Your arranged marriage to a prominent feudal lord has always been a happy one or so you thought. When he suspects your lack of fertility, he takes up a mistress much to your dismay. Your sister, no less!
The overwhelming depression forces you into...
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Only an hour has passed since you began practice, but your joints already swell with inflammation. Your stomach grumbles angrily as well. "I suppose I have to do what Madara-sama suggested."
Toneri hears this and sighs with relief. "You should have listened to him two weeks ago."
"I know, but with the amount that I eat, I do not know how to soften the weight gain." You pinch at your love handles with contempt. "It shouldn't bother me as we all know that pregnancy will lead to this. I just don't want to quicken the ascension."
"Must you be so hard on yourself?"
Before you answer, your mind scours for a reason behind your reservations. "Well... The Umemoto's have always pressed that physical appearance is what made the husband happy. I can attribute that to my rationale, but I think I also feel oddly weird carrying so much weight."
"You look well for five months, my lady," Toneri comments.
You smile gratefully and extend your arm for him. In a natural flow, he brings his elbow to link with your arm. You put most of your weight on it, alleviating the strain on your ankles. "Thank you."
As he guides you back to the estate, not two minutes pass when you stop at the sight of Madara traveling towards you two. His eyes widen a marginal amount but then narrow. "Am I interrupting?"
Toneri freezes and says nothing. Recently, he has begun to rely on your voice for clarity when responding to Madara. Somehow your words pacify any situation as they are rendered honest. "Toneri-san is escorting me back. My joints ache quite a bit so my training has been suspended."
His eyes study you. Not out of suspicion but to ascertain the severity of your pain. He notices how your feet do not fit in the shinobi sandals, how the inflammation around your ankles bloat enough to make the shoes shrink in contrast.
"Would you be kind enough to escort me instead?"
His inspection finalizes itself upon your gentle words. He returns his attention onto your smile and relents any resistance. He takes one foot forward, his arm bending in a way to match Toneri's; however, his stature is far larger and far more capable of holding every ounce of your weight.
Once joined, you nod your head to Toneri. "Can you tell Aida to prepare us some tea?"
"At once, my lady." He heads off well before you two, allowing you some time to talk in privacy.
"Are you going to listen to me now?" Madara asks.
You know what he speaks of and chuckle, "Yes, yes. It is bitterly cold and difficult to navigate like this."
"It is also plain that you carry child. Anyone who stumbles into this area will know," he adds with a hint of cynicism in his tone.
"But to be trapped inside has driven me crazy." You think back on your lackluster days. "I know I have people to talk to, but I need to be doing something."
