by: gamorasquill

Madara stared out the window of the carriage, watching the scenery dart past as they rode by. His eyes snapped forward to where Hashirama sat seated across from him. As soon as he looked over Hashirama, who had been looking at him, immediately averted his gaze. The Uchiha rolled his eyes with a smile and turned his attention back to the window. 

 "Do you always stare at your guests this way?" He asked, turning to the Senju King. 

 Hashirama gave him a sheepish smile and twiddled his thumbs. "My apologies...I am just simply taken by your beauty. I was not expecting you to have such fine features. I don't know I just...I pictured a--" 

 "Let me guess you were expecting some ugly brute to be wedding you?" 

 Chocolate brown eyes widened in an instant and the Senju threw his hands up. "No! No, not at all! I just...I wasn't expecting someone so delicate and--" 

 "Delicate?" Madara repeated with wide eyes and a more than amused grin. "Now not only am I beautiful, I'm delicate?" 

 Hashirama sighed and buried his face in his hands, completely mortified. "I..I'm sorry. I'll just do us both a favor and stop talking now." 

 "Oh no by all means please continue." The Uchiha insisted, enjoying the other monarch's mortification. 

 The Senju looked up at him with an embarrassed smile. He was never good at making normal conversation but the fact that he was to marry the person he was talking to now just made it more stressful to talk to him. "You're enjoying watching me make a complete ass of myself aren't you?" 

 "Very much yes." 

 The two shared a laugh and Madara shifted in his seat. So this was the mighty King Hashirama, leader of the Senju Kingdom? Well, the Senju King certainly wasn't the only one surprised by the other. 

 "I apologize, I just...I do not know how to act around you." Hashirama replied, reaching up to scratch the back of his head. 

 "Well, I am just pleased that you act civilized towards me...which is more than I can say for your brother." 

 Hashirama immediately frowned, remembering the earlier scrap between his brother and betrothed. Tobirama had said some less than favorable things to Madara and they had to be separated before something awful happened and a horrible mistake was made. 

 "Please forgive him, he is just--""Filled with hatred. Don't worry...it's to be expected. He is certainly not only one, my brother and my colleagues are as well and I am sure yours are as well. We have been at war with each other for over two hundred years. The hatred won't just evaporate into thin air simply because we have reached a conclusion that will end it. It has been taught to us since we were children, engraved into our minds and hearts. A marriage between us will not change that. We must end these lessons of hatred and start teaching new ones of...of...--" 

 "Love?" Hashirama suggested, noticing that the other monarch couldn't find the word that he was thinking of. 

 Madara sighed and turned his gaze back out the window, his lips curling in a smile. "I was going to say tolerance but I suppose love is even better." 

 "I think loving each other is so much better than simply tolerating each other. Wouldn't you agree?" 

 The Uchiha turned to look at him, eyes glinting with something the Senju couldn't quite place. "On that we do agree." 

 ................. 

 Izuna glared at the roof of his cottage, trying to ignore the man sitting across from him. Why his brother insisted that he and the Senju Prince ride together he had no idea, but it didn't please him not one little bit. He couldn't stand the silver haired man and he was quite certain the other couldn't stand him either which only made their predicament worse. 

 "Are your carriage rides always this bumpy and uncomfortable?" The Senju asked grouchily, slouching in his seat. 

 "Excuse me?" Izuna asked, setting his glare on the other. 

 "We have been bumping and jerking this entire ride. It's making me sick." 

 "Well...we have been "bumping and jerking" because there is no road for our carriages to ride on. Nothing but jagged stone and slippery earth. Perhaps you Senju should construct a road between our kingdoms if you would like more comfortable carriage rides." The Uchiha fired back. 

 The Senju growled at him and he happily returned the favor before turning away and slouching against the window. "You Uchiha are insufferable." 

 "And you Senju are no better." 

 "At least we are civilized human beings." 

 Izuna felt something in him snap and he sat up and uncrossed his arms. "What did you just say? You're civilized human beings? And what are we then?! Hm!? Are we animals to you? Not worthy of living in your eyes!?" 

 Tobirama leaned forward and met his furious gaze head on. "That is exactly what I'm saying. Uchiha dog." 

