𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 | sasuke uchiha

06

After their spar, Sasuke didn't see [Name] again for the rest of the day. He and his family members joined Akinobu and his sons for lunch, and when they had eaten their fill, they were shown to their rooms by Akinobu himself.

"Now down this hallway are two double rooms on either side of the corridor," explained the clan leader as he led the Uchiha to the rooms where their belongings had been stored. "Both rooms are separated by a partition in the middle, which you can move around as you please. I apologise in advance, but the servants placed each of your bags in a room each, so I'm unsure of whose things are where."

"Perfectly fine." Madara slid open the first door to his left and peeked in to get a glimpse of whose belongings were in the room. "Ah, Sasuke. It looks like you and I will be roommates for the night."

"Is there anything else I can do for you gentlemen before I leave?" asked Akinobu graciously, nodding at Madara.

"Please, you've already shown us enough courtesy as it is," said Madara, waving away the Kouhage's query. "Thank you."

"If you say so. The servants will alert you to when dinner is ready, and our families shall dine together before we have your baths prepared."

"Excellent."

With a final bow to his guests, Akinobu turned and headed back down the way he came, leaving the four standing in the middle of their corridor.

"Well... rest up," said Madara with a small shrug, aiming his words more at Itachi and Fugaku. "You two have a big day tomorrow. But before then, I'll see you at dinner."

"Yes, Madara-sama."

Glancing at Sasuke one more time, Fugaku and Itachi bowed to their higher up before disappearing into their room across the corridor, leaving Sasuke standing behind Madara.

"If you don't mind, Sasuke, I'd like to have a word with you."

Quizzical about what Madara would want to speak to him about now, Sasuke raised an eyebrow and sidled into their shared room as Madara held the door open, beckoning for him to enter.

The elder Uchiha quietly shut the door as he entered, instructing Sasuke to sit down.

"As you know, this marriage is a big deal for us," said Madara in an austere voice as he sat across from his younger cousin. "And from what [Name] displayed on that training ground, she is more than worth all this effort."

Sasuke subconsciously balled his hands into fists as a thought popped into his mind: if he's going to go off at me for nearly losing to her... I swear.

Ignorant of Sasuke's internal thoughts, Madara continued on breezily with his spiel.

"Typically, when children are born out of these marriages of alliance, the bond made between the two clans involved becomes stronger. Every time a marriage occurs, a child almost always follows nine months later."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, puzzled as to what Madara was trying to get to. Since he hadn't yet mentioned anything about Sasuke being unable to take on [Name] seriously, he genuinely wondered what was so important for him to be pulled away like this.

"But, here is the thing. [Name] is an invaluable asset, and a much needed one at that. Think of all the complications that come with childbearing- there's always the chance that something could go wrong, during the pregnancy and the delivery. There's always a risk. What we don't want is to lose [Name] because of that."

"So... you don't want [Name] and I to have children?"

"Correction: I don't want [Name] to have children, full stop."

Madara's steely gaze met Sasuke's already widened onyx eyes, making the gravity of the situation known.

"We need a kunoichi like [Name] fighting for us on the battlefield," the clan leader began explaining. "Not locked up at home because she's expecting child. Or, heaven forbid, on her deathbed as a result of that child. My instructions to you, Sasuke, are to refrain from [Name] at all costs and make sure she remains... untouched, to put it nicely. This is an order."

"Understood."

Amused by the stoic expression on Sasuke's face, Madara smirked and leaned forward on his elbow.

"But," he said, indicating that he wasn't quite finished yet. "Since you now have a primary wife who is unable to bear you any children, you're going to need a second one who can and will. I know you don't have much interest in women, Sasuke, but you're going to need to bear offspring if you want to fulfill your duties to the clan. And since that woman can't be [Name], I've been thinking of a list of potential women who could serve as your concubines. The more the merrier, right?"

"Will all due respect, I think one concubine will suffice," uttered Sasuke bitterly, already despising the thought of having to be forced into another marriage again. "Does it have to be so quickly after this marriage, too?"

"Don't worry, we won't be rushing things," said Madara smoothly, brushing away Sasuke's concerns. "We'll give you and [Name] a couple of weeks to settle in and adjust to living with each other, before we introduce the other woman. However, I have to warn you, now that [Name] is set to become your primary wife, she will always be above any other woman you bring into the home. As such, she will do things as she sees fit, and ultimately, this concubine will be nothing but a sort of lady in waiting to [Name], if ever she requires one.

"Also, speaking of your concubine, please make sure to visit her at least three times a week. The sooner you can get a child out of her, the better. It's unfit for a married man to not have any heirs."

"Will [Name] ever be able to have a child?" asked Sasuke, wondering what the Kouhage's future in terms of being a mother would look like. Obviously, he knew next to nothing about her, but judging by her strong-headed behaviour he had seen so far, she would not take kindly to a man she barely knew dictating what she could and couldn't do with her own body. Of course, there was always the possibility that if she did want to have any children, Sasuke was probably the last person on her mind.

"By the time she's unable to continue serving the clan on the battlefield, the chances are she'll be past the age of childbearing," said Madara thoughtfully. "But we'll see how things go. I can foresee a lot of things, but that isn't one of them."

"I understand."

"Brilliant. Any questions?"

Sasuke went silent for a moment as he pondered his thoughts, knowing that he had several questions, but was unable to word them properly.

"This concubine you have in mind... who is she?"

Chuckling, Madara shook his head at the thinking Uchiha.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," said the elder teasingly, wagging a finger in Sasuke's face. "I have an abundance of potential women in mind. That being said, I'll still need to discuss your options with Izuna and my father. We'll let you know once our decision has been made. Okay?"

"Yes."

"Good man. Now scurry along to your room. Rest up, and I'll see you at dinner."

Sasuke rose to his feet and bowed at Madara before making his way towards the partition in the middle of the room, grabbing his bag as he did so. He slid the door aside and stepped into his own quarters before shutting the door behind him, letting out a loud sigh. Not only was he being forced into one marriage, but two! Two women, who would soon become his responsibility.

The more he thought about it, the more he realised that his life was about to be turned upside down. Not only was he going to become a husband... at some point in time, he would have to become a father as well.

He wasn't exactly ecstatic about the prospect of either idea.