Thunder in the Cage
Within the Senju clan's fortified compound, guarded by high walls and impenetrable barriers, time flowed erratically for Uchiha Aoi. Rising and setting, the passage of day and night was but a passing shift from the brightness of one square courtyard to the dimness of another. The fear, like the biting chill of the first few days, hadn't dissipated, but had been overshadowed by a deeper, more grinding numbness, like a thick spiderweb, tangling layer upon layer around her, dulling her perception of everything around her. Like a plant forcibly transplanted to barren ground, she breathed faintly, her life force slipping away, trapped in a seemingly pristine yet lifeless cage. Her daily presence consisted solely of the respectful yet puppet-like maids who delivered her meals on time, and the two stone-carved, icy-looking guards outside the courtyard gate.
She had tried, unwillingly, before. She'd tried to inquire, using gentle, even slightly flattering, tones from the maids about outside news, even the slightest whisper about the Uchiha, about Madara. But the maids would always drop their eyes and reply in a monotonous, unmoving voice, "I know nothing." Or, "My lord has commanded me not to speak further." Behind that respectful gesture lay an icy barrier that kept everyone at arm's length. She'd also carefully observed the guards between shift changes, trying to catch a glimpse of something unusual in their expressions or glances, but all she saw was a trained vigilance and an almost inhuman focus, as if they were guarding not a living person but a precious object. What was happening outside? Did Madara know she was imprisoned? What would Tobirama Senju, the man who had put her there, do with her? Would he use her as a bargaining chip, or... something even more horrific? These questions were like countless tiny poisonous snakes, gnawing at her already fragile nerves day and night, pushing her into the abyss of despair.
However, this stagnant, suffocating calm was finally broken on an afternoon that seemed no different from any other.
That day, lunch arrived, along with the familiar, expressionless young maid, along with a nanny, about fifty years old, her hair meticulously combed and her demeanor more composed and steady. After setting down her slightly more elaborate lunch box, the nanny didn't immediately turn and leave like the maids would have done. Instead, she stood quietly at the doorway. Her weathered eyes, slightly cloudy but not dim, held a complex mixture of indescribable pity, deep curiosity, and a near-scrutinizing gaze as they rested on Aoi, curled up on the cushions by the window.
That gaze was a stark contrast to the empty deference of the maids of the past. It was like a faint yet real light, piercing through the numbness that enveloped Aoi. Her heart stirred, an inexplicable tension gripping her, her heart racing uncontrollably. She instinctively sat upright, her gaze fixed on the maid, like a drowning man spotting a piece of driftwood in the distance.
Mammy stood there in silence, seemingly weighing her options intensely. The wrinkles on her face deepened as she furrowed her brow. The air in the room seemed frozen, with only the occasional chirping of birds outside the window, which only accentuated the eerie stillness. Finally, as if making up her mind, Mammy took a small step forward and lowered her voice. The sound was not loud, but it was like a thunderbolt tearing through the night sky, suddenly exploding in Aoi's ears:
"Young lady," the nanny addressed her with an old-fashioned respect, yet with a hint of something unusual. "Something big has happened in our clan recently."
Kui's breathing suddenly stopped, her pupils slightly contracted, and all the blood in her body seemed to rush to her head, making her feel dizzy. She stared at Mammy's lips, afraid to miss a word.
The nanny chose her words carefully, speaking slowly, as if each word carried a thousand pounds of weight: "Hashirama-sama... and Uchiha's Madara-sama... met... and began peace talks."
Peace talks?! Hashirama Senju and his brother Uchiha Madara?! Peace talks?!
The combination of these words created a shocking impact that instantly blanked Aoi's mind. She couldn't believe her ears! How could this be possible? The Senju and Uchiha clans had a blood feud for generations, a war that had dragged on for decades, accumulating countless blood debts. Countless loved ones on both sides had died at the hands of the other! Peace talks? This was even more incredible than the sun rising in the west! Could the war... really be stopped? The thought itself, like a stone dropped into stagnant water, stirred a faint ripple in her numb heart, but that ripple was quickly drowned out by the even greater shock.
Mammy didn't seem to notice Aoi's utter shock, or perhaps she did but chose to continue. She observed Aoi's reaction and continued, her voice lowered as if she were revealing some profound secret: "I heard... these peace talks are about... establishing a new village where everyone can live in peace." This idea undoubtedly held immense appeal for those who had long lived under the shadow of war, but Mammy's next words instantly pulled Aoi out of her brief trance and into a deeper pit of ice:
"And the most important and crucial point in this peace negotiation...is about...marriage."
Marriage?!
