ᴀ sᴛᴇᴘ ɪɴ ᴛɪᴍᴇ | ᴛᴏʙɪʀᴀᴍᴀ sᴇɴᴊᴜ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

15. ᴀ ɴᴇᴡ ʀᴏᴏᴍ

Your eyebrows furrow as you glance at the front of the envelope. "It's from Akito..." You purse your lips. "Does Tobirama know that he sent this?"

"It was received through his own bird just now. I do not believe Master Tobirama is aware of its existence," she answers instantly.

'So it didn't go through Utake,' you think to yourself as you notice the seal still on. "Why didn't you have it inspected?"

Hisa hesitates, "The bird flew into your previous room, and I noticed it. Most of your correspondence has been filtered heavily that I made the selfish decision to give this to you."

She speaks in a tone that conceals her intentions. You cannot tell if she holds pity for your caged status or has other motives in facilitating contact with Akito. Unfortunately, you cannot remember the face of your maid when you first stayed at the Senju mansion. You don't recognize Hisa being the person who tended to you since you refused to look at anyone. What you do know is that your previous maid had a different voice from Hisa.

Either way, you appreciate the chance to find out Akito's impression of you. "Thank you, Hisa. You may leave now."

"Yes, Your Royal Highness." She bows and departs, leaving you alone in your room to read this letter.

As you open up the envelope, pushing back the questions about your maid, you wonder what you will discover. Will he threaten you to leave his family? Judging from how he destroyed your room, it's the most probable assumption, but Hisa did mention that Tobirama had never punished Akito before, meaning that his behavior was always model-like before you came along. 

It makes no sense for a boy to suddenly become aggressive. Something in regards to your arrival set him off, and you hope that this letter will absolve you of this confusion.

"Dearest stepmother,

I hear that your new accommodations have been completed and wish to extend my deepest apologies for my actions that have caused you great discomfort."

You inspect the sentence a few more times. This boy has never apologized to you before. When he occupied the mansion, his behavior was brutish and arrogant. Even if he was in the wrong, he would never admit to it. Though a tad unsettled, you resume reading.

"I wish I exercised the same restraint as my father. Your union was a sudden one that took my father and I by surprise. No reason can excuse my moment of brief frustration, but I wish to inform you of why I felt that way. 

For our people, the Empire has always been an affliction, constraining lands from us and forcing subjugation on us to survive. I had believed you to be cut of the same cloth and allowed my assumption to lay waste to your room."

He speaks with an eloquence you never knew of him that for a moment you wonder if this was written by someone else. Then clips of memories resurface. You always did catch him with a book on hand, and someone did mention that he enjoyed reading by the gardens. Maybe this boy is more scholarly than shinobi.

"When I received word of your kindness, how the citizens adored you and how you've been involved in watching Konoha grow, I realized that my prejudices destroyed your first impression of me. I am relieved that my father sent me on a retreat. I needed a stern moment away from the bustle of your arrival to pursue a deep retrospection. One that has allowed me to see that it was I who did wrong. 

In truth, I thought it was easier to reject you first before another mother rejected me. Title this the woes of a child, but I never wanted to give you a chance even though my father pleaded for me to try. I wanted things to remain the same. But to see my people flourish has me believing that maybe I too can benefit from having a new family member. Maybe I too can experience the benefits of a mother.