Hey, how is everyone doing?
It's been a while... Nonetheless, this chapter has been a long time coming and far too much re-writing. My apologies for the wait!
I struggle with tense, please message me if you find something, would really appreciate it. If there is anything else you feel I could improve on, also please let me know. If any of you are beta-readers, or know anyone who is, could you please let me know? I'd love to hear from you.
Thanks again to the people who reviewed, I love getting them (even the one liners!). Huge shout out to Jessica Cresta, Guest, and starrat!
Now, onto to the chapter!
It's a long one so get ready! :) :) :)
A tap on the window stirred Aria awake.
Groggy and grumpy, she rolled over in the bed and tried to go back to sleep.
She had just trekked across two continents, which had turned her bones into twigs and her muscles into mush. Teally, it was a miracle she was able sit through the dinner at all with her whole body crying out in pain and she had to use what little strength she had to keep up a face of diplomatic politeness.
Needless to say, the dinner was disastrous.
If a battle could be fought with words and glances, then Aria was sure that was it.
Her grandfather fended off Uchiha Elders with ease, but Tsume-sama was a whole new ball game and he did not escape unscathed. The Uchiha Matron was shrewd and commanding, Aria got a taste of how the future negotiations with the Uchiha would progress. The next few days were not going to be easy.
A few minutes pass, and then another tap.
This one was slightly harder.
Aria ignored it again.
Never had she traveled so far in her lifetime, nor had she encountered such treacherous terrain. Fire Country was hilly and hard to navigate with its dense forest, lush thicket, winding rivers, and ridiculously steep cliffs. One could easily fall behind or become lost, and Aria struggled to keep up with the others. She was the least fit of them all, including the elders, and they would all be flying through the trees if it weren't for her. Not that they wanted to, of course. Forced to accompany them out of duty by her grandfather, the Sanada were tense and tight-lipped throughout the journey. Even Yuna, who was usually quite a chatterbox and live source of entertainment barely uttered a peep, while Elder Michio, who loved to complain about absolutely anything and everything, suddenly had nothing to say. Shizuka Aunty, who normally fretted about everyone with motherly concern was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she had forgotten to ask if anyone wanted anything, or whether they had eaten and if they slept well. The rest the of them were quiet by nature, and kept to themselves.
Aria was desperate to talk to someone, but couldn't fork up the courage to engage any of them in conversation. It left a bitter taste in her mouth.
This was her fault.
They were here because of her.
She was the one who wanted this.
Everyone else would rather be at home preparing for the spring festivities with their families.
Grandfather was too busy leading the group and coordinating their route to notice her inner turmoil. Aria had grown accustomed to him showering her with attention that it hurt when he wasn't doing it. Normally when she travelled with him, usually to neighbouring clans or other allied nations, he loved to stop and show her the country side, teaching her about the various landmarks and history of the nation. Sometimes, he took a detour on purpose to take her to visit a place he thought she might like, such as a market, hot spring or an orchard.
But not this time.
There were no breaks.
No stopping to enjoy the breathtaking scenery.
No songs sung over the campfire.
No stories told late into the night.
Aria tried not to take it personally. He was under a lot of pressure as it was and had too much on his plate without having to face Madara all over again. Though it left her wobbly chinned and teary eyed, she persevered, because the last thing she wanted to do right now was burden him with her feelings. His health wasn't great, and there was only so much stress his heart could take.
She had gone over to his tent one night with a pot of balm she had made specially for his joint pain when she heard him talking to one of the elders. She overheard him say how much he 'wanted to get this 'business with the Uchiha over with' so that 'she could put him behind her once and for all'. The elder grunted in response, and assured him that 'she will come to senses as soon enough.'
Aria's gut wrenched in pain, and she backed away into her own tent. She slipped into her sleeping bag next to Seiko, trying her best not to wake him, and muffled the sound of her sniffles into her arm. Not that he would care.
Seiko disliked her from the moment they had met. His ice-blue eyes were filled with coldness and contempt for her though she had done nothing wrong to him, and Aria wondered why on earth her grandfather paired him up with her for this journey. Every time she mis-stepped or tripped, instead of helping her, he glared at her while she struggled to get to her feet. Aria hadn't grasped chakra control yet (if dirty knee caps dirty and the cuts and grazes on her palms were of any evidence), and ninja techniques were still very new to her.
It made her want to cry.
Madara had carried her for terrain that was much less treacherous than this, and not once did he let her fall. He leaped with her bridal style across narrow streams of water as if she weighed nothing and ran across the surfaces of rivers without so much as a huff. He always offered his hand when climbing over rocks or steep tracks, he warned her when to watch her step, and he was never more than two steps away from her.
