Chapter Four: Scheme
Madara narrowed his eyes in killing intent. The pressure of his anger could be felt amongst the elders, that it almost felt cold. The room was heavy that sweat rolled down their brows. Izuna felt hesitant to take a breath or risk being beaten to death by his temperamental older brother. They say that Madara's anger could break mountains and cause even the wind to bow to his presence. Of course, that was only rumor to how explosive Madara's temper could be, but Izuna new very well how bad it could be. He could only silently watch as the elders were about to hear the worst in his older brother.
How troublesome.
Shioi was begging for death to take him to an early grave. Such words had triggered Madara to his very core. Even if he and Lady Anako were a fit in the eyes of the elders, no one can move Madara in a decision that was made by others. Madara only made decisions that he deemed worthy. No one was in charge of his fate. When his mind was made up, there was no trying to change it.
"Peasants only marry to grow the crops and work in the villages to support others. Nobles marry nobles to further expand our territory and build alliances." Shioi said, getting an angry glare from Madara. To call Tsubaki a peasant right before him was an insult. The woman he had chose to marry was no peasant in his eyes. She had showed Madara a side of himself that was long forgotten. Even through the most difficult battles and inner turmoil, Tsubaki kept his head clear of all the darkness within.
Izuna swallowed the lump in his throat as Lady Anako only silently stood to the side in silence. She was the embodiment of a noble lady: to be seen, but not heard. If one was watching carefully of the young woman, they would see her hand wanting to clench her fine clothes. Her perfectly manicured nails would be indented into her white pure skin. Her big eyes waiting to water full of tears so she could be helpless and wanting to act in front of the elders. She would be a willow being blown by the angry wind.
"We have our territory and our allies behind us. We have our strength in our shinobi's. Tell me, Elder Shioi, if you fancy this woman, why not take her in as a mistress. I am sure your wife would want someone so young to birth sons for you." Madara was not going to back down from the elders. Shioi was a slippery bastard who'd plant seeds of doubt in others. If Madara was not the strong and competent leader, then the Uchiha clan would fall because of an old man.
Shioi gritted his teeth at Madara's poisonous words. He was truly mocking the elders, more specifically Shioi himself. Since taking the role of the leader of the clan, Madara was not so easy to control or put words into his ears. He acted on his own will without second thought. He was a strong leader who cared for his people. To make their lives easier in the challenging days that had plagued them by war. Madara was good in that aspect, but when it came time for a marriage alliance; some have speculated that he did not fancy women.
Turned out the rumor was untrue by him marrying a peasant!
"Watch your tongue! As elders, we seek alliances that would better glorify the Uchiha clan. Someone so young as you only know blood and finding a whore to birth bastards." Shioi was also a man with a deadly tongue. He has not lived this long to be pushed out now by a mere pup! Madara needed to be controlled in order for the Uchiha clan to prosper.
"We have alliances by force. Who would dare cross the Uchiha clan?" Madara's voice was becoming deathly low. He was ready to cut off the head of the elder that believed himself to be higher then the rest. Madara had always went toe-to-toe with Shioi. The smug bastard of a man.
"Building alliances through marriage," before Shioi could utter more nonsensical words about alliance through marriage, Madara flick his wrist and a kunai shatter the wall that was behind Shioi. The rooms temperature dropped below freezing that one could see their breathe. Izuna looked to his elder brother with a worried expression upon his face. This was not how he had imagined this going, even if it had stopped Shioi from opening up his wrinkled mouth.
"I am the leader of this clan. My word is law and if any within this room have any say in my marriage will meet the blade." Madara's voice was cold and murderous as his eyes turned black as night ready to activate the sharingan.
The elders within the room dare not utter a word or breathe. Lady Anako was even more interested in Madara's raw power and the way he stood up for himself yet felt rather jealous of the woman who had struck his cold and impenetrable heart. She must get rid of the woman that was wed to Madara and take her place at his side as a loyal wife who will bare him many sons.
Izuna took a quick glance at the quiet noble woman and instantly knew that behind that timid expression was a fox ready to show her tail. First, he had to get his brother out of the room before he killed every single person here; Izuna would be beaten, and Lady Anako would not be spared.
Lady Tsubaki, you are going to have a difficult time when you make yourself present. We can only stop so many schemes. Izuna knew within his heart that once Tsubaki was to be moved to their compound, she will not be able to leave unscathed. There were already plots to get rid of her and knowing if she were to bare a child, she would still be threatened.
