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On a busy market street in Kyoto, a young woman was suddenly distracted from her shopping for her family’s restaurant. As a portly magistrate huffed towards her, he traced his lips with his vulgar, red tongue. She knew immediately what he wanted; the same thing he had been bothering her about since she came of age many seasons ago. “Marry me, Soma,” the grotesque man cooed. He extended a set of greasy fingers to fumble with her hair, and she immediately recoiled from his unwanted touch. His breath reeked of alcohol. “Milord, I have told you no many times,” she protested, shaking her head as if trying to shake his very presence from hers. The magistrate grabbed her by the waist and pulled her tightly against him, causing her parcels to fall onto the dusty ground all at once about her feet. As his large body overtook her with its sheer size, Soma struggled just to find her breath. The magistrate laughed evilly at her, and a small crowd of passersby started to gather to watch the commotion. “I know you have, my dear,” he replied, his voice staggered by his exertion, “but my need for you becomes ever dire… much to my discomfort!” With those words he thrust his lower half against her and she felt what she could only assume was his erection through the fabric of their clothing. Her eyes went wide. “Help me!” She cried aloud, to anyone who was listening. Much to her dismay, the crowd looked around at each other with embarrassed faces and slowly began to disperse. He clapped a hand over her mouth. “Do you mean to humiliate me, woman?” He hissed. Unable to breathe, Soma finally managed to wrench herself away from him, causing the magistrate to lose his balance and fall to the ground amongst her parcels. She spun around to face him, her fists clenched at the ready to strike; his face was red as burning coals as he attempted to stand, unsuccessfully. A group of retainers suddenly appeared and tried to help him, each struggling to bring him to his feet. Not knowing what to do, Soma fled the scene, wincing at the sound of the enraged magistrate as he shouted after her. Though no one attempted to help her before, no one attempted to stop her, either. Winded from running, Soma burst through the door of her family’s restaurant, only to be greeted by the friendly faces of her customers and friends. She sighed in relief. Her mother looked up at her and her expression of surprise quickly changed to one of concern. “What happened?” She mouthed the words at her daughter as she expertly tended to a workman’s empty teacup without even looking. Soma just shook her head as she disappeared into the kitchen. Her younger brother was tending the stove. “Hey, Soma!” Yahiko shouted without even turning to see if it was her. “How was the market?” “You’re doing a good job with that cooking fire, Yahiko,” she encouraged him, choosing not to answer his question. It was true; their father would have been very proud of him. Soma didn’t imagine that being the man of the house at only twelve years old could be easy; but Yahiko fell into a routine so naturally that it was almost supernatural. The boy turned his head to look back at his sister with a raised eyebrow. “Did you forget my burdock root?” He asked, very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that Soma had to stifle a giggle. “I think the magistrate may have caused Soma to cut ties with all of this evening’s produce, Yahiko-chan,” Mother sighed as she entered the kitchen behind them. Soma turned to face her and bowed deeply. Mother gave a dismissive ‘tsk’ and pulled Soma towards her. “It’s alright, little lady- Shhhh… There you go. Tell us what happened this time.” Soma described her conflict with the magistrate and how disappointed she was in their community for not stepping in to defend her honour. Mother listened quietly until she was finished. “Soma-chan, I hate to say it…” she said finally. “But this kitchen is the safest place for a woman in these times. We are both very lucky to still have it, and your brother, too.” No sooner had she finished her sentence when a tapping came from the back door. She answered it, and a man who Soma recognized as one of the magistrate’s retainers from earlier passed her what appeared to be the parcels they thought were long lost. He bowed to them and quickly left, a look of sincere remorse upon his face; it was no secret that the magistrate was not a popular fellow, even amongst those loyal to him.Mother set the produce down on the counter and Yahiko happily went to work on trimming the burdock root for his soup. She saw a letter marked with the magistrate’s seal poking out from a bag of garlic and picked it up, the corners of her mouth turning upward in a mischievous smile. “Perhaps the magistrate wishes to convey his apologies,” she mused as she opened the letter. Her smile quickly faded, and Soma rushed to her. “What is it, Mother?” She asked, putting her arm around the woman and reading over her shoulder. The letter was not one of apology. In fact, it hadn’t even been written by the magistrate himself. It was an official warrant conscripting Yahiko into military service. He was to travel to the region of Kai to become the new poison taster to Lord Takeda Shingen, a prominent daimyo.Shingen, in an attempt to align with the Uesugi clan, was marrying off his niece. Soma heard a drunk samurai bragging about it in the restaurant perhaps a month before. This plan, and of course his position, made the lord a popular target for assassination. Many did not want to see their country unified, having prospered so well from the seemingly never-ending feuds that occurred between landowners. Skilled samurai warriors were considered as gods and were respected as such by royalty and commoners alike, forging their very livelihood from the art of spilling blood. Some of these clansmen feared that a unification of the country meant an end to their romantic lifestyle, while others were convinced that their tradition would continue for centuries to come, peacetime having no ill-bearing on the sacred martial arts. Soma didn’t understand the politics behind it all; though she always felt a bitterness toward the wars for claiming the life of her father only a few years before. Along with many others, he died protecting the capital from invasion. Along with many others, Soma found herself longing for the end of the age of the samurai. Yahiko took the letter and read it in noble silence. As she watched him, Soma knew that this order was meant solely as punishment for her own behaviour. “Yahiko…” she began, “I will go to the magistrate right away and accept his propo-“ “No,” he cut her off. He tried to comfort her with a forced smile that spoke of a maturity beyond his years. “I don’t want you to do that, Soma. I will make ready to leave for Kai tomorrow.” They finished their dinner service with an eerie calm that was sensed throughout the restaurant. Their customers shared in the sadness of the family’s burden, and some even offered money, as well as advice to the boy about getting to Kai safely.As they spoke, Soma listened intently, and took notes on a piece of paper she hid in the sleeve of her yukata. She knew that Yahiko’s absence would only exacerbate the magistrate’s harassment. It did not take her long to decide that she would go to Kai in his stead.Readying herself while her family slept, she stole the pack that Yahiko had prepared earlier for his own journey, and left in its place a note for him to discover in the morning. She felt no fear of he and Mother’s displeasure, only remorse at their impending worry. Despite the constant talk of conflict outside the safety of the city walls, the people she encountered on the road mostly kept to themselves. Where this would have once disappointed her considering her normally very social demeanour, she was thankful for it now. She observed those around her with a renewed fervour due to her strange circumstances and learned much on her journey about the political situation in Kyoto, as well as the particular warlord that she would be serving.Lord Takeda Shingen was known as The Tiger of Kai, and it was common knowledge that he forced his own father from his seat of power where he placed himself in his stead. He was hence rumoured to be a soulless and wretched man. Soma understood that it would take much to betray one’s own father, and so she suspected that there was more to the story than that. She actually found herself looking forward to seeing for herself whether or not the man truly was a beast, as she was very curious by nature and usually unaffected by idle gossip, though it circulated like air throughout the restaurant. The journey itself took her five days. She decided to pace herself along the main road that wound North-East through Nagoya. She stuck with other peasant travellers, carefully maintaining her disguise, and made it to Kai without any incident. That being said, as she approached the gates of Tsutsujigasaki Castle, her fate became that much more visceral. She saw the guards look her over with suspicion, and suddenly became very afraid that the warlord’s reputation for brutality might actually be warranted.The guards reviewed the magistrate’s conscription order and allowed her onto the castle grounds. There, they told her to wait while one of them fetched a representative from the estate. She did not have to wait long until the guard reappeared with a small boy younger than Yahiko who approached Soma with a wry grin. “Yahiko, huh,” the boy huffed with a confidence that rivalled her own. She nodded. “My name is Sasuke.” Sasuke looked unusually focused for someone his age. Soma assumed that he was one of the servants of the estate but he carried himself with such conviction that it made her question that assessment entirely. Moreover, she wondered where his mother was. “Come with me,” he indicated with a casual wave of his hand. The beautiful estate was very large and intimidating. Soma did her best to memorize the layout as they navigated their way through the main house, suspecting that no one would have the patience to show her twice.When they entered the main hall, they were met with at least a dozen hard-looking retainers facing a very regal man who was seated on the dais. What truly struck Soma was not the shock of beautiful red hair flowing past the man’s shoulders, but the muscular and much younger attendant at his side who seemed to be gawking at her rather indiscreetly.Soma never forgot a face and recognized the young man immediately; he was one of the drunken samurai defending Shingen’s honour in her restaurant several weeks before. Fearful that she would be identified, she quickly tilted the brim of her hat so that it hid her eyes from his. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, and she drew her cloak tightly around herself to try to keep from shaking. “My Lord Shingen,” Sasuke announced with a bow. “Your new poison taster has arrived.” Soma’s focus remained defiantly on her feet out of fear of being recognized by Shingen’s attendant; but she knew that all eyes were on her. A slightly curvaceous woman, she herself was even skeptical about her ability to convincingly assume the identity of a young boy, and the men’s looks suddenly felt sinisterly familiar. “Are you so eager to die in service to me, boy?” A deep, resonant voice boomed from the dais. It was Shingen. Soma lowered herself to the floor in a deep bow. “I am honoured, milord,” she replied, and she heard Sasuke and the others chuckle menacingly from above. They had likely all seen first-hand what happened to those previously employed at the castle for this service. “As you were, then,” the daimyo indicated. His deep voice was almost musical, being the only voice in the room not having a laugh at her expense. As Soma stood up, she glanced towards the dais and remarked internally that Shingen was nothing at all like she imagined him to be; he was quite grand, in fact. Attractive and with a kind face when he observed her, he sat poised on the dais like the giant feline for which he was nicknamed. His eyes were golden, and shone with a passion she had not seen in a man’s eyes since her father’s. When he stood, his height stretched upward to nearly two meters; he also appeared notably strong and with broad shoulders that seemed capable of carrying the whole world if they needed to. “You will have your chance to prove yourself in an hour when dinner is served,” he said. He nodded his head toward the small boy, “Sasuke, show him to his room and have him clean up. That magistrate said he’s a strong one, but he’s likely quite weary from that long journey.” What does he mean, strong? Soma wondered, seriously considering the possibility that there would be more opportunities for death in her future than just by poisoning.The handsome attendant beside Shingen piped up, suddenly even more interested than ever in the new hire. “A strong one, eh?” He exclaimed, apparently excited. “We like those around here!” The whole room made sounds of agreement but when Soma looked over at her small guide, Sasuke was analyzing her body as skeptically as she had been earlier. She thought that her bound bosom might give the illusion of some muscle; but her wrists and ankles were still those of a woman, and her skin bore nary a blemish. It would be very difficult, if not impossible for her to maintain her false identity if she were ever solicited to get too close to any of these men. Shingen dismissed everyone and retired to his chambers. The retainers gradually dispersed until at last it was just Sasuke and Soma, as well as the youthfully optimistic attendant that remained. “I am Lord Sanada Yukimura,” the young man introduced himself with a friendly smile. Soma bowed to him courteously, which the lord quickly dismissed with a wave of his hand.“There is really no need to treat me so formally,” he continued, “I am here serving as general of Lord Shingen’s army on my father’s behalf. If you need anything at all, just come find me. Sasuke here is the student of my own personal retainer, who is… Where, exactly?” He looked about the room, seemingly expecting whoever he was talking about to appear out of thin air. His piercing, turquoise eyes even grazed the ceiling, which confused Soma all the more. She wondered for a moment if the young lord was slightly mad. “I guess Saizo-sensei is playing another hide-and-seek game with us, milord,” Sasuke offered. “I’ll go find him for you!” As he began to confidently stroll away, the young lord grabbed him by the shoulder and guided him back to his original place at Soma’s side. “I’ll go find him,” he said, narrowing his eyes at the child, determinedly. “You know the servant’s quarters better than I do, and Lord Shingen ordered you to take Yahiko to his room, not me.” When he said this last bit, Yukimura shot Soma a sidelong glance and bit his bottom lip as if to mute some scandalous thought. Is he blushing? She wondered, noticing the lord’s unintentionally charming features. Perhaps he is a bit mad, after all… He was no older than she, and was openly expressing some secret fascination with her from behind a pewter-brown fringe of unruly hair. Not bothering to wear juban, his muscular chest was displayed proudly underneath a loosely-tied orange yukata. If there was ever a need for a new definition of the term “manly”, Yukimura's description would fit perfectly. Soma hid her smile behind her hand as he proceeded to anxiously march out of the room, taking one last odd side glance at her before he went out the door. “Gosh, you’re small!” Sasuke exclaimed as he suddenly grabbed her hand and proceeded to curiously examine each of her dainty fingers. “Look at those tiny things!” Soma yanked her arm back to escape his grasp before slipping her hands back up her sleeves. Sasuke apparently felt ill-at-ease at the prospect of any competition for his lords’ good graces. “Rest assured, Sasuke-san,” she began, trying to remain as relaxed as possible despite her fear of being discovered at any minute, “my true strength lies in my will to serve.” The boy narrowed his eyes at her, visibly making some calculations of his own. He replied, “We shall see.” They made their way to the servant’s quarters in silence. Soma could sense Sasuke continue to analyze her carefully as he strolled alongside her. She didn’t think he meant to be hostile; but it was clear that if Soma was to maintain appearances she would have to try a little harder. They stopped in front of a sliding door. “Well, here you are,” Sasuke said before giving her another long stare. “Be ready to go in an hour.” Soma nodded, and In a flash the boy disappeared down the hall.Left by herself, she entered the small room and closed the door behind her. Feeling exhausted from both her journey and her struggle to maintain her illusion, she wished that she could remove her chest bindings even for one moment. Confident that she was alone, she disrobed and found a washbasin ready with clean water by the futon. She knelt beside the bed and wet a cloth. Wiping the sweat from her body, she ultimately decided to remain bound in case she needed to redress in a hurry.Overall, the room was very reasonable; there were some very humble furnishings, what appeared to be a comfortable bed, and her own door outside to the patio that leaked a glow of evening sunlight onto the floor through the paper. She felt fortunate that someone of her low station had access to a private room, though she supposed that in a sense she was one of the more valuable people in the castle when it came right down to it. The thought brought her little comfort, however.Just as she was about to put on some clean clothes, she felt a sudden breeze grace by, silent as a ghost. Before she could turn around, a sharp sensation against her throat told her not to move an inch. She quickly determined that someone was kneeling behind her with a knife held firmly to her neck. With each beat of her heart, her skin made brief contact with the sharp blade. A raspy voice whispered close to her ear, sending chills through her entire body. “Do you wish to do harm to anyone in this house?” “No…!” Soma squeaked, in a voice not her own. She couldn’t even shake from fright, the knife edge already just kissing her naked flesh; she wondered how she even managed to answer the question at all.No sooner was Soma released from the stranger’s grasp than what appeared to be a thin old man crouched down in front of her, staring at her intently. When her eyes finally adjusted, however, she could see that the man was in fact not much older than she; only his hair was prematurely and entirely silver. Though he was smaller in stature than most of the men she had met that day, he was distinctly lithe. His aura seemed cold; but for one brief moment, Soma swore that she saw his amber eyes soften with a passing look of familiarity before settling on an almost completely emotionless expression. Despite this, she found him devastatingly alluring, and was suddenly blushing by him being so close in her state of undress. This made him smile, a nearly unkind twist of the mouth with no connection to the eyes. “Good,” he said, quietly. “That means I won’t have to kill you… yet. I can come back any time I choose, just so you know.” Soma nodded in understanding at the man’s words, knowing that his discretion meant that he was more likely there of his own accord rather than being the one sent to fetch her for dinner. He gently grazed the agile fingers of one hand along her jawline, which made her quiver before she watched him vanish before her very eyes. When he was gone, she clapped a hand to her throat instinctively; but she was completely unharmed other than being slightly shaken. She looked about the room and noted that there were no clear points of exit. She quickly dressed herself and was just tying her yukata in time for the door to her room to slide open and reveal a suddenly very bashful Yukimura. He made an uncomfortable coughing sound and she immediately shied away from his gaze. “O-oh…” he stammered, raking a hand awkwardly through his hair. “N-no need to be so shy around here.” Soma remembered to square her shoulders and stiffen her posture. Yukimura, though charming, appeared to be a tad oblivious; so she decided to make no mention of the mysterious intruder that was toying with her only moments before. “Of course, milord,” she agreed with a smile as she stood to greet her escort. “You just startled me, that’s all.” Yukimura scoffed, though his curious stare betrayed any attempt at being casual. “A warrior has to be ready for anything, you know,” he said with a chuckle, and gestured for Soma to follow him. “Come, it’s time.” When they arrived at the dining hall, Soma bowed deeply to Takeda Shingen and the lord indicated that she sit beside him. At the same time honoured and terrified, Soma did as she was told.Soon enough, she was handed a bowl of soup to taste for the lord. All eyes were on her as she raised the spoon to her lips to accept whatever fate had in store. Apart from being horribly bland, the food was fine and Shingen accepted it gratefully. All present applauded Soma’s efforts, and she mustered a sheepish grin for her gawkers. As the evening progressed and more dishes came to be tasted, the same dishes were leaving the lord’s sight completely untouched by his appetite. Soma thought that, upon closer examination, he actually appeared to be completely worn out. Dark circles haunted the spaces beneath his golden eyes, which now shone slightly less brilliantly than they had that afternoon when they first met. It tortured her nurturing spirit to see a man go without food while looking to be so in need of it. “Please excuse my prying, Lord Shingen…” she began. The lord looked at her, and managed a warm smile that boosted her confidence enough for her to continue. “Are you not feeling well? You haven’t eaten anything that I’ve tasted for you.” Shingen laughed and mindlessly patted Soma on the head. “I am simply weary of this awful food, young one,” he replied. “I thank you for your concern.” Soma sensed that was only partly the case, but suddenly got a great idea, “I used to work at my family’s restaurant back home,” she said, and the lord’s ears perked up in interest. “Will milord allow me to cook him something that I think he will enjoy?” “Why not?” He replied, and shooed Soma from the dais with a, “Give it your best.” Soma was shown the kitchen and she rifled enthusiastically through all of the fine ingredients therein. She figured that a prominent lord would have access to nothing short of the very best food items from all over the country and she was not disappointed. Settling on some rice, a few vegetables, and some beautiful fresh scallops, she proceeded to make Shingen a special porridge that she used to make at the restaurant. It was a simple, yet nutritional and delicious dish that she knew the lord would have difficulty resisting.When she was done, she brought the bowl of porridge back to the dais and showed it to Shingen before tasting it herself. It was perfect- better than usual, in fact, thanks to the excellent quality of the ingredients she was able to use.Shingen thanked her sincerely before accepting the dish. She was so astonished by the warmth of his aura that it felt effortless to serve him, despite the danger she was in. She knew then for herself that he had earned the loyalty of his vassals, only not with the violence that his reputation described, but with the purity of his heart.Though perhaps only humouring her efforts at first, his eyebrows shot up the moment the food reached his lips, and he nodded approvingly, having not even yet swallowed his first bite. He ultimately finished the whole bowl before he retired for the night, satisfied and grateful to his newest servant. Everyone present was very impressed, and Soma overheard many retainers discussing the fact that this was the first time they’d ever seen Shingen finish any food he was offered. This puzzled Soma but she soon pushed the thought out of her mind when her own exhaustion finally took over. The next morning, she was thankful for having slept in her clothes because she was intruded upon once again. The sun had barely risen and Sasuke was attempting to drag Soma out of bed by the leg. “Hey!” Soma exclaimed. “What exactly do you think you’re doing, kid?” “Kid, yourself,” Sasuke replied with a snort. “It’s time for training!” “Training…?” She muttered questioningly as she followed Sasuke down the hall and out into the courtyard. Sasuke looked back at her and furrowed his brows, seemingly expecting her to know exactly what he was talking about. “All men under this roof are expected to train each day,” the boy explained. “We’re at war, you know. Plus, Shingen runs a meritocracy around here. If you can’t be counted on, you have no chance of your life ever getting any better than it is right now… Which, if you ask me, is pretty bad.” “Gee, thanks…” Soma mumbled contentiously under her breath.A group of men were already stretching in preparation for the day’s activities when they emerged into the courtyard. Not knowing what else to do, she stood to the side and mimicked their movements until a familiar voice sounded from nearby. “Good morning, everyone,” Lord Yukimura announced enthusiastically. “Find a partner!” Soma gasped audibly as the men around her paired off and began sparring with each other. Thankfully, they seemed to be too short in number for her to end up with a partner of her own. Her feeling of relief was soon replaced with dread as a playful tap on her shoulder caused her to spin around. A beaming Yukimura stood beside her, holding up a set of bokken. “Milord…?” Soma croaked, looking at the wooden training swords as though they were two snakes poised to strike her. Yukimura gave her the same furrowed look that Sasuke had earlier that morning. “Take one, Yahiko!” He chuckled, already speaking to her as if they were good friends. She accepted one awkwardly. “I was told you were strong, so show me what you’ve got!” Soma couldn’t help but roll her eyes. As though the fact that the magistrate had even ordered this punishment wasn’t bad enough to begin with, he’d apparently told Lord Shingen that Yahiko could fight. She assumed that touch was added as further payback for her attempt to defend herself from his assault. As she watched the lord get ready to fight her, she was shaking so hard that she nearly dropped the bokken she was holding rather clumsily by the wrong end. Quickly realizing that attempting this encounter was essential in order to maintain her disguise, she tried hard to remember what little she learned from her father about proper sword fighting posture and technique. She settled into position but the weapon felt as though it weighed a ton in her small hand. “Um… Okay!” She said, darting her eyes about nervously. “I’m ready!” She prepared herself for potentially some of the worst pain of her life, and found herself wondering if it would have been such a bad thing to marry the magistrate after all. “Alright, come at me!” Yukimura shouted and pounded his bare chest, already glistening with sweat despite the chill in the air. Soma took a deep breath and charged at the young lord, bringing her bokken down upon him with as much force as she could muster. Feeling a sharp pain in her arm, she looked up to find Yukimura grasping onto her weapon with his bare hand, twisting it in an unnatural direction until it simply fell out of her grasp. He then grabbed ahold of her and spun her around so that he had both of her arms restrained as he stood behind her. Unable to recall a time in her brief period of adulthood when a man as attractive as the young lord was pressed so closely against her, she shivered impulsively, in spite of herself. Yukimura cursed aloud, and backed so quickly away from her that she nearly toppled backwards. As she regained her footing, she turned to face her opponent, whose face was redder than anything she’d ever seen. “What’s the matter, Lord Yukimura?” One of his retainers teased between dodging his partner’s jabs. “Is the poison taster as strong as we were led on?” The other retainers couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculous look of embarrassment on their leader’s face, and soon they had all stopped what they were doing to witness his awkward display. “N-no…” he stuttered nervously, raking his hand through his hair as he had a tendency to do when he was flustered. “He just smells really good…” The crowd of retainers erupted in laughter. “What do you mean he smells good, milord?” Sasuke chimed in, ignorant to the obvious reaction the young man was having to being in contact with Soma’s voluptuous body. The boy’s question just made the other men laugh even louder. By the gods, this is the end… Soma thought, and readied herself to accept her fate. “The young lord is obviously unused to being in the company of such cleanly persons,” chortled someone from overhead. To Soma’s surprise, the same grey-haired fellow that she had encountered in her room the previous day jumped down from a nearby tree and approached them, clearly amused.Sasuke quickly rushed to the man and, grinning from ear to ear, bowed to him. The man rustled the child’s hair with his hand like Soma’s father used to do to her when she was a little girl. “Ah, Saizo…” Yukimura greeted him, coughing and shaking his head as though awakening from a nightmare. “There you are. This is Yahiko, Lord Shingen’s new poison taster.” Though this news should have shocked him due to their previous encounter, the man revealed to be Sasuke’s teacher just stared at Soma with the same blank stare as before. “Is that so?” He replied, already obviously bored with their conversation. Soma could not believe how casually the man was behaving toward his better. She determined that he must be as talented as Yukimura implied in order to get away with such a carefree attitude. Despite this, she was thankful to him for not revealing her true identity. She wondered if and when he ever intended to. “Anyway, everybody, that’s it for today!” Yukimura declared, still flustered, and now unable to look at Soma for reasons unknown to them both. “Tomorrow is the big day, so let’s prepare ourselves to show them what we’re really made of!” The men all cheered in unison, pumping their fists in the air. “Wait, what?!” Soma exclaimed, losing her self-control and practically tripping over herself to get to Yukimura’s side; but he had taken off toward the main house at top speed and was not able to hear her calls over the din of the other men. She turned to the one called Saizo, who was still observing her with his amber eyes. “Me, too?” “Oh yes,” he answered, the thin line of his mouth stretching across his graceful features in an evil smile. “The poison taster is always sent to the front lines. It’s tradition.” Soma felt like she was going to faint at any moment. Sasuke poked her in the stomach, and she swatted his hand away defensively. “What’s wrong with Yahiko, Sensei?” He asked his master, who just shook his head. “Just a bit of nerves, I’d imagine,” he replied as he looked Soma dead in the eye. “If he stays close to Shingen he’ll be just fine.” With that bit of obtuse advice, the two disappeared. Soma was left alone in the courtyard, the pit of her stomach growing ever deeper until she thought it might just swallow her. They left at dawn the next morning, and were treated to a chilly rain for their journey to retake some property or another that was lost to another clan several weeks before.When they set up their camp, Soma was told to fetch Lord Shingen his tea. When she returned with the heavy tray, her foot caught on a rock in her path and she flung forward into the warlord, landing right on top of him. She simultaneously felt something whizz past her head, and just beside her was an arrow sticking out of the ground. Shingen’s retainers ran to their aid, and the lord immediately called for the attack. “So it begins…” The man said quietly as he helped Soma to her feet. Chaos suddenly unfolded before her very eyes, and Soma tried her best to remain at Shingen’s side; but soon found herself lost in the fray. In no time at all she was approached by a small group of enemy soldiers on horseback. There was nowhere for her to run, and so she had no choice but to stand her ground. She was shaking so hard that the tanto she brandished was practically vibrating in her small hand. “We seem to have found ourselves a straggler!” one of the soldiers taunted. His compatriots laughed, clearly very excited at the prospect of spilling her blood. “Look out, Yahiko!” A little voice shouted; it was Sasuke. The boy was suddenly standing in front of her with the intention of protecting her. “Just you check this out…” He reached into his pocket and in no time at all, all of the men fell from their mounts at once as they screamed in terrible agony. He grabbed Soma by the hand and tried to lead her to safety but more soldiers moved in to block their path. “Damn…” she heard the child mutter. “I’m out of shuriken.” Once again, he staked his place in front of Soma, intending to shield her with his own small body. The young woman was at once touched and horrified by his bravery. “Sasuke, save yourself! Run!” She shouted at him and saw his look of shock when she placed herself between him and the enemy soldiers instead. Just as the first soldier was about to bring his sword down, there was a flicker of movement, and all of their attackers were suddenly on the ground. They didn’t even have time to scream before they met their end.Soma looked up and saw a dark figure in a fox mask holding his hand out to her. She accepted it and soon found herself being carried effortlessly through the air. The figure dropped her beside a tree far away from the fighting and, before she could thank him, he disappeared. She watched as Sasuke chased after him, trying to keep up, and realized that her rescuer was none other than the curious Saizo. She wondered why he had even bothered to help her, but felt grateful for the chance to live another day.She clung to the tree where she was left and watched the battle from the sidelines. She felt terrible for doing so; that is, until she saw an enormous character in red armour swinging a yari over his head and ruthlessly taking down everything around him. She saw the unusual glimmer of Lord Yukimura’s turquoise eyes, now filled with an unbelievable bloodlust. As she witnessed his escapade of violence, she could not believe that this animal was the same bashful and kind man she’d met only a day before.Suddenly, a surge of pain coursed through her leg and she fell to the ground. She looked down at her ankle and she saw that it was becoming swollen and red. She assumed that she must have sprained it when tripping into Lord Shingen; and now that the excitement of her situation had worn off it was finally time for the agony of her injury to set in. Muttering a curse under her breath, she continued to watch the battle from her hiding place until the enemy finally retreated and it was time to go back to the castle.Lifting herself to her feet using the tree as leverage, she began to limp feebly in the direction Shingen’s soldiers were marching. She didn’t even make it to the back of the line before another surge of incredible pain rendered her once again to the ground. She knew that in a moment a swell of hopeless tears would likely erupt from her eyes; but before her bottom lip could even wobble she felt a great presence behind her. “Yahiko! Glad to see you came out of that one!” Yukimura exclaimed, clapping Soma so hard on the back that it knocked the wind out of her and she whimpered. “Oh no, are you injured?” Soma thought at first that the young lord was being facetious until he crouched down in front of her and started anxiously analyzing her body. “It’s just a sprained ankle, I think, milord,” she replied, and found herself blushing at his attentions. “Well, let’s get you home,” he said, and swung her over his shoulder with embarrassingly minimal effort. “With that ankle you’ll never catch up and probably wind up getting captured!” Soma knew better than to protest, but felt terribly when she noticed a gash on the lord’s leg. The other men teased him mercilessly for being so soft on her but Yukimura took it on graciously. At no point did he seem to be struggling with his burden, and he joked and talked pleasantly to her for the duration of their journey. She wondered how a man so seemingly unaffected by everything could be at all affected by someone of her low status. Still, she was thankful- to both he and Saizo. The next evening, they enjoyed a raucous celebratory meal in honour of Yahiko’s swift deflection of the poisoned arrow meant for Lord Shingen at the battle. As guest of honour, she was first to drink and everyone applauded the young boy’s ability to take down a cup of sake like it was water; though after the day she had she was ready to take down several.After Shingen retired for the night, Soma was given an opportunity to thank Saizo in person for his help on the battlefield when Yukimura suggested she join them on the roof for a nightcap. Though quite drunk, the young lord climbed to the rooftop easily, and practically lifted Soma up after him like a rag doll. Crouching down to gain some footing on the steep roof, Soma scooted after the lord as he moved to sit near a motionless shadow perched at the very peak. “What is he doing here?” The shadow sighed. “Shut up and drink your drink,” Yukimura retorted, and gave the figure a shove. This caused it to move just far enough for a shock of silver hair to catch a glimmer of moonlight. “Saizo-san…” Soma said, determinedly. “Thank you for your help earlier.” She sat down next to Yukimura and tossed Saizo a small bag, which he caught with one hand and quickly opened. “How…” he began but trailed off as he popped one of the balls of dango that she’d made him into his mouth. “Hmph, these are good,” he added, under his breath. Soma knew that Saizo had his reservations about her. After all, he was the only one to know her secret; and without knowing any other detail, he somehow knew not to interfere. Even if it was only for amusement’s sake, he was allowing her to do what she needed to, and for that she was truly thankful. “No way! Dango is Saizo’s favourite!” Yukimura exclaimed, and once again clapped Soma hard on the back with his big hand. “Is that so?” She whimpered as she gripped the tiles beneath her so tightly she thought her fingers might bleed. It was all she could do to keep herself from possibly falling to her death. “Is that so…” Yukimura scoffed. “I thought it was a well-known fact that Kirigakure Saizo would let somebody get away with murder if they left enough dango by the corpse! One day out of nowhere when we were kids he came home and started demanding them as payment. Isn’t that right, Saizo?” “Did you make these?” Saizo asked Soma, ignoring Yukimura’s question. She nodded. “They’re my specialty, actually,” she said. She quickly decided to steer the conversation away from herself. “So you know each other pretty well, then, I guess?” “Saizo has been in my family’s service since I was five years old. He is my best friend in the who-“ Yukimura began but was interrupted by Saizo feigning to choke on his dango. Soma laughed at Saizo’s reaction to Yukimura’s confession, but she regained her composure immediately out of fear of the shinobi’s promise to revisit her in her room if she acted out of line.In spite of Saizo’s less-than-casual attempts at dissuading Yukimura from revealing nearly everything about them, the young lord entertained Soma with many stories of their childhood and how they came to fight for the Takeda Clan. “You could say that Lord Shingen is like a second father to me… But what of your family, Yahiko-chan?” Yukimura asked, suddenly embarrassed for talking too much. “My mother is probably worried sick about me,” she replied, smiling at the thought of her family back in Kyoto. “When my father died we were left to care for the family business. I have… An older sister called Soma. I guess that’s about all, really…” “Soma…” Saizo repeated in a playful whisper and popped the last piece of dango into his mouth. He followed it with a long draw of sake. “Come on, Saizo…” Yukimura protested, raking a hand through his hair. “You know how I get when we start talking about women haha- hic!” Yukimura hiccuped violently, knocking into Soma and forcing her to careen forward toward the edge of the rooftop. Before she could even cry out for help, Yukimura’s arms were around her, holding her in place rather unfortunately by a cup of flesh in each of his hands. He gasped, audibly.Soma, intoxicated and with her guard lowered, spun around and smacked the young lord square in the face. To her horror, his eyes rolled back in his head and he plummeted from the roof into the hedge below.Saizo stood and applauded her while he laughed hysterically. For the first time, a vision of his true self shone through the darkness, even if it was solely due to Soma’s incompetence. “Aren’t you going to help him?!” She cried, suddenly realizing what she had done. “Oh, he’s fine,” Saizo said, and slipped down the other side of the roof and out of sight. Soon enough, a group of their comrades surrounded the fallen lord as Soma watched in terror. As per Saizo’s assessment, Yukimura was indeed fine, albeit much more flustered to be in Soma’s company than ever before. Without a word, he stomped off to the main house as the men snickered at their hopelessly socially-awkward general. Later that evening, strewn in a deep bow at the Lord Takeda Shingen’s feet, Soma apologized profusely for her deception. As she explained her situation, Shingen remained quiet, but clenched his fist in anger at the description of the magistrate’s disgusting behaviour towards the young woman and her family. “Well,” he said, finally, “in light of this new information, young lady, you are free to go home at your leisure. Please write your family and tell them you are safe.” “Thank you, Lord Shingen!” She cried, overjoyed. “I will do as you say.” “S-she’ll need an escort…” Yukimura said quietly. “It’s far too dangerous for a… woman to be traveling alone. I mean what with the Hojo lurking about and all.” Is he… Sad that I’m leaving? Soma wondered, suddenly feeling much worse about her lie than before. She wasn’t sure, but considered that the young lord had been genuinely attempting to befriend her the past few days. “I’ll do it,” offered a calm rasp behind them. Soma looked behind her and saw Saizo standing in the doorway to Lord Shingen’s quarters, still holding his jug of sake. He was eyeing her thoughtfully. A week’s travel was no easy feat alone, she knew first-hand; but she couldn’t understand the motivation for his generosity. Whatever it was, she had a shinobi escort back to Kyoto and was practically exuding joy from every pore. “Very well. Thank you, Saizo,” Shingen said with a yawn. “ Now let’s everyone get some rest.” Before Soma could thank Saizo for his offer, he was gone again. Yukimura tried to ignore her when they passed each other on the way to their respective parts of the estate. Soma impulsively stopped him by touching his sleeve, and he stood by her for a moment, looking confused at her small hand. “Lord Yukimura,” she said quietly, “I am sorry for deceiving you, most of all. You are a great man and I am honoured to have met you. Thank you so much for your kindness.” Yukimura blushed, then winced as he began to nervously rake his hand through his hair and touched the goose egg he’d earned from falling off the roof. “I’m sorry, too,” he said with an awkward smile, then proudly added, “You’re as strong as they come, Soma. Remember that in times of trouble.” “I will, milord,” she replied, and heard him gulp when she added, “thanks to your leadership.” In her room, Soma’s eyes and mind hurriedly sought out distractions in the dark from her selfish musings. She thought about how the young lord would make a caring husband someday, in spite of his hopelessness around women. She allowed herself a small smile at the thought of him coming to fall in love with someone like her, however impossible the odds.The air felt eerie that night, as though the scent of death still loomed overhead from the battle. She couldn’t help but think of Saizo in his fox mask, reaching out to her like he had the answer to every question that ever crossed her mind. It excited her. He excited her. She thought about what it would be like to be close to him again, his careful touch exploring more than just the curve of her jawline. She immediately shook the thought out of her head.Certain that she couldn’t sleep, she washed herself and sought out some clean clothes. Much to her surprise, her closet was now equipped with women’s garments instead of the attire she arrived with. She supposed that there was no wasted time in Lord Shingen’s home and slipped on a simple, yellow yukata over her juban.She slid open her door and silently stepped onto the patio with the intention of taking a walk in the garden to clear her mind. Before she got even a few feet from her room, however, she collided with a modestly-dressed young man carrying a basket of red flowers. “Oh, I am so sorry!” She said as she clumsily helped him return the flowers to their vessel from which they fell. It seemed that she was not yet finished her path of destruction that evening. “No, no, it’s my fault,” he replied, helping her to her feet. “I don’t think we’ve met. I am Midorikawa Seijiro. I’m the gardener.” “Oh, you’re the reason everything looks so nice around here!” She said with a smile, and gestured toward the beautiful gardens that surrounded the Takeda estate. “My name is Soma.” “I thought they called you Yahiko…” Seijiro muttered, just loud enough for her to hear. She shrugged. “Well, it appears you’ve been having a confusing time, Soma,” he finished with a teasing grin. “Yes…” she replied, looking down sheepishly at her new clothes, “that appears to be true, Seijiro.” The young man was wily like Saizo, and rather handsome; and Soma thought that his eyes promised an equal amount of secrets, despite his jovial demeanour. “Are you out for a walk this late at night?” He asked her, and she nodded. “Well, then, I won’t keep you from your respite. It was lovely to meet you!” As he hurried off to wherever he was going, Soma continued on her walk toward the gardens until she felt a familiar breeze grazing over her shoulder. “You look nice,” the breeze whispered. Suddenly Saizo was standing in front of her, smelling sickly sweet. Dark spots stained his face and clothing, and he seemed dishevelled compared to his appearance only a couple of hours before. Soma became suddenly anxious that he might be injured. “Sai…!” She began, but the shinobi quickly covered her mouth with his gloved hand. She soon confirmed that what she was smelling on him was indeed blood. “Hush now, little lady,” he said softly. “Night time is quiet time.” She nodded, and he lowered his hand from her face. Though still shocked by his sudden materialization, and in this state of filth, she thought it very coincidental that he should think to call her by the same nickname her mother did. “Why are you covered in blood?” She questioned him, reducing her voice to a low whisper. He sighed, and went to the nearby well to quickly wash his hands and face. “Is that better?” He asked her when he returned. She cocked her eyebrow at his seemingly persistent sarcasm. “Not really,” she replied, hiding a grin behind her hand. He chuckled. “What are you doing out here so late, anyway?” He asked, obviously attempting to change the subject. “I couldn’t sleep,” she replied, then her eyes lit up. “I am glad I ran into you, though! I wanted to ask you when you would be able to bring me back to Kyoto…” “Well,” he began with a smirk, “there is the important discussion of payment, first.” Soma’s heart sank at these words. How could I be so stupid as to think that a hired killer would actually want to do me a favour out of kindness? She thought as she regretted pining for him back in her room, however temporarily. “I see,” she said, unable to hide the disappointment in her tone. “How much do you want?” Saizo held up five fingers, and she reasoned that five gold could be obtained; she would just need to get to Kyoto to get it. “I can do five,” she said, determinedly, “the minute we get back to-“ “Five hundred,” he cut her off. Soma scoffed aloud, but he appeared to be completely serious. “You know that somebody like me could never afford anything near that!” She argued, and felt the hot sting of tears forming in her eyes. She averted her gaze so that he would not see. “If you wanted charity, you should have asked Yukimura to take you,” he debated with her, coldly. “You said yourself that your family owns a restaurant. That must count for something. How confident are you traveling alone now that you’ve been seen by my master’s enemies?” “What does that mean?” She demanded, now genuinely panicking. Saizo exhaled an impatient breath. “I’ll tell you what,” he bargained, as his amber eyes flashed in the moonlight, “I have a task that you can help me with. If you do as I say, I will take you home.” “Anything!” Soma cried, exasperatedly. Saizo raised a finger to his lips to remind her to be silent as frustrated tears ran down her face. He leaned closer to her until their noses were almost touching. It made her blush, which once again coaxed a funny smile out of the shinobi. Most importantly, it made her abandon her tears. “I need you to get to know that gardener,” he said. “Seijiro?” She asked. He nodded. “What’s wrong with him? He seems like a nice enough man…” she protested, but Saizo just stared at her. “You don’t need to know,” he cautioned. “Just find out all you can about him, and report back to me.” Soma blinked, unbelieving that Saizo would actually ask her to assist him with anything. She did think that Seijiro seemed nice, for what it was worth. If Saizo just wants information, I can do that… She tried to convince herself, thought she knew deep down that Saizo was more than likely to use the information for some nefarious purpose. “I’ve never done anything like this before…” she admitted. “Where would I even start?” “Start by asking him where he’s from,” Saizo instructed, then disappeared just as the sky began to lighten.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
In the morning, it was requested of Soma to escort Shingen’s niece, the Lady Kiku, on one last trip into town before she was sent off to marry. While she waited in the gardens for the lady to get ready, she decided that she would take the opportunity to speak with Seijiro, who was weeding a flower bed a few feet from where she stood. “Good morning, Seijiro!” She called to him as she approached. He turned his head and greeted her with a warm smile. “Can I help you for a bit while I wait for my friend?” “I don’t see why not,” he replied, wiping the sweat from his brow with his sleeve. “You might get a bit dirty, though!” “Oh, I don’t mind,” she said, and knelt down beside him. He scooted over to share the mat he was kneeling on. Soma tried to be discreet about her intentions, but was feeling a bit nervous. “Are you alright?” Seijiro questioned, perceptively. “I’ll be honest with you, Seijiro,” she replied, averting her eyes to the flowerbed, “I can’t say that I’ve ever done this before but I really want to learn. Can you show me?” “Of course,” he said, and proceeded to pull a weed out by the roots in a way that she could see. As the two worked together, Soma asked Seijiro where he was from. He said he was from the West. Though his answer was vague, Soma felt too embarrassed to pry any further and decided to take her questions in another direction. “Do you have any family?” She asked. Seijiro paused for a moment and thought about her question. “I do not,” he replied, and returned to his work. “Do you?” “Yes, my mother and brother,” she said, thinking about her relatives fondly. “Though I have not seen them in what seems like ages. My father died a few years ago.” Seijiro appeared affected by this development, as though he was also remembering someone. “My sister is also dead,” he revealed. “I do miss her dearly.” “I’m so sorry to hear that,” Soma gasped, the realization of his humanity reinforcing itself like a steel nail in her conscience. She felt terribly for even attempting what Saizo had asked of her. Thankfully in just a few short moments, the Lady Kiku called out to her from across the garden. Soma wasn’t sure, but she thought she saw a distinct look of familiarity echo between she and Seijiro. As the women walked to town with handmaidens in tow, they spoke and laughed about many things; though Kiku, slightly younger than Soma, seemed particularly fond of the subject of men. “Isn’t Lord Yukimura just completely clueless?” The lady asked her, giggling like a little girl. “I bet he was beyond embarrassed when he accidentally touched your breasts!” “Does everybody know about that?” Soma moaned with a grimace. Kiku laughed at her reaction. “I’d marry him as long as it meant remaining at Tsutsujigasaki,” she boasted. “Even if he is slightly daft.” Soma cocked her eyebrow at her, not helping but to feel slightly protective of the young lord. “Are you not pleased to be uniting the Takeda and Uesugi Clans, milady?” She asked. Kiku sighed exasperatedly. “It’s not that…” she replied, a look of sadness descending upon her face. “It’s that I’m in love with someone else.” “Oh, Lady Kiku!” Soma gasped, genuinely sad for the girl. “I’m so sorry!” The lady shrugged. “I will have to do something about my manners, though, before I get there,” she said with a smile. “Is that not so, Soma?” “There is nothing wrong with being a little strong-willed, milady,” Soma replied. “And what of you, Soma? Is there anyone you fancy at the castle?” Soma blinked, not expecting the lady’s question. She recalled her nighttime musings and couldn’t help but to feel slightly interrogated. “I understand,” Kiku said with a knowing smile. “You don’t have to answer. Maybe you’ll meet someone today!” When they reached the village, Kiku showed Soma her favourite teashop. The lady treated her to lunch and they sampled some of the finest tea that Soma had ever tasted. Though Lady Kiku’s handmaidens stared at her jealously, Soma forced herself to indulge at her new friend’s insistence. Afterwards, they perused the shops for a while until it was obvious that Lady Kiku was getting a little bored. “Watch this…” she whispered, then called over to a handsome young man that just happened to be standing nearby. Much to Soma’s chagrin, he smiled and approached them. When she looked to her friend, however, Kiku was gone. He proceeded to put his arm around Soma, which made her cringe. Is this really how men behave nowadays? She thought as she pushed him away. “Oh come on…” he pressed, grabbing at her arms in an attempt to pull her closer, “I thought this was what you wanted, pretty one! Let’s go somewhere we can get better acquainted…” Before Soma could even open her mouth, she felt a swift breeze at her back and the man was on the ground. Soon Saizo was standing protectively in front of her. “Hey, you can’t just-“ the man began to shout angrily as he stood, but Saizo cut him off. “This woman is a guest of Lord Takeda Shingen,” he said, calmly. “If she is to come to any harm, the consequences to the perpetrator will be most fatal.” Boy, that made him turn tail and run… Soma thought as they watched the man hurry anxiously away. “You didn’t have to do that, Saizo,” Soma said with a shy smile. “I really appreciate it.” “Was that not a service worthy of payment?” He replied as he turned to face her. Soma saw that his expression was as blank as usual, his eyes unaffected whatever by her plight, nor her subsequent thanks. Her heart sank. She reasoned, however, that had he not intervened she would have probably not escaped the young man as easily as she’d done the fat magistrate back home. “What do you want?” She asked him, begrudgingly. Once again, the shinobi lifted his hand and extended five fingers. Soma cried, furiously, “I thought I told you I couldn’t-“ Saizo pointed toward a cart selling skewers of dango, which made Soma fall silent, completely flabbergasted. She went and bought five skewers of dango, and when she handed the bag to Saizo, he took it and quickly had the contents stowed away in his belly. Unable to do anything but laugh at the strange man, Soma wondered if she’d ever seen him eat anything but the confection since she’d first made them the other day. “These ones are not as good as yours,” he said, thoughtfully. “Oh, have you found out anything about your gardener friend?” “Well,” Soma began, trying to recollect their conversation earlier that morning, “he said he is from West of here, and that his sister is dead.” “That’s not a lot,” Saizo chided. Soma could only shrug, not knowing what kind of information he was expecting to hear about a gardener, anyway. After Lady Kiku was finished having her wedding gown altered at the tailor’s, Soma and Saizo stayed behind and continued to walk together through the marketplace. Soma suddenly came upon a hairpin that reminded her of the one her father gave to her years ago. When she turned to show her escort, however, he was several feet away and speaking to another man she’d seen around the castle. She assumed he was the same as Saizo, a shinobi from Iga village. When the man left, Saizo returned, looking a tad more serious than usual. “I need you to get more information,” he said. “Otherwise there is no deal between us.” “Well, what do you want me to do,” Soma argued, “sleep with him?” Saizo just stared at her as though the answer to her question was obvious. Before Soma could protest, Lord Yukimura and Sasuke called out to them as they approached from the other side of the street. “Saizo…” Yukimura addressed his subordinate with a hint of suspicion on his face. “What are you doing here?” Soma thought the lord’s reaction to seeing Saizo with her was odd; but before the shinobi could answer, Sasuke bounded in front of his sensei excitedly. “Lord Yukimura showed me a new wrestling technique today!” He shouted. “Want to see?” Saizo shot the child an irritated look that made him cease his fidgeting immediately. “Anyway,” Yukimura continued, annoyed at being interrupted, “it’ll be dark soon. We thought we’d come see if Soma was alright after running into Shingen’s niece and her servants on the road…” “I’m just fine, Lord Yukimura,” she said, bowing to him. “Thanks to Saizo here.” When she righted herself, Saizo was gone. She didn’t see him for the rest of the evening and wondered if she’d done something to embarrass him. The next morning, Soma stepped out onto the patio. At Lady Kiku’s request, she was to entertain her once again while she prepared to leave for her wedding the following day. Much to Soma’s surprise, Saizo was napping on the floor just outside her room. His lithe body looked like a long cat’s as he leaned against the railing with his hands folded behind his head. He opened one eye, lazily. “Still no luck, eh?” He asked her. She knew he was talking about Seijiro. “I was just about to go find him, actually,” she explained, and gestured toward the gardens. “I think it’s time for the art of seduction, little lady.” “You’re out of your mind.” “Am I?” Saizo contested, as he stood and approached her. He was much taller than she remembered. As he stared directly into her eyes, he slowly backed her against the door to her room. She felt overwhelmed by him, unable to tear her gaze from his. Without skipping a beat, he reached behind her and slid open the door. She began to fall backwards, but was quickly caught and placed with her back against the adjacent wall. His arms extended on either side of her, she was trapped; but instead of fear she could only feel her heart race wildly in her chest. Saizo’s amber eyes shone with the promise of a passion known to a woman only once in a lifetime. They fixated only on her, as though he existed solely for the purpose of her pleasure. Soma wondered if he was going to actually kiss her, and began to fumble nervously with her hair. She found herself thinking that she might let him do anything he wanted to her, regardless of the consequences. He leaned in closer, and she could smell his sweet breath. He closed his eyes, and so did she, her lips swollen red with excitement. “Oh!” Sasuke’s voice exclaimed. “Sensei is showing Soma the art of seduction!” “How interesting…” added Lady Kiku. “Soma seems very responsive to Saizo’s technique, doesn’t she?” An impetuous ‘tsk’ came from above her as the weight of the shinobi’s presence slowly rescinded. Soma wondered whether Saizo was so caught up in his actions that he didn’t know that they were being watched. The thought made her blush furiously; but when she opened her eyes, Saizo was standing by the others, his expression as cold as ever. “It is amazing what one can do with even the simplest gaze,” he explained to them. “Oh! Test me, Saizo!” Lady Kiku exclaimed in excitement. “Alright. Tell me what you would do to seduce someone.” Kiku unabashedly bounded towards him, and flung her arms about his shoulders. Then, she brought his face down to hers and whispered something into his ear. When she was done, she giggled and backed away from him, seemingly quite pleased with herself. Saizo looked at Soma with a hint of mischief in his eyes that made her furious. “Very good, milady,” he said. “You’re a natural. Now, Soma, show me a look you would give someone you wanted to seduce.” Soma blinked, taken aback by the casualness of his tone. She felt humiliated at being caught once again in one of the shinobi’s games but was sure that no one else in the room was aware that he was having a go with them but her. Sasuke and the Lady Kiku appeared simply amused by his tricks, oblivious to the anger Soma felt. Lady Kiku looked at her expectantly, her hands clutched together in anticipation of Soma’s failure. Sure enough, the look on her face just made Saizo chuckle. “Are you trying to win a staring contest, Soma?” He asked, making Sasuke and Kiku nearly barrel over with laughter. “Pardon me, milady,” she said suddenly, still glaring at Saizo, “but I must fulfill a small errand before our visit.” Soma bowed to the lady before leaving the three intruders alone in her room. Infuriated by Saizo’s tricks, she winced as she unintentionally slammed the door closed behind her; however she felt a renewed inspiration to fulfill his assignment. If she succeeded she would be retuned to Kyoto and would never have to deal with his arrogance again. She shook away her frustration and concentrated on her target.Deciding to sweeten the unpleasant experience of being stalked by a strange girl, she stopped by the kitchen to assemble a few of her sticks of dango to give to him. As to be expected, she found Seijiro in the garden, tending to a flowerbed full of black lilies. When he noticed her approaching, he looked up at her and smiled, and Soma felt immediately calmed by his pleasant demeanour. “Good morning, Soma,” he greeted her as he wiped his hands off on his apron. “Have you come to help me again?” “I’m afraid not, Seijiro,” Soma replied, shaking her head. “I am off to spend the day with Lady Kiku before she is sent away tomorrow. I just wanted to say hello- oh, and give you some of these!” Soma noticed a sudden change in Seijiro’s features; a confusing combination of surprise and angst that was gone as soon as it showed. Perhaps there really is more to this man than he says, she wondered. “It’s tomorrow, is it?” He asked; but his face was now friendlier than ever. “Oh, I haven’t had dango in ages… I first had them when I was a little boy, you see. A girl gave me some to stop me from crying haha! Can you imagine?” “What an adorable story!” She replied, then suddenly remembered something incredible. Many years ago while she was playing on the outskirts of town, Soma came upon a boy who was very upset. Having only her own personal snack to offer him, he took the confection, gratefully. She recalled him saying that he had never had it before, and thought it to be rather odd at the time, having been lucky enough to grow up in a restaurant that served it. “It’s odd that you should say that, Seijiro,” she continued, “because I had a similar experience many years ago.” “You don’t say?” The man replied, scratching his head, “perhaps you were the girl!” “It was a long time ago…” Soma deflected, remembering Saizo’s cautionary attitude regarding the man she was speaking with. “Well, Soma,” Seijiro said as he handed her a bouquet of the gorgeous black lilies he was tending, “here’s to a bright future for all women, maids and brides alike.” “For me?” She asked, taking the bouquet from his outstretched hand. He nodded, a rosy blush appearing on his high cheekbones. Soma suddenly found herself completely disinterested in her task and forgot much if not all of what she even intended to say to the man. Completely enthralled by the mysterious-looking flowers, she could think of nothing but their dazzling beauty. Embarrassed by this, she immediately thanked him and wished him a good day; but before she could leave, she felt a light touch on her shoulder. “It seems you have an admirer…” Soma quickly looked back, expecting perhaps that someone else had joined them. Instead, Seijiro held a small caterpillar in his hand that he had apparently plucked from her clothing. They smiled at each other once more before Soma returned to her room to place Seijiro’s gift in a vase. “Who gave you those?” Saizo asked her seriously as he emerged from the shadows. “You know exactly who gave them to me,” she retorted without even looking up. She was growing accustomed to the people here constantly intruding on her personal space. Don’t tell me he’s jealous or something… she thought. “You are probably unaware of this,” the shinobi began softly, standing over her as she knelt by the vase, “but it is customary to return a gift of flowers with flowers. Not dango.” “I’ve never received flowers, so I wouldn’t know.” “Well, the next time you see him,” Saizo continued, gently placing a bouquet of purple skyflowers onto the bed beside her, “give him these and see what he has to say.” “Fine.” Soma looked back to where Saizo’s voice was coming from but she found herself alone in her room. She sighed and wiped away the tears that were beginning to form in her eyes. Reassuring herself once more that her humiliation would soon be over, she proceeded to Lady Kiku’s quarters.When she arrived, the first thing that Soma noticed was a vase by the lady’s bed that contained the exact same type of lily that Seijiro had given to her that morning. Her mind began to race. “Milady,” she attempted casually, unable to tear her eyes away from the vase, “who gave you those pretty flowers?” “They’re just divine, aren’t they?” The lady replied, clasping her hands together sentimentally. “They were a gift from my lover, actually.” Soma gasped. “Oh, Soma…” the girl began to explain as Soma drew parallels in her own mind, “I trust you, so I will tell you my secret. The man I am in love with is Seijiro, the gardener. Do you know him?” “Yes, milady…” Soma replied, attempting to hide the shock in her voice. “I have seen him often on the grounds. Is he fairly new to the castle, like I am?” “I think he has been here for many years,” Kiku explained, thoughtfully, “-before I even came here… But I’ll admit that it’s only recently that I began to find him so handsome. Please don’t judge me! You don’t know my circumstances…” “Milady, I would never…” Shingen’s niece told her everything about her relationship with Seijiro; how he pursued her so sweetly, and about their plan to run away together which was thwarted by the decision to send her away early.Soma understood the lady’s position; though she herself had never been in love before, she knew what it was like to be forced into making an incredibly difficult decision. She considered, however, that Seijiro’s intentions might not be exactly what the lady anticipated. Does he intend to make me Lady Kiku’s replacement? She wondered, thinking back to his flirtation in the garden. “Thank you for listening to my plight, Soma…” Kiku said between sniffles as she pressed a beautifully-made kimono into her arms. “Please take this as a token of my thanks. I will no longer be needing it.” “I can’t accept this, milady!” Soma exclaimed, having never even touched anything so expensive. “I was supposed to wear it for Seijiro on our wedding night,” the lady explained, “but that will never happen now. Please, just take it from my sight.” Doing as the lady asked, Soma brought the kimono back to her room. Thinking it might be best to hide it away for the time being, she couldn’t help but be tempted to try it on beforehand.She looked down at herself in awe; never before did she imagine wearing anything so elaborate, though she had seen much more elaborate in the high-end shops of Kyoto. Still, the garment was stunning; surely a terrible waste on someone like her. As she was just about to undress, she heard a knock at the door. Not thinking, she just said, “Come in!” “Where did you get that kimono?” Seijiro questioned her somewhat impatiently as he closed the door behind him. “Seijiro!” Soma squeaked in surprise. “It was a gift from Lady Kiku!” “Is that so?” “I’m glad you’re here, actually,” she said as she attempted to redirect his attention. “I have something for you…” Seijiro grimaced as she handed him the bouquet of skyflowers that Saizo had brought her. She felt immediately taken aback by his sudden change in demeanour. “I suppose Kirigakure Saizo told you to give me these,” he said, his voice taking on a mocking tone. “He said that the gift of flowers should always be returned with flowers…” she began to explain; but she was rendered mute as Seijiro clasped both hands around her throat. “Did he explain to you what the flowers I gave you and Kiku mean?” He asked. Soma quickly shook her head, unable to break his gaze. She soon realized that the man was using the same technique Saizo did to render her docile earlier. He was trying to prepare me for this, wasn’t he? She thought as her legs began to weaken beneath her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about…” she gasped in a voice not her own. Seijiro’s grip around her neck tightened. “No, you really don’t, do you?” He hissed. “The black lily is an omen of death! You even put them near where you lay your head, not knowing my ill-intent… You are a fool indeed worthy of death!” Unable to breathe, Soma collapsed. She heard Seijiro run out of the room; and in an attempt to warn someone that the lady might be in danger, she crawled weakly onto the patio. Soon, the world around her faded to black. “Soma is in trouble!” Sasuke shouted. “I don’t think she’s breathing!” Yukimura and Saizo immediately responded to the child’s cries of distress. Yukimura was beside himself with worry but Saizo calmly took out a capsule from a pouch inside the folds of his garment and crushed it between his back teeth.He took Soma into his arms and, to Yukimura’s horror, lowered his face to hers. He kissed her deeply, forcing the medicine down her throat. Yukimura tried to pull her away but Saizo held her fast until the last of the medicine was gone. He then relinquished her to his friend, who grabbed hold of her and rocked her in his arms until she revived. “What… happened…?” She asked, fluttering her eyes open to meet the young lord’s sincere look of relief. This sentiment was soon ruined when she tasted the remnants of something awful and bitter in her mouth and started choking. “I hope you’re going to take responsibility for this, Saizo!” The young lord shouted angrily. Saizo rolled his eyes. “I simply gave her a restorative,” he assured his master. “That’s not what it looked like…” Sasuke began but fell silent as Saizo shot him another lethal look. “Lady Kiku is in danger!” Soma exclaimed, suddenly pushing away Lord Yukimura and bounding to her feet. “I’m going to go get Shingen,” the young lord said, determinedly. “Saizo, you stay with Soma.” The moment he was gone, Soma took off in the direction of Lady Kiku’s chambers. Sasuke looked at Saizo expectantly. “Are you not going with her, Sensei?” He asked his master, who stood calmly returning his medicine bag to its hiding place. “I suppose I should,” Saizo sighed, then disappeared in the direction Soma was headed. When she reached Lady Kiku’s room, Soma found her and Seijiro embracing. When he spotted Soma, however, his face twisted in a look of rage and he pushed the lady away from him onto the floor. Soma instinctively ran to her and shielded her with her own body to protect her from the man’s impending attack.