𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 | sasuke uchiha

16

[Name]'s final goodbye to her family the next day was a painful one, and she didn't even get the opportunity to farewell everyone she wanted to. Due to Madara wanting the Uchiha to move out of her family's village as soon as possible, her things had been hurriedly packed onto the carts they had brought her dowry gifts on, and she herself had been pushed out of the village.

There were tears from both her parents and Mai, as well as smug looks from Akiyuki and Akinari, but from the newlywed bride herself, her eyes remained dry as ever. As the Uchiha procession continued through the village, bystanders gathered around the streets to get one last look at the woman who had made such an impact on her family members.

"Nee-chan! Nee-chan!"

A round of raucous calling for the Kouhage brought her attention, and regardless of Madara's instructions for an undisturbed exit, [Name] stopped in her tracks to speak to the younger children one last time.

"Nee-chan, you can't be leaving!"

As [Name] broke away from Sasuke's side to greet her students, the tears in their eyes and sadness on their faces were enough to make her shed a tear herself.

"Nee-chan, you were meant to be mentoring me soon!" cried out Taiki, who was flailing his arms wildly amongst the throng of children to get her attention. "Why are you leaving?!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," said [Name] with a bright smile, even though tears were now falling freely down her face. "Look, I'll come back and visit you all, okay? When I come back, you can all show me how much you've improved!"

There was a collective cry as the group of seven or so children huddled around [Name] for a hug, all saddened by the thought of having to see their older sister leave.

"Look, Yumi and the others will all teach you well, so make sure you behave and listen to them, okay?" choked [Name], bending down to embrace the group easily. "That's my last instruction to you as your teacher. Can you all do that?"

Although teary eyed and heartbroken, all the children backed away from [Name] and bowed down deeply with their hands in front of them.

"Yes, nee-chan!"

With a wistful smile, [Name] made sure to pat all of the children on the head once more, and quickly said her individual goodbyes to them before Madara could catch her.

"Nee-chan, we'll miss you!"

"Come back quickly, nee-chan!"

As [Name] hurried away from the weeping children to rejoin Sasuke's side, even she was a wreck, and this was quickly noticed by the Uchiha.

"Hey, come on," he murmured under his breath, hands behind his back as he walked closely beside her. "Do you really want your clan's last impression of you to be this?"

"G-Give me a moment," hiccuped [Name], furiously wiping her eyes to prevent the onslaught of tears that were obscuring her sight. Sasuke sighed, but didn't reprimand her any further. As they approached the village gates, at the head of the entourage Madara stopped and turned around as the gate was opened.

"Goodbye, Kouhage clan!" called out the Uchiha, looking directly at [Name]. With a sniffle, she turned around and bowed deeply in the direction of the village, saying her last goodbye to her family, friends, and childhood memories. There were no words- just actions.

Once a Kouhage, [Name] left her family as an Uchiha.

***

"Here we go. Home sweet home."

The trek from the Land of Rivers back to the Uchiha compound in the Land of Fire was not a short one, and by the time the envoy had arrived, several of the people still knackered from drinking too much at the wedding celebration were just about ready to call it a day.