Aoi's heart skipped a beat, then pounded against her chest like a drum! An extremely ominous premonition, like an icy tide, instantly overwhelmed her senses! Marriage? At this time? To whom? A terrifying thought, one she dared not even think about, surfaced in her mind like a ghost!
The nanny's voice had dropped to a whisper, but every word was like a poisoned ice spike, piercing Aoi's heart. "It was Hashirama-sama who proposed... that Tobirama-sama... marry you... as a... bond of peace between the two clans."
"What?!!"
Aoi was struck by lightning! She suddenly jumped up from the cushion, nearly knocking over the small table beside her with such force! Her face instantly faded to a pale white, devoid of any trace of blood. Her body trembled violently and uncontrollably, like the last dead leaf in the autumn wind, ready to shatter and fall at any moment. A marriage? With Senju Tobirama?! This… this was ridiculous! This was even more unacceptable than killing her outright! She was Uchiha Aoi! Uchiha Madara's sister! The daughter of the main family, the proud blood of the Uchiha clan! How could she… how could she possibly marry that Senju Tobirama?! The cold-blooded Senju Second-in-Command, whose hands were stained with the blood of countless Uchiha clan members?! The man who had captured her and imprisoned her here?!
Shock, overwhelming anger, deep humiliation, and the disbelief of being completely betrayed by her loved ones… these intense emotions erupted like a long-suppressed volcano in her chest! The scorching magma burned her internal organs, making her feel as if her throat was being strangled, making it almost impossible to breathe! Her mind went blank, buzzing, and her vision began to black out, the world spinning.
"No... this is impossible... you lied to me! You must have lied to me!" Aoi's voice changed sharply, with uncontrollable crying and trembling. She clutched her clothes tightly, her nails almost digging into her flesh, trying to use the pain to confirm that this was not a nightmare.
The nanny looked at the young woman who collapsed in an instant, and a trace of real pity flashed in her eyes, but she just sighed softly and helplessly, but her tone was full of an unquestionable sense of fact: "I dare not, and there is absolutely no reason to deceive the girl. This matter... has long been spread in the clan, and it is not a secret. The peace talks... are indeed underway. Girl... Alas, things have come to this point, it is better... to make some plans for yourself early." After saying this last meaningful sentence, the nanny said no more, and bowed respectfully as when she came, quietly left the room, and gently closed the door.
The heavy sound of the door closing rang out again, but this time, the feeling it gave Aoi was completely different from before. It was as if the sound was not just closing a door, but closing all her possible escape routes and doors of hope.
Like a clay statue drained of all its strength, she slumped to the ground, the cold floor piercing her frail dress, yet she remained oblivious. The overwhelming amount of information, like a flood, overwhelmed her hard-won mental defenses, assaulting her long-numbed nerves. Peace talks? Marriage? With Tobirama Senju? It all sounded like the most absurd fairy tale, every word tinged with unreality. Yet, the nanny's resolute tone, her compassionate yet complex gaze, told her relentlessly that this was most likely the harsh reality! Madara-brother...how could he agree? How could he trade his sister's happiness and dignity for such an illusory peace? Could her personal wishes, her lifelong happiness, truly be sacrificed for the sake of her family's interests? A chilling chill, a sense of abandonment, chilled her to the very bone.
At the same time, the image of the man with silver hair and red eyes resurfaced in her mind, uncontrollably and with uncanny clarity, more vivid than ever before. His fierce murderous aura and cold commands atop the cliff; his resolute silver figure following closely behind her as she leaped; his broad, scarred back in the cold river at the bottom; his brow furrowed in unconsciousness; and... the hairpin she had raised but ultimately failed to pierce... These chaotic, conflicting images intertwined, forming a sharp, suffocating contrast with the absurdity of his impending husband. What a cruel and ironic twist of fate! She was to marry a man she should have hated, and indeed did, yet with whom she had shared a strange, life-or-death entanglement?
Tears streamed silently like beads from a broken string, streaming down her pale, cold cheeks and dripping onto the cold floor, leaving a small, dark, wet stain. She no longer struggled, no longer felt anger, only a boundless, oppressive despair. She had once thought being held captive in this tiny cell, awaiting an unknown trial, was the darkest moment of her life. But now she realized it might have been just a simple agony. And now, from a "prisoner," an object to be disposed of, she had become the central pawn in a vast political game. Her marriage, her body, her future would become a tool to connect two feuding families. She had been completely objectified, stripped of even the last shred of her human autonomy. Her future had once again been mercilessly thrust into the forefront, and this time, even the room for struggle and resistance seemed slim to none. She could only passively await the distant negotiations that would determine her final fate. This feeling of utter powerlessness was more terrifying than death itself.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com