“What is the meaning of this?” Kiku demanded, but Soma would not remove herself from the girl’s side. “Be careful, milady,” she cautioned, “this man is not who he claims to be!” “I’m afraid Soma’s right,” Seijiro chuckled, his face taking on a sinister kind of madness that the two women both found absolutely frightening. “Apparently, spending so much time among the weak has reduced my efficacy to kill. Worry not, you shall both be sent to hell very soon!” “What do you think you are doing?” Saizo asked as he joined them. “Kirigakure Saizo!” The man exclaimed, grinning ecstatically. “I am a lowly worm called Fuma Kotaro, your most sincere admirer from afar!” “You don’t say,” Saizo said, casually placing himself between he and the women. “A Fuma… Your clan is aligned with the Hojo, yes? You were sent here to thwart the alliance between the Takeda and Uesugi clans, I suppose.” “You are as clever as they say, Saizo-san!” Kotaro said as he bowed deeply to the shinobi. “I murdered Shingen’s prized gardener and took his place! I would have succeeded with my plan, too…” “So what stopped you from just killing the girl and being done with it?” Saizo taunted. Soma glared at the back of his head, horrified that he would ask such a thing in front of Lady Kiku. Kotaro just laughed hysterically, as though the answer to Saizo’s question should be obvious. “Because I just wanted to meet you so badly…” he revealed, making a grabbing gesture at the man. “I know so much about you yet still have so many questions; why do you have two swords but only ever use the one? Is it true that you killed your best friend and now carry his sword to remind you? You are the worst devil in all of hell’s great acres! How can you even defend these women now, after seducing and murdering so many women in cold blood?”Soma’s eyes went wide. If what Kotaro said was true, there was much more darkness to Saizo than she ever imagined possible. She saw his determination to remain calm in his body language as he ignored the interrogation; but she wanted him to speak up and deny Kotaro’s accusations so badly that it made her heart ache. “Such an uninspiring shinobi,” Saizo said finally. “How will you ever succeed in your mission now that we all know what you look like?” “I wouldn’t worry about that,” Kotaro replied. “When my only true desire is to defeat you, Saizo, everything else is just passing the time…” “Interesting…” Saizo mused as they watched Fuma Kotaro disappear. Soma put Lady Kiku to bed immediately and took away the evil death omen in the vase by her bed to have it burned. Visibly shaken, no one dared say a word to her until they all assembled in the main hall to discuss the afternoon’s events. “It is now more important than ever that we get Lady Kiku out of here as soon as possible,” one of Shingen’s retainers cautioned, “lest this Kotaro person return to finish what he started!” Everyone else in the room seemed to agree, except for Yukimura. The young lord just stood helplessly at Shingen’s side, his gaze to the floor. Saizo stood by him, his arms crossed like he was shutting himself out of the conversation entirely. Soma supposed that, unlike her, he knew his place. “Are you all mad?” She exclaimed in desperation. “Lady Kiku is in no shape to travel after the horrible trauma she endured today! I beg you to have compassion for-” “Enough!” Shingen commanded, causing everyone present to fall silent. “Lady Kiku’s procession will leave tomorrow as planned.” “My Lord Shingen,” Yukimura began, speaking quietly to the daimyo, “perhaps Soma has a point. Lady Kiku hasn’t stopped sobbing since the incident. We are all fearful for her health…” Shingen held up his hand to silence his friend, and gave an exasperated sigh. He then looked directly at Soma, who was feeling even more powerless than usual. “Soma, thank you for taking care of my niece,” he began, his face taking on a look of sincere kindness and gratitude that calmed her immediately, “but your services are not required here. Please make your preparations to go home.” Soma wanted to scream at her comrades, appalled by their lack of humanity. She instead quickly lowered herself into a deep bow before them. Yukimura appeared shocked and disappointed by Shingen’s decision but was not willing to contest him further. Saizo’s expression embodied the same unaffected blankness it always did. Soma was reeling internally, saddened beyond measure by the majority’s callous judgment of the girl’s situation. It was clear that they had little concern for her well-being. “Yes, milord,” she said. “Thank you so much once again for your kindness and hospitality.” Back in her room, Soma carefully removed the kimono given to her by Lady Kiku. She laid it out on her futon and stared at its fine embroidery for a few moments before neatly folding it and placing it deep inside the closet where she intended to leave it behind. She’d considered bringing it with her to sell, certain that the wily Saizo would back out of their deal last minute and she would be forced to once again travel alone. This time, she wouldn’t even have her disguise, as everything she’d brought with her had been confiscated days ago when she was discovered as an imposter. Once again unable to sleep, she found herself wondering what exactly the flowers she gave Kotaro were supposed to mean that the sight of them would upset him so. Skeptical that Saizo would ever tell her, she decided to sneak outside to find someone else who might: the man she saw him talking to down in the village.As she snuck around the gardens in the dark, it didn’t take long for her to feel the familiar mysterious breeze that generally indicated the arrival of a shinobi warrior. “Looking for something?” A voice inquired. Soma turned and spotted a man about Saizo’s age, with long black hair and sporting a dark red yukata, surveying her from the shadows. Beneath an austere brow shimmered a set of violet eyes that could dazzle any viewer; close up he appeared very graceful and slightly feminine. His aura immediately rivalled Saizo’s in its approachability, for which Soma was thankful. “Yes,” she replied as she approached him, “I’m looking for you, actually… My name is Soma.” As the man stepped out of the foliage that surrounded them, he temporarily appeared flattered by her words before his face quickly settled back into an emotionless void. “I know who you are,” he said. “You may call me Kiyohiro. What do you wish of me?” “Well,” Soma began, “Saizo gave me a bunch of purple skyflowers to give to the man impersonating Seijiro. He knew the moment I gave them to him that Saizo had me do it. Why would he react that way? What do they mean?” “You assumed correctly that the flowers had meaning,” Kiyohiro revealed. “You see, shinobi utilize many methods of communicating in order to remain discreet. Everything about a gift- especially flowers- has hidden meaning, right down to its colour. This is not so different from how everyone does things, no? Well, to a shinobi, your purple skyflowers say ‘I have my eye on you’.” “Oh, that makes sense,” Soma replied, “because Saizo seemed to know that the man was an imposter from the beginning… and wanted him to know that he was watching him?” “Soma…” Kiyohiro said quietly, his lips turned slightly upward in a smile, “I believe that the person Saizo wanted Kotaro to know that he had his eye on was you.” “What?” She nearly spat, her face turning red. “Why do you think that?” “Please pardon me for saying so but I am Saizo’s arms and legs,” he explained, apparently amused by her reaction. “I can tell you with utmost certainty that he has not strayed far from your side since the moment you got here.” Soma stood in silence for a moment, pondering the shinobi’s words. She wondered if Saizo still distrusted her, and that was the reason for his message. She’d hoped to bond with the people she met at the castle but knew in her heart that she didn’t really belong there. She suddenly realized that she was the real imposter in this situation as long as she could do nothing to make things right for all those she’d inconvenienced with her presence. Imposter… I’ve got it! She thought, and quickly wished the shinobi a good evening. “Milord, I wish to go to Echigo in Lady Kiku’s place,” she declared as she entered the main hall. “She is not well enough to travel. The journey could kill her even before Fuma Kotaro gets to.” Lord Shingen and his retainers were still there, finalizing the details of the bridal procession’s journey. Each of their mouths dropped open in turn at her intrusion before Saizo ultimately approached her and attempted to escort her back out of the room. “Wait!” Shingen commanded, and Saizo shot Soma a cold look before he let her once again approach the dais. “You wish to resume your state of peril for my benefit, young one, and you will tell me why.” “It is my desire to do right by those who have spared my life despite my deception,” Soma explained, knowing they would not deny her the right to this penance. Shingen ran a meritocracy, after all. “Lady Kiku is my friend and I fear greatly for her. Please, this is the very least I can do for you all.” Shingen held his hand in the air to silence all present as he considered Soma’s offer. “Very well,” he deliberated finally, “Yukimura will accompany you.” “I am honoured, milord,” the young lord declared with a bow. “My Ten Braves and I will ensure the safety of the procession.” “I’m not going,” Saizo said suddenly, turning to his own master. “Sorry, dear, but you will have to count me out this time.” “Saizo, wai-“ Yukimura began to protest; but before he could finish his sentence Saizo was gone. He shot Soma an apologetic look. “Please, milord,” she offered, “let me speak with him.” “As you wish,” he replied with a smile. Soma stepped out into the courtyard and spotted Saizo on the rooftop where she was first discovered as a woman. She knew that she wouldn’t have seen him had he not wanted her to; so she climbed up to join him- in her woman’s clothing, which made her a little proud of herself.Saizo silently watched her approach as he popped a piece of dango into his mouth. Soma was curious as to why they disappeared so rapidly from the kitchen each day she made them, and finally had her answer. The realization made her smile though Saizo just continued to stare at her coldly. “Saizo,” Soma began as she sat down beside him, “I just wanted to tell you that you are needed on this journey.” “Yukimura, though dense, is an excellent protector,” he replied quietly. “Well, that’s not-“ “Plus it’s not part of our deal.” Is he pouting? Soma wondered, unable to help but giggle at the man’s sour attitude.“It would mean very much to me if you came,” she explained. “There you go, bringing emotions into things again like an idiot,” he retorted, shoving another piece of dango into his mouth. “Hey, I made those, remember?” She chastised him and he averted his gaze. “I don’t know why I feel the things I do, okay? I just know that if I don’t at least try to help Lady Kiku when I am in a position to do so, that I will end up regretting it for the rest of my life.” For a distinct moment, a look of surprise crossed Saizo’s features before he reeled it back inside himself. It was the first time Soma had seen an unintentional display of emotion in the man since the night they first met. “I knew someone else who used to talk like that,” he muttered. Soma felt bad for him, realizing that he was likely referring to the friend of his who died. Why he couldn’t just say what he meant, she didn’t know. Everything about the man confused her. She knew, however, that inside of him was still a beating heart. Otherwise, he would not have a taste for food that was made with love. “It will rain soon,” he said suddenly, and looked up at the sky. “You should go inside.” Soma did so, hoping that whatever decision he came to would be the one that was the most fortuitous for him. She got the impression that Yukimura had to apologize for him quite a bit; yet he still kept him on as his vassal. Surely, she thought, the man has merit when and where it counts. Yukimura was like her; loving came naturally to them both. It was no wonder their bond blossomed so quickly. Saizo, on the other hand, was apparently not so fortunate. Raised by a shinobi clan, nothing at all came easily to him. It only reinforced Soma’s theory that, though he exuded the most control and was the most disciplined of the three of them, he was in fact the one in most pain.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The bridal procession gathered before sunrise the next morning. As Saizo promised, it had been raining steadily since the previous night. The skies were dark, and everyone was dressed warmly to keep off the chill of the weather.Shingen made the decision to stay behind; however, accompanying Soma and the others was none other than his own brother Takeda Nobukado, Lady Kiku’s father. Soma was rather shocked to find out that he was the splitting image of Shingen; albeit not at all as agreeable. “This will never work,” he huffed as he looked over Soma like she was livestock. “This woman doesn’t possess even a hint of nobility in her entire body.” “If you’re so opposed,” someone contended from behind them, “will you not send another one of your daughters in her place?” They turned around and saw Saizo among them, though he had not made his presence known until that moment. Soma was overjoyed, as was Lord Yukimura, who clapped his friend on the back with a hearty laugh. Saizo winced at the young lord’s action, appearing even more sour than usual. “Who are you to chide me, murder-for-hire?” Nobukado retorted angrily. “You Iga-born would slit your own mother’s throat for a bit of gold.” Saizo stared coldly at the man, who grew increasingly uncomfortable by this until he finally stormed off. Nobukado should not have said that… Soma thought to herself, wishing she was in a place to defend her companion. For the sake of the mission, however, she decided to remain silent. This was made easier when Lord Yukimura called her over to him and ordered the rest of their party to ready themselves for departure.Before she got inside the palanquin, Soma gave worried looks to Yukimura and Sasuke, as the latter held the curtain open for her. “Don’t worry about Saizo,” Yukimura offered, also unable to believe his friend’s amazing self-control after Nobukado’s brazen insult, “he gets cranky when the weather is like this.” “Yeah, Sensei doesn’t sleep often,” Sasuke reinforced, “so he typically uses rainy days to go off someplace to rest. He says it’s harder to sneak around in bad weather anyway because of muddy footprints.” “That’s what he says,” the young lord piped up, his tone becoming slightly distant, “but I can tell you that he never used to be like that.” Soma spent much of her solitude in the palanquin thinking over Yukimura’s admission and she wondered what exactly happened to the man in service to the young lord to have made him so strange.She pictured Saizo as a youth; determined, headstrong- all the qualities he was known for as a famous shinobi. Over time these traits had apparently begun to serve more as roadblocks than resources because they made him impossible to get close to. This might come in handy for a shinobi, but not for a human being. It was his reluctancy to befriend her, however, that made her want him to all the more. By morning, the procession had made considerable progress down the mountain road from the castle, so they stopped for a short break. Soma exited the palanquin to stretch and noticed Saizo high up in a tall tree, surrounded by crows. Though the birds squawked and leered at the procession, they seemed completely comfortable around the shinobi; one even sat atop his shoulder and he stroked its beak lovingly. “Yukimura,” he called down, “we should get off this road.” “I see…” the young lord replied as he furrowed his brows. He turned to Soma and shrugged his shoulders, smiling kindly at her as always. “It seems that our journey to Echigo will not be an easy one after all.” “Preposterous!” Nobukado exclaimed, storming towards them. “This is the most direct route and it is the one we decided upon! What would you have us do? Scale the mountain like goats while carrying such heavy cargo?” The lord gestured rudely at Soma, whose face became emboldened with a rage the others had previously never witnessed. All around her fell silent. “If I am such a burden,” she said, shaking, “then I would sooner walk!” Before she could make a move, however, she felt someone’s hand enlace with hers. When she looked up, Saizo was standing beside her. Entranced by his amber eyes, she let him lead her quietly back to the palanquin. She did not mind his tricks if it meant that she would be saved the embarrassment of trailing her own bridal procession. “You should stay in here, little lady,” he said. “You’ll get soaked walking about.” “Miss,” one of the attendants said with a kind grin, “worry not. You are as light as a feather.” The others nodded in agreement and Soma felt thankful for their consideration. She held the curtain open a bit after she returned to her seat so that she could better see and hear the rest of the argument. “Should we even trust this… this devil?” Nobukado continued his rant, apparently disapproving of shinobi, as well as Yukimura’s insistence on using them. “If you would sooner die at the hands of Hojo’s shinobi than trust one of ours, then by all means continue on this road,” Saizo replied, calmly. Yukimura stood in silent solidarity by his friend, with his arms crossed. Soma understood early on that, for what must be good reason, he trusted Saizo completely. Once again, the lord simply threw up his hands and stormed away. The procession continued a ways before they came to the spot where Saizo had indicated was a reasonably painless detour.Suddenly, Kiyohiro appeared out of nowhere and smiled at Soma through the opening of the curtain. A sudden gust of wind blew through the trail, teetering the palanquin and almost sending Soma flying outside. Kiyohiro caught her in his arms and placed her gently back in her seat. “Oh, thank you, Kiyohiro…” she said. “It is nothing,” he replied. “I am Saizo’s arms and legs after all.” As the man continued to walk alongside her, Soma took the opportunity to clarify Yukimura’s odd statement back at the castle. “Is Saizo feeling unwell?” She asked. “As you know, Saizo hates the rain,” he explained, “but it is actually my favourite time to be out.” “I did hear that, yes…” she confirmed, looking down at the man’s feet as they plodded along gracefully beside her. “Muddy footprints, right?” “That’s just an excuse,” Kiyohiro revealed, chuckling. “A shinobi of his caliber wouldn’t be hindered by anything as trifling as that.” “Oh, I wasn’t saying…“ “Saizo loses himself from time to time,” he continued. “The rain brings it on. It’s as though he just cannot be himself.” Soma wondered why the man would be revealing such personal information, and something in his eyes made her suddenly grow very wary. “Get away from that man!” Someone shouted from the other side of the palanquin. Soma watched in awe as another Kiyohiro suddenly appeared. “You’re Fuma Kotaro!” Soma shouted at the imposter and started to panic, recalling his icy grip around her throat. “Kiku…” he hissed at her, “you are a smart girl after all. I will give you a beautiful death!” With that, he yanked Soma from the palanquin and threw her effortlessly over his shoulder. The procession flew into chaos as the men attempted to retrieve her but Kotaro thwarted each of their efforts with ease. He bounded away high into the trees with a terrified Soma kicking and screaming in his arms. Far below she could see a frantic Yukimura getting smaller and smaller as they floated further and further away.Kotaro landed them in a small clearing. The wind was fierce and Soma shielded her eyes as the leaves and forest debris picked up around them. “It’s very easy to chase someone so close to the cliffs,” a familiar voice came from above them. Soma looked up and saw Saizo standing on an overhanging branch. “There is really only one direction you can go from here.” “I wasn’t sure you would come,” Kotaro’s voice shook with mirth as he readied his kusari-gama. A flash of lightening reflected off the sickle blade that he caressed with one hand. Saizo jumped from his perch and the two men began to fight. As blurs of shinobi whizzed past Soma through the trees, she remembered what Saizo had told her once about this type of weapon: that it takes a man of great skill to wield it properly. Watching them do battle, she worried for Saizo as the rain poured down on them, understanding that her friend might not be in his best form.The kusari-gama’s chain flew towards Saizo and encircled him, which would have meant certain death had he not caught it before it locked around his body. Kotaro, thinking that he had Saizo in his grasp, laughed horridly. His eyes were locked on his target and full of fire and Soma shook with fear at their bloodlust. “I did not think my victory would come this easily, Saizo…” he mused. “You must really hate the rain after all; and here I thought it was just some kind of folktale.” “It messes up my hair,” he retorted, and spat on the ground. Saizo tensed his body and yanked hard on his end of the chain. This surprised Kotaro and he accidentally lost his control of his end. As the weapon was torn from his grasp, the sickle raked across his arm and cut it deeply, making him gasp and stagger backwards. Soon he was near the cliff edge, where the soil was beginning to erode from the rainfall. He didn’t realize that Saizo was actually using their quarrel to push him to that location until it was too late. The cliff edge began to quickly crumble beneath his feet and Fuma Kotaro disappeared with a terrible cry. “Do you think he’s…?” Soma whimpered, eyes wide as she watched Saizo lazily toss Kotaro’s weapon aside and approach her on unsteady feet. “We should leave this place,” he said as he pulled her towards him. He continued to hold her silently for a moment after a failed attempt to pick her up. The rain was cold but he was unusually warm for being soaked through to the bone. She let him lean into her to support himself, returning his embrace. He began to shiver uncontrollably. “Saizo…” Soma tried desperately to think of a way to convince him to accept her care, “I think you have a fever. Please, let me-” “I hear Yukimura calling to us nearby,” he interrupted, his voice shaky. “Go to him, little lady. He will protect you.” He pulled away and staggered weakly into the forest, which grew ever darker from the impending nightfall. Soma watched him helplessly. She began to hear Yukimura’s calls, also, far off in the distance. She impulsively threw down her heavy cloak and chased after Saizo into the trees.She tracked some unsteady footprints through the forest and came upon a shack hidden deep in a thicket. She entered and found Saizo there, practically unconscious on the floor in a shivering ball. “I’m sorry to disobey you but I need to warm you up,” she said as she knelt beside him and took off her cape. Wrapping the garment around him, she pulled him close to her so that together they might generate some body heat. His eyelids fluttered feverishly as she wiped his wet hair away from his face with her sleeve. He looked so defenceless; but Soma wondered just how many others he would have let handle him in his state. She squeezed him tightly against her and whispered kind words to him as he lolled his head around in a daze. After a while he lost consciousness from the fever. She rocked him gently in her arms until she couldn’t help but succumb to her own exhaustion. Saizo awoke holding something soft and warm. It was Soma, snuggled securely in the crook of his shoulder; she was lying on top of him, fast asleep. He remained perfectly still, selfishly allowing himself the comfort of her warmth and steady breathing for a few moments longer. “Please let it be a sunny day today…” she muttered, apparently dreaming. “I’ll make you a rain ghost, Saizo…” Saizo smiled at her babbling as he felt the expensive fabric of the cape that they shared as a blanket. He skillfully slid out from underneath her and wrapped it back around her. For her sake, he did not want them to be discovered in that position.He did not remember much after his encounter with Kotaro. He did remember instructing Soma to go to Yukimura yet she did not. To follow him instead was an impractical decision on her part but he found himself feeling thankful for her company. Kotaro knowingly lured him using Soma and he fell willingly into this trap against his better judgment. He tried to recall the last time he’d allowed himself to do something that stupid. “What a silly, little thing you are…” He whispered as he watched her sleep. Soma’s eyes slowly opened to find the shinobi seated a few feet away. She wondered if he really did mind her intrusion into his solitude after all, or if he was perhaps even embarrassed or put off by it. Either way, as she’d hoped, the sun was shining outside and Saizo no longer looked feverish. His silver hair glimmered in the rays of sunlight that peered through holes in the wooden structure and he appeared very comfortable. “There you are!” Yukimura said as he suddenly popped his head in the door. His eyes widened considerably when he noticed Soma and Saizo sitting together on the floor. “I did say to Sasuke that it would be very fortunate if we found both of you, um… together…” “I’m glad we didn’t disappoint you,” Saizo replied with his usual austerity. “What happened last night, anyway?” The young lord prompted, in an incapably unsubtle tone. “Last night? Oh, it was incredible,” Saizo teased as he flashed him a wry smile. “What is Sensei talking about, milord?” Sasuke chimed in as he snuck past Yukimura into the shack. “The rain!” Soma interjected, her face growing red. “Saizo had fallen ill… I thought it best to seek shelter, milord!” Oh no! Does he think that I was trying to do… that with him? She wondered, pulling her cape tightly around herself. “Yes, indeed,” Yukimura agreed as he quickly attempted to regain his composure. “Well you seem to be feeling more like yourself, Saizo. We should probably get back to the procession.” “Yes, dear,” Saizo replied. Sasuke helped Soma to her feet and she caught a hint of a smile on Saizo’s lips as he looked casually in her direction before exiting the structure. She hoped that she wasn’t still blushing like a fool. On the final night of the journey to Kasugayama Castle, they took rest at a nearby temple to refresh themselves. The monks provided a scrumptious meal for them, and Sasuke stuffed himself with food, making the most embarrassing noises imaginable. Even Saizo was eating something other than dango for the first time in what seemed like weeks. The only person not enjoying themselves was Soma, who paced the length of the room restlessly. “We’re going to have to remember our manners for tomorrow, Sasuke,” Yukimura scolded, which elicited a loud guffaw from the child. The young lord just shook his head and sighed. When he had finished his meal, Saizo stood and approached Soma, who appeared even too distracted to notice him staring at her. “I’m sure you know better…” he began, scratching his chin in thought, “but you’re not going to go around walking like a man in front of Uesugi, are you?” Soma stopped in her tracks and blinked at him as she became suddenly aware of her nervous behaviour. She quickly hid her hands up her sleeves to stop from wringing them. “I seemed to have Kotaro convinced,” she reasoned, narrowing her eyes at him. “Do men really notice what a woman is doing half the time anyway?” “Anyone of importance will notice a lady behaving improperly,” Saizo explained with a sly grin. “Do you know how to move like a proper lady in those clothes?” “I… think so,” she said, hesitantly. She thought it best to be vague for vanity’s sake. “Show me,” he replied, extending his hand as though he was giving her the floor. “Yeah, Soma,” Sasuke exclaimed with a mouth full of rice, “show us what you’ve got!” Soma slowly began to imitate her memories of Lady Kiku’s movements, carefully scrutinizing the faces of her companions for any kind of validation. “You look like an octopus!” Sasuke observed, not thinking he was being impolite. “A bit more like a squid, no?” Yukimura analyzed as he rested his chin on his fist contemplatively. He appeared to be completely serious. Soma would have laughed at the young lord’s facial expression had the focus of his concentration not been her own ridiculous appearance. She didn’t even want to look at Saizo’s reaction; but when she dared to his face held its usual placidity, which was now a source of comfort to her wounded self-image. She slumped to to floor in defeat. “There, there…” Saizo offered her, finally; only after sighing exasperatedly. “What sort of animal did you think I looked like, Saizo?” She asked him. She felt utterly dejected but the man was having none of it. “Let me teach you,” he said, helping her to her feet. “Lift your hem up with both hands, yes? Then gather it into your left hand.” He stood across from her and she mimicked him as he went through the motions. He winced when she gave him a curious look. “Don’t look at me like that, just do as I do. Tuck your thumb in against your body so that it doesn’t show. No, not like that…” He slid behind her and placed his hands on top of hers to guide her movements. He’s so close… Soma thought as her heartbeat began to ring loudly in her ears. “Why are you so stiff?” He asked, by her ear. “Ladies are supposed to be graceful under pressure, always.” “Y-yes, Saizo-san!” Soma stammered, but she was unable to focus entirely on the lesson with his body so close to hers. She looked at Yukimura and Sasuke and the two were blushing intensely as they watched them. “Um, Saizo…” Yukimura said as he raked his hand through his hair. He gestured at the wide-eyed boy at his side. “Oh…” Saizo muttered as he stepped away from Soma. He quickly repositioned himself in front of her. Flustered by a rush of confusing emotions, Soma put her free hand to her chest in an attempt to calm herself. As she did so, she noticed Saizo’s eyes curiously surveying her actions. “Concentrate,” he whispered to her. “Now walk with small steps, one foot in front of the other. Also, tilt your head down slightly, like this.” He makes it look so beautiful… Soma thought as he performed what could only be described as a dance. “Sensei, you are so skilled!” Sasuke said, apparently just as impressed. “Saizo’s always got a trick or two up his sleeve,” Yukimura added with a wink. “Thank you, dear,” Saizo answered the young lord. He turned to Soma. “Did you understand all of that?” Soma nodded, though in truth she was more concentrated on watching his lithe body than absorbing any kind of information. She attempted to mimic him but before she was finished Saizo threw his hands up in the air. “What are you doing?” He demanded, clearly frustrated. “Could you not just dress as a woman, Sensei?” Sasuke suggested. Yukimura seemed to share his sentiment, nodding emphatically. Soma began to slump over in distress once again, when Saizo reached out and pinched her cheek. She looked up at him in surprise. “You can’t go around wearing your heart on your sleeve like this,” he whispered to her so that only she could hear. “I’ll be more careful,” she offered and tried to pull away from his grasp; but his eyes drew her in once again. “I’m not saying I’m against it,” he offered. “Under normal circumstances, that is.” What is he talking about? Soma wondered, then remembered him acknowledging her reaction to his body only moments before. She blushed. Is he flirting with me? “Saizo, I’m sorry to interrupt,” Yukimura suddenly put forward with an uncomfortable cough, “but we should discuss our strategy for tomorrow.” “I’ll be right there,” Saizo replied, his eyes unwavering from Soma’s. After a moment he turned away and followed Yukimura and Sasuke out of the room. Soma let out a heavy sigh once she was alone, her shoulders collapsing toward her chest under the weight of her responsibility and the awkwardness of the evening’s lesson. Saizo was a truly fascinating man, his unwavering grace not at all lost on her, despite his odd manner. She spent the rest of the evening practicing the movements he showed her. She wasn’t sure why but she wanted desperately for him to be proud of her. When morning came, she felt much more comfortable with her movements. She did not, however, feel very comfortable with her speech mannerisms; and so she decided to feign a sore throat to avoid having to speak. Saizo agreed that would be best for the time being. “I’ll be acting as your manservant,” he quietly explained as he strode alongside the palanquin, “so allow me to be your voice.” “Thank you, Saizo… I’m really nervous,” she admitted. She saw the townspeople gather along the streets to watch the procession and try to peek through the opening of the curtain. Saizo shielded her with his body from their prying eyes. “Just follow my lead.” When they reached the castle, Soma heard a retainer announce their arrival. The procession stopped and she exited the palanquin. As she did so, she saw that seemingly every retainer and servant of the estate was lined up in excitement to greet her. She felt a wave of panic wash over her but suddenly remembered to lower her head. She saw Saizo down on one knee before her, extending his hand to save her as he had that day on the battlefield. “Lady Kiku,” he greeted her, with a gentleness she’d never seen from him before. She silently took his hand. The late-morning sun illuminated his high cheekbones and she recognized him as even more handsome in formal attire. His effect on her was truly astounding; with him around, she felt that she could do almost anything.He led her through the line of attendants and into the castle. Though Soma was trying her best, she tripped over her own feet just as they entered the main hall. “Oopsy-daisy…” a man’s voice came from above as she was caught in a pair of strong arms. The soft smell of sandalwood touched her nose. Soma looked up and saw a tall and strikingly beautiful man, his features so enviable that they were almost feminine in their fineness. Strange blond hair fell elegantly to his broad shoulders and he was dressed in the finest robes she had ever seen. She instantly began to stutter through an apology when Saizo stepped in. “Please excuse us, milord Kenshin,” he said with a bow. Uesugi Kenshin! Soma shrieked internally. Lord Uesugi Kenshin, known as The God of War, was a famously fearsome warlord of Echigo. Saizo had explained to Soma that Kenshin and Shingen were friends and that their ability to carry on their close relationship depended on the very treaty she was there to bind. As she noted his refined appearance she wondered if perhaps the two men were not more than just close friends; it was not the first she’d heard of those of nobility being intimate with both sexes. The thought of the two strong lords embracing each other sent an involuntary shiver of arousal down her spine. “Oh, she’s shaking, poor dear,” Kenshin cooed at her. “You’re so sweet. It really is a shame you have to marry my boring brother instead of me.” Soma looked over to where the lord was pointing and saw a relatively handsome albeit very uninterested-looking man on the dais. He appeared to be going through the motions just as she was as he stared at the floor without even so much as a glance towards her. She silently agreed that Kiku would have much preferred the other brother. “Lady Kiku has been unwell and is currently unable to speak, milord,” Saizo explained as he discreetly nudged Soma towards the dais. “If she’s not a big talker,” she heard Kenshin say as they left him behind, “maybe she is well-suited for my brother, after all.” During the welcoming banquet, Kenshin insisted that he sit beside Soma. He flirted with her nonchalantly and with no regard for his brother Kagekatsu’s feelings whatsoever. The latter just stared at his meal in silence, completely disinterested in the entire situation. Soma watched him, curiously. “Whereabouts were you born, milady?” Kenshin asked her. He appeared simply to be making conversation but Soma knew the real intention behind his questions. Saizo sat behind her and immediately took over. “Lady Kiku was born in Kai, milord,” he answered for her. Kenshin simply shrugged and laughed at his apparent forgetfulness. Soma grew anxious that Lord Kagekatsu would leave the banquet hungry. She feared that if he were unhappy with her that things truly would spiral out of control for them. She discreetly tugged at Saizo’s sleeve and he leaned forward so that she could whisper to him. “Pour Kagekatsu some tea, would you?” “Yes, milady,” he replied. As he began to pull himself away, Kenshin beckoned to him. “What did she say?” He asked him with a playful lilt to his voice. “Apparently,” Saizo said, confidently, “the Lady Kiku would like some dango.” Apparently, Soma thought to herself as she tried to hide her anger, Saizo is trying to take advantage of our little situation… After dinner, Soma was shown to her quarters where she was met by two maids from Shingen’s estate who were aware of her true identity. “You really did well today, Lady Kiku!” The tall one called Matsuko complimented her. “I agree completely, milady!” The young one called Umeko agreed. “Now let’s get you out of that heavy thing…” As the maids helped Soma remove her formal kimono, she couldn’t help but think about Kagekatsu’s misery during their meeting and dinner. Once she was finally fully changed into some lighter garments, she turned to the other women. “Will you do me a favour?” She asked them. The two nodded almost in unison. Soma explained her request to them and they were completely shocked; however obliging. When she was finished in the kitchens, she located Kagekatsu in the garden where he stared absently at some trees. When he noticed her approach him, he straightened immediately and his face started to grow pink. As she tried to maintain her facade, she spoke very softly. “Lord Kagekatsu…” she addressed him with a smile and his face grew even redder. “I noticed that you were not eating so I made you some onigiri. Please enjoy them.” “O-oh…!” He gasped, and accepted her offering. “Thank you!” They sat together on a rock as he bit into a piece of onigiri. His face lit up in surprise. “This is… good!” He said as he continued to blush. He reminded her a bit of Yukimura and she couldn’t help but beam at him. Kenshin called over to them from a few feet away. As he approached them he asked what they were doing and Kagekatsu showed him the snack Soma had made. “Oh!” Kenshin exclaimed, clearly interested. “When a lady cooks for you, it means very big things…” Saizo appeared before them out of nowhere and Soma’s back whipped back straight as an arrow in her seat. “Lady Kiku,” he said with a slight bow, “your wedding attire is ready. Will you please come and try it on?” Before Soma could answer, she was swept away to her quarters by the impatient assassin, who muttered angrily at her under his breath. He dismissed the maids with a flick of his wrist and they nearly tripped over themselves as they fled the room in fright. When they were alone he turned to her and gave her an intense look that made her want to be sick. “Are you trying to give us away,” he hissed at her through gritted teeth, “or are you just very stupid?” “I’m sorry, Saizo…” Soma whimpered; but she couldn’t apologize for her caring nature. As though Saizo knew this, he quickly softened his approach. “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you, little lady?” He replied with a shrug and sighed. “What’s done is done, I suppose. Come let’s try this on, yes?” Is he really going to help me dress? Soma wondered and her mind began to wander to places they didn’t dare. Suddenly the door slid open and Sasuke strolled in, proud as anything. “I knew I’d find you here,” he said with a smile before Yukimura smacked him in the back of the head as he followed after him. The child winced and howled, “What was that for?” “For barging into ladies’ rooms!” The young lord scolded him in a hushed voice. Sasuke clapped a hand to his mouth as he remembered to be quiet. “Please go away,” Saizo ordered without hesitation. “How are things going?” Yukimura asked Soma, choosing to ignore his friend. Soma suddenly faltered, the excitement of their misadventure beginning to drain her energy significantly. The young lord caught her and Saizo quickly produced a small pouch from a fold in his clothing. As Yukimura held her upright, she watched as the shinobi shook out two small capsules from their container. “Put this behind your back teeth and bite down,” he directed as he handed them to her. Sasuke held his hand out for some and Saizo just silently shook his head at him. “What are they?” She asked as she followed his instruction. A sudden rush of bitterness spread across her palate as she bit down on the capsule that made her involuntarily gag. She brought a hand up to her mouth to stifle her reaction; her eyes widened as she realized that she had tasted this bitterness somewhere before. “It’s a restorative, right Sensei?” Sasuke answered, looking up at Saizo. “Like the kind you gave her before, using your-“ “Be quiet,” Saizo hissed. The child shut his mouth immediately. Yukimura started blushing and raked a telling hand through his hair. “What is Sasuke trying to say?” Soma asked as she looked between them with suspicion. “When Kotaro choked you unconscious,” Saizo explained, “I had to give you the same medicine mouth-to-mouth to get you to ingest it.” “You mean you… kissed me?” Soma deduced, narrowing her eyes at him. “I don’t see what the fuss is about,” Saizo muttered as he averted his gaze. Yukimura stepped forward and waved his hands in front of Soma, dismissing her accusation. “No, no…” he tried to explain. “It seemed to be more of a medical procedure than anything!” “So the lady can talk after all…” a stern voice came from the open door. It was Kenshin with several armed guards standing behind him who awaited his command. Soma, Saizo, Sasuke, and Yukimura faced Kenshin in the main hall. Kenshin’s closest retainers surrounded them, blades drawn. The lord looked down at them with an odd combination of satisfaction and contempt. “You…” he said and pointed at Soma. “Who are you, really?” “My name is Soma, milord,” she began to explain as she bowed to him deeply. “I have asked to stand in for my friend Lady Kiku here as she is unwell.” “It’s the truth, milord,” Yukimura offered. “I have a document here from Lord Shingen, himself, that will confirm all the details.” Kenshin snapped the letter from the young lord and read it in silence. As his eyes followed Shingen’s writing on the parchment, they gradually softened and his lips upturned in a secret smile. “This is ludicrous!” One of Kenshin’s retainers exclaimed. “They are spies! The treaty should be nullified and they should be executed for their insolence!” “Silence, Kagetora. I’m still reading,” Kenshin hissed at the man without looking up from the letter. The retainer in question stomped his foot on the ground and grunted in displeasure. “The Hojo would never treat us with such disrespect!” He shouted as the other retainers in the room began to mutter amongst themselves. “Was it not you, Kagetora,” Kenshin began, having torn his eyes up from Shingen’s letter, “who was so adamantly against this union to begin with?” The man called Kagetora excused himself and stormed out of the room. Kenshin waved to beckon two other retainers to retrieve him. “And you…” Kenshin continued, pointing once again at Soma. “You came here willingly, knowing the kind of danger you would be in if you were found out?” “Yes,” Soma said as tears formed in her eyes. “I simply wanted to help Lady Kiku, milord.” Kenshin stared a little longer at Shingen’s letter before turning to his audience. Everyone in the room leaned forward as they anxiously awaited his deliberation. After a few moments, the lord walked to one of the oil lamps burning in the room and placed the letter in it. He turned back to face the crowd, most of whom were shocked by his actions. “The wedding shall continue as planned,” he announced. “Let the unification of the clans proceed. May we speak of this to no one, that there may finally be peace in these lands.” The entire party from Kai fell to their knees in a deep bow. Soma knew that, had it not been for Shingen and Kenshin’s odd connection that she and her companions would surely have been put to death without a second thought. The next day, Soma’s party met with Kenshin to receive their instructions for the wedding procession through town that afternoon. “…And when the shrine reaches the city square, the sacred couple will kiss to mark the occasion!” The lord indicated, and then received some interesting looks from his audience. “What is the matter?” “Do they have to kiss each other?” Yukimura protested, either disgusted or jealous; Soma could not be sure. She suspected that the young lord was possibly even more inexperienced with such things than she was. “I have read that it is a European tradition to kiss in public at a wedding,” Kenshin explained as he seemingly enjoyed watching Yukimura torture himself. “Surely integrating these types of activities would put us in an even more favourable light with Lord Takeda, no? He is always talking about the Europeans being good business.” Soma could not help but to look to Saizo for guidance. She expected some kind of reaction from him at Kenshin’s daring suggestion but the shinobi just stood there demurely in his formal attire as though absolutely nothing were the matter. When he noticed her looking at him, he cleared his throat. “It would certainly make the wedding appear more genuine,” he contributed, dryly. Soma rolled her eyes. “I’ll do it,” she resolved, irritated by her escort’s lack of conviction. Saizo’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and she smiled internally. Yukimura was beside himself with grief, practically pulling his hair out with his fidgety hands. Soma could not see much through the heavy veil she was made to wear as she and Kagekatsu were paraded through the city on their portable shrine that afternoon. She could tell that they were completely surrounded by people because their vehicle pitched violently as it was forced through the enormous crowd.As they neared the square, Soma started to get nervous. Having some, albeit negligible experience with men, she realized that she was not at all interested in kissing Kagekatsu, even if it was just for show. He was not only as boring as Kenshin warned, but was also a boorish drunk; hence why he chose to refrain from alcohol most of the time. Kagekatsu, however, had full intention to make the mock wedding as realistic as possible as he pawed at her like she was a plate of manju. “Come here, darling,” he cooed. He began to lift her veil and she immediately smelled sake on his breath. “Give me those precious lips!” “Milord,” she protested as she practically recoiled in horror at his changed behaviour, “you know I am not actually your bride, don’t you?” “That’s just fine,” he replied, and wrapped his arms around her waist. As he was about to dive his face towards hers, the shrine rocked violently. They had picked up another passenger. Soma looked back and lifted the veil so that she could see; Saizo leaned against the back pillar of the shrine, looking her over approvingly as she sat there in her wedding gown. Suddenly, a shuriken whizzed towards his head and he caught it expertly between two fingers without once breaking his gaze.The moment Kagekatsu stood up to defend his honour, Fuma Kotaro appeared at the opposite pillar from Saizo. Chaos broke out in the city square as Hojo warriors tore through the crowd to get to the shrine and people fled in all directions. “You’re just using me as a distraction,” Kotaro gasped, “aren’t you, Lord Kirigakure?” Saizo gave Soma a mischievous smile. “So what if I am?” He retorted. He kicked him squarely in the chest causing Kotaro to fly backwards off the shrine. He then dove toward Soma and picked her up in her heavy wedding kimono. Despite her weight, he took them high up onto the rooftops as though it were a trivial task.After some time they reached the top of a tower, far beyond the city centre. Saizo continued to hold Soma upright for a moment as she regained her bearings. “What did you mean by stealing me away like that?” She asked him, clutching her chest. She felt him squeeze her a little tighter. “You didn’t really want to kiss Kagekatsu, did you?” He said with a twinkle in his amber eyes. “You can thank me later.” Before Soma could reply, Saizo was off again to join the fray. She smiled as she watched him leap from rooftop to rooftop over the city towards the square. She considered that, though he grumbled and complained a lot, he always seemed to be there for her when she needed him. She supposed that they could in fact be friends after all.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Here’s to a flawless victory!” Lord Kenshin toasted everyone in the main hall. “Victory!” Was exactly what Sasuke shouted when he retrieved Soma from the tower. He brought with him some of her simpler clothing and she had to change very quickly out in the open. The little boy turned away from her politely until she was done; something she wasn’t sure Saizo would have had the patience for. Saizo had, however, somehow integrated rescuing her from Kagekatsu’s unwanted advances into his plan to lure the Hojo out into the open. He could be, in fact, much more thoughtful than Soma originally thought. During the banquet, the sake flowed freely and Yukimura entertained Kenshin with his obnoxious drunkenness; the side of him Soma had unfortunately seen before back at her family’s restaurant in Kyoto. This time, however, the young lord simply joked and laughed a little too loudly, thankfully avoiding political topics. “Come on!” He taunted Saizo as he filled the man’s cup to overflowing, that it spilled onto his hand. He raised an eyebrow at the lord in disdain. “You’re not -hic!- even close to my level yet! Let’s -hic!- have some fun!” “I want some!” Sasuke cried as he clasped his hands together and stared dreamily at the bottle of sake Yukimura was holding. “You’re too young,” the ever-watchful Saizo reprimanded his eager student. “Have some tea and sit down.” “Oh come now,” Yukimura protested when Sasuke began to whine, “a little drink won’t -hic!- hurt him. A strong man always -hic!- has a drink from time to -hic!- time. Right, Lord Kagekatsu?” Kagekatsu was sitting next to Soma and she noticed him look up from his meal, appearing slightly embarrassed by Yukimura’s words. His behaviour during the procession earlier that day was appalling at best. “Lord Kagekatsu does not drink, I’m afraid,” Kenshin answered for his brother. It was clearly a lie to protect his honour and so Soma said nothing. The shinobi gazed at her from where he sat next to a now visibly humbled Yukimura. He allowed himself a small smile when the young lord attempted to discreetly ask an attendant for a cup of water. “Indulgence should never be a race against time,” Saizo mused, smiling wryly. He took a sip from his cup and gave an appreciative nod at its fine quality. Why does everything he says sound like he means something else? She wondered, cursing the fact that she hadn’t been awake for his supposed “medical treatment” back in Kai. “Saizo, you devil!” Yukimura exclaimed at his friend as he slapped him on the back. Apparently the young lord also caught on to his very subtle innuendo. “Oh, I am having such a good time!” Kenshin said as he laughed heartily at their interaction. “Let’s have a cherry blossom viewing all together tomorrow!” “That’s a wonderful idea, Lord Kenshin,” Soma agreed. “Shall I make us some snacks for the party?” “Of course you shall,” the lord beamed. “Have you ever taken in the blossoms, my dear? It is one of the finest pleasures. Definitely not something to be rushed, as I’m sure your manservant would agree!” “A long time ago…” she answered him as she remembered the details of the encounter she recounted to Kotaro, “I found a little boy crying under a cherry tree while I was playing near the woods. I gave him my dango and he was immediately made better… It is one of my most vivid memories. When I see the blossoms now I think about him all grown up and I hope that he is much happier than when we first met.” “That is a lovely story…” Kenshin sighed. He fell silent, looking off dreamily into the distance. Saizo abruptly stood up and, after excusing himself to the lords, left the room. Soma watched him leave and made the impulsive decision to once again follow him. As she stood to do so, Kagekatsu gave her a worried look. “Are you feeling ill?” He asked in a hushed voice. She couldn’t help but smile at his show of concern. “I was just going to get some fresh air, milord” she answered as she took a step. Kagekatsu went to follow her, but she stopped him and shook her head. He sat back down amongst the other men in defeat. “She really is something, isn’t she, Kagekatsu?” She heard Yukimura say the moment she stepped over the threshold, and she hid a giggle behind her sleeve. The young lord must be very drunk, she reasoned. She found Saizo sitting nearby on the bannister that wrapped around the castle balcony. She knew that she would not have found him had he not wanted her to and once again it gave her the confidence to approach him. When she did so, he glanced back at her briefly, and then away. He seemed to her somehow bashful, if that were even possible for him. “Saizo…” She sighed his name and reached out to him. She used the sake as her excuse for wanting to touch him. “What do you want?” He asked, coldly. “I… Well, you see,” she fumbled with her words and slowly retracted her hand, “I just wanted to thank you… for saving me back there.” She laughed awkwardly. “Again.” “I was just fulfilling my mission,” he replied with a dismissive shrug. Soma was nearly floored by his apathy. She felt constantly tested by his mixed messages and it made her uncomfortably unsure of herself at times. Maybe he is just doing his job, she wondered, disappointed. “Will you be joining us at the blossom viewing tomorrow?” She asked, trying to keep the conversation going. He looked back at her and crinkled his brow. “I’m not really into that sort of thing,” he said. “Plus, it’s supposed to rain tomorrow.” “But there’s not a cloud in the sky…” Soma argued, peering upwards. “I was going to make dango for the party. I was going to make a bunch especially for you…” “I’m not sure how much dango you’re planning to make,” he replied with a chuckle, “but it probably won’t be enough to get me out in a rainstorm again anytime soon.” Soma knew that he was lying about not wanting to join the party. Whenever Saizo told a lie a very small wrinkle would appear right in the middle of his eyebrows. She wondered if he even knew about it. “Well, I hope you change your mind,” she replied, feigning complete rejection just to tease him a bit. He did not react. “Also, you have a tell when you lie. Your eyebrows crease. I just thought you should know that.” “What?” He said, and immediately touched his forehead. She was about to turn away when she felt something cling to her waist. Sasuke was there, hanging onto her for dear life. She smiled at him and returned his embrace as Saizo silently watched them over his shoulder. “I’m so tired!” He exclaimed with a huge yawn. It was times like these that Soma was reminded that Sasuke was just a little boy, not unlike her own brother, but still very much a child. He was a free-spirit; just like she imagined Saizo would have been at his age. She hoped that Sasuke would never endure the hardships Saizo had that led him to become so callous. “We had a busy day today, didn’t we?” She asked the boy, then turned to his master. “I’m going to put Sasuke to bed. Is that alright?” “Go ahead,” Saizo replied, turning his back on her once again. Thankful for the excuse from their one-sided conversation, Soma picked up Sasuke and carried him to her room. She knew that Saizo would not be far behind. “I have something you can help me with,” she whispered in the child’s ear. “Yes, dear,” he sighed as he nestled his face into her shoulder. Sasuke did not last ten minutes on Soma’s bedding before passing out completely. She didn’t see the harm in letting him sleep there, so she continued with her work in silence until she saw a shadow moving around outside. She got up to investigate and when she opened the door Saizo was there. “Oh hello,” Soma began, secretly unsurprised by his presence, “is there anything the matter, Saizo-san?” “It’s unwise to leave a woman and child alone when there are drunk men wandering around,” he explained. As he spoke, a loud roar of laughter boomed from the main hall. “You can’t begin to know the decadence that some people will allow themselves.” Soma couldn’t help but smile at this odd statement, and it made him shift his weight between his feet. He’s really going out of his way, isn’t he? She decided to tease him some more. “Well, since you’re watching us anyway,” she began, motioning towards her room, “you should just come in. Sasuke is still here if you’re worried about appearances…” “I wasn’t watching you, I was standing watch,” Saizo muttered as he followed her inside. He cocked his head to the side when he saw a row of kerchiefs on the floor, tied with string so that they formed a rounded bunch at the top with a skirt underneath. “Those are strange looking dolls…” “They’re not dolls,” Soma explained as she bent down to gather them, “they’re rain ghosts. You hang them along the eaves and pray that they keep the rain away.” “You don’t really believe in that, do you?” Saizo scoffed as he grabbed one from her and analyzed it. She had even drawn little faces on them. “It must be some weird thing people from the capital do.” “It’s a tradition in the capital, yes” she replied, beaming at him. “Especially before festivals.” She went outside to hang her charms and again he followed along behind her. In the time it took for her to reach the prominent eaves of the castle that were higher than she was used to, he had managed to obtain and hang every one of the charms except for the one she was holding. “Hang them like this?” He asked, pointing at his handiwork. Soma lowered herself from the bannister and laughed. “Exactly like that,” she said and handed him the last one. He hung it up with the others and gazed at them thoughtfully with his hands on his hips. “Interesting…” Suddenly, just as Saizo predicted, a drunken Yukimura fumbled towards them as he sang some silly song Soma didn’t recognize. Saizo shooed her into her room and shut the door. She sank to the floor and pressed her ear to the paper so that she could hear what they were saying. “Saizo!” The young lord whispered loudly, “Is Soma asleep? I -hic- was just going to stand watch at her door but -hic- I guess you’re too quick for me.” “You did ask me to look after her for you, dear,” Saizo replied with a hint of mischief in his hushed voice. “You know what they say; if you want something done right, do it yourself.” Soma suspected that Saizo’s statement was another one of his little jokes and she thought for a long time about what he may have really meant. The next day, Soma awoke to the unfortunate sound of heavy rain. Well, there goes our cherry blossom viewing, I suppose, she thought to herself. It was very unlikely that anyone would still want to go out.Not one to be put off by the weather, Lord Kenshin decided that they would hold a banquet inside instead. Soma’s dango were stacked high on a large table in the centre of the main hall and everyone looked over them hungrily. Kagekatsu was the first to indulge in the sweets. Smiling happily, he shoved one after the other into his mouth like a squirrel. Kenshin gaped at him comically. “Let’s get the court artist in here to capture this rare moment!” He mused aloud. “How do you mean, milord?” Yukimura asked him, though he knew how devastatingly good Soma’s cooking was. “Kagekatsu never has a smile on his face,” the lord explained, “these must be some exceptional dango!” Everyone enjoyed themselves as they ate Soma’s snacks; everyone except for Saizo, who was nowhere to be seen. Soma leaned in close to Sasuke, who sat beside her. “Where is Saizo?” She whispered at him. “Oh, you won’t be seeing him around today,” the child replied with a mouth full of food. No one seemed to mind as they were too busy indulging themselves. “It’s raining, remember? He’ll be hiding somewhere, as usual.” “Right…” Soma said, and quickly excused herself. She grabbed some dango from the kitchen and, under the cover of an umbrella, went outside to look for Saizo. She understood that this was a fool’s errand but she eventually came upon a dazzling cherry blossom tree in Kenshin’s garden that just happened to be suspiciously populated with crows. “So you did decide to take in the blossoms, after all,” she called up at the tree when she finally spotted a shock of silver hair in among a cluster of flowers. “Hmm…” he said, glancing down at her. His eyes were red and the rain drops poured down his face like tears. He wiped them away absently with his fingers. “You should come inside and get on some dry clothes,” she fretted. “You know you will just get sick out here like this… I’m coming up there.” She assessed her footing at the base of the tree. “Don’t,” Saizo said, and swung his legs over the side of his branch. “I’m coming down.” He stood before her, tall and lean, his amber eyes glowing with fever as rain trickled over his entire body. Soma didn’t want to lecture him but did offer to share her umbrella, which he promptly refused. “I have climbed trees before, you know,” she said with a smirk. “I know. You like these trees, too, huh?” “Y-yes…” She replied, surprised by his interest. “They remind me of the happy times when I was a child.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Why do you like them, Saizo?” Saizo averted his gaze and wiped his face again. “I knew someone long ago who loved them, too,” he answered, his voice stressed at the memory. “He was a bit like Yukimura, really… A little too passionate, a little too involved… But that’s what made him special, too, I suppose. He insisted on going to see them every single year. I like cherry blossoms because they return every year… so that I can never forget him.” “Please come inside, Saizo-san…” Soma pleaded, tears forming in her eyes as she handed him a bundle of dango. He accepted it with a small smile. “I can’t,” he said, and tucked her gift inside a fold of his wet clothing. “I’ve been summoned to Iga village.” “When will you be back?” She asked, her hand still reaching for him. She withdrew it reluctantly and clutched it to her chest. Her heart was racing. “Later,” he replied as he put on his fox mask. Soma had no idea what he meant by that but reasoned that it was likely that neither did he. As she watched him bolt away into the distance she wondered if she would ever see him again. She felt helpless knowing that he would be out there alone and she would be unable to help him this time. “You really care about him, don’t you?” Kiyohiro asked her as he appeared at her side. “Yes,” she replied, wiping her own tears away. “I’ve thought very hard about whether or not I should reveal to you any more details about Kirigakure Saizo without his permission…” He hesitated, then shook his head. “But I can see that not doing so may cause more harm than good.” “Please…” Soma said, turning to face him. “Please tell me… why he’s so sad.” “Over ten years ago, Iga village was under siege for the second time by the Oda clan,” he explained, though it visibly pained him to recall. “We managed to push them back and build ourselves a stronghold. This worked for a while… until someone let the Oda in. Many women and children were killed. The man responsible was Saizo’s best friend. The village elders wanted to make an example…” “And they made Saizo kill him…” Soma sighed, already knowing where Kiyohiro’s story was leading. “Betraying your clan comes with a heavy fine, you know. The only thing is that he was under pressure to betray us. They had captured his lover and were holding her hostage, but we didn’t know that until it was too late. We would have tried to help him, I’m sure…” “And Saizo blames himself…” “Yes, he does,” Kiyohiro said, and looked off thoughtfully in the direction Saizo went. Soma’s head swam with all of the information the man just revealed to her. She knew now for certain that Saizo did not care about his own life because he had ended the life of someone dear to him, and punished himself year after year by forcing himself to remember the event over and over again to the point of illness. His friend’s sword burned on his back like a brand, and one day it would finally witness his own death. Perhaps only then would Saizo be satisfied. Suddenly she touched her hand to her temple and she stumbled, dropping her umbrella. Kiyohiro caught her before she fell to the ground, and carried her carefully back into the castle. She awoke sometime later in her bedding, burning with fever. Yukimura and Sasuke knelt beside her, the latter squeezing her hand so tightly with his own that she thought it might fall off. The two straightened at her wakefulness, and she wondered how long they had been there with her that they themselves had apparently also dozed off for a time. “You have a really bad fever, Soma…” Sasuke explained. “You need lots of rest right now, okay?” The fever continued to assail her body well into the evening. Despite this, the young lord and the shinobi’s apprentice did not leave her side except to relieve themselves. She heard them debate sporadically about whether or not it was best for them to leave her in peace for a time, and in the end they finally did. No sooner had they gone before a knock came at the door and Soma spun again into wakefulness. Kagekatsu was there, holding a tray. His cheeks were pink as though he had been drinking again. “I heard sweet sake was good for a cold,” he said as he entered the room and closed the door behind him. “I didn’t think you drank, milord…” Soma reminded him as she propped herself up in bed. Her movements felt slow and clumsy. Kagekatsu knelt beside her and set the tray down on the floor. He poured some of the sake into a cup and offered it to her. She accepted it, gratefully, and watched for a moment as spirals of steam rose upward to the ceiling. “Thank you, Lord Kagekatsu,” she said, and drank the liquid. The warmth poured down her throat and she felt comforted almost instantly. “Soma, you must tell me…” Kagekatsu said suddenly as he grabbed her by the shoulders. “Who was that man you were speaking to in the garden? What does he mean to you?” “What are you doing, milord?” She demanded as she unsuccessfully tried to wrestle away from him. The more she tried to repel herself from his advances, the more he persisted, grabbing at her until her robes fell open and exposed her breasts. Her illness made her feel weak, like she was stuck in thick mud. She knew that there was nothing she could possibly do but scream, but hesitated, wondering what would happen if she did. Causing Kagekatsu such embarrassment in his own home would not be the best way to keep up appearances to those who were not in the know her true identity. She closed her eyes and planned to simply endure whatever the lord did to her but she soon felt the weight of the man’s body leave her. She opened her eyes and saw Saizo looming above her as he held Kagekatsu off the ground by the front of his kimono. The latter took a few drunken swings before he gave up and hung there with his limbs dangling about him like he was a rag doll. “Someone’s had a bit too much, it seems,” Saizo said with a record-blank expression. “It’s you!” Kagekatsu hissed, “You’re the one who means to steal her away from me!” Saizo pulled the man closer and whispered something into his ear. The lord was suddenly fast asleep, and even snoring. The assassin heaved a sigh as he unceremoniously threw the man out into the hall and closed the door so that he and Soma were alone. He went to her side and gently helped her redress. “Did he do anything to you?” He asked with a bitter twinge to his voice that told her he’d consider killing the man if the answer was yes. “No,” Soma replied, stealing his hand into hers as it went to leave her clothing. He did not pull away. “I’m going to ask Sasuke to sleep with you from now on,” he muttered. He was not so much telling her as he appeared to be setting a task for himself. I thought he had been summoned by his village… Soma thought. “Saizo,” a low voice came from outside the patio door. It was Kiyohiro. “I need to speak with you.” “Leave us,” Saizo ordered as he glared at the door. The shadow moved reluctantly away. “Can you… just speak to him that way?” Soma asked, knowing that his oath to his clan was sealed in blood. “They know where my loyalties lie,” he sighed as he took a seat cross-legged beside her. “Don’t worry about that now. Rest.” “Why did you come back?” She asked, the sake the lord brought her making her brave. She entwined the fingers of his gloved hand with hers. “I don’t know,” he said, simply. Soma felt the hot sting of tears in her eyes but did not want him to see, so she pulled the blanket partially up her face. Saizo reached two fingers over the edge of the blanket and gently pulled it back again. “You can’t hide tears that have already been seen,” he said. For the first time, he appeared to be genuinely smiling. “I’m sorry…” Soma said, caught off guard by his odd expression. He just shook his head. “I know that you don’t want me to go,” he said, his face suddenly returning to its normal austerity. “No…” Soma admitted, drawn once again into his peculiar, red-amber eyes. “I don’t ever want you to leave my side, Saizo. I want us to see the blossoms, together… every year, from now on.” “I see,” he said, and squeezed her hand. “I won’t leave until you’re asleep. Is that fair?” “You don’t have to be alone anymore… Saizo…” she murmured as he leaned in close to her. She felt her eyes grow heavy, and his breath on her neck as she struggled hard to stay awake. “Goodnight, little lady…” his voice echoed through her mind as she dozed off; and she knew he’d used his tricks on her yet again.