an apology to him as well.
"On this map you'll find the locations of the Kunisada clan. I received this information minutes ago and I say we take this chance to crush them."
The expression on Takeru's face was like an early Christmas present. This exclamation was followed by shouts of approval.
She shot a cocky look at Madara who had a smug smirk on his face. Oh how the tables have turned.
For the first time he was truly proud of her. Standing there in the middle of the room, proclaiming death to the Kunisada clan – that was a clan's mistress right there.
Silence fell when Madara chose to stand up, "What is it you demand of me?"
"I have only one little request,"
The idea had popped into her head just moments before making her grand reveal in front of everyone.
"Well," he demanded, "don't keep us in anticipation."
She allowed the moment of silence to drag on only for a second.
"When you go to battle, I want to fight along with you and your men. I will not sit idly while you do my dirty work for me."
Madara was not the only one who looked surprised, though his surprise was quickly replaced by amusement when he realised what she was trying to do.
The extravagance, the dramatic choice of words.
She was worming her way into their hearts. Anyone whose opinion mattered was in this room, and right now they were very impressed, despite trying to hide it.
The room was deadly silent, waiting to see Madara's response.
He grinned devilishly, "You've got a deal."
They cheers that erupted were deafening. Finally the tide will turn and the Uchiha clan will crush yet another enemy.
All thanks to the mistress, if it weren't for her source, then this could've dragged on for weeks.
Strange, that no one seemed curious to find out where that intel originated from.
Madara walked over to Yuna and slipped an arm around her waist and pulling her into a kiss. Might as well help her create the best impression in the general public.
She was flushed and breathless when he pulled away.
"Good work," he purred into her ear.
Yuna's fingers entwined with his and she donned a polite smile, "Anything to benefit the clan."