A child of war

Ch 10: Epilogue

The Uchiha matriarch ran her fingers along the throne that lay in the abandoned Uchiha stronghold. Someone important must've lived here once, they don't just put throne's everywhere.

Mikoto paused as she spotted dried blood on the arm rest. That must've been Shirin's.

"I've found the files my love." Fugaku informed her, the papers in question at his side.

Her eyes fixated themselves on the files before snatching them from her husband before he could even blink.

Giving his wife, who was frantically looking through the papers, a bemused look Fugaku clicked his tongue off of the roof of his mouth. "If you wanted them so bad you could've just asked my love." He grumbled half-heartedly.

Suddenly, Mikoto stilled. "To Uchiha Mikoto & Uchiha Fugaku." She whispered, reading the title out loud. "Read wherever you want, it won't really matter now that I'm dead."

Fugaku held in a snort. Yeah, that was his daughter's letter alright.

Peeping over his wife's shoulder he placed a hand on her trembling arm.

"What does it say, my love?" He asks, barely managing to keep the tremor out of his own voice.

Taking in a deep breath the Uchiha matriarch began reading the letters contents. "Mother, father, it appears though I've died. Do not worry though, I'm sure it was through a mighty battle so I'll be in...Valhalla chugging beer with a viking?" Her tone turned questioning as she turned to him. "What in Sage's name is a viking?"

Fugaku shrugged. "Better question yet, where in Sage's good name is Valhalla?"

They'll never know the answer to either question.

Clearing her throat Mikoto continued. "You may have wondered why I've never came back to Konoha, or maybe you haven't and have drawn your own assumptions, either way I'll answer it here." She paused, her voice turning shaky. "Konoha is to me what a caged bird seal is to a Hyuga, a death sentence in the making. Konoha is filled with nothing but decaying corpses of children who knew only death and I can't watch it anymore."

Closing her eyes Mikoto doesn't bother reading on before handing the letter to her husband.

Scanning the letter in his hand Fugaku finds it in himself to continue. "It will never change, this much I know. So please, forgive me for leaving." A sob escaped his throat. "I do care for you two."

Stifling his sobs between his hand Fugaku turned to his wife who shook, not in sadness he realised, but cold fury.

"Our daughter is right." She announces with a cold tone. "This whole system really is garbage."

Konoha is filled with nothing but decaying corpses of children who knew only death and I can't watch it anymore.

There was something about that statement neither of them could shake. It was nothing knew, but perhaps the way it was worded just resonated without them

"Hn, but what shall-" his voice broke before continuing, "-what can we even do?"

"Everything!" Mikoto declares, feeling the madness her ancestors were so famous for take over her. "There is so much we can do! Shisui became Hokage now that Tsunade has stepped down with Izumi as his advisor! Both Sasuke and Itachi are war hero's for crying out loud! Our clan is in a position it's never had before and I won't squander it anymore!" She finishes, feeling more and more exhilarated as she spoke.

Fugaku didn't interrupt his wife's speech, only nodding even so slightly. "You're right, my love." He placed his hand over hers. "I will help you through everything, just say the word."