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The next morning Soma awoke to find Sasuke sleeping soundly in the bed beside her. Saizo had made good on his resolution. She shivered with an odd chill that wasn’t in the air the night before and hoped that her fever had finally subsided. She rose quietly so as not to wake her bedmate and tiptoed to the door that led to the hallway. She opened it a crack and, to her astonishment, Kagekatsu was still lying there, fast asleep. The sound of footsteps nearby prompted her to shut the door and back away. “Oh, Lord Kagekatsu!” One of the maids exclaimed, though her voice indicated that this wasn’t the first time he’d been found in that state. It took two attendants to get the man to his feet before they evacuated the hallway and Soma could exhale. “Soma…” Sasuke yawned as he awoke. “How did I get in here? I’m sorry… I must have sleep walked or something…” He flung his arms around himself. “It’s cold in here!” “I think it’s snowing,” Soma said as she tossed him another blanket. He quickly wrapped it around himself. “No way!” He exclaimed and bounded for the patio door. He opened it with a loud crack and to their astonishment Yukimura stood there with his fist elevated as though he was just about to knock. Sure enough, there was snow falling in big globs that slowly accumulated all along the patio. “Hey, slow down,” Yukimura cautioned the boy. “What’s gotten into you?” “I love snow!” Sasuke said as he ran outside and started collecting snow off of anywhere he could get it. “Can we have a snowball fight when there’s enough?” “I suppose we could…” the young lord replied with a smile. “But we wouldn’t stand a chance against Saizo haha!” “You’re right!” Sasuke’s eyes went wide and he stuck his hand in the air. “I say he’s on my team!” “No fair!” Yukimura said, and tousled the boy’s hair. “Where is Saizo?” Soma asked, grounding the mood somewhat. Yukimura cleared his throat and shooed Sasuke aside so that he could enter her room. “He’s on another mission for Iga village,” he confirmed. “I’ve just come to tell you that Lady Kiku is well again and will be joining us here tomorrow. You can finally go home!” “Oh, so soon?” Soma murmured, disappointed that the night before was not quite the goodbye she was hoping for. Yukimura prompted her to sit down with him and she did. He smiled at her kindly, his face not as bashful as it once was when he would look at her weeks ago. He was her age, and she wondered if he looked at life with any of the same uncertainty and desperation that she often did. He seemed simpler than that, however; not incapable of introspection but not lost in it like Saizo seemed to be. Soma wondered if perhaps his status might have something to do with that. Yukimura was, however, the most grounded of the lords she’d met, followed closely by Takeda Shingen. She’d grown to love them both dearly, as well as Sasuke and his mysterious master. “I can speak for everyone when I say that you will be greatly missed, Soma,” Yukimura offered. She expected him to rake his hand through his hair in embarrassment at his own words but he did not. “Sasuke has been happier with you around… and, believe it or not, Saizo, as well. You’ve really spoiled us rotten, you know.” “Really?” She asked, suddenly feeling bashful herself. She was sure that her presence was more of a bother than anything else but the young lord remained steadfast. “Really,” he said, and leaned towards her as though he intended to kiss her. She might have allowed him but for a quick knock at the door. They looked at each other sheepishly before it slid open and an anxious retainer begged them to follow him to the main hall. “Grave news has come to us from Kai,” Kenshin reported sombrely when they entered the room. “Takeda Shingen has taken ill and is bedridden.” “What is this?” Kagetora, the same man who protested the wedding, shouted. “Another trick? The Hojo would never treat us with such disrespect!” The man’s speech was nearly the same as before. Soma wasn’t sure how Shingen taking ill had anything to do with trickery, let alone how it was an appropriate argument for their accusation. She however decided to keep her mouth shut as Saizo wasn’t there to rescue her this time. That is, until she noticed someone familiar in the crowd who was staring at her intently. “Kagetora, do you forget that we were just attacked by the Hojo?” Kenshin reminded his vassal in an irritated tone. His ties to Shingen would have made the news of his illness that much more unsettling than he was letting on. “I am certain that Takeda Shingen’s illness is a ploy,” Kagetora maintained, taking a brazen step forward towards Kenshin, who squared his shoulders defensively, “to distract us from his intended invasion! We should seek help from the Hojo immediately to put this nonsense to an end!” “Of course it’s a trick,” said the man in the crowd that Soma recognized. “Just like that fake bride over there.” “Kotaro!” She shouted impulsively, unable to control herself any longer. “Fake bride?” Someone echoed, and soon many were muttering amongst themselves in collusion against them. Many of those present were not aware of Soma’s status as decoy for reasons of security and the entire party from Kai was suddenly once again under scrutiny. Far up on a hill outside of Kasugayama, Saizo lifted his fox mask to watch tendrils of smoke rise like ghosts from the castle down below as Hojo warriors descended upon it. Snow fell gently around him, accumulating on his hair and shoulders.Kiyohiro handed him his orders from the village elders and stood patiently nearby, awaiting his word. Saizo scoffed at the letter. “They’re doing this to punish me,” he said. Kiyohiro shook his head. “Then why? Haven’t they gotten enough out of me over the years?” “Your Kiku stand-in has been discovered and needs to be eliminated before this thing really gets out of hand,” Kiyohiro explained, his voice shaking audibly. He knew as well as Saizo did how unfair the decision was. “The Takeda clan will fall if Shingen dies. Uesugi will have no choice but to align with the Hojo to ensure their own survival. It will be out of Kenshin’s hands- you know this as well as I do.” “Yes, but why can’t she just be sent home?” He asked, though he knew that this order was non-negotiable; he was just wasting time. Every moment he wasn’t hunting her she was still alive. “It’s too late for that now,” Kiyohiro replied quietly. He would be the one to dispatch of Saizo if he disappointed the clan again, and he didn’t want to have to do that. “I’ll be watching.” “I would expect nothing less of you, old friend.” At Kasugayama, Yukimura pulled Soma close to him as vassals began fighting each other, divided between Takeda and Hojo. Realizing that those guarding them were ultimately too busy bickering with each other to even notice them, he took her hand and led her back to her room. Sasuke, Kenshin, and Kagekatsu followed behind them. When they reached her room, Kenshin gave her a pitying look. “You must leave at once, my dear,” he said, taking her small hands in his. “I fear that things are no longer safe for you.” “I agree, Soma,” Yukimura said. “We have to get you out of here now.” The castle was in complete chaos with the sounds of shouting, steel against steel, and something much more dangerous, as well. “My word!” Kenshin commented when a loud crack caused him to cover his ears. “They are certainly getting rowdy, aren’t they?” “That’s gunpowder, milord!” Yukimura said, his pallor suddenly greying. Kenshin seemed unfazed other than being slightly annoyed by the racket. “Oh, I suppose it is…” He said with a shrug. A distressed retainer suddenly appeared in the doorway. “Milord!” He addressed Kenshin and the lord gestured impatiently for the man to hurry his speech. “T-the Hojo are attacking! We’re surrounded! They are already starting to loosen fire arrows upon us!” “Hmph…” the lord grunted as though it were no worse news than their blossom viewing being canceled due to rain. “This place can withstand much worse than that,” he muttered as he turned to Yukimura and Sasuke. “You two, take the young lady and get out of here at once.” Kagekatsu led them to a little-known back exit; through the kitchens and out a shipping area where the castle received large deliveries of goods. Just as they passed an open doorway, Soma tripped on something and her legs gave way beneath her. Kotaro loomed over her and laughed grimly. “The fake bride is escaping!” He shouted to some unseen persons behind him. “Haven’t you said enough for one day?” Kagekatsu’s angry voice bellowed. He had his sword drawn as he dove towards Kotaro, who was apparently not expecting his speed. Kotaro laughed as he nearly faltered, countering the attack. “The honour is all mine, milord!” “Yukimura!” Kagekatsu shouted as he grappled with his opponent. “Get Soma and the child out of here now!” Without a word, the young lord helped Soma to her feet and they continued quickly along their escape route as they tried to ignore the shouts and grunts of the heated battle they were leaving behind them.They ran as fast as they could, down dark corridors that seemingly led them upward, until they saw the light in the distance that indicated that they were reaching the outdoors. They halted suddenly upon realizing that they were somehow inside one of the castle watchtowers. As they turned to go back, a masked figure appeared in front of them. “Saizo!” Yukimura exclaimed, recognizing who it was instantly. “Am I ever glad to see you! The castle is under attack and…” Ignoring the young lord, Saizo had his eyes dead set on Soma as he approached her with deliberate, languid steps. Yukimura promptly blocked his path and notched his sword out of its scabbard so that the man knew he was not playing around. “Hold on, my friend,” he said with a distinct tone of authority Soma had never heard from him before. “Don’t tell me that your orders are to kill Soma…” “Is this how it’s going to end, Yukimura?” Saizo asked coldly, his deadly focus unwavering. Soma crumpled to the floor, trembling with fear. She knew that Saizo intended to finally claim her life as he’d hinted at weeks ago when they first met. She did not want to die, least of all by his hand. She had come to consider him her friend, and even believed that she desired more. The assassin brought down his sword and Yukimura quickly countered it, their steel ringing loudly as it clashed together in mid-air. “What are you doing, Saizo?” He demanded, his voice shaking. Saizo punched him square in the stomach, leaving the young lord reeling in agony and retching with what little strength was left to him. “You’re as trusting as ever, Yukimura…” He muttered. “Sensei!” Sasuke cried as he took Yukimura’s place as Soma’s shield. “Stop this! Don’t take her from me!” Tears streamed down the little boy’s face as he met his master head-on, brandishing a tanto that would have shaken free out of fear from any other child’s hand.Saizo slapped him in the face, and Sasuke flew against a wall. He recovered quickly but remained on the ground, holding his little face with a look of absolute terror. Soma considered grabbing the tanto that landed near her but was completely paralyzed from Saizo’s gaze. She could only open her mouth slightly, and a quiet voice came out that was not her own. “Please… I want to live…” The man froze in place. The eyes behind the fox mask softened somewhat as he quietly calculated his next move. They searched hers for what seemed like forever, as though he thought that he could find the solution to his conflict in the tears that streamed down her cheeks. “You truly are the Lord Assassin,” Fuma Kotaro said as he approached them, brandishing his token kusari-gama. “To kill one you have so steadfastly protected is not a light-hearted task.” “Damn you,” Saizo cursed, maintaining his gaze on Soma. It was uncertain to whom exactly he was speaking. If Kotaro managed to get here, then that means… Oh no, Soma thought, thinking back to Kagekatsu’s heroics that allowed for them to escape to this point. “This woman has changed you, Kirigakure Saizo,” Kotaro said with a smirk. “I suppose you need me to kill her for you, hmm? It would be an honour to do your dirty work…” Soma closed her eyes as she prepared to accept her death. She heard the rattle of Kotaro’s chain as he flung the scythe end towards her, and then a loud clash of steel. She felt nothing but she knew somehow that she was still alive.She opened her eyes and saw Saizo standing with his back to her as he parried Kotaro’s attack with both of his ninjato drawn. He was using both his and his friend’s sword to defend Soma from the kusari-gama. “Why are you grinning like that?” Kotaro asked him, a distinguishable look of shock passing over his face for just a moment before he forced himself back with enough force to stagger his opponent forward. Soma soon found herself in Kotaro’s sights again and he smirked at her before launching his weapon once more. Before she could even muster a cry Saizo again repelled the chain, and his fox mask fell from his face to the floor in pieces. In a flash, he flurried towards Kotaro and sent both of his blades directly through his stomach.Kotaro slumped to the ground, blood gushing from his wounds and mouth. It spilled from his lips as he laughed gruesomely, staring up at Saizo with desperate eyes. The latter showed no reaction to him, whatever. Soon, the laughter stopped and an eerie silence fell over them. A strong wind torrented snow through the corridor. Kiyohiro appeared, as well as several other men also from Iga village, there to support Kiyohiro should Saizo defect.Saizo did not seem at all affected by their arrival. He withdrew his ninjato from Kotaro’s body and shook the blood off of them and onto the floor with one deft flick of the wrist. He was covered in blood, too, though none of it appeared to be his own. “You sure took your time,” he remarked, absently. Kiyohiro was visibly shaken by his persistent coolness. “I simply allowed you the time I assumed the mission required,” he replied, and shot Soma a remorseful look. “I was interrupted,” Saizo said as he looked down at Kotaro’s body. “You should probably just do away with me now, though. It shouldn’t be too difficult with all the help you brought along with you.” The other shinobi shuffled their feet, somewhat embarrassed by his words. It was clear to Soma that they did not want to have to fight Saizo. “Shall I assume, then, that you refuse your mission?” Kiyohiro asked. “You could say that.” Saizo suddenly beamed, ear to ear, his eyes shining with a renewed passion. Kiyohiro’s face went pale. The Lord Assassin stood at the ready for whatever fate had in store for him, his shoulders pridefully squared. What is he doing…? Soma wondered, at the same time honoured and mortified that Saizo would sooner denounce his own village than murder her. “You’ll have to get through me if you want to hurt these two!” Yukimura shouted. “Yeah!” Sasuke joined in. The two placed themselves between the men and their friend, their weapons drawn. Saizo looked at them and furrowed his brows. He then looked back at Soma who was sitting motionless on the floor as the pool of Kotaro’s blood edged closer to her. Her eyes pleaded with him to just get whatever was going to happen over with. Once again, he silently calculated his odds. “I will make no exception for you, Lord Yukimura, if you choose to get in the way,” Kiyohiro warned. “That counts for you, as well, little one.” “We would have it no other way,” the young lord replied with a smile. “Saizo… I can’t wait to reclaim this favour!” With a chuckle, Saizo scooped Soma effortlessly up into his arms and leapt over the balcony of the watchtower. Soma closed her eyes and clung to him tightly, too afraid to scream as they plummeted towards the forest floor below.When she opened her eyes again, Saizo was standing safely in a snowbank and he gently lowered her to her own feet. Though they fell a great distance, he seemed completely unaffected by their landing. He grabbed her hand and urged her to run with him. She did, but only for a while before she slowed their pace to a halt. “I will carry you on my back if you are tired,” Saizo offered. “It’s not that…” she said, though she was winded, especially from running in the cold. She saw a look of confusion pass over his face. “What is it, then?” “Saizo…” she began, still holding onto his hand. “You have to kill me. If you don’t…” “What are you talking about?” He asked, shaking his head in frustration. “We need to run, now!” “You mean so much to me…” She revealed as a single tear etched down her cheek that was bright pink with cold. “I can’t let you give up your life for me. I couldn’t bear it.” Saizo stared at her for a moment, dumbfounded, before he pulled her tightly against him. She buried her face in his chest and he brought his mouth to her ear. “I don’t want to run if you’re not going to come with me, Soma,” he whispered softly, his breath warm against her face. “I already regret so much in this life. If we can be like this even for one moment… perhaps I can die a happy man.” Soma looked up as he reluctantly pulled himself away. She was not surprised to see that they were already surrounded by Kiyohiro and the other shinobi from Iga. She imagined that they had simply given Yukimura and Sasuke the slip, and hoped that the two had not also fallen victim to the icy grip of death for her sake. “You can’t run forever, Saizo,” Kiyohiro said, clearly unamused. The two men were no longer friends, if they ever really were. “I am already through running,” Saizo hissed as he pulled Soma behind him. He drew both of his ninjato and readied himself for combat. Kiyohiro did not waste any time and rushed towards him with his own weapons. The two men fought, their ability nearly matched, leaping over each other as they parried each other’s blows like acrobats locked in a lightening-fast dance that was dizzying to watch.No sooner had Soma felt a touch at her elbow than the shinobi who snuck up behind her was lanced in the leg with one of Saizo’s swords. The man doubled over with a piercing cry that echoed loudly through the cold air. “The next to touch her will die!” He proclaimed as he once again faced his opponent. “What will you do, Saizo, now that you are down to one blade?” Kiyohiro taunted. In the background, the man who was speared through the leg screamed in agony as one of the others struggled to wrench the ninjato from it. “I have done much worse with much less,” Saizo replied. Kiyohiro nodded, knowing this was the truth. Suddenly, a single crow issued a sobering cry as it circled above them. No one moved at all to strike as they all peered up at the sky. The bird flew down to them and landed on one of the shinobi’s outstretched hands. The man quickly ran up to Kiyohiro and whispered something into his ear. Whatever was said made the man drop his weapons immediately and submit himself to his knees in front of Saizo. “Lady Kiku has just arrived at Kasugayama with an army,” he said. “I thought Lord Kenshin had ordered a messenger to warn Lady Kiku to turn back,” Soma tested them as she rushed to Saizo’s side. “Lady Kiku learned that you were in danger and insisted on coming to save you, Soma,” Kiyohiro revealed with a small smile. “It seems that being a daughter of war has made her strong after all.” “So what now?” Saizo asked, reluctantly sheathing his remaining weapon. “The Hojo have been defeated,” Kiyohiro said, and he bowed to them deeply. “The assassination order has been rescinded. You have the fight, Saizo.” “You do have a heart, after all,” Saizo said as he reached out to help the man to his feet. “So do you,” Kiyohiro replied, and accepted the man’s gesture with a smile. He promptly turned to Soma and bowed to her. “Please forgive me, miss.” Soma could see that the man was truly sorry. She embraced him, and felt his body stiffen at her touch for a moment before submitting. “Thank you,” she said. “Thank you for treating us fairly, despite everything.” “Lord Hanzo…” One of Kiyohiro’s companions interrupted. “It’s time to go.” “Hanzo?” Soma said. Pulling away from him, she gave him a strange look. “Oh yes,” he replied with an embarrassed laugh. “Kiyohiro is an alias. Those in the village know me as Hattori Hanzo.” He bowed to her again and casually turned on his heel to leave, as though revealing his true identity to her was but a trivial thing. She blinked, and he and his men were suddenly gone. Saizo retrieved his other sword from where it stuck out of the snowy ground and wiped it off on his hakama. Soma watched him turn the blade in the light, seemingly checking it for damage before returning it to its sheath. The two walked together back to Kasugayama castle in silence, as was Saizo’s usual method of dialogue. Soma was simply attempting to process all that had occurred that day and was lost in thought. Once in a while, she caught him looking at her curiously, but eventually realized that it was the first time she’d ever really been silent around him.When they arrived, they received a warm welcome from Yukimura, who attempted to hug both of them at once with one burly arm wrapped tightly around each of them. Saizo, in a display of reciprocation, patted his friend’s shoulder awkwardly before snaking out of his embrace. Soma was not so fortunate as she found herself suddenly crushed in both of the man’s arms until she felt she would faint from lack of air. “Sensei, you are a bad man!” Sasuke’s wobbly voice came from nearby as he chastised his master between sniffles. Soma felt his little arms fight for dominance over Yukimura’s around her body. “Sorry…” Saizo muttered, tousling the boy’s hair with his gloved hand. “You were very brave, little one.” “We are all so thankful to see you both again!” Kenshin proclaimed happily as he appeared behind the young lord. Yukimura released Soma from his arms, and immediately raked his hand through his hair in his classic tell. “Lord Kenshin,” he began with a bow, “I know that Lord Shingen would have wanted to be here. I am just a spear that he extends to places he cannot reach himself, but please allow me to thank you on his behalf for all that you have done for us.” As the lords spoke, Soma looked over Kenshin’s shoulder and saw Kagekatsu and Kiku embracing. The lord had thankfully survived his squabble with Kotaro and was apparently getting along well with the woman who was supposed to be his wife. The two spotted her and waved, with big smiles stretched across their faces. “Well, I suppose our work here is done…” Yukimura said with a laugh. “I’m going to gather our people and begin to prepare our leave.” Soma watched Yukimura walk off towards the castle after bowing again to Lord Kenshin. The latter tilted his head to the side and approached her, smiling wryly. “I’m just glad that the two of you have managed to sort things out,” he said, gesturing towards Saizo, who stood a little behind her. “What do you mean, milord?” She asked, confused. Kenshin leaned in towards her and lowered his voice. “He is your lover, is he not?” “What?” Soma exclaimed, and whipped her head around to look at Saizo. He just stared at her silently, though she thought she saw him smirk for a moment before replacing his emotionless mask. Kenshin’s long fingers began to lightly caress her cheek as he pulled her attention back to him. “Well, that’s what he told me…” He said softly, his violet eyes heavy-lidded as he brought his face closer to hers. “But if that isn’t the case, perhaps you will choose to stay here, Soma. I can take very, very good care of you…” “Oh, milord…” She said, shocked at Kenshin’s brazen invitation. “I am honoured, but Saizo has been appointed to ensure my safe return to Kyoto. Isn’t that right, Saizo?” “That’s right,” the shinobi said with a chuckle. Kenshin immediately retracted his touch and slipped his graceful hand up his sleeve as though it had never left the safety of the garment to begin with. He smiled at the two of them and bowed curtly. “Do come back for a visit, my dear!” He called to her over his shoulder as he walked off towards the castle.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“What did you mean by telling Lord Kenshin that we’re lovers?” Soma asked Saizo as they walked together along the side of the main road that led into the capital. Their path brought them to the peak of a hill, and the two stopped for a rest and to take in the scenery of the busy town down below. “We’re almost there,” he said, blatantly ignoring her question. “Is it always this chaotic?” “You know it is,” she said, giving him an impatient look. “Come on, Saizo…” Saizo turned to her slowly and saw her large eyes reflecting his own in their depths. He was reluctant to provide an answer to her question. Why she’d only just decided to ask was beyond him, anyway. His mouth opened and closed a couple of times before it finally let out an exasperated sigh. “That creature would go to bed with Yukimura if the opportunity arose,” he said, finally. “A young woman of your cast has but her honour in this harsh world, no?” The fact that their friend had caught the wandering eyes of the fiercely liberated Uesugi Kenshin more than a few times over the course of their stay amused him greatly; mostly due to the fact that Yukimura was, as always, hopelessly oblivious. Kenshin could have easily lured him into his bedroom at any time had he not been so fixated on Soma. Saizo reminded himself to tease the young lord about that later, the running joke being that his chastity seemed to have chosen him, and not the other way around. “Could it be possible, Saizo,” Soma said with a sly grin, “that you are more concerned about my honour than I am?” Truthfully, he had wanted to be her lover for some time, but the two of them were truly and unabashedly ill-fated. She was a commoner; simple like Yukimura, and just as virginal. He was a hired killer, well-versed in the ways of pleasure and pain. Despite this, she brought him great comfort that was not there in her absence. Due to his fickle temperament, he thought it unlikely that she would ever act on her obvious pining for him. He realized that if anything were to come of their awkward yet persistent flirtation, he would have to be the one to initiate it. If he did, he might be able to satisfy her body, but did not know how to satisfy her otherwise. That’s why he tried to push her into Yukimura’s arms instead. The young lord was a noble- a gentleman at that; and therefore much more capable of meeting her more practical needs. He was also his most trusted friend and the only person who knew the shinobi’s strange secret: that he was the true author of the popular Lover’s Guide. Using his cumulative experiences as a seducer of both men and women, he had created an educational tool to wet the appetites and furnish ideas to the inexperienced on how to perform in the bedroom. The knowledge was too valuable not to share. In fact, he gave Yukimura the first copy in hopes that it would be put to good use. Sadly, it was barely glanced at since it was given a year ago. The somewhat gullible lord was told at a young age that his virginity ensured his prowess in battle, and he never dared to dispute it. That is, until Soma came along, and Saizo finally witnessed his friend grow hungry for something other than food and drink. “Hmph,” he crossed his arms in front of himself, feeling slightly exposed. “You must be joking.” Soma walked ahead of him, and he watched her twirl dreamily as soft petals floated all around her. He knew that the blossoms in Kyoto were even more renowned than those in Echigo, and had been confidentially looking forward to their journey for weeks. “Imagine being romanced by a handsome lord…” She said with a laugh. She turned to him and he mindlessly began to groom the petals out of her hair where they had become stuck. “Could you really picture me as the lover of a renowned warlord like Uesugi Kenshin?” “Yes,” he answered, and Soma immediately blushed. “You know how needy those people are. You show up and feed them and care for them… I’m surprised Kenshin let you leave.” “Well, what about you, Saizo?” She asked, looking up at him through long eyelashes. “Do you like… having me around?” “I’m just here for the dango,” he replied with a smirk. He cleared his throat and passed her, now leading her on the way down the path towards her own home. He felt her glaring at the back of his head and allowed himself a quiet chuckle. Her fire was something he could get used to; it made him feel like he mattered. Everyone who met Soma seemed to fall in love with her and he could easily see why. She was loving, and funny- her little face showed every emotion coursing through her brain. She had a sense of duty to others, and was kind, though often to a fault. She made the prospect of being a normal, everyday person extremely attractive.That being said, Saizo was not a normal, everyday person; he was a deadly assassin and a hunted man. He found it appropriately perplexing that a woman of her background could so readily accept that about him. Soma was the most headstrong woman he’d ever met and he found that to be her most irresistible quality of all. On the other hand, idly daydreaming about her made him feel like a fool. “What are you scowling about now ?” She asked him, jabbing him playfully in the arm. “It’s been a while, that’s all,” he innocently lied, gesturing toward the vast marketplace that bustled with scores of people from all walks of life. “I’ve forgotten how it feels to just be another person in the crowd. It’s… nice.” “Well, you put up a tough front, sensei,” she said, visibly confused by the conflict between his sentimental words and facial expression. “I suppose people have heard a lot of rumours about you, right? Are you worried that you might be recognized?” “That is a good observation,” he said, thoughtfully. “I may have to pretend to be somebody else while I am here. For your family’s safety.” “Oh…” She sounded somewhat disappointed at first but her resilient attitude prevailed and she beamed up at him, regardless. “I won’t give you away if you come and see the blossoms with me!” “Let’s see your family, first,” he replied with a smirk. Suddenly Yahiko appeared in front of them and rubbed his eyes, unbelieving that he was really seeing his sister in the flesh. He looked tired and work-warn. He reminded the man a bit of Sasuke, albeit his senses appeared to be dulled from mundane city life. Though the boy and his apprentice were of approximately the same age, Yahiko seemed much older just from the sheer joylessness of his daily routine. How Soma had managed to avoid this appearance herself spoke volumes of her character. “Soma! Is it really you?” “Yahiko!” She cried, nearly falling over herself to embrace him. “Please forgive me!” The boy pulled away from her and gave her a serious look. “Don’t do that to yourself,” he said quietly, taking her travel bundle from her. “You’ve been through a lot from what I’ve heard.” Saizo watched the boy press his forehead lightly against his sister’s; something that Yukimura did to him from time to time. The trite gesture took on a deeper meaning as he observed Soma and her brother, however, and a pang of guilt suddenly struck him for having left the young lord behind. Yahiko led the three of them towards the restaurant and as they entered, Soma’s mother immediately rushed towards them, tears forming in her eyes. “Oh, Soma…” she said. “I’m so happy you’re back. We were so worried but then we got your letter and-” “I know,” Soma interrupted. “I’m sorry, mother. I-” “Oh, hello, Genji,” It was Mother’s turn to interrupt when she noticing the man standing before her. She quickly readjusted herself, and wiped her tears away on her sleeve. “You’ve caught me at a strange time, I’m afraid. I’m happy to see you up and about… And with my daughter, no less!” Soma’s eyes went wide. Genji? “Ah, yes indeed,” Saizo said to the woman, his voice suddenly much more delicate. “I was in Kai receiving medical treatment and I came across Soma during my travels.” “That’s quite the coincidence!” Mother said. “Have the treatments helped? You seem to be looking much better, if I may say so.” “I’ve never felt better, actually,” he replied as he glanced briefly at Soma. She was gaping at them in shock. She couldn’t believe how blatantly Saizo was lying and how straight his expression was, in spite of that little wrinkle between his eyebrows. Mother caught her look and tapped her on the wrist. “Come now, Soma! You know Genji…” She said, apparently embarrassed by her staring. She obviously held the man Saizo was pretending to be in very high regard. “I thought I did…” Soma muttered under her breath. “Soma can be rather forgetful, I’m afraid,” Yahiko offered. He was next to receive their mother’s chastising tap on the wrist. “I should go check on my place now if you don’t mind,” Saizo said, bowing to them. “May I keep your lovely daughter with me for the time being?” “Oh, I insist, dear Genji!” Mother exclaimed, clasping her hands together. She was ever the matchmaker. Yahiko hid a snicker behind his sleeve and Soma rolled her eyes at him. “But I just got here…” She protested. “We rented out your room,” Yahiko whispered to her. Mother shot him a look that could kill. “You’d be delighted, right, little lady?” She coaxed as she quickly shooed Soma out the door. Saizo trailed behind, clearly amused. Little lady… Soma suddenly realized what her mother was talking about. There was a man called Genji who was the shut-in owner of Yugiri, a popular restaurant nearby. She’d never met him, only she really had; he just wasn’t the person she thought he was. Confused, she felt her eyes glaze over. There was obviously more to this than she thought. “That restaurant has been open since before my father died…” She said to Saizo as they walked down the street together. “How can you possibly be that, well… old?” “I’m not that old,” he replied, giving her a sidelong glance. Even his walk was different as they passed by the busy merchant stalls; more feeble, less confident. “The restaurant is an elaborate front, you see. It’s our eyes and ears in the capital. Everyone who works there is from Iga village.” “So it’s a… shinobi restaurant?” She asked, her face twisted up like the concept was completely inconceivable. “You could say that,” he replied with a chuckle, having never looked at it quite that way before. “The former owner was a sickly shut-in, often bedridden. It makes it easy to disappear from time to time if I maintain that appearance- or rather, lack thereof.” “Amazing…” Soma said. “And you know my mother?” “Oh yes. We’ve had many a conversation about you over tea.” “You have?” She said, her face turning bright red. He liked this look on her. “What did she say about me?” Saizo’s lips began to wobble as he attempted to hold in a burst of laughter. Soma glared at him so fiercely that he wondered if steam was going to escape from her ears. “She’s afraid you’ll never find a man,” he admitted, flatly. Soma wound up and punched him in the arm unexpectedly, and he cursed aloud. They both looked at each other and laughed. “It’s rather grand, isn’t it?” He commented as they reached the elaborately decorated archway leading to his restaurant. She nodded. “Master Genji!” An attendant cried as they entered. “It’s so nice to see you again!” “Yes, master Genji…” A female attendant said as she looked over Soma jealously. “It’s been too long.” In fact, all of the female attendants surrounded Saizo and began to fuss over him. Soma had never seen anything like it before; he was completely magnetic.He is rather handsome, I suppose, she thought.
Saizo suddenly took Soma’s hand. All of the female attendants backed away from him immediately and their entire demeanour towards her changed. He gave them a pleasant wave of dismissal before leading Soma to his private apartment that was located at the back of the building. “Are you in charge of all of these people?” She asked him as they walked, feeling everyone’s eyes on her until they turned a corner and were finally alone again. He looked down at her with a raised eyebrow, apparently surprised by her interest in this particular detail. “I suppose I am…” He said, having to think about it. He was asked to play the role of owner, and so he could only assume that he was the one in charge. “I was simply appointed as representative. Yes, that is more accurate. Why do you ask? I have many prospects for someone of my humble beginnings, I assure you.” He appeared to have been made slightly uneasy by Soma’s question, then she noticed that his hand hadn’t left hers the entire time. “Oh…” She said, and skipped to match their steps. “I don’t really care about things like that…” “Well, you should,” he replied, matter-of-factly. “Ah, here we are. Would you care for some tea?” “I don’t suppose you have anything a bit stronger…” She replied as she shot him a playful look that made his eyebrow raise again. “Of course,” he said. “I’ll be back in a moment. Make yourself comfortable.” He gestured towards some cushions arranged at a small table in the middle of the room before he excused himself and closed the door behind him. Soma watched his graceful shadow disappear before she allowed herself to fall backwards onto one of the cushions. What am I doing? She chastised herself, barely able to contain her girlish giggling. She suddenly stood and started curiously looking around the room. She reasoned with her guilty conscience that Saizo would be doing the same thing in her place. The room was unsurprisingly sparse; never being home definitely had its perks when it came to tidiness. There was a writing desk in the adjoining room, which Soma supposed was the sleeping chamber. On the wall by the desk was a beautiful painting of a heron standing on one foot in a pond. There was a somewhat familiar-looking book on the writing desk. She moved in for a closer look. The Lover’s Guide? She mouthed the title silently. “Have you read it?” Saizo’s voice came from over her shoulder. Surprised, she quickly spun around to face him. He’d remarkably managed to wash himself in the short time that he was gone; a hint of lavender wrapped itself around her like soft arms. Soma knew that shinobi generally did not like to give off any kind of scent, making this a special occasion. “Oh, no…” She tried to recover, embarrassed that she’d been caught snooping. “I can’t say that I have…” She knew the book, its poetically-written passages depicting acts of lust beyond imagination. She recited them by memory some nights, imagining her hands were the hands of someone else. It never embarrassed her before- that is until she assigned faces to the hands that caressed her body; namely Saizo and Yukimura’s. She was taken aback by how cheerful the former appeared before her now, so contrary to the man she’d grown accustomed to. His posture was relaxed and far from cold as he held a tray of sake for them to share. He was shaven and combed, and sported a more casual black yukata instead of the hakama and kimono he’d worn in to town. Like Lord Yukimura often did, he skipped the juban underneath. A hint of his bare, muscular chest peeked out at her, pale as the dawn. Soma reasoned that he would not get much sun by staying up all night and napping during the day as he often did. The flesh was youthful and supple underneath, in spite of the abuse it regularly endured. Soma could not help but be respondent to this drastic change in his appearance and felt her guard begin to lower immediately. “What did you think of it?” He asked, sensing of course that she was lying. He handed her a cup of sake. Soma’s face turned hot but it didn’t sound as if Saizo was judging her or teasing her in any way; he was truly interested. He knew that she could read and write because he’d seen her do both. Hesitating on her answer, she took the drink in one gulp and the spirits soon took over her empty stomach. “I liked it,” she began, reluctantly. She wasn’t sure if it was even an appropriate topic of conversation; though she supposed they were friends, after all. “I liked how the- um… lady parts are described. Like flowers.” “You and your flowers,” he muttered with a small smile. He gestured behind him to the table in the other room. “There’s food here if you’d like. It can’t compete with your cooking but I think you will enjoy it all the same. My people are quite competent.” “Thank you,” she said, and allowed herself a glance at the table. To her delight it was covered in an array of stunning food, some of which she’d never sampled before. “Oh, this looks amazing!” They sat across from each other. Not able to resist the temptation of a good meal, Soma filled their bowls with rice and began to serve. Saizo observed her every move but she was almost used to that by now. “I just meant to say about the flowers…” She continued as she attempted to make conversation. “I thought that the author described women very respectfully.” “You do have a grace about you, you know,” he said. Soma felt suddenly flushed and nearly dropped the chopsticks. He chuckled as he leaned back in his seat and she caught a flash of his amber eyes. “Not while under pressure, mind you. Help yourself to sake if you please.” “I don’t feel pressured about anything,” she replied in a slightly confrontational tone that made him bite his lower lip. “I will help myself to your sake, however.” Suddenly he was behind her, his mouth close to her ear. She froze, not knowing at all what to do. He was nearly pressed up against her but no part of them met save for his sweet breath on her face. “Have you been practicing the Art of Seduction?” He asked in a whisper that sent chills up her spine. “What… do you think?” Unlike her poor performance back in Kai, she could flirt with him confidently in this instance, knowing that her feelings for him were at least somewhat reciprocated. Saizo was the type of man who wouldn’t be there if he didn’t want to be.She turned so that she could see his expression. “I think you’re getting the hang of it,” he replied with a smile. “What do I do now?” “I want you to feed me,” he said, and plopped down beside her. “You want me to… Why?” Soma giggled and she felt her face get redder. He tilted his head to the side and bit his lip again. “It would please me,” he replied, simply. Soma couldn’t help but shake her head, unbelieving that the man was actually serious. To show that he was, he opened his mouth for the first bite. Soma pursed her lips together and tried to stifle her giggling as she took up her chopsticks. She took the bowl and brought it closer to him. She brought a dumpling to his lips and placed it into his mouth, and the rudimentary task of eating suddenly became very sensual. She was filled with a strange pleasure from engaging in what was fundamentally innocent behaviour with this very handsome man. She’d never experienced anything quite like it before.Saizo chewed the dumpling, enjoying every moment as his lips began to glisten with the oil of the meat. Soma watched him intently, and wondered what she should feed him next.Perhaps some radish to cleanse the palate… She thought, and took up her chopsticks once again.He opened his mouth and she placed the radish there. His eyes followed her every move. He chewed and swallowed but didn’t open his mouth wide again. “I want to see you eat, too,” he said. “You haven’t eaten all day.” Soma took up her own bowl and turned her gaze to the beautiful assortment of dishes laid out for them. She settled on a dumpling, as Saizo appeared to have enjoyed the one she fed him. The smell of the food was so enticing that soon any reservations that she may have had simply melted away. She brought the dumpling to her lips but instead of eating it whole she took a bite to savour it, and soon felt some of the juices trickling down her chin.Instead of commenting on her incompetence as she expected, Saizo leaned closer to her and extended a hand to her face. With the pad of his thumb, he gently wiped the juices back up to her lips and pushed them into her mouth. “Mustn’t spill, little lady,” he said with a grin. He placed the thumb that was in her mouth into his and sucked it clean. “Those really are quite good, aren’t they? Much of this is suited to a more Northern palate but I hope you try a bit of everything.” Soma nodded as she quickly ate the rest of the dumpling with some rice. It was the first meal they’d had in nearly two days and she was already feeling the effects of the sake. That said, she did not hesitate to pour herself another cup and refill Saizo’s as well. They toasted and drank- a number of times; and with each drink Saizo’s handsomeness became increasingly difficult to ignore.She ate some steamed vegetables next, mushrooms and cabbage, to distract her somewhat from the lure of her tantalizing host. It was savoury and delicious, just what she needed. Before long, she realized that she had been neglecting Saizo’s appetite. He did not seem hurt as he placed even more food in her bowl, and sake in her cup for her to enjoy. “What would you like, Saizo?” She asked him, playfully shooing his hands away from the table. “I want to taste you,” he replied very seriously. Her eyes went wide. “Y-you what?” She stammered. “Here…” He said, pointing to her mouth, then to her lap. “And here.” “But… But I…” Soma could not form the words, her mind rushing through imagined consequences should she allow him to do as he suggested. Analyzing him, he appeared almost docile as he gazed at her affectionately. The edges of his shining eyes curved slightly, his features simultaneously delicate and angular. He had been the focus of her infatuation for so long that she could not help but remain motionless after his instigation, almost preferring to live forever in this state of uncertainty than to rush to a decision. Growing impatient, he grabbed her wrist and drew her in to his kiss. It was passionate, his soft mouth exploring hers with every inch of his tongue. She soon relaxed into the embrace and allowed him to cradle her in his arms. They kissed intensely until they were both left gasping for air. He rolled her off of his lap and lowered her gently to the tatami floor. He hovered over her, trailing the tip of his tongue down across the corners of her mouth and along her jawline. She shivered, having day dreamed about this moment ever since their first encounter.She involuntarily arched her back, bringing herself closer to his touch. He kissed down the opening of her yukata where it crossed over her chest, and untied her obi. Her garment came undone, and in a few quick motions she was left in nothing but her thin, white juban.She closed her eyes, revelling in the warmth of his kisses and the gentleness with which he was dealing them. She felt something warm at her bosom, and realized that he was nuzzling and licking her nipples through the fabric of her undergarment. He placed his mouth on one mound and sucked on it gently, causing a wave of stimulation to shoot through her like a bolt of lightening. “Ah! Saizo…” She moaned, and arched her back once more. “Can I see more of you?” He asked. He was finding it very difficult to control himself, having stowed away his desires for so long. “You’ve already seen me, haven’t you?” She asked him. She was more than a little drunk but keen as ever. “I suppose that’s true,” he muttered, and quickly untied her juban. She was right; he had been following her ever since she arrived in Kai that fateful day. It took him a little while to figure out exactly who she was, but he eventually did; and there was no way he would allow himself to lose sight of her again. Her curvaceous body now fully revealed to him, he ran his hands over it, cross-referencing each line with the ones he’d surveyed from the shadows. How anyone could have ever mistaken her for a boy was beyond his comprehension, though he supposed he was somewhat of an expert on these matters. “Wait…!” She gasped, suddenly very shy. He paused, his hands perched on the sensuous curves of her thighs as he was preparing to part them. “I haven’t had a chance to bathe.” “I don’t care,” he said, flatly. He continued with his mission to open her legs and reveal the delicious secret between them. Soma’s “lady parts”, as she put them, already glistened wet from arousal. He smiled at the sight of this, and at the ample folds of flesh therein. It was as a piece of ripe fruit; something easy to overindulge in.Her arms lay almost defiantly at her sides, as though it was the only thing keeping her from pushing him away. To test this theory, as he knelt between her legs he took her hands and placed them on her mound to hold open her quivering prize for his perusal.He positioned himself on his stomach on the floor with his face between her thighs. His mouth was mere inches away from her and he watched her convulse from the stimulation of nothing but his breath. Her aroma was umami and erotic, nothing at all like she likely imagined. He found it as intoxicating as the sake they’d been drinking.He kissed and licked her softly while her hands held herself open to his ministrations. He began at her entrance and slowly lapped upwards with the flat of his tongue, paying special mind to the bundle of nerve endings where the folds met at the top. He made sure not to miss that spot, nor to abuse it. He reached up and grabbed onto the flesh of her hips, kneading it forcefully. Her head was thrown back and, to his disappointment, he couldn’t see her face when he looked up to watch her reactions to his touch. He could hear her, albeit faintly, moaning and calling his name in her pretty voice. Her body shuddered involuntarily beneath him and his erection strained almost painfully against the floor in response.She tasted salty-sweet, her excitement only increasing with every movement, and he struggled to lap it all up like he was playing a game with himself. He knew that most of this was completely new to her and it pleased him to think he might give her an experience she would not soon forget. He wondered if that Inuchiyo boy that her family took in when she was younger had ever tried to get her like this. Surely, he had. If not, he was a fool. Saizo pitied any man who ever stood poised at her threshold and never forced himself over it. She was a beautiful woman; strong and sensuous. If only she knew her own worth, he thought. She lifted her head up and their eyes met for a brief moment before she flung it back again and let out a scandalous moan. Her fingers left their post to tangle in his hair as he skillfully brought her to orgasm, his mouth wrapped delicately over her entirety. He didn’t dare move until her body stopped shaking, though his prick ached, trapped beneath him against the tatami. It pulsated every time her flesh pulsated against his lips. Her orgasm was so intense that he thought he might also reach climax from that alone. Her breathing slowed and she loosened her grip on his head. He lifted himself onto his hands and knees and hovered over her until she drew him in to kiss her. He wrapped his arms around her and shared her flavour as their tongues entwined. She learned very quickly how he liked to be kissed. Soma was a very responsive lover; the kind he always hoped for whenever he did this kind of thing.He was the first one to break from the kiss, and her arms followed him, beckoning him to return to her embrace. He smiled at this and took one of her hands as he knelt beside her and kissed it gently. She rolled over towards him and reached for her juban but he stopped her. “Stay like this, unless you are cold,” he said. “Come, let’s eat and drink some more.” To show her that he was serious, he sat back up at the table and removed his yukata and fundoshi so that he was also naked. His flesh gleamed in the lamplight, pale but fiercely strong. Amazingly, he was not covered in scars as she’d imagined. His appearance was instead strangely exotic, his musculature impressive for a man of his smaller stature. He was but a few inches taller than she, after all, and stood nearly a head shorter than Yukimura. That fact never deterred from his presence, however. She recalled him towering intimidatingly over the young lord during their fight at the watchtower in Echigo.Soma slowly lifted herself up, but her body felt weak and clumsy from her climax and the sake. The ache between her legs was ever-present, however, longing urgently for more. She found her seat beside him but he smiled and shook his head before lifting her up with significant ease and placing her onto his lap as he sat crosslegged at the table. He adjusted himself slightly and she suddenly felt his length jutting upward from between her thighs, pushing teasingly against her mound. She took a curious glance down at it and marvelled at the ample, veiny shaft and pleasantly bulbous head connected to her with an embarrassing string of her own arousal. He hugged her from behind and buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply. She smelled sweaty and raw, with still a hint of forest from their travels earlier that day. One of her arms rested atop of his, the other reached up to gently caress the back of his neck. Her touch felt like warm petals dancing over his skin, playful and delicate. “Pour some sake, would you?” He directed, and slid his hands over her breasts, tugging at her nipples. Soma did as he asked and refilled their cups. Saizo took his and downed it in one shot before turning his attention to his twitching length that made sensual noises as he slid it over her opening. He paused only for a moment to allow her to drink, as well.She looked down again after feeling a pressure and saw that the head of his prick had disappeared inside of her. He paused obediently there so as not to decide anything else for her. This position ensured, at least seemingly, that Soma was in control of the extent that his shaft was inserted. She was so aroused that she felt it would not be difficult to take the entire thing, despite having never done so before. “Am I asking too much?” Saizo’s husky rasp came from behind her. The audibly concerned tone of his question was enough for her to decide to relinquish her weight down upon him. A stuttered gasp escaped from both of them simultaneously. It hurt; but would have hurt more without the drink. She felt a bulge hit the highest point of her canal, burning someplace near her bellybutton. His arms tightened around her. Her head fell backwards to rest on his shoulder. By the gods… He thought to himself as a predatory growl pushed past his lips. I’m really her first… All of his concentration techniques were of no use to him as his head swam with thoughts he‘d never allow himself while sober. He wanted to wrench her apart from the inside out with his love; an emotion so obtuse that it upset his every sensibility. His desire for her invoked a real, burning passion in him. It made him feel alive.He thought it fitting that a man of his experience should be the one to finally corrupt her, recalling what he’d said to Yukimura outside her bedroom in Echigo that night; If you want something done right, do it yourself…He imagined how his clumsy friend might fumble over her sensuous body and it made him feel a strange sort of pity for him. He hoped the stubbornly shy Yukimura might bring himself to finally read the Lover’s Guide after meeting Soma. He clearly adored her as much as Saizo did, which spurred Saizo’s reasoning for leaving both he and Sasuke behind without saying a word; he wanted her all to himself, even if it was just for one night. When they all reunited again it would prove only too tempting to encourage Soma to show the young lord a thing or two while he observed. He wondered if she would indulge him. “Have some more food,” he grunted. It was all he could do to avoid ejaculating from her tight hole and his terrible thoughts. “Ungh- right now?” Soma laughed, her pretty face conflicted from the sensations coursing through her body. He imagined that, in their state, eating was the furthest thing from her mind. “I need to slow down,” he admitted, quietly. “You’ve already got me on the edge.” Soma suddenly froze in place at his revelation. Saizo straightened her up in his lap and continued to hold her tightly, panting so heavily against her back that it grew damp from his breath. She had him in a place she never thought she would; bared and truly vulnerable. “Do… I feel that good, Saizo?” She asked him, her voice devastatingly innocent. He chuckled, surprised by her question. “Yes,” he said. “You are very tight and I… I want you so badly.” “I’ll do as you say,” she replied. The very act of her speaking sent vibrations through her body into his prick. Indulging his request, Soma found her chopsticks on the table and gingerly gathered a piece of grilled eel between them. She took a bite of the salty fish before Saizo leaned forward over her shoulder and opened his mouth. She smiled and fed him the rest.Soma fed them fresh bonito, fried tofu and vegetables, and refilled their sake cups. Saizo remained persistently hard inside of her, beyond turned on by their activity. He adored her voluptuous body. Soft and supple, even nurturing, her shape simply added to this dual pleasure of food and sex. To him, she was the ultimate joining of his two most beloved obsessions.When he was full, he piled a couple of cushions behind him and leaned back to admire her body. A droplet of sweat trailed down her spine to her ass. He pulled her apart slightly to see where they were connected and watched her instinctually tighten and loosen around his shaft. Every movement lured an unintentional sound from him, as though he had no control over his experience whatsoever. It was a new sensation that he enjoyed completely, though he was teetering dangerously on the brink of losing himself the entire time. He couldn’t remember the last instance he’d had sex for recreational purposes, least of all with someone he so desired.It wasn’t long before Soma figured out how to also access pleasure from his penetration and began rolling her hips slowly over him, pumping him gently in and out of her of her own volition. She attempted to stifle her moans with the back of her hand, unsuccessfully. “Good girl,” he growled, jutting his hips upward to meet her. “Does that feel nice?” Soma couldn’t answer. She didn’t know what to say, caught between warring feelings of guilt and rapture. She wanted to tell him that she loved him, and that she’d thought about sharing this moment with him many times. Back in Echigo, however, she’d wanted to say the same to Yukimura when he leaned in to embrace her. She knew that Saizo must have seen the odd tension that was building between them, and had also grown jealous of Lord Kenshin’s advances. It was very likely the reason he ultimately decided to honour their bargain and bring her home to Kyoto. She wondered if he realized how odd it was for him to insist they leave after dark while everyone was asleep, and hoped he didn’t really think she was that dense. He led her gently to the ground with him so that he lay spooning her from behind. He wrapped his arms around her and brought his mouth close to her face. As he fucked her slowly, he trailed his tongue along the ridge of her ear. It tickled, but made her shiver with delight. His naked body against hers felt comforting and warm. As he allowed his fingers to caress over her breasts and stomach, he once again settled on the pleasure spot of her mound and began to massage it gently. “I want to make you come again,” he said, his voice shaky from his exertion. Soma allowed him to bring her to the heights she craved once again while her head swam in sake and the sheer disbelief of her current circumstances. The sensations coursing through her body were practically overwhelming, very much like Saizo’s hypnotic gaze. She wondered if all shinobi made love as fatally as they killed.She knew that he must have been experienced but could not understand how he managed to resist his own orgasm. She realized that while he was busy toying with her body he had already ejaculated inside of her as semen began to slowly trickle from between her thighs. “Saizo-san…” She whimpered. “I’ll get pregnant…” Saizo merely grunted in response as he continued to take her from behind. Soon enough, they came together one final time, writhing against each other in ecstasy. Neither made a sound; instead, their mouths hung open, incapable of even issuing breath as they shuddered with the overwhelming sensation of their shared climax. Soma awoke a few hours later, her mind fuzzy from the drink, her body weak. As she pieced together the events of the evening, she quickly noticed Saizo asleep beside her. They were both naked and lying in his bed.The panic that she felt when she realized that she’d lain with him was soon replaced with an odd curiosity, however, when she noted that she’d never before seen him so peaceful. She could not help but to gaze upon him for several moments until he finally popped one eye open to catch her in the act. “Trouble sleeping, little lady?” He said with a smile. Soma’s cheeks suddenly burst into flame. “Oh… Yes.” She muttered, averting her eyes. “There is a sleeping robe there,” he said, gesturing to the floor beside her. “Go and open the patio door, will you? Some fresh air will help.” She did as she was told and, to her astonishment, Saizo’s bedroom opened out into a beautiful private garden. In the centre stood a magnificent sakura tree that gracefully spilled petals with each coaxing drift of the soft breeze that passed. The moonlight made the dew everywhere sparkle and the smell was absolutely glorious. “Oh, Saizo…” She sighed, breathing in the awesome scent of the foliage and night air. Suddenly, he was behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and she leaned back into his embrace. Feeling him near her in this space was incredible and she found herself wishing that the moment would never end.Soma had been so caught up in the whirlwind of their adventure that, now that things had settled down and she was beginning to see the reality of their situation, she was having difficulty processing the logistics of their strange coupling. “What are you so worried about?” He asked her, instinctively. She turned to him and, seeing that he was still naked, untied her robe and wrapped it around him, pressing her body against his and burying her face in his chest. She wanted to memorize the feeling of his skin on hers before she would be forced to say goodbye to him again. “Saizo…? Genji…?” She said, her eyes beginning to sting. “I don’t really know you, do I? I don’t know anything about you…” “I am Kirigakure Saizo,” he whispered into her ear. “Ninja of Iga and personal assassin to Lord Sanada Yukimura. You know this.” “But I don’t know you…” Soma protested, and Saizo felt dampness on his chest from her tears. He pulled away from her and cupped her cheeks with both hands. When she reluctantly looked into his eyes he could see that she was very upset and possibly regretful for having been intimate with him. He was afraid that would happen.As a sworn warrior of Iga, Saizo was bound to his duty and could never marry. His vocation meant, too, that he was living on borrowed time. His missions frequent and often potentially suicidal, his skill alone did not provide complete insurance against a violent demise. Oftentimes he’d felt what the common folk called “luck” bless him with the opportunity to live another day when all reason dictated otherwise. One day, he would most assuredly die by the sword if his fevers did not claim him first.Though his life seemed futile and at times extraordinarily difficult, there was some bit of insight so genius in its simplicity that was shared with him many years before that kept him going; and it pained him now to realize that the sensei may have forgotten the very lesson she’d bestowed upon him. “You know much more about me than you can even remember now,” he said. “What do you mean, Saizo?” She asked him, and as she blinked two droplets fell like diamonds onto her soft cheeks. He wiped them away with the pads of his thumbs. He kissed her softly on the mouth before pulling away, and disappeared into the other room. When he returned, he held up a stick of dango. He offered it to her and she accepted it with a confused look. “To eat is to live…” He said, unable to keep his voice from breaking slightly from the emotions coursing through him. Just this once, he decided to let it happen. “If you can eat, even when times are hard, you will find a way.” Soma’s eyes widened as she stared at the dango. “My father used to say that,” she muttered. After a few moments’ pause, Soma silently returned to Saizo’s embrace. Smiling, he led her back into the house; smiling because he knew that she’d remembered the day she changed his life forever with a stick of dango and those words. The very least that he could do for her was to try and return the favour.They sat up in bed and shared the dango in a peaceful, albeit pregnant silence. Finally Saizo pulled Soma towards him and threw off her robe in one deft motion. She gasped as he brought his face close to her neck and kissed and nibbled the sensitive flesh. “I want to know everything about you, too, Soma…” He whispered in his husky voice between kisses, each word rendering Soma more and more under his spell. “But you must promise me something…” “Yes…” She sighed, and he felt her pawing at his hair and shoulders while he seduced her. Her touch was so gentle and kind, as if to say, “I love you”, with every pass. “Whatever secrets you choose to tell me, you will tell me alone.” He pulled away from her to look at her face. She gazed at him heavily from behind her long eyelashes, her arms wrapped around his neck. A soft smile drifted across her lips. “I promise,” she whispered. He kissed her, forcing his tongue into her mouth as if to greedily sweep her promise from it. He guided her onto her back on his bedding and positioned himself between her legs. Balancing his weight on his knees and elbows, he lay on top of her and continued to kiss her deeply until he was hard enough to sightlessly guide his prick back inside her molten body. Her internal muscles flexed around him rhythmically as he began to move his hips, each thrust progressing in its passion.It became apparent that he was not only fulfilling a carnal urge; he was actually making love for the first time. Their bodies could somehow not get close enough together to satisfy him and he found himself relinquishing his weight down upon her as he worked to force his length as far deep as it could possibly reach. He longed to climb inside of her, feel how she felt, and to know her innermost self as intimately as his own.Her head was thrown back and he kissed and licked the outline of her jaw. He could hear her softly murmuring his name in a daze, like his lovemaking was transporting her to another place. He laboured passionately, withholding his burning lust until he felt her body finally contract and shudder beneath him. He quickened and held her tightly. With a cry he shot another charge of his seed deep into her womb while it still quivered from her own orgasm. Observing her for several weeks proved to have its benefits as he knew Soma’s cycle and there was minimal chance of her becoming pregnant at this time. He did consider in his weak-minded state of afterglow that he should be so lucky as to have a woman so beautiful and nurturing give him a child to outlive him, and that perhaps he should not be so careful next time. They remained connected, holding each other tightly. Their breathing gradually slowed, and they fell asleep in each other’s arms.