 "If it was not for my brother and his love for this alliance between our brothers I would bury my fist right in your arrogant face." The Uchiha Prince growled, staring deep into the other's crimson eyes. 

 He slumped back into his seat and turned his eyes back to the window and returned to watching the trees pass by. "You Senju are the whole reason for this war. Your intolerance and hatred of things you don't understand prompted your King to try and invade Uchiha soil and because of that we have been at each other's throats for years. Now there is a chance to stop the fighting and constant bloodshed and you try to sabotage it." 

 "If that is what you truly believe then you Uchiha are more ignorant than we thought. No one truly knows how this war between us began. Some say the Senju tried to invade, others claim the Uchiha attempted to kill one of our kings, there is even a story of how the Senju stole the wife of an Uchiha King and that is how it began. No one knows the truth and no one ever will." 

 Izuna remained silent for a while, eyes focused on the forest and it's beautiful scenery. "Perhaps." Slowly he turned to the white haired man and lowered his eyes. "Yet, still you try to destroy all that our brothers want. Peace. And if I was younger and still a bit more headstrong and angry I would have let you but my brother's wish for peace between us outweighs my desire to strike you down. Now, I would like to endure the rest of this journey in silence." 

 Tobirama glared at him but said nothing, turning to look out his window as well. The tension in the air was suffocating and he couldn't wait to arrive at the castle so he could get as far away from these foreigners as possible.

 ................ 

 Madara shifted as he heard the trumpets in the air, signaling the return of the King. Moments later the door was opened and two rows of men all dressed in uniform were waiting for them. The Uchiha looked up as Hashirama rose and exited the carriage, turning and outstretching his hand to him with a smile. 

 "What are you doing?" Madara questioned as he stood and headed to the door. 

 "Assisting you out of the carriage. It's only right...since you are my betrothed. Come, no need to be shy at all. Your arrival here was kept a secret from the public. No one even knows you are here." 

 The foreign King stared at his hand for a moment but nodded and accepted. He allowed the Senju to aid him out of the carriage and looked up with wide eyes at the beautiful palace which greeted him first. It was surrounded by unfamiliar trees which were barren of their leaves and left nothing but broken looking plants. An enormous staircase led up to the palace where a single woman waited. 

 She quickly descended the steps and rushed up to King Hashirama, bowing lowly in respect and rising with a bright smile. She was a beautiful young maiden with blood red hair and green eyes. Her gown was enough in itself to prove her noble status, a rich velvet red gown trimmed with gold and sparkling with rubies and yellow diamonds. A golden circlet sat around her forehead and more gems glittered all over her person. 

 "Your Majesty!" She exclaimed happily. "I have never been so relieved to see your face. You gave us such a fright last night...we all feared the worst! What were you thinking!?" 

 "I simply needed a moment alone to clear my thoughts, but I discovered something out on my travels." He replied with a grin. 

 "Oh? And what pray tell is that?""My future spouse!" He eagerly announced, taking Madara by the hand and pulling him up to his side, presenting him to her. "Mito...I am honored to present King Madara." 

 Her smile immediately died down and she gave Madara a look so cold he felt a fist of ice cold around his heart and a shiver rush down his spine. He shrunk away from the harshness of her glare and even shifted nervously. For a woman so small in stature she certainly held a fierceness to her. 

 She bowed slightly, inclining her head to him. "Your Majesty...it is truly an honor." She stated, though her voice was still void of any emotion and warmth. 

 "Yes, I thank you." He stated. 

 "Your Majesty...I suggest we show these foreigners to their rooms and see to their things. I am sure that they are all tired from their journey and wish to rest." 

 Hashirama nodded, noticing the cold aura around the noblewoman. "You may take his nobles to their rooms, I will take Madara to my bedchamber as he will be sharing it with me." 

 Madara gasped and turned to him, his face flushing a deep beet red. He opened his mouth but quickly shut it, deciding it would be better to not argue their customs. 

 "Come." Hashirama urged, tugging him towards the palace. "Let's get you settled and then see about getting you something to eat, I am sure you are famished and hungry for a real meal." He replied with a warm smile. 

 His words brought a smile to the Uchiha's lips and he nodded, allowing himself to be led towards the palace.