Seiko did none of those things.
Not that she wanted him to carry her, or touch her, but would it have killed him to give her a hand?
Aria couldn't fathom why he insisted on making her life miserable. She had been nothing but be nice and cordial to him and yet he despised her. She couldn't see the rhyme or reason behind it, especially when she had seen him be kind and considerate to other women.
Aria drew the covers above her head, and let out and indignant huff. Seiko was a jerk, and here was no point entertaining that line of thinking right now.
It would only lead her down a tunnel of dark thoughts and drain her energy, when she desperately needed to rest.
She drew her eyelids shut as tightly as she could. Tomorrow was going to be big day.
It had taken a long time for her to fall asleep, it often did for new places, and she was on her 10th sheep when -
Another tap.
This one had enough force to crack open the window.
Aria's eyes flew open.
She threw the covers aside and rushed to the window, ready to rip whoever it was a new one. She thrust open the shutter, choice words poised at the tip of her tongue ready to be unleashed, and
There he was, standing on the ground in all his glory, looking up at her.
His long hair billowed softly in wind, dancing around his tall statuesque frame.
"It's about time," He remarked, folding his arms across his chest. "I was beginning to think you were ignoring me."
"What are you doing here?!" She whisper-hissed at him, though the sight of him sent her nerves into a frenzy. "Someone's gonna see you!"
He snorted, and jumped up onto the wall separating the guest residence from the rest of the Uchiha compound in a single, graceful leap.
"What does it look like?" He said, "I wanted see you."
The short, navy blue yakuta that he wore over grey trousers with his usual casual ninja sandals was tied so loosely that she could see the crooks of his neck and the expanse of his sculpted chest through the V-shape it created. Aria pinked immediately. She had never seen him so... willingly exposed.
Her heart skipped several beats. "My grandfather is sleeping in the next room." She said, trying to keep her eyes on his face, "Leave, before skins you alive!"
"He can't touch me here," He counters smoothly, "No need to worry about that my darling."
Her pulse sky-rocketted.
"Are you sure?" She asked, deliberately ignoring his use of endearment before her insides exploded, "I've seen what he did to a bear that wandered into our camp less than a day ago, and let me tell you, it wasn't pretty."
"And cause an international incident?" He scoffed, "I highly doubt it. Besides, I think I would fare much better that unfortunate bear. Wouldn't you agree?"
A slow grin emerged across her face. "Hmm, hard to say..." She drawled, placing finger to her lip as if she were giving it some serious thought. "But he didn't have anything against the bear... Tell me, is it true that Izuna's skill matches your own?"
Her cheekiness sent him into overdrive. "You would watch me die?" He smirked, "How cruel."
She let out a giggle and his stomach lurched.
"Cruel would be to allow my grandfather's Masamune Blade to touch that lovely neck of yours..." then, her smile faded, "And before that, I would have to watch my beloved white wind sliced in two and ripped from my soul."
Madara paused. 'White wind' must be the name of her sword, he gathered. He read somewhere that the Sanada had 'bonded swords' but was there was no elaboration given in the scroll as to what that actually meant. He tried to decipher the meaning of her words, but it was too late. An army of butterflies had already unleashed within him.
His throat tightened. "We need to talk." He said finally, "Come down. There's not much time."
Aria sighed. "I can't."
"What do you mean? Just walk across the roof and jump onto that ledge."
Her eyes trace the path he had indicated. "I told you," She replied with a frown. "I can't."
A puzzled look crossed his face, and then it dawned on him. Her walk was no different to when they had first met.
"You don't know how to direct chakra towards your feet, do you?"
She looked away immediately, embarrassed. "No... Grandfather hasn't taught me that yet."
Madara blinked in disbelief. "What? Why? It's one of the first things taught to a ninja."
"Oh believe me, I know," She sighed again and then pouted. "He thinks I'll use it to run away."
A contemplative pause.
"Hn, good call." He replied with a dry chuckle, "Can't say I blame him."
Aria singed red. "That's not funny! I tried searching for it books but I couldn't find it anywhere!"
He laughed again. "That's because it's so basic, no one thought it was worth writing down."
Aria stepped away from the window with an indignant huff. "You know what? If you are going to stand there insult me, then I'd much rather go back to bed."
"Fine," He glanced back at her coolly, as if he were dealing with a small, petulant child. "I'll teach you."
Her eyes lit up, "Really? You will?"
"Yes." He promised, "Now get down."
Seiko did not think much of her at all.
