Sunlight filters through the glass panels of the garden doors, subtly waking the sleeping girl. She squirms and snuggles in the softness surrounding her. A smile on her previously tear stained face. The warmth surrounding her was so comfortable that she wanted to fall asleep again. That's when her eyes snaps open and she analyzed her surroundings. This is not where she fell asleep. The bed she is in is so soft and warm, unlike the hard rough ground of the garden where she fell into slumber the other day.
How did she get here? She asked herself. She tried to get up but an arm around her waist stopped her attempt, pulling her towards a soft yet firm chest. Her eyes goes wide as a pink tint sprays under her eyes. She slowly turns around to see a face among the midnight manes, a face she so often dreamt about. His hold on her tightens yet again and she lets out a squeak. The warmth radiating from him is so comfortable and familiar to her, even though it was the first time she has been in his arms. Its like she belongs in his embrace. She always did.

Her eyes scans over his handsome visage, his dishellved onyx locks falling on his face. She softly brush aside them to get a better look of him. The beautiful alluring eyes that are closed now, the memory of which both intimidates and fascinates her. His slightly parted lips made him look so cute in his sleeping state, like an innocent child. She let out a giggle but bites her lip realizing her mistake. She checks to see if that woke him up and sighed relief finding it didn't. She doesn't know why, but she loves the sight in front of her. A part of her wishes to wake up to this every morning for the rest of long almost neverending life.

Her train of thoughts gets disrupted by a pair of knocks resounding through the room, waking up Madara. His eyes snaps open and the first thing he sees are a pair of ocean-blue eyes staring into his. The blush on Amaya's cheeks increases and she shyly averts her gaze from him. Madara sees her cute act and smiles. Never has his mornings been this beautiful.
Another loud knock echoed in the room and he tsk-ed with annoyance for being snapped out of his trance. "Come in Izuna." he speaks in monotone.

Izuna's head peeks in from the little gap in the sliding door first, grinning like a cat at the couple on bed. He comes comes in followed by Eiko. She bows to the duo, "Good morning Amaya hime, Madara sama."

"Seems like you slept good Onii-chan~" Izuna grins ear to ear.

Amaya realize that she was still in Madara's embrace and quickly scoots away, much to his disliking. "Good morning Otouto." she squeaks.

'Otouto!? Nii-chan!!??' Madara quirked an eyebrow.

Izuna's attention shifts to his brother, "The council wants to talk."

"Hn." Madara looks at Amaya, whose head was still down, her flushed face hidden behind ebony locks. He gets up from the bed and puts on his robe. He then moves his sight on Eiko, who fidgets a little under his gaze, "Make sure she eats something." he said and walked out with Izuna following.

Eiko let out a breath of relief, "He's quite scary." she mumbles. Her attention then goes to Amaya and then at the untouched tray of food on the table. "Hime... You haven't ate anything since yesterday..." she realizes what Madara was talking about.

Amaya, on the other hand, didn't even heard her. Her mind was occupied with some other thoughts. Eiko's voice snapped her out, "Hime!? I said, do you want me to get you something to eat first or get the bath ready?"

"Uh!... Get me some fruits and a cup of tea first."

"Hai." with that the girl leaves.

Amaya resumes her thoughts where she left. Maybe today he is going to tell them about her. About their engagement. She wondered how will his family react. She hadn't met any of them except Izuna. And yet she had already spent a night with him. She peeks under the blanket to see how her attire had shifted making her almost bare to plain eyesight. Yet she knew he hadn't tried anything inappropriate during her slumber. But she doesn't know when he came or how he found her. And what is this strange feeling? Is she already falling for him, or has it happened a long time ago and she didn't realize? But... She had just met him, she doesn't know anything about him, and yet... She feels this comfort around him along with a strange anticipation, like she has known him for centuries. Amaya had never felt safe in her whole life, ever since her father's death. But in Madara's embrace she felt secure. She knew she was crying in her sleep, she always did. But waking up in his arms, she felt like for the first time in forever, she slept like a baby. For the first time she felt... peaceful.

Then her thoughts shifted to what might happen today. Sure, he is a clan leader, but being a princess she knows how much the opinion of the nobels, or in this case, the council matters. Will they agree to this union, or will the possibilities of an oncoming war will make them differ?
She surely hope she doesn't cost Madara his place as the clan leader. Many such worries were juggling in her head until both of her attendants disrupted them again.

"A-Amaya hime. Good morning. I hope you slept well." Yuki squeaked.

"Yeah! Too well." Eiko cat smirked.

Amaya caught the teasing tone of her voice and spoke up, "Eiko cha~n. I slept all too well offcourse. But seems like your morning was pretty good too...if I remember correctly." Amaya returns her smirk.