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Yukimura politely pushed through the crowded marketplace, following some lucid memory of his last excursion to what he supposed was Soma’s restaurant. He thought she looked familiar. He remembered making a fool of himself in front of her months ago but her casual demeanour at the time implied that she regularly encountered much worse. The vague recollection of his run-in there with a flamboyantly-dressed patron who was speaking ill of Kiku’s betrothal made him cringe internally. What was his name… He thought to himself. He hoped to avoid the man this time for Soma’s sake, especially considering that he had tried to kiss him and he had to punch him to get him to stop. The whole thing was embarrassing to no end. Maybe she doesn’t remember… Saizo had once again gotten the better of the young lord, having decided to run off with Soma in the middle of the night after his final encounter with Fuma Kotaro. He hoped that the shinobi actually intended to return her to her family. Saizo was so unpredictable that the young lord wondered more than a little whether his own journey to Kyoto to retrieve them was just a fool’s errand.It was doubtful that Soma would settle for anything less than her goal of returning home, considering the danger she’d found herself in while in their employ. Sasuke was very upset about not being able to say goodbye to her properly, and so was he. She had truly made such a difference in each of their lives, that he needed to thank her. He’d brought a purse with him full of money for her family in hopes of appeasing them. Familiar, inviting scents filled his nostrils as he ducked beneath the archway of a nearby restaurant. As though transported by his sense of smell alone, he mindlessly floated from the front door to the bar and sat down on one of the vacant stools. He closed his eyes and allowed himself a dreamy sigh as he thought about Soma’s curvaceous, warm body pressed up against him during their training session. Her bottom was particularly impressive; probably from all of the work she did. No noblewoman Lord Shingen tried to introduce him to had a shapely bottom like that.When he finally opened his eyes, a young boy stood before him, looking rather cross. Standing behind him was the fashionable man with whom he’d had the scuffle several months ago. The latter was smiling at Yukimura deviously from beneath lilac-blond bangs, his long arms crossed over a broad chest. “Back for more, are we, darling?” He said with a whimsical lilt to his voice. He tossed his head to the side to reveal two sparkling violet eyes that had previously been hiding behind his hair. “Keiji…!” Yukimura shouted, suddenly remembering the man’s name. He shot upright, sending his stool to the floor with a loud bang. To his astonishment, the two of them seemed to be equal in size and he wondered in his current state of sobriety if he might be a samurai like himself. “Hey! What’s that racket?” A voice chimed in from nearby. An older woman with the same soft eyes as Soma’s approached them from the kitchen. She took one look at Yukimura and her mouth dropped open. “Milord!” The boy, who he assumed was Soma’s brother Yahiko, quickly took the woman’s place in the kitchen as she took his place in front of Keiji. The man put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed them affectionately before leaving his station to sit beside the young lord at the bar. “Have a seat, Sanada,” he said to him as he reached down and picked up Yukimura’s barstool. “Are you hungry? Yahiko! Bring us some of those donuts!” “Here, have some tea, milord,” Mother said as she poured a cup and placed it in front of him. Yukimura looked down at it, then at the woman’s friendly face, and decided that he should sit down and behave himself. “Thank you,” he said, and took a drink. The tea was of a lesser quality than he was used to and it tasted bitter on his palate. He was thirsty, however, and kindly motioned for Soma’s mother to refill it. “That is who you are, yes? Lord Sanada Yukimura?” Mother asked, leaning forward over the bar to get a better look at his face. He blushed, and raked a telling hand through his hair. “Soma told us about you. Thank you for taking care of her like you did.” “Oh,” Yukimura said, his blush deepening. She told them about me, huh? He thought, and smiled. “Yes, indeed. I’ll show you my seal if you’d like, but I don’t want to draw a lot of attention to myself. I’m sure you understand.” “Thanks for not throwing your weight around this time,” Keiji said quietly with a raised eyebrow. He proceeded to massage his jaw comically, in homage to their last encounter. Yukimura expelled a nervous laugh. “Sorry,” he offered. Keiji chuckled and slapped the young lord on the back. “I was egging you on, wasn’t I?” He admitted, and Yukimura decided to let his guard down a little bit. They shared a laugh before Yahiko remerged from the kitchen carrying a tray of sparkling breads. “What are those things?” The young lord asked, his stomach rumbling. A delicious smell wafted upwards from the tray to his nostrils, somewhat earthy and sweet. “It’s a yeast-based fried bread dusted with sugar,” Mother explained, waving one hand in front of the tray and holding her stomach with the other as if to indicate that she’d already had more than her fill of the snacks. “Soma makes them from time to time. She got the recipe from a visiting European merchant a couple of years ago. We call them donuts.” “Donuts, you say?” The young lord repeated, taking one of the sweets. The delicious smell increased in potency and allure as he brought it up to his mouth. He bit down on the donut and closed his eyes. The sugar crystals exploded onto his tastebuds, carried by the soft chew of the slightly spiced bread that seemed to melt on his tongue. He thought for a moment that he’d died and gone to heaven. He quickly consumed the rest of it and opened his eyes to peruse the remainder of the tray’s contents in a miserly manner that made his hosts laugh. “Help yourself,” Mother said with a bow. “It’s the very least we can do. Soma does her father very proud with her cooking, doesn’t she, Keiji?” “She is truly something else,” the man agreed, nodding. “Where is Soma?” Yukimura inquired between bites of his second donut, finally remembering the real purpose of his visit. “I need to speak with her.” “It’s her day off,” Keiji explained as he took one of the donuts for himself. Yukimura watched possessively, even though he was already on his third at that point. “I think she and Genji were wanting to visit Toji today. Let me draw you a map, unless you’d like to wait here for them to return.” “Genji…?” Yukimura muttered, then remembered the name Saizo used whenever he was in Kyoto. It was short for Genjirou, which was his own childhood name. He never understood why Saizo would pick such a silly name for himself. “I moved into Soma’s room so that we could free up the guest house for lodgers while she was away,” Keiji continued, and a wry smile crept back onto his pink lips. “She’s been staying at Yugiri restaurant with the owner, Genji, since she got back. Don’t quote me, but I think they’ve gotten awfully close, if you know what I mean…” “Keiji!” Mother promptly scolded him, which made both men shift uncomfortably in their seats. “Only idlers gossip.” “Yes, Mother,” Keiji replied, rolling his eyes. He settled them back on Yukimura, who was red from embarrassment, and leaned in close to him. “Don’t worry about Genji. He’s, like, a hundred years old. His hair is as silver as a mackerel.” “I see…” Yukimura said. Keiji obviously knew nothing of Saizo’s true identity. “Will you need lodgings during your stay, milord?” Mother inquired, stealing Yukimura’s attention with a click of her fingers. “We have a guest house out back. It’s not much, but it’s cozy.” “That would be very nice, thank you,” he obliged. He knew that it was not often they received a guest of his status, but he wanted to be near Soma’s family. After getting to know her so well, he felt as though in some way they were his own. “You’re pretty cute, Sanada,” Keiji said as they entered the privacy of the guest house after Mother had asked him to show the young lord his lodgings. “You’re about Soma’s age, I’d guess. Are you here to ask her to marry you?” Yukimura quickly turned towards his accuser, his eyes wide as plates. There was a pregnant pause before he finally mustered a response. “No,” he began, though he was unsure if that was even the truth. “She was such an immense help at Tsutsujigasaki Castle that they have requested her to return." “Then why are you here?” Keiji asked, implicatively. “Why would they not just send a messenger?” “Well, I thought if I-” “Let me quickly explain something to you,” Keiji interrupted with a dramatic flourish of his hand. He approached Yukimura and set his travel bundle down on the floor at his feet. “Someone else also holds Soma close to his heart, you see. He would be very upset if anything bad were to happen to her- and we already have a bone to pick with that disgusting magistrate…” “What does any of that have to do with me?” Yukimura asked, crossing his arms in front of himself defensively. Soma had made no mention of any special man in her life, save for her brother and late father. Does Soma have a boyfriend? He wondered. “Perhaps nothing,” Keiji replied with a dismissive shrug. It was possible that he had noticed the young lord’s nervousness, and decided to soften his approach. “She is her own woman and should be able do as she pleases. Is that not so?” “I agree with you, Keiji,” Yukimura said, though the man’s obscure warning echoed like a gong through his mind. Perhaps there is more to this fellow, after all… He wondered. “Good. We trust that no harm will come to her while she is in your care.” “I would never let anything bad happen to Soma,” the lord reinforced, his own admission turning his face hot. He’d never said the words aloud before now. “Good,” repeated Keiji. He flashed a toothy grin before he casually strolled out the door, waving absently behind him. “You are truly adorable! Seek me out tonight for some drinking.” Once the strange man was out of sight, Yukimura gave his head a shake and retrieved the map he was given from where he’d stuck it in his belt.Toji was a buddhist temple that was home to a stunning, five-story pagoda near the centre of town. In early spring, many people enjoyed viewing the sakura blooms on the quiet banks of Hyotan pond. Yukimura was not surprised that Soma would want to take Saizo there, as the place was renowned for its quiet beauty.That afternoon, the temple grounds were heavily populated with visitors, and the young lord wondered how he might find his friends among them. Soon enough, however, he spotted Soma sitting on the bank of the pond. Her dark hair was pulled back and fastened with a fancy hairpin he’d never seen her wear before, and she had on a pink yukata that perfectly matched the blossoms surrounding them. She was lovely as a dream; a placid smile on her soft lips spoke of true contentment while she gazed down at something fondly.Yukimura nearly barrelled over himself as he excitedly sped towards her, but he stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed what she was smiling at: a reclining Saizo, dozing happily with his head resting on her lap. Not knowing what to do, the young lord impulsively ducked behind a bush. Soma did not seem to notice him, but wily Saizo opened one eye almost immediately. “Afternoon, dear,” he said with a smirk. “What a nice surprise, you coming all this way just to interrupt my nap.” Yukimura reluctantly emerged from his hiding place and raked his hand through his hair, then looked down at it as though he was angry at it for having done so. His face was red as an ember. Soma’s mouth dropped open and her pallor immediately began to match his, as though he was the very last person she expected to see at that moment. He averted his eyes and shifted his weight uncomfortably between his two feet.He wanted to bolt from the scene. He felt humiliated but didn’t understand exactly why. He didn’t ever think it possible of himself but he felt truly and completely jealous for the first time in his life. “What is the matter?” Saizo asked, suddenly standing right in front of him. “You’re too quick for me, Saizo,” Yukimura managed, followed by an awkward chuckle. He realized the unintended double-meaning of his statement and heaved a heavy sigh. “May we discuss this later?” Saizo said quietly so that only he could hear. His voice was not commanding this time; he was actually asking permission. Yukimura nodded. “Welcome once again to Kyoto, milord,” Soma greeted him as she approached. She bowed to him, and he dismissed her formality with a wave of his hand. She was too beautiful to bow before anyone. To his disappointment, she had remembered their first encounter; however she still treated him with respect and admiration. The thought made him smile. “I’m very happy to see you,” he said as he gazed into her soft eyes. He looked back at Saizo, who seemed to be somewhat stunned by his suddenly relaxed demeanour. “Both of you. I thought that it would be most fortunate to find the two of you… together.” “We are at your service, milord,” Saizo said with a slight bow. His eyes drifted upwards to his, as though he were trying to figure out Yukimura’s state of mind. The young lord acknowledged the respect he was being shown by one who typically respected nothing and no one, least of all himself. He had considered that, if perhaps Saizo was to spend more time with Soma he might become less of an asshole. His unofficial prescription had apparently worked.Without further delay, he proceeded to explain about Shingen’s lingering illness, as well as the fallout from their battle at Kasugayama. Their enemies considered their alliance with the Uesugi clan an act of war, and were actively seeking to double themselves in size and ferocity. They had acquired firearms, and rumour spread throughout the land that Tsutsujigasaki would soon be turned to dust on the wind by the Tokugawa and Oda armies. He hesitated when he noticed how disturbed with worry Soma became as he explained the situation; but he knew that she was ultimately more concerned about Lord Shingen than about her own safety.Takeda Shingen was as a second father to the young lord, having brought him on as a general of his army when their clans aligned several years before. His real father, Masayuki, was the head of the Sanada clan in Ueda. He respected Shingen, especially his decision to throw his own father from his seat as Takeda clan head. It took a great deal of courage to do something so fundamentally wrong in order to save his clan from being brought down by the senile decisions of a very sick, old man. Despite his terrifying reputation, Shingen was just and kind, always making sure his people were happy and well-fed. Yukimura truly looked up to him and would follow him into the bowels of hell itself if the situation called for it. All those in Shingen’s service felt the same way. “I’ll go start packing,” Soma said sombrely as she clutched a hand to her chest. She bowed to the two men and started away at a speedy pace, leaving the serenity of the temple gardens behind her. Saizo and Yukimura followed her back to Yugiri restaurant, allowing space between themselves and the woman so that they could speak together quietly. “What did you do to her, Saizo?” Yukimura hissed, the veins in his neck nearly bulging from his rage. Saizo looked up at him with cocked eyebrows. “Nothing that she did not enjoy,” he replied, bluntly. Yukimura spat on the ground and muttered a curse under his breath. “Soma is aware of my circumstances,” Saizo continued, unprompted. He cast a thoughtful glance at the woman ahead of them. “She knows that I cannot be her sole protector. I have advised her of that much.” “You wish you could, though, don’t you?” Yukimura speculated, brooding. “I bet you wish you could just stay here forever- even become her husband, I suppose? Imagine, you, somebody’s husband… I can’t even fathom it.” “What does it matter, what I wish for?” Saizo said, absently. Yukimura looked at his friend and frowned. He was being uncharacteristically maudlin, even for him. He did not fully comprehend the boorish possessiveness he felt over Soma and knew in his heart that Saizo would not have simply taken advantage of her; she must have wanted him, too. Though the young lord wished that he had been the one she wanted instead, he was glad that Saizo had made her so happy. It seemed silly to want to reprimand him for it. “I’m sorry,” he extended, feeling slightly embarrassed for his brashness. “I shouldn’t have said those things.” “You were not wrong,” Saizo conceded with a shrug. “It is fairly certain that I will never be able to marry her, or anyone for that matter. The elders would never allow it. It would-” “Interfere too much with your work,” Yukimura finished for him, feeling increasingly guilty for his behaviour. “You have told me this before.” “Yes,” Saizo agreed. “I suppose no one can help but to repeat themselves to a friend of so many years. Not even one such as myself.” “You’ve never called me your friend before, Sai- er, Genji,” Yukimura observed with a big grin. He was truly astounded by the strange changes in Saizo since last they saw each other, and knew that not all of it was part of the much gentler character he was assuming. “Don’t let it go to your head, dear.” Ah, there he is, the young lord mused to himself as he threw his big arm around Saizo’s shoulders; and the latter surprisingly just let it happen. “Did Soma’s mother offer to put you up?” He asked. “Tell me, who is that man that is always there?” “Keiji?” Saizo confirmed. “Tried to kiss you again, did he?” “N-no,” Yukimura replied, grimacing; though he in reality did not think that Keiji was an unattractive man. He also appeared to be rather attached to Soma’s family, which was a matter of great curiosity. “What do you know about him?” “He comes across as a vagabond but I’d like to know where he gets those clothes. From what I have observed, he only works for Soma’s family in exchange for food and lodging.” “Well, when I went there to find Soma he said something about someone else who holds her dear to his heart,” The young lord revealed. “He said the man would be very upset if anything bad were to happen to her.” “Interesting…” Saizo mused as he stroked his chin. “I wonder if he was talking about Inuchiyo.” “That’s a funny sort of name…” “It’s a nickname,” Saizo replied with a chuckle. “He was a young runaway that Soma’s family took in when she was just a child. For the first couple of years he followed her around like a puppy.” “Oh, I get it now. What happened to him? He wasn’t there when I stopped in.” Yukimura listened intently as his friend told him what he knew of the mysterious Inuchiyo; how he fought alongside Soma’s father to defend Kyoto, and was the one to have to carry his body home to his family when he was killed. He was also known as a bit of a strong-man, winning every sparring tournament in town as a youth. He thought it slightly odd, but the more the young lord heard about the man, the more he thought he might actually like him.No one quite knew why he suddenly left Kyoto one day; but he did feel a great deal of guilt over the death of Soma’s father. The coincidental thing was that Keiji appeared just before Inuchiyo left. Saizo had previously considered that the two somehow knew each other, and Yukimura’s testimony confirmed his suspicions. “His whereabouts are unknown, then?” Yukimura asked, fascinated by Saizo’s story. The latter gave him a wry smile. “You know, you could ask Keiji where he is if you’re so interested,” he suggested. “He might oblige you, in exchange for something else.” “Are you talking about me doing your Art of Seduction on him?” Yukimura thought at first that his friend had given him his book solely to tease him, and he was suddenly regretting not having given it much attention. How would I even go about seducing another man? He wondered, having no practical knowledge of seducing girls, in any case.Being around Soma shook him to his core. His mother died during childbirth and he had no sisters. It took him several days to stop staring at her just from the sheer novelty of her. Being close to a man, however, was something that he was much more used to. He wondered if intimacy must be a bit like sparring when with another of his kind, and decided that it wouldn’t hurt to at least try to seduce Keiji to get the information he wanted. At any rate, it might save the need for violence. “I know you didn’t read my book,” Saizo challenged, perceptively. “How curious are you about this Inuchiyo? Because I wouldn’t be bothered with such a tedious thing, myself, frankly. We will be leaving soon, anyway.” “What if he is an enemy of the Takeda?” Yukimura persisted, considering that Keiji knew who and what he was yet still threatened him so brazenly. Saizo was right about his clothing, too; he was a little too refined to be just some local drunkard. “That is none of my concern,” Saizo replied, firmly shaking his head. He always maintained that he worked only for the young lord, and would not meddle in the Takeda’s politics unless it was absolutely necessary. “But I’ll lend you my copy if you’d like.” Smiling smugly, Yukimura nudged his friend and discreetly showed him his copy of the Lover’s Guide that he had hidden in the folds of his yukata. Saizo smiled and patted him on the back in praise. It was the first time Saizo had touched him willingly out of kindness, and he appreciated the rare gesture; though he was still jealous. They had dinner with Soma’s family at their restaurant that evening. The atmosphere was warm and friendly as always, despite the fact that Soma was being taken away once again. She and her mother served them, and they ate and drank well into the night.When the meal was over, Mother and Yahiko began to clean up and Yukimura invited Keiji to the guest house for a game of cards. Saizo followed Soma to her old room so that she might gather some more things for their journey back to Kai. His greedy eyes trailed over her as she bent down in front of him to rifle through an old chest. Her shining hair cascaded down her back in an ochre wave, leading to the paradise that was her ample backside. He’d never been so attracted to anyone that he found himself ogling so idly at them, and so often. Watching was just part of his job, but watching her had become a new reason for living. “Can I assist you?” He asked her. She looked back at him and smirked, shaking her head. He must have had some hint of lust in his voice because she apparently thought his question was just a cheeky come-on. She truly is the perfect woman, he thought. After a little while, he excused himself and slipped outside to see what kind of trouble his young friend was getting up to with the silly vagabond. He felt sinisterly curious about how their evening was playing out after all the sake they drank at dinnertime. He supposed that Yukimura would need all of the courage available to him if he was to see his plan through to the end.He crept up to the sliding door of the guest house and cracked it open just a hair’s-width. What he saw when he peeked inside was not something he at all expected and it made him nearly fall backwards. Yukimura lay sprawled out on his futon, naked. His bronze skin glowed in the soft light of a single candle. He might have been sleeping, were he not moaning softly from having his lengthy member stroked by an impassioned Keiji.Keiji was also naked, his muscular body pressed closely against the lord’s as he planted soft kisses along his jawline. One hand cradled Yukimura’s head while the other gently massaged his erect prick, the tip of which glistened wet with arousal. His own length was pinned between himself and Yukimura’s hip, and he writhed his body rhythmically to stimulate it against the young man’s supple flesh.Yukimura’s eyes were deliberately screwed shut, his hands clenched at either side of him. Keiji somehow managed to slip his erection into Yukimura’s palm and the young lord began to tug on it, albeit reluctantly. It was quite obvious to Saizo that his friend was not in need of his assistance, so he slid the door shut and quietly made his way back to the main house. He had wasted enough time spying that when he returned the place was dark as though everyone inside had already gone to bed. When he entered, he saw that Mother and Yahiko were in fact retired for the evening but he knew that Soma would still be awake, as she would be waiting for him to return. As he approached, he could hear her breathing heavily. Thinking she might be hurt, he looked into her room and observed another figure wrestling with her in the dark. He tried to calm himself, hesitant to act; he was supposed to be Genji, a man of ill-health and poor strength, after all.His eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness and he saw that a tall man had Soma against the wall. As he held her yukata open, he licked and kissed the soft flesh of her breasts. Her arms were pinned at her sides, tangled in her garments, preventing her from escaping. The fact that she wasn’t screaming told Saizo something important; she knew her assailant. It was probable that she did not want whoever it was to be found out.He wondered if it was the magistrate at first; but this handsome fellow looked nothing like the fat dullard they had all grown to hate. The man had slick dark hair that he kept having to sweep back from his face. Perhaps a bit older than Yukimura, he sported a pink kimono that bore a clan seal, but Saizo could not see it clearly. The scabbard of the katana on his hip shimmered sporadically in the moonlight. He was a samurai.A strong-looking man, he overpowered Soma easily. His broad shoulders and long limbs suggested that he likely preferred to wield a type of yari in battle, like the young lord did. He was well-groomed, apart from being embarrassingly drunk. Saizo could not help but become aroused when he saw Soma’s nipples, glistening wet with saliva, as they heaved from her breathing. She did not appear to be struggling, and seeing her this way with another excited him greatly.As the man trailed his kisses from her breasts to her face, he reached up to touch her hair and the hairpin she had said was a gift from her late father fell to the ground, immediately breaking into pieces. The two of them looked down in dismay at the object and Soma started to cry. The stranger cursed aloud as he clumsily pulled her yukata back over her nudity. Holding his head in his hand as though he’d just remembered himself, he shot past Saizo down the hallway and fled from the restaurant into the night. As he left, Saizo saw the clan seal displayed on his back. It was the five-petaled plum blossom of the Maeda. “Is anyone there?” He heard Soma whisper into the darkness. “Only me,” he replied, emerging from his hiding place. He put his hands up to show that he was not a threat. Soma dropped to her knees and picked up the pieces of her broken hairpin. She clutched them tightly to her chest, tears streaming down her face that left two shining streaks from each eye down to her jawline.Saizo knelt at her side on the floor. She buried her face in the front of his yukata and he wrapped his arms around her. She was shaking. He gently rubbed her back to try to console her, his fingers tangling in her silken hair. “I-I’m s-so sorry, Saizo!” She exclaimed between sobs. He tightened his arms around her and made soothing noises into her ear. As if she could ever have anything to apologize for, he thought to himself.“Now, now,” he said quietly. “It’s not your fault. Are you hurt?” Soma shook her head. “Who was that man? You’ll tell me, won’t you, little lady?” “It… was Inuchiyo,” she admitted, reluctantly; perhaps she thought that Saizo would seek revenge on him. “I didn’t believe it at first, it’s been so long. He was drunk… I didn’t know what to do. I was too afraid to cry out.” “You knew we were nearby,” Saizo reassured her. “I would sooner die than allow any harm to come to you. Did he threaten you?” “N-no. He just walked right in, proud as anything… He barely said hello before… like you saw.” As Soma spoke, Saizo quickly formulated his impression of Inuchiyo. Every detail of the scenario he’d intruded upon spoke loudly of a man trying to take back what he thought was rightfully his. He suspected that Inuchiyo was doing a lot of that during his absence, as well. He was a runaway; but what interested Saizo was what exactly the boy was running from in the first place. Returning to the scene of his modest youth a dignified lord and samurai could be no easy task, to be sure.Then, a wretched thought crept into his consciousness: that Soma had been sent intentionally to Kai by the Maeda to spy on the Takeda forces. The Maeda were affiliated with the Oda, who were new enemies of Kai as they sought to expand their reach across the land.Though he’d known Soma’s family for many years, even he had no idea as to lineage of the runaway Inuchiyo. At the time a skinny urchin, he never struck Saizo as someone of nobility. Soma, however, always struck him as someone of integrity. It was the only reason he could let himself fall in love with her; she was a rare person worth trusting. It was possible, however, that she had been used against her own knowledge. He pondered his hypothesis for a long time while she cried into his chest. When she was finally finished, she looked up at him with her soft eyes and he felt very bad for her. If his hunch was at all correct, she would feel justifiably devastated for having unintentionally betrayed them. Though he swore he’d never get involved in the Takeda’s politics, someone using Soma to get to them was where he had to draw the line. “We shouldn’t stay here, little lady,” he whispered, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Let’s get back to Yugiri before the little lord and his new friend are finished playing.” “I’ll go check on them,” Soma announced as she stood, her sullen expression quickly changing to one of determination. “I want to leave Kyoto as soon as possible.” “I’ll go,” Saizo said, shooting upright. He knew the kinds of games his friend and the fool were really up to, and was already outside before she could reply. He was hoping to bed her again before their long journey, but he anticipated that he would not be made to wait long. The nights they spent together were by far the most satisfying he’d ever had, body and mind; though her ability to satisfy him made her ironically addictive. He was somewhat resentful for having to leave again. He peeked through his crack in the door once again. Keiji was fast asleep and snoring while Yukimura silently and diligently wiped down his own still-naked body with a washcloth. The expression on his face could only be described as one of distress. Saizo wondered what, if any information he’d managed to acquire would be any more relevant than that which he was able to deduce for himself in Soma’s room; seducing Keiji was only suggested as a half-baked attempt at humour, after all. Maybe I shouldn’t tell him that, he thought. “Yukkin!” He whispered. The young lord cast a disdainful look in his direction and signalled that he would be with him shortly. Yukimura emerged from the structure, slightly more disheveled than usual. He sighed heavily, almost in deliverance, and hoisted his travel bundle over his shoulder. He was clearly as ready to leave Kyoto as Soma was. “I have a lot of questions,” he said finally, his face turning bright red.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“After some consideration, little lord, I do not think that what you did with Keiji counts against you,” Soma heard Saizo say to Yukimura the next morning. He was obviously still participating in a previous conversation that she was not privy to. She sat in front of him on their mount as they made their way out of the city just before dawn. He held the reigns, of course; his arms were extended on either side of her, his hands resting casually on her hips. She mindlessly allowed herself to lean back into him before she noticed Yukimura staring at them, awkwardly. “Are you alright, milord?” She asked, meekly. She did not want to appear rude; he was still her superior, after all. “What is Sensei talking about, anyway?” She heard Saizo chuckle quietly to himself as the young lord’s face erupted in a veritable fireworks display of embarrassment. “He is concerned that he may have broken a vow,” Saizo answered for his friend, and the latter shot him a look so venomous that it seemed unnatural on his baby face. Furious, Yukimura suddenly hitched the reigns of his horse and made it trot on ahead. Soma looked back at Saizo for some explanation, and as they rode onward he filled her in about the master’s vow of chastity. Supposedly to ensure his protection in battle, the superstition that surrounded him was in reality just a ploy to subjugate him to his father’s wishes. He was born to be the best fighter in all of Japan, and existed solely for the art of war. A sensitive fellow from a young age, however, his family feared that his concentration would suffer as the result of becoming romantically involved. He was now past an age when his urges made him doubt the legitimacy of the superstition. Unfortunately, he was not only hopelessly embarrassed by the concept of sexuality, he was completely ignorant on the subject. Soma noticed that his card game with Keiji the night before had been rather lengthy, and much more quiet than she expected from such a rowdy pair. The liberal-minded Keiji liked to flirt with everyone but she never personally witnessed him succeeding in his attempted couplings. She speculated about what in particular he’d done to the poor Lord Yukimura that rattled him so, and found herself blushing at the thought. They had rainy weather as they journeyed back North-East through Nagoya, much to Saizo’s discomfort. They finally stopped to water their horses and stretch their legs, but Yukimura’s silent treatment persisted. The temperamental assassin decided that he was having none of it. “You are a spoiled brat, little lord,” Saizo spat his words like a viper, his face sweaty and pale from his sickness. Such intense heat radiated from him that even Yukimura showed concern between his glares. “Yeah? Well you are a mean, old-“ “I’m not old!” Soma stood aside and watched in bewilderment as the two men bickered like a married couple. Before long, much to her horror, they were fully engaged in a sparring match so violent that it quickly drew a small crowd of passersby. “How is the smaller one holding his own so well?” Someone in the audience said, clearly impressed. Everyone made sounds of agreement. “Look at the big guy’s neck!” Another commented. “He is just one giant muscle!” The people gasped when Yukimura finally tackled Saizo to the ground. The latter expelled such a large breath of air from the impact that it turned his face momentarily blue. In a few quick moves, however, he had the young lord twisted up in a full-body lock from which he was seemingly unable to escape. Saizo’s teeth were bared, his red eyes wild with fever. The vein in Yukimura’s neck throbbed as he grunted from his discomfort, completely immobilized until he relented in his struggle. In an attempt to explain away the unruly behaviour of her companions, Soma stepped in front of them as they finished their match. She held out an open kerchief to their audience, who quickly produced money from their pockets and dropped it inside, one by one. The men behind her became quiet as they watched this curiously. Satisfied, the crowd dispersed after bowing and thanking them for the entertainment. She turned towards the two brutes and showed off their earnings. Both men gaped at her in surprise. Without a word, she dropped the kerchief full of money to the ground and bowed to them before walking away to tend to their horses. She hoped she had made her point. Later that evening, they decided to take refuge at an inn. They were unsurprisingly not the only lodgers, as the route they had chosen was fairly busy with travellers during most of the year. Even so, Yukimura put up a fuss when they were told they would have to share a room, all three of them together. Saizo silently prepared their bedrolls as Yukimura sat stubbornly outside on the patio so as not to intrude upon his friends’ privacy. Though it was unnecessary for him to do so, it made it clear to Soma that what he thought had transpired between herself and his vassal made him very uncomfortable. She recalled the day she saw snow fall over Kasugayama Castle; Yukimura sat near her, drawn in to her by some impulsive swell of courage, only to be thwarted by an intrusive knock. She wondered what would have happened had his confession not been interrupted, and felt guilty for reasons not quite known to her. She sat quietly by the door and observed his shadow through the paper. He shivered now and again from the chill in the night air, his breath curling around him like the crimson head tie he donned into battle. Fearsome though he appeared at times, he was in many ways still so much a child; stubborn, and in desperate need of attention. Saizo heaved an exasperated sigh before throwing open the sliding door, causing the young lord to nearly jump out of his skin. “Come on, dear,” he directed as he reached out to assist a confused Yukimura to his feet. “You owe me a drink, yes? I won fair and square.” “We can’t just leave a woman here alone-“ “You’ll be alright for a time, right little lady?” Saizo interrupted. He looked at her expectantly, as though he anticipated her approval. “Oh, don’t worry about me,” she said, knowing Saizo had his reasons. To show that she was serious, she flashed them the small kunai he’d given her earlier for protection, along with a cheeky grin. Saizo couldn’t help but smile back at her; especially when he heard Yukimura gasp audibly from behind him. Soma’s daring and quick wit had become a most ready source of entertainment.He felt somewhat embarrassed for his and the young lord’s behaviour earlier that afternoon, but knew she would forgive him. He never felt quite like himself when he was ill, anyway. Yukimura, on the other hand, was simply suffering from a hard bout of jealousy; and there was sadly no remedy for either man’s ailment but a drink. After they left the room, they walked together in silence to the dining area. A large fire burned in the hearth and they sat near it, acquiring a jug of sake from one of the attendants. The innkeeper kept the sake in the cellar, where it was cool. Saizo felt the condensation build on the sides of his cup and decided to wait to drink until it became a temperature he preferred. Yukimura, however, downed his own cup in one go and immediately gestured for a refill. Saizo reluctantly obliged him. The young lord was clearly preparing himself for answers neither was sure he really wanted. “Do you love her?” He finally asked before dramatically slinging his second round down his throat. He quickly became so overwhelmed with emotion that Saizo wondered if he might start to wail like a widow at any moment. “Let’s go look at the moon, hm?” He suggested, and made to leave. He went to grab the jug of sake from the floor but Yukimura snatched it up before he could do so. The moon hovered over them, glowing white with fullness. It appeared so large in the sky that one might have thought to reach out and try to touch it. Saizo knew that people sometimes did crazy things on nights like these, apparently driven by some unseen lunar force. He wasn’t sure if he believed that, but had been feeling strange of late. He felt as if he was growing from the inside, shedding his former self, like a butterfly would its cocoon.He did not like to see the young lord in pain. He was originally brought to Ueda to teach Yukimura to be battle-ready, not to become his companion; however he knew how lonely the man really was, in spite of being considered a figure of such high esteem among his peers. He had, over time, become much like a brother to him.Perhaps I am getting soft, he thought to himself as he recalled how Fuma Kotaro had taunted him during their last fight. They found a comfortable place to sit in the stables, the bright orb of light peering in at them as they huddled together in the warm straw with their jug. The horses nickered and snorted at being disturbed but the quiet soon set in again until all that could be heard was the steady hum of night insects. “Do you love Soma?” Yukimura repeated, not letting a change of scenery divert the topic of their much-needed conversation. He looked agitated, unsure of what to do with himself. “I do,” Saizo admitted, then held up his finger to quiet his friend before he had the chance to comment. “But I love you just as well, Genjirou.” Yukimura spontaneously leaned in and placed a kiss on Saizo’s lips. It was almost chaste in its sincerity, closed-mouthed and long. Though it startled him at first, the assassin soon relaxed and even closed his eyes. He allowed the kiss to deepen; Keiji had apparently taught the young lord a thing or two. He didn’t know the motivation behind his friend’s presumptuous gesture; curiosity, perhaps. It’s what he told himself, at least, as memories of the two of them together flooded his mind. Yukimura was his constant counterpart, and his most trusted ally. He barely cared to remember what his life was like without him in it. They had become close in the past, having huddled together for warmth during battle campaigns on more than one occasion. The young man’s presence always brought an aspect of comfort and safety to him in times of chaos. He supposed these times were no exception. Yukimura whimpered softly, a strange sound for a man his size to make, and brought his hand up to his chest near his heart. Saizo placed his own hand atop it and squeezed it gently as they embraced. His other hand found his hair, which he carefully groomed away from his face.Such a messy thing you are… He thought.The young lord’s heart was beating fast as Saizo felt his pulse through his skin. He couldn’t remember when, if ever, he had held another man’s hand in this way. Yukimura’s was rough, and quite a bit larger than his own. When he peered down at them he thought his looked feminine by comparison, and pondered the real reason the people who were watching them fight earlier were so entertained.Yukimura, although never resentful for losing to a man much smaller than himself, always lost to him when they sparred. That afternoon, however, Saizo thought for a moment that he’d finally been bested. Yukimura must have been very angry with him. At the risk of angering him further, Saizo pulled away and dared, “Did you enjoy your night with Keiji that much, dear?” Yukimura narrowed his eyes at him before taking a long draw from their jug of sake. Saizo watched the lump in his throat bob rhythmically as he downed several swallows. He grimaced and pulled the vessel away from his friend with an impetuous ‘tsk’. Yukimura’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “Yes, I did,” he said, and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. He blushed and looked away. “It felt… nice to be touched like that. And to hear you say that you love me…” “It does feel nice,” Saizo agreed, pleased that the young lord had at least learned that much. “Men and women really aren’t so different, are they?” “How do you mean?” “Well, Soma also craves these things,” he continued to explain, excitedly recalling the woman’s responsiveness to the drunk man in her bedroom. She enjoyed his hands on her; her hard nipples and gaping mouth told him so. “She desires and wants to be desired in return. She also finds pleasure by her own hand when it can’t be found elsewhere.” “I thought only men did that,” Yukimura contested, giving Saizo a strange look. The latter could not help but chuckle at his friend’s ignorance. “You really didn’t read my book, did you?” He teased. “Don’t be a bastard…” Yukimura muttered, his face turning sour. Saizo exposed his pointed teeth as a sly grin stretched across his lips. “Would you have me show you how to give her the things she craves?” He asked. The younger man stared at him for a moment, lolling his tongue around in his mouth. He was visibly caught in a battle with himself, actually considering Saizo’s offer. He was so vehemently opposed to the idea of the assassin being with her not hours before. “Why would you do that?” He asked, finally. “Because,” Saizo answered quickly, surprised and somewhat irritated that it was not obvious, “Who will be there for her when I can’t be?” “Hold on a minute,” Yukimura said, suddenly looking very concerned. “What are you talking about? What’s going to happen to you?” “Don’t be foolish,” Saizo replied as he looked out towards the dark forest. He already sensed Hattori Hanzo on his heels again with some new errand. “As it stands I am sometimes gone for weeks at a time.” “Then why even bother with this tryst?” Yukimura protested, his agitation growing until his friend seduced him with one of his calming looks. “Because I want her, Genjirou,” he said quietly. “I think you do, too. That’s the real reason you came for her, isn’t it?” “It is,” Yukimura admitted, lowering his eyes. He couldn’t lie to someone who knew things about him before even he did. “That’s the man I trained you to be,” Saizo said with a smile. The young lord sneered unintentionally, failing to mirror his sensei’s joy due to his internal conflict. “It was hard to bend the truth the way I did to get her back,” he lamented. “And I can’t even give her the things you can… The things she craves, or whatnot.” Saizo scoffed. He doubted that Yukimura’s inexperience would pose much of a problem to a sensuous woman like Soma. She’d actually read his book, at least. “Who will judge you?” He offered. “You are the great Lord Sanada Yukimura.” “I know who I am…” It was his turn to scoff. “I just don’t want her to think I’m a complete idiot.” Saizo shrugged and grinned sheepishly, a gesture that prompted the young lord to break his serious demeanour for a moment and jab him jokingly in the arm. “Does Soma know that you’re basically telling me to be your stand-in?” He asked as he pointed his finger at the man, scoldingly. He knew to be wary of the shinobi’s ambiguous and manipulative nature. “It’s not like that,” Saizo corrected him, looking him right in the eye. “She is her own woman… No one’s possession, but her own. Yes?” “Well said, old friend,” Yukimura said with a nod. He took another draw from the jug he’d managed to recapture and looked out pensively into the night. He was aware that he wasn’t the most cultivated man, mentally, and he struggled a bit at first to make sense of Saizo’s proposition. The arrangement between them that he was suggesting, even among nobility, was a potentially scandalous one; but he wanted her. If she would have him, he was willing to share her affections with his friend. Nobody had to know. “What does it feel like to be with her?” He inquired after a time. Saizo’s ears perked up like a fox. “Be with her?” He repeated, hotly. Yukimura narrowed his eyes at him once again. “I mean how does it feel to hold her? In the night. You know… like a cuddle.” Saizo smiled at him like he was looking at an adorable puppy. It was the look he gave him every time he was being too sweet for his own good. Soma awoke much later that evening when she felt a warm body climb into the bed behind her. A strong hand carefully settled on her ribcage just beneath her breast. The smell of sake drifted past her nose. She peered into the darkness through squinted eyes just as Saizo slipped into the bed in front of her. He had a hint of mischief in his expression.Realizing that Saizo was not the one holding her, she tensed her body, impulsively. The hand pulled away quickly in reaction, but Saizo gave a ‘tsk’ and the hand returned. She slowly turned over onto her back to greet her other bedmate and a handsome set of turquoise eyes hovered near her in the dark. “Saizo says you’re- hic!- really nice to sleep with,” Yukimura managed, his speech slurred from the alcohol. She knew that he wouldn’t be there had he not had a drink or eleven. He looked at her, bashfully, as he rested his head on his up-stretched arm. His other hand occupied a large portion of her torso, his palm alone more than half its diameter. It just remained still in the same place somewhat awkwardly, as though it had not planned its next move whatsoever. “Milord?” Soma whimpered, confused and still not quite half-awake. “She’s soft and warm,” Saizo whispered as he brought his face close to hers and kissed her cheek. “She will make you sleep like a baby.” He rolled her gently towards the young lord, who took her into his embrace. Too exhausted to protest, she relaxed her weight onto him, and felt Saizo sidling up close behind her so that she was trapped between them. Both men immediately fell asleep. Swaddled in a pile of hot limbs, Soma was not far behind them. Squares of muted sunlight bathed the bed the next morning through the shoji, and Yukimura awoke with a terrible headache. Regretting how much he’d drank the night before, it took him a few moments to assess his surroundings. He started to remember his conversation with Saizo when he felt something supple shift its weight in his arms.He quickly looked down and saw the lovely Soma there, still asleep, draped lazily over his body. She was only half-covered by her sleeping robe. He noticed that one of her breasts was exposed, and he started to silently panic. “Shh,” Saizo whispered from where he lounged next to them. “She is so sweet when she is sleeping.” With a sly grin he reached over to gingerly pinch the fabric of her robe between his fingers. The young lord watched as he pulled even more of the garment away to show him the seductive curve of her backside. He became suddenly aware of the heat between her legs, mashed against his upper thigh. He felt a stir in his own loins, and his arousal became obvious as it tented his clothing.Soma shivered from the cold and writhed her body against his, sending a wave of stimulation through him that made him shiver sympathetically. Still, she remained sleeping.Saizo casually cupped her breast and tugged at the nipple gently until she involuntarily ground her loins once again into the young lord’s thigh. Yukimura’s erection strained uncomfortably against his fundoshi, making him grit his teeth. Saizo paused for a moment to enjoy his expression before looking over the woman’s body to see for himself what his young friend was seeing for the very first time.Tanned in some places and milky in others, she was unpolished and wild; a real woman. She loved the outdoors and Saizo couldn’t wait until he could see the summer sunshine’s kiss on every inch of her body. The hairs on her mound peeked from between her legs sporadically when she moved. The gully of her lower back sloped elegantly to the firm rounds of her buttocks, where two dimples lived, one above each cheek. One of her strong legs curled flirtatiously around Yukimura’s while her little hand absently caressed his chiseled torso. As she stirred, she nestled her face into his chest, and he expelled a quiet moan out of the sheer pleasure of their closeness. “Mm, Saizo…” She sighed, and stretched her arms over her head as she slowly awoke. “Er, not quite…” Yukimura admitted, bashfully. Saizo watched silently as Soma became aware of her position atop the young lord, as well as her state of undress. Not one to be disagreeable, she just blushed as she slid off of him and timidly closed her garment back around herself. Yukimura appeared absolutely stunned. It was a vast improvement to the usual escape tactics he used whenever women were present. “Oh, milord…” She said, trying to avoid staring at his sizeable bulge. “I’m not sure how I ended up this way…” “By the gods, you are beautiful…” The young man blurted out. Soma’s blush deepened. Saizo smiled at them and slid close behind her. He began to kiss and nip at one of her sensitive earlobes, gently trying to pry open her sleeping robe once again as she held it closed. Her eyes never left Yukimura’s, even while she tried to shrug off Saizo’s advances.The shinobi would not be dissuaded, chuckling lowly to himself as he pawed at her like a cat with its hunting prize. He wrapped his arms around her and cradled one of her breasts in his hand. The other hand slid downward to the spot between her legs.Soma laughed, awkwardly, and tried to thwart him by squeezing her legs together. Saizo, however, nudged his knee between them from behind, forcing them to remain open to his ministrations. In trying to push his hand away, she abandoned her hold on her robe, and her front became exposed entirely to Yukimura. The young lord’s mouth immediately fell open like his heart was about to jump out of it. “She is fucking beautiful…” Saizo growled as he kneaded her flesh with his greedy hands, biting at her neck until it glowed pink from being assaulted by his pointed teeth. Soma did not seem to mind, however; so enthralled by Saizo’s massage was she that, even though it was clear that she was trying to hide her pleasure, nothing could be done about the absolutely sinful expression on her face. You truly are a devil, Saizo… Hattori Hanzo cursed him from his hiding place in the closet, squeezing his involuntary erection through his hakama in an attempt to subdue it.Seeking an opportunity to speak to Saizo in private regarding some new orders from Iga, Hanzo was backed into his unfortunate situation the night before. He was nearly spotted by Soma as she went to change into her sleeping robe. Not wanting to frighten her, he impulsively hid himself in the closet. The door somehow locked and he could do nothing at the risk of revealing himself. The worst part was that the wily Saizo knew he was stuck in there and was toying with him all night long. Does he want me to watch this…? He cringed internally.Soma was indeed very beautiful, but at this point it was clear that Saizo was outright taking advantage of his new lover’s eagerness to please him. She was a good-hearted young woman, and Hanzo found himself starting to feel slightly protective over her, as well as a little envious of his cohort.Being Saizo’s arms and legs came with an inherent privilege of information about his private life. What Hanzo discovered about Soma revealed a charming girl; talented and brave. A person of her quality deserved a more emotionally-balanced partner. He doubted the young lord Yukimura fulfilled that description, either, as he watched him quake with nervousness. “I hope you’re paying attention to this,” Saizo grunted, perhaps in answer to Hanzo’s question. Yukimura must have clued in by now that Saizo’s live demonstration of the Lover’s Guide had already begun, just as promised in the stables the night before. The assassin hoisted himself up to his knees and, taking Soma with him, spread her legs wide as if putting her on display for both men to see. His hands found her pleasure spot and held it open to reveal a quivering tunnel, tight and clearly aroused. Soma could do nothing but cover her face with her own hands out of embarrassment. He proceeded to rub the slick folds of her vulva until they became swollen and pink, and she stifled a cry. Her thighs shook underneath her but he continued to support her from behind in a tight embrace.Switching to a seated position, he pulled her knees back and splayed her hips to completely expose her vulva and her ass. He brought one hand up to lower hers from her face, while the other gently pet the burning heat between her legs. He kissed her, forcing her mouth open to accept his tongue. Their mouths still connected, he slicked two fingers with her own juices and slid them inside of her.Soma jerked her head back in reaction and broke their kiss. A desperate moan escaped her, guttural and ravenous. Saizo smiled at her and took her lips again with his. He pushed his fingers deeper, then withdrew them slowly. He did this many times until Soma’s hips roiled in pleasure, seeking out his stimulation of their own volition.He increased the pace until his hand appeared to blur with its efficacy of motion. Soma’s eyes suddenly rolled back and a small amount of fluid spilled from where Saizo’s fingers were lodged. He slowed gradually, and finally withdrew his digits while she shook in his arms from what must have been an extremely intense orgasm. Both of her holes winked reactively in unison, a sight that was completely erotic in its explicitness. Hanzo’s breath hitched in his throat. Tried though he did, he could not tear his eyes away from her sexy body; they even became sore from staying open and focused for too long. He did take a moment to glance over at Yukimura, who was practically chewing the back of his hand from anxiety. He imagined the young man had likely released by no doing of his own at least once or twice. He almost did.She is so cute… Damn that Saizo! He thought to himself. Suddenly, there came a light knock at the door. Everyone immediately froze and looked at it in horror; all except for Saizo, who continued to kiss and caress Soma quietly with a slightly animalistic sheen to his red eyes. “There is some tea just outside here,” the innkeeper’s voice bellowed in a friendly, albeit slightly probing manner. “I trust you’ve had a pleasant stay.” After a few moments, Hanzo heard the man shuffle away. Yukimura and Soma looked at each other with an odd familiarity that the shinobi could not decipher. She bit her lower lip and turned her gaze down to the floor. “I’m… Sorry, milord,” she said, timidly. Saizo stopped what he was doing to scoff at her apology. “N-no!” Yukimura immediately corrected her. He seemed strangely calm now, considering the circumstances. “You are both… So important to me. Thank you for sharing your bodies with me.” There was a silent pause, then Saizo wrapped Soma’s garment back around her and hugged her from behind. She looked back at him and touched her forehead to his. He smiled and closed his eyes, taking time to enjoy the moment before he pulled away to rest his chin on her shoulder. “Let’s get out of here,” he said to his young master. He made sure to linger behind after Soma and Yukimura went to ready the horses. Once he was satisfied that no one was nearby, he casually approached the closet door and unlocked it. Hanzo came spilling out in an embarrassingly ungraceful manner, gulping for fresh air after being trapped in such a small space for half the night. Still somewhat out of breath, he shot upright and glared at Saizo with an intensity that raised the assassin’s eyebrows. “You are such an asshole!” He growled at him. Saizo’s mouth curled into one of his evil sneers. “Thank you, Master Kiyohiro,” he replied. “Or whatever it is you’re calling yourself these days.” He held a hand out with his palm upright. Hanzo thought very seriously about spitting into it, but instead reached into a fold of his clothing and pulled out Saizo’s orders from the Iga village. Saizo snatched the letter from his grasp and spun around to read it privately. His shoulders slumped. He then became somewhat enraged, crumpled the letter, and shoved it into his belt before promptly storming out of the room. “Always a pleasure!” Hanzo trilled after him, sardonically. He never understood his rival’s capricious nature; he respected him, but they were vastly different men. He decided that he would gather some supplies while still in the village, and during his errand he was approached by a young man asking questions about the party of travellers who were on their way to Kai. Agreeing to meet him for a drink so they could discuss things in private, he was then offered a large sum of money to follow the young woman, specifically. “She’ll get tired of samurai, eventually,” the stranger said with a snort, as though Hanzo should be able to relate to what he was saying. He could. “She was never really into the whole tough guy thing, you know… I just want to make sure she’s okay until I can convince her to go back home where she belongs. I promised her father I’d keep her safe, and now that she’s grown… Well, it’s getting harder to keep my promise.” The man had a hint of resentment in his voice as he fingered the handwoven pommel grip of his katana. His focus drifted to the curious item often during their conversation. Though it would have been considered decorative at some point, it was worn out and badly needed to be replaced. The fact that he hadn’t done this meant that it was a gift from someone special; perhaps from Soma herself. Nothing would have surprised Hanzo about her at this point. Her luck, if that’s what one could call it, had been uncanny thus far. He considered simply taking the fool’s money and returning to Iga; the woman in question was in the care of both a shinobi and a Sanada lord, and it was unlikely she would come to any real harm. He realized that this benefactor must be very important to be able to afford a small fortune to pay someone to simply follow a common woman around. He decided to ask more questions about who the man was and what he wanted with Soma, and he was not disappointed when he told him his story.He accepted the task, even though there were other things he could be doing with his time. He was forced to admit his glee to himself later, however; while up in a tree, trying to nap, his mind kept going back to his view from the closet at the inn. The perfumed goddess splayed before him occupied his dreams until his very last moments of sleep.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
As Spring continued to timidly unfold at Tsutsujigasaki castle, they enjoyed even more blossoming trees, as well as the freshness that came from soft rains. Soma hung rain ghosts along the eaves outside her room out of respect for the absent Saizo, who was still gone on his mission after several days.She was taken on officially as Yukimura’s attendant, awarding her once again her own private quarters at Takeda Shingen’s estate. She spent her days doing chores around the castle with Sasuke and the other servants, as well as helping in the kitchens and serving the young lord his tea and meals. She had also unofficially become Shingen’s personal cook, due to her outstanding skill at making food the still-convalescing daimyo actually ate. In the evenings, she taught Sasuke some reading and writing, and was impressed with how much the child already knew. Saizo was a good man for not neglecting his lessons. Her father had been the same with her, and she appreciated how rare it was for a commoner to be as literate as she.Yukimura resumed his rigorous training regimen with the other retainers, but he always made time to ensure that Soma was happy and comfortable. He was friendly as ever to her even though what occurred at the inn lingered in the air ever-presently between them. One evening when she brought him his supper, he asked her if she would be interested in watching the moon with him. It was full in the sky, and quite low. Normally he only did this kind of thing with Saizo, and she was honoured to have been deemed a suitable replacement. Little did she realize, however, that these moon viewings always included a jug of sake. She accepted the vessel that he handed to her cautiously as it was a bit heavy. They sat on the same roof where she had been discovered as a woman, and enjoyed an unobstructed view of a gorgeous, orange moon. She had to try hard not to tip over when she brought the jug up to her lips to take a drink. Yukimura had only gotten a goose egg out of his fall those weeks ago, but she doubted she would have the same luck. “Do you miss him?” Yukimura asked her, abruptly. “Saizo, I mean…” Soma nearly spat out her drink and the young lord deftly put his arms out on either side of her to prevent her from falling over. She recovered and looked over at him, expecting him to be already drunk. He instead appeared oddly introspective, and completely sober. His efforts to be a gentleman were not lost on her as he made sure to keep a respectable distance between them, unlike the last time they were up here. “Do you?” She retorted. The words had simply tumbled out. He blinked, not expecting his question to be turned around on him so easily. “Yes,” he replied, his face reddening. Choosing not to answer him, she instead turned away and leaned backwards into his arms. He closed them around her, stiffly at first, before succumbing to the comfort of her closeness. His embrace felt much more natural than she thought it would, but it was very different from Saizo’s. Yukimura was larger than the assassin, and several inches taller. When he folded his body over her, he did just that; she could take shelter in his arms, quite literally. “You should know, Soma…” He whispered into her ear, audibly struggling to find the right words. She was aware that the shy lord was not half the wordsmith Saizo was. “We will always protect you, no matter what.” “I suppose I should learn to get used to that,” she replied, as she pondered his words. She took another drink before he snatched it back from her and indulged in it himself. “Hey!” “Sharing is caring!” He teased, playing keep-away with her, and they laughed together. “Oh! I have something for you…” She reached into one of her sleeves and produced a small bundle. Yukimura exchanged the jug of sake with her and opened his present eagerly. It was difficult to obtain some of the ingredients, but she wanted to treat the young lord as thanks for his kindness towards her family. He had paid them a month’s rent for their guest house, despite having only stayed a day. “Darnits!” He exclaimed. She giggled. “Donuts.” “Well, whatever,” he shrugged, and immediately stuffed one of the confections into his mouth. “These are the best! Thank you!” “You’re very welcome, milord,” she replied, and reached up to wipe some sugar from his handsome face. She watched his eyes close momentarily when she touched him, and he bit his lower lip. “Would you consider… Spending the night with me?” He asked. Soma was surprised by his forwardness as he looked at her, longingly. It wasn’t long ago that being so close to her had been enough to cause him to fall off the same roof. She nodded, and his reaction was nothing short of elated. They agreed to both take different routes on their way to her quarters. Though it was really nobody’s business what they were up to, it was just easier than to have to explain away their behaviour to anyone they might run into. Not long after her door was closed and she was alone, Soma saw a shadow moving about outside on the verandah. The door slid open and in stepped the tall Yukimura with his jug of sake still in tow. He raised a finger to his lips and smiled as he quietly slid the door closed and approached her.They stood silently in front of each other for a moment. Soma couldn’t help but be impressed by the young lord’s resolve, having wondered on her journey to her room if he would actually show up.She began to undress herself and his eyes eagerly watched her every movement. She stopped when she got down to her juban, and looked up at him with a shy smile. He coughed and took a swig from his jug as he tried hard to remain composed. “You, too, milord,” she directed. “Call me Yukimura,” he said, more resistant than usual to formality. He set down the vessel of alcohol on the floor and got to work on his own clothes. She looked over his body as he stood before her in nothing but his fundoshi. His broad shoulders rippled with muscle and his skin was marred with battle scars, revealing the difference between his and Saizo’s finesse as warriors. Yukimura dove head-on into the danger that Saizo danced around like the wily fox spirit he was. She knew that every scar told a story, and that each was penned into him with the intent to kill. The young warrior was a walking tome of bravery and pain.Her eyes ventured downward, over the bronze skin of his chiseled abdomen, to his undergarment. She reasoned that what he carried therein was appropriately scaled to his massive size, and she became slightly intimidated. Realizing what Soma was looking at, Yukimura anxiously grazed his big hand through his hair in his telling way, already aware that he was larger there than some other men. Saizo had told him when he asked about it that only foolish men equated their size with the level of pleasure they could give a woman. He didn’t really understand what he meant by that, but he hoped that Soma found his body to her satisfaction. He desperately wanted to satisfy her the way Saizo seemed to be able to.He began to gravitate towards her like a magnet. She met him half-way, and they held each other for several moments while he inhaled the sweet smell of her hair. The mysteriously seductive scent was the same as it was when he tried to spar with her months ago in the courtyard. Saizo was right as always; the body would know to take over when attraction was present. Soma, whether male or female, had a hold over Yukimura’s senses like nothing he’d ever experienced before. Any shyness drifted away as he began to caress her body, until it was as though it had never been there at all. “I was afraid...” He said. “If I ever got you like this someday…” Soma pulled away and looked up at him through her long eyelashes. His heart skipped a beat. She was turned on and barely dressed, just for him. She was too much for him; he was no match for her curves and her smell. She made him want to do things to her he wasn’t sure there were even names for. “What are you holding back, Yukimura?” She asked, her voice heavy. Without a word, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. He laid her down gently and kissed her, her hot mouth melting into his until they were forced to separate from breathlessness. He remembered what he might like to do to her first, and trailed his tongue across her face and down her neck. Her skin tasted sweet. She made him salivate like a dog. I don’t want to hurt you… He thought, aware of his own brute strength, and the ferocity of his pent-up lust.
He couldn’t believe how different she was in these circumstances, however. It was as though Saizo had awoken some kind of demon within her, set on corrupting all those around her. Neither of them could be blamed, he supposed, for the naturally seductive sparkle in her dark eyes, nor for the sensuous curve of her bosom as it pressed against him when they embraced. She could never be blamed for her caring nature and gentle touch. She had enough love in her to feed the whole world, as far as the two men were concerned. He fumbled his fingers over the ties of her juban. The garment fell open to expose her breasts and his breath hitched in his throat at the sight of them. He remembered how they heaved against him while she slept, and how they moved erotically with Saizo’s massage. He took one of them into his mouth with enthusiasm.She whimpered and threw her head back. Her fingers entwined in his hair, pulling on it forcefully. He gently bit down on her nipple in reaction to her unintentional brutality. They both moaned. He sucked on the fleshy mound noisily, his tongue lashing over the aureola as she squirmed underneath him.She suddenly flipped him over so that she straddled him, and her breast came out of his mouth with an audible pop. The young lord surrendered willingly to her show of dominance. She tossed her juban aside and sat astride his pelvis, now completely naked and practically shaking with arousal. He lunged his hips upwards into her, instinctively. She smiled at him, an evil thing that told him she knew something he did not, and leaned in to kiss him once again.He trailed his hands over her back and her hips, squeezing the soft flesh as they embraced. Her kiss quickly became intense and desperate, striving towards an end he could not foresee. It was then that he realized she must have been withholding feelings for him, as well. The premise made his erection throb even harder against the place between her legs, and he noted what a strange thing it was that his emotions should have such an effect on his body.Oh, no… If she keeps this up…! He did not want to repeat the accidental expulsion of semen he’d experienced as the result of Saizo’s demonstration. “Soma… Slow down,” he grunted between her kisses. “I’m already… So hard…” “Show me,” She whispered hotly, trailing her lips down his neck to his chest, and beyond. She lowered herself so that she knelt between his legs and kissed along the muscular jutting of his hips just above where his loincloth began. Her hands trailed along his flesh in a manner so sweet and gentle that he thought he might ejaculate from that alone. He knew that he was not nearly half as drunk as he figured he needed to be for this encounter, the alcohol he had ingested not at all enough to be able to dull his senses, which seemed even more acute than usual.He watched her unwrap his fundoshi, her little hands making short work of the garment. She peered down at his prick for the first time with disbelieving eyes. It twitched and bounced excitedly in front of her, and nearly hit her in the face once or twice; she was so close, in fact, that he could feel her breath on it. He moaned and brought his fist up to his own face, biting his knuckle in an attempt to silence himself.She wrapped both hands around his length and squeezed it gently. The head of it swelled, becoming engorged and discoloured. He choked back a small cry, the sensation of her touch on his point of arousal much more intense than when he took care of it himself in private. He was already aware that at least half of his physical reaction was purely mental; his excitement was not simply the result of being touched, but that he was being touched by her. Suddenly she was straddled over him in horse stance, her opening just inches away from the pinnacle of his length. His heart beat so fast in his chest he thought he might die from it. The crowning moment when he would finally reach manhood approached, swift as an arrow. His mind roiled, simultaneously anxious and jubilant. He could do nothing but moan into his clenched fist.The bulging head of his prick was poised at the gateway of her femininity. They made contact, and she lowered herself onto him slowly. Yukimura immediately felt how tight she was, and grit his teeth from the unbelievable sensation. She suddenly froze and an expression of pain unfolded on her pretty face. His eyes trailed down to where they were connected; her hole was opened as far as it was willing to go, unable to accommodate him any further. Unbelievably, he was just barely inserted.By the gods, I’ve broken her! He thought as he started to panic. “Are you alright?” He asked. The inside of her burned, and the pain radiated outward, until she felt like she might faint from it. She felt his big hands grab hold of her hips to support her weight for her while she regained her bearings. She was reminded of when he insisted on carrying her home from the battlefield that day, despite his more severe injury. She wanted to be brave for him in this moment, but her body would simply not allow him passage. No matter how hard she tried to relax for him, she could not; and the less her tactic was working, the more nervous she became. “I… Don’t think it’s going to fit,” she managed. “I’m sorry…” She felt tears well up inside her. She feared that he would be angry with her, but she underestimated the big-hearted lord. Without a word he picked her up and placed her once again on her back beneath him, having withdrawn himself to prevent any more trauma to her body. He held her lovingly in his arms, and the pain gradually subsided. “I’m sorry,” He whispered near her ear before he lowered one of his hands to the junction between her thighs. “I knew I wasn’t doing this right.” Saizo’s lesson had replayed itself in Yukimura’s mind over and over since it occurred; the look of uninhibited passion on Soma’s face was ever-present, even though the assassin remained completely clothed the entire time. The experience’s success relied solely on Soma’s pleasure. Perhaps Saizo’s pleasure was in turn derived from hers. Was that the trick to mastering his Lover’s Guide?Amazed that he was able to formulate this hypothesis on his own, the young lord kissed her lips with renewed vigour; gentle, yet purposeful. She whimpered like a little bird. The soft flesh of her mound relented to his touch, like one of the doughy sweets he so enjoyed. Unsure if his large hands were the most graceful tools for such a delicate task, he extended his index and middle fingers and drew them carefully over her slick opening. To his relief, she was willing to continue their fun, despite his previous foible. He did suspect, watching how she tightened so beautifully around Saizo’s fingers, that their coupling might in the end prove troublesome.He found the place Saizo showed him: the cluster of nerves at the apex of her slit that hid itself so coyly, like a little pheasant in a bush. He made sure that his fingers were nice and wet with her, and traced them in a circular motion over it. She uttered a cry that he silenced with his own mouth, and his prick throbbed sympathetically with her expressions of pleasure.The dull ache within him only grew while he continued to toy with her. As he fondled her excited, swollen flesh, his hips instinctively wanted to move on their own. He got an idea: if Soma could be stimulated this way with his fingers, she could also be stimulated by other things.He rolled her onto her side and pressed up closely behind her as he’d watched Saizo do at the inn; only instead of forcing his knee between her legs he used his prick. It fit perfectly into the nook just underneath her round ass. Wrapped tightly in between her legs, it slid deliciously against her heat, and the head poked out the other side. He began to rock his hips gently back and forth, and was pleased that his method simulated the closeness of intercourse without the need for penetration. “Is this alright?” He whispered, his voice husky from his excitement. She grabbed his arms and wrapped them around herself. He took her hands in his and pulled her in even tighter. He buried his face in her hair and breathed deeply, revelling in her bewitching aroma. “Mm… That feels good!” He heard her sigh and moan as he continued to pump himself between her legs. She was so wet that his length slid between them easily. It was not long before he had to slow down; pushing against her voluptuous bottom like this had been an ongoing fantasy he was only too happy to reenact.He felt her hand leave his and venture downward to where the tip of his prick was poking through. She grabbed hold of it and guided it upwards to better massage the places she wanted, all the while stroking it gently. She shivered with pleasure. It sent him tumbling over the edge, and he expelled his seed across the bedding in front of them with a muffled cry.Her hand didn’t leave his prick, and the latter did not seem to lose its tenacity, either. Squeezing and stroking the head of it, she continued to rock her body against him. He winced from the intensity of her ministration, but he would not stop her until she was done with him. He did not want to stop her at all once the overwhelming sensation in his loins subsided and his pleasure resumed. Soon enough, he was on the verge of another orgasm. “I can’t hold it back, Soma…” He grunted. Her massage only intensified, as did her breathing. “Together… Yukimura…” Her words echoed in his mind. He impulsively grasped one of her breasts and fondled it ruthlessly. She turned her face to the futon and let out an exquisite scream, shaking violently against him. Her slit pulsated on his aching member, and he felt her become even wetter until it practically gushed around him. His eyes rolled back in his head and he growled into the flesh of her shoulder that was salted with sweat.He ejaculated, somehow much more intensely than before. He had never done it twice in a row before, and the sensation vibrated throughout his entire body, causing every pore to feel like it was on fire. They remained in their positions for a long time, nuzzling and touching each other sweetly. They were almost giddy over what had just transpired between them. Soma understood that this was what Saizo wanted, and she supposed that made it alright; but she wondered if it was really possible to be more than one man’s woman. “Am… I worth loving?” He asked, suddenly. Soma blinked, taken slightly aback. It was an odd question, but he was within his rights to ask it of a woman he was being intimate with. She turned around to face him.It’s true, isn’t it… She thought to herself as she stared into his deep, sea-green eyes. You are just a cute, little boy, aren’t you? “I love you,” she whispered. The words drifted from her lips of their own accord, but she did not regret them; especially when she saw how his eyes lit up upon hearing them. He drew her in to a soft kiss, excruciating in its sweetness. She watched as a single tear slid down his face. She wrapped her arms around him and ran her fingers through his adorably messy hair.He trailed kisses from her mouth down to her collarbone and rested his head on her chest. She held him there like he was a child, and realized that Saizo must be just as concerned about Yukimura’s safety and comfort in his absence as he was hers to encourage them to be together like this. “Can I stay here with you?” He asked, his mouth stretching open in a yawn. It reminded her of Sasuke when he stayed up past his bedtime, and she couldn’t help but giggle. “Of course, milord,” she replied. He nuzzled his face into her chest before settling back down again. “Call me Yukimura,” he said with a sigh; a dreamy, wistful thing that carried her to sleep. She awoke the next morning alone in the bed. When she heard the retainers in the courtyard shouting as they performed their katas, she realized that Yukimura had risen early for his training. She saw something shiny out of the corner of her eye, and to her surprise there was a set of silver bangles in his place on the futon, one enamelled in turquoise and the other in red. She understood the sentiment behind the gift immediately; red was the colour of the Sanada banner, and the turquoise was the same colour as his eyes. They were to remind her of him. There was a note beneath them. In the messiest handwriting she had ever seen, it read:
Whether asleep or awake, you are all I think about.