Dainty, petite, and female - Aria was not fit to be the heir of a prestigious shinobi clan like the Sanada. And yet, her blood entitled her to it.
The cool night breeze rustles blonde bangs into his face, briefly obscuring his view of her room.
He couldn't sleep, not after what had transpired during the dinner. His body felt like a cauldron, bubbling away with fury, as he was forced to sit in silence as Tsume Uchiha appraised the Sanada Heiress as if she were a piece of merchandise she intended to buy at a local market. The old woman had some nerve, asking questions that she had no right knowing the answers to.
Seiko withdrew the cigarette from his mouth and exhaled with force, watching as the whispy clouds become enveloped by the night. He had taken up smoking again since Aria had joined them. It was an old habit of his fathers that he hated, but he needed something to calm him down before he slashed up everything in sight.
What. A. Fucking. Mess.
Aria's existence had thrown a spanner into the working cogs of the Sanada clan.
On the one hand, she strengthened Masayuki-sama's position as his legal heir, but on the other, the fallout due to her parent's defection had left the clan bitter and resentful. Masayuki-sama had advanced in age, and the council was becoming increasingly restless as to who would take over leadership when he eventually passed on. Since Aria was not a shinobi herself, the council cooked up an idea where she would marry, and her husband would serve as the de-facto head of the clan on her behalf.
The clan delighted in the opportunity that it presented.
Many of the affluent families among the clan's higher ranks had been fighting amongst themselves for years, conspiring against each other to get ahead by any means possible, were now presented with the perfect opportunity to so.
It was a short cut, a nasty one at that, which meant altering the lineage of the Sanada clan's ruling family.
His mother begged him to take advantage of it, but Seiko refused.
He had been training for the position of the clan head his whole life. He wanted to earn the position based on his own merit, and he was the only one who deserved it. In the absence of a true heir (a direct descendant), a tournament would be held upon death of the current leader in order to determine the next successor and Seiko would have won by a long shot.
But Aria's return changed everything.
She had taken it all away.
Years of study and training, wasted.
Countless life threatening missions, wasted.
Hours of strategy and planning, wasted.
Blood, sweat and tears, wasted.
Masayuki-sama had become so enamoured by the return of his flesh and blood that it rendered him blind to the fact that she was not fit to succeed him. The defection of Aria's parents should have had her stripped of her name and title, but Masayuki-sama would not allow it. He pleaded with the clan to spare her, arguing that she was not responsible for the actions of her parents and that she had no knowledge of their desertion. He claimed that it was unfair that she be held accountable for their transgression and be made to suffer for their treason. He said Aria should be given a clean slate, and a chance to prove her loyalty to their clan.
The council agreed.
Masayuki-sama was overjoyed and wasted no time in announcing Aria as his heir. All was well for a while, until he switched gears and declared that she was to succeed him as the head of their clan.
"Are you serious?!" Seiko blurted out, coughing up his tea all over the table and voicing the thoughts of everyone present at the council meeting. "She is not meant for it."
"She is my flesh and blood and the rightful heir to this clan." The Sanada Head replied firmly, "She shall take my place once I am no longer. If anyone takes issue with this, then I welcome them to challenge me."
The councillors and elders shift uneasily. Masayuki-sama was revered by the clan, a fatherly figure to them all, but no one wanted to be on the receiving end of his blade. Even in his old age, he could probably strike them all down without breaking a sweat.
"She can barely use a sword, my liege..." An elderly councillor offers cautiously. "A poor omen for the Sanada if there ever was one."
"Her temperament is soft, and her resolve is weak." Adds an Elder "Leadership requires strength and a firm hand."
The room murmurs in agreement.
"Not to mention that she is a woman! What will other clans think? They will presume us weak and attack us."
"This will not bode well Masayuki-sama, If she -"
"Enough!" Masayuki-sama bellowed, slamming his hands on the table. "Need I remind you that she has the blood of warriors running through her veins? She is the resulting progeny of some of the greatest swordmasters this clan has ever seen." He takes a few calming breaths, "By our own laws, she is destined to be the next ruler of this clan. Our name shall carry on through her bloodline."
"Be that as it may, it does not absolve her from the prerequisites of this clan." Another Elder speaks up, this one is a female. "It will take another 10 years before she ready, and this clan does not have the time to sit around and twiddle their fingers in the meantime. The only suitable solution, as we have suggested previously, is that you find her a husband who will rule in her stead."
Masayuki-sama's eyes narrowed. "The council did not make this a requirement for her mother."
"Asuka-sama was a trained shinobi and a talented swordmistress. We cannot say the same for her daughter."
A sharp intake of breath. "She is progressing in her training. I will have her ready in seven years, and not a day less."
