Kindling

Tobirama slammed a hand onto the table, ignoring the flinches from many of the other people n the room, “Are you going to listen to me or not?” he hissed “You wanted intelligence and I got it for you, Madara Uchiha has no love for the Emperor, if he can be killed General Uchiha is primed to take his place and he will sue for peace. He has no love of this war and will be willing to see the need for Emperor Shimura’s removal, he can give you peace and he will get the celestial mandate. Unless you think you should be Emperor?” the Hyuuga across from him looked away with a grimace, he knew well that no Hyuuga could ever sit in the Phoenix throne, not after the curse laid on his family by the gods after the clan broke a vow to get their eyes. Tobirama knew, more than anyone in this room, that Madara would get the celestial mandate and would be a good emperor, he would pardon the clans of the resistance as soon as he understood that most were only fighting because they had no choice when the despotic Emperor came to power. Those few that fought for personal gain might face some penalty but that was true no matter what, the resistance couldn’t win, better to make peace on their terms.

“And what about your family? What about the Senju? Everyone knows there has been a feud between you and the Uchiha for generations.” Tobirama stiffened a little at the Nara’s question, his voice bitter as he spoke “What Senju? There are almost none of us left, a handful of children the Hatake will take in and give their name, Touka who hasn’t been seen in almost a year, Hashirama who will renounce the clan and name if given a chance. I am the only true Senju left and let’s not pretend that we don’t all know that giving the Uchiha my corpse is the best way to make a goodwill gesture. I broke the trust of the Uchiha, I’m already dead” (there was no need to tell them that the Uchiha he had betrayed was Madara, they didn’t need the particulars of how he had gotten his info-  after all he had never intended to end up in Madara’s bed).

The silence was ringing in the room and Tobirama rolled his eyes before folding his arms over his chest, “Make sure the Emperor dies- either do it yourselves or give the general an opening- and then send the Uchiha child to the imperial city with my corpse. That’s how you get peace” he didn’t stay to listen to the reactions to his words, turning to leave with annoyance. They would do what he said. They had no other choice, all that was to be decided on was how to kill the Emperor and then it would be done; they wouldn’t kill Tobirama before Madara took the Phoenix throne- wouldn’t do to loose a weapon before they had too- so he had time to get the former Senju children settled, it wouldn’t take much he had been working on it since Touka vanished and the oldest was only ten so they were receptive to a new family anyway, no yet bound to clan names  and loyalty. Maybe he could even see Hashirama again? Though it might be better not to, the farther his brother felt from the family that raised him the better, seeing Tobirama wouldn’t help that. He paused and rubbed at his aching head, trying to pretend he didn’t have to swipe at his eyes as he did (it would be worth it. it had to be. And he wouldn’t have to live without Madara long anyway. Did that make him a coward?), he should go see Kagami, the boy would be bored and Tobirama was working on teaching him about the classic scroll and stories of the gods – things that only Senju eyes had seen for years, relics of the days when they were priests with all the knowledge and blessings that entailed. Kagami was a smart boy and was handling being a prisoner of war very well, better than most and Tobirama was very pleased at his willingness to make friends with his captors instead of spitting in their faces; it spoke of a cleverness Tobirama more than approved of.

Mind made up the Senju turned to the boxy block of stone buildings striding through the doors without acknowledging the guards they were sued to him, and any way he was too recognizable for them no to know him on sight. His feet weren’t even a whisper on the stones as he approached Kagami’s cell, looking in at the tired boy; fourteen and already so worn, Tobirama wished he could have prevented this. “Kagami” he called lowly and the Uchiha’s head snapped up, his face lighting up as he saw his teacher at the door. (Kagami was smart, he knew more than they thought he did, he knew that it was Tobirama-sensei that kept him and the others safe- mostly him- it was Tobirama-sensei that made sure Kagami was warm and well fed and comfortable. That made sure he wasn’t hurting and wasn’t bored and was ok and while Kagami missed his family so, so, much, and he missed the imperial gardens and he missed Madara-sama, he was happy here after a fashion and he knew. He knew that there was no way for this to end well. Tobirama-sensei was going to do everything he could to get Kagami home and make peace- Kagami had seen his notes once- but there was no way that a fighter like Tobirama-sensei was going to be allowed to live. Not a chance. ((and Kagami didn’t know how to fix that.)))