She held the note to her chest and fingered the bracelets, thoughtfully. The gift was likely not meant to be a show of possessiveness; however what was a gift, but a claim on someone’s emotions? Even she made people their favourite treats because she revelled in the joy it brought them. Saizo’s dango and Yukimura’s donuts were definitely no exception.She knew that she would need to be ready to receive tokens from the men around her. It was just how people showed their affections, she supposed; but neither Saizo nor Yukimura were her boyfriend. She didn’t know what they were.She admired how the silver rings dangled so fancifully from her wrist, glittering in the soft light of the morning. She removed them before she dressed herself, however, not wanting to accidentally damage them while she did her chores. She placed them in the same box that contained her broken hairpin for safekeeping, and began her routine. She and Sasuke were hanging laundry outside to dry when she noticed that he was being unusually silent. He was normally very talkative and opinionated for someone his age, as he scrutinized the behaviour of the so-called adults around him almost constantly. As they worked together, he appeared lost in thought. It was a strange expression to see on the face of someone so young. “Are you alright, Sasuke?” Soma inquired, making a silly face at him from behind a blanket she was hanging on the line, in an attempt to make him smile. He did smile at her, albeit briefly, before returning to his mile-long stare. “Yeah, I’m fine.” “What are you thinking about?” She asked, pretending to pout. He picked up another piece of laundry and hung it up between himself and the woman. “I can’t tell you,” he replied from behind the item. “It’s embarrassing.” Soma’s first impulse was to tease him, assuming he was daydreaming about getting his hands on some more of the snacks she’d made; but his strange behaviour definitely indicated that whatever was on his mind was a little more serious. “I see…” She said, disappointed that he wouldn’t share his secret with her. She thought they were good friends by now. “Well, let me know if I can help you with anything, okay?” “Mm,” the boy grunted. Soma was unable to tell if it was an affirmation or not. When they were finished with the laundry, she went to the kitchen to make some dango to cheer him up. Sasuke protested that he wasn’t a child anymore and could not be plied with sweets, but he nevertheless insisted on helping her with her task.As he stood near her and poured the rice flour into the tofu while she mixed it, she observed him, curiously. The boy looked stoic, his eyes far away. She wondered if perhaps he was feeling as lost without Saizo around as she was. Her idea to make dango came partly from the hope that Saizo might sense its fabrication from wherever he was and come home to them. “You don’t have to hang around me, doing all this boring stuff,” she said, eventually. He had been her little shadow ever since she returned to Kai. “Why don’t you go train with the others, and I’ll call you when this is ready?” “Don’t be silly,” he said, surprised by her statement. “I want to help you. I get up extra early so I can do both.” “Well, I definitely appreciate it, Sasuke…” They got to work forming the mixture into balls to drop into a pot of water that boiled on the stove. Before they were finished, the young house servant called Umeko burst into the kitchen, looking a little out of sorts. “Soma, thank goodness,” she said, apparently very glad to see her. “Can you please bring Lord Shingen his tea? We are so busy trying to prepare for this visitor, that we-“ “Visitor?” Soma and Sasuke interrupted her in unison. They both looked at each other and giggled. “You haven’t heard?!” Umeko exclaimed, astonished that they were so uninformed. Ever the gossip, she explained the news in as much detail as possible, as quickly as possible, until she ran out of breath. “Lord Shingen has courted the Date clan for an alliance. Date Masamune is sending us his most trusted retainer to negotiate. He won’t be arriving for some time, but we have barely even started our spring cleaning! I just don’t have the time to flirt with the daimyo today.” “Wow! The One-Eyed Dragon!” Sasuke exclaimed. “That is a pretty big deal!” “Don’t worry, Umeko,” Soma said, then gestured at the half-finished task she and Sasuke were working on. “But can it wait a few minutes? I’m not finished here quite yet.” “Hey, I got this,” Sasuke offered, confidently. “Just you leave it to me!” “Lord Shingen does like to keep a schedule, so don’t tarry! That reminds me, actually…” Umeko reached into her sleeve and produced a small envelope, which she handed to Soma. “You have to add this to the teapot just before it’s served.” “What is it?” Soma asked, curiously, as she took the envelope and analyzed it. “It’s his medicine,” Umeko explained, then looked towards the exit and shuffled her feet impatiently. “I’m sorry, but I really need to get going! Oh, don’t let him see you add the medicine! See you later!” The young woman sped away onto her next errand, leaving Soma and Sasuke somewhat dumbfounded. Soma gazed down apprehensively at the mysterious envelope in her hand and the boy sidled up to her so that he could also get a closer look.She opened it and saw that it contained a beige powder that smelled slightly bitter and woody. It did not smell bad, per se, but she sincerely wondered how Lord Shingen would ever be fooled into thinking nothing had been added to his afternoon tea. “That definitely looks like medicine,” Sasuke said as he peered at the contents. Soma assumed he would know something about herbs, being a shinobi’s apprentice. He boldly put his finger to his tongue to wet it before touching it to the powder. He nodded when he tasted it. “Yeah, it’s got ginseng in it, and some other things. The Tiger does have a terrible cough, doesn’t he?” “He does…” Soma agreed. “But why should I have to hide the medicine from him? Doesn’t he want it?” “Lord Shingen is an agreeable man,” came a voice from behind them, “but he is equally as stubborn.” Both of them spun around in surprise, and Sasuke made a look like he was angry with himself for not having sensed the man’s presence before he made it known to them. He was a smallish, lithe man, with strikingly tanned skin and short, dark hair. He wore a plum-coloured kimono with grey hakama; hardly spring colours. His dark eyes were as sobering as his clothing, emotionless like a doll’s. Soma had never seen him before, but Sasuke recognized him instantly. “Kansuke-san,” the boy greeted him, “how did you get so sneaky?” “I practiced,” he replied, simply. His eyes drifted over Soma’s figure before landing on hers. “Lord Shingen would appreciate your concern for his wellbeing, Soma. Rest assured that it is simply a tonic I prepared to relieve him of his symptoms.” “I see…” She said, and held the envelope up to her chest, protectively. “How did you know my name, Master Kansuke, was it?” The man’s lips upturned briefly in a secretive smile before his face returned to its austere mask. He bowed slightly, his eyes perusing her form once again. Soma was made slightly uncomfortable by this; more so that the man’s eyes were so unemotional that they made her feel cold by proxy. “I know everything that goes on in this house,” he announced. He gestured to the envelope Soma clung to her chest with a nod. “Lord Shingen will be awaiting his tea.” Before she could reply, Kansuke was gone. Sasuke guffawed, once again amazed by the man’s quickness and dexterity. Soma assumed that he was another one of the castle’s shinobi, and knew that if she did not complete her task there would be consequences. As she arranged the pot of tea on a serving tray, she added a dish with a few loose pieces of the fresh dango they had just made. Looking down at it, it did not seem like the kind of thing that was appropriate to serve a great daimyo lord. She decided to sprinkle some toasted kinako flakes over it to make it more visually appealing, and looked to Sasuke for his approval. The boy smiled at her and nodded. Soma timidly approached Shingen’s quarters. She heard him shuffling about inside, hacking and coughing. He cursed softly as his fit finally subsided, and she waited a moment before announcing her presence. “Come in!” He said in a voice much more commanding than the one she’d heard groaning and cursing not a minute before. She slid open the door and brought the tray inside. Their eyes met and his features softened immediately. “Soma, my dear… Don’t tell me they have you running around for me now, too.” “I serve you gladly, Lord Shingen,” she replied with a slight bow as she quietly scrutinized his appearance.Though a little pale, he did not seem to be that worse for wear. The medicine was apparently doing something for him. He got out of the way so that she could place the tray down on a low table in the centre of the room. As she turned to bow to him and make her leave, he suddenly grabbed her by the wrist. They both looked at his large hand as it overtook hers almost humorously in its size. Perhaps embarrassed by this, he quickly let her go. “Join me,” he said in his low, rumbly voice. He gestured to the cushions surrounding the table. “Please.” Hesitantly, Soma did as she was told and knelt with him at the table. She began to serve their tea, and smelled a somewhat bitter aroma rising from it almost immediately. As she suspected, Kansuke’s tonic was not very covert. Perhaps Shingen really did know about the medicine and just did not want to take it alone. “Is that kinako-mochi?” He asked, looking curiously at the plate of treats she’d brought. “No, milord,” she said, and set his cup down in front of him. “I was making dango and thought you might enjoy some. I trust I was not being too presumptuous.” “Not at all,” he replied, his amber eyes shining with pleasure at her thoughtfulness. They toasted each other and he watched her drink before he decided to do so, as well. Once again, she felt like his poison taster, though she had it on good authority that those providing his care were only set on his comfort. The tea maintained its bitter aroma, but surprisingly tasted fine. “I much prefer sake,” the lord revealed with a chuckle, “but I suppose it’s a bit early for that, isn’t it?” “Perhaps a bit,” Soma agreed. Though she also preferred sake, it was still not quite the middle of the afternoon. “Tell me about yourself, my dear,” he prompted, apparently eager to keep their conversation going. He had heard it all before, but she once again recounted her tale of angering her local magistrate only to wind up Shingen’s poison taster. She was later taken on by Lord Yukimura as his attendant. She neglected to include the fact that Yukimura had tasked her unofficially with preparing Shingen’s meals, as well, though she was certain the man knew she had been doing so all along. “Yukimura has certainly taken a shining to you,” he observed with a telling glint in his eye. “You must be a very special woman to be allowed anywhere near him.” “I beg your pardon, milord,” Soma attempted to recover from his insinuation, “but Lord Yukimura did first meet me when I was pretending to be my brother.” Shingen reclined, visibly taken aback by her statement. She gulped, worried that she had somehow offended him, but he abruptly expelled such a guffaw that could likely be heard throughout the castle.His broad shoulders shook with laughter, his high cheekbones bearing the burden of his emotion so beautifully that in the moment he seemed a completely different person than the solemn daimyo perched intimidatingly on his dais. She suddenly realized that he was barely even in a state to be receiving company, least of all by somebody of her persuasion. Still wearing nothing but his sleeping robe, he appeared as though he’d just awoken from a nap when she came calling, his crimson hair still falling loosely about him.So much for keeping a schedule, she mused to herself. She noted that, despite his lack of regalia, he still commanded the room excellently. “You are a quick one, aren’t you?” He said, wiping a tear from his cheek once he managed to calm down. “Our Yukimura is not the most outgoing when it comes to women, to be sure. I think at this point that my failure to wrangle him a consort is more a matter of personal honour for me than anything to do with him. What do you think about that, my dear?” “With all due respect, milord,” Soma said reactively, “I should think that your retainers stand to benefit more from your leadership than your matchmaking.” Shingen’s eyes flickered and he bore his teeth in a sly smile, as he was once again thrilled by her articulate bluntness. She had become so used to doling out witty comebacks to the men she served at the restaurant, that it had become second nature, for better or for worse. “And how would you like to benefit from me?” He dared with a wink. Soma cringed internally, realizing that he had somehow mistaken her humour for flirtation. “Your hospitality has been more than generous, Lord Shingen,” she replied tactfully, and bowed her head in respect. When she looked up at him again, to her surprise, he still appeared charmed. He held his thumb between his teeth like he was trying to stifle himself from revealing any more of his intentions. He eyed her hungrily, however, her coyness having apparently only exacerbated his curiosity. “My hospitality, eh?” He repeated with a chuckle. He absently scratched the portion of his athletic torso that was exposed through an opening in his robe. Shingen put up enough of a professional exterior when on his dais, but had the reputation of being an incorrigible womanizer in private life. Knowing about the intimate connection between Uesugi Kenshin and himself, Soma understood that he was in truth simply a very sensuous and liberated man. It did not surprise her in the least to hear that he was heavily pursued. Mature and open about his complex desires, he carried himself with a confidence that rivalled even Saizo’s. She was in no position to criticize his enjoyment of sex, either, having herself been intimate with more than one man in less than a month. Soma casually took another sip of tea and he mirrored her movements, allowing her to take the lead in their interaction. She wondered how long this simple exchange of pleasantry would satisfy him, but hoped it was at least long enough to see that he took his medicine. “Speaking of hospitality…” He continued, and slung the rest of his drink down his throat. Soma quickly poured him another cup and he nodded to her in thanks. “I will be hosting a visitor here shortly. I should like you to entertain us.” “Milord?” Soma said, almost choking on her tea. He leaned forward and smiled, this time a tad less predatorily. “You have such a way about you,” he explained. “You’re so… Smart. Not like other women at all, are you?” “I wouldn’t say that, milord…” “And you’re a devastatingly good cook, too,” he said, popping one of her dango into his handsome mouth. “Yes, I should like you to take good care of my friend and I. I’ll make sure it’s alright with Yukimura, of course.” “Yes, milord…” “Though I don’t think it’s fair of him to keep such an intriguing woman all for himself…” Shingen continued to stare at her as he chewed, deep in thought about something known only to him. Soma was aware that she would ultimately have no choice but to go along with whatever he was planning.When the pot of tea was empty, she stood to take her leave. Shingen acknowledged that she likely had other work to do and even apologized for keeping her so long, which she of course graciously dismissed. For some reason he felt compelled to escort her to the door, and lingered there to watch her hurry away down the hall with her tray.Where did this girl come from? He wondered, even though he already knew her story in as much detail as could be revealed, and that she wasn’t lying about any of it. He thought to himself when he retreated back into his quarters how unusual it was to have a woman around who did not throw herself at him like the others did. It impressed him and disjointed him, equally, having realized over time that he had developed a bit of a silly crush on her. He began to wonder what sort of man she would throw herself at. “You seem troubled, Harunobu,” Kansuke said as he appeared suddenly from the shadows. Shingen was used to his friend’s spontaneous entrances and turned casually to greet him. “That Soma woman just left,” he said, smiling unwittingly. His expression turned sour, however, when he suddenly remembered the reason for her visit. “She won’t get sick from that tonic, will she?” “She shouldn’t,” Kansuke replied. He tilted his head at him, apparently made curious by his interest. “Are you so concerned?” “She’s not my poison-taster anymore,” Shingen chuckled, relieved. He turned away, feeling ashamed to say his next words, “I think I want her for my next conquest…” “No,” Kansuke said, his voice a little more serious. Shingen looked back at him and grimaced at the cold expression on the man’s face. “You say no to me?” He demanded, becoming angry. It was not something he was used to being told. A look of pity flashed over Kansuke’s cold eyes. “You may waste what precious energy you have on whatever you wish, Harunobu, but this woman…” He fell decidedly silent, but Shingen prompted him to continue. “She is being watched by various parties. One is working for Maeda Toshiie, who apparently was quite fond of her father.” Shingen knew the name; Maeda Toshiie was recently promoted as one of Oda Nobunaga’s generals. After returning to his clan a prodigal son, Toshiie worked hard and forged a promising future for himself through his family’s alliance with the Oda Clan. Dubbed The Spear of Sengoku, he was developing a deadly reputation that rivalled even Yukimura’s. The Takeda army had been successful at protecting their assets thus far, but it was common knowledge that Kai was one of the provinces marked by the Oda for invasion. It was just a matter of time before they would all finally meet in person on the battlefield. “And the others?” Shingen asked, somehow suspecting that Maeda Toshiie wasn’t the only man he might anger if he were to bed Soma. “That moody friend of Lord Yukimura’s,” Kansuke obliged. “The virgin lord himself, of course, is very fond of this woman. He may have her in mind as a bride for his brother.” “Sanada Nobuyuki would never marry a commoner,” Shingen scoffed, knowing Yukimura’s older brother just well enough to develop the opinion that he was as posh and stingy as nobles came. Kansuke silently shrugged. Realizing that he was simply annoying Shingen by attempting to snuff out his lofty fantasy, he returned to his quarters to resume his training. As he performed his katas, however, he found it difficult to concentrate. He could think only of the pretty, polite young woman he encountered in the kitchens, and was beginning to understand how a man could become so enthralled by her.Perhaps she is a witch, he mused. He chuckled to himself, unconvinced that such magic could possibly exist in such a terrible world. He saw the one called Saizo speaking with Maeda Toshiie’s man weeks ago. He wondered if he knew his colleague from Iga had recently been hired to keep an eye on the girl he was intent on corrupting. It was a moot point. As long as he did not intend to harm Shingen, his business with Soma was none of Kansuke’s concern; nor was her affair with Saizo and his hopeless master. He only hoped that his own master could keep his business to himself where she was concerned. Shingen’s illness left him with limited strength, which he needed in its entirety to fulfill his obligations. If no one was to know how ill he really was, he would need to refrain from expending any more energy than he absolutely needed to; and that included refraining from intercourse. Believing that the lord’s bad habits were what led to his illness in the first place, Kansuke pressured him heavily to curb his appetites. It was no easy task; Shingen’s desires in and out of the bedroom were practically insatiable. He resolved that he would share his concerns with the seemingly empathetic Soma. If she was unable to repel Shingen’s advances, however, he might be forced to have her sent away. “With all due respect, Master Kansuke-“ “You don’t have to call me that,” he interrupted. Though at times misappropriated, Soma’s dedicated politeness meant that she knew her place, at least. The two of them stood together in the kitchen while she put the finishing touches on the dango Sasuke attempted before he ran off to train with the other retainers. The boy didn’t do a terrible job, but the confections were not the most aesthetically pleasing. The pieces were not uniform in size, and there was even one giant piece on a skewer that looked like some kind of bees nest. “Well, thank you. But with all due respect, you behave as though I want to bed Lord Shingen…” “Do you not?” Kansuke asked after a surprised pause. Soma just gaped at him. “I see…” “I didn’t mean it like… It’s not that I don’t think he’s…” “There is someone else, then?” “Sure… I mean yes!” “Mm.” The woman did not sound at all convinced. Kansuke wanted her cooperation, but her apparent disquietude surrounding this subject was almost too embarrassing for him to want to continue with his interrogation. “He won’t want to know who it is, will he?” She asked. Her hands wrung together nervously. He already suspected who it was. He also knew why Soma might want to keep it a secret. Soma’s arrangement with Kirigakure Saizo and his master left her an unclaimed woman, as neither could marry her. Whatever their intentions with her ultimately were, Shingen could claim her for himself if he saw fit to do so. The lord’s musings of making her his conquest may have been just that, but Kansuke saw nothing but trouble ahead. The last thing Takeda Shingen needed was another parasite sapping what little strength he had left to him. Furthermore, the consumption was highly contagious to those who had regular physical contact with him. “Your life choices are none of my concern,” he began, attempting to soften his approach. He was aware that his sombre demeanour was very intimidating to women. “However, please allow me to give you a piece of advice. My knowledge on this subject has come by me honestly, as a lifelong servant of those with greater means than you can even fathom.” Soma appeared a bit stunned by his sudden change of tone, but he wouldn’t be surprised if there was a part of her silently waiting, hoping that someone would interfere. He felt a little badly that it had to be him. “Please tell me…” “When you came to us a man, you were much freer than you are now,” he said. He tried to verbalize his thoughts as inoffensively as possible as she looked up at him with her big, dark eyes. “If you wish to survive in this world with your reputation intact, find yourself a good husband to belong to. Do you understand?” Quietly, and as respectfully as possible to her present company, Soma started to cry. She nodded at him that she understood. He surely wasn’t telling her anything she did not already know. In that moment, the shinobi did something completely uncharacteristic: he impulsively reached out to her and placed his hand gently on her shoulder. She was a sensitive woman and appeared in need of validation. To his surprise, she rushed to close the space between them and clung helplessly to the front of his kimono. He felt her shake against him as she sobbed. He had apparently opened a floodgate of repressed emotions in her that were now all tumbling out at once. Not knowing what else to do, he awkwardly folded his arms around her.She does smell good… He thought to himself, mostly because he was concerned that he would have trouble removing her scent from his clothing later. It was a potential liability for a shinobi to smell like much of anything. She shook her head, and tried to recover herself, wiping the tears from her face with her sleeve. He pulled his arms away slightly so that they were still encircling her without making contact until she was ready to stand on her own two feet again. “I’m sorry!” She cried. She shot away from him so quickly that she nearly sent him toppling forward. He dismissed her apology with a quick shake of his head. “What do I do, Kansuke?” Her eyes begged him, searching his for answers he had been busy trying to formulate since he first resolved to speak with her. He had a potential solution to their problem; how she chose to execute it, as well as where it led, would be up to her. Mostly. “A retainer of Date Masamune’s is on his way here,” he began. She nodded, and he was not surprised that she already knew about it. Damn that loud-mouthed Umeko… He thought. “You should make an effort to get to know him.” He understood how banal it sounded to make that suggestion after what he’d just said to her, but pressed on. “He is a good man. I think you would do well as his… Well, that is at your discretion. Heed my words, however; do not, under any circumstances, go to bed with Takeda Shingen!”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
So entrusted was Katakura Kojuro with the Date clan’s affairs that he was put in charge of practically everything back in Oshu, from battle strategizing, to doling out servant’s wages. That being said, he was, above all, a very busy man. The fact that he was making time to visit Shingen at his estate, and for an entire month, no less, meant that the alliance between the two provinces was already practically secured. Their meeting in person was more a formality; an opportunity for Shingen to show off his prized gardens, and for Kojuro to learn more about the people and customs of Kai. Being a naturally curious person, his visit was of course his idea. A man of many skills, he earned the monicker of The Dragon’s Claws for his dedicated executorship of his beloved lord Date Masamune’s wishes. This one was affectionately known as The One-Eyed Dragon.Date Masamune took ill as a child, causing him to become blind in one eye. The rumour was that the eye had become possessed by a demon, and so his mother willed that it be removed. He donned an eye patch to hide his deformity, but this apparently only acted to intensify his appearance. In his short time as daimyo, he already managed to develop a mysterious and dangerous reputation. Having fought them in the past, the Date Clan were formidable opponents, now turned formidable allies to the Takeda. The more Soma heard about this Kojuro person, the more intimidated she became in spite of Kansuke’s patronage of his character. Not only was he much older than she, but he was apparently a terrifying wielder of justice over Oshu province. She rarely put her trust into rumours, but wondered how he would ever get along with someone as free-spirited and indulgent as Takeda Shingen. Conversely, she wondered how he would ever get along with someone as daft and uninteresting as she believed herself to be. The day the staff and retainers of Tsutsujigasaki castle met his surprisingly modest convoy’s arrival, she stood obediently behind Yukimura and thought about how her deciding to possibly leave Kai for good might affect him. He had been nothing but kind to her, but the indomitably wise Kansuke’s advice echoed almost hypnotically through her mind. She acknowledged that it was very likely that the young lord was simply that; too young to really know what he wanted, and what that would cost her in turn. The same went for her beloved Saizo, from whom she had not heard at all since his departure. As each day passed, it became ever-clearer that he might not return to her at all. As Kojuro’s retainers carried his belongings into the castle, many boxes passed by on their way inside, and even pieces of furniture to provide comfort and convenience to him during his stay. Soma became intrigued when a small apothecary made its way by. One box caught her attention, as well; a large, wooden one with small holes in the lid that took two men a surprising amount of effort to carry. It was oddly silent to contain a live pet.Just as Kojuro was about to exit his palanquin, Shingen and his retainers closed in to greet him and Soma was unable to get a good look. By the time her view became unobstructed, he was already inside. From what she did manage to see, he was quite tall, and much younger-looking than she imagined. That evening, a grand banquet was held in honour of his arrival. No expense was spared as attendants rolled barrel upon barrel of sake almost compulsively into the dining hall. Soma was given the task of organizing and executing the meal, directing the servants as though they were employees at her restaurant. She was thankful for the distraction, and the celebration proceeded beautifully without a hitch.She decided to offer up her father’s famous Victory Bowls to the banquet; a dish similar to that which she’d prepared for Shingen on her first night as his poison taster. She received word from the other attendants that everyone was beyond impressed with the meal, and she was admittedly not surprised. The dessert course featured Shingen’s previous request of kinako-mochi, as well as fresh donuts and dango. Lord Kojuro was heard saying that he wasn’t much for sweets these days but had fond memories of oshiruko from when he was a child. Soma was sure to make a mental note of this. The simple red bean porridge was a surprisingly saccharine choice for someone who did not typically enjoy sweets. To Soma, his affectionate nostalgia for the dish implied that he had a sentimental nature. She wondered if he enjoyed it best with or without mochi, and found it odd that she was fussing so much over someone she hadn’t even met yet. After the meal was completed and the men really started to drink, Soma paced the kitchen anxiously, waiting for the moment she would be summoned to “entertain” Lord Shingen and his esteemed guest. She even wore one of the much finer kimono from the selection that had been offered her, though it proved to be a highly impractical choice for the work she was charged with that evening. The night pressed on, however, and the summons never came. She had supposed that Shingen might grow tired after such a large meal. The older of the two servants she had befriended noticed Soma tittering about and kindly suggested that she relieve her of her duties. Embarrassed by her anxiety, Soma decided that she would accept Matsuko’s offer and relocate elsewhere so as not to cause the other servants concern. She sought the cool night air in Shingen’s garden, craving the scent of flowers to relax her. What hit her nose instead was the smell of burning tobacco. A bit away in the distance, standing by an eager wisteria, was the tall frame of someone she thought she may have seen earlier that day. He hadn’t noticed her yet, so she watched for a moment as Katakura Kojuro drew smoke from his kiseru in a pleasurable silence. She instantly began to feel relaxed. As he puffed on the instrument, the tobacco embers lit up a defined jawline and high cheekbones intermittently, as well as a set of shining, deep-green eyes. Short, brown hair framed his kind, albeit lean face. He did not appear weak, but he was not as heavyset as some of the other samurai she knew. Though he was apparently Shingen’s age, like the playful lord himself he did not strike her as being too much older than she. These men carried themselves with a calm maturity, however, that could simply not be found in men her age. Not wanting to be rude, Soma mustered up the nerve to approach him. “Who is there?” He whispered into the darkness. He quickly tapped out his kiseru and a flash of steel served as a warning to his intruder. “Pardon me, milord,” Soma replied in a gentle tone. She bowed to him, and the small kaiken he brandished returned immediately to its hiding place. It was customary for visitors to an estate to surrender their weapons as a sign of respect. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, the look she gave him let him know that he was being very naughty. “I’m sorry if I startled you… Are you the Lady Kiku?” He asked. Soma swallowed her urge to laugh as a grin formed behind her hand. “No, milord,” she said. “My name is Soma. I am a servant to Lord Yukimura.” He seemed relieved somewhat by her answer. Much more charming than she imagined, he elicited a blush or two as he analyzed her with his intelligent-looking eyes. She supposed he was wondering how she obtained the fine clothes she wore, and hoped he didn’t think she’d stolen them. “Soma…” He said, echoing her name musically. “You were the one behind that excellent supper! Well done.” “Yes, thank you, milord.” “I am Katakura Kojuro,” he introduced himself with a bow. Why he was bowing to her she did not know. He was perhaps a little drunk. “Was my smoke bothering you?” “Not at all, milord,” she said, having grown to love the smell of tobacco. It usually meant that there were foreign merchants nearby with recipes to share. “Were you admiring the wisteria?” “Oh, yes,” he replied. He apparently forgot where he was for a moment and reassessed his surroundings by touching the tree with the slender fingers of one hand. “This one is quite an early bloom, isn’t it? There are many of these where I am from… Perhaps it sensed me coming!” Pleased with his own joke, he smiled. The corners of his eyes crinkled slightly, finally showing a bit of his age. Soma had heard that those lines developed early on people who smiled often. Lord Shingen had them, too. “Are you in need of anything, milord?” She asked. She hoped she wasn’t being presumptuous, but she had no other excuse to linger than to offer to serve him. “Yes, actually…” He said, scratching his chin. He looked around suspiciously as though he was assessing the privacy of their conversation. “Would you come by my quarters in a few minutes?” “Yes, milord…” There it was, her summons. She recalled Saizo’s words about the decadence nobles allowed themselves where women and boys were concerned, and wondered what sorts of depraved things this lord might ask her to do. He did not notice her apprehension; instead he just seemed relieved at her ready willingness to assist him. Just as he turned on his heel to leave, he made a sound like he suddenly remembered something. “Oh, please bring a bowl of fresh greens with you!” He called behind him as he walked away with a friendly wave. Fresh greens? Soma thought, her mind twisting around itself trying to determine their intended use. She considered that perhaps the lord was interested in some exotic lovemaking techniques that which she was previously unaware. If that was indeed the case, he was being extremely polite about it. She did as she was asked and collected some komatsuna and daikon leaves from the kitchen. She made sure to wash them carefully before arranging them in a bowl. She placed that on a tray, along with a pot of tea, which she promptly brought to Lord Kojuro’s quarters.He greeted her at the door and quickly ushered her inside, eager to retreat from prying eyes. Her jaw dropped immediately when she saw the terrible state his room was in.Books and paperwork littered the floor to such a degree that she found it difficult to even find tatami to place her two feet upon. It looked as though a robber had turned the place completely upside down while desperately looking for valuables to steal. “Lord Kojuro… What happened in here?” She asked, truly beyond astounded. She wondered if he kept his own home in such a state of disarray or if he had simply chosen to disrupt Shingen’s in a fit of drunken boredom. “Well…” He said, scratching the back of his head. He blushed, as though he was only just becoming aware of the severity of the mess. “I was looking for my stash of smoke, you see. Oh, you’ve brought what I asked!” He took the bowl from her with a grateful nod and knelt down. “Bontenmaru, say thank you to Soma.” Soma nearly fainted when she noticed a sizeable tortoise stalking across the floor towards the bowl of greens that Kojuro set down. The animal appeared to sentiently crane its neck upwards to look her in the face for a moment before turning its attention to its treat. It began to munch on the leafy vegetables in a more energetic manner than would typically be expected of such a creature. She was completely awestruck, unbelieving that this was all the lord had wanted of her. “Oh!” She gasped, feeling somewhat embarrassed for assuming his intentions. Kojuro just looked up at her, all smiles, completely unaware of her internal conflict. “Isn’t he great?” He gleamed, more a statement than a question. Bontenmaru was a monicker that complimented the animal’s shape perfectly. Soma thought it was rather sweet that the man appeared so fond of him. Bent down on all fours in front of her, he observed the tortoise with a look of childlike wonder as it clumsily attacked its meal. “Yes, milord,” she said with a giggle, then nodded at the tray. “If that’s everything, where may I set this down?” Realizing that he had neglected to instruct her as to what to do with the heavy object, Kojuro shot upward and took it from her with an embarrassed look. He quickly side-stepped through the room and put it down on his writing desk. “Good night, Lord Kojuro,” she said with a bow. It was getting very late, though roars of laughter and merriment still emanated from the dining hall. She did not want to tarry while there were drunks about, taking care to put Sasuke to bed before attending to the Lord of Oshu’s request. She turned to leave and felt something tug at the hem of her garment by her feet. She looked down and saw that Kojuro’s tortoise had it in his mouth. “Haha, oh my feisty friend…” The lord said as he rushed to her aid. He looked up at her and smiled. “Will you join us for a cup, Soma? It appears that Bontenmaru does not wish for you to leave us just yet.” Soma obliged the lord and he cleared a space for them to sit at his writing desk. Despite the late hour, he seemed energized. He was obviously prone to a similar sleeplessness that she endured from time to time. While they sat together, his tortoise lounged happily with its head resting on her lap. She suspected that Kojuro would not allow this behaviour had he thought the animal might harm her, but she had never been so close to one before now as they were known to bite people in the wild. She was relieved that Bontenmaru appeared to be quite tame, not to mention strangely comforted by her attentions. Kojuro remarked that this was the first time he’d ever seen him behave in this way to anyone other than himself.They talked about various things, and he was of course very curious to know how such a young woman from so far away came to be employed at Tsutsujigasaki castle. She was almost tired of telling the story at this point, however Kojuro’s interest was flattering. He was witty and worldly; having been to Kyoto before, he knew exactly where her family’s restaurant was when she described it to him. They spoke easily together and well into the night, as though they were old acquaintances. Soma eventually felt comfortable enough to ask him if he would have her back the next day to help him unpack and tidy his quarters a bit- for his comfort, of course. Just as she was finishing her thought, however, the lord’s attention waned and his head began to sink ever downward in the direction of the desk until he went completely silent. He was soon overcome with sleep, his arms wrapped around himself and his face planted firmly on the desk in front of him. She cleared her throat to see if he could be roused but he was out cold, his features so relaxed that she thought she might fall asleep herself just by watching him.She carefully slid out from under the drowsy tortoise and located the lord’s haori laying in a heap on the floor nearby. She shook the garment out and carefully placed it over his shoulders before sneaking away to take the tray back to the kitchen. When she was done, she went to her own room to get some rest, resolving that she would take his cleanliness issue up with him again the next day. She quickly changed into her sleeping robe before her exhaustion took over, and nearly jumped into the air when she realized that Yukimura was there, passed out drunk on her futon. She felt badly that he had sought her out and she wasn’t there for him; but she remembered Kansuke’s words and determined that those guilty feelings should not be her burden to bear.She snuck into the bed. His big hands found her and pulled her closer. He mumbled something nonsensical and lazily nuzzled his face against her. He was so warm and familiar, and she was so exhausted. Early the next morning, she awoke to find the young lord had once again already gone to his training. Smelling him on her bedding, she absently began to touch herself, fantasizing that he was trailing gentle kisses down her torso to her mound. She imagined opening her eyes and meeting his as they gazed up at her from between her legs with a playful glimmer. She was eager to feel someone’s mouth on her again in this way. Saizo spoiled her with this technique when they were in Kyoto after discovering her penchant for it, and she wondered if this knowledge was ever passed along.Her fingers masquerading as Yukimura’s lips edged along her slit. She took her time, teasing her opening and the nub of flesh that became hard when his phantom tongue passed over it. Pulling herself apart gently, she already felt wet. She wondered how it might feel if he stuck his tongue inside her. She would gasp and grab hold of his hair. She would feel his sweet smile on her skin. He would be so proud of himself for making her want him like this. A sudden knock came at the door. She froze, unbelieving of her persistently horrible luck with this kind of thing. Slightly annoyed, she stood and closed her robe around herself. She smiled as her fantasy Yukimura deftly gathered his clothing and, after blowing her a kiss, snuck outside via the veranda. She opened the door and blushed when she saw Lord Kojuro standing there in the hallway instead of the usual Sasuke. His mouth fell open immediately at the sight of her, and she only got redder. It had been a very long time since Kojuro last saw a woman so suggestively underdressed and visibly aroused. Soma’s nipples were erect, poking defiantly against the thin fabric of her robe. Her hair was wild, and the air around her was lightly perfumed with the damp smell of sex. He could not help but to peer curiously behind her to see if she had a lover with her. She did not, and he wondered then if he had interrupted another kind of moment. The realization caused him to gulp, audibly. She was unsurprisingly gone when he awoke some time before. She had thoughtfully covered him with his haori after he fell asleep. Before that, he remembered her saying something about how untidy his room was. He wanted to thank her and accept her help, realizing that she was of course right; and that poor Bontenmaru was likely made uncomfortable by the mess, as well. As she stood practically naked before him, he wanted to instead tell her how lonely she made him realize he was. He wanted to tell her that his responsibilities in Oshu did not smell the way she did, nor ever speak so gently to him that he grew so relaxed as to drift off to sleep for the first time in what was possibly weeks. No one but she cared that he enjoyed the wisteria, nor did they much care for his tobacco habit, while she sloughed it off like it was nothing at all.He found himself strangely paralyzed, however, suddenly unable to even wish her a good morning. She finally raised her eyebrows at him, prompting him to explain himself. “I’d like to help you finish!” He exclaimed, then clapped his hand over his mouth. Soma’s eyebrows just got higher, and he couldn’t help but laugh at his own folly, though she did not seem to think it quite as funny. “I beg your pardon, milord?” She asked, exasperated by his rambling. “I mean, I’d like you to finish what you were saying. I fell asleep while you were talking earlier… My sincerest apologies.” “Oh…” She said, suddenly shy. When they met, she came across as someone who was typically rather agreeable; he had obviously just come at a bad time. He supposed that he was the reason she was up so late to begin with. Usually, he had a hard time rising, himself, once he went down. Oftentimes he would just drag whomever was trying to rouse him into bed with him to steal even just a few more moments of rest. He wasn’t exactly sure what came over him this particular morning. He felt strangely energized. She bit her bottom lip. Was it an act of flirtation, or impatience? She was unbelievably even more beautiful as a disheveled mess than she was the precious girl in the garden he’d met the night before. He hated himself a bit for interrupting her. Her dark eyes reflected back to him a whole world of secret desires. Keep it together, old man… He scolded himself. “Would you come inside, Lord Kojuro?” She offered, and stuck her head out to look both ways down the hall. He knew it was a little out of the ordinary for a guest of his status to be loitering in this part of the castle. He could have sent someone to collect her in his stead, but he was stubborn and enjoyed doing things for himself. At any rate, the retainer he ran into who called himself Kansuke was more than happy to tell him where he could find the woman’s room. “I don’t want to intrude…” He offered politely; but stepped inside, nevertheless. Lurking around any longer where he didn’t belong might draw unneeded attention. Her room was smallish and simple, as he expected; however Soma did not appear to be left wanting for much. When she slipped behind a painted screen to change into something more appropriate for his visit, she remerged in another kimono of better quality than was usual for someone of her charge. She was obviously very well taken care of. “Have you eaten?” She asked him with a playful smile, clearly deciding to forgive him for his intrusion. He just gaped at her and shook his head, trying not to think too hard about the instant innuendo he derived from her simple question. She excused herself, and it proved difficult not to watch her sumptuous bottom as she left. He sat down as far away from the privacy screen as he could; the lack of space allowed for no clear separation between living areas and he did not want to stake claim on any place that was potentially more private than any other. Her futon lay just beyond it and he knew he would now be forever cursed to envision her there with her legs spread wide. Her delicious scent was leaving now, too, and he breathed deeply, trying to hold it inside himself for as long as possible. He tried to remember the last time he’d indulged himself in masturbation, and he could not. It was no wonder his mind was wandering into such inappropriate territory. She returned rather quickly with a tray that contained not only a pot of tea for them to share, but also a lovely bowl of oshiruko with mochi. How did she know? He wondered. “I rarely eat breakfast, I must say…” He admitted as he raised the first spoonful to his mouth. He savoured it gleefully, even taking a moment to close his eyes. He would have liked to see what his face was doing because, when he opened them, Soma was grinning at him from ear to ear. “Do I look silly?” “Not at all, Lord Kojuro,” she said, in earnest. “I’m glad it’s tasty.” While he ate, she explained to him all over again why it was a good idea to let her at least unpack his things so that the boxes could be taken away for storage. He politely feigned interest in what she was saying; he was going to let her do whatever she wanted, anyway. What he was most interested in was how dead set she was on helping him get sorted. It was very peculiar.He considered at one point that she was being paid by Shingen to sweeten his opinion of their alliance; it would explain her fine belongings, at least. Their negotiations, however, were done through written message. If Soma was a bribe, she was a very late one. He resolved that she had her own reasons for wanting to lend him a hand, and tried to think of anything but the possibility that she might actually want to get to know him. “You enjoy helping people, don’t you?” He said, finally. She seemed surprised by his question, as though no one had ever thought to ask her before. “Yes, milord,” she replied. “I suppose that’s true.” “An admirable trait.” Too often were common people overlooked by their supposed betters, when in reality they had the most practical ideals. Then again, perhaps she was mad- or better yet, an assassin. His romantic fantasies about the adorable Soma amused him greatly while he let her rattle on about his silly room. He was thrilled to have met such a charming and generous person. She was almost too good to be true. “How does that sound, Lord Kojuro?” She said as she rounded off her point. He smiled at her and took his final spoonful of oshiruko. “Sounds good to me,” he chuckled. The entire time Soma was unpacking Kojuro’s belongings, he hovered over her obsessively. It was clear that he was very particular about his possessions. Most of them were just books, but from how he was acting she wondered what kinds of secrets they were hiding. She made a point to keep a lookout for the Lover’s Guide, and actually saw it in among the other titles.That’s much more popular than I thought… She considered. Admiring the more classical scrolls and tomes in his collection, she thought she would ask the lord to tutor her and Sasuke while he was there, if he didn’t mind. He appeared genuinely flattered by her interest. “Why don’t you pick out a book and we can read it together?” He offered. She excitedly reached out and picked up a random one. Kojuro’s eyes went wide and he tried to snatch it from her, but she kept it away from him as though she were teasing her brother at home. “Why can’t we read this one, Lord Kojuro?” She asked. He appeared to be trying to get cross with her, but could not. Relenting with a sad smile, his shoulders slumped, and a shade of pink painted itself across his cheekbones. “Do you like poetry?” He asked. She beamed up at him. “Did you write this, milord?” Kojuro did not confirm or deny, but the look of guilt on his handsome face was absolutely precious. A quick scan of the room revealed that a good number of the books strewn about were bound in a similar manner. Not only was he a poet, but he was apparently quite a prolific one. “I feel I should tell you that I brought them all here so no one would read them while I was away,” he revealed with an embarrassed laugh. Soma bowed to him deeply. “It would be a high honour to read your poetry, Lord Kojuro,” she said. He laughed again. “Well, we’ll see how long it takes for you to regret that statement.” They made plans to get together the next day after she and Sasuke finished their chores. He made mention that he was thankful to be able to host his new students in a nice, clean room. The sense of accomplishment that she felt hearing his words was rejuvenating, to say the least. That evening, Kojuro dined with Shingen in his quarters. Soma prepared the meal herself and served them fresh abalone, mushrooms fried in ginger with other vegetables and tofu- and sake, of course. It was delicious, as he expected.While she regaled them with the story of the first time she met the impossibly rough-edged Lord Yukimura, he watched as Shingen eyed her greedily. He was already quite drunk, and was not being subtle with his body language. His posture was wide open; sitting across from her, he stuck his chest out like the big cat he was named after, prideful and majestic. He was flagrantly trying to seduce her.The lord of Oshu could definitely appreciate Shingen’s appeal; he was an exemplary model for manhood, really, and his liberal-minded attitude made him enjoyable to be around. Before they’d even met in person, his letters were smart and articulate, reflecting a man who knew a lot about the world that lay beyond Japan. He wasn’t sure if he could handle competing with him for a woman’s interest at his age. Shingen was truly indomitable.What in the hell am I thinking? He scolded himself. He is older than I am!He held back his smiles as Soma tactfully and politely ignored every one of the daimyo’s attempts to draw her attention, and wondered how long this awkward exchange had been going on between them. Lord Shingen was a good man, but his reputation for being a bit of a fiend preceded him. Kojuro had heard Soma’s story straight from her own mouth, but still couldn’t believe that out of all the daimyo to choose from she should wind up under this one’s roof. The magistrate’s punishment was well-thought. When their meal was finished, Kansuke saw Katakura Kojuro step out onto Shingen’s patio to smoke his kiseru. Soma did not follow him, and so the shinobi snuck around to where he could see inside. Not being able to hear their conversation from his vantage point, he read their lips instead.Soma was trying to clean up as Shingen edged ever closer to her. He lay playfully at her feet on the floor and turned over onto his back so that he could look up at her. She glanced down at him, occasionally, smiling politely. A slow blush crept across her cheeks when he complimented how she looked in the kimono he gave her, and praised her cooking. He was actually being completely genuine, for once.He went on to say that he would like her stay behind and comb his hair after Kojuro retired for the evening, even though Kansuke had already done it for him once today. The lord never handled his own hair; it was one of the creature comforts he insisted upon. The shinobi knew that Shingen could simply not manage it himself, having not cut it since he came of age almost thirty years ago. Some of his more superstitious followers argued that it was the source of his power.Much to Kansuke’s chagrin, Soma agreed to come back after she took their dishes back to the kitchen; though even he wasn’t sure how she should have gone about denying his request. Kojuro seemed disappointed when he returned to the lord’s quarters and saw that Soma was gone. Shingen told him that he had to dismiss her so that she could attend to an errand. He then feigned a yawn and cordially wished him good night. The man left looking a bit confused, and a satisfied Shingen waited patiently until he was out of sight before getting up to retrieve his comb.Kansuke had finally just gotten the nerve to try to intervene when Soma promptly came back. He had, however, managed to get a bit closer so that he could hear them. Shingen emerged from his bedroom, and smiled at her. She returned the look, albeit shyly, and accepted the fine, bone ivory tool he held out to her so that she could complete her assignment.He plopped down on the floor and turned his back to her. Casually pulling down on his kimono, it fell loose about his broad shoulders. Soon, he was naked from the waist-up, and an uneasiness grew in the woman’s dark eyes. He’s so big… Soma thought to herself as she approached him slowly. Defined muscles rippled throughout his torso. Strong and thick, Shingen was at the peak of his physical development; a grown man. His battle scars were somehow almost negligible against the magnificently golden glow of his skin in the lantern light. He sat straight, revealing the shape of his powerful back, like the top half of an hourglass. He reached up with one of his beefy arms and loosened his hair, which then cascaded down his back in a soft, crimson deluge. She knelt behind him but hesitated, grasping the comb with a shaky hand. “What are you waiting for, my dear?” He said in a tone that was somehow simultaneously commanding and gentle. “It’s nothing, milord…” She muttered, and began to gather his hair together so that she could see what she was working with. It was as soft as it looked, and smelled faintly of incense. She began closer to the ends to prevent the comb from getting tangled into any knots and pulling at him. Amazingly, for as long as it was, his hair was smooth and shiny despite his health. As she ran the comb through it, it fell into long-perfected waves that bounced lightly when released from her touch.His body was relaxed and his broad shoulders rose and fell with deep, intentional breaths. They allowed different shadows to be cast from the light of the lantern on his flesh, redefining each line of powerful muscle in an almost hypnotic fashion. It was clear to Soma that he very much liked to be touched in this way, pampered and preened like one would a rare feline. “Rub my shoulders, would you?” He sighed, taking a moment to stretch his arms behind him, arching his back. More muscles revealed themselves beneath his golden skin, the line of his back drawing the eyes downward beyond where his belt now hung loosely around his hips. Soma unwittingly gasped and she heard him chuckle, lowly. She had to consider that he was probably used to being groomed, and that it was really she who was needlessly sexualizing this experience. It made her begin to question her own motives.Once he relaxed, she again gently gathered his hair. As she swept it all over one shoulder to get it out of the way she accidentally grazed his earlobe with her fingertips. He shuddered at her touch, and she froze in place. He looked back at her with an uncharacteristic vulnerability. Is he ticklish? She wondered. Reminding herself of what Kansuke said, she quickly averted her eyes. She didn’t want to disobey Shingen, but she didn’t want to exactly encourage him, either. She proceeded to massage below his neck, edging both thumbs along where his shoulders met in the centre, and sweeping upward in a steady, repetitive motion.He suddenly stopped her with an upraised hand and produced a small container from his clothing. When he handed it her way she nearly dropped it, juggling it for a moment between her hands. He chuckled again at her nervousness. “Tsubaki-abura,” he said, naming the contents. “You should only need a few drops.” Soma recognized the smell when she opened its container. A mix of camellia flowers and other ingredients, it was a prized beauty oil for hair and skin. She could never afford anything like this back in Kyoto; it was commonly something used only by Geisha. Shingen did not think a woman’s beauty rituals were beneath him, at least. He definitely was living testimony to their benefits, the oils having healed several of his scars to near invisibility.She took a few drops and rubbed her hands together to warm it before slicking it over the man’s bare skin. He again shuddered impulsively at her touch, and let out a long, slow breath. Soma was momentarily distracted by this but did not hesitate to redirect her attention to her task, massaging the flesh as deeply as she could with her small hands. Untrained, she could only do what she thought she might like were their roles reversed. Shingen seemed to be enjoying her technique, which forced her to reconsider her initial suspicion that he was spoiled regularly with this kind of treatment. “You have strong hands for a woman,” he commented. Soma knew that he was not meaning to insult her. She had been working since she could reach the hearth. “Am I being too rough, milord?” She asked. Is he really going to compare me to other women again? She wondered, unbelieving of his brutishness. Before she could judge him further, he exhaled a smile. “You? Never,” he replied, sweetly. He reached up and grabbed one of her hands. He turned his face so that he could kiss her fingers gently, then released her again. “Thank you for this.” The kiss was one of reverence, if anything; a tight, closed-mouthed thing with many possible motives behind it. Soma just silently resumed her massage. His voice sounded a little melancholy, but she didn’t want to pry into his affairs. She knew that if he was to start playing at her heartstrings she would be useless against his charms. She was always kind of a gullible, woman; but she just wanted everyone around her to feel happy and loved. The men she served had brutal and short lives, and it made some of them more forward in their private lives than might be deemed normal in proper society. Shingen sighed and moaned softly throughout her effort, until the tsubaki-abura was completely absorbed into his skin. She slowed her movements to a halt, then slid her hands down his back and lowered them to her sides. She located the container of oil beside her and went to hand it back to him, but he stopped her. “Keep it,” he said, and moved his seat forward so that he could recline himself. “I can always get more.” His amber eyes smiled up at her, his head resting on her lap amid his mane of red hair. She couldn’t even see the real colour of her kimono when she peered down at him, stunned by his persistent familiarity. “Thank you, Lord Shingen…” She was aware of the value of the item, due to the involved process of its production. It took many camellia flower to be able to extract even a single drop of oil. The lord, though not directly her employer, had been very generous with her; her closet contained clothes almost too fine to be subjected to the work she did. She did notice that her list of chores was growing ever shorter as each day passed, however.He reached up to caress the outline of her jaw with his fingertips. He was surprisingly gentle, considering his size. She’s so… Innocent, he thought, watching her attempt to refrain from looking over his half-naked body. Otherwise, she was frozen solid, her breathing shallowed to near imperceptibility. He wished that he could read her thoughts. “If it is consumption…” He remembered Kansuke telling him a year ago after he’d suffered a particularly violent coughing fit. “You will die from it, Harunobu.” “How long will it take?” He dared to ask. The shinobi stared at him for a while with his cold, dead eyes. “A year or two… Maybe longer if we reign in your symptoms.” “There is nothing for it, then,” Shingen resolved. “I must live just long enough to make it worth my time.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Soma could not sleep, so she went down to the kitchen to make some tea. Shingen’s chiseled features, now practically burned into her mind, begged her to betray her promise to Kansuke to stay away from his master. Wondering if his request to have her massage him was just part of his attempted seduction, she felt foolish for walking right into that kind of trap. She only wanted to do a good deed for the daimyo, who clearly suffered from his mysterious ailment.Immune to the judgment of those who served him, he could have made her his, made her his toy, a tool used to cajole a surprisingly fragile ego. She would have no choice but to oblige him. To her disillusionment, however, he did none of those things. Even as his erection stood straight as a pine after her massage, he just spoke casually with her for a few minutes until he dismissed her so that he could rest for the night. His restraint left her full of questions, and she could only wonder if her confusion was the desired result of his actions.She fingered the container of tsubaki-abura as she turned in to the entrance of the kitchen, and was shocked to see Matsuko there, tending to a boiling pot of red algae on the hearth. She shot upward in surprise. “What’s the matter, Matsuko?” Soma asked as she approached. The woman gave a surprised laugh. “You don’t know what I’m doing?” She asked. Soma shook her head. “I keep forgetting how young you are…” Matsuko took the pot from the fire and set it down on the floor. She scooped out the seaweed, which appeared to have been cooking for quite a while, leaving a near-colourless broth that congealed quickly as it cooled. “What are you going to do with that?” Soma inquired. She noted the interesting texture the water had taken on; like a sort of glue, only slick instead of tacky. “I will tell you a secret,” Matsuko began, reaching into the pot. She stuck two fingers into the water and when she pulled them out again they were shiny and covered in a thick layer of it. “It is sometimes difficult to… Accommodate a lover. Do you know what I’m talking about?” “I… Think so,” Soma replied, gawking at the woman’s slippery fingers. Matsuko even went so far as to open and close them, showing a web of silvery trails between them. “My husband is a large man, you see,” she revealed with a wink. Soma blushed. “I use this from time to time. My own mother taught me, if you can believe it. Ha! Some of the best lessons are the unexpected ones, no?” Soma giggled and nodded. Matsuko wiped her fingers off on her apron and reached for a small bowl. She doled out an amount of the ointment into the vessel and handed it to the younger woman. She explained that it had many cosmetic benefits, but if she decided to use it for sexual gratification, that was its intended use. She revealed also that several male retainers had commissioned her to make the ointment before- including Lord Shingen, himself- and Soma’s mind began to race with the possibilities of what they did with it. When she finally decided to retire, she still felt flustered. Her mind drifted continuously to the daimyo’s muscular form, slick with oil. Before she knew it, she was making a detour to Yukimura’s quarters. As she tiptoed along the patio, the wistful lilt of a shinobue could be heard softly calling to her from down below in the garden. She wasn’t aware of anyone in the castle who played a musical instrument, but could not be bothered with that now.As she neared his room, she could hear heavy breathing coming from therein. Soft moans and excited grunts played alongside the mysterious song. Her heart fluttered nervously in her chest, anticipating that she would be seen by whomever was below in the garden if she dawdled. Without any warning or care for Yukimura’s privacy, she quickly slid open the door and shut herself inside. “Soma…!” He gasped as he sat up on his futon. He was completely naked, his athletic body posed erotically against the light of a small lantern. He was holding his prick in his hands, and she smiled when she realized what he had been doing. She put a finger up to her lips to remind him to stay quiet, and loosened her obi. “Lay back down, Yukkin,” she said. Yukimura liked it when she spoke to him like that. He was hoping she would visit him tonight, and waited patiently for her to be finished her dinner service. Well, perhaps not as patiently as he could have done.He did as she asked, and stretched out on his back. He felt a bit bashful at first, but when she knelt down and proceeded to straddle his face he instantly began to salivate. He felt her breasts slide down his torso as she lowered her mouth to his prick. He swept his tongue along her pleasure spot, just as Saizo had told him to do. Realizing that she was already aroused, he let out a satisfied chuckle.He felt her grasp and kiss the swollen pinnacle of his length. His hips jutted upwards impulsively and her mouth opened around him, soft and wet. She took him deep towards the back of her throat all at once, her tongue lashing around the shaft, while her little hands wrapped firmly around the base. She was obviously not kidding around. “Oh, fuck!” He growled, his entire body convulsing from the sensation. He couldn’t help his vulgarity, but it seemed to only excite her all the more. Holding onto her hips, he sightlessly guided one hand to where her buttocks parted, and proceeded to stick his thumb inside her, straight to the joint. She moaned on his prick, sending vibrations through it that echoed into his testes. He shivered beneath her. I want to take you, he thought. I want to make you mine… Wasn't she aware that she was desired by an entire castle full of curious men? As much as he wanted her near him always, it was not safe for her in Kai. He didn’t care what his friend said; she belonged to them alone. Never in his life did he think he would be competing with Shingen, especially, whom he looked up to like a father. His body begged his mind not to dwell on these thoughts any further as Soma’s hips began to rock back and forth over his hand, making love to his thumb in rhythm with her fellatio. He could feel every ripple and fold of her insides as they opened and closed around him. He imagined what his member might feel like in there and nearly lost control. He calmed himself down by trying to concentrate exclusively on making her body feel good, just as Saizo had instructed. He pushed his digit in and out of her using her own movements as a guide while licking and sucking on the little pheasant in the bush he’d made friends with the other night. Occasionally, to catch his breath, he let his mouth stray from its post to kiss and nibble at the flesh of her thighs. It wasn’t long before he couldn’t concentrate anymore. “Soma…” He grunted as she took the entirety of his shaft down her throat. She released it slowly, and looked back at him. She shot him a coy smile and rolled off his body so that she could lounge beside him. Though he was sad to no longer have her ass in his face, at least this way he could see her. Her lips were plump and red from their exertion and it was indecent and erotic, something that would have made him turn tail and run only weeks ago. He leaned closer to kiss them, and they succumbed like soft mochi against his. He parted them with his tongue and probed inside. She allowed him, and they hungrily shared the flavour of her arousal.He moved her legs apart and lowered himself between them. Before he could try anything, she stopped him with an upraised finger. His look prompted her for an explanation, but instead she produced a bowl full of a strange liquid. Without a word, she took some in her hand and began to rub it along his shaft. His breath hitched in his throat. The sensation was cold at first, but the motion warmed it as she spread it over his length in a way that felt deliciously naughty. It made it more sensitive to the air, and allowed for smoother movement along it when being milked. He couldn’t hold back a disappointed noise when she suddenly stopped. He looked down, however, and saw that she was doing the same to herself in preparation to receive him. He brought himself closer to her. As he gazed upon her pretty face he felt her hand return to his prick and guide it towards her. The head of it entered something warm, and then amazingly more of it still. She did not appear to be in pain, only concentrating hard on relaxing her body.The feeling of her was incredible. Being connected this way felt so natural, like he truly belonged there. He wondered how he had managed to stay true to his vow for so long. “You can move if you like, milord…” He gulped audibly. Something snapped inside of him, but not before he begged the gods for forgiveness. He felt certain that they would do the same in his place. “Call me Yukimura!” He scolded, and she appeared surprised by his assertion. He surprised himself. He pushed further into her, testing her depths, his body somehow instinctively knowing what to do. Their tandem moans were muffled by kisses while he consumed her, body and soul. At that moment she was truly, unequivocally his. It excited him beyond measure.His hips rocked at her voraciously. It felt as though he hit her organs inside, and he feared he might eviscerate her if he pushed any harder. Despite this, she rose her hips to meet his with each ensuing thrust, coaxing him ever deeper. She wrapped her legs around him. He could not be sure where she ended and he began. Their flesh was as one, their sweat and heat permeating the night air while their shadows did battle on the wall from the lantern light. It did hurt at first. It was almost inconceivable how he managed to fit inside her at all, he was so large. Once her body relaxed to him, however, he hit her in places Saizo did not when they played. Learning that all men would feel different in this way, she desired in her illusory state of lust to sample each one of them in turn, and even at once.In an ecstatic flight of fantasy, she imagined Lord Shingen forcing himself on her, his ocean of hair falling about like perfumed feathers. She felt the sweet Lord Kojuro’s tender kiss on her mouth, tasting of tobacco leaf. Inuchiyo was there, as well, drunk and wild with desire as Saizo watched silently from the shadows. She understood that Saizo’s lessons had made her body greedy, awakening her to an endless pursuit of carnal pleasure, her innocence lost forever. The thought caused a single tear to roll down the side of her face. Yukimura caught it in a kiss. “I love you,” he whispered near her ear, as though he knew she needed to hear it. “By the gods… I love you, Soma!” He growled a curse before wrapping his arms around her to bury his face in the crook of her neck. He quickened before shouting an indiscernible string of vulgarities into the bedding by her head while he filled her to the brim. He vibrated in her arms like a man possessed, rendered helpless to the throws of his climax. His body was heavy and inelegant, and Soma’s pelvis felt out of place by the time he was finished. All that she could think about was that, sometime during their tryst, the shinobue in the garden had ceased its sad song. Hattori Hanzo, grasping Sasuke’s earlobe scoldingly between two fingers, held the child’s face against the crack in the door through which he was caught observing the lovers. Once he was satisfied that the shinobi’s apprentice had seen enough, he yanked him away and around a dark corner.Kansuke watched from his hiding place as Hanzo proceeded to reprimand the curious boy, who glared up at him defiantly. “What was he doing to my Soma?” He hissed, his small fists clenched at his sides like he was considering using them on someone. Kansuke could not help but to smile at this. “What do you think?” Hanzo whispered, his typically static features warped with a suspicious look of contempt. He was clearly just as affected by whatever was taking place in Lord Yukimura’s chambers. “Why are you here?” Sasuke whispered back, tears streaming down his face. “It always means something bad when you’re here!” Hanzo blinked, taken aback by his words. He released the boy and collected himself. “That is none of your concern,” he stated, and turned to leave. “No, but it is mine,” Kansuke said as he emerged from the shadows. A brief look of panic flashed across Hanzo’s face, but he stood his ground. “Go to bed,” both men said in near unison. Reluctantly, Sasuke did as he was told and disappeared in the direction of the servants quarters. Kansuke engaged Hanzo in a competitive stare-off that the latter quickly lost. “I was asked to keep an eye on the woman,” he half-heartedly explained. “Not by Kirigakure Saizo, though,” Kansuke guessed. Sasuke was right; Hanzo’s appearance was typically a bad omen for Saizo, who barely tolerated him and often referred to him as Lord Babysitter of Iga. Hanzo grit his teeth, reluctant for some reason to reveal any more information. He seemed uncharacteristically agitated, even annoyed, as brief flashes of guilt interrupted his typically cool facade. He finally thought to take his hand off his sword, and Kansuke exhaled. He did not want to have to hurt the man, respecting his reputation just enough to want to save him the embarrassment. “No,” he admitted, finally. “Another young lord is worried that she might be in danger.” “Inuchiyo…” Kansuke muttered. Hanzo raised an eyebrow. “Have you not heard her say this name in her sleep?” “I have…” “He will come here for her,” Kansuke predicted with a curt smile. “He seems to think that she will eventually leave of her own accord,” Hanzo said confidently, deciding not to confirm or deny Maeda Toshiie’s identity. Kansuke likely already knew all about him- and about their deal, which was the only reason for his being there while Saizo was not. “What do you think she will do?” Hanzo didn’t have a clue. Dissecting the mind of a woman was not within his scope of ability. Both of them wished that she could simply return to her home in Kyoto. That was all Maeda Toshiie wanted, as well. The only thing standing in the way of this, however, was the vengeful magistrate intent on her misery. Kansuke was likely also aware of this problem. “I can’t say,” Hanzo admitted. “She is a strange sort of woman…” To his surprise, Kansuke broke his emotionless protocol and heaved an exasperated sigh. “She is a distraction,” he grumbled. “That is all that she is, Iga-born.” Hanzo understood his rival’s sentiment, though he did not agree that any of this was Soma’s fault. He listened as Kansuke explained his elaborate plan to urge her to follow Katakura Kojuro to his estate in Oshu Province. Shingen’s woman habit was no secret, and it was no surprise to him that things at Tsutsujigasaki castle had become more interesting with her around. A part of him wondered if Kansuke himself also found her distracting. It would certainly explain his apparent desperation to be rid of her. The thought made him unwittingly grin, and the other man narrowed his eyes at him.That girl could wrap any man around her little finger if she wanted, he thought. He felt thankful that she had such a kind and altruistic nature in spite of this skill, unlike some female shinobi he knew. “Tell me…” Kansuke said. “Where is that petulant Saizo, anyway?” Saizo narrowly avoided running into his rivals on his way to Soma’s room as they gossiped on the stairs above him like a couple of old maids. He stopped dead when he reached the door, somehow knowing that she wouldn’t be inside when he opened it.When the other men had finally gone, he climbed up the railing and across the balcony to his master’s quarters where he suspected his companions were. He snuck into the room where the two lovers slept soundly in each other’s arms. They were naked, covered only haphazardly with Yukimura’s sleeping robe. He licked his fingers and snuffed out the flame in the lantern. He stared at their peaceful forms for a moment as they lay twisted together in the darkness, not knowing what to do. He settled on heading to his shack for some much-needed rest. “Would you ever consider running away?” His target had asked him on this last mission. A look of desperation clung to the front of his kimono and he peered down at it with deceitful sympathy. Ranmaru was page boy to Oda Nobunaga, and one of the very few people ever allowed to get close to him. A rumour had spread that the lord was looking to steal a secret remedy from a neighbouring clan, and Saizo was tasked with obtaining information about it. He felt silly for wasting so much time choosing the right target when the boy’s formula was so obvious; give him a bowl of sake and a listening ear and he will eagerly empty one and fill the other. “Running away from what?” He asked. “Everything!” Ranmaru exclaimed, as though it was obvious. “Start a new life in a new place, far away…” “I can’t say that I’ve ever thought about it,” he lied. He felt a strange sensation in his gut suddenly weigh on him. He thought he recognized it as guilt. He continued to ponder the question as the boy prattled on. He half-listened, skimming his noise for the information he desired, thankful that he wouldn’t have to seduce anyone this time around. Ranmaru was so thin that it looked as though he was living on nothing but Nobunaga’s konpeito, and Saizo felt a bad for him, reminded of his apprentice.His mind drifted to Soma, also, as it did again in the comfort of his humble shack where he still brooded over the young Ranmaru’s words. Would Soma ask to run away with him someday? Smiling at the thought, he finally closed his eyes for a long nap. Yukimura paced restlessly in front of Saizo’s hideout. He knew each time they said goodbye might be the very last time, and he wondered why it always had to be this way. He wondered why Saizo chose to live so far away from the rest of them whenever they were in Kai, in some lonely old shack in the woods. Even if he should be used to it by now, it still bothered Yukimura that his friend always wanted to distance himself. Thinking about it, he never felt closer to Saizo as when they were together with Soma. He wanted so badly to talk to him about what had happened. He certainly couldn’t talk to anyone else about it.Against his better judgement, he finally tried the door, and it opened for him easily. The moment he set foot inside, however, someone jumped on his back and brought him down to the ground. He wrestled in a familiar way with the figure before realizing who it was.Saizo’s red eyes blinked in recognition, peering down at him from where he sat on his belly. He had his arms pinned to the floor above his head, but quickly relaxed his grip. Without a word, he slid his hands upward to entwine their fingers together and brought his mouth down to meet his. Yukimura, surprised, struggled briefly before finally relenting to the man’s kiss. Is this is revenge for what happened in Nagoya? He wondered. He felt one of Saizo’s hands slide down the front of his body while they kissed, reaching behind where he sat to sightlessly grope the bulge developing between his legs. He moaned into the shinobi’s mouth and his hips jutted forward to meet his touch. The latter gave a pleasant hum before selfishly pulling away. “I am not putting that huge thing in my ass,” he announced with a smirk that made Yukimura blush a new shade of red. “So don’t ask me.” “I-I-I didn’t…!” “I take it you spoiled the little lady rotten for me?” Saizo redirected their conversation as he proceeded to lick and nibble at Yukimura’s sensitive throat. The young lord shrugged, not wanting to lie, but not knowing how much information was appropriate for him to divulge. Saizo’s mouth felt so good on his skin that it made it very difficult to concentrate on anything else. Saizo knew exactly where to touch him and when, as though they shared some kind of mental link. He felt the man’s tongue slide down his jugular vein, leaving a damp trail that tingled when the air hit it. He then kissed along the line of his collar while he continued to stroke his erection through his clothes. Yukimura felt something hard press against his belly, and brought his hands down to Saizo’s belt to free his friend of his garments. Soon he was sitting atop him in nothing but his naked, white skin. He was so exotic-looking and feminine that the young lord almost forgot that he was becoming excited over another man.He sat up, and Saizo pulled the opening of his yukata over his shoulders to expose his chest and arms, kissing along his bare skin. Yukimura impulsively grasped Saizo’s hard prick in his hand, and he shuddered with an intense breath. He was clearly very sensitive down there. “Does that feel good, Sai?” The young lord whispered, feeling daring. Has it really been that long for him? “Gengirou…!” He hissed, his knees shaking under him. Yukimura’s own length bobbed in reaction to hearing his childhood name expressed as a moan. He grabbed his friend’s wrists and pinned them behind his back, forcing him to arch away slightly. Saizo looked down at him with an immodest expression while his exposed prick bounced in front of his face, the tip glistening wet. Cautiously, Yukimura lowered his head and sucked it into his mouth. He heard him gasp, and he decided to let the whole thing slip past his lips. He hovered near the base, admiring the tenacity of his own gag reflex while his partner moaned and shook. He tasted salty and sweet. He had washed himself earlier in a spring, and smelled of the forest, as well. Yukimura knew it felt good to be taken into Soma’s mouth this way, and he hoped that Saizo was enjoying his own amateur efforts. He always wanted so badly to impress him, please him, that he was only too happy to go to these lengths in order to do so. “What are you doing…?” Saizo gasped while his body twitched excitedly. Yukimura slid his prick out of his mouth and looked up at him. Saizo’s eyes burned with lust as he stared him down. He watched his shinobi’s mind race behind these intense eyes, ever appreciative of the man’s strange allure, even before their impulsive kiss at the inn near Nagoya. “I’m sucking your cock, dear…” He playfully replied. Saizo whimpered. It was obvious that what was happening had been a kind of fantasy of his. He gave an embarrassed chuckle before Yukimura went back to work on him, releasing his hands only to feel them settle confidently on either side of his head. While he continued, he felt his long fingers tangle in his hair. “Mm… Just like that…” Saizo moaned, his raspy voice breaking from the tension building within him. “Oh fuck, you’re going to make me…!” “You came all over me!” Yukimura griped while Saizo caught his breath. He still cradled the young lord’s head in his hands like he was petting a big puppy. “Yeah, I suppose I did…” He offered, refusing to apologize for something clearly enjoyed by everyone involved. “That’s- Ew! The last time I come poking around here, that’s for sure…” Saizo stopped what he was doing and looked at him with the same expression he used whenever the lord was being too sweet for his own good. “There, there…” He said before going to retrieve something for them to use to clean up. He found a cloth in a basket of laundry and knelt down beside Yukimura to wipe the cum off his burly chest. The young lord folded his arms behind his head and let him do all the work; a scathing look from him indicated that this was all his fault, anyway. Saizo couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. He was just horny as hell and got a little carried away, that’s all. Yukimura was the one who decided to start sucking him off. “You don’t have to act so proud,” Yukimura pouted, looking away. Saizo started to become annoyed by his spoiled behaviour. “Was she worth your prized virginity, Genjirou?” He asked him, outright. Yukimura’s eyes went wide as he quickly looked back at him. If the young lord wanted to fight, Saizo had plenty for them to fight about. He wasn’t gone a few weeks before Soma was taken right from under him. It was part of their agreement, he supposed, but when he saw them in bed together everything in him knew that he should have been in Yukimura’s place. “Soma was everything you said she would be,” his voice wobbled, which made Saizo grimace. “Even more than that. She said that she loved me, you know… But she was thinking about you, Saizo. It’s always been you on her mind, you bastard. You can’t get jealous now. I only did what you asked me to. I bet she doesn’t even know you’re back yet…” Saizo blinked, not knowing at all what to say, and slumped into a seated position at the young lord’s side. He wasn’t sure if Yukimura was trying to make him feel bad, or was simply feeling sorry for himself. He reasoned that it was probably a bit of both. What Yukimura didn’t know was that he had sought her out. He neglected his stomach, his sleep, just to get to her as soon as he could; but instead he found them together like that. It made him feel strange, like he wasn’t needed by either of them anymore. If Soma was really thinking about him while she lay with Yukimura, however, he wondered who it was she was really confessing her love for. He wondered now, too, whether she only lay with the young lord to satisfy the arrangement between the two men. The guilty pang in his guts began to churn with a renewed fervour as his mind raced, a barrage of repressed emotions hitting him all at once. He impulsively bolted outside to vomit. “Hey, are you okay?” His ever-loyal friend called after him as he rushed to the door, holding only his fundoshi over his privates. It was quite something to see the young man’s naked form in broad daylight, but Saizo wasn’t in the mood anymore. “If you care about me at all, you’ll go get me something to eat,” he said after he wretched fruitlessly a few times into a shrub. As agreed, Soma and Sasuke finished their chores and went to seek Lord Kojuro in his chambers for their lesson. The man met them at the door, and welcomed them inside with a warm smile. Sasuke caught one look of Bontenmaru and darted past the grownups into the sitting room to greet him. The tortoise looked up at the child briefly before retreating into its shell. “Sasuke!” Soma scolded, embarrassed by his raucous behaviour around their esteemed guest. “Remember your manners!” “As you can tell,” Kojuro padded her displeasure with a chuckle, clearly a patient man with children. “Bontenmaru doesn’t much care for rudeness.” “Is that so?” Sasuke said, trying to peek into the hole where the animal’s head had disappeared. “I’m sorry, Bontenmaru. I just want to be your friend…” The Lord of Oshu looked back at Soma and smiled, tilting his head as if to beckon her to share in his good mood. Entranced by his gentle features, she nearly catapulted into him when she tripped over the threshold on her way inside. He caught her in his arms and held her there, his face only inches away from hers until she regained her footing. She felt herself flush, but he was unbelievably calm compared to his reaction to seeing her in her robe the day before.Though he appeared somewhat thin, Soma felt right away that his body was in fact solid and well-stocked with muscle. She had forgotten that, on top of his many intellectual pursuits, he was a warrior of the samurai class. She found herself unable to place him as such, however. His sweet and obliging, while still completely confident demeanour in her presence was very contrary to that of the other lords she had met. She supposed that someone as intellectual as he had no reason to be boastful. “Are you alright, precious girl?” He asked her in a low voice meant only for her ears. Soma giggled, unable to escape the draw of his impossibly green eyes. “Yes, thank you, milord…” She continued to blush as his name for her repeated in her head. Precious girl…! To her further astonishment, he prompted her to take his arm so that he could escort her into the sitting room. “Is Soma being clumsy again?” Sasuke teased. Kojuro chuckled once more at the boy’s attitude. “Soma is like a falling star,” he thoughtfully mused. “She’s clumsy but nice to look at?” “Sasuke!” Soma exclaimed impulsively, her flush worsening. “What a keen young man,” the lord muttered with a surprised laugh. “Now tell me, Soma, which book was it that you wanted to read today? I seem to have misplaced it…” You are such a fibber! She thought. Without a word, she marched to his bookcase and located the book of his poetry she had chosen when she was helping him unpack. She returned to his side and presented it to him with a knowing grin. He took it, reluctantly, embarrassed that she was so insistent on reading something he’d written himself. It was a nice day out, so they sat by the open shoji overlooking Shingen’s magnificent gardens. Kojuro seemed at peace here, and took a moment to close his eyes, breathing in the fragrant air before thoughtfully flipping through his manuscript like he was ready to perform a ritual. He explained to his students that this was some of his Tanka, or long-form poetry. It was old-fashioned, but it could be sung lyrically to music, which was something he particularly enjoyed about writing in this style. He started with a piece that focused on an eager wisteria, much like the one he admired in the garden, that outgrew its roots. As he recited the poem, his voice raised and lowered theatrically, almost rehearsed like he’d been secretly waiting ages to perform it. Sasuke didn’t seem very interested in poetry at first, but listened in silence while off in his own world, drawing into a patch of dirt with a stick. Kojuro pronounced each word delicately and effortlessly, though Soma had never before encountered much of the kanji she saw on the page. His vocabulary was astounding, and the seemingly benign tree slowly became an enchanting protagonist as the story unfolded. Lord Kojuro was clearly very talented, and insightful. At the end of the poem, he exhaled in catharsis as if he had just confessed some terrible thing, and looked immediately to her for validation. “Beautiful…” She offered. She didn’t know what else to say. She feared anything she attempted would sound contrived. He didn’t anticipate her compliment, and a kind of guilty smile etched across his lips. He doubted that she was very familiar with poetry, but even he didn’t think his was very good. He was, however, happy that it pleased her. After seeing the way Shingen threw himself at her, he desired to see her treated with a bit of gentility. He nodded to her in thanks, and allowed himself a moment to enjoy her face before she blushed and looked away. You are beautiful, Soma, he decided to keep to himself. Having not made a woman blush in his company in literal years, he didn’t want to push his luck. He cleared his throat and redirected his attention to the task at hand. “What was the lesson of the story, Sasuke?” he prompted the quiet boy, who had been drawing absently on the ground up to that point. “To never forget where you come from,” he said confidently without looking up. He appeared to be lost in thought. “That’s an interesting answer,” Kojuro confirmed, impressed. “Why do you think that’s important?” “It’s so that…” The boy hesitated. He suddenly tossed his drawing tool away and smeared his foot across the images he’d made in the dirt. “So that you can always have a place to go back to.” “Excellent point,” Kojuro confirmed once again, though he quickly realized that his silly poem had somehow struck a nerve. “Very good, Sasuke…” “Thank you for the story, Lord Kojuro,” the boy said suddenly, with a bow. “I’m going to go train now.” He watched Sasuke run away to join the other retainers. He didn’t know what he was going to say to the boy, but he still made a move to follow him. He felt something prevent him, and looked to his side to see Soma there, gently holding his arm. She solemnly shook her head. “He’s been odd lately,” she explained. “I’ll have a talk with him later. Please forgive him, milord.” “No, no, of course…” Kojuro attempted to dismiss her concern. “It is a troublesome thing to be young, isn’t it? Knowing everything and nothing, all at the same time. What was he making there?” They walked to where Sasuke had scraped three meagre characters in the dirt. It was what appeared to be a mother and father with a small child standing between them. They were holding hands. The boy’s foot had made a definitive line through them all, as if to cancel them out of existence instead of just erase them. “Oh, Sasuke…” Soma sighed. “Where are his parents?” Kojuro asked her in a hushed voice in case the boy was still within earshot. “They died when he was just small,” she replied, her dark eyes lingering thoughtfully over the sad drawing on the ground. “A priest brought him to the Sanada and he was given to Saizo as an apprentice.” “Saizo…?” Lord Sanada Yukimura boasted a generous nature; preferring to employ mercenaries, he managed to forge great bonds with these men in spite of their treacherous reputation. His number one man was the famous Kirigakure Saizo, called the Lord Assassin in homage to his elevated status among his peers.A mysterious warrior from Iga of indecipherable age, his skill was known widely to have no rival, in a multitude of disciplines. Despite this, no one seemed to actually know much about him. So few had encountered him personally that they were aware of, that it was often debated whether he was simply a work of fiction. To learn that the mouthy youth shadowing his precious girl was the Lord Assassin’s charge intrigued Kojuro to no end, and he felt his curiosity grow ever deeper. “Oh no…” She whimpered suddenly, and clutched at her abdomen. “What’s wrong?” He asked, wanting to comfort her but not knowing where to touch her that wouldn’t cause her further discomfort. “Your apothecary…” She hesitated, a slightly embarrassed look on her face. “Do you have anything for pain, milord?” “Oh,” Kojuro said with a blink as he suddenly clued in to what the poor girl was suffering from. “Yes, of course.” He beckoned her to follow him back inside, and immediately began to rifle through his apothecary. He pulled out containers of this and that and set them out on the tatami, until he sat surrounded by vials and jars. It was becoming clear as to why he was so messy.He has so much stuff! She thought to herself. She supposed that Lord Kojuro had many interests and simply had the means to indulge them.She watched him collect an assortment of herbs and grind them with a mortar and pestle, then scoop the mixture into an envelope. He handed it to her with a sort of apologetic look. “Thank you, milord,” she said, relieved that he was mature enough to treat her ailment with dignity. “How should I…?” “Well, you can make it into a tea if you’d like,” he replied, then stroked his chin in a thoughtful way before nodding in confirmation. “Yes, that would probably be best.” He proceeded to tidy up after himself, unprompted. She could tell that he wasn’t incapable of being organized; he was just easily distracted, constantly lured by one pursuit or errand after another. It was shocking that he apparently had no one employed at his home for this purpose, considering what a busy man he was. She conceded that it might be more difficult for a man of his status to find a housekeeper trustworthy enough not to be tempted to rifle through his important papers.A loud birdcall resounded in the garden outside, causing them both enough alarm to stand up at the same time and clumsily knock their heads together. Soma faltered from the shock of it, and teetered backwards, but Kojuro grabbed her before she could hit the ground. In doing so, however, he lost a long object that was tucked away in his sleeve. It dropped to the floor with a definitive thwack and rolled a bit a ways. It was a shinobue, like the one she heard the night before. He set her on her feet and quickly recovered his flute, apparently embarrassed that she saw it. “I’m sorry, milord,” she said. I should have known it was him down in the garden… A man of many talents, it was no surprise. “I’m not usually so clumsy…” “Neither am I…” He muttered. When she looked up at his face, he had a look like the bashful, young lord Yukimura would make. Kansuke was proud of what he’d managed to do to the bottom door frame while the Lord of Oshu was outside with his pipe the night before. He only raised it perhaps a pinky’s-width, but it was just enough of a change that Soma’s would-be routine navigation of her surroundings betrayed her right into the man’s arms. He was equally proud of the birdcall he’d imitated as a distraction. Both she and Kojuro were so dopey in each other’s company that getting them tangled up together again was as easy as looking crosswise.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
As she prepared the tonic Kojuro gave her, Soma wondered how she had ever managed without him before. Just as Kansuke prescribed, the lord’s company turned out to be exactly what she needed, though her sentimental heart persistently ached for Saizo. It took some agonizing poses of pain, and sweet words, but Soma managed to convince Kojuro to play his shinobue for her that evening. They met at dusk by the wisteria he was so fond of, and she brought them some sake to share. She told herself it was more for her cramps than much else, but she did anticipate that the alcohol might relax him. “Are you feeling better?” He asked her. He appeared concerned, but she suspected that he was really just attempting to prolong the inevitable. She would hear him play again, whether he wanted it or not. “Yes, thank you, milord,” she lied. She offered him a drink, which he promptly accepted. He chuckled when she added, “Though, I would not miss this for anything.” Her flow was more intense than she was willing to admit, but it meant she could not be pregnant. She could not imagine how her strange threesome would manage with an illegitimate child between them. She forced her thoughts to silence as Kojuro looked towards the horizon at the last glimmer of sunlight that sank gracefully beneath it.He was always thinking, like some constant battle raged on in his mind between two masked factions. She wondered if perhaps part of his habit of isolation was to prevent others from peeking in on this conflict. She imagined that it must be an intense thing to be loved by such an intellectual man, who was unbelievably unattached at his age. Though preoccupied with his lord’s wishes for the most part, like in any man there was very likely a silent yearning in him for a family of his own.He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, levelling the mouthpiece of the instrument against his lips. His stance was a swordsman’s, his feet apart to stabilize his weight between them as he wielded his weapon into a haunting melody that split the night air. He played so dynamically that Soma became mesmerized by his performance. She had heard that these kinds of instruments were taken up by warriors forlorn with the memory of their kills, as a form of meditation and repentance. She did not take Kojuro for a spiritual person, but this discipline led her to consider the contrary. Regardless, there was no denying the therapeutic quality of music, and his playing was sublime, as expected. She imagined that his skill as a warrior was equally impressive.When he was finished, he slid the instrument back up his sleeve and opened his eyes again. Without a word, he joined her on the grass and poured himself another cup of sake. She could only stare at him, overwhelmed by the talent that he exuded, so naturally yet so humbly as to force her to wonder why he wasn’t the talk of every table. “Kampai!” He said cheerfully to break the silence, and he clinked his cup against hers. He quickly downed it and poured another. “I tend to do this in private, usually, so forgive my nerves…” “You tend to drink alone, milord?” Soma asked, her barmaid’s wit taking over once again in an attempt to make him feel more at ease. She immediately apologized, but he’d caught onto her joke and laughed, the corners of his eyes crinkling like fine paper. “I can see why Shingen is so fond of you,” he admitted; then he was the one apologizing for being so abrupt. “Milord has noticed…” She said, embarrassed. The daimyo’s gentleness towards her was apparently not his usual way. He was sweet with her, and so passive; it was like he was afraid he might break her accidentally. His hair, his massage; she was the one doing all the touching, and she was doing so willingly. Kojuro shrugged, reluctant for some reason to confirm or deny, and reached into his other sleeve to retrieve his kiseru. He produced a reed, which he stuck into their lantern to catch a flame to light his pipe with. He drew a few puffs of smoke to get it going, then relaxed in his seat with a thoughtful sigh. Fireflies danced around them beneath the bright purple wisteria, the branches of which skirted over them like a canopy. No one would think to look for them there, and nothing would give them away except for the scent of expensive foreign tobacco. Soma breathed in the smell, and exhaled with a satisfied hum that made the man’s ears perk up. “You seem to enjoy this,” he observed, and nodded towards his pipe. “Does it hold a nice memory for you?” “Oh, yes, milord,” she confirmed as she watched the trail of smoke rise gracefully from the bowl piece. “We received many foreign merchants back home who smoked… It makes me a bit homesick, I suppose- But I do not wish to bore you with these sorts of stories, Lord Kojuro.” “No need to hold back for my sake, Soma,” he replied, earnestly. He gestured toward his cup. “My tongue has been loosened just enough to admit that my stay has only been made more exceptional by your conversation.” “When I caught you smoking out here that night…” She sighed. “It calmed me instantly.” “And then I went and pulled a knife on you,” he recalled with a wince. She laughed. “Lucky for you, I wasn’t really Lady Kiku, milord,” she replied. “I am but a kitchen maid, after all… As though you could not tell by my figure!” “May I say something?” Kojuro suggested suddenly, as he leaned back in his seat to get a better look at her. “When you approached me in that kimono with that dewey look in your eye, you were as regal as any lady… It is a terrible habit for a woman to get into, to weigh herself against another- Pardon the turn of phrase, of course…” He was a little excited, and was putting words in her mouth as he often did. He noticed things, and was eager to give his opinions, though it wasn’t something that most people appreciated, other than Lord Masamune. He used his duties as an excuse for being so unobtainable, but his reluctance to be around people was due to the fact that he found it so difficult to keep his mouth shut if he thought he had some good advice to offer. Soma struck him as someone who needed some reassurance, however. As strongly as she asserted herself, he quickly deduced that it was nothing but a brilliant coping mechanism. That being said, her quick wit made her unique, and her full figure was a symptom of good taste, only accentuating her unintentional sensuality. He distracted himself from his devious thoughts by preparing his kiseru for another smoke, and felt her curious eyes on him. “Milord…” She began, and hesitated. He hummed in ascent as he drew a puff from his pipe, prompting her to continue. “What is it like?” He looked at her sideways as he exhaled. “It’s not very ladylike to smoke,” he teased. Though he’d met many women who enjoyed a pipe, he didn’t want to be responsible for catching her onto a habit, unless it was him. Moreover, most who tried it coughed ruthlessly at first, and he wanted to spare her the embarrassment. “I didn’t know you were so cruel, Lord Kojuro…” “Everyone has their secrets,” he said with a grin. He laughed at the cute pout she feigned. She sighed into the air, tossing her head back annoyedly at his games, though she was smiling. He wondered how old she was. Nineteen? Twenty? “Bitter at first,” he finally entertained her interest. “With a slight numbing of the tongue.” “Oh… May I try it?” Kojuro leaned closer to her, and her lips parted slightly at his advance. He parted them further with his tongue, sweeping it delicately inside. She whimpered, relenting to his kiss as he hoped she would. He did not linger there, though he wanted to. He was a bit drunk and feeling impetuous, having already helped himself to sake before their meeting to still his poor nerves. “Satisfied, my precious girl?” He whispered as he pulled away. She looked up at him through her long eyelashes with an innocence that was almost underhanded. Her soft lips were not foreign to this type of exchange, however, and he imagined a likely affair between herself and Sasuke’s sensei. “Lord Kojuro…” She sighed, searching his face for his motives. “Me neither,” he said, and tucked a bit of her hair behind her ear. For once, she had no ready comeback; she could only blush and try to hold back her pretty smile.Keep it together, old man, he scolded himself once again. Well, that was interesting, she thought, still giggling to herself after she and the Oshu lord parted ways for the evening. Just as promised, however, the taste of his tobacco lingered on her palate from his kiss. She wondered how many other women he’d used that move on. Kojuro was a very charming man. Bold yet gentle, he was what her friend Keiji might describe as someone with nothing to prove. She found it very attractive. “Miss…” A man’s voice whispered from close by. She looked around and met Hattori Hanzo’s shining dark eyes as they peered at her from behind some tall grass. He reached out and gestured for her to come closer. She approached where he was hiding and he grabbed her arm to usher her inside. “What is all the fuss about?” She demanded, attempting to resist his grasp. “I don’t want to be seen while the Dragon’s Claws are lurking about,” he explained. He looked around suspiciously. “He was still wandering around here not a moment ago, whistling to himself like some foolish sparrow…” Soma snorted a muffled laugh and Hanzo shushed her. Lord Kojuro was so strange that he had one of Iga’s top shinobi baffled. “What do you mean, sneaking around decent people, anyway?” She dared. She was in too good a mood to let Saizo’s babysitter ruin it with his petty tortures. He gaped at her, clearly confused. “You understand that is literally my job, miss…” “What do you want with me, then?” She asked him, drawing him closer to her so that their noses touched. “You’d like a kiss, as well, I take it?” “What?” He asked, stunned. She supposed he hadn’t been privy to Kojuro’s little game earlier. “I’m looking for Saizo…” “Me, too,” she said. She pulled away and his body came with her slightly before he regained his footing. “I’m sorry, Kiyo-kun,” she said with a yawn, and noticed him blush at her informality. “You’re drunk,” he said assertively, as though he had just figured it out. She laughed and patted him on the head. His feminine features were accentuated by the soft light of her lantern, his long hair gathered into a ponytail that hung stylishly over one shoulder. A little mole by his mouth was an unintentionally seductive feature on someone so reserved. His mauve eyes hung curiously on her every move, lacking in the coldness she remembered when they were in Echigo. In her state of inebriation she actually thought that he was kind of cute; and it must have shown on her face because his silly look only worsened. “I’m going to bed now,” she conceded, and left the perplexed shinobi in the bushes. She waved behind her, and saw his elegant features retract into their hiding place. One curious eye still watched her intently as she walked off towards her room. Her indulgence in alcohol dulled her emotions, but she had to admit that she was relying on it a bit too heavily of late. She wondered if news of her misbehaviour would make it back to Saizo. She entered her room and remembered that she had the night to herself. Yukimura was in the village playing dice with some of his retainers, and would likely not be back until morning. She didn’t want him to see her like this, anyway. Saizo’s rain ghosts danced as shadows through the shoji and watching them started to make her feel dizzy. She changed into her sleeping robe, nearly tripping over herself to get it closed before she collapsed onto the futon. Her head was spinning. She felt someone lay down beside her and graze her cheek gently with the stroke of a finger. “Mm… I love you, Saizo…” She mumbled, lolling about with her eyes closed. She was already half-asleep. Saizo was probably on his way to Iga to report to the village elders himself, too proud to let Hanzo do it. The man had little patience for him after their altercation at Uesugi Kenshin’s estate, and Hanzo couldn’t blame him. “I know,” he whispered, assuming Saizo would say something that obtuse. To his astonishment, Soma smiled. Observing her more closely, he could tell that she was in menses. Her flush and the slight distension of her breasts and belly gave it away. It explained her erratic behaviour of late. She smelled differently, too, and like smoke from that Oshu lord’s obnoxious pipe.So she is not with child… He thought to himself, having witnessed Yukimura’s carelessness with her. That is probably for the best…Hanzo had managed to remain so diligently uninvolved until now, but he found himself strangely fascinated by Soma. As he lay next to her, he felt inclined to brush her hair behind her ear as he had watched the lord Kojuro do. He thought it a pity that Saizo should now have to be jealous of him, as well.While he was busy thinking, she slinked her arms around his neck. Before he knew it, he was being drawn to her lips. He impulsively froze, already forgetting who he was pretending to be. “Saizo…” She muttered, and knotted her eyebrows together. He started to panic internally. He tried to think of how Saizo would feel, being reunited with his lover; perhaps desperate, and frenzied with desire? What does that feel like? He pondered. Though he did like Soma, he was not very experienced with this kind of sentiment.Not knowing what else to do, he swooped in with the most passionate kiss he could muster. Her mouth was delicious and soft, and he found that his body took over instinctively as he explored her with his curious tongue. She writhed excitedly beneath him; though she was completely soused, a second wind seemed to have caught her in its passing, taking Hanzo along for the ride. He pulled away and quickly tied his hair up on top of his head. If her hands found his long ponytail it would be the end of him. Thankfully, he and Saizo were of a similar build, and he could indulge her in her little fantasy until she finally passed out. “What do you want…?” He whispered, his voice made raspy by his nervousness more so than his attempted impersonation. Would he even ask that? He second-guessed himself. Surely he has asked that… “I want to taste you. Here…” She said, sightlessly sweeping her thumb across his bottom lip. She licked her own lips as she reached down to cup his groin. “And here…” Shocked, he took just a little too long to answer, and she slinked down the bedding to face the front of his hakama. She pulled at his clothing to expose him, and he could do nothing but lay helplessly on his side while she took him into her mouth with a happy sigh. He impulsively grabbed her soft hair with both hands, and turned his head to moan hard into the bedding. He did not know how sensitive Saizo’s body was, but he was already close to orgasm. No one had ever done this to him before. “Does this feel good, Sensei?” She whispered up at him. He choked back a laugh, his body involuntarily shaking at her naughty words. His bit of flesh disappeared once again into her wanting mouth. “Yes, little lady…” He hissed. “So good…” He thrust his lower half towards her compulsively a few times before remembering himself. She must have liked his show of abandon because she only took him deeper. He felt the underside slide along her tongue until the tip met the folds at the very back, and she bobbed her head there a few times before releasing him again. He thought he was going to lose his mind. Her hand massaged his testes while she swallowed him, coaxing his body expertly, enough to make his toes curl. His eyes squeezed shut, and he lost interest in whether or not she still thought that he was Saizo. Before long, he was biting the bedding and screaming silently as he released. She didn’t let him go until he was finally done shaking. “You never let me do that…” She said. He bounced excitedly in her hand, incredibly still resilient. “I am a fool, then…” He grunted, breathless. She gave a lethargic laugh, and traced the fingers on her other hand lovingly across his abdomen. He couldn’t believe that Saizo didn’t allow her to perform fellatio on him. Perhaps he really was sensitive after all.He pulled her back up to the head of the bed, and she took him into her warm embrace. As she kissed him, he tasted himself on her tongue, proof that what had happened really happened. He tightened his arms around her, and she sighed dreamily, settling her face against his chest. “Your heart is beating fast…” She mumbled. He chuckled, realizing that all his years of training were just proven useless in a five-minute exchange with this woman.
