Hi Everyone,

I hope this instalment finds you all well!

I know it's been a reaallllyyy long time coming... (4 years in fact! lol!)

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, messaged, followed and favorited! It means so much to me!

I hope that there are still readers out there for this fic. I'm not sure if the time lapse has put you all off, but I certainly hope not!

As always, please review and message!

xoxoxo

Rubbing his temples, Madara his dragged himself to his room. Overall, it had been a pleasant evening, but after all the travelling and drama on the previous day had taken a toll on him. Madara was resilient, yes, but if he wasn't careful, his eyesight would start playing up again. His first encounter happened two years ago in battle. Due to overwhelming exhaustion, his eyes had started to play up - miscalculating distances and attacks, delayed deflecting, distorted vision and the appearance of strange, floating spots. He found himself in quite a predicament with a shinobi with whom he should have been able to deal without so much as a sweat.

Each symptom arose gradually, worsening with his state. And his first symptom? A simple headache.

He learned the hard way not to let it get too far. Hence, his early retreat to his chambers. He was in Senju territory, and even though they were allies, he wanted to make sure he was prepared to fight should things get ugly. He doubted Hashirama would allow things to go awry, but he had to be ready.

Closing the door behind him, he proceeded to remove his dress wear and into a plain, comfortable sleeping kimono. Spying a flask of wine, he poured himself a drink and downed it. Then, he repeated the process 2 more times. He really didn't need his insomnia kicking in now. He desperately needed to sleep. lying down, he vaguely wondered what Aria was doing right now downstairs. He wanted to spend more time with her but he didn't want to ruin her fun my making her leave with him early. So he closed his eyes. He would ask how her night had been in the morning.

Aria was really enjoying herself. Mito had introduced her to her parents and they seemed like lovely people, regardless of what she originally thought of them. She supposed she really couldn't understand what being the heir to a clan was like, the sacrifices that they were expected to be make, and the responsibilities they were required to undertake. She had been keeping an eye on the newly married couple and they seemed more at ease with each other passing minute. She smiled when Hashirama leaned in and whispered something Mito's ear, making her blush and giggle. Maybe Madara was right - maybe they would be ok after all.

Tobirama noticed that Madara had left and made his way over. It would look good to make small talk with Mito and his brother's in-laws, but more importantly, he could get to know Aria without it looking suspicious. He wanted to know what her deal was, and why the hell the Madara Uchiha would go after her the way he did.

"Uzumaki sama, how was the banquet? Was it to your liking?"

Mito's father beamed. "Everything was excellent. You have honoured us."

"No, you have honoured us by entrusting Mito to us. We will prosper with her as the Senju clan matriarch."

Hashirama smiled and Mito blushed.

"Aniki, where is Madara?"

"Resting. I believe..."

"I see. In that case, Aria, may I show you around the compound?"

His brother narrowed his eyes. His brother sure was crafty.

Aria's eyes lit up, completely oblivious. "Oh, yes please!"

Tobirama smirked. "Alright, let's go shall we?"

Aria thought it was mighty gentlemanly of Tobirama to give her a tour of his home. Especially since he was the groom's brother and all. She felt slightly unworthy, as she felt what must have been a multitude of eyes projecting deadly kunai into her back as they left the gigantic hall. Tobirama was a tall, foreboding young man with porcelain-fair skin like the sun had never touched his skin. And he was quite attractive too, she blushed. He was even fairer than both Hashirama and Madara who both had a hint of a tan. He had 3 prominent red markings on his face that seemed to add to his allure and she couldn't quite decide if his eyes were midnight black or ruby red.

"Perhaps we should start in the main hall." He steered her though a large wooden doorway, and into a medium sized room. "Hashirama, my brother, is the current leader of this clan". He said, pointing to what appeared to be a Senju family tree, with the names of its members carved in gold. "Batsuma, father was the leader before him. Ayame was my mother and this line here symbolises marriage." He said pointing to a double line. Then he pointed to a solid line. "These lines represent their offspring. As you can see, I have three brothers. Tomorrow, Mito's name will be written alongside Hashirama's, and any children they have will be carved here too upon their birth."