The elder scoffed. "Will that be before or after your demise? Your health is on the decline and the Shimazu are steadily gaining momentum. They have rallied with the Toku and Mori clans, and apparently they have the support of the Water Daimyo too, that greedy bastard. They have had their eyes set on our territory for years and will not hesitate to take it as soon the opportunity arises."
Masayuki-sama's eyes flare. "You do not need to inform me of matters of which I am aware. While there is blood in my veins and breath in my body, no harm shall come to this clan. I will protect the Sanada with my life, just as I have done for the past 40 years, but I will not lose another child of mine to the council's half-baked agendas."
The elder shook her head. "Your sentiments cloud your judgment, Masayuki-sama, lest it lead to the ruin of this clan once again."
Masayuki-sama stilled, and shocked gasps erupted from about the room, but Elder Tori did not back down.
"Marry her off to a Sanada by the dawn of spring, or we, the council will have it done for you."
Masayuki-sama stood up, firm and resolute. "Tori, I needn't remind you that I do not respond well to threats." His said with voice that was deathly calm, "Had you not been a close comrade and friend, you would not so much standing after such a comment." He glanced around the room, fixating everyone in warning. "Her marriage shall happen at a time that I determine is right and it shall be to a man who I deem worthy. So far, I have yet to find one."
Elder Tori narrowed her gaze. "This clan has no shortage of eligible young men," She spat, " If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were hesitating. One might even begin to suspect something amiss."
"Your speculation is not appreciated nor will it be tolerated." Masayuki-sama snapped. "You would do well to remember your place. Next time, I will not be so lenient." Then he heaves himself out of his chair, and headed toward the exit.
The occupants of the whisper amongst themselves, confused, and soon they too begin to file out of the room.
Seiko did not rise from his seat, his fists clenched under the table.
Aria was a small consolation prize for everything Masayuki-sama had lost.
His honour and reputation had been smeared through the mud when his only daughter ran off with the bastard child of a low-rank shinobi and some foreign woman from the east. Instead of upholding the betrothal that had been honourably arranged for her, Asuka-sama tarnished her father's name and betrayed her clan.
Asuka-sama was rumoured to have very beautiful and intelligent. His mother once said that Asuka-sama had the power to captivate anyone she met with a single glance, and have them fall in love with her by the end of her sentence.
It was not surprising then that the Water Daimyo become besotted with her on one of his travels up north. He immediately asked for her hand, promising military aid and diplomatic trade connections for the clan in return. At the time, civil wars sparked throughout the northern continent like fireworks; quick, uncertain and violent, and Masayuki-sama agreed to the match as a way to keep the clan safe. So when Asuka-sama could not be located on the eve of their wedding, all hell broke loose. Her desertion left the Daimyo furious and humiliated. Immediately, he pulled his funding from the clan and rallied his strongest supporters against Masayuki-sama and the clan for not following through the engagement.
The clan suffered immensely as a result of the fallout.
The Sanada lost their primary source of income, and without the Daimyo's security and protection, and their clan numbers dwindled to a dangerously low levels. They scrambled to find employment since no one wanted to hire them for fear of upsetting the Water Daimyo, and the clan was brought to the brink of extinction.
It was not until Masayuki-sama fortified his alliance with the Takeda and Uesugi, that their fortunes began to change. He divided up the northern peninsula, a territory that been occupied by the Sanada for generations, and gave them each portion of land to use as their homes and establish as clan territory. The Sanada were not happy with the division of their land, and holding onto resentment to this very day though it was necessary for their survival.
Once the peninsula was secured with the help of the Takeda and Uesugi, their numbers slowly began to climb.
Then by chance, the Sanada uncovered a new source of income.
Trade and Shipping.
The export and import of goods via sea route was becoming increasingly popular as travel by land was risky and dangerous. Goods transported by land were prone to hijack from bandits, mercenaries and enemy shinobi. Ships were more secure and allowed for the transport of large volumes. The Sanada quickly began to establish of ports and harbours all along the peninsula and the canal, and soon, wealth flooded in like a dam broken loose. Suddenly, all those who had gone against Masayuki-sama transformed from from lions into kittens, mewing for their grain and rice.
The clan quickly became self-sufficient. They no longer needed to rely on shinobi mission contracts for survival.
Soon, the Sanada began to desire revenge upon those that wronged them, but Masayuki-sama did not oblige. Instead, he extended his hand to his adversaries in business, charging them a hefty margin for their goods and services. Their enemies were left with no choice but to pay up, and the Sanada clan were more financially well-off than they had ever been.
