The hair. It's always been the hair. The light colour of it would attract anyone near them. The face was the real distraction. They couldn't roam anywhere without guardsmen or a mask protecting their faces. Their beauty was recognized and treasured like jewels that could never be stolen and forbidden to touch.
—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—
The afternoon sun shone through the corridor windows as sunlight torched the faces of the royal family and fabricated their smiles to appear from their graves. The castle seemed to have perished and uninhabited as them––incapable of moving and eternally stuck to the walls. Silence resumed inside but was dispersed by the singing birds. A pair of dark eyes glued to them, never twitching like something was attached to those walls, something out of his reach, forbidden to see nor yet touch.
His eyes slowly lowered to the carved signature, 'Uchiha Madara' He thought about the tales that had been recited to him more times than he could count: The daring Uchiha rode to the battlefield with a blazed spirit to combat the Nine-tailed Fox.' No one in the Uchiha kingdom or faraway lands would deny him for his victories and admired him for his power. Madara was valiant and feared by rulers from foreign nations, but would that mean that all the slaughter he'd done was right and could effortlessly be forgiven?
"You've come here again," a deep voice said from behind the lad.
He didn't bother to move from his position and kept his eyes on the signature, "Is it your duty to stalk me now? older brother," he said. "I'm certain you have more important things to concern yourself with,"
His voice held no sentiment whatsoever. He wished for a peaceful morning and would get it whether it meant him chasing his brother away.
"Why unkind so early?" his brother asked, moving next to him.
"I'm always kind to you," he replied. His eyes travelled from the portrait to his brother. He glared at him and hoped that would chase him away. But after a moment, he gave up. His brother never shifted from where he stood and continually had endless foolish smiles. "What do you want?" he spoke through gritted teeth.
His brother raised an eyebrow, observing him with a puzzled look. "Can't I simply want to spend time with you?" he asked and held his gaze.
Even though Sasuke enjoyed his brother's company he would never allow himself to confess it. 'You're running away from your duties, again,' Sasuke wanted to reply but restrained himself.
"No, your motives are never good."
"I suppose so,"
Itachi's eyes turned to the engraved signature. For a time, he attentively surveyed every angle as though the picture would move at any moment. "Why are you always coming here?"
Itachi had never questioned his presence in this room of the castle before and seemed to pay no thought to it. He constantly teased him with his never-ending jokes but was kind and gentle when needed to be.
Sasuke remained silent for a moment before responding unsure of what to say.
"There is something that...that I'm looking for," he answered, sighing at how he'd given in so quickly to his brother's tempting questions, distracting him.
Itachi seemed to have acknowledged it with a slight nod in response. "You're not wrong," he said before the blank face contrary to the faint grin never disappearing from his lips. "Something is lacking and a smile would brighten it up," he said.
When he noticed the frown on Sasuke's face and the glare he shot him. Almost immediately he decided to halt the movement of his mouth but couldn't resist holding in his chuckle.
"What's so amusing?"
He waved his hand forward and back, "Nothing," he said, between breaths, "It's nothing,"
After a pause and a few deep breaths, he spoke again. "But, come with me. There's something I think you want to see,"
They proceeded to walk down the corridors, one never leaving the other behind. And sometimes exchanged small conversations between themselves and shared genuine smiles. Even though Sasuke would never admit it out loud, he enjoyed the small moments they spent together, bringing back memories of his mother flooding his mind.
"You're smiling so much it's annoying,"
Itachi turned to meet his gaze, "Really? I ought to smile most of the time,"
"Is there someone you will ask to the ball?" his brother asked with a smirk appearing on his lips. "Princess Ino is quite a charming woman, don't you think?"
'So, this is what it's all been about,' Sasuke thought and sighed as if fatigued from hearing him repeatedly speak.
"Itachi," he called with a menacing tone. "I prefer not to talk about such matters,"
"Why not consider?"
"I do not wish to," he told a bit harsher than he intended to. But he was pleased that his brother didn't speak of it again, and yet knew it would be brought up later.
—•—•—•—•—•—•—
Finally, they reached the tower. Sasuke glanced at Itachi--who was already looking at him. "Whatever of importance is up there," he said and raised an eyebrow. His brother chuckled and gestured with a nod to follow him.
At the top of the tower, the wind howled through a small window near where they stood. The door creaked as it opened like it hadn't been touched for a long time. It trembled, ready to collapse at any given moment.
He observed as his older brother entered the space leaving him unsure whether to enter or stay put. He looked back at the stairs before Itachi's voice echoed inside.
"Come on," Itachi cheered. "You're not afraid of the dark, are you?"
"If you are, your older brother is here to protect you,"
Sasuke scoffed and stepped into the blank space as though to prove him wrong. "I'm not afraid," he replied and shot him a glare. "Stop treating me like a child."
"Alright, whatever you say,"
From the exterior of the tower, he couldn't catch a glimpse of what was inside clearly.
The space was enough to contain possessions from a servant's chamber, but nothing of value attacked his attention. He thought it was empty and shot a look at his brother moving toward a wall far at the end of the chamber.
"There's nothing here," he muttered.
Itachi turned, his dark eyes shaped with red patterns. "Wait, you'll see,"
Itachi touched the wall, and his hand trailed at a taller distance––an object likely moved to the side. The ground shook and Sasuke rapidly moved back, startled by the sudden movements. He looked at Itachi with a frown but didn't appear to mind the situation and stayed near the shivering wall.
"What's happening?"