"Its beautiful..." Aria replied, tracing her fingers on the gold writing. "May I ask you something?"

"Of course." He replied.

"You said three brothers... where are your other brothers?"

Tobirama was silent for a moment. "See that red line underneath their names? It means they have died. When I die, there will be a red line drawn under my name too."

Aria internally smacked herself. What a doofus she was! "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright." He said, cutting her off, "The warring states period claimed the lives of many shinobi brethren. Sons, husbands, fathers, brothers... It was a time of extreme instability, constant conflict and unease."

"Gosh, thats terrible! I can't imagine what it must be been like for the mothers!"

"Yes. Most of them were accustomed to burying their loved ones with their own hands. In fact, they were considered lucky, as if they died on the battlefield or on a mission, the chance of the body being found is close to zero. At least this way, they could say farewell, put them to rest, and visit their final resting places."

Aria felt incredibly uncomfortable. How sad it was to give birth to a child knowing that there was a high chance he would die in battle, and then, have to bury him. She drew her arms around herself, in an effort to comfort herself.

Tobirama understood her discomfort. "Fear not. As a shinobi, death is something we are accustomed to and trained for our whole lives. In fact, we are prepared for it. It is an honour to die protecting one's family and clan. But that was a long time ago. This period of ease has arrived only because of my brother and Madara Uchiha."

Aria gave him a faint smile in return. "Really?"

"Yes. The Senju and the Uchiha were once the two biggest shinobi clans. Rivals so to speak. Aniki and Madara, both heirs to their respective clans, met as children, unaware of each other's identity. They became friends by bonding over the deaths of their siblings, a desire to protect their remaining siblings, and to create a peaceful world where children would not need to fight."

Aria felt warm all over. Wow! Madara sure was an impressive guy! Then, a dread set in. "Has Madara lost his brothers too?"

"Yes. Three. He has only has one left, Izuna."

"Oh... Whats he like?"

"Not at all like Madara..." Tobirama twitched, abruptly ending that line of conversation.

"I have another question - who is Masayuki Sanada?"

"Masakyuki Sanada is the head of the Sanada clan. They also reside here in the north. They are allies of ours, but not on the same level as the Uzumaki. They have... shifting allegiances... to put it simply. Why do you ask?"

"Um, no reason." She replied, hurriedly. "I met him this evening that's all." Tobirama narrowed his eyes in suspicion but said nothing.

Shifting allegiances? What did that mean?

Izuna trolled the halls, trying to catch on to his brother's chakra signature. The Senju compound was vast, and if one thought it was a mission to get through the Senju woods - the compound was on a completely different level. Similar to the woods, the compound itself could arrange and re-arrange itself. It was extremely confusing to have your room on one side of the site, and then on another on the second day. Also, places like the library, passages or certain rooms could conveniently hide (and reveal) themselves. Of course, if you lived there, they wouldn't, or they would find you. It was all well and good from a security point of view but it was blood hell irritating to feel lost all the time. Izuna supposed that the Senju liked it that way so that guests couldn't go wandering about the compound without a Senju host and served as a deterrent for anyone who might have any funny ideas.

Then, finally, he managed to catch onto a sliver of his brother's chakra. It was... faint. Very Faint. Alarmed, Izuna ran with all his might to the source, hoping he wasn't too late!

"Thud, Thud, Thud."

Madara woke to a thundering noise, and a pounding headache. Fuck, whoever was at the door was really gonna get it! He had just drifted off and was in stages of a deep sleep, before he had been rudely awakened by a very soon-to-be-sorry imbecile. Right now, he didn't care if the entire compound was on fire, he just wanted to sleep! Sharingan whirling, he stormed to door.

"WHAT DO YOU WAN-" Standing before him was none other than his little brother. "Izuna?!"

Barging into the room uninvited, Izuna scanned the room and then scrutinised his brother. Then, he let out a huge sigh when he realised his brother was alone.

Madara massaged his temples, knowing this was going to bring on a migrane. "Izuna." He sighed. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Confirming the rumours... Are they true?"

Madara sighed again. "What are you talking about?"