Eiko starts blushing while playing with the edge of her sleeves, "umm... W-what are you.... talking a-about...h-hime..."

Amaya's grin widens, "You know what I am talking about.."

Eiko gulps down the lump in her throat. She and Izuna seems to meet at every nook and corner these days 'coincidently',and Amaya had noticed that. Even though Eiko was pretty good at hiding her feelings, she could still sense the subtle hints of ongrowing crush the girl was developing on the young Uchiha.

"Ugh... You win." she put the tray in front of Amaya and sighs, "here is your fruits and tea."

Yuki couldn't understand what the girls were talking about, so she gave up even before trying. "Um. Should I get something for you M'lady?"

Amaya turns her attention to her, "Yes. Get my bath ready, please."

"Please!? Oh my Lady, you're so kind." the Uchiha girl smiles.

Both Amaya and Eiko raise a questioning eyebrow at the girl's remark, side glancing each other. "What was so kind about that?" Amaya asks.

"Oh!.... Um... Sayori sama has never said 'please' to any of the maids."

"Who is Sayori sama?" Eiko's interest perks up.

"She... Um... She's.... How do I say it... "

"Oh come on. Just tell us..." Amaya insists.

"Um... She is... Madara sama's.... Lover." Eiko's eyes widens, whereas Amaya's features become passive. "Lover, huh?" Amaya's head lowered, a drop of tear fell.

                               ***

Madara was on his way to the meeting room along with Izuna. Offcourse the council knew of Amaya's arrival by now. Rumour spreads like a wildfire in Uchiha compound. He knew he will have to answer a lot of questions from them. After all, his mission was to kill the girl, not bring her home and spend a night with her. Oh! What will their reaction be when they will hear that he is planning to marry the dragon princess and produce a heir. This will be an interesting meeting.

"What are you going to tell them, Nii-san?" asked Izuna.

"What they need to know." he answers. As the leader of the clan, Madara did not like to disclose all of his plans to pretty much anyone. He is their leader and they need to trust him.
                              ***

Amaya got a hold of herself. So what if he has a lover. Its not like she could have expected him to be waiting for her his whole Ninshu-long life. Hell, he didn't even knew about her existence a month ago. She wiped her tears quickly. It shouldn't hurt. But... Why does it hurt so much then?

A knock was heard. "I'll see who it is." Yuki says. She opened the door and stiffened a bit. "S-Sayori sama..." she bows down.

"Ah! Yuki san. Didn't knew you were assigned here. Now get out of my way." Sayori says sweety at first then rudely.

Yuki quickly scoots away making way for her. Sayori enters the room with Madara's gunbai in her hands and looks around the room. Eiko steps forward, "I beg your pardon, but who are you?" she asks.

Sayori scanned her with contemplating eyes and then spoke, "Are you the Dragon princess everyone is talking about?"

"No. That would be me." Amaya gets down from her bed, adjusting her dress. She walks up to her, as Eiko steps backwards. "My name is Amaya Ryuuketsueki. And you are?"

Sayori looks her up and down with coal black eyes, 'She's prettier than I thought.'
She brings forth the gunbai, "Madara sama forgot this in my room when he came to visit me last night." she said holding it to Amaya.

"So, why are you giving me this then?"

Sayori smirks, "Well. You are going to be his wife soon. Aren't you? So, you should know your job and place. Be a darling and put it where it belongs."
'And know where you belong.' remain unsaid but understood.

Yuki gasps and Eiko scowled. How dare this woman talk to her hime like that.

Amaya, however, didn't let any emotion show on her face. With impassive eyes she looks at Sayori and then at the gunbai in her hands. She was holding it with both her hands lifting it up to chest level. It was obvious that its weight was giving her discomfort holding it up like that as the beads of sweat made their ways on her pale forehead, but she was trying her best to conceal it with a triumphant smirk. Amaya then looked at the empty space on the wall full of different kinds of weapons.
She looks at the woman again and broke into a cheezy smile. She takes the gunbai from Sayori's hands, relieving the girl from its heaviness.

"Don't hurt yourself with it. It's heavy for a delicate thing like you." Sayori says but flinches a bit seeing Amaya holding the heavy thing in one hand with no sign of discomfort at all.

Amaya just blinks and puts the gunbai in its rightful place on the wall. She comes back to stand in front of Sayori with her grin as it is. "Please don't fret Sayori san. I know my place as Madara Uchiha's wife and I know that it's a privilege." she drops her grin and replaces it with a smirk, "One some were desperate for but can never have."

At this, Sayori's smug expression falls. Frustrated, she stomps her foot on the ground and leaves the room.

"Please be a darling and close the door as you go Sayori san." Amaya's voice comes from behind her. Like a kicked dog she does as told and leaves the room seething and huffing. She came here to show the bitch her place but got told off herself. She will definitely get her for this.