"If you cared about the clan, you would annul the marriage right now! You can keep that peasant woman as a concubine if you so please, but even if she were to bare a bastard child, it will not be pure Uchiha blood." Shioi threw an angry fit when he had come to his senses. One foot in the grave and his head would be out on a spike. Madara was about to kill when Izuna grabbed his elder brother by the shoulder to calm down murderous intent.
It was best to win with tactic then cold blood when the battle was against wit. Izuna loved Madara and would do anything to keep that peace within his heart. The elders were too prone in their traditional ways- which was not of their own doing- but Madara was going against the tide. Shioi would live to regret his opposition against his clan leader. The other elders will not be so easily swayed.
"Lady Tsubaki is more then what you have heard. Elder Shioi, maybe once you come to know her and see her talent, Lady Tsubaki would be an asset to the Uchiha clan." Izuna knew how to ease tense situations when Madara was close to ruining the moment. It was not Tsubaki's fault; though to those who did not know, they would blame the woman for catching the Phoenix when she was nothing more then a toad.
Shioi would not be convinced so easily with honey words. The elders still would side with Lady Anako; a perfect picturesque pure woman who sat silently while the men spoke. She was unbothered as her eyes kept their hold on Madara. Behind that smile was a fox.
She suffered humiliation.
Lady Anako could not stop her breathing from getting louder. She was on the verge of throwing a tantrum, but her status and reputation as a noble and meek woman, she had to swallow the anger. From her reports, Madara Uchiha was still a single man. His power and influence among the shinobi world were unfathomable. It could not compare to the richest bachelor's she has encountered. Madara was her type of man, not because of his temperament, but because of his power. The Uchiha clan was top notch.
"He is married?" Lady Anako bit the tip of her thumb. Her eyes were glaring at the vanity mirror in her designated room. She saw her reflection; the noble woman was looking haggard and wild.
"Which woman could catch a Phoenix?" A sadistic smirk flushed her lips. She was angry, yes. She wanted to tear apart the woman who caught her catch in the river. Her trip could not be wasted because of a flawed miscalculation that she did not foresee. No one could had guessed that the head of the Uchiha clan had gotten married in secret. No one was even certain if the whore was with child.
"She must be a great beauty of a whore to climb to his bed." She walked towards the vanity, looking at herself in the mirror. Gesturing to a maid that was silent and in waiting, Lady Anako raised a slender hand for the maid to come to her. The petite maid slowly walked forwards, when she was close enough, Lady Anako quickly grabbed the maid by the hair.
"Are men so easily swayed by peasants? Do they open their legs so willingly in order to trap him?" Lady Anako pulled the maid's hair so tight that the maid knew better then to cry out. She could feel every single strand wanting to be torn out of her scalp. For a young noble woman to look so pure and innocent, there was a dark hidden truth beneath that layer.
"Peasant's who are too poor would do anything to live such a luxurious life, my lady." The maid said as she tried keep herself from crying in pain. Her eyes were already close to bursting into heavy tears. Lady Anako seemed to love the statement by the petite maid and her soft voice that she let her hair go.
"True. Only so few are born into power and wealth. Unlike you, maid girl. You must come from a poor background. The Uchiha clan cannot have someone who is lowly to enter their grounds." Lady Anako looked at the reflection to see herself with a sinister smirk. A temptress in disguise as the maid, with shaky hands, began to undue her hair to brush out every strand.
"I wonder if I send a letter to my bastard half-brother, would he be able to shed blood for me?" Lady Anako said more to herself then to the maid. She was not afraid to speak of such things in secret, knowing well that servants under her thumb will not utter any words or risk being killed to keep her secrets.
The shaky maid did not say anything and could only but agree with a nod to her head. This is how all peasants should act like to those high above them. With looks and money to her name, Lady Anako will write a letter in the middle of the night and send a carrier bird to the man who was birthed by a whore. A secret within her family that none know, only Lady Anako uses that bastard to her will in exchange for coin and women.
Authors Note:
As I have promised many times, here is the next chapter. Things seem to be heating up at the moment as danger looms over for Tsubaki and Madara in the form of a new foe. Since beginning this story, I have thought of how I wanted it to go. Turns out, drama and dark themes fits this story along with the characters. There will be twist and turns as Tsubaki nears entering the Uchiha clan as the bride of their clan leader. I have taken so much inspiration from drama shows and reading too much when I have the spare time in my busy schedule. To my readers, this is for you!