"You know...Fuma. Mino. And the Senju. And what they're saying..."

Madara was incredibly annoyed at this point. "Izuna, I don't have time to play guessing games with you. Just spit it out"

Izuna gulped. "That you are skirt chasing a whore."

Red in the face, twitching. "WHAT?!"

Then, there was a large crash, followed by a gigantic "BOOM".

Tobirama and Aria were in the library when they heard a loud, rumbling noise, followed by the sound of a building crashing. Alarmed, they made their way to the source, Tobirama worried that someone could have infiltrated the compound. As they got there, they were joined by Hashirama, Mito and an entourage of Senju Shinobi in the hallway. "Aniki. What happened?"

Hashirama shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine Tobirama."

Making their way to the source, they noticed a door wide open and a choking sound. Everyone gasped at the scene. The room was in complete disarray, furniture broken, like a tornado had struck. In the middle of the room, Madara was on top of someone, whom he was choking.

"Seize the intruder!" Hashirama ordered.

But Madara calmly got off him like it was nothing and proceeded to walk away. "There's no need for that."

The intruder, with his back was towards everyone, got up and dusted himself nonchalantly. "Hashirama-san." He shrugged sheepishly. "It's been too long."

Hashirama burst out in laughter, made his way over and clapped the man on his shoulder. "Izuna! I'm was slightly offended you didn't attend my wedding. But you are here now, and that's all that matters. Come! You must be hungry." With a wave of his hand, Hashirama dismissed his shinobi, and they disappeared with a 'poof'.

The young man stared him blankly. "Wedding? I guess that makes sense... Congratulations Hashirama-san."

"Oh ho, thank you. You sound like you didn't know..." To which Izuna shook his head. "Hmm, come to think of it, Madara didn't know either when he crash landed my place." Hashirama narrowed his eyes at Tobirama, who flinched under his brothers gaze, saying nothing but confirming everything. His little brother had a knack for disobeying direct orders. "My apologies, the wedding was all very rushed and last minute. It appears the invitations did not make it in time." Or were probably never sent, no thanks to his meddling younger brother. He made a mental note to deal with Tobirama later.

Madara had stormed off after the altercation with his brother. Now, sufficiently mad, frustrated, and wide awake, he headed back down to the banquet hall to drink as much free alcohol as he could. His brother sure had great timing. Drat, he had been robbed of the opportunity to properly introduce him to Aria, and now he had formed a baseless, disgusting opinion who was most probably the truthfully sweetest person he'd ever met. No matter. He would right these wrongs just as soon has he had calmed down and had something to drink.

Emptying the glass in one gulp, he supposed his reaction to Izuna was probably a bit extreme. He had (unknowingly) called Aria a whore, and it had made him see red. Those two simply did not go in a sentence together. Although may have just taken out his anger on his brother, it was entirely possible that they were not his words but the words of the rumours going around. Is this what his clan thought? Fuck. This complicated things now because Aria, through no fault of her own, had been coloured with a black paintbrush. He would set this record straight after he had a few drinks in him.

Aria was silent during the whole exchange. Izuna - wasn't that the name Tobirama mentioned was Madara's last remaining brother? He did resemble his brother, she supposed. Izuna was tall, dark handsome, with obsidian eyes and a fair complexion - very much like his brother. But his aura and standing was completely different to that of his brother. Madara was like a dark king, while Izuna was more of a young prince - not yet fit to rule. He barely scratched the surface of Madara's depth. Or perhaps she was just bias since she had feelings for the elder brother.

Hashirama introduced Mito to Izuna, and the latter wished them well in their marriage. Aria smiled politely when Hashirama introduced her as 'Mito's friend' instead of 'the lady that came with Madara' and was extremely thankful for his tact. Then, they all decided to go back down to the banquet hall. On the walk there, she noticed that Tobirama and Izuna did not talk or acknowledge each other at all. Aria found that strange.

Madara was nursing a drink at the back of the banquet hall as they made their way to him. When they got there, Madara gave Izuna a stern look, making the younger Uchiha shy away from his brother's gaze. She felt her face burst into flame when he came and stood next to her. And not in the way he normally did - with a healthy, comfortable distance. No, he stood so close that his shoulder was brushing hers - an intimate distance. Aria felt like it was the most uncomfortable moment of her life. Appalled and embarrassed, she moved away to increase the gap, noticing the move was not lost on Izuna.