And now thirty years later, all that was left to do was to strengthen the clan, increasing its numbers, and appoint another powerful leader to propagate their legacy.
For that, they needed a man.
Him.
But that wasn't going to happen with her around.
He caught her stealing glances at him throughout the dinner, and his mouth curled in distaste. For fuck's sake, she was still hung up on that Uchiha.
He should be thrilled he supposed. It was an excellent opportunity to get rid of her.
Legally.
She couldn't be the Head of the Sanada if she was the wife and mistress of someone else's clan, now could she?
As much as Seiko hated to admit it, The Uchiha were an old and established clan with a seizable territory and holdings. An alliance with their clan would increase opportunities for trade and open up access to resources from all throughout Fire Country. It made good business sense.
...Except for the fact that handing her over to the Uchiha didn't feel right.
Aria Sanada was a catch, despite the dubious circumstances of her birth and her past affiliation with the infamous Madara Uchiha, and she was the granddaughter of one the finest leaders the Sanada clan had produced. She possessed their kekkai genkai, a bloodline trait that hadn't manifested within their clan for well over a generation, and she was stunning.
Seiko would never forget the day she descended down the stairs, regal in a traditional gown of damask pink at a party Masayuki-sama held in her honour. His stomach twisted and turned as she fed her arm though Masayuki-sama's as he lead her floor. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her as they enjoyed their first father-daughter dance. She danced with an elegance and grace he had never seen, each move executed perfectly though she had learnt it only the day before. Under the soft golden glow of the Ceremonial Hall, Masayuki-sama's eyes glistened with unshed tears and whispers buzzed as to how Asuka-sama, the perfect heiress, had returned to the clan in the body of her daughter.
When the elders suggested marriage between the two of them on the day after, words of protest that gathered on the tip of his tongue crumbled to dust in his mouth. He opened his lips to speak, only to gape like a fish, and nothing to come out. As per Sanada custom, silence was taken as a form of consent.
Masayuki-sama arched an eyebrow in surprise but otherwise remained quiet.
He had pulled him aside on the second day of her arrival, and excitedly offered her hand in marriage to him. Seiko refused with vehemence.
It was a knee-jerk reaction, and one he later regretted, when Sanada Leader recoiled at the rejection.
"A simple no would have sufficed Seiko," he said with the smallest of smiles, 'Rest assured, I would never force you against your will."
In retrospect, he should have asked for more time to consider the proposal. Keeping her on the back burner while he evaluated his options while was a strategic move he hadn't thought of at the time. It would have saved him countless hours of having to chaperone while she was courted by other men.
But it was too late now.
Madara's gaze flicked towards him several times during the dinner, assessing him, scrutinising him. He flinched when Seiko's shoulder brushed against hers when reaching for the soup, and once again when she poured his drink for him. It didn't mean anything, but it was oddly satisfying to elicit such a reaction from him.
Whatever history he had with Aria was over the moment she took her vows as their heir and sealed it with a blood oath. For as long as she lived, Aria was required to remain loyal and serve the Sanada. It didn't matter who she once loved.
But this situation required immediate resolution before things escalated any further.
Seiko knew he had to do something that he should have done a long time ago.
For Masayuki-sama.
For his family.
For his clan.
He took one final drag and dropped the cigarette onto the ground, crushing it underneath his foot. He crossed the courtyard and headed towards the back entrance, to strike a deal with her before breakfast. As he stepped onto the porch, he heard the sound of something snap, followed by sharp shriek - one recognised too well.
He whipped around and sprinted towards the direction of the noise, and his blood ran cold.
There, on the sloping rooftop of the third floor, stood Aria, balancing between life and death.
"Jump!" A male voice calls from down below, "Now!"
"I can't!" She teeters near the edge, "It's too far!"
"When have ever I failed you? Don't you trust me?"
"Of course I do!"
"Then jump!"
Hesitantly, she steps forward, but in doing so, slips. She falls onto her side with an "umph" and slides down the tiles. A groan erupts from her mouth, and the hem of her shirt catches on a pointy edge jutting out from the roof. The fabric tears and she gasps, and steers off the edge.
Seiko's heart races, watching on in horror as she free-falls. But before he could react, a black silhouette springs out from the shadows and catches her in mid-air.
For a split moment, he thought he saw their lips meet before they both vanished in a cloud of smoke.
A/N: So, how was the chapter? Finally, some Madara x Aria action, and more to come! xoxox 3
Sorry, lots of backstory on this one. A necessary evil, I'm afraid.
What do you think of Seiko? I have lots plans for him. *rubs hands in evil manner*
As always, please review and message! xoxoxoxox