An Unexpected Romance

Chapter 2

"I have meetings with clan leaders all day. I was hoping you and your men would enjoy the perks of my village and relax. I will share my offer tonight at dinner."

Tobirama withheld his irritation. "It would be better to get it done, but I suppose you want to stand on ceremony. I'll see you at dinner."

Once his men had washed and eaten they gathered in their rooms.

"What did you think of them?" Tobirama respected the opinions of his men and was interested in what they'd seen as they'd trained.

Isamu spoke first. "They're okay. They wouldn't beat the Senju's or most of the clans from Konoha. But we can't forget there are Uchiha among them too." He added, "No one used their Sharingan at training this morning."

The other men nodded agreement, offering their own thoughts about strengths and weaknesses. When they'd finished Tobirama relayed some of his own discussions with Hata.

"I've offered for Dai to stay for a month and train, and to bring one of Hata's men back with us in exchange."

"What did he say?" Dai asked.

"He said it wasn't enough." He huffed, letting his irritation show. "He has something specific in mind and he's building up to the offer. I just hope it's something I can stomach."

"It's not as if he can trade children with you." Dai joked.

Tobirama shuddered. He wouldn't put it past Hata to come up with a harebrained scheme like that.

"He's offered us the hospitality of the village for the day. And I'll have another formal dinner this evening."

"We were hoping to explore the town. Will you join us?" Dai asked.

"I'm going to stay here. I still need to wash up from training and I'd like a quiet day for a change." Tobirama had noticed a quiet little river that snaked its way through the village, and he wanted to explore. If he was lucky he'd find a nice place to swim and relieve some of the stress Hata was causing.

An hour later Tobirama had scrubbed the dust and sweat of training off in the bathhouse and collected his breakfast from the kitchen that served the unmarried ninja and visitors.

Breakfast in hand he wandered through the bustling Hata compound until he made his way to the far side where it edged up against the cliff that surrounded the village on three sides.

Trees and grass had been planted in the thin soil and a path had been worn through them. He followed it to the edge of the river that wound through the village. The river was fed by a waterfall that crashed off the stony face of the cliff in great misty waves of water. At the base of the fall there was a wide, round basin carved out by years of water rushing through it.

Tobirama settled down by the water to eat and think. It wasn't that he didn't like Hata and his men. They'd all been more than polite and accommodating. But he couldn't shake the sense that every move made by him and his men was being scrutinized, calculated for what it might mean. And then there was the alliance Hata crowed about so loudly.

He was dreading Hata's proposal, sure at this point that it would be something he either couldn't or wouldn't agree to.

The soft sound of girlish giggles drew him from his dark thoughts. He was searching the tree line for it's source when the girl he'd seen feeding fish emerged, running for the water's edge. Another young woman followed her, quieter but no less joyful.

They were followed by a man who stood back observing the girls and the area. A guard then, the girl he recognized from yesterday must be Hata's daughter given the resemblance to Hata's wife. Her mother had spoken of her last night, Chikako.