The fruit of the brother's decade + of manipulation and preparations with Kaguya. The results? Less than you'd think, far more than poor Aika Uzumaki would like. Revised and cleaned up: 12/10/2023
Chapter Text~ Chapter 12 ~
Evening. ~ Uzushio ~ the whirlpool stronghold and home to Lord Kyou Uzumaki and his wife Aika. ~
~Six months before the "Uninvited Noble" meets "The Wellspring Maiden" in Oasis.
"How dare you keep me prisoner- THIS IS MY HOME!" Shouted Aika Uzumaki. Her words aimed at Wagamaru Uzumaki. An exhausted man trying to do exactly what protocol requires.
"With respect my lady, I'm only doing my job. These allegations are serious, we must take all precautions."
Calming herself slightly, Aika relents. "Fine, although I'm sure you'll find them to be wholly without merit... I don't like this, but I do understand."
Releasing another breath, a tense Aika makes a request. "Very well. In the meantime, please. My daughter is dead. Please, I'm begging you, at least let me see her body."
Though Wagamaru pities the woman, he knows it's not permitted. Too much risk of any evidence being compromised.
"I'm very sorry Madam. Not at this time, but I promise you, that once the investigation is complete we will release Mito into your custody.
~
"I really wish I had declined this case." Wagamaru conceded to himself. The more evidence his people uncover, the worse the picture is looking as a whole.
It's not just what was collected from the scene, there is a veritable menagerie of tidbits right here in the Uzumaki manor that paint a disturbing image of their noble house.
"Yet another piece corroborating our princ- Mito's writings. Why can't this be an easy open-and-shut case?"
~
'Damn it!' Repressing the curse struggling to release itself from his lips, Wagamaru is more frustrated than ever.
Turning the page of Mito's first journal, once again Wagamaru doesn't like what he is finding. Reading aloud, "the beleaguered investigator" again wishes he had declined.
"Father brought "THAT WOMAN" by again. It's bad enough he left Mother, there's no need to rub this "Sora" or her new pregnancy in my face."
"It's a daughter. Apparently, I am to celebrate my impending new sister. Disgusting. I WILL NEVER accept this insult."
"He claims he's being generous, not reducing my status to bastard. Yet Shiroyuki has already claimed my title as "heir" and with Reiji as "spare" what exactly do I have left to appreciate?"
~
Pouring through years of written, increasing animosity, Wagamaru frowns. "So THIS is where Aika comes in? She was ALWAYS involved in such a plot? What a disturbing mind. I suppose the saying is true, like mother like daughter."
' But then again, that woman was always clever. Too clever to be trusted.' Mused Wagamaru. His unconscious (but very much pre-existing bias against Aika, their headstrong matriarch, made it very easy to think ill of her.
"Once again Mother you are my salvation! The seal we created worked like a charm. Father is already beginning to turn on them. Once things reach a breaking point, we can steal back the documents. I know it's protected, but we can at least keep them out of sight. No one will remember Mother was cast out and I'll be an "only legitimate child" again."
"Things didn't go as well as we wanted but it's good enough. Mother assured me last night that the smaller details aren't so important. The main points were addressed, Sora is believed to be a mistress. Once she is removed to recover Mother's grace, I can collect my pearl diadem from Sora's remains. All will be as it should.
"No, no, no, NO! How could I be so inefficient? Of course, THAT WOMAN would ensure the brats escape. Damn her Uchiha eyes. What's worse they have MY inheritance. My proof as heiress. Mother says they'll surely drown, I can only pray she's right.
~ So far as the impartial Wagamaru can see, Mito's most recent writings don't paint any more flattering an image. "She was going to do THAT to Hashirama? The Senju are our allies, to kill him would be unforgivable. Such shortsighted brashness."
~
Digging through the coordinates mentioned, Wagamaru is desperately hoping what he finds will absolve his distant cousins. To his dismay...
'It's okay. I'm a professional. In times like this... Dump it on Kyou! As our leader this is his problem now!'
A baffled Kyou Uzumaki tries and fails to maintain eye contact. His friend is being suspiciously evasive this evening.
"What am I looking at?"
"Uh well, my lord. At the top of the stack is a certification of divorce. Approximately twenty years old. I'm sure you recognize your signature and blood stamp..."
"And, you can see by the outdated court seal this isn't a new one, I know the current official version was modernized about a decade ago-"
"Cease your rambles Wagamaru. Deep breaths now. Yes. Good." With Wagamaru no longer so visibly strained, Kyou presses on.
"Now then my friend how about you start from the beginning."