My heart…? It hasn’t ever beaten like that…
Suddenly and without warning, she became very still. When he pulled away to look at her, he was relieved to see that she had finally fallen asleep. He did not want to play their game of mistaken identity any longer. He didn’t anticipate things to go as far as they did, only following her to her bedroom in the first place to ensure that she didn’t die of the drink. He rolled her onto her side so that she wouldn’t choke if she vomited in the night, and covered her with a blanket. Hesitantly, he placed a soft kiss on her forehead.He quickly fixed his clothing and left, slinking off so that he could think about what he had allowed to occur. He was becoming increasingly unsure about his innocence and resolved to come clean with Soma at the very next opportunity, no matter the punishment he would undoubtedly receive. Soma awoke the next morning and was horrified to realize that blood had soaked through her robe onto her futon. As she cleaned herself and prepared the items for washing, she struggled to remember what exactly happened to her the night before. She was with Lord Kojuro in the garden, where they finished off a good helping of sake together.Then I ran into that Kiyohiro man… Hattori Hanzo… She immediately recalled her cheeky behaviour towards him, and realized that her lips felt swollen and raw. Lord Kojuro’s kiss had not been that zealous. Then she remembered that in her stupor she thought it would be fun to teach Hanzo a lesson for snooping around. She hoped she didn’t push him too far, not quite able to recall the explicit details of their encounter. She went to gather Yukimura’s laundry as she made her rounds, and he was already off in the courtyard, training with his men. Finally, she knocked on the messy Lord Kojuro’s door. It wasn’t so early that he would not already be up, but when she heard nothing stir inside, she decided that he was likely elsewhere.She walked confidently into the room, paying little mind to anything but the task at hand. To her surprise, all of the shoji were drawn and his bedroom was dark. She approached his futon and stooped down to gather some linens, when she suddenly felt something grab her. Before she had time to react, she was being pulled down onto the bedding. “Shigezane…” Kojuro’s voice mumbled from beneath a mass of blankets. “You bastard… Five more minutes…” Soma gasped, not knowing what else to do but relent to the lord’s tight embrace around her shoulders, preventing her from moving while he snoozed happily. “Milord…” She said. His eyes squinted open. “I was sure I behaved myself last night,” he muttered, groggily. He seemed relieved that they were both dressed, taking a moment to check. He brought his hand to his head, apparently feeling a little hungover. “You were very considerate, Lord Kojuro,” Soma reassured him, sitting up in the bed. “I’m just here to see if you’d like any laundry done.” “Laundry…?” He scoffed, and rewrapped himself in his cocoon of blankets. “Hmph… Ten more minutes…” Soma could only laugh at his silliness, and made a move to leave so that he could rest, but his arm reached out again to weigh her back down beside him. He extended his blankets to cover her, as well, and snuggled her into his chest. “Milord, you’ll be embarrassed of your actions when you finally wake…” She warned him, somewhat jokingly. In truth, it was very appealing to want to steal a nap; Lord Kojuro smelled good and the bed was warm and comfortable. “An idle threat…” He mumbled, and was soon once again fast asleep. Soma felt definitively safe around Katakura Kojuro. They had become close in a remarkably short time, but she often watched customers at her family’s restaurant go from strangers to friends in sometimes just a single conversation. She supposed that he found her interest in his poetry flattering. She actually did think it was good; she wasn’t typically someone who could feign interest, her thoughts often painted thick on her face like kabuki makeup, as her mother liked to say. He kissed her on the mouth in Shingen’s garden. She reasoned that his caste gave him the inherent freedom to do and say whatever he liked to her. She wasn’t yet certain how else he might abuse that privilege. She wondered if he knew that she didn’t mind.As they lay facing each other in the bed, she brought a hand up to slick his hair back. It had fallen about in a shaggy, brown veil, hiding his gentle features. Seeing him in such a state of fragility was endearing. The contented look on his handsome face was almost childlike, like the expression he wore when he first introduced her to Bontenmaru. As she stared at him, she felt her eyelids grow heavy, and she started to doze. Kansuke had his work cut out for him, dispelling the rumours that ensued as the result of the kitchen maid and the Oshu lord going missing at the same time. He had no idea how much effort would ultimately be involved in his matchmaking attempt, and was starting to lament over his decision to interfere. This woman is set on making me look the fool, he thought as he attempted to loiter casually outside of Kojuro’s room. The house servants feared him and would avoid the area as long as they knew he was there. “Soma… Soma…!” A little voice whispered. Little hands shook her gently in an attempt to rouse her. Soma snapped awake and shot up in the bed with so much gusto that it startled Sasuke, who jumped backwards. His eyes settled on her chest, before he blushed and quickly looked away. She felt a breeze and violently closed her kimono back around her. She supposed it had come loose from moving around while she slept.She found his embarrassment odd; she assumed that a disciple of Saizo’s would be at least somewhat familiar with the female form. “What are you doing, Sasuke-san?” She said. Still unable to tear his eyes from the floor, he shuffled his weight between his feet for a moment before finally clearing his throat. “What are you doing?” He retorted, gesturing at the lord who was still fast asleep in the bed beside her. “Umeko is running around like an idiot trying to find you. Lord Shingen wants to take you both riding today.” “I…” Soma hesitated, unsure even herself as to how she ended up in bed with the visiting lord. “I fell asleep, I guess…” “I guess so,” Sasuke agreed, softening his body language somewhat. He reached down to her and helped her to her feet. “You haven’t been sleeping well lately, have you?” “No…” She confirmed. She patted him on the head, and he once again blushed profusely. It was as though she was looking down at a little Yukimura. “Is that for washing?” He inquired as he bent down to pick up the basket of laundry beside them. Soma swooped in and took it from him, but not before he caught a glimpse of the blood on some of the items. “Whoa, let me help you!” Apparently unwilling to argue with him, Soma let him take the basket. She looked embarrassed. He had seen blood before, but not like this. Thick and bright red, it was already drying on the sheets it stained and needed to be washed as soon as possible, lest it ruin them completely. He stood by the shoji patiently while Soma explained to Lord Kojuro that she needed to see to her washing and would be back to retrieve him later. The man looked up at her with a curious longing; perhaps he thought he could somehow keep the most popular woman in Tsutsujigasaki Castle in bed with him all day. Sasuke found it amusing how selfish men were with her company, though he could not deny feeling his own kind of jealousy whenever she left him to attend to another. She and Saizo-sensei were the closest thing to a family he’d ever known, and he supposed he was allowing himself to become greedy. After they left him behind when they went to Kyoto he didn’t know if he would ever see her again. He was sure her brother missed her just as well as he had, but he found himself resenting the other boy for reasons he did not quite understand.He helped her draw water up from the well and carry the buckets to the large washbasin. She appeared very distant, and he watched her stare silently into the basin as they worked together to wash and rinse each item until the basket was empty. He helped her once again to hang the laundry to dry, only this time it was she who was hiding the reason for her silence. “What are you thinking about?” He asked her, knowing that she had posed him this same question in this same location not long ago. She peered at him from behind the sheet they were hanging, and forced a small smile. “You first,” she said, and returned to her work, probably assuming he wouldn’t answer her. He did not hesitate. “Is this your blood?” “Yes,” she replied, hesitantly. Her voice shook somewhat. “Do you need a doctor?” He pressed, unable to fathom how so much blood could escape a person without them dying from it. “This is my woman’s burden,” she explained, but he suspected it was not so simple as that. “It can be frightening, but I am alright. I promise.” “Soma...” He began, pulling back the sheet so that he could see her. When he did so, she turned away and he could tell that she was embarrassed. “I’m scared that something bad is going to happen to you.” “I see...” “Hattori Hanzo is lurking around again,” he continued, lowering his voice. “He was outside Lord Yukimura’s bedroom a couple of nights ago and he wouldn’t tell me why he was here.” The woman turned back to look at him, her eyes wide. Perhaps she was wondering if it was the night he had seen the two of them making love.It looked like he was hurting you... He wanted to tell her. Having sparred with the young lord before, he was aware of his brute strength. “I spoke with him last night,” she replied, and Sasuke felt a little perturbed by the fact that she had said nothing about this to him earlier. “He was asking me if I had seen Saizo.” Sasuke sensed that his master was nearby, but did not want to disturb him if he was intentionally withdrawing himself. He had made the mistake in the past of assuming that Saizo pined for company, and interrupted one of his naps, with painful results. He rubbed his backside instinctively at the memory. “Sensei has not shown himself to me yet, either,” he revealed, not intending to be cryptic. Still, she raised an eyebrow at him. “So he is here...” She deduced, clever as always. For once Sasuke wished he could keep his big mouth shut. “Don’t go off looking for him like you always do. I doubt he intends to stay long.” “What makes you think I want to find him?” She retorted. It was not the response he was anticipating. Something had occurred between Soma and his master, or the latter would not have spared her that day in the watchtower. Sasuke was no expert on adult relationships, but anticipated that Saizo had seduced her. It was not his first time. “I wish I was older,” he muttered. As soon as the words left he felt his face grow hot. “Why?” “Well...” He hesitated, embarrassed. “I could take care of you if I was big… Right?” “Oh, Sasuke...” She sighed, and reached towards him. He gravitated into her embrace, and felt her heart beating beneath her bosom. It was the maternal rhythm he craved, like the sound of a forgotten lullaby. “I love you as well as my own brother.” He tightened his arms around her waist and sighed. He could not fully express his confusing feelings for the woman, and only hoped that he would be blessed to still know her when he could finally make good on his desire to be her protector. She had somehow changed him; made him more responsible, and less alone because of it. He anticipated that his master would not recognize him when they met again.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Soma struggled to ride one of Lord Shingen’s mares with some grace, her experience with horses limited to her place in front of Saizo during their journey back to Kai. Once again, she thought herself to be in good hands; Takeda Shingen’s cavalry was renowned, and he was himself a master horseman. Lord Kojuro, too, was a skilled rider, and the two men flanked her cautiously as they traveled beyond the daimyo’s estate. Shingen wished to show them his secret view overlooking the village and countryside, which was considered an honour. The ever-watchful Kansuke, she supposed, was the unseen fourth member of their party. She wondered how many times he had made this journey simply as a shadow, and found herself gazing up into the trees to try and spot him. “You seem distracted, precious girl,” Kojuro observed quietly once their guide rode on a bit ahead. “You called me Shigezane this morning…” She observed in return with a wry smile. “A bedfellow of yours, milord?” “Lord Date Shigezane, of Omori,” Kojuro presented, slightly affected by her insinuation. “He is milord Masamune’s cousin, and a fellow retainer. He is a friend. You have friends, don’t you?” “Friends...?” She repeated, unsure how to answer him without incriminating herself. “Or perhaps lovers…” He whispered, casually watching Shingen trot on ahead of them, unknowing of their conversation. Soma blushed. “No!” She replied, reactively. “Fair enough,” he said with a shrug, withdrawing his inquisition for the time being. He smiled at her knowingly before urging his mount on ahead to Lord Shingen’s side. A crow cawed, and Soma looked up to see it circling high above their party. First one, then two; and before she could make heads from tails, her mare burst forth at a violent momentum, racing past her escorts whose shared look of surprise disappeared quickly into the distance behind her. Not knowing what to do, she could only hold onto the reigns as tightly as possible so as not to get thrown off, and wait for the horse to grow tired. That did not happen, however, and she found herself being taken at top speed back towards the woods that skirted the castle grounds.Suddenly, she was in the air, watching helplessly as the excited mare bolted off into the distance. Someone was carrying her from treetop to treetop, silent and graceful as a ghost. She should be used to being handled this way by now, but still felt nauseated, and kept her eyes screwed shut until her captor set them down by a small shack hidden deep in the brush. He quickly clapped his gloved hand over her mouth before she could identify him. She nodded that she understood to be silent. He pushed her up the few stairs that led into the structure, and shut the door behind them. Inside was a modest bed and few other furnishings. Someone clearly lived here, at least temporarily.The man proceeded to undress her, and afraid of his reprimand she did nothing to stop him. He traced her frame with long fingers, skin on skin, outlining each curve. Still behind her, he knocked her legs apart with his knee and she felt him aim to penetrate her. “I’m bleeding...” She whimpered. He scoffed at this and bit the tender flesh of her neck. She reeled from the assault of pointed teeth, but the pain felt inexplicably exquisite. “You act as though I’ve never seen blood before,” Saizo’s raspy voice retorted, and he pushed his length inside of her to the hilt. She gasped, and he paused there while she accustomed herself to the feeling of him. He grabbed her hands and held them behind her back. Using them for leverage, he fucked her unapologetically until her knees gave out and he was forced to hold her in the air with her legs spread wide apart, his hands supporting them from underneath. Somehow, he always managed to make her feel weightless.She let her head fall backward onto his shoulder, and he took her mouth with his own in a fiery embrace. She had missed his soft lips; the taste of his tongue sweet as wild mint while it danced around hers. “Why...?” She moaned when he broke their kiss. He had feared momentarily that he might suffocate her with his exuberance. What does she mean, why? He wondered. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, so overtaken that she was in no real position to question what was happening. “Because you are mine,” he grunted. He heard her shudder at his words and allowed himself a quiet chuckle. He hooked his arms under her knees, folding her further in half so that he could free up his hands to pinch her nipples while still holding her up off the ground. He saw how cutely her stomach pleated over itself in this position, that he could barely see the hairs of her mound poking out from underneath it. Her soft skin beckoned him to squeeze and bite it, and blood rushed to the surface as he did so to stain it a joyful pink. “I want to see your face…” Her sweet voice broke between thrusts, and he gave one of his impetuous ‘tsk’’s. “I want to kiss you more… Please…” “Were we spoiled in Kyoto, little lady?” He said, more a statement than a question. He should be in Iga right now, but instead was stuffing her like a big gyoza. Had Sasuke not tracked him down earlier and given him hell, he might not have even bothered.Who am I kidding? I can’t resist that sexy belly… He mused to himself. Feeling her squeeze down on his length with each thrust, he squeezed her ever more tightly to himself. He only wished they had more time. “You really are a bastard, Saizo-sensei!” A sardonic youth hollered at his doorstep not an hour before. Sasuke heard Yukimura call him that many times before, and he realized just how impressionable a child could be.He was readying himself for his trek to Iga to report to his village elders about his mission. He had somehow managed to avoid Hattori Hanzo, whom he normally reported to, but would have to hurry if he was to leave Kai without running into him. “If only you had as sharp an aim as you have a mouth,” he replied, certain that a dig at the boy’s skill would sting more than any punishment for his insolence. “At least I know how to say a proper goodbye...” Sasuke should have known better than to appeal to his emotions but persisted down that road nonetheless. “You were just about to run off again, right?” “Goodbyes are a privilege, young one; not a right,” Saizo swiftly corrected his apprentice. “You should know this lesson well by now.” “Are you trying to teach Soma a lesson, Sensei?” Saizo was rendered speechless for a third time since his brief return to Kai. “My trysts are none of your concern,” he retorted, finally. Sasuke scoffed at this statement. “You are my concern,” he said, and Saizo could not help but to feel somewhat touched by the boy’s loyalty. “And I think Soma deserves better than to be called a tryst!” Saizo knew that his apprentice was right, and as they stared each other down, he realized that the boy had done some growing up while he was away. Sasuke’s life would be shaped by the decisions he made, and Saizo was pleased that he was learning to become more diplomatic than he. He had grown used to thinking that good and bad men both die the same, but knew in his heart that was not true. A good man lives on forever in the fond memories of his kin. Soma’s family taught him that. It was now up to Saizo to decide how he would like to be remembered, and by whom. “Tell me Sasuke…” He lowered his voice to a near whisper. “Did the little lady put you up to this?” “Are you being serious, Sensei?” Sasuke asked him, his face taking on a look of pity. Saizo would normally not appreciate that sentiment being directed at him, but knew that his question was stupid. Soma would surely be mortified if she were to discover that this conversation had even occurred. He watched her enraptured features, and caressed her soft body that opened to him willingly. He pined for a day when he could belong only to her. “I love you,” he whispered close to her ear. He stopped what he was doing so that he could gauge her reaction to his words. She looked up at him and her dark eyes gleamed with a powerful emotion. “I know,” she replied, simply. He smiled. He helped her clean up when they were done, taking great care to wipe away every last bit of proof of their brief moment of pleasure. His bite marks burned on her neck and shoulders to serve as the only reminder of his affections until they were rendered docile by Kojuro’s potent pain remedy. As he helped her dress, Soma realized that she really knew so little about him. Though their encounters were passionate, the Lord Assassin remained a mystery to her, his true intentions ever obscured.Does he think he can just show up whenever he wants and…! As though he could read her thoughts, he drew her close for a final embrace, his long fingers gently tangling in her hair as they kissed. He helped her down the stairs of the shack and whistled sharply. Unbelievably, her mount emerged from behind some trees and trotted towards them. He handed her the reigns and whispered something into the horse’s ear. Suddenly, another figure appeared, dressed in a familiar dark blue kimono. It was Kojuro. The two men analyzed each other for a moment. “Is this him?” He asked Soma, but his eyes remained fixated on the shinobi’s chiseled features. He offered him a slight bow. “Lord Assassin… I am Katakura Kojuro.” Saizo stared silently at him, and one corner of his mouth upturned slightly, as if to say “I know…”. The lord quickly looked upwards in amazement; the shinobi was gone. “He happened by after my mare bolted,” Soma began to explain, but Kojuro was still searching the treetops, too distracted to pay her words any mind. “I was hoping to meet him this time,” he beamed. He was apparently quite dazzled by Saizo. Had you come any earlier, you might not be so pleased, milord… Soma thought to say, but did not. They hastened back to the castle, and Soma’s mare behaved immaculately. When they presented themselves to Lord Shingen in his quarters to tell him of her misadventure, she felt Kojuro’s thoughtful gaze on her for the duration of their meeting. Shingen was apparently too blindly relieved that no one had been hurt to catch onto any hint of mischief, though he must have known as well as Lord Kojuro that something had to have triggered her horse to take off with such ferocity. Saizo’s appearance was only too convenient. “He is not how I imagined…” Kojuro piped up when Soma brought tea to his quarters the next morning. “The Lord Assassin…” “May I bring you anything to eat, milord?” She didn’t care for his idle musings, feeling for some reason rather disappointed that the two men had met. “He really could be twenty or seventy, couldn’t he?” He continued, ignoring her question. “Milord?” “Imagine having such famous friends…” “Yes, I suppose I am lucky…” Soma humoured him, trying not to roll her eyes. “Are you certain you’re not in the mood for some oshiruko, milord?” “So you do have friends, after all,” Kojuro whipped Soma’s words back around on her like Fuma Kotaro’s kusarigama. His expression was devious, as if he’d been trying to catch her in a lie this whole time. His look softened immediately at the sight of her wobbly bottom lip. “What thing are you hiding, precious girl?” “I can’t tell you, milord!” She exclaimed. “I’m sorry… I’m sworn to secrecy!” He reasoned with her that he would find her out eventually. He felt a little guilty for tricking her into kissing him if she was already promised to another, but if it was a secret, that meant it wasn’t supposed to be happening. Unsurprisingly, the truth Soma presented was almost exactly as he thought, albeit slightly more scandalous. She was caught in a secret tryst between brothers in arms, and neither had the wherewithal to figure out what to do with her. “And people ask me why I’m not married…” He muttered when she took a moment to breathe and gather her thoughts. “Milord…?” “Now, now,” he forged ahead. “I’m sure that things will work out in the end…” “You don’t really believe that, milord…” Soma replied, despondently. “No,” he admitted. “But I do believe that things often work out for the best.” Soma nodded to him as though she understood, but he knew that his words provided little comfort. Concubines were not necessarily considered women of ill-repute, but they were definitely commodities, bought and sold to pay off gambling debts and settle disputes between men of nobility. Kojuro had no idea whether Soma’s companions intended to do these kinds of things, but the thought made him worry for her. “Will you ever marry, milord?” She asked. He smiled at her innocent question. “Why should I?” He answered her honestly. In his case, anyway, he was too busy. He was too old. She grimaced, clearly surprised by his answer. He was just as surprised that she wasn’t already promised to some sweet, dutiful young fellow back home, and was instead wasting her time on Shingen’s general and his man. “Pardon me, milord,” Soma began to retort with an exuberant blush on her face. “But is it not true that your status ensures you should never have to?” “That’s not entirely true,” he was quick to correct her. “If milord Masamune requested that I marry, I would have to at least consider it.” “And…?” “It hasn’t come up.” He saw her look of skepticism and added, “Lord Masamune is a bit of a lone-wolf, you could say- even more so than myself.” “That is quite the opposite to Lord Shingen’s manner, isn’t it?” He was impressed by her observation. She was clearly a very thoughtful young person. “I have been watching how Shingen handles his retainers. His influence will surely groom Lord Masamune into a more authoritative commander.” He replied. The woman just stared silently at him. “What is the matter?” He listened as she attempted to gently iterate her opinion of Lord Shingen without causing any great strain to his reputation. He was a man of dual personality; a strong leader when on the dais, but quite the selfish man in his private life. Kojuro was already aware of these details, but was decidedly optimistic. “I understand your concern,” he sympathized. “But, surely you know that every nobleman has his indiscretions…” “Every one?” The woman replied, eyeing him accusatorially. Kojuro could not help but to smile at this. Just then, Soma felt her obi loosen, and her heavy kimono fell about her immediately. Perhaps thinking she had done this on purpose, Kojuro leaned forward and gently brushed his eager lips against the flesh of her neck and chest. She gasped, and he covered her mouth with the palm of one hand to silence her. He must have felt her eyes on him while he kissed along the path of naked skin between her breasts, because he suddenly changed his mind and lowered his hand again to rest it on her thigh. He was giving her the chance to say no. “You fiend…” She growled at him instead. He smiled up at her like a predatory cat with its prey in its clutches. “Tell me to stop,” he said. She blushed, knowing he could read her as well as any one of his books. “I can’t…” She muttered, and cast her gaze defiantly away from his. “I see…” She was a servant, and considered him her better; she wouldn’t deny him her body even if she wanted to. After all that she had been through, she could no longer be certain if her hands were lead by duty or desire. She adored Kojuro, but the potential consequences of a tryst between them suddenly overwhelmed her.She thought of leaving Kai with him; abandoning not only her family once again but also her companion Yukimura, who was relying on her as his confidante while his closest friend was away. She thought of the poor daimyo, who had been so kind to her, still weakened by his illness. Mostly, she thought of Saizo returning from Iga to find her gone, and worried that he might pull some stunt to steal her back. She worried, too, that he would do nothing. She could not bear to think on it further. “Lord Kojuro… I have to attend to Lord Shingen…” She finally issued a half-hearted protest. He grabbed her two hands and guided them across his chest, and up around his broad shoulders to caress his neck. He brought one up to his smooth face and kissed it gently. She sighed and he flashed her a look with his magnificent green eyes. “Go on, then,” he said, releasing her from his grasp. “Milord…?” “I’ll be here when you’re ready… Precious girl.” Hot and bothered, she left Lord Kojuro’s chambers with her tray, unbelieving that she’d been dismissed so suddenly. He practically shooed her out the door.What does he mean, when I’m ready? She wondered. She never intended their relationship to become so intimate in the first place, and the advice Kansuke gave her was conveniently vague. “You need to try harder,” a familiar voice whispered flatly from over her shoulder. Swift hands addressed each aspect of her garment that was even slightly out of place from her encounter with Kojuro. “It’s time for the daimyo’s medicine. The other women are still at the market, so you know what you have to do.” “Yes, I know…” Soma said, her voice shaking. Kansuke stiffened uncomfortably at her remorseful expression. He witnessed firsthand her narrow escape from Shingen’s advances the last time they were together. Nevertheless, he led her down the long corridors and into the kitchens, where he set some water on the fire to boil. Once again, she was trembling in his presence, but some underfed part of his ego enjoyed that. He felt her judging eyes on his back while he worked, deep and dark like the night sky. “Whether you choose to believe it or not, I was trying to help you,” he said, without turning around to face her. The crushing silence that followed was what made him casually cock his head around to allow himself a glimpse of the beautiful woman. He didn’t know what was bothering her, exactly. He assumed she was torturing herself over which one of her suitors she should choose. Little did she realize that she was still only a common woman, and her fate would likely be decided for her if she hesitated any longer. He was not expecting Kojuro to be such a gentleman after her clothes accidentally fell off, and he now wondered if perhaps that prank was just a bit too much. He felt his face grow warm, and quickly thought about something else.He prepared the teapot and sent her on her way in the direction of the daimyo’s quarters. He remained in place for a few moments to give the illusion that he did not intend to chaperone. Truly no man could be trusted in her presence, not even him. Shingen invited his guest to enter, but when he realized that it was Soma, he made the split decision to retreat behind his changing screen before she noticed his state of undress. While he chose his garments, he discovered that he could observe her from a small crack between the screen panels. She appeared confused that he was not there to greet her, if not also somewhat apprehensive. He supposed that he had been rather forceful of late, but he would have taken her by now had he not been half-heartedly taking Kansuke’s advice instead. “I had a change of heart regarding my kimono today, my dear,” he lied to still her nerves. “I will be with you in just a moment.” “Yes, milord Shingen,” she answered him automatically. Isn’t she usually more contentious? He thought to himself while he fastened his belt.He watched her take a seat at the table where she set down her tray of tea. He saw her suddenly remember something; retrieving the envelope of his medicine from her sleeve, she carefully opened it and funnelled the contents into the teapot. Her eyes betrayed no harsh judgment of his predicament; she was simply assisting him with a task. The other servants struggled to hide the pitying looks, and he was glad that Soma had almost exclusively been seeing to him of late. He suspected that Kansuke had something to do with that, and wondered why his friend was toying with him by forcing her into his company. Surely he knew how pure and beautiful she was.
Can that shinobi even call himself a man?
He emerged from behind the screen, and when Soma saw him, her eyes widened in pleasurable surprise. He supposed his use of more formal attire had become somewhat infrequent of late. She quickly stood and bowed before him. He bent slightly in a reciprocal gesture before assuming his place at the table across from her. He smiled and waited patiently for her to pour for them. “Milord looks splendid today, if I may say so,” Soma complimented him genuinely as she poured their tea. He allowed himself a small smile. The only thing missing was that his hair had not been tied. Her breath visibly hitched in her throat when she noticed him staring. “Will you tie my hair for me, my dear?” He said. There was a command hidden within his docile request. “Will milord first take some of his tea while it is hot?” She countered, a soft smile gracing her tender mouth. He gladly obliged her. He didn’t even make her drink first this time. When they were finished, he retrieved his comb and a silk ribbon from his bedroom. He set them gently into her waiting hands and arranged himself in front of her on the floor. She knelt behind him and started to comb closer to the ends so as not to snag his hair uncomfortably, just as she’d done before. Her movements were swift and efficient, however, not at all mirroring the careful uncertainty she showed the last time. He wondered what had changed. “Has my form grown so pedestrian to you, Soma?” He dared. She immediately froze in place, as though his words had just snapped her back into reality. “Milord…?” “The last time I had you like this,” he recalled, and shot her a coy look over his shoulder. “You were trembling like a flower… Is it possible that you have perhaps finally found some courage to be alone in my company?” “Perhaps so, milord…” It was becoming clearer with every movement of her hands that she was simply too distracted by some other troubles to pay his flirtations any mind. He found himself growing somewhat concerned over this development, fearing that her distraction was perhaps the result of another man. Takeda Shingen rarely experienced jealousy, but he expelled a defiant ‘humph’ at her persistent dissociation. “Is anything the matter, milord?” She responded to the spoiled little noise he made. “Only that I am an old man,” he muttered, impulsively. The words sort of fell out of his mouth; he was not someone who often felt sorry for himself, or solicited pity from others. Even so, Soma’s arms slowly draped over his shoulders in a gesture of comfort. It felt foreign to him at first, having never known this kind of intimacy from a female. His men could be heard outside, training. Sasuke and Yukimura would be there. The visiting Lord Kojuro was likely asleep beneath some shady tree. Kansuke was decidedly silent. He had the woman all to himself for once, and it was wonderful. After some time, he pulled away and turned to face her. She gave him a confused look, unknowing as to what he would put her through next. He raised a large hand and grazed it gently across her soft cheek in reassurance. “I never got to show you my favourite view,” he said. “Will you come for a ride with me? We should have enough time before sunset. I wouldn’t want to cause you any worry.” Soma agreed, sensing that this was important to the daimyo, and they walked together to the stables. Shingen had an attendant ready his favourite mare, and they opted to share her this time, considering Soma’s troubles during their last outing. He lifted her up easily with one hand and settled her in front of him in the saddle. His arms wrapped around her gently, holding the reigns as they set off towards the lowering sun. She felt the heat from his body behind her, permeating through both of their garments. It was not overly warm out, and she wondered if he was with fever.The daimyo showed her many of his favourite locations around his domain; an apple orchard, where small fruit already began to take the place of blossoms, was a very noteworthy feature. Soma watched the man trace his fingers delicately along the branches of the trees and smile to himself as they passed. He was clearly very proud of his lands, and eager to show them off.She didn’t notice their increase of elevation at first, but as they neared a cliff overlooking the village below in serene miniature, she could tell that they had over time climbed to quite a steep location. There were many hills and mountains in Kai, and the springs there were said to have medicinal properties, hence Saizo’s convenient excuse to Mother about their encounter here.Shingen coaxed his horse to a halt and dismounted. Soma was momentarily too distracted by the view to notice that he was holding out his hand to her to help her down. Embarrassed, she gratefully accepted his gesture and leapt daintily to the ground. He held her fast as she gained her footing, and released her as soon as she did. He turned towards the cliff edge and made a somewhat sheepish gesture towards it. “Some would call this quaint when there are such impressive waterfalls and the like nearby,” he said. “Pardon me, milord Shingen, but why then is this your favourite place above all others?” “Because…” He turned his gaze to the village below. “Those people down there… They are the reason I have a place up here, you see? Their struggle is my struggle, and it keeps me fighting.” Just after this impressive explanation, he started into a terrible fit of coughing that nearly doubled him over. Soma rushed to his side, and took hold of his arm to help him stay upright. “Milord…!” “The air up here… Is thin…” “You’re not well…” She muttered, having momentarily forgotten his weakened state. “I’m taking you back!” She helped him mount, and proceeded to lead the mare by the reigns on foot down the path that went through the orchard and back towards the castle. Shingen folded in half, and draped listlessly on the horse’s back; the latter carried on as though this was not the first time this had occurred. It was dark by the time they reached their destination, and Shingen snapped out of his spell just in time to dismiss his attendants for the night without giving away his poor state. Soma thought it strange that none of his retainers seemed aware of just how sick he really was. He faltered shortly after they were left alone, and Soma slung his immense arm over her comparably tiny shoulders so that she could help him back to his quarters. When they arrived there, she brought him to his bedchamber and let him tumble gently onto the futon. He clawed at his garments, struggling to breathe. She lowered his hands to his sides, giving him a reassuring look that beckoned him to trust her. She proceeded to loosen his restrictive clothing until the man lay in nothing but his fundoshi. He immediately began to shiver from the cool night air, his imposing muscles glistening with sweat. Soma found his sleeping robe nearby and coaxed him into it. She covered him with a blanket and turned him over onto his side to help ease his coughing. The poor man shivered persistently, and so Soma betrayed Kansuke’s wishes and pressed her body tightly against his master’s from behind. Eventually his breathing steadied and she brushed his long hair away from his face, stroking him soothingly like he was a beast eager to be tamed. She thought back to his prized view of the village and understood how a person could come to be loyal to Takeda Shingen. He was a brute of a man to be sure, but he was outwardly generous and fair to his people. She knew first hand that other men in his position could not boast the same qualities. He appeared to strive to live for the sake of others, which was a trait they both shared.After a time, the two fell asleep together, Soma’s arm draped delicately over the daimyo’s large frame. In the night she felt his fingers enlace with hers, her hands a child’s size by comparison. It comforted her while she dreamt of her father, as she often did. She awoke the next morning in her own bed; perhaps Kansuke had been chaperoning them, after all.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Even several days after the fact, Soma was confused by what Kojuro said to her during their last private visit. She wondered what would happen if she ever expressed her readiness for whatever his offer entailed, but she had a pretty good idea. She wondered, too, what Yukimura and Saizo would think, and the thought made her feel mischievous.That morning, despite it being her day off, she brought his tea. Pleased to see her as always, he asked if she would serve a picnic for them to enjoy together beneath their favourite tree. He added that he would bring a few of his books he thought she might enjoy. She certainly did not mind having to do some cooking on her day off; it was something she enjoyed, after all, and she was eager to learn more from their worldly guest.Sasuke was a little hurt when she explained that he would not be joining them on their picnic. His disappointment was quickly dashed, however, when he remembered that he was meeting some other boys from the village to go fishing. Soma told him to find her later, that she might help him clean and cook his catch. A few types of onigiri dressed her picnic basket, along with some pickled plums, and honey kasutera for dessert. Soma hoped the lord would be impressed with her offering. They were to meet beneath the canopy of the tree at lunchtime, and when Soma ducked beneath the long branches, she could not believe what awaited her. The Lord Kojuro had arranged a dining area there, complete with a carpet, table, and some cushions from his room. He greeted her with a friendly wave, and patted the stack of books beside him. These were not any of the books she had already seen in his room; these were compendiums of knowledge about stars and planets, as well as mathematics. She was excited to learn their secrets. They ate and drank, and read together in a pleasant silence. Every so often, Soma would point to something she was not familiar with, and Kojuro would gladly explain it. This went on for several hours, she guessed, as the sun drifted from its pinnacle and made the shadows of the wisteria branches slowly drag across the ground like the hands of a sundial. The perfume of Shingen’s garden permeated the warm air, and birds sang happily all around them as though the two quiet readers had managed to seamlessly blend into the landscape.Kojuro lowered his book and found Soma looking happy and relaxed. It was a welcome sight after he had made her so anxious the last time they were alone together. She had stirred his passions so, he feared she might find any excuse not to be alone with him again. “How are you, precious girl?” He asked, in barely a whisper. He felt afraid to ruin the moment. She said nothing. Instead, she smiled up at him and grazed her fingers across his shoulder to rid it of some fallen petals. He nuzzled his face against her hand, and she sighed, the breath of a lark. The noises she made were divine.Unable to control himself, he leaned in and took her in a kiss that was restless by comparison to his calculated peck the last time they were here. His mouth worked to tease her, compelling her to deepen their embrace of her own volition. She shivered and moaned into his mouth. Breathless, he pulled away with much reluctance, going back again and again to kiss and nibble at her pining lips between gasps for air.He had to calm down and gather his thoughts. The woman had him completely seduced. He considered in his stupor whether he should simply command her to lay with him as he anticipated the other men had done. “Um, Lord Kojuro…” Her voice beckoned him to open his eyes. A large river fish stared back at him, its gaping mouth poised to accept a kiss in Soma’s place. Holding it was his friend Date Shigezane, grinning evilly. Standing next to him was a small group of boys, Sasuke among them, all holding back laughter as they watched. Soma managed to get herself smoothed out just in time to be intruded upon by a handsome young man with a mischievous smile. With him were Sasuke’s friends, from whom the man borrowed a fish to play a prank on the wooing lord. It was clear to Soma that the two knew each other, but she felt the need to at least warn Kojuro before he was about to be made to look foolish. “Still up to your tricks, old man?” The stranger teased him. Kojuro did not seem too impressed by this comment, closing off his body language by folding his long arms across his chest. “Shigezane,” he hissed, his green eyes flashing angrily. It was a side of him Soma had not yet witnessed, authoritative and cold. She kind of liked it. “The only thing that is getting old is that ridiculous grin of yours. What do you want?” “Oh, don’t be like that…” The man called Shigezane begged Kojuro’s forgiveness, in a slightly less sarcastic tone than before. Soma realized that it was he who the lord had mistaken her for when she was gathering his laundry. Lord Masamune’s older cousin, he was not an overly tall man, but what he lacked in stature he made up for in personality; a genuine smile beaming from ear to ear on his joyful face made Soma start to grin just by proxy. She began to laugh, and the two men looked at her, surprised. Soon, they too were laughing and clapping each other on the back like old friends. Shigezane looked back at Soma and casually took in her body with his rascally dark eyes. His dark hair reminded her of her lord Yukimura’s, spiked and messy with the charm of rebellious youth. His bright red kimono only added to his energetic aura. “What’s your name, doll?” He asked her with a daring wink. He gestured at Kojuro but didn’t take his eyes off her. “Is this a new girlfriend, Koju-san? She’s a cutie!” “Behave yourself, Shige,” Kojuro said. The other man laughed and shrugged his shoulders, relenting to his warning. “Soma, this is Lord Date Shigezane.” “Soma…” Shigezane repeated, sexily. “Very nice! Do you live around here, Soma doll?” “I am in Lord Sanada Yukimura’s service, milord,” she replied, referencing her master to prevent any more flirting. It was clearly making Lord Kojuro uncomfortable. “If you belong to a Sanada lord, then why isn’t he here fondling you instead of this creep?” “You’re incorrigible, Lord Shigezane,” she scolded him, and handed him a stern look that made Kojuro chuckle. “I don’t know what that means,” he replied. “But I’m going to take it as a compliment.” “You shouldn’t,” Soma corrected him with a raised eyebrow. Her contention only seemed to make him swoon, and his hand fluttered over his heart to fan his flames of passion. Though she was trying hard to deter his advances, she couldn’t help but to ultimately laugh and shake her head at his silliness. “Whatever you say, doll,” he conceded. “Hey, this kid said I could have some dinner after we found you.” He gestured to Sasuke, and the boy lifted his arm to proudly show her his catch. She praised his efforts and offered to lead the crew of boys to the kitchens so that she could prepare their fish. The two men watched as Soma led the children away. Kojuro reluctantly slipped Sasuke a bit of money for helping him set up his picnic, and the boy shot him a cheeky wink. “You’re in love with that girl,” Shigezane observed once they were alone. He appeared intrigued, as if he thought he was incapable of these emotions. “Lower your voice,” Kojuro cautioned, and felt a heat spread over his face. “She belongs to that Sanada lord serving as Shingen’s general.” “Interesting… You know I heard that he was made to take a vow of chastity to ensure his safety in battle? Those Sanada are kind of superstitious, if you ask me. I couldn’t imagine never being allowed a good fu-” “A vow of chastity?” Kojuro interrupted his friend. “-cking...” Shigezane finished his thought while nodding in confirmation. Kojuro chewed over this new information while they waited for Soma to return with their dinner. He doubted she had lied about her relationship with the young lord; and if he was indeed bound by such a vow, his activities would be seen as a disgrace to his family. An evil side of him considered bartering with this knowledge, should the need arise. “As for what I want,” Shigezane attempted to end the lull in their conversation, a consummate talker. “Apart from a kiss from that Soma girl, I am here to invite a party from Kai for a feast to celebrate our alliance.” “Shingen won’t come to Oshu,” Kojuro anticipated. It was common knowledge that Takeda Shingen rarely traveled outside his own domain. “Well, no matter,” Shigezane shrugged. “I’m sure whoever he chooses to go in his place will be fine.” “No way, no how, I will not go,” Yukimura protested, his arms crossed firmly over his broad chest in a defensive stance. “Date Masamune is a mean, cold-hearted-” “Watch yourself, young one,” Shingen scolded him from his place on the dais. Soma sat to his right. It appeared that she had given up her job as poison taster, but managed to keep her place of importance during assembly. “I don’t know what happened between the two of you last time, but you will put it behind you before I lose my patience.” “He treated me like a complete idiot! If he even spoke to me at all, it was all insults. He hates me, I’m certain of it.” Kojuro knew exactly what the young lord was talking about. The last time the two had met, there was a distinct clash of personalities that nearly aborted talks between the Date and Takeda clans. A classically sullen Masamune dismissed the eager Yukimura as a simpleton, something the latter was apparently quite sensitive about.Prompted by a nudge from Shigezane, he cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. “Surely, there must be some compromise that will satisfy-“ “Yes,” Shingen promptly accepted the move toward diplomacy. He pointed one large finger at the young lord and his crimson eyebrows sank into a commanding stare. “You will attend to my needs now, and you will see to it that the needs of Oshu are met, as well; or so help me I will send you back to Ueda to face your father’s judgment for your insolence to me.” Yukimura submitted himself to the floor at having been disciplined by his commander. He looked frustrated, however, his pride somehow not yet warn away by the harsh tides of time and war. He was truly blessed with the drive to dive head-first into any fight, whether the odds were in his favour or not. Kojuro saw so much of his old self in the youth that it made him cringe with regret. “Your orders, milord?” Shingen sneered menacingly, something that shocked everyone in attendance so, that a resounding silence fell over all those present. “Since you do not wish to go, your lovely attendant will go on your behalf.” Everyone in the room anticipated Yukimura’s reaction. It was no secret that he spent much of his free time in Soma’s company, regardless of the rumours it generated; all of which were true. He turned a few more shades of pink before he finally conceded. Clearly the daimyo had him stumped. Kojuro looked over at the woman, and tried to determine whether or not she was pleased with Shingen’s deliberation. Their eyes met briefly just as everyone was dismissed, and she quickly looked away before excusing herself from the dais.He saw her duck into the servant’s quarters and, though he knew his presence there might cause a stir, he followed close behind. When she reached her room, she quietly opened the door and went inside; but before she could slide it shut, Kojuro stuck his foot in. The door closed on it briefly, causing him to curse aloud. Soma slid it open again, stumbling over a million apologies. “Are you alright, precious girl?” He asked in a concerned tone. Really, he was overjoyed, though in pain. He understood that using Soma to punish Yukimura was hardly a fair thing for Shingen to have done, but he benefitted from the daimyo’s deliberation and could not relate to her sadness in the slightest. Before Shigezane’s arrival, he was considering writing Masamune and requesting an extension of his sabbatical simply to spend more time with her, even if he had to find lodging in the village nearby so as not to outstay his welcome at the castle. “I…” She let her gaze drift to the tatami, a red brushstroke emerging across her cheeks. “I must beg Lord Shingen to reconsider. Milord is aware of my circumstances. I’m… sorry.” “Yes, I understand completely,” Kojuro muttered. After their last kiss, however, he could not help but to feel slightly rejected. “I’ll leave it up to you.” On his way back to his room, he took a purposeful detour through the courtyard. The midday sun shone brightly in a blue sky, dotted by flocks of happy birds that took turns landing on the nearby trees and chatting at each other energetically. Despite this normally enjoyable sight, he was floundering in a most foul mood.He caught sight of Yukimura and marched aggressively towards him, on what could only be described as a mission for justice. The youth sensed him approach and turned to greet him, an obviously forced smile splitting his dirt-smeared face. Kojuro did not hesitate to make good on his resolution, and stripped down to his hakama to match the sweaty young man. “Prepare yourself, Sanada Yukimura!” He announced in a voice he almost did not recognize as his own. Something possessed him, renewing his spirit of competition. Yukimura scoffed at first, as if he did not trust the legitimacy of Kojuro’s challenge. One of his retainers sidled up beside him to act as backup, but the young lord shook his head and told his companions to leave the courtyard to give them some privacy. They did so, hesitantly, but Kojuro could feel many eyes on them from the sidelines once the two men were left alone. “What’s your trouble, Kojuro?” Yukimura finally addressed him, the usual bravado in his voice quickly waning. He had already angered Shingen once today, and assaulting his guest would only worsen things. Kojuro decided to take full advantage of this. “You insult my clan,” he accused. Yukimura blushed and raked a telling hand through his unkempt hair. “You wish for a maid to greet the great Lord Masamune in your place?” “Soma is mine, alright? And I had no idea Shingen would-” “What do you mean yours…?” Kojuro hissed, becoming angrier by the second. His intentions were not totally selfish; he had come to care as deeply about Soma. “Why won’t you let her go back to her family?” “I paid her family a fortune in gold for her,” Yukimura revealed, and pointed an aggressive finger at Kojuro’s bare chest. “What is it to you, anyway? Do you even know what’s happening right now? Even if I wanted to send her back, Tokugawa forces aim to overthrow the emperor. The capitol is not safe.” “I know more than you think,” Kojuro asserted his position, and gently placed his hand on his rival’s to ground its promise of violence. He lowered his voice. “So you’re in love with her, are you? Such an awful thing to want something you’ll never be allowed…” “I have overcome far more difficult challenges,” Yukimura retorted, haughtily, ripping his hand away from the man’s touch. Kojuro decided to make his final move. “Surely you would not forsake your vow, Lord Yukimura,” he whispered. Yukimura froze and gaped at him in shock. I’ve got you now, you spoiled little shit. “What...?” “But if you bring her with you to Oshu, I’ll sweeten Masamune’s opinion of you- and keep your secret.” Kojuro rounded off his point with a curt smile. “I promise.” “You’re just as bad as Saizo,” the young lord muttered after a time, and huffed a bit of his unruly hair out of his face. “Worse even.” Kojuro thought about thanking him for the compliment, but did not. If only the wily shinobi could see him now. “Do we have a bargain?” He asked, eager to end their discourse. He felt his skin start to tingle from being out shirtless in the sun for too long. He supposed it had been a while. “Do I have a choice?” The young lord retorted. Kojuro shook his head. “I want you to say it.” “Yes, we have a bargain,” Yukimura muttered, just audibly enough for it to be official. Soma watched from her verandah as the two men bowed to each other and parted ways. The diplomatic Kojuro had somehow negotiated himself out of a sparring match. His lithe body appeared as strong and graceful as Saizo’s without his clothes on, so she was sure he had an equal chance against Yukimura in a fight; however she cringed at the memory of Yukimura and Saizo fighting back in Nagoya. Whatever the reason for this truce with Kojuro, she was thankful for it.Yukimura had said some nasty things about Date Masamune, that was certain. An optimist for the most part, however, it was rare for him to have such raw opinions of others. She knew little about the daimyo of Oshu, but envisioned an entitled, bratty young man, benefitting much from having such a patient mentor in Kojuro. Having exhausted himself for the day, Yukimura returned to his chambers. There, he washed and changed into his favourite orange kimono that Soma had laid out for him. Though he was always aware of the potential threat, he never imagined being blackmailed in this way. He wondered what Kojuro really wanted. What he implied was true; the young lord had indeed broken his sacred vow, opening himself to receive unfathomable punishment at the hands of not only his kin, but the gods themselves.He sat on the floor and closed his eyes, meditating on the floral scent of Soma’s skin, her touch as soft as a fan made of petals. The thought made his hair stand on end, each nerve ending readying itself to experience the euphoria of her lovemaking. He heard his door slide open, and she was there, looking radiant and demure in her new gift from Lord Shingen; a white silk kimono, reminiscent of her wedding garb those many weeks ago. Dangling from her wrist were his enamelled silver bangles. She smiled at him, and the tension immediately melted from his features, though inside he felt restless and paranoid. “You can’t come sneaking in anymore, Soma,” he said, standing to greet her. “You’ll have to start knocking like the other servants.” “My apologies,” her small voice echoed at him through the large room. “Milord…” “Yes, you’ll call me that from now on, always,” he continued. She raised her eyebrows at him. “Is everything okay, Lord Yukimura?” He realized how strange he must be behaving. Truthfully, he was in a bit of a panic over what Kojuro had said to him. He could not tell Soma what had happened; it might sabotage the success of their mission. If she failed to please the Oshu lord, he was certain that it would be he who was ultimately punished. “I’ve decided that we will both go to Oshu,” he deliberated, and attempted to reassure her with a smile. Trusting him, she mirrored his look. “And when we are done I will take you to my home to ask my father for his permission to marry.” “Would that… Please you, milord?” She asked him, her eyes wide. He could not tell if she was excited or terrified by his resolution. “I want to do right by you, Soma,” he said, his voice breaking. He had not felt this bashful around her in a while. “I will be the man you need.” “Ah…” “That being said,” he went on, and cleared his throat. He turned away from her, unable to look at her face as he rounded off his point. “Do what you must to please the Oshu lord. I’m counting on you.” Soma could not think as she rushed away down the hall. She could not even breathe. She could only envision Yukimura’s uncharacteristically cold silhouette bidding her leave. She entered her room and barred the door closed behind her. Overwhelmed, she dropped to her knees. Unsure if Yukimura’s proposal of marriage was even genuine, she wondered if it was in reaction to seeing how Lord Shingen favoured her, or how much time she was spending with Lord Kojuro. She could not imagine that it was Saizo’s suggestion. Whatever the case, she felt confused. She did not know the young lord could marry at all, let alone a commoner. Perhaps it was just lip service to keep her happy.Should I be happy? She wondered. I should be happy… “You should be happy,” Kansuke’s calm voice came from behind her. “Do you spy on my thoughts, too, Kansuke-san?” She asked without looking back at him. She sensed the man’s posture tense. “What?” He muttered. He slinked around so that he was standing in front of her. He appeared satisfied with all that had transpired, boasting a proud look. “Isn’t this what you wanted, poison taster?” “I don’t know…” She said, not that it was any of his business. “If only I hadn’t been discovered, I…” She trailed off when she noticed the man grinning down at her. It was a strange thing, awkward and slightly sinister without completely meaning to be so. An experienced shinobi, Kansuke likely found her antics laughable. He only helped her for the sake of his master’s poor health, and she doubted there was much else to it. “Well, then I suppose it serves you right, doesn’t it?” She felt compelled to agree. She used Kojuro’s evening tea as an excuse to apologize for her strange behaviour earlier that day. What happened in the great hall was not his fault; she adored his company and hoped that she would get to visit his lands ever since she first heard him speak of them.When he bid her to enter, she saw that Lord Shigezane was with him, and they were looking over some documents together at his writing desk. She quickly apologized for the intrusion, but he raised his hand and motioned for his friend to leave them alone. Shigezane left them to their privacy with a knowing look in Kojuro’s direction.He made room for her tray on his desk. She felt his sapient gaze as she proceeded to offer him a deep bow, pressing her forehead to the floor in reverence. She heard him click disapprovingly from overhead, but she remembered Yukimura’s staunch orders to do as she must to please him. “I am very sorry, Lord Kojuro,” she announced when she rose. He appeared bewildered by her formality. “Whatever for, precious girl?” He asked. She could see it in his eyes; he had no idea what she was on about. “I wish to apologize for my behaviour earlier, milord,” she explained. “My words were not founded in truth. Please forgive my insolence.” “But of course, Soma,” Kojuro said. “Does that mean you’ll be coming with us, after all? I’m glad.” “And what’s more,” she continued. “My master has offered the full use of my services. Please let me know if there is anything at all I can do for you, milord.” Kojuro’s breath hitched in his throat. He wondered if Yukimura’s offer of ‘anything goes’ with his favourite servant was a bid to absolve himself. Whatever the case, he would try not to make the young man regret it. “Thank you, precious girl,” he said, and hid a sly smile behind his sleeve. “And many thanks to our generous Lord Yukimura.” He inhaled the familiar steam from his favourite cup before taking a grateful draw from it. She brought him some mochi as well, filled with azuki paste. He picked one up and shoved it into his mouth, sucking the spillover from his thumb like a greedy child. She truly spoiled him; but she spoiled everyone in turn. At this moment, however, the only thing that mattered was that it was his turn. “You’ll really do whatever I ask?” He teased, unbelieving that she truly understood the position she had been put in. “Yes, milord,” she quickly confirmed, trusting as a lamb. “You’ll sleep with me tonight, then,” he resolved, seriously. Sex was unbelievably the furthest thing from his mind while he thought about the clever lesson he would teach her. Not expecting this type of request, she turned as red as one of the embers from his pipe. She set down her teapot and sat back on her haunches, looking him over like she was deliberating whether or not to even obey his command. “Of course, milord,” she said, finally. She shrugged as if to wonder to herself why the thought of sleeping with him should bother her at all, and he could not help but to somewhat admire her resolve. She looked at him with her dark eyes, and he once again saw the promise of a thousand secret desires burning behind them, predatory and hot. He gulped, and her ivory teeth peeked out at him from between her soft lips in a deceptively shy grin. She did not know why she was so nervous. She had been bedded by a man a number of times, more than could be counted on one hand. Realistically, Kojuro was simply a new body to learn, a living landscape opened up to her adventuring curiosity. He was also dashing, and smart; and he adored her. As Yukimura insisted, it would be wrong of her at this point to deny the lord from Oshu anything. He gaped at her at first like he was not expecting to see her return to his bedchamber in her thin sleeping robe. She did not know what else to wear.Is he nervous? She wondered. She did not understand how a man of his intellect could ever be made nervous by an idea of his own design. Kojuro was nervous. Thinking earlier that it was clever to accept the offer in jest, he was now only reminded of how she looked when he went knocking on her door the first time. Her robe was bound tightly, accentuating her figure. Her breasts strained against the thin fabric, and the outlines of her nipples could be seen through it, as well. He felt very conflicted as she approached him now, after becoming his student and friend.She climbed into the bed with him and lay on her back. He gazed down at her and felt his face grow hot. She was so warm and soft that his arms naturally found their place around the curves of her body. He felt her hands drift upward to settle on the middle of his back between his shoulder blades. Even as a simple hug, innocent enough, her touch felt exquisite. He inhaled purposefully, long and slow. “Well, good night, precious girl,” he said quietly into her hair. He felt her body tense up beneath him, and he gloated internally at his successful deception. The girl needed to be taught a lesson; and if no one else was going to at least warn her of the unrelenting opportunism of men, he would. “M-milord…?” “I asked you to sleep with me,” he said with a wink and a disciplinary wag of his finger. “You should be more care-“ Before he could ironically lecture her further on the value of her modesty, he was thrown onto his back, overtaken with a deft tackle move. When his vision adjusted he saw that she was straddling his lap, her sleeping robe opened to reveal the shapely breasts it once hid. She looked strangely determined; even slightly angry, as though she did not appreciate being made fun of. He supposed he was being cruel with his teasing, but he presumed not having to lay with him would be a thing of relief. This was apparently not so.Their privates aligned in their position, she began to rock her body on top of his without breaking his gaze. His lips issued a quiet moan as he passively relented to her ministration, at first. Her fingers clawed at the front of him, and dug into his chest to gain some leverage while she moved sensuously over him. His own fingers wandered cautiously up her torso to massage her breasts. The soft flesh gave way to his exploration, and he quickly tore off her robe to remove any obstacle preventing his touch. His eyes deviated from hers to take in her naked form, and as though this excited her, she shuddered under his gaze. She was young, and taut; and beautiful. Her skin was aglow in the light of the moon, a stunning backdrop for a tendril of soft, black hair that had fallen out of her bun to dangle seductively over one shoulder. She smiled down at him, fully aware that she was exposed; accepting of her own sexuality, and of his, as well.He impulsively thrust upward, and she threw her head back in ecstasy. “Careful, precious girl…” He grunted, knowing he could break the silly kitchen maid if he wanted to. This was too much, too soon. He grabbed her and wrestled her back down beneath him. Soma took in Kojuro’s defined muscles while he shifted off his own clothes and threw them defiantly away. His body appeared much stronger close up. Scars marked him here and there, and she remembered the hardened warrior he truly was, despite all his poetry. His hair fell messily over his face, and he tossed his head back to get it out of the way. It was unintentionally sexy, like how he pouted when he was displeased; with his arms crossed over his chest as though he was protecting his heart from being broken.He silently lowered himself so that his face was between her legs, kissing her thighs and hips before settling himself into place there. Suddenly shy, she tried to wriggle away, but he held her fast. He affixed his mouth to the flesh below her mound, and she shook in pleasure. She felt blessed that the man knew of her weakness, then recalled seeing a copy of the Lover’s Guide among his books. Each movement deliberate and intuitive, he had her on the edge within minutes. She reached down to grasp his hair. He met her gaze and she saw the corners of his mouth turn up in a coy smile. He seemed to savour her with each pass of his tongue, as if she tasted like the oshiruko he so enjoyed.He made her climax several times this way, as waves of delicious pleasure shot through her system until her body was practically exhausted from the stimulus. Satisfied with his work, he adjusted himself so that he hovered over her. He did not penetrate her as she thought he might, instead opting to meet her in a passionate kiss. He never left her kiss, even when he began to pleasure himself. He only finally broke from her lips to expel such a growl as to make her think that his soul was leaving his body. She looked down to see his ample phallus twitch excitedly, overflowing with hot seed that trickled downward into the crevice of her bellybutton. He slumped down on the bed beside her and reached into the darkness. He turned towards her and gently kissed along her jawline while carefully mopping up his ejaculate from her skin with a cloth. She looked on in awe. The man’s generous offering nearly matched his generous proportions. It made her feel strange to think on it, but she was reminded of Yukimura’s own virility. “My apologies…” Kojuro chuckled. “It’s been a while.” He slid his arms around her torso and hummed happily, exactly where he wanted to be. Their naked bodies entwined perfectly like two halves of a puzzle. He held her tight and watched her sleep for a long time, thinking about what he had almost allowed to happen between them. In the end, he could not bring himself to take her. Shigezane was right to call him out on it before. He did love her; but she was not his to love. The next morning, he awoke to find her gone. He wondered for a moment if perhaps he had simply imagined their tryst in some stupor, but then smelled her aroma on his own body. He looked to the foot of the bed and saw a bundle of flowers there; small clusters of purple blooms on long, green branches. He was no stranger to the kinds of games shinobi played. Someone had their eye on her and wanted him to know it.