The atmosphere between the two brothers was awkward and suffocating. "Um, I think might just go grab something to eat. Please, do carry on without me." She said nervously, trying to make a get away.

Madara smiled wryly, aware of her escape plan. "I will join you."

But Mito saw the panic in her eyes. "Please excuse us Madara-san. I'm so very tired. Aria, why don't we take the food to my quarters instead?"

Hashirama caught on quickly. "An excellent idea! Mito, my dear. I have to see some last remaining guests. Tobirama, will you escort them to their rooms" Madara and his brother can sort out their own shit. Mito, Aria and Tobirama need not be involved in what could get quite messy by the look of things.

The Uchiha brothers watched as the group dispersed.

"It's her, isn't it?"

"..."

"Bloody hell aniki! What were you thinking?!"

"She's not... what you said she she was. And if if you ever say say anything like that again, I will break your neck."

Izuna's gaze softened. "I knew that the moment I saw her, but I didn't know who she was to you at the time. I'm sorry all the same."

"Hn."

Izuna smiled. "Lets get some food. And you can tell me all about... whatever this all is... To be honest aniki, I never pinned you as the type."

Madara shot him glare, and Izuna laughed, both making their way to the food. He would catch up to Aria later.

Aria wasn't stupid. She knew Mito was only trying to help her, but she shouldn't have had to. 'Grow up, woman!' She chided herself. If you are not capable of facing people that don't like you, then you don't belong in Madara's world. If you run away at the mere thought of having to confront Izuna, his brother, then you are not the woman for him. He deserves someone stronger, fiercer, and more courageous than you!'

She sighed, picking a few things from the table, while keenly watching him and his brother from the corner of her eyes. Once they got to Mito's room, Aria quietly picked at her food as they sat on the balcony. Mito and Tobirama watched on silently. "Are you alright Aria?" Ventured Mito, finally.

Aria gave her an unconvincing smile. "Yes, of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well for starters, you avoided Madara like he was the plague." Retorted Tobirama. "Hardly sends the right message to his brother, does it?"

Mito shot him a glare. "What he meant to say was that avoiding Madara and Izuna wasn't exactly the right move. Izuna is the only family he has left, and his opinion of you is going to colour his influence over his brother. First impressions last you know."

Aria shook her head. "He hates me. I can see it in his eyes." She mumbled quietly.

"Pfft. That's how he always looks." Tobirama scoffed, earning himself another glare from Mito. "Why would he hate you? He doesn't even know you."

"That's the thing - I think he does..." Mito and Tobirama gave her baffled stares. "I don't know how, but it's almost as if he knows about me already. And he's already decided I'm not worthy."

Mito put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Oh, Aria - why would you think that?"

"Madara said shinobi marry for strategic allegiances. I have neither a clan, nor title, nor am I wealthy. In fact, I don't even have anyone in my life. My parents died a long time ago and I have no siblings either. There's no one who can I trust to take my side."

She got up and put her plate in the bin, appetite lost. The two were speechless, unable to respond. Aria then went to Mito and gave her a small peck on her cheek. "Good night Mito. It's your wedding, and I don't want to ruin your night with my silly feelings. I'll see you in the morning."

"I'll take my leave too now, Mito-san. Come Aria, I will escort you to your room."

Mito felt for her new friend, but let her go regardless. She too, should probably prepare for her first night.

Back in her room, Aria proceeded to take off her finery. It felt so good to remove the layers and take off that make up so her skin could finally breathe. Keen to bathe, she dipped her hands into the wooden tub to check the temperature. It was absolutely perfect. But how? The hot water must have been from an underground thermal spring - how else could it be so warm? As she got in, she breathed a sigh of relief as her body instantly relaxed. The soft steam wafted through the air, clouding her senses and she felt her eyes draw close.

