Fugaku regretted his life choices. Maybe if he left like Madara-sama he could settle on a quiet farm and just care for crops, get drunk in the evening and watch the sunset. But no, his sense of obligation forced the man to sit and watch as his darling daughter was whisked away by the Daimyo 's son.

When did she grow up?

he wondered taking note of everyone 's eyes on her. It felt like only yesterday she said her first words ' The man sighed under his breath and turned back to the stack of papers in front of him. The negotiations were going well so far.

'Where have you been? ' he found Ryoko later that evening and pulled the girl aside from prying ears to speak with her.

'Horseback riding, ' Ryoko kept her smile, which looked almost out of place. He knew her real smile and this was not it. Believable, but not

the same

.

'...Hn ' ' he didn 't have words to that. Fugaku could only hope that tomorrow will be better. Kami didn 't listen to his prayers '