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Date Masamune paced the length of his dais impatiently, his retainers obligingly silent as they awaited the arrival of Katakura Kojuro and the party from Kai. He was grateful that Kojuro was coming back; his mother insisted that she remain by his side in his stead and he could not bear to be near the viperous woman, let alone for a whole month.He finally heard footsteps coming down the corridor towards the great hall. The party was announced and led into the room, and he quickly attempted to regain his composure. Each member arranged themselves in a lineup before the young daimyo, and bowed to him on their hands and knees. He still was not used to this, and bid them rise almost immediately. He saw Yukimura among the visitors, and gave him a taunting look that caused him visible distress. His eye then drifted to the girl kneeling at his side. She was perhaps his age, and quite striking, dressed in a fine kimono worthy of a top geisha. He tilted his head, moving his hair over his eyepatch in order to obscure it. “Welcome back, Kojuro,” he announced. This one seemed refreshed, and he had hoped the man would benefit from a little holiday. “You’ve brought the people I requested… Except old Takeda Shingen, I see.” “Yes, milord,” Kojuro replied, offering an apologetic look. “Lord Shingen extends his spear when his hand cannot reach, milord,” Yukimura offered, lowering himself once again to the ground. “Yes, yes, Yukimura; I suppose you’ll do,” Masamune said, rolling his eye. His brashness was making the girl uncomfortable. “Tell me... Who is this with you?” As though the young lord had just remembered that she was with him, he raked his hand through his hair, embarrassed. Masamune always suspected that the wrong Sanada brother was put in place as Shingen’s general, but better this than to have him as heir. Yukimura turned toward her, and prompted her to introduce herself. She appeared somewhat bashful at having been addressed. She looked first to Kojuro for reassurance before speaking, who nodded to her and smiled. Masamune’s curiosity was further piqued. “My name is Soma, Lord Masamune,” she said, lowering herself into the same self-deprecating pose his rival had. She rose and met his gaze, her dark eyes kind and alluring. “I am personal attendant to Lord Yukimura. It is a great honour to meet you, milord.” “Is that so?” He muttered, but sensed that the sentiment was genuine. “You are often in the the company of great men, I suppose? You must have some stories.” “I suppose so, milord...” He wondered what sort of gossip he might draw from her. He assumed Kojuro had already exhausted her with questions, and he seemed more than satisfied. Still, Masamune saw how his own maids gathered together and tittered away about seemingly nothing. He wanted to know what the maids talked about in Lord Shingen’s house. At the welcoming banquet, Soma and Yukimura sat in a place of honour beside the Lords Masamune and Kojuro. These two leaned closely together and spoke quietly throughout dinner. Soma witnessed many dishes offered to the two of them, only to be taken away again after remaining untouched by their appetites. She realized that they were avoiding poison, just as Takeda Shingen had before she arrived. After dinner, the hosts excused themselves and left the hall. Soma watched as Yukimura and Lord Shigezane locked hands and began to arm wrestle, and she snuck away quietly. She noticed Kojuro’s blue haori sail along behind him out of the building into the night, and she pursued. She thought she was keeping pace, but once she reached the back of the castle, she had lost him, and became disoriented in the dark. She mouthed a curse, and paused to allow her eyes more time to adjust.She noticed a structure nearby; a kind of hunting shack where a hearth burned, as though someone was living there. She decided to approach it in case there was a servant inside who could help her find her way back to the dining hall. She assumed they were cooking something, as a food smell was emanating from within. It was sadly not very appetizing. Upon taking her first step in its direction she looked up and saw a tall figure looming over her, his sword notched out of its sheath at the ready to be drawn. She gasped, and her assailant covered her mouth with one hand before she could scream. “Soma?” Kojuro’s deep voice whispered in the dark. He lowered his hand, and she rushed into his arms, relieved that it was only him. A box of firelight framed the couple as the door of the shack creaked open and Date Masamune stuck his head outside. He peered at them curiously from the threshold, his eyebrows raised as if he had discovered some scandalous thing. He then shot Kojuro a playful look that told of their closeness as friends. Kojuro cleared his throat, and motioned for Soma to follow him inside before anyone else spotted them. “What are you doing sneaking about, precious girl?” He scolded her gently. She felt Lord Masamune’s curious eye on her. The daimyo was not at all the terror people described. He was beautiful and lithe, though perhaps also a little sullen. A swoop of blackish bangs was styled over his eyepatch in an attempt to hide it, and his other eye was a striking green. Had Soma not known better, she would have guessed that he was related to Katakura Kojuro instead of Date Shigezane, who looked nothing like either of them. “I’m so sorry for intruding, milords,” she tried to explain herself. “I feared that you might be going hungry…” “Soma, is it?” Masamune piped up, and she confirmed this. “What would you say if I told you that nothing offered to me is safe anymore? That it’s all being poisoned…” “How long has this been going on, milord?” She asked, finding it somewhat difficult to believe that someone so young was being preyed upon in such a way. “A few weeks now,” he replied with a disturbing calm. He was at least a year or two younger than she, but he behaved as though he had remembered a hundred lives. “Ever since Kojuro left. I don’t think it’s my mother this time, either.” “By the gods…” She gasped, then remembered that this was the same doting mother who had his eye plucked out when he was still just a child. Kojuro suddenly became very aware of the strange smell coming from the the hearth. He rushed to it, and opened a pot lid to check its contents. Soma went to his side and saw that the rice was severely overcooked, clinging in a thick gloop along the sides of the cooking vessel. She grabbed a spoon and asked him if it was alright for her to try it. He reluctantly agreed.She ate a bit of it, and quickly covered her mouth to prevent herself from spitting it across the floor. The lords both winced at once in reaction to her show of displeasure. The rice was salty. Very salty. Kojuro offered her a cup of sake. She downed it in one go, which elicited an impressed sound from both men. “If you think this is bad,” Masamune said. “I had to fend for myself while Kojuro was away.” “I thought you were looking thinner, milord,” Kojuro fretted, now lamenting his absence on top of his shoddy cooking skills. “I’m glad you got away for a while, Kojuro,” Masamune consoled him, and trailed his good eye along the entire length of the woman. “And that you brought some happiness back with you. You deserve it more than any man I know.” “Let me see what I can do, milords,” Soma quickly redirected the topic, embarrassed. She then went to work on trying to recover Kojuro’s failed meal. It took a bit of time, but his droopy rice became a hearty porridge rich with meat and vegetables. Kojuro watched her, taking mental notes. Masamune watched them both. He seemed slightly bewildered by the attention Kojuro paid his new companion. Soma guessed that it was uncommon for Kojuro to form these kinds of attachments.She doled out her offering into bowls and passed them around. Neither lord made a move to take a bite, staring at her expectantly instead. She was already full from dinner, but decided that she would play the role of poison taster one last time. She took a spoonful, and was surprised by how well it turned out. “It’s fine,” she reassured them. “Not bad at all, actually.” The men finally began to eat, and Masamune had his portion finished in no time. His advisor tried to relieve him of his empty bowl, but the young daimyo nearly pushed him over as he went in for another helping.She offered to take over as Masamune’s personal cook while she was staying with them. They made her promise to keep the existence of their secret kitchen from the other servants. The young daimyo suggested that the best way to ensure this would be to prevent Soma from mingling with them. Kojuro offered to have her stay at his home for the time being, and simply come to the castle with him every day. She was apprehensive, and wondered how she should ask Lord Yukimura for permission. Masamune on the other hand was simply happy to be able to eat well once again. “Ugh! Take him with you!” He grunted, making a shooing motion with one hand. Soma gestured to Kojuro questioningly. He just shrugged and smiled at her in his usual way, his gentle eyes crinkling at the corners. She left to inform Yukimura of their new lodging situation. The young lord quickly balked at their plan, not quite drunk enough to forgo his pride. “If I am to be hosted by Date Masamune, I intend to receive his full hospitality,” he stubbornly refuted. “You do as you must.” “But milord,” Soma dared to protest, even though she knew how hard-headed her friend was. “Lord Kojuro doesn’t reside on the castle grounds! I won’t be able to respond to you as quickly…” “Do as you must,” he repeated, becoming impatient. She had never seen him like this before. A lump gathered in her throat but she did not want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She simply bowed in compliance and bid him good night. She quickly reported back to Masamune and Kojuro about his decision, thankful to have a brief walk back through the grounds to cool down.The young daimyo was not pleased by her news, and stormed off to give Yukimura a piece of his mind. Kojuro made a move to go after him but stopped himself and heaved a tired sigh. Not one to dwell on things, she supposed, he busied himself with tidying up. She noted that he seemed more willing to clean Masamune’s messes than his own. When they were finished, it was quite late, and he suggested that they take their leave before they were witness to a brawl between their respective employers.She followed him out of the castle gates. His estate was several minutes away on foot; but a moonlit walk promised no danger to her with a samurai by her side. At midpoint, their hands grazed each other and she impulsively took his arm. It was dark and she felt comforted by his closeness. When they reached their destination, he led her inside. Waiting for them was Bontenmaru, expecting a snack. “Hello, old friend,” Kojuro greeted him with a happy smile. He retrieved a bundle of mustard greens from his sleeve and laid it out at the animal’s feet, as if only that would grant them access to the house. Sure enough, once appeased, Bontenmaru grabbed the offering in his beak and slowly moved away. “Are you tired?” The lord asked her, helping her over the threshold. “I’m going to try to do some work in my study, but my bed is just through there. I’m afraid I’m not accustomed to having guests.” “I’ll sit up with you, milord…” She suggested, unsure of his intentions. Kojuro cocked one of his knowing half-grins. “Let’s make some tea, then.” He sat at his desk with his ledger, looking over his accounts. Some of the farmers had not paid their taxes, and he would need to visit them soon. He disliked having to do this, as he respected the effort it took to keep land thriving, and knew also that the harvests sometimes differed greatly in yield from year to year. It was also terrible timing, as there was an assassin who had taken his absence as an opportunity to move into the castle. He found it funny that nothing like this ever seemed to happen while he was around, and almost wished he had not gone at all. He looked up briefly from his papers and saw Soma peering down at Bontenmaru, who was resting his head in his new favourite place on her lap. He smiled and felt renewed by the adorable sight, deciding that his trip had in fact been a good idea after all.Several hours passed, or so he guessed, as his teapot was bone dry. Soma had fallen asleep while still so diligently seated in the corner of the room waiting for him to finish his work. He sighed, remembering that she would eventually need to leave him. He was already planning to write to her. After all, she needed to practice her kanji. He stood and approached her quietly so as not to wake her. He grazed his fingers across her cheek, and tucked a bit of hair behind her ear. He bent down and picked her up. She instinctively snuggled into his chest. He carried her to his bed, and set her down gently. His night was better spent watching over her than going back to work. Preferring his solitude, he had no servants, nor guards; he would feel terribly if something were to happen to her while she was there, and cursed himself for not thinking of this before inviting her to stay at his home. He resolved to have a pair of guards come from the castle the next day. Saizo and Hanzo looked down on Yonezawa Castle from a high treetop. The former wondered what the latter was doing there, but did not care enough to ask. A much-needed summer storm was trying to break the strange humidity that hung tenaciously in the air, and rain began to drizzle steadily downward. “She is not in there,” Hanzo said, finally. “She is at Katakura Kojuro’s house.” He pointed to a stately shoin-zukuri outside of the castle walls. Saizo knew that it was rare for a samurai to own property, and acknowledged the man’s lofty status. “Thanks for the tip.” He dismissed Hanzo with an impersonal wave of his hand, and dashed away into the night. He wondered if his old rival took pleasure in another man being with his woman the same way he took pleasure in the rain. He snuck up to the dwelling. No guards stood about; anyone could simply come inside at will. He supposed that people respected Kojuro enough to leave him be in his own home. He imagined, though, that the consequences for not doing so were dire. He slinked past the sleeping tortoise Bontenmaru, and thought him an odd sort of pet for such an exalted samurai. He peered around the corner into the master bedroom and was immediately grounded by Kojuro’s piercing jade stare. He was sitting beside the bed where Soma slept soundly, keeping watch. “I thought I sensed a ghost sneaking about tonight,” he said quietly, careful not to wake his houseguest. Saizo stepped out of his hiding place and removed his mask. “I did not expect such a learned man to start talking about ghosts,” he teased. Kojuro appeared flattered, and offered him a smile before looking over to the sword propped against the wall beside him. “You above all others should believe in them.” Saizo anticipated that it would take a man of great intelligence to best Katakura Kojuro in a battle of words, but he was more a man of action. “Get that katana if it pleases you,” he suggested. “An intruder with ill intent would already be without his head,” Kojuro boasted with an admirable coolness. “What pleases you, Lord Saizo?” The shinobi paused at this misdirection of formality. Reminded of the man’s admiration, he had to wonder if his intentions were anything at all like his late admirer Fuma Kotaro’s. “That woman pleases me,” he replied. For some reason, this seemed to relieve Kojuro. “Are you tired from your journey?” He asked. “You may stay here, too, if you like. It would be my honour to host you.” Saizo looked tired. Drenched from the rain, he appeared disoriented and weakened, like he had been awake for days. Kojuro wondered if the man was ill, or had been injured. Whatever the case, it was troubling to see him in this state.He stood, and Saizo backed away from him, cautiously. He held his hands out in an attempt to show that he meant him no harm. He retrieved some dry clothes from his wardrobe and handed them over with a kind look, in hopes that the man would accept his hospitality. They were allies now, after all.Apparently not at all shy, Saizo disrobed in front of him without a second thought. As he peeled the wet clothing off of his body, he revealed a slender, but well-defined build. His skin was pale and amazingly free of imperfections, like a porcelain statue. Kojuro could not help but to appreciate the younger man’s grace. He imagined those he killed felt the same way in their last moments; entranced by Saizo’s androgynous beauty, their lives at least ended on a pleasurable note. The shinobi was untameable and beautiful, like a living god from some old folktale. “Hmph…” He muttered, suddenly unable to meet Kojuro’s gaze. “Has really no man shown you kindness?” “Are you kidding?” Saizo scoffed, suddenly totally in control of himself. His eyes scanned the room, memorizing, calculating. “Let me get you a drink.” Kojuro stooped down to gather the wet clothes off of the floor, and Saizo backed away from him once again. He went to the hearth and hung the items up to dry, taking care to remove any hidden objects so they would not be damaged from the heat of the fire. Unsurprisingly, there were a few herbs and tonics hidden in the folds of the garments, most of which he was pleased to recognize as medicines. Among the them was a woman’s hair comb, worn slightly with age; perhaps some kind of keepsake. He assumed Saizo would be watching him, but when he looked up, he was staring absently at the bed. He did not dare push his luck, and promptly re-bundled the items in a dry cloth.He brought them some sake to share, and Saizo sniffed his cup out of habit. Kojuro decided that it was useless to try to convince him that he was safe, but he could not take it personally. Saizo’s defences were up constantly out of vigilance; a sensible paranoia that was the result of his dangerous occupation. “Most people are afraid of ghosts…” He muttered as he drank. “I have faced many in my age,” Kojuro said. “Have you faced yours yet, Saizo?” The other man remained silent, and helped himself to more sake. Kojuro watched his throat bob up and down as he swallowed, and saw the discipline in his every movement, even in his pulse. Saizo was a godless machine. He was fuelled by diligence and duty, possessing no desires of his own; save for one. “Is she not allowed at the castle?” He asked. His amber eyes flashed inquisitively. “Quite the contrary,” Kojuro assured him. “There is a poisoner running amok and I thought it would be safer-“ “The little lady knows her way around a kitchen,” Saizo interrupted him. “She can flush out your assassin.” “I have considered using her for this purpose,” Kojuro admitted. “But I don’t want to put her in any danger.” “She is not incapable. I think she might even enjoy it.” “You would put her life on the line after leaving those skyflowers at my feet?” The lord asked him, pointedly. He appeared confused by his statement, and Kojuro realized that he would have been in Iga at the time of the incident. Embarrassed, he apologized, but the other man said nothing. There was, however, much activity going on behind his fox eyes. Saizo wondered if Hattori Hanzo was the one intent on poisoning the young daimyo, having seen him in the vicinity only a few minutes before. The Tokugawa would not be pleased to learn of the alliance between the Date and Takeda clans, and likely sent someone to put a kink in things. Hanzo would be a natural candidate for this type of mission; it would not be the first time he had done murder in this way. He also wondered if he knew who was the one behind the message for Kojuro, and resolved to ask him later. “Mm… Saizo-sensei…” Soma’s soft voice mumbled nearby. She stirred slightly, still asleep. “Forgive me…” Kojuro said to him. “But you are lovers, are you not?” “We first met as children,” he revealed, and Kojuro leaned forward in his seat, perhaps expecting to hear some grand love story. He would be disappointed. “She should never have gone to Kai in her brother’s place.” “And that’s it, is it? You regret everything…” It was a presumptuous one, but he had to seriously think about Kojuro’s statement. Though it was true that they cared for each other, and had what some might describe as a serendipitous reunion after many years, their relationship was doomed from the start. He could never be the man she truly deserved, and she was now bound to share his fate because of those who employed them. “She will never be able to go back to her old life now,” he tried to clarify. “I regret that.” “If I may ask…” Kojuro began, and Saizo nodded. “How did she come to serve the young lord Yukimura? Did Shingen gift her to him, or…?” “No,” he snorted, remembering with jocularity all of the times the daimyo of Kai had unsuccessfully tried to introduce his superstitious friend to women. “The little lord cares for her in my absence. I have known him for many years. He is as my own flesh.” “That sounds complicated…” “Not really,” Saizo refuted with a shrug. “Though I do wish I could have her as my own little wifey someday. Maybe when I retire she will agree to come away with me to the continent.” Kojuro recognized the sarcasm in his statement immediately, and barely managed to choke back a laugh. Both knew there was no retirement for a shinobi save for his own death. Saizo grinned. He was beginning to like this Oshu lord. “I must tell you…” The latter sighed, once again with an embarrassed hesitation. Saizo unwittingly tensed. “The lord Yukimura offered her for my pleasure.” “Did he, now…” He said, feeling a little vexed. That was not part of their deal. “So… Did you fuck her?” Kojuro, in the middle of taking a drink, nearly spat at Saizo’s blunt statement. Wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, he suddenly became entranced by his now blood-red eyes. He could not even think of what to say except for what formed on his lips, of their own accord. “I did not,” he replied. Thankfully, that was all Saizo seemed to care about, and the throbbing sensation in his temples ceased. What I wouldn’t give to have that ability during tax season, he thought. “Hmph,” Saizo grunted, and took another drink. “You surprise me, Katakura Kojuro. My sources described you as a less sensitive fellow.” “Is that so?” He chuckled, and shook his head. “That life does get old after a while, doesn’t it?” “It certainly does.” Their bottle of sake finished, Saizo’s interest in conversation appeared to wane, and Kojuro stood to take his leave. He motioned for the other man to remain seated. “I have work to do in my study,” he said, and offered him a slight bow. “Rest well.” As he shut the door behind him, he caught a glimpse of Saizo approaching the bed, and knew immediately what would happen next. Sure enough, as he settled into his study, soft moans could be heard from the other room. Soma’s sensuous voice peaked at brief intervals in a rapture unlike anything he had ever heard. He began to feel somewhat bitter about his situation, but quickly silenced these thoughts by lighting his pipe and burying himself in his work. The next morning, he awoke slumped over on his desk. He noticed that his copy of the Lover’s Guide had been placed there in a way that he would see it. It was newly autographed, the ink still somewhat damp.Sniffling, now, came from the other room. Soma was crying. He instinctively went to her. He knocked on the door, and a silence fell over the house that was almost deafening in its sobriety. She told him to enter.The woman sat half-dressed on his bed, closing her sleeping robe around herself in a distractingly unsuccessful manner. She was visibly distressed, holding a piece of paper in one hand. Tension made her clench the note so tightly that it fanned where it stuck out at either side of her little fist. “Are you alright, precious girl?” “My apologies, milord,” she said quietly. “I am fine. Will Lord Masamune be wanting breakfast?” “Er… Yes,” Kojuro confirmed, sensing that she was begging for a distraction. “I will wait for you to get ready and then we will go.” “Yes, milord.” “We had a visitor last night after you fell asleep,” he mentioned casually on their walk. Soma nearly choked after she heard his words, eliciting strange looks from an elderly couple who passed them on the road. Kojuro patted her on the back and offered the people a pleasant wave. “Saizo…!” She hissed, her face turning shades. “Good, you did see him,” he said. He looked over at her and she had her eyes straight ahead in determination. His face grew hot instantly at the memory of her sitting on top of him with that same look, once. “I doubt we will be seeing any more of him, milord,” she said, her voice a little shaky. “Oh…?” He muttered. After the kind words Saizo had said about her the night before, this was the last thing he expected to hear. Still, he somehow doubted that this was the end of her wayward shinobi. Soma felt Kojuro’s touch on her shoulder, and soon found herself wrapped in his long arms. Fearful that someone might see them, however, she pulled away and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. He surprisingly did not seem as concerned with appearances as she. “Thank you, milord,” she sighed. “I will carry on.” “Good,” he said, and patted her on the head. She appreciated that he was not going to let her dwell on things. “I need you to be strong.” She listened intently as he explained what he wanted her to do. The mission went against their initial plan to have her avoid the other servants, and so she would need to act quickly in order not to draw too much attention to herself. As it stood, she only had a few days to identify the would-be assassin before she and Yukimura were scheduled to leave.She decided that she once again don the costume of a boy, as the other servants would surely be able to identify her after having served her at the banquet. Kojuro was a bit skeptical, but when they arrived at the castle Yukimura was more than willing to endorse the woman’s shapeshifting ability. “Really,” he said to Kojuro and the Date lords while Soma changed. “I had no idea she was a she!” “You wouldn’t, would you?” Masamune muttered, and Kojuro clicked at him disapprovingly. “Come on, he was asking for it.” Before Yukimura could retort, Soma emerged from behind the screen. She had bound her bosom, and arranged her hair in a simple topknot, a kerchief belted across her forehead. She chose long sleeves in order to hide her thin wrists, her baggy tunic and hakama masking her voluptuous figure. It was in immense contrast to the lovely girl who first disappeared behind the screen.The men all stared at her for a moment, frozen in position. Both Yukimura and Kojuro coughed, and immediately looked at each other. “Wow, that’s confusing,” Shigezane said, obviously sensing the strange tension among the others. “I can’t say I’d throw either of you out of bed, either, Soma doll!” “Um, thank you, milord,” she replied, and offered them a bow. “Please call me Yahiko from now on.” Masamune watched this scene unfold from a comfortable, seated position on the floor, newly interested in the idiot lord’s adorable servant. Surely, Yukimura could not be having relations with her, because he was bound by a vow of chastity. Kojuro, on the other hand, seemed rather fond of her, and he had no such barrier.Is she Koju-san’s girlfriend? He mused to himself, and scoffed internally. There was no way his mentor would pursue a woman of such low status. He then remembered how her dark eyes beckoned him when they first met. She was stunning, her silk kimono draping around her like she was the centre of a flower. Looking at her now, he was equally drawn in by those dark eyes. “Ya-hi-ko…” He rolled the name around his mouth, getting accustomed to it. “Is that your brother’s name?” “Yes, milord,” she confirmed. A twinge of pain struck her expression as she remembered the family she was missing. “Is he my age?” He asked, and felt the others’ eyes on him. “No, milord,” she replied. “He is a few years younger, I believe.” “Good.” He was forced to assume the dais after the sudden death of his father, but at no other point in time did he care as much about being perceived as a grown man than when she looked on him. Soma, as Yahiko, was introduced to the kitchen staff of the castle. The small group of women smiled at her and whispered to each other behind their sleeves. She guessed that it was a rarity for a male to be working alongside them, and wondered if it would have been a wiser choice to remain as herself. Her doubts were soon dashed, however, once the women flocked around her, complimenting her eyes and beautiful hair. One of them said that her lips were the most kissable at Yonezawa Castle, and the others laughed when Soma blushed at this. Being admired as a male by other females was a most peculiar experience. “Are you staying at Lord Kojuro’s house?” A young maid asked while she helped her wash rice. “Yes,” Soma replied. “He has been teaching me to read and write.” “Oh, I see…” The girl looked her over as she said this. “Have you become his wakashu?” Soma had heard the term before; two customers in her family’s restaurant discussed the moral implications of wakashudo one day while she was working. To take on a young male consort was not at all uncommon. The lack of women in the Buddhist monasteries was to blame, one customer said. The other said that if that was the case, there would not be so many noblemen adopting the practice. She could not help but to wonder if Kojuro ever had a wakashu in the past, and that was why the maid so readily adopted this theory as the real reason she was there. “No, no,” she replied, quickly returning her attention to her task. “It’s a favour to my master Lord Yukimura. He asked Lord Kojuro to keep me out of trouble for him.” “Oh, a bad boy, huh?” The girl said. Soma felt her gaze on her body, and she instinctively straightened her back to make her shoulders appear more square. “You’re pretty cute, bad boy.” “Haha, thanks…” Soma replied with an awkward smile. She cringed internally, remembering the times Saizo tried to teach her the Art of Seduction. Thinking herself hopeless, she reasoned that the young maid was just being kind to her. The two stuck together throughout the meal preparation, laughing and talking. Mostly it was the younger girl gossiping about another maid’s affair with a retainer, as well as some other more trivial topics. They were set up in a kind of assembly line, piecing together dishes and sending them out to be served to those in the dining hall. Soma and her new friend were given a stack of bowls to fill with rice and stew. These were then passed off to be piled together on trays and carried away.The trays designated to be served to the higher-ranked retainers and the those seated on the dais were bing prepared, and Soma ended up with the bowls intended for Date Masamune. The other maid immediately paled, and reached out to take them from her. Soma pulled away, and saw her look of almost desperation. “I’ve got this,” Soma insisted as she doled out extra large helpings into each dish. “Yes, it seems so,” the girl replied, then looked off like she was staring at something a thousand miles away. “Is that for the daimyo?” Shigezane asked from the doorway. Soma confirmed this, and handed him the tray. “Thanks, kid. He’s crankier than usual. I figure a full stomach might cure his mood.” He shot her a subtle wink, and she watched him leave the kitchen with the daimyo’s supper. It would be a welcome treat for him to enjoy a meal in his own home, and she felt happy that she could accommodate this somehow. She handled his meal from start to finish; there was no poison in it, unless she had managed to somehow put it in herself. “Lord Shigezane is right,” the maid offered. “Lord Masamune does seem to be in a strange mood lately.” “Well, I heard that there was an assassin lurking about, trying to poison somebody or something,” Soma commented, fishing. The maid nearly dropped the bowl she was preparing, but quickly recovered herself. “Oh, I don’t know anything about that,” she said. Their conversation slowed dramatically after that, and soon it became time for them to be dismissed for the evening. When Soma left, she ran into the same girl outside near the back door where deliveries of goods were typically brought in. She was looking anxiously around her as she fumbled to get her apron off. “Here, let me help you,” Soma offered, forgetting for a moment that she was in disguise as a male. The girl whipped around, and wagged a nagging finger in her face. “What do you think you’re doing, bad boy?” She scolded in jest, suddenly back to the smiling person Soma first met a few hours before. She began to apologize, but the girl silenced her with a laugh and another wag of her finger. “You shouldn’t sneak up on women like that, you know! It would be a shame to have to slap that adorable face of yours!” Soma smiled bashfully and scratched the back of her head, reminiscent of something Yukimura would do. She wondered if she was ever this difficult to speak to. “I just saw you out here and I thought I would say goodbye before I left for the day,” she explained. “Are you waiting for someone?” “As it so happens, I am waiting for my boyfriend,” she said, unnecessarily stressing the last word. “You should probably run off before he sees you talking to me and decides to do something nasty about it.” “Whoa, okay…” Soma muttered, and waved behind her as she walked away. Despite her threat, the other girl smiled and waved back as though nothing had happened. It did not take long for Soma to find Kojuro. She nearly barrelled over in surprise at his sudden appearance as he emerged very casually from behind a shrub. Even though he was quite a tall man, he could apparently blend into the scenery with amazing success. It seemed that he had been watching her interaction with the young kitchen maid. “It looks like you’ve already made a new friend,” he observed with a knowing smile once they were on the road. Soma could only grunt in reply to the lord’s innuendo, tired from her strange day. “What is the matter, precious girl?” “Milord, I have met my share of difficult people,” she said, making a funny face to try to soften her sour mood. Kojuro laughed. “But that girl has two voices living inside her head, and they don’t seem to get along.” “That is Hana,” he explained. “She came to us a couple of years ago, after parents were killed during a raid on the village nearby… Much like what happened to little Sasuke, actually. Being older, however, I fear that her mind was more affected by the incident.” “How terrible…” Soma said, feeling guilty now for her judgment. Hana was obviously doing her best, given her circumstances. While speaking throughout the day with Date Masamune’s servants, it became clear to Soma that they did not respect him; they simply feared him, as most other people did. She thought that any of them might feel motivated to try and poison him. Even she found his frigid, sullen demeanour off-putting, and the rumour surrounding his eye did nothing to help his dark image. Nevertheless, she was on a mission, and had taken note of everything of interest to her while she was there. It was a good thing, too, because the moment they entered his home, Kojuro dove right into his interrogation. “Let us start at the beginning,” he said, gesturing for her to follow him to his study. She looked back towards his room, hoping she would get to at least wash up and change her clothing first. It would not be so. “What should I say, milord?” She began to protest, and Kojuro gave her an impatient look. “I spent most of my time with that girl… She was even getting a little cross with me by the time we were serving supper.” “Cross, how?” He asked. Having taken a seat at his desk, he leaned forward as he anticipated her answer. She shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know… I tried to bait her with gossip about the assassin, and she went all quiet. I think I upset her.” “How were the other servants behaving?” He pressed on. “Fine, nothing unusual… But they all think the young daimyo is possessed by a demon, or some such thing.” “I have heard this, as well,” he replied, and rolled his eyes as she had at this silly rumour. “Who was Hana waiting for outside?” “Oh,” Soma could not help but to chuckle at the recollection. “Her boyfriend, milord.” “What is funny?” He asked her, a reciprocal smile forming on his handsome mouth. “I believe her exact words were; you should probably run off before he sees you talking to me and decides to do something nasty about it.” “Oh dear,” He chortled, hiding a smile behind his hand. “Something nasty, eh…?” “That’s right, milord.” “I have a good idea,” he stated, finally. “Try to find out who this boyfriend is.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“I heard you left Katakura Kojuro a present,” Saizo’s raspy voice came from every direction as it approached. Hattori Hanzo said nothing, and instead assumed a defensive stance. “You’re not helping your case any, you know.” “The message was from Maeda Toshiie,” Hanzo relented, finally. “You remember him.” “Inuchiyo…” Saizo muttered as he made some connections. “When did you become his errand boy?” “It seems we both followed you to Nagoya. He approached me there and hired me to watch over your woman,” he explained, and Saizo gave a defiant scoff. “He is a lord, now. Heir to his clan, if I’m not mistaken. It seems that being your babysitter is finally paying off, Saizo.” “He thinks he can just walk right back into her life after…” Saizo muttered, ignoring his rival’s attempt at humour. He trailed off, as though he did not wish to believe whatever deduction he was coming to. “I don’t know about any of that,” Hanzo shrugged, but thought it sweet that Saizo was jealous. “He seems to think she is in danger. He wants her returned to her family.” “Does he know that you tried to make me kill her?” Saizo retorted, coldly. He was right behind him now. He turned around and saw a pair of blood-red eyes staring him down, almost predatorily. Saizo’s strange appearance was always imposing, to say the least. Stepping into the light of the moon, however, he seemed more sickly than usual. Dark circles framed the glowing red eyes, and Hanzo could not help but to gasp slightly at the sight of him.He answered earnestly that he had mentioned nothing to Maeda Toshiie about him, and had yet to even report back to the lord since she arrived at Yonezawa Castle. He also tried to calm Saizo’s rage by explaining that as he saw it, she was safer where she was, considering the current political climate in Kyoto. At any rate, there were much more pressing matters at hand. “Saizo… I heard that the elders are considering cutting ties with the Sanada Clan soon.” “I know. I’m going there now,” he replied, and looked away. “I have told the little lady not to expect my return this time.” “Oh…?” Hanzo muttered, surprised. “I am sorry to hear that.” “Thanks,” Saizo grunted, and handed him a small collection of objects wrapped in a silk kerchief. “When you see Maeda Toshiie again, give him this. Tell him to do the right thing for once.” Hanzo unfolded the bundle, and two broken pieces of an ornate hairpin lay therein. By the time he began to ask him his intentions, he had disappeared. “I will do as you say, old friend,” he said into the darkness. Catching up to Saizo later would be difficult, but as he fingered the gold on his hip from his generous benefactor, he decided to take his chances. With Saizo gone, it was an opportunity to come forward to Soma about his transgression, though he had considered not telling her the truth at all. The room was dark and she was impossibly drunk. But why couldn’t I just stop it? He thought as he approached Katakura Kojuro’s house. Hanzo was in a crisis. He could no longer justify bothering the nice, young woman from Kyoto. He did not really need Maeda Toshiie’s money; watching Soma satisfied another kind of need. He wondered what the Maeda lord might do if he ever found that out. “Hello, Kiyo-kun…” He turned around and felt himself flush immediately. He could barely believe his eyes when Soma offered him a friendly wave, seemingly heedless of her hazardous position. He noticed that she was wearing boys’ clothes, and was taking full advantage of the increased mobility they allowed. “What are you doing, miss?” He asked her. He must have somehow betrayed his trepidation because she gave him a strange look. “I thought the Lord Assassin would have told you that I like to climb trees,” she said with a curt laugh. He frowned, remembering his conversation with Saizo earlier. She waved him over, and he reluctantly joined her. She passed him a bamboo flask, and he could smell sake when he opened it. “I do not really…” He began, then felt hesitant for some reason to admit to her that he typically abstained from alcohol. “You don’t have to,” she said, and reached out to take it back. “Just sit with me, then.” He met her gaze and took a long draw of the liquid until he felt the familiar warmth in his guts. As he pulled the flask away, his mouth involuntarily twisted from the sudden taste, which made her giggle. He took another defiant swig. Kojuro had very good sake in his pantry. She was kind to share it. He smiled, and she gaped at him, astonished. He cleared his throat and relaxed his face again, concerned that he had frightened her. She always made smiling look so natural. “Why are you up here at this hour, miss?” Soma had a good look at the young man beside her. His violet eyes shone like polished jewels in the moonlight. His soft black hair was gathered over one shoulder and fastened with a white, silk cord. He had a gentleness about him that his colleague Kirigakure Saizo conclusively lacked, and his underused smile was nothing short of adorable. “I could ask you the same thing, Kiyo-kun,” she deflected. “Where is the lord Kojuro?” “Busy in his study. I got bored, so I snuck away…” She stopped herself, embarrassed of her behaviour. “You won’t tell anyone, will you?” Hanzo shook his head. He helped himself to her flask again, and she watched his mouth curve sensuously along the edge of the vessel as he drank the remainder of her sake. She was grateful, as she could already hear her own words slur somewhat as she spoke them. “What are you doing here, anyway? Saizo is long gone by now.” “I am here to see you, miss,” he revealed. “I have something to tell you…” “I’m ready…” She said, and took in a gulp of air. The hiccoughs started, immediately. “That night in Kai when you asked if I wanted a kiss…” He began, then paused as if unsure he should proceed. He exhaled, slowly. “I allowed you to believe that I was Saizo.” She had been unable to recall the goings on of that particular evening, but it suddenly all came flooding back. She brought a hand up to her mouth instinctively, realizing that she must have also kissed him elsewhere. She did think it odd at the time that Saizo would have allowed such a thing. He always preferred to be the one in control. “Why didn’t you stop me?” She demanded, more shocked than anything. He looked away. “I…” He hesitated, unsure of himself once again. “I suppose I did not want to.” “Oh…?” She did not expect that answer, having always perceived Hanzo as a rather polite person despite his profession. She gradually recalled his lithe, responsive body, and his beautiful features twisted in pleasure from her unexpected fellatio. His chiseled stomach contracted with each pulse of his orgasm while he held her gently by the hair. She had to admit to herself that she had derived pleasure from it as well. “I am sorry,” he said, looking somber. The burden of this secret had clearly been weighing heavily on him. “Well… Thank you for telling me the truth,” she sighed, simply relieved that he was not there to make another attempt on her life. He seemed surprised that her forgiveness came so easily. “Miss…?” “Did you… enjoy it?” She asked, the sake doing its work. In the moment, she at least wanted to know that it was not her lack of skill that drove Saizo away. “You are a strange woman,” he scoffed, but he seemed more bemused than offended by her frankness. Another weird smile appeared on his face, and he hid it behind his gloved hand. They sat quietly for a few minutes, save for Soma’s uncomfortable hiccoughing. Hanzo thought she was too cute, her personality like a little kite caught in the wind; she stayed up, whichever way she was pushed. He understood why Saizo loved her so. “I don’t think I can get down from here,” she said suddenly, snapping back from a tired spell. He was not sure how she had gotten up there in the first place. “Hold on to me.” He took her in his arms, and she clung to the front of his kimono. He jumped down from the tree branch and landed them safely on the ground. He lowered her to her own feet, and held his arms out on either side of her to prevent her from falling. She must have mistook the gesture for an invitation to embrace because she leaned into his body and rested her face against his chest. Not knowing what else to do, he closed his arms around her. His eyes closed, too, and he could hear the night sounds as crickets hummed in a steady drone. Then, something else; Soma’s heartbeat. As they stood pressed together he could almost feel it. Her body emanated a powerful energy.Saizo will be counting his losses very soon, he thought as he allowed himself a subtle breath of her scent. “I want to see you again,” he said impulsively once they finally parted. She swayed slightly as she passed him, and grabbed his arm to regain her balance. “Whenever you’d like, Hanzo…” He felt his stomach flutter when he heard his real name on her lips. He watched her until she entered the safety of the house. He then climbed silently onto the roof, unbeknownst to the two young retainers standing watch outside. They were too tired to even notice the woman stroll by. He wrapped his cape around himself and lay down to rest for a while. He knew that she would be sleeping right below him, and the thought made him bashful. At the inn near Nagoya he was made to watch as Saizo manipulated her voluptuous body like a craftsman. When he saw her like that again with the Sanada lord, he noticed how contrastingly clumsy this one was in his work. It occurred to him, then, that the Art of Seduction was a skill he could neglect to hone no longer. He was never surprised to find Sasuke usually also spying. He had been the woman’s shadow, too. What a woman for a curious boy to idolize; passionate and real, she promised a love that boasted the same qualities. Hanzo’s body never felt so good as when she had caressed it the night she believed he was her capricious lover. The power she held over his senses was tantalizing. Am I that lonesome? He wondered, and understood that Kojuro’s sake must have done its work on him, as well. Soma woke in the middle of the night and watched silently as Kojuro undressed himself. The dim lantern he had carried in was just enough to define his tall, athletic build. A strange smell had followed him into the room; more incense than tobacco. She wondered if he had been praying. His hair fell about his face as he bent down to fold his clothes neatly. He whipped his head back as he stood, and went to his wardrobe to retrieve his sleeping robe. He slipped the garment over his naked body, and looked towards the bed. She closed her eyes again but it was too late. “Tell me the next time you decide to sneak off, would you?” He said quietly. “My apologies, milord,” she muttered. She must have been gone longer than she thought. “Were you needing of something?” “I cannot help you if I do not know where you are,” he complained as he pulled back the blanket and slumped down beside her. “Do not be so careless with me.” “Lord Kojuro…?” “Imagine what Yukimura would do to me if I let you get hurt,” he explained, stifling a yawn. She looked away, still reeling somewhat from the young lord’s cold behaviour towards her of late. “Would he even care?” She muttered, she thought, under her breath. Kojuro scoffed as he lay down. Soma could feel his warm body near her. He propped himself up on his elbow, and his free hand gently touched her shoulder. Any other man in his position, she was sure, would have taken advantage of her by now. She wanted him to be a villain to make it easier to reject him, but after Saizo’s forceful seduction and Yukimura’s sense of entitlement, Kojuro’s careful patience intrigued her.He slinked closer, and wrapped his arm around her in a soft embrace. She felt his sweet breath on her neck. “I care…” He whispered. He was a strange fellow; rather ethical, in spite of a contrasting reputation. His love and loyalty towards his daimyo, and Bontenmaru, knew no bounds. She understood that it was not solely his desire as a man that motivated his kindness towards her, nor his desire to meet his hero Saizo; he considered her a friend.The next morning she awoke, and despite her stirring he remained fast asleep. She tried to rouse him, but to no avail. It was just as in Kai, only this time he was not playing around; he was completely passed out. She ultimately left him be. It was still early enough that when she reached the back entrance to the kitchens, she wondered if she was the first one there. It was a little dark outside, but she thought she saw two people arguing quietly nearby. Squinting, she realized that it was Hana and a young man; the infamous boyfriend she warned her about. He was trying to hand Hana a small bag, but she kept refusing it, waving her hands in front of her body while repeating something that Soma could not hear. After a time he grabbed her by the throat and pushed her neatly against the wall of the castle by the large delivery doors. The look of horror on the girl’s face was enough to make Soma want to jump up and intervene, but she knew better, remembering that she had a job to do. It was still difficult to watch. If the man had ever been tender with Hana, Soma would never have known. Tears poured down the girl’s terrified face, and his look spoke only of intense rage as he spat a threat at her through gritted teeth. He once again handed her the bag, and she took it, reluctantly. He released her and walked quickly away. She collapsed to the ground and reached out for him, despite just being nearly choked to death by him. Once she knew the man was gone, Soma decided to emerge from her hiding place. Hana saw her approach, and tried to wipe her tears away with her sleeve. The little bag disappeared quickly into some fold of her kimono as she stood to greet her. “Yahiko…!” She whimpered, then cleared her throat in an attempt to steady her voice. “You’re here early…” Soma frowned, not knowing whether or not to confront the girl outright; but when Hana was unsuccessful in her attempt to stop crying, she decided to just go with it. “What happened to you? Who was that guy?” She asked. Hana looked around to ensure that they were alone. “Please don’t tell anyone what you saw!” She begged, and Soma wanted to comfort her but was increasingly unconvinced of the girl’s innocence. She saw the top of the bag poking out from her collar and snatched it. “What is this, anyway?” She asked. Hana lunged violently towards her, but Soma was larger than she and pushed her easily away. Soma did not understand her own strength; the girl landed on her backside in the dirt, and immediately started sobbing at the top of her lungs. Soon enough, the other servants showed up just in time to see a hysterical Hana with Yahiko looming over her menacingly. “Yahiko! What are you doing?” One of the women shouted, accusatorially. “Yeah!” Another joined in. “You’d think the lord Kojuro would teach you better than to pick on girls!” “He stole my coin purse!” Hana shouted, pointing at the bag Soma had in her hand. “Now hold on a minute…!” Soma attempted to diffuse the situation, but before she could say another word, Hana wound up and hit her square in the mouth. In the commotion, Soma let the bag go and it flew up into the air. Both women watched it land at the feet of one of the older servants. As it landed, the noise it made was not that of coins. It offered instead a benign little ‘fap’ when it hit the ground, like a little sack of flour. “My purse!” Hana cried, and reached out to the object at the woman’s feet. The woman frowned and bent down to pick it up. Soma immediately began to protest, attempting to appeal to her logic. “There aren’t any coins in that bag! Did you not hear it fall? I tell you, it’s poison!” The women all gasped in unison, and the older one stood, holding the object up in front of her face. She looked at Soma, then at the pathetic Hana, and frowned. “One coin would not have made a noise by itself,” she said, finally. “Your purse may be full where you are from, but we are not rich here. I know Hana, and I trust her. You, on the other hand…” The women all surrounded Soma as though they intended to stone her. Hana grinned at her maliciously. She located an opening between her assailants and took advantage of it, darting past them and away. She did not get far, however, before hitting a flashy red obstacle in her path. “Whoa, there!” Shigezane said, grabbing her by the shoulders. “What’s the hurry, Yahiko?” “Thief!” The older servant called out. “He tried to steal Hana’s purse, milord!” “Is that so?” The playful Shigezane pretended to take the accusation seriously. “Well, I’ll be taking you to prison, then, thief!” “Lock him up!” Another woman shouted after them. The rest loudly agreed. Soma looked back to see Hana grinning at her through the crowd of angry faces. The girl waved her a teasing goodbye as Shigezane pretended to drag her off to prison. The lord instead took her on a detour through the castle gates back towards Kojuro’s house. She explained to him that he was still sleeping when she left. That did not seem to surprise him one bit as he chuckled and shook his head. “I do worry about that one,” he admitted. “Milord?” “He might kill me for telling you this,” he began, and laughed again. “Our Kojuro’s a bit of a workaholic, you see, doll… And when he goes down, he is down.” Soma shrugged, having never seen the lord very occupied at all until recently. When he was in Kai he did little more than lounge about in the garden and smoke his pipe. “Oh, you just wait. He hasn’t tried to drag you into his bed yet?” Shigezane asked. “Erm, I mean because you were trying to wake him up, of course…” “Well… Once…” Soma admitted, blushing at the implication. Little did the flirtatious lord know that his friend had insisted that she sleep in his bed every night since she arrived, not that she minded. It was of remarkable quality, and he was rarely in it, anyway. “That sly, old…” Shigezane muttered under his breath before trailing off, a grin cracking the side of his mouth. When they reached the house, he promptly dismissed the guards, and commented that Kojuro must be getting paranoid in his age. Without knocking, he burst through the door and into his room. As expected, he was snuggled comfortably in his nest of blankets, sleeping soundly. Soma took this opportunity to duck behind the dressing screen to rid herself of her costume. Shigezane began to tease Kojuro in a loud voice. “Enough beauty rest, you hack!” He taunted. Bent over his sleepy friend, he shook him roughly until the man grunted and swatted him away. “You think you’re such a tough guy, don’t you? Well, you’re really in for it if you’re not careful!” “Dammit!” The bundle of blankets exclaimed as a hand reached out and effortlessly fell Shigezane onto the futon. Kojuro whipped the blankets away and pinned the man to the ground, his hands at his collar as though he intended to strangle him. “You son of a-” “Whoa there! Good morning!” Shigezane interrupted him with a chuckle, and gestured toward the dressing screen. “We have company, you know…” Kojuro quickly stood and readjusted his robe. He looked over impatiently in Soma’s direction, clearly embarrassed by his own behaviour. “Soma, you can come out now,” he said. Shigezane chuckled again, and received a swift kick to the leg. “Ouch, you bastard!” He exclaimed, and Kojuro shushed him. “I’m just changing into my own clothes, milord,” she explained. While they waited, Shigezane told him about the confrontation earlier at the castle, and by the end of his story, he was convinced of Hana’s involvement in the attempted poisonings. He was clearly very disappointed, and remained silent as a stone for the rest of the day.The young maid was apprehended before dinner service that evening, and her lover shortly afterward when he came to collect her. Soma could only nurse her aching jaw as she tried to avoid their piercing looks. The other servants were quick to apologize for their rudeness, on the other hand. It appeared that, though they did not trust their daimyo, they also did not want to be affiliated in any way with his murder. “You called it, Soma doll,” Lord Shigezane said as he slapped her hard on the back in praise. She winced. “Hana’s coin purse had enough fugu powder in it to kill everyone in the castle!” “Oh…” Was all that she could muster as she caught sight of Lord Kojuro approaching. He appeared very cross. After spending much casual time with the lord, Soma felt strange seeing such a drastic change in his demeanour. Thumbing the kashira of the katana on his hip, he ultimately stopped in front of the young man. This one was on his knees, his hands tied behind his back in a way that seemed very difficult to escape, and he did try. “You…” Kojuro said to him. “Who sent you?” “I won’t tell you a thing, old man,” he spat, staring the lord in the face. Kojuro scoffed at his rudeness and nodded to one of his retainers, who struck the young man’s gaze back to the ground. “Untie him,” he ordered. The retainers obeyed, though they sported questioning faces. “Now, take off your shirt.” “What are you, some kind of pervert?” Their captive hissed, which elicited a few snickers from Shigezane. Instead of a retort, Kojuro drew his blade and expertly cut the young man out of his clothing. It took all of three moves before he was left in nothing but his fundoshi. Soma had never seen such swordsmanship, even at the big competitions in the capitol. The lord did not sheathe his weapon, and the small crowd stepped backward, anticipating something she did not. “He bears the mon of Tokugawa…” Yukimura muttered. Shigezane just shook his head. Soma looked, and on the back of the young man’s neck was a tattoo. Sure enough, it was of three hollyhock leaves surrounded by a circle; the family seal of the Tokugawa Clan. “Do what you will,” the man said, shivering somewhat from the cool breeze the evening brought with it. “But know that it is considered a crime to pass a sword through this mark!” Any and all emotion suddenly drained from Kojuro’s expression. He pointed his blade at the man and deftly removed the tattoo with its point. It flopped to the ground, unbelievably intact. Before the young man could even raise a hand to cover his wound, Kojuro’s sword came down, and his head rolled lifelessly across the dirt to stop at Hana’s feet. The crowd fell silent. Hana screamed and made to flee, but the two retainers at her sides held her fast. She wailed and sobbed as her lover’s corpse pulsed his lifeblood across the courtyard, until those in attendance had to back away further to avoid its gradual wake. Had Soma not been privy to this kind of brutality before, she might have thrown up. As she stood behind the brick wall that was Yukimura, she felt her body quaking with an oddly exhilarating feeling. Remembering her helplessness when she watched the man nearly choke Hana unconscious, she was actually grateful he was dead. “Alright, everybody go home!” Shigezane ordered the crowd. Having seen enough, and aware of Kojuro’s anger, they did not hesitate to do as they were told. After a moment, the lord picked up some of the now very dead man’s clothing and used it to wipe the blood off of his sword before putting it away. He tossed the garment back to the ground with a muttered curse. “Lord Kojuro…” Yukimura began, squaring up to his full size. “What are your intentions with this young maid?” Kojuro could have stared her lover to death had he wanted to, but he would not even for a moment look at Hana herself. The conflict raging behind his eyes was noticeable enough to Soma. She wondered if the other men saw it, too. He sidled up to the girl as he made his way past. “I want you out of these lands by dawn,” he said to her, coldly. “Or by the gods, Hana, I will curse you with a tragedy that would pale those you’ve already endured.” “Y-y-yes, milord…!” She stammered, her entire body shaking. She bowed to him clumsily before running off, clearly not at all expecting to be spared. The retainers followed her to ensure that she did as Kojuro ordered. Before long, only Soma and Yukimura were alone with the still-warm body of the unnamed assassin, who was no more than their age. The young lord appeared for some reason very affected by what they had witnessed, despite his own history of violence. Soma eventually took his arm and led him away. She wondered who would be made to clean up this mess. “Are you alright, milord?” She asked him once they reached his quarters. He took a deep breath and shrugged his large shoulders. “I should be…” He replied, but was uncertain. She looked up at him timidly while his mind raced, her dark eyes as a fawn’s. Yukimura had to be honest with himself; he enjoyed fighting. He did not enjoy killing, but he was seldom thinking about that in the heat of the moment. In the moment he could be swallowed by a mob of soldiers and would simply cut them down like the bundles of straw that were his training targets. His mind was honed to deliver results through his weapon, and that was all there was to it. “I understand, milord,” she said with a bow. Of course she did. She intended to leave him. He drew her near, this time recklessly unwilling to part with her so soon. The castle was quiet; the servants were told to go home, and many followed them down to the village to carouse and celebrate the justice done that day. They were alone, at least for the moment. Both of them seemed surprised that he should take such initiative. He steadied himself and leaned in to kiss her.There was a knock at the door. He could not believe his luck with this kind of thing. Unrelenting, he took her lips with his in a gentle embrace. She tasted so good, he was almost thankful for the intrusion, lest he should feel compelled to ask her to bed with him. Any more of that would have to wait until they received his father’s blessing.He pulled away and went to the door. “Milord,” the retainer in the hallway said. “Your servant is being requested by the daimyo!” They followed the man curiously to the main hall, where their hosts sat with a handful of other retainers. They all looked to them as they entered. “Soma,” Masamune called to her. She approached the dais and bowed to him. “Milords…” Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Kojuro. He was hunched over in his seat, looking troubled. It was likely that he had been made exhausted by the events of the evening. She wondered when was the last time he had even used his sword to draw blood, then remembered that he was battle strategist for the Date armies among his many other duties. Knowing his resolve, she thought it likely that he was on the front lines at nearly every battle, and did not understand the reason for his current state of conflict. “You would be guest of honour, had the servants not been sent away. Shigezane…” Lord Masamune shot their friend a teasing sidelong glance. He could only offer up a sheepish look in return. Soma looked around the room at the number of hungry men there. Certainly, it would be no easy task, and she wasn’t exactly dressed for it, but she conceded that there was nothing for it but to prepare a meal for them herself. The lack of kitchen experience among the others was too great for them to be of any assistance, and Kojuro appeared to be in no mood for this kind of thing. She began by preparing a pot of water and rice to put on the fire. Tired, she tripped over her own feet and would have fallen right into the hearth had someone not grabbed her by the shoulder from behind.She whipped around, brandishing the kunai Saizo gave her back in Nagoya. After seeing Kojuro flash a hidden weapon in Shingen’s garden, she started keeping hers close at hand. Even the optimistic lord knew that safety outweighed civility in uncertain times. “Now,” Hanzo said, looking down suspiciously at her knifepoint. He seemed otherwise completely unaffected by her actions. She supposed he was not surprised by much. “What do you mean, now?” She asked, clutching her hand to her fast-beating heart. “You told me I could see you whenever I wanted, miss. I want to see you now.” “Oh…!” She exclaimed. I did say that, didn’t I? “Yes,” he said, as if reading her thoughts. She felt herself blush. She put him to work washing and cutting vegetables. Though he seemed eager to help her, this was obviously not what he had in mind for their encounter, and she caught him sporadically looking up from his task, open-mouthed as if he had something to say. “What’s going on, Hanzo-san?” She finally asked, stirring the pot of rice before putting the lid on to allow it to simmer. She went to join him, and gathered what he had unbelievably already accomplished into a dish. “What do you mean, miss?” He was made apprehensive by her question, and she could not help but to laugh at his confused look. “Well… Did you have a pleasant day? What did you do with yourself?” “The man Lord Kojuro killed,” he said. “I know him. He is a defector from my village.” “Oh… I’m sorry.” “Don’t be,” he was quick to correct her sentiment, and returned to his chopping. “We were not close. Many from Iga work for the Tokugawa Clan.” From what Soma had heard, Hattori Hanzo was a skilled shinobi that was in very high demand. This of course brought her no comfort when he mentioned the Tokugawa. “Don’t worry,” he said, suddenly backtracking. He wished he wasn’t so awkward. “I work for somebody else.” His stomach felt strange. He scooped the rest of the cut vegetables into her dish, and watched her take them over to a pot of stock that bubbled over the hearth. It smelled good, and he assumed he was just hungry. Still, whenever he thought about the woman from Kyoto, the strange feeling in his stomach returned, whether he had eaten or not.He admired her as she tended to her cooking, her delicate hands working her utensils with precise skill. In a shorter time than he anticipated, she began to dish up servings of the soup, with a side of rice and grilled fish. The trays she completed looked magnificent, and soon his stomach ached for reasons that were much easier to identify. He heard someone coming, and slipped away unnoticed into the shadows. “Soma doll,” Lord Shigezane bellowed from the doorway. She shot up in surprise. “I’m here to help you, poor thing.” She looked back anxiously to where Hanzo had been standing, but he was of course not there. She exhaled in apparent relief, and as he stared down at her from his hiding place he felt slightly affected by the fact that she was concerned for him. “I’m just about finished, milord,” she replied, showing Shigezane her offering. The lord seemed surprised but pleased that she was already finished so quickly. “Will you help me carry these out?” “Of course!” The two went back and forth from the kitchens, picking up trays of food and bringing them to the dining hall. After everyone was served, Soma returned by herself. “Hanzo-kun…?” She whispered carefully into the room. For some reason, he liked that much better than ‘Hanzo-san’. Knowing that she had not been followed, he revealed himself, jumping down from the support beam he was balancing on. “Miss…?” He inquired as he looked over the leftovers on the hearth. His stomach at this point was actually wailing. They sat together at the kitchen table where the servants normally ate, dangling their legs over the bench on the same side. He always brought his own chopsticks, and producing them from his vestment, he noticed Soma’s dark eyes following his movements. She appeared relieved that the objects he revealed were only his eating utensils. He supposed he could not blame her for still being suspicious of him. He wished they had met under different circumstances, but that could not be helped, now. “Is it good?” She asked, looking up at him meekly. He understood that her question meant she knew it was; she was just asking if he liked it. “Yes,” he replied. It was indeed a rarity for him to get a quality supper while out on an active mission. “Might you have anything sweet for afterward, miss?” He knew she treated her friends to sweets, and wondered what her offering to him might be. He was not disappointed when she went to retrieve a decorated box from a hidden space. She came back to him with a smile on her pretty face that made him warm from the inside. When she opened the box, he saw an assortment of colourful items shaped like animals and flowers. In his life he had never seen anything more splendid made by human hands. “Some wagashi I bought in the village the other day,” she said. “They were a little expensive… But they looked so nice, I could not leave them! They reminded me of the ones my mother would buy for us sometimes back home.” “These are… Special sweets?” He asked, looking over the contents, wide-eyed. She nodded, sharing his look. He knew they must be of good quality for her to adore them so. “They are all different, so choose wisely!” She said with a cautionary wag of her finger. He knew she meant that if he did not like what he picked he should not think to give it back, though he could not imagine who could be so rude as to do such a thing. He twiddled his fingers over the assortment, deciding which one he should choose. Soma did the same thing, and he patiently waited for her to pick one before he did. Neither made a move out of consideration for the other until they both went in for the same item at once, a pink piece shaped like a blossom. Their fingers touched accidentally, and he backed off. Unexpectedly, she bit the blossom in half, and offered him the rest without even a second thought, pressing it against his lips. The flavour was what he expected for a thing that colour; floral and perfumed. He enjoyed it, though he would have likely eaten dung had she offered it to him in the same manner. “Is that sakura?” He asked. “Isn’t it nice?” Another strange rhetorical question, as she closed her eyes to savour the item in all its glory. He made a mental note that she might enjoy receiving some as a gift in future. He could buy her whatever she liked with all the money the Maeda lord was paying him to follow her around. “I believe,” he mused, not thinking before speaking. “That you would taste like this.” Realizing immediately the weird thing he said, he began to fumble over an apology. She took another piece of wagashi and popped it into his mouth before he could say another word, a coy smile on her soft lips. She started cleaning up, and Lord Shigezane returned some of the empty trays. She never complained, even while scrubbing the starchy rice bowls that had been allowed to sit for too long. Hanzo found her dedication formidable, though it did look a little sad to see a beautiful woman in a fine kimono hunched over dirty pots and pans. “May I?” He offered once they were alone again. She looked up at him, and pushed a stray bit of hair from her face with the back of one hand. “You must be bored with Saizo gone,” she mused. Otherwise, she ignored his question and kept working. “I told you that I am not here to see Saizo,” he reminded her. He hunkered down and slouched off the top half of his kimono so that it would not get dirty. She gasped, then quickly apologized. It was not the first time she had seen his body, yet it still moved her to blush. She must find him pleasing to look at.He handed her the bamboo flask he absconded with the previous night, refilled. She took it, and sat back on her haunches. She sniffed its contents just as he had, and her nose crinkled. He smiled at this, and got to scrubbing. “This is grape wine,” she muttered after taking a sip. Where did he get this? “I recovered a merchant’s stolen goods recently. It was part of my payment,” he explained, reading her thoughts again. “Isn’t it nice?” Their eyes met for only a moment before he went back to his task. Soma cocked her head to the side, and watched his strong forearms tense and relax with each pass of his effort on the dirty pot. He made it look graceful, his black ponytail bouncing against his muscular chest as he moved. He was incredibly handsome, however unintentional. It was villainous. “Do you still feel bad about what you did to me?” She asked. He was so difficult to read that she often found herself saying and doing things just to elicit some reaction from him. He at least had the patience for her game. “Which time?” He replied without so much as a raised eyebrow. “What are you doing here, Hanzo?” She finally confronted him, exasperated. “Miss…” He said, quietly. She leaned forward in her seat as his voice dropped to a whisper. “Do you know anything about the Art of Seduction?” “Do you… not?” He shook his head, and to save her life she could not understand how this was so. She always assumed the Art of Seduction was just a fancy term for ‘using sex to get people to do things’, but the seriousness in Hanzo’s plea forced her to reconsider this assessment. It was possible that he was under the impression that Saizo had instructed her in some secret technique.Too embarrassed to try to correct him, she ultimately suggested that he read the Lover’s Guide, as she had when she was first curious about these kinds of things. Though it might not be exactly what he was looking for, it was perfect for someone who wanted to know more about intimate relations. Some sections did touch briefly on seduction, though the rest was mostly filth. “You can even borrow mine if you like,” she said, but then immediately regretted offering, as if she had incriminated herself somehow. He bowed to her in thanks. She could only shrug it off; he obviously just did not have anyone else to talk to about this. She instructed him to meet her later outside of Lord Kojuro’s house so she could lend him her copy. She had only carted it along with her to keep her young brother from discovering it, and had it practically memorized anyway, though she did not mention that part. Hanzo waited patiently on the roof until he heard Soma’s voice call to him softly from down below. When he appeared before her, she seemed nervous, clutching the smallish volume close to her bosom. She handed it over and he opened it to take a look, but she quickly pushed it closed against his chest. She seemed embarrassed. “What is the matter, miss?” “I lost the hairpin my father gave me,” she admitted, instead. “I can’t seem to find it with my things. It’s broken, anyway, but…” “Oh…?” He said, remembering Saizo’s strange errand. This one likely intended for the item to be repaired. What does Maeda Toshiie have to do with that? He thanked her again and bid her a good night, deciding he should tarry no longer with Saizo’s request.In the village, he located a merchant wagon headed for Oda Nobunaga’s lands. He pulled Soma’s well-warn copy of the Lover’s Guide from a fold in his garments to study it, and wondered what possible use she had for it if she was unable to read very well. When he got around to opening it, however, he realized that it was mostly illustrated, and immediately regretted sitting in front with the driver.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