"Watch,"
Suddenly, the wall opened like a door. He looked down, observing the stairs visible at the bottom. Sasuke's eyes widened in disbelief as he glanced at his brother and back at the newly unlocked path. He tried to speak but couldn't find the words to utter. Instead, he followed after Itachi's steps, still hesitant about the idea.
Sasuke stood motionless when they reached the bottom of the stairs.
"What is this place?" he asked. His voice was nearly a gasp.
The space would have nothing unique if it were not for the tree standing in the middle of the garden. He witnessed the hues of green and the tall thin branches in various paths. Pleasant fragrances filled the air with flowers blossoming at the bottom of the tree in elegant forms.
Sasuke gazed at them, marvelling and welcoming the refreshing air. 'It's lovely,' he thought, almost muttering out.
"Do you like it?" asked Itachi, grinning.
Sasuke nodded slightly, his eyes still contemplating the garden. That place had been alive inside the castle and he paid no mind to wander around the towers, but if the king were to discover this creation would cease to exist.
"How did this happen and when-"
Itachi interrupted, already figuring out his question. "Madara. It's all our ancestors' doing," he replied. "I've waited to show this to you for a while," his eyes darted to the blossoms beneath the tree.
"Why have you brought me here?"
Sasuke was certain there was nothing special about this place, but it had a unique air of its own that could captivate anyone's attention. Something that had lived under his nose this entire time must have been significant. So many questions filled his mind and he wanted answers to each of them.
A moment passed before Itachi's answer: "There is something we must do,"
"Did you kill someone?" Sasuke suddenly asked. "I do not like to get my hands dirty,"
"What–no," he denied. "Even if I did, you wouldn't have known,"
They kept walking towards the pond separating them from the tree. "That's not what I meant to say," he sighed and stopped shifting his feet. Sasuke paused beside him eager to be answered.
"It's a heart, this place was created long before we were born and Madara was part of the cult that protected it,"
"Protected?" he asked. "From what?"
His brother turned to meet his gaze. A gleam flashed in his eyes when he spoke. "The nine-tailed fox."
"Wait---the nine-tailed fox was slaughtered by him right?"
"No, not exactly," he replied with a shake of his head. "It was sealed within a royal member of the Uzumaki family and a contract was made to keep the Jinchuriki away to protect the people from danger."
Sasuke frowned at the word 'Jinchuriki' in wonder at where he had heard it before. If it was not slain by Madara then what became of it?
"You are not implying–"
"Yes, it survived,"
The Senju royals swore to seal it away and protect their nations from danger, Itachi told. Madara and the King–Hashirama–were companions. Some insinuated and others thought they meant something deeper to one another. His brother forbid him to touch the tree and Sasuke swore to stay away from it–even though a strange feeling lured him to it.
'You must keep secret. It will not rest until it finds us and kills us all,"
He continued after a long heavy silence that seemed to have lasted for hours. "The seal is weakening," he said. "It will come back for what is rightfully its."
A chill ran through his spine at the thought of destruction and slaughter to the kingdom. "Is...is it possible to kill the Jinchuriki?"
"We aren't capable of such miracles, Sasuke,"
There was a glint of sadness in his eyes. Sasuke simply looked at him incapable of mustering the strength to comfort him. He never expected to hear about such a matter at such a time. Would a time come when they could not be powerful enough to protect the kingdom and watch it crumble to dust?
They continued to walk forward enjoying the sunlight touching their skin. The world seemed to be full of colours down there, but when they would go back life would revert to the way it used to be.
Sasuke didn't wish for that to happen. He despised unusual and sudden sentiments, but he couldn't predict this one. In his chest roused a strange feeling and he disposed of it with a shrug of his shoulders. He tried as best he could to keep his tone calm.
"Itachi, why are you telling me this now?"
"Because you both are destined to meet."
"With who?"
Itachi was staring at him without a smile, and Sasuke swallowed. He came closer. When he was barely an arm's length away, Itachi flicked his forehead and laughed when Sasuke lifted his hand to rub his forehead.
"Speak of this to no one," he whispered, backing away.
"Including Suigetsu?"
Itachi's face crinkled with laughter at the remark. "We wouldn't want the whole kingdom to know by nightfall, do we?"
—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—
A shadowy figure stood near the pond separating him from the tree. Itachi halted the motion of his lips. His smile faded like it was not there and was replaced by a stern look. A pair of red eyes had returned. Sasuke assumed something was wrong and turned to glance before him.
The shadow spun when he noticed them and gestured a polite low curtsy. He remained muted as though waiting for permission to address himself.
Itachi spoke first, breaking the intolerable silence.
"Lord Danzo," Itachi greeted with a smirk, but Sasuke could catch that he feigned his expression. "We were just speaking about you," he added, every word sour as he spoke.
Danzo frowned, "Were you, now?" he responded flatly.
"Indeed," Itachi agreed. "Sasuke asked me about the Jinchuriki, and I advised him you would clarify it better,"
Danzo's stare slowly left his brother to meet his. He regarded him with evident loath in his eyes, making Sasuke feel uneasy under his gaze. His tutor had been right about him and the aura that surrounded him. Sasuke stared back, patient and calm, waiting for him to speak up about any knowledge he possessed and expected it to be fruitful.
Itachi and Sasuke exchanged a glance.
'He will not say anything, will he?'
Itachi seemed to have read his thoughts and shook his head.
Danzo cursed under his breath, scoffing as he turned away from them, dismissing himself without bowing in courtesy. He always acted cold towards them this was no surprise to the brothers.
When certain they were he had taken his leave Sasuke released a sigh of relief.
"Temper," whispered Itachi.
His gentle smile had returned. At that time, Sasuke's lips twitched in a small unnoticeable smile.