Madara Uchiha | the thorns in the shadows

2.

Manami Uzumaki

~~~~~

My sister is known in our family for being the sensible one. She's never seen doing anything improper, and always respects those around her. There's always been this one instance that has stuck in my mind from when my sister once portrayed this sensibility. It was the last time our clan had an organised meeting in Uzushiogakure.

The room was in chaos, woman screeching at their husbands and men yelling at each other. 'An idiotic dreamer' was what I picked out of the conversation, the rest was a blur.

My father was tiredly arguing with his second cousin, Kuma Hagoromo, about the ties between the Uchiha and Senju. Kuma was not a blood related Uzumaki, but married an Uzumaki, therefore he had some sort of say in the matter. But I do not believe my father and him are on good terms still.

Besides this, the noise and the stress, it was my sister Tomoko who calmed down the room. She quietly stood from her place, cleared her throat loudly and began walking in front of everyone, giving them all small pats on the heads.

Everyone immediately stopped their bickering and turned towards her in confusion. And when they had done this, she bowed her head and calmly sat down once again.

Such a strange gesture, but she seemed to have cleared everyone's minds long enough to prevent a cold war between the two sides of the family.

That's what's not made so public about our clan. Our ties run deep yes, but not everyone believes in the little fantasy of following the Senju wherever they may go. For example, my father being one of them. The rest it would be hard to marginalise.

Tajima Uchiha it seemed, was very involved with his clan. From where I now sat, I felt several gazes on me. Tajima was...intimidating despite the gentleness his face held. I have always been afraid of when I would meet him again.

The first time I will never forget. I was 8 at the time and running around the Uchiha compound with the one and only idiot and his brothers, just as I turned a corner I crashed against someone. The impact made me freeze with shock and fall pathetically in front of the person. The person being Tajima Uchiha, he held a firm frown.

"Who are you, girl?" He questioned me in his husky tone. I was almost speechless if it wasn't for the others that now stood beside me wearily.

"Tomomi, sir." Came my timid reply. And then he smiled, brightly and wide and looked me up and down, it confused my small child mind. It wasn't that he was mean to me or anything that made me slightly afraid of him. It was the way such a man, with such power could become so calm. Ever since that meeting, when he gently said his goodbyes and carried on his way, I had been anxious about our next meeting. And of course now was the time for me to show him how much I had grown.

My father closed his eyes for a split second before staring at Tajima with an equal gaze. He spoke, "I am here to discuss our ties with the Senju and Uchiha," and that's when my heart thumped with sudden panic.

What is Atsushi talking about? Why would he be conferring with the Uchiha about our business with our allies?

Tajima didn't seem so swayed by my fathers announcement. But then again, I remembered what I had been told. That Tajima was expecting all that my father was about to tell him. But again I was not prepared for when my father uncovered the rising question in my brain.

"I want to become allies with the Uchiha clan."

Did I gasp? I couldn't tell you if I did as I intensely glared at the floor in front of me. This was not what I was expecting. Arranged marriage? Land ownership treaties? I was thinking that they would be more of the topic in this meeting. But then again, my father has his secrets, although this one was not well hidden from everyone but me.