She would need to do something about her predicament. But what to do? Perhaps she should leave before Madara wakes. Yes, that would be the most wise decision. After all, what was she expecting from him? For him to take her with him? As nice as that sounded, she couldn't see how that could turn out good for either of them. And he never said where he was taking her to his home in the first place. The Senju lands were a detour and a place to lay low. But they couldn't stay here indefinetly. Madara would no doubt return to the Uchiha with his brother - but what about her? Where was she to go now?

She certainly couldn't go back to Fuma now, Madara had made sure of that.

What about her home? There was nothing left for her there.

Perhaps she should ask Hashirama if there was employment she could pursue here? No. She didn't want to become an unnecessary burden for him and Mito.

Yes, leaving was still the best option. She would ask Tobirama to get her through the woods tomorrow morning.

Madara paused at Aria's door, unsure of whether he should knock. He felt the need to talk to her, explain things to her.

He told Izuna to go on ahead, and that he would meet him in the room later. Izuna, for the most part was open to getting to know her, but had reservations about the clan. And rightly so - Aria may be beautiful and smart, but she was no shinobi. She did not belong a clan, nor was she of noble birth. She wasn't wealthy either. All the reasons why the clan might possibly accept her. In fact, her true background was less than ideal. Izuna was right - how was he going to convince the clan that she was the right woman to be his wife, let alone the Uchiha matriarch? He knew what they were going to say - If the wanted her, he could keep her - but as his mistress, not wife. But this didn't sit well with him at all. If he was going to have her, she would be his wife and nothing else.

He knocked on the door. "Aria?"

No answer. "Aria?!"

Still no answer. "Aria? Are you in there?!"

When she didn't replay for the third time, he used a jutsu to open the door and barged in just as a very wet Aria walked into the room in nothing but a towel and promptly screamed. Madara went red in the face and rushed to put his hand over her mouth. So she bit him. HARD.

"What the hell was that for?!"

"Excuse me?! You come barging into MY room without MY permission and then have a go at me?!"

"I have to talk to you."

Well, shit. Aria massaged her head. She really wasn't in the mood for this. "Madara, it's late. Can we please do this tomorrow?"

"No. I cannot rest unless we have spoken about what happened."

She sighed. "Look. There's nothing to talk about, and I'm not mad or anything so don't worry. Now, can you please leave so I can get changed and go to sleep?"

He paused for a moment, then strode over to the bathroom and closed the door. "What are you doing?" She yelled after him. "That's the wrong door!"

"I'm waiting for you to change into your nightwear so that we can talk."

He wasn't going to let this go was he? Fine. Best to get it over with. At least this way, they would both have closure. About 5 minutes later, she had called out to him. She was seated, waiting for him on a cushion on the floor. He took one next to her. "Aria, what will you do once this wedding is over?"

She sighed. "I'm not really sure to be honest."

"I would like you to come to the Uchiha clan with me."

Aria felt tears at the back of her eyes. "I'm not sure if thats a good idea." She replied slowly, quietly.

Madara was taken back. "Why?"

"Madara, I'm not stupid. This wedding has shown me that I have nothing to offer you, apart from myself. I don't want to entertain a fantasy that's never going to happen." She felt her throat starting to choke up, and averted her gaze "S-so I-I t-think its best... b-best we go our separate ways."

Madara was speechless. He didn't know what to think. He was expecting some resistance, sure, but not this. He tried to meet her gaze, but she refused to look at him. So, he reached out his hands to cradle her face. Her eyes were glassy, with tears threatening to spill. He had no idea how to deal with a crying woman, but seeing her, Aria, like this made his insides churn and ache. "Aria... Are you aware of what are you saying?"

And then they fell. Aria felt her nose go red, and the tears stream down her face. He was so close, so close, and in any other circumstance, she would have been overjoyed but she meant what she said. There was no point dragging this out for both of them. She smiled a crooked, weepy smile. "I'll never forget you, Haru."

Oh dear...'

Aria has declared it over before its even began! What now?

Is she being a coward and running away? Or is she being realistic and protecting herself from future heartache?

And was is it really only her decision to make alone? Hmmm...

What do you think Madara is going to do/say? Will he stand for it?

xoxoxox

Please review and message!