In the days following the execution, Soma was tasked with caring for Lord Kojuro’s home while he worked tirelessly at the castle during the day, and then in his study during the evening. While he was home, he requested only tea, and sent back every item of food she offered. She could tell in their few interactions that he was feeling overwhelmed, and wondered, too, whether he was depriving himself of food and rest as a kind of punishment for what he had done. She tried to console him, but he simply told her to leave him be. She could not help but to feel somewhat shunned, and soon found herself once again pining for her family’s restaurant in Kyoto.One day, she got the idea that she would make him something special, something she knew he could not possibly refuse. She had as much privacy as she needed to prepare his oshiruko in secret. His kitchen was fully stocked, too, and she wondered how a man who clearly wanted for nothing could still act so spoiled.She brought him his meal. He typically asked that she leave it outside the door, but this time she dared to knock, hoping she would be greeted by his handsome smile. Instead, a grumpy Oshu lord answered, dark circles hollowing his jade-coloured eyes. He looked down at her and his brow knotted in displeasure. “I do not wish to be disturbed,” he reminded her, then brought a hand to his forehead as if the act of speaking pained him. He did not look well. “I know, milord, but…” She trailed off when he turned away from her and went to stand by his desk with his head in his hands. “What do you want?” “I made you something nice to eat, Lord Kojuro,” she said. He scoffed, and waved her away. Nevertheless, she approached and set the tray down on the one clean place on his desk. “Please eat something, milord. I am begging you!” “Begging me…” He muttered. She knelt down and extended herself into a deep bow. “I will not leave until you have eaten, milord!” She decried, prostrating her body before him across the floor. She heard his disapproving click from above, and was suddenly jostled upward when he grabbed her arms and forced her onto her feet again. When he touched her she could feel his entire body vibrating. He was starting to scare her. As though he smelled her fear, he released her suddenly, and she almost fell over backwards. He paced the floor in front of her as if not knowing what to do. His gaze settled on her offering, and he kicked the tray so hard its contents flew across the room at her. She looked down at herself, her body covered in hot tea and azuki broth. It stung the exposed parts of her skin, but her pride stung even more. Concerned, he rushed to her aid, and she wound up and smacked him clear across the face. Hard. Stunned, he remained motionless for a moment, his face glowing red and still turned in the direction it was hit. Then, he slowly looked back to her, his eyes filled with a fire she had never seen in them before. She impulsively raised her hand to him again, but this time he caught it midair and squeezed it so hard she thought he might break it. He pulled her towards him and forced his lips against hers. He released his hold of her arm and her instant reaction was to beat down on his back with her fist. Seemingly unaffected, he began to tear off her clothes while licking whatever was left of his supper off of her skin. She could not make a sound, paralyzed by the shock of his sudden actions. Once she was completely disrobed, he pushed her to the floor.She looked around, helplessly struggling to grab hold of something to cover her nudity. He knelt down and straddled her legs, swatting her hands away as they tried to shield her body from his gaze. He groped and kneaded her flesh, his long fingers exploring every crevice while he resumed his hot kisses to her face and neck. His anger turned to passion as he fondled her breasts, and dragged his fingertips along her curves to where her legs met. While loosening his belt with one hand, he rubbed her slit with the other. He inserted one finger, then another. “Are you ready for me yet?” He said. She clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a moan, and shook her head. He chuckled, a mean sound that made her shiver. “Yes, you are. Look…” He withdrew his fingers to show her own arousal dripping from them plentifully in betrayal.Why am I like this? She scolded herself, and resented the ever-potent effect this skilled man’s attentions had over her greedy body. It was long after dark by the time Kojuro was finally satisfied. He stretched before getting up stiffly to fetch his kiseru. His body ached from their activity, and he cringed at the noises his aging knees made when he walked. “Are you happy now?” She muttered at him resentfully when he returned. Her voice was hoarse and weak. He wondered how long it would take for her to recover from the awful things he made her do. “Are you?” He would say anything to make her blush. He stuck a reed into the lantern to get a flame. He took a draw from his pipe, then stared absently at the ceiling as he exhaled his smoke. He thought to offer some to her, and she looked questioningly at the bowl piece. “It’s called opium,” he said. His voice slurred somewhat as the substance took hold of him. “From the continent.” The new medicine was imported, and very expensive. It had hallucinogenic properties if ingested in high enough quantities, but was mostly used as a form of pain relief. Overindulgence was apparently becoming a vice among the upper-classes, though Kojuro had met no one else who was as fond of it. He was managing to keep his own little habit a secret quite nicely until Soma came along.Sensing her apprehension, he set the pipe down beside him and extinguished its ember with the tip of his finger. “You’ve had it before,” he revealed, trying to reassure her. Instead, she gave him a stern look that made him somewhat regret his honesty. “There was some in that tonic I gave you. I never thought to ask how that worked for you… Dosages vary from person to person, you see.” “It… worked very well,” she admitted, reluctantly. This answer relieved him, and he finally allowed himself to relax back on the bed. “I didn’t feel at all strange, or sick.” “I have come to understand,” he began, and reached out to clumsily tuck a bit of her hair behind her ear. “That when a person has just what they need, they barely notice it at all.” She looked him over quietly. It was likely that she had seen him this way many times before but was too polite to question it. She was such a bright young woman. He blinked to silence her analytical stare. “I do not have the will to chastise you, Lord Kojuro,” she said finally, with a vulnerability that he found comforting. “Oh, precious girl…” He shrank into her arms, and made her hold him against her bosom like she would a child. Though surprised by this at first, she settled on petting him gently. He nuzzled into her and muttered under his breath. “Milord…?” A thin smile stretched across his lips, and he chuckled lowly, reminiscing about their evening. He had been so selfish with her. “If you were…” He began, but then got carried away by the drug. In hindsight he did not want to share the rest of his thought with her, understanding that his sober mind might regret what was said. She appeared content enough, if only because he was not angry with her for raising a hand to him. He vowed to never abuse this kind of generosity from a woman again. If you were really mine, he thought to himself. I could never share you with another. The next morning, Soma awoke and was surprised to see that Kojuro had risen first. He was in the kitchen making tea when she went searching for him, her legs buckling sorely beneath her. Marks of passion still covered her body, and she hoped they would not linger.Kojuro looked rejuvenated when he greeted her, his sunken eyes now aglow with new vigour. She envied his good mood, and could do nothing but glare at him silently from the doorway. “Don’t hate me, precious girl,” he chortled as he moved past her with his tea tray. “Milord?” “I may have done something a bit presumptuous,” he ruefully explained. She winced, unable to think of what he could possibly have done that would top his antics the day before. He laughed nervously at her expression. “My sister is worried that I have been neglecting certain aspects of life, and I… I may have bent the truth for her a little bit. At any rate, she is expecting a visit from us soon.” “Us…?” Was all that she could think to reply. Kojuro gulped, perhaps expecting another slap. “You and I,” he confirmed, then offered her a serious smile. “A couple in love. Is that so difficult to imagine? It’s only for a day or two, and you would be helping me immensely…” Soma was curious to meet Kojuro’s family, but moreover could hear Yukimura’s orders reverberating in her head: Do what you must to please the Oshu lord! Though she found his scheme a little ridiculous, she supposed it was not so difficult to imagine them as a couple after all. She was still not sure how she was going to handle Yukimura’s offer of marriage; she only hoped she was not now also carrying Kojuro’s child.A few days later, she and Kojuro flew together on horseback towards his old home, and she nodded between dream and reality, dosed up on pain tonic to ease her menstrual cramps. “Hello, stranger!” An older woman called to them as they approached. She grinned up at the lord with a familiar air. “I thought you would be here sooner, Kojuro. Did you sleep in again?” “I may have,” he replied in a passive mumble. Soma watched his good mood dissipate rapidly. “It is my fault, madam,” she offered shyly in a bid to defend him. The woman scoffed. “Nonsense,” she said, and helped Soma down from their mount. “Oh, don’t pout. What has Kojuro done to make such a precious girl so sad?” “Now, Kita…” Kojuro was left protesting in the courtyard as his sister ushered a drowsy Soma inside the house. They wound up in the kitchen, and the older woman sat her on a bench and began to make tea. Katakura Kita was quite fit despite her age. Soma imagined her to be in her early fifties, though in excellent health. She looked very much like Kojuro, only with longer hair, and happier eyes. “You will meet Shigetsugu at dinner,” she said as she spooned some tea leaves into a pot. “He and I are from a different mother than Kojuro’s, but I assure you we are very much family- though Kojuro might try to deny it.” “Oh no, Kita-san,” Soma protested weakly. “Lord Kojuro holds you in very high regard.” Kita looked up at her, surprised at first, then smiled. “Lord Kojuro… Humph!” She chortled. “I suppose the lazy ass is doing quite well for himself, isn’t he? How is dear Bontenmaru, anyway? It’s been too long.” Soma thought it odd that Kita would ask after Kojuro’s pet tortoise, but she supposed the animal was a rather loveable fellow. “He is well enough,” she replied with a shrug. “But he was recently made a little sick from an old duck egg that was left sitting out. The things they’ll get into when you’re not watching them… A bit like children, I suppose.” “Haha! No, no, you’ve got it all wrong,” Kita nearly barrelled over with laughter, and Soma could only stare at her. “I am speaking about Masamune!” “Oh…?” “Bontenmaru is what we used to call the young daimyo,” Kita revealed. “I was his wet-nurse, you know… I bet Kojuro didn’t tell you that, either.” “No, he didn’t…” Soma muttered as she let all of this new information sink in. Kojuro named his pet tortoise after Lord Masamune? “You seem like a very nice person, so I will tell you something, one woman to another,” Kita explained, sensing Soma’s confusion. “If Masamune had his eye on you, Kojuro would deliver you on a platter. That is how dedicated he is to the daimyo.” Soma did not doubt that was true, but hoped she would never have to find out. While they prepared supper, Kita recounted stories about Kojuro as a youth; his sullen demeanour and his rebellious behaviour the main focus of her recollection. She told Soma that he used to sneak away by himself to smoke his uncle’s old kiseru, and once accidentally burned down the abandoned temple outside their village with a stray ember. Kita was nursing baby Masamune by the time he was taken in by this side of the family, and she managed to get his foot in the door at Yonezawa Castle. He eventually went on to become Masamune’s head retainer, as well as Katakura Clan head. This illustrious career would have apparently not happened, however, had she not bitched and nagged at him constantly.When it was time to eat, Kojuro looked despondent, as though he knew his sister had been slandering him ruthlessly all afternoon. Soma tried to ply him with a reassuring pat on the back, but that only seemed to incriminate Kita further. “Shigetsugu can attest that when Kojuro wrote me and said that he had a serious girlfriend I figured he’d been ensnared by a fox spirit posing as a woman, at best,” Kita teased. “But lo and behold, you are real.” “Do forgive her,” Shigetsugu apologized on his sister’s behalf, and received a swift smack upside the head. “Sorry! Sorry… Can we not just be happy for them, Kita?” “You spoil him, I bet,” Kita continued, ignoring Shigetsugu’s plea. “You should push him harder. He needs it.” Soma just smiled and nodded, not knowing what else to do. Kita had been nothing but kind to her, but how she treated the men around her was very different. After what Kojuro had put her through, however, having to listen to his sister brutally assassinate his character to his face gave her a bit of a thrill. Shigetsugu at least gave some hope for the lord’s looks later on in life. Their pleasant features, she supposed, came from their father’s side. She understood that this one must be dead. After all, it was Kojuro who was apparently clan head. He had not told her any of that, either.She looked over at her guardian, who stared silently into his meal like a broken stallion. She began to wonder whether his achievements were of his own doing, or were more the result of his sister’s persistent nagging and opportunism. Either way, this version of Kojuro was somehow more relatable than the intellectual she met in Shingen’s garden those weeks ago. He was not at all the perfect man he strived to represent, but she started to like him better this way. “I found out quite a lot about you today, Lord Kojuro,” she baited him as they prepared for bed. Kita had prepared Kojuro’s old room for them, and it was comically smaller than his room at his own estate. Soma wondered if it brought back memories for him, but he appeared unmoved by any nostalgia, if not made a little sour by their sub-par accommodations. “I suppose you hate me,” he grunted. Not expecting this reaction, she quickly started backtracking. “No, milord! I-“ “Did Kita tell you what I had to do to become Masamune’s right hand?” She was rendered silent by his somber tone. She shook her head, realizing that she had only heard one side of the story, and she suddenly felt badly for not defending his honour at supper. She simply did not wish to make things any more uncomfortable than they already were. “My doting sister did in fact get me into Yonezawa Castle,” he explained. “As Date Terumune’s page boy, no less.” Soma suddenly remembered Hana’s strange question to her when she was was pretending to be Yahiko, and was unable to withhold a gasp when she made the connection. He turned his eyes to the floor out of embarrassment. “You became his wakashu…” “Yes,” he confirmed. She never heard anyone speak openly about Kojuro’s sordid past. She supposed that he was too well-respected to be gossiped about like an unfortunate. Though there was nothing necessarily taboo about his arrangement with Date Terumune, judging by his attitude, anyway, she could tell that the subject did not bring up fond memories for him. “I’m sorry, milord,” she offered, timidly. He scoffed, and proceeded to turn down the blanket on their futon. “I thought everyone knew that.” Soma realized that in truth she knew very little about the Oshu lord, but then wondered why she seemed to care so much about that now. He had become her friend and teacher, but demanded more; perhaps even reenacting something from his days serving his own mentor. Still, there was a warmth and acceptance between them that they had both needed. She wondered if that was ever the case between him and Date Terumune. “Lord Kojuro, forgive me,” she said, trying to salvage what remained of their evening together. “The impression that you give is of a capable and intelligent man. I only ever believed that you gained your position in life through those means.” He paused for a moment, struggling to believe her compliment; but when he finally looked up at her he forced himself to smile. His eyes crinkled at the corners, and she reached out to him to caress his cheek. “Thank you, precious girl,” he said, nuzzling his face against her hand. “But you are the only person I have ever met who has managed to advance themselves on good deeds alone. Remember that if anyone should ever try to foolishly misjudge your worth.” While Kojuro slept, Soma stared at the ceiling and thought about the compliment he gave her. She understood that a woman’s place was not among men, and yet she persistently found herself there. She and Kita were silent supporters of powerful men, and they had both undeniably found their own kind of power in these lowly positions; a worried sister gained her brother an opportunity at the Date court, and Soma helped to solidify the alliance between the Takeda and Uesugi clans. She did not think her actions were anything but noble at the time, and did not doubt that Kojuro’s sister felt the same. She promised herself that she would never intentionally abuse her influence over any man. Meddling in that alliance nearly cost me my life… Is this what you imagined for me, Father? She prayed silently. Her fate seemed to be guiding her every place but back home. She realized that the more she became involved in clan affairs, the more her fate would be set in stone. If things continued in the direction they seemed to be headed, she might never be allowed to go back at all. “Have you ever considered running away?” A raspy voice muttered from overhead. When Soma looked up, Kirigakure Saizo appeared as though through some portal in the air. His fox mask covered his face, but a shock of silver-blond hair peaked over it, sparkling in a beam of moonlight. His fiery eyes burned into her soul, as always. Unbelieving of her own eyes, she reached out to touch him, and felt something soft and furry like an animal graze along her fingertips. “Saizo…!” She gasped as she awoke. She sat up, and noticed that the sliding door to the patio was slightly open. “Get, you…! Damned things!” Kita shrieked at something outside. Soma heard fluttering noises, but then a definitive cawing made her bolt towards the door. “What’s the matter, precious girl?” Kojuro yawned, and joined her so he could see what all the commotion was about. Kita was unsuccessfully trying to shoo away an entire murder of crows with a broom. Dozens were perched all around the property, and did not seem to be taking the woman’s threats very seriously. Kojuro snickered at his sister’s predicament, and she chastised him for making fun. Soma was clearly the only one among them who knew what this omen usually preceded, and her heart pounded violently at the recollection of her strange dream. Kojuro did not wish to stay another day at his sister’s house, so they set off on his horse that morning. Soma was a little on edge, feeling paranoid that they were being pursued; not just by Saizo, but by other shinobi. Kojuro was a political figure, after all, but he just did as he wanted as though he was not worried at all about being a target. Perhaps he really was as dangerous as everyone thought he was.When they bolted away from the village, they passed the old temple he burned down by accident those years ago. Seeing the ominous sight float by them on the side of the road elicited no comment from him, though he clung to her a little tighter than he had on their journey there. Their visit was not in vain; he assured her that it was enough to tide Kita over for a good year or two, at least. In hindsight, he admitted, he owed her much. A retainer greeted them when they arrived at his estate, even though it was getting quite late. Kojuro seemed a little annoyed by this, perhaps hoping they might have some quiet time together after their journey. “Milord, the daimyo requests an audience with the woman,” he said, rather to the point. Soma felt herself cringe at being described in this way, but Kojuro gave her a reassuring pat on the back. He helped her descend from their mount, and handed the reigns to the young man. “Will you take care of this for me?” He asked him. “Tell Lord Masamune that we’ll be along shortly.” “Milord,” the young retainer protested carefully, handing him back the reigns. “I have been directed to escort this woman to the castle immediately- and that she is to come alone.” Kojuro had a contentious look on his face as he visibly contemplated whether or not to push the matter further. He did not, however, and instead graciously turned her over to the man. This one got a bit red in the face when she took his arm. He lost his voice as well, as he said nothing to her when he pulled her up into the saddle in front of him without warning.As they rode off, she shot a questioning look back to Kojuro, who shrugged and sneakily blew her a kiss goodbye. He always seemed to know how to make her blush. He mouthed the words ‘see you soon’, and she nodded. She knew he would not be far behind. As the castle loomed ever closer, she noticed that her escort was deviating from the path, taking a strange way that she did not recognize. Before she knew it, the castle was growing distant again behind them. “Where are we going?” She demanded, but was silenced when he cupped a strange-smelling rag over her mouth. Everything suddenly went black. Date Masamune looked over his guest as they sat together in his chambers. The lamplight was being rather kind to the oafish young general. Whether he liked it or not, Yukimura had bested him once again with his muscles, and with his tolerance for alcohol. One thing was for certain, however; he would never rule over his own lands. Masamune felt a smile creep over his lips as he thought about this, and his rival gave a nervous gulp. “Are you finished, Lord Masamune?” He asked, timidly for someone his size. “I’ll tell you when I’m finished, Sanada.” Yukimura blinked, unsure, and reluctantly poured him another drink. Masamune slung it back, and regretted it immediately as he felt it try to edge back up his gullet. He swallowed away the sensation and centred himself. The young lord followed suit. So far they were even, but Yukimura seemed far behind Masamune, as if he had been filling his own cup with water the whole time. He looked up at him, trying hard to hide his embarrassment for his host’s weak constitution. “Phew… It’s hot in here,” he muttered. He casually shrugged off the top half of his kimono. It was Masamune’s turn to gulp. Sanada Yukimura was a little older, and he suspected at least slightly more experienced; that is until he learned of the young lord’s rumoured vow of chastity. He wondered how such a virile and handsome young man could resist the attentions of his admirers, of whom he had many in spite of his immaturity. “I’ve respected your privacy until now, Sanada,” he said as he poured himself another drink. Yukimura gulped again, either at the prospect of an interrogation, or the daimyo getting any drunker. “Tell me… Have you ever bedded a woman?” “No…” He replied somewhat carefully. Without waiting for the daimyo to drink, he poured himself another and disposed of it quickly. “Have you?” “No,” Masamune admitted, and decided to nurse his cup a bit. He suspected that the polite lord would be kind enough not to judge him poorly for it, nor for much else. “No man, either…” Yukimura suddenly coughed uncomfortably into his fist. Masamune knew of his friend Kojuro’s past, and immediately deduced that the young lord must have his own. The thought intrigued him, and in his state he pictured the two generals embracing, their strong bodies writhing together in some secret space away from prying eyes. He found the image humorous, until he felt a stir in his loins that he urged himself to ignore.As the young lord sat across from him, his powerful frame was dewey with perspiration. He smelled of incense, and when he moved the scent wafted towards the daimyo in pleasant bursts. His strange, turquoise eyes peered at him expectantly from beneath a messy, ashen-brown fringe. He was boyish, and friendly; someone who could really be quite likeable if Masamune wasn’t so vehemently jealous. Most of all, Yukimura was a natural leader who had the complete loyalty of his retainers, something the daimyo struggled with. “I will say…” Yukimura began, innocently enough. “It is not much unlike sparring.” “Go on…” Masamune urged with a raised eyebrow. He watched Yukimura’s gaze wander as he reminisced about something pleasant. “The submission of one body to another,” he went on to explain, a little dreamily. “But it’s out of intimacy and trust, not fear and intimidation. That’s the Art of Seduction…” Masamune recalled what it was like to spar with Kojuro. The older man knew him so well that he could test his limits without causing him harm. He knew all his weaknesses, urging him to lean into them, helping him to hone his perseverance. He wondered how these lessons might play out in a more intimate setting, and the thought made him feel strange. “Is that how you intend to win me over, Sanada?” He chortled, shrugging off his own clothing in order to mirror his guest. The young man gave an impressed look at his exposed torso. “What is it? Don’t mock me, you-“ “You have excellent definition, Lord Masamune,” Yukimura interrupted him. He was being sincere. “Allow me to suggest a heftier diet, and some lifting. Buckets of water will do in a pinch, or sacks of grain. You burn bulk away quick, fasting. Now that the assassin is gone, you can put on weight easily.” The young daimyo blinked, unbelieving of what he was hearing. Yukimura was actually trying to encourage him. What the man lacked in wit he made up for in conviction. It did not seem so impossible anymore for him to make and uphold any kind of vow. “Right. Thanks…” “It is just how things are done, down our way,” Yukimura shrugged, and raked one of his giant hands through his messy hair. “Can I ask you something?” “What?” “Why do you drink with me if you hate me so much?” “Well…” Masamune hesitated, but the sake was doing its work. “I don’t have many friends.” “You don’t say…” Yukimura chuffed, trying to keep a straight face. Masamune shot him a sour look, but eventually joined him in a bout of jovial laughter. “I meant my age…” He corrected himself, and felt his cheeks start to hurt from his smiling so much. He cleared his throat and readjusted his posture, realizing he might actually be enjoying his rival’s company despite his best efforts. Yukimura, startled by this, quickly abandoned his own smile and played with his hair some more. The young Sanada lord really was quite something, his golden skin aglow in the lantern light and painted with battle scars. He was daft at times, but his eyes betrayed some gentle sadness the daimyo found endearing. His brow was often stern, even when he smiled, as though burdened by the weight of his thoughts.Feeling daring, Masamune reached a hand out to touch him before there was a knock at the door. Yukimura appeared to blush, and Masamune stopped himself in his tracks. His hand hovered mid air between them, and both men stared at it silently for a moment before he reluctantly instructed his visitor to enter. Kojuro plodded in, looking flustered. Without a word he searched the room in a less than covert manner until, finally defeated, he turned to face the others. “Lord Masamune, Lord Yukimura,” he addressed them, and sank into a deep bow. “Please forgive my intrusion.” “What is the matter, Kojuro?” Masamune asked, suddenly sobered. He had never seen the man in such a panic. “Lord Yukimura, someone posing as a retainer of this castle has taken my- er, miss Soma! They seemed to be heading westward. I pursued them as long as I could but there were more men on the road waiting for them. Armed soldiers, at least a dozen of them.” “That should have been no task at all for you, Kojuro,” Yukimura said, seriously. Masamune was apt to agree. “You must think me a magician,” Kojuro scoffed, shaking his head. “They had tanegashima! One of them fired at me and nearly scared my horse to death! It was lucky we were out of range…” “You don’t think they were Oda Nobunaga’s men…” Masamune suggested, thoughtfully. “She could be at the border by daylight.” “Is it a trap?” Yukimura asked, looking to Kojuro as if he should know. This one shrugged. “If they have ventured onto these lands they must intend to draw us out and invade. Is there any other explanation?” They looked to Masamune expectantly, awaiting his command. “That assassin you killed, Kojuro,” he said, his body vibrating from a mix of adrenaline and alcohol. “He bore the Tokugawa seal. Does that have anything to do with this?” Kojuro, embarrassed at the realization of his folly, lowered his gaze to the floor. You are such a loyal friend, Koju-sama, Masamune thought to himself. Please be more careful next time… “They could not have known who to look for,” Yukimura piped up, seeming to draw his own conclusions. “The only ones who knew anything were taken care of. Unless…” “Lord Yukimura…” Kojuro muttered at him, pleading for any other explanation for their predicament. “One of Saizo’s companions from Iga- Kirigakure Saizo, one of my Ten Braves,” he began, stroking his chin. “He recently came here with news for Saizo of a potential betrayal. He is known to me only as Kiyohiro.” “Do you know where this man could be now?” Masamune asked. “I will take a party to the border of Owari. Plain clothes, of course,” Yukimura replied. “Might I suggest you prepare for a surprise attack in the next few hours, milord? Soma is my responsibility. Allow me to take on that burden, at least.” Masamune’s eye flashed across the room when Kojuro chastised the young lord’s suggestion with a disapproving click. He seemed displeased with how he had described the task of rescuing the maid. The daimyo wondered what she and Kojuro had been doing, cloistered together in his empty house all this time. He assumed his hypothesis from before was in fact correct; Soma was his new love interest, after all. He wished he could congratulate his friend on his happiness, but it seemed to currently be eluding him. “Go with Yukimura,” he said. He silenced him with an upraised hand as he aimed to protest. “I have Shige here with me, and the others. You’re the one who let the silly girl go in the first place.” Kojuro, relieved, bowed to him reverently. When he straightened, they exchanged a small smile. “I will summon Lord Shigezane and go see to the preparations,” he said, excusing himself. “Lord Yukimura, please meet me at the stables when you are ready.” After Kojuro left, Yukimura turned around and saw that Masamune was already standing over him, his clothing hanging loosely about his waist. He did not defend himself as the daimyo tackled him to the floor, either out of willingness or out of fear of what might happen if he did. Masamune could not care less as he fit himself between the man’s muscular legs and realized that the two of them were both very much aroused. He leaned in and kissed Yukimura on the mouth. He tasted of sake, and his smell was warm and comforting. He moaned, and their hips pushed together simultaneously. “Lord Masamune…” He protested with an awkward chuckle, but the daimyo did not relent, trailing his lips across the side of his mouth and along his jugular vein. “Don’t be difficult, Sanada,” he grunted. “You can spare a moment.” Yukimura’s skin was unbelievably smooth. His docility was underhanded. Capable of crushing Masamune if he felt so inclined, the Sanada lord only bashfully turned his face away. He practically admitted to having been intimate with men before, and Masamune reasoned that they must be excluded from his vow.What would two men do together, anyway? He wondered, pausing briefly to admire his handsome rival’s overwrought expression. He had seen stallions trying to mate once, and some curious pictures in a Lover’s Guide. A pair of men depicted therein at first glance appeared to be playing a game of leapfrog.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Hanzo located Maeda Toshiie at a brothel in a town just on the border of Owari Province. He knew the young man was fond of these places, but was not expecting the harem that served him there. At least a half-dozen women flanked him and fed him wine and pieces of grilled meat while he lay strewn out on cushions like some kind of sultan. “My wife thinks I’m at a clan meeting,” he admitted, quite drunk. The women around him giggled, and continued petting him adoringly. Hanzo did not know the lord was married, and it made his weird errand even more repulsive. “Milord, miss Soma is currently in Oshu,” he said. “What’s going on there?” Toshiie asked, leaning forward in interest. “She is still accompanying Sanada Yukimura as his servant,” he explained, and narrowed his eyes at him. “If milord wishes for other information, it will be in a completely different price range than our current arrangement.” “Of course,” Toshiie chortled before licking his lips predatorily. “Is she expected to return to Kyoto soon? I am participating in an event there and would like to run into her, you know… For old times’ sake.” Hanzo fingered the hair pin tucked in his belt. “I will do my very best, milord,” He promised, and the lord smiled, knowing he would. He was going to give him Saizo’s message, but ultimately decided to just have the item repaired himself. He had rooted for Maeda Toshiie at one time, too, weighing him as the lesser of two evils. Seeing him now, however, made his old rival not seem so bad, after all. He accepted one of his private rooms so that he could rest before setting out again. The lord insisted that one of his women accompany him, as well, and he obliged him so as not to offend. Truthfully, he had little interest in women before the shapely kitchen maid from Kyoto came along. He scolded himself for daydreaming. The prostitute’s fingers ran drunkenly across his shoulders. Her attentions only served to make him feel more confused and despondent. She had been fed drinks all night and was sloppy. Her hands clammy with sweat, she started to fumble annoyedly with his belt, but he wanted nothing of it. His unwillingness scalded her ego, and she shot him a rude look. “Would you prefer if I were a boy?” She dared. Her breath was rancid. He pushed her away with an annoyed grunt, and she simply rolled over and passed out. “So nice to see you again, little lady,” he suddenly heard a booming voice from the next room. His intuition taking over, he got up and pressed his ear to the wall. “Lord Magistrate…!” Soma’s voice whimpered. He nearly shot back from the wall in disbelief. “How long do you think it will take for you to pay for all the trouble you’ve caused me?” The man who was the magistrate demanded. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner… Perhaps I still had hope for us.” Hanzo knew the story; this man was the reason Soma ended up in Kai in the first place. Apparently, he was not happy about being outsmarted by a woman. “You certainly have been getting around, haven’t you?” The magistrate continued to chastise her. “I couldn’t be bothered bargaining you back from Takeda Shingen.The Tiger has such a soft spot for the weaker sex, you know. I doubt he would have let you go so easily. But when I heard that you were in Oshu… ” “Please…!” Soma begged. “I’ll do whatever you want! Just let me go!” “Whatever I want, eh?” The magistrate retorted, laughing cruelly. “I envisioned you as a virgin bride, I’m afraid! Thankfully the other men here are not as picky as me, so do try to be a good girl.” Soma, frustrated, started to cry. Hanzo quickly checked his gear and went to her. As the magistrate’s soldiers filed out of the room, he snuck in through a crack in the patio door and stealthily climbed up to the ceiling where he crouched lowly on a crossbeam. From there he had a very clear vantage point of the woman. She did not appear injured, but had been washed and made up a bit like the other ladies there. There was never any doubt that she was a grown woman before, but the cosmetics were doing their job accentuating her sensuality, and he could not help but to stare. He sobered again right away when a figure appeared at the door. “Good evening,” the man addressed her as he barred the door closed behind him. From what Hanzo knew, this was not typical in these types of places, and he assumed this particular client had the means to ensure they would not be interrupted under any circumstances. “Milord…” She began, perhaps intending to try to reason with him; but when he turned to face her again, she fell deathly silent. It was almost as though she recognized him. He was around Hanzo’s age, and quite tall. He smiled pleasantly, his perfect little fangs shining white in the lamplight as he approached her. There was something a bit menacing about the man, apart from being someone who frequented the pleasure houses. He was dressed in a way that attempted to play down his wealth, as though he did not want anyone to recognize him for who or what he really was. His mannerisms and speech, however, were far too refined. “I will make this easy for you, yes?” He said, his voice low and clear. “There is no need to address me. Go and stand over there, please.” He gestured to a beam in the centre of the room that went straight up to the ceiling. Thankfully Hanzo had the foresight not to be hiding in that area, occupying a corner so that his back was not exposed to danger. The beam appeared warn, like it had been used repeatedly for some purpose. When the man produced a length of twisted jute rope, he really began to worry.Soma chose not to contend with the man’s request. When she got to the pillar, she turned around to face him, her hands resting calmly at her sides. Hanzo wondered if she was simply giving up on being rescued this time. Indeed, a single tear streamed down her face, betraying her silent fear. Her client shushed her softly, and wiped the tear away with the pads of his fingers. His fingernails were clean and manicured. “There is an aspect of Hojojutsu…” He began as he set to work tying her hands together. “Called Shibari. Have you heard of it?” She shook her head. The man smiled at this, and kissed her on the cheek before fastening her hands above her head. Her dark eyes followed his every move curiously as he proceeded to slowly guide the rope across her body. She involuntarily shuddered. “Oh, that’s right,” he said, remembering himself. “They told me you’re new. Well, let me assure you that I am much better at this than when I first started…” Executing a series of complex ties, he fashioned an elaborate harness over her thin yukata that made her bosom protrude illicitly. The more the man bound her, the more her shape showed through her clothing. He lifted her skirts, and pulled the rope up between her legs. He then tugged on it gently, forcing it to rub against the flesh of her mound. She whimpered, and her head fell backwards. “Look at me,” he commanded, and she lolled forwards, seeming drunk. He kissed her cheek again. “You are lovely. I intend to make you feel very good. Would you like that?” Hanzo had seen her like this before, when his old rival was teasing her at the inn near Nagoya. Her body was enjoying itself, whether she wanted it to or not. Her knees shook underneath her, though the man was barely touching her at all. He was letting the rope do all the work, compressing and restricting parts of her body, heightening her senses while he seemed to participate only passively. Hanzo had no idea if this was where the man’s pleasure ended, but he did not think he should wait to find out.While the man was preoccupied, he slipped down from his hiding place and approached him quietly from behind. Not wanting to hurt him, he used a nerve pinching technique to render him temporarily unconscious. Soma gasped as he suddenly collapsed to the floor. “Hanzo…!” She exclaimed in a whisper. She seemed both impressed and repelled by his ability to incapacitate someone so easily. Truthfully, he was not someone who particularly enjoyed confrontation.After cutting her bonds, he helped her adjust her clothing and covered her with his cloak. She was shaking, distraught over her encounters with the magistrate from her hometown and the peculiar stranger. Hanzo could not quite put his finger on it himself, but the man was distinctly familiar, and definitely of nobility. She had sensed it, too. “We have about three minutes until he wakes up, miss. I suggest we not tarry.” They managed to get away to safety before the emergency bell of the town sounded off. He carried her deep into the forest to a place he knew about from his previous travels in the area; a small cave behind a waterfall. He liked feeling the mossy ground and the sound of the water. He sloughed off his pack and bid her to stand behind him for protection as soldiers swept fruitlessly through the perimeter and away again. Unfortunately, they were trapped where they were until the commotion died down. He turned to see if Soma was alright, and realized that she was clinging to him all this time out of fright. He felt her heart thumping in her chest like a drum as she pressed her supple body against his. Suddenly overwhelmed, he staggered away from her and shrank himself down against a boulder. “You’re hurt…” She said, mistaking his awkwardness for pain. Though she was afraid, the thought of him being hurt seemed to focus her instantly. Much to his chagrin, she knelt beside him and began touching his body in order to locate his injury. “Please, miss…” He argued with her as he tried to wriggle away. “I am fine…” Her fingers accidentally grazed his lap, and she blushed at having discovered his shame. It may as well have spoken aloud. “What are you doing here?” He struggled to think up some lie to appease her curiosity. He retrieved her copy of the Lover’s Guide from a fold in his clothing. His groin throbbed reactively at the memory of its illicit contents, and he took a deep breath to try to concentrate on anything else. He handed it to her, and she sat back on her haunches, holding it open in her small hands. A bashful smile spread over her face as she skimmed over its pages. “Don’t tell me you tracked me across the province just to return my book,” she chided him. He couldn’t speak. He could think of nothing but her sensuous form bound in jute rope. Finally, he decided on something appropriate to comment. “Are you alright, miss?” She blushed profusely, clearly embarrassed by what he must have seen, and tried to hide her expression behind her sleeve. He lowered her hand from her face, and tucked a bit of hair behind her ear like the lord Kojuro often did. She sighed and her eyes fluttered closed and open again. She responded to words and to touch as though they held as much influence as a knife to her throat. He understood the Art of Seduction now; it was a kind of game. It grew more fervid over time, until one player finally submitted to the other. “Thank you so much, Hanzo…” “It was nothing, miss…” He muttered just as she leaned in to embrace him. Suddenly, what felt like a bolt of lightening shot through his entire body. “Ah…!” “I’m sorry!” She exclaimed, and froze in place. Even so, her very closeness was enough to make him shiver. She pulled away to give him a strange look. “What’s going on here?” He remembered only too late that the brothel likely laced their tea with an aphrodisiac. He shared tea with the Maeda lord and his harem without even thinking. Soma was given it, too; he could smell it on her breath. She was hot from their exertion, only inches away from him in the quiet solitude of the peaceful forest, his favourite place. She was radiant, her skin aglow in the moonlight with perspiration. He retrieved her hairpin from a fold of his garment, wrapped gently in the piece of white silk, newly repaired. She blinked down at the object, as if in disbelief, then a single tear slipped down her cheek and onto her collar. His heart immediately sank. “How did you…?” Her soft voice beckoned, like a little sparrow. “I am Saizo’s arms and legs after all,” he reminded her, and himself. He folded her hands over the hairpin and lingered briefly there before finally making a move to stand. She leaned forward and lightly pressed her lips to his. It felt chastely experimental, unlike how she kissed him back in Kai. Her mouth tasted salty with her sweat, and smelled sweet like the sakura manju she had fed him by hand the night he helped her in Date Masamune’s kitchen. He made the kiss deepen, carried away by his nameless desire.To his surprise, she responded willingly. He began to squeeze his hands over her curves, memorizing her form. He guided her onto her back. His entire being resonated with her nourishing energy. He hovered between her legs, suspecting that in her current state she was at least a little curious to know what he had learned from her smutty book. “Might you have anything sweet for me, miss?” He grunted down at her. Her garment had come apart and his gaze settled on the prize of her womanhood. She gasped and feigned protest. He did not understand her sudden need to play coy. Unperturbed, he trailed his lips down her body. He spread her legs open wide and his eyes locked greedily upon the shining piece of candy that begged for him to consume it. He gave a silent apology to Saizo. Then, he realized that after the effects of the tea wore off, she might regret going any further. Worse even; he might. He flopped backwards to sit against the boulder as before. Soma sat up on her knees and closed her yukata back around herself. Their eyes met and the organized calm he normally exuded vanished. “Hanzo…” She said. The little man from Iga dashed his gaze nervously away. “That was payback.” “Is that so…” She contested, slightly unnerved, though she did not know what she would have preferred to be told. She took his hand. It was rough and well-worked. It surprised her. The majority of his features were conversely docile and feminine. His long, silken black hair fell loosely over his shoulders, having escaped from its tie sometime during their tryst. Soft, violet eyes peered at her expectantly. “No…” He admitted. She smirked. “How old are you, Hanzo?” “Twenty-five, miss…” He answered, slightly apprehensive. Has he never had a woman before? She thought to herself, unbelieving he was that old. In her excitement, she found the prospect that she was corrupting him somehow enticing, just as she had with Yukimura.She began untying his belt, and he watched her passively. He did seem to enjoy watching; she had wondered at the brothel how long he was going to let that stranger toy with her before deciding to intervene. “Is this what you want?” She asked, teasingly. His pulse was racing. She did not think a shinobi’s heart could beat at all. “Is it…?” He muttered, letting the question hang in the air as though he had no idea how to answer it. He never struck her as a man who caved easily to his own desires. “Are you okay?” “I may have been poisoned, miss…” He revealed. “What?!” “Not poisoned…” He tried to explain. He was actually sweating, now. “Affected… By some kind of tonic.” “Like an aphrodisiac?” She attempted. He nodded, and let out a staggered sigh. Saizo was fond of using food and drink to heighten the experience of lovemaking. Their first night together was a lesson in setting the mood that others likely paid with their lives for.She recalled being given a meagre meal at the brothel that included tea. The tincture was a floral blend, like the one she enjoyed with Lady Kiku during their outing together. She thought it a bit strange at first that the place offered a thing like that. She contemplated her body’s reaction to her client. He looked so much like Yukimura, but so confident and in control. She was ready to do whatever he wanted. “I apologize,” Hanzo muttered, wiping his damp brow on the back of his sleeve. “I have travelled far and was thirsty.” She wondered if perhaps he really did care for her, if not only for her former lover’s sake. He had even pretended to be Saizo in order to bring her comfort once, whether out of compassion or curiosity. She only took advantage of this and treated his heart recklessly, just as she was doing now. “No, I acted impulsively,” she corrected him, and retracted her touch. He offered her an oddly sympathetic look. “You would not have to force me… But I know your heart longs for Kirigakure Saizo.” “I suppose he told you what happened between us,” she insinuated. An audible pause said it all. “Are you keeping an eye on me? Is that why you’ve been at my heels?” “It was that, at first.” She blinked, not knowing quite how to respond to such an abrupt yet conversely unrevealing confession. “Lord Yukimura wants me to marry him,” she decided to tell him. “After his business with Lord Masamune he was going to take me to seek his father’s blessing.” Hanzo did not seem to be affected by her revelation, having reestablished his usual, sapient calm. Of course he knew about Yukimura’s proposal. He seemed to know everything. “What do you want?” “I…” She hesitated, though she was already sure. “I want to go back to my family. Even if it is just for a time. I need to think about… things.” “I can take you there.” “Really?” She whispered quietly, as if Yukimura could somehow hear them conspiring. “Are you not loyal to the Sanada?” An amused laugh trilled up Hanzo’s windpipe in an almost musical way. While she went off to wash herself, he fashioned a modest bed for her out of his cloak and pack. He knew that the right opportunity would come along for him to offer an escort back to her hometown, but did not expect it to come so quickly. The Maeda lord was right; it appeared that she did grow tired of the samurai, after all.He also wished to bathe, so he navigated his way to the opposite end of the cave mouth. He assumed that the cool water would be enough to quell his passions; but it was not. As he leaned backward into the fall, the water was sweet and fresh. He thought about her curvaceous body at the mercy of his unrefined touch, like soft silk in the maw of a beast. She was quietly humming a sad, lilting song that was reminiscent of the one Kojuro liked to play. He glanced over at her. The iridescent water trickled over her naked form, caressing her skin in translucent sheets. Her long, dark hair clung to her, appearing like a shroud that fell flat against her back and down to her round backside. He felt somewhat at odds with her, this goddess of the waterfall.Toppling from grace, she suddenly slipped on the rock she was posing upon and fell into the pool. Hanzo instinctively jumped in after her. Treading water, he searched for her, but she was completely submerged. He took a breath and was about to dive when she popped up out of the water right in front of him. Of course she knew how to swim. How silly of him to assume otherwise. “Oh my,” she cooed, pretending she had not seen him there. He decided he liked her better without cosmetics. Her smile was brilliant as the starry belt that crossed the night sky. He reached out and she did not pull away, but instead allowed him to cradle her in his arms beneath the night-blackened water. “Are you hurt?” He felt a set of gentle fingers drift along the length of his spine. The touch left a warm trail that delayed in its departure from his senses. She laughed at herself in her good-natured way and said that she must be tired. He told her to hang onto him. Complying, she folded hers across his bare shoulders, with one hand at the back of his neck, stroking it softly. It was nice to be touched in this way. He often felt at peace in her company, when he wasn’t reeling from his insecure loyalty to Saizo. Whatever she allowed to transpire between them, he would try to take it all in stride.He swam to the edge of the pool and carried her out of the water. It suddenly felt like everything that happened after that depended on his next move. He knew to pick up her kimono and her shoes that on their way out of the brothel. At least, he was pretty sure they were hers. He handed the items to her. “Thank you,” she said, then made a scrunched-up face. “It’s too formal, isn’t it? I would stand out too much, wouldn’t I?” “Saizo was right. You are very keen.” She let the bundle of clothes slowly fall to her feet until only the simple yukata she was given at the brothel remained clutched against her body. This was not in an attempt to cover up. She was perhaps reaffirming some part of herself, forgotten among her many suitors’ expensive gifts. The embroidered silk contrasted starkly against the moss and rocks of the cave floor. “Please don’t mention him anymore,” she said, her dark eyes grounded to the beautiful garment she had discarded so unceremoniously. “Alright,” he agreed, though he didn’t quite understand why it bothered her. He gestured for her to sit down, and she did so, feeling sleepy and compliant. He sat behind her and retrieved a small comb from his pack. Without a word, he got to work on her long mane, and she capitulated silently to his efforts. It seemed nothing at all to him that they were naked. It was arguably more comfortable this way in the heat.His long fingers entwined in her hair as they edged the comb through it patiently. She sensed no expectations. Perhaps that was his game, his reluctance making her more interested. She could only guess at what he wanted in exchange for his service to her, if it was not her body.When he was done, he invited her to lean back against his chest. She did so, and he guided her down gently to lay with him. Relaxing now, she involuntarily shivered from a sudden chill. He reached across her and grabbed her heavy kimono to pull over them as a blanket. He settled into a sleeping position behind her. Perhaps he would not sleep at all, intending instead to keep watch over their belongings. “Rest if you can, miss,” he said, quietly. “No harm will come to you.” The next morning she awoke to the sounds of birds. The floor steamed somewhat as the bright summer sun outside slowly heated up the damp interior of the cave. Hanzo was nearby, putting the last finishing touches on his outfit: leather gloves, shoulder armour, and of course his split-toed tabi footwear. It looked like he was readying himself for battle. All that was missing was his red cloak that clashed against his dark uniform. She did not have to guess as to why the colour never gave away his location. He was too fast to ever be apprehended, and too quiet to ever be spotted; unless he wanted to be.He turned to her as she rose, and told her to hurry. He feared they would not make it far before the sun became too hot for travel, even in the shade of the forest canopy. She readied herself for their departure, dressing and securing her pack to her shoulders. He had offered to carry both it and her if she pleased, but she refused. It became obvious after a few minutes on their journey that her stubbornness was inadvertently holding back their progress. Hanzo had to stop and wait for her to catch up to him many times. He was being kind about it, but she was embarrassed by her lack of physical ability. She wondered if they were still being pursued, and felt stirred by the strange noises of their surroundings. “It’s when it goes quiet that you have to worry,” he explained once they decided it was a bit too hot to continue walking. He gave her an ointment to apply to repel insects. It was not pleasant, but she was thankful; it was the season for them, and they were attracted to sweat. She wiped her brow with her sleeve and it came away damp. Her mouth was dry and she started feeling hungry. She would go without if need be, but wondered how shinobi managed to keep up their strength under these conditions. “Surely you don’t survive on sheer willpower alone,” she joked, holding her guts. She had only seen Hanzo eat once, and Saizo always took eager advantage of her cooking, as though he starved otherwise. Her escort clued in to her needs, and rifled through his pack. He produced a bag of rations: a few dry rice crackers she knew were called katayaki, and a number of rolled balls of ingredients that smelled strange. He called these hiyourougan. He explained that his recipe contained herbs that would also stave off thirst, as their water ration was limited. It was said that thirty of these dumplings a day gave shinobi all the nutrition required to perform their honoured feats of strength, but he much preferred other foods when they were available. Soma could relate to this sentiment when she bit into one and became instantly overwhelmed by the intense flavour of liquorice root. “You made these yourself?” She asked, intrigued. He nodded. “It’s an old family recipe.” Soma was impressed. Her own father’s doctrine included the philosophy that food was medicine, and Hanzo’s dumplings embodied his teachings literally. She asked him to give her his recipe, and he agreed, seemingly pleased that she was so interested.They continued walking after a couple of hours passed, and the noise of the summer insects resonated fervently throughout their surroundings. It was so persistent, that when it stopped, the silence of it was conversely deafening. They were approaching the side of a road. Hanzo had warned her before that bandits often traveled by foot through the forest to avoid being seen while they stalked the man-made roadways, looking for targets. It was one of the reasons they needed to hurry if she would not let him carry her. Dusk settled when he suddenly cupped his hand over her mouth and pulled her along with him into a nearby grouping of shrubs. Sure enough, a handful of travel-warn men of differing ages appeared and passed them on foot. They were armed, and sported scarves that covered the bottom half of their faces to prevent identification. “It’ll be dark soon,” one of the more mature-looking men announced, gesturing in the direction of the road. “It should be passing by here any minute.” The bandits all drew their weapons and lined up behind the trees along the dirt road. Soma and Hanzo watched quietly as a horse-drawn cart appeared and slowly made its way past. The man who spoke before had his hand up, holding off the other men until the time was right for them to strike. In a flurry of motion, they descended upon the cart, and a woman’s scream pierced the night, followed by an infant’s desperate cry. Propelled by instinct, Soma leapt into action. “We have to help them!” She hissed at Hanzo, who remained in their hiding place with a too-calm look on his face. He said nothing, and gestured for her to keep quiet, as well. She tore away from him. Brandishing the kunai Saizo gave her, she ran off towards the scene, leaving her escort bewildered and helplessly shouting after her in a hushed whisper.She approached the cart, and saw that the driver lay motionless on the ground, blood pooling around him. He was an honest-looking young man of humble means. The horses broke from their reigns and bolted frantically away down the road in fright as two of the bandits chased after them. Two more were behind the cart, pillaging its contents and tossing them outside onto the road. They sounded frustrated, perhaps not finding anything of value therein. The last two had the woman pinned to the side of the cart, and one stuffed a rag into her mouth to prevent her from screaming. The baby continued to cry, and its mother sobbed and wailed against the gag, struggling to break free from her captors to rush to its aid. The other man held a knife to her throat, and a thin trickle of blood spilled down from an unintentional wound where the weapon made contact from her squirming. The woman caught sight of Soma as she snuck closer, and her eyes went wild as if to try to warn her of some unseen danger. Sure enough, before she could make her move, she was immobilized from behind by the seventh bandit she had foolishly not accounted for. One of those who was pillaging the cart leaned out the back, holding the baby rather clumsily by the leg while it shrieked like a demon. Soma begged him to be more careful until the bandit behind her supplied her with her own gag. “Shut that baby up!” He grunted. She recognized the voice of the one she assumed was their leader. The underling he commanded secured his grip on the infant’s leg and geared up like he was going to strike it against the side of the cart. Soma could not bear to watch, and squeezed her eyes shut until they hurt. Suddenly she felt her assailant’s hands release their grip. She finally looked, and all the men around them lay dead. Silvery darts stuck out from their foreheads, thrown with such power and precision to pierce through the skull into the brain. Hanzo approached, looking slightly annoyed. He might have been scary if he wasn’t cradling a swaddled baby. It was no longer crying, and even fell asleep while he bounced it soothingly in his arms. Soma spat out her gag and ran to the mother, who was hyperventilating from shock. He passed her the baby, and she cried and shook, holding it a little too tightly against her. It woke up again and joined her in this melancholy song. He then went to the young man’s side to assess his injury. Just as Soma opened her mouth to ask if there was any saving him, he grimly shook his head, already knowing her question. “Riku is dead…” The woman repeated between sobs against the top of her baby’s head. “Your father is dead… My husband is dead…. What will I do…? May the son of God, Jesus Christ, have mercy upon us…” Soma blinked, confused, and looked to Hanzo. He muttered that the family were Christian missionaries, not merchants after all. This revelation made the crimes against them somehow even more diabolical. They weren’t even carrying weapons.The horses returned, and stood over their dead master, sniffing him curiously. Hanzo hoisted him into the back of the cart along with any strewn belongings he could salvage, and charmed the horses into position. He asked them to take their family to help, and they behaved like they understood, tossing their heads back and forth as if in agreement. No sooner were they off with the cart in tow before the shinobi suddenly fell to his knees, grazed by a throwing knife. The two bandits that were chasing the horses flew towards them in a rage, teeth bared. There was a flash of steel, and the attackers were stopped dead in their tracks. Hanzo shook their blood from his ninjato in one fluid movement before arranging it back into its sheath. He made to stand, but staggered and fell again. Soma ran to him and saw that the wound on his thigh was quite serious. “There are farms nearby,” he grunted, and leaned against her for support as they moved off the road in the direction he pointed. As they passed the bandit corpses one by one, he insisted that he be allowed to retrieve his throwing darts. They were apparently his favourites.They struggled for some time, navigating through the forest until they reached a clearing, then up and over a large, grassy hill. When they reached the summit, as promised there stretched before them several acres of farmland, with a farmhouse, stables, and a barn. The property was relatively dark apart from a few lanterns that dotted the perimeter, and Soma grabbed one to light their way as they snuck quietly into the barn. Once inside, Hanzo collapsed onto a pile of grass, and she knelt down beside him. “Try to hold still,” she instructed. He shot her a contentious look, but did as he was told. He took his hands away, and bright red blood spilled out from the gash on his thigh at a gentle pulse. She winced at the sight, and tore at his pant leg to further expose it. She fashioned a rag that she used to apply pressure to stop the bleeding. As she did so, he opened his pack and retrieved a kind of emergency wound kit. “I’ll need your help,” he said, dipping a needle into a vial of liquid before threading it. “I am not very good at doing this to myself.” He cut the thread with his teeth and retrieved a jar of salve. When he opened it the contents stunk to high heaven, but Soma was not deterred. After an appropriate amount of time passed, he told her to move the rag. He dumped some of the liquid over the wound and hissed as it stung his flesh. He nodded for her to begin, his jaw clenched in determination. She worked quickly to stitch him up while he held his leg steady. She noticed him concentrating on her face to distract himself from the pain. He was probably wondering how she knew to close a wound this way. She roughhoused with the boys in her neighbourhood as a child. Accidents happened. When she was done, he sucked in a deep breath and spilled more liquid over the cut. Soma could not help but to be impressed by how well he was handling himself. He smeared on some of the wretched-smelling salve, and bandaged himself with a strip of fabric from his other pant leg. His hakama were as good as destroyed at this point. “I’m so sorry, Hanzo,” she said, feeling very guilty. “Silly woman…” He griped, within his rights to do so. She knew she didn’t need to explain herself to him. She saw how gently he held the Christian woman’s baby, and how solemnly he reacted when he checked her husband for a pulse and found none. She wondered how one such as he could be so kind, and it made feelings well up in her heart for him that were not there before. “You’re a good man, Hanzo-sama,” she said. She could not really tell in the poor light, but she thought she saw him blush at this. “I may become feverish in the night,” he said, redirecting their topic of conversation. “If this should happen I will need to drink a mixture of water and these. Crush them up and let them steep for a few minutes. You must force me to drink, as I may be delirious.” He handed her his water flask and an envelope of herbs. She looked down timidly at the items, but he placed a hand on hers in reassurance. “I need rest now,” he mumbled, and immediately passed out. Not knowing what else to do, she sat by him and continued to hold his hand. She was confident in her stitch work on his leg, but the thought of him becoming ill frightened her. There was certainly a risk with these kinds of injuries, and medicine was not always easy to come by. Thankfully Hanzo was prepared. That made one of them, at least.She wondered if they should even carry on. Her clumsiness and lack of skill had put him in grave danger. Too unnerved to sleep, she rocked herself gently to stave off her tremors and watched him diligently for symptoms of fever.Hours passed, and just as she felt herself doze off the shinobi stirred and muttered a string of indecipherable nonsense. His forehead was dripping with perspiration, his skin pale. She went to work preparing the tonic he requested. She brought the flask to his lips, but he grimaced and turned away. She tried to reason with him, but it was as if he could not hear her. He continued to resist weakly, almost making her spill. Frustrated, she recalled another lesson of Saizo’s and sipped some of the tonic into her mouth. It tasted bitter and unlike anything she knew. Even so, she straddled him so that he could not move, and prompted him to take the liquid from her with a forceful kiss. He choked a bit at first, but the medicine went down. She repeated the process several times, until the flask was near empty. After some time, he was sleeping soundly. Relieved, she collapsed beside him. She awoke later as a shadow floated back and forth across her eyelids. She looked and saw Hanzo, sitting up straight beside her and looking apprehensive. They were not alone. A group of modestly-dressed workers of varying ages peered at them curiously. “Were these the ones who helped you last night, Makoto?” A voice said in a strange, lilting way that suggested he was not a native speaker of the language. The stranger stepped to the forefront, one who Soma identified as a Portuguese by his prominent nose. His clothes were fine and well-made, like he came from a noble stock. He wore eyeglasses, which were a rare, expensive thing.A familiar woman sidled up next to him and nodded. She looked haggard and exhausted from what was surely the longest night of her life. Another man joined them, a young priest with longish blond hair. He was so tall that he had to duck slightly to get through the door. He looked confused, and the Portuguese started to say something to him in their own tongue. The priest’s face went from shock to pity as he listened. He knelt down in front of the two intruders, gesturing a shape into the air at them. “Welcome, friends,” he said, struggling to form the words. “The grace of God be with you.” They were provided with water for bathing, as well as clean clothes and bandages. They were instructed to come to the main house when they were ready, and they did so. Hanzo was still too weak to flee, though he wanted to. Soma offered him the use of her arm, and he gladly accepted her gesture of help as he limped along like an invalid. “I think they just want to thank us,” she tried to comfort him, but he glowered leerily at the house as they approached. “I don’t trust religion,” he muttered. They were received inside with cheers and applause. To their surprise, a modest banquet was set out for them, and the Europeans motioned for them to join them at the table. The new widow started to pour wine for everyone, and Soma motioned for her to stop and sit down. She resumed the woman’s task for her, then took the place next to Hanzo, who sniffed at his cup a few times before drinking. “It’s safe, miss,” he whispered to her. She shot him a harsh look that commanded his silence. “Welcome, friends!” The Portuguese man repeated his cohort’s greeting from before. “I am Francisco. I am assisting Brother Luis here on his mission to learn about your beautiful country and its people. Please forgive my accent. My listening skills are better than my speaking skills, I assure you.” “I am having no troubles understanding you, Francisco-san,” Soma offered. This was definitely not her first time interacting with a foreigner. “Please forgive our intrusion onto your property. I am Soma, and this is Kiyohiro.” Luis leaned in and motioned for Francisco to quickly translate what was said. His eyes lit up and he replied with something that sounded like it might be a question. “You are newlyweds?” Francisco repeated for Luis in Nihongo. Hanzo quietly sipped his wine, letting Soma orchestrate the ornate lie that would be required to prevent his true identity from being uncovered. “We are actually on our way to the capital to get married,” she said, reaching down to squeeze Hanzo’s hand. She felt his fingers slowly curl around hers in a gentle, convincing way. “Our decision to interfere was a bit imprudent, in hindsight. Kiyohiro was injured, but we simply could not let the woman and her baby come to harm.” “The roads are crawling with bandits nowadays,” Hanzo offered after Soma nudged him with her foot underneath the table. “I travel often… For work. It has become perilous in recent times.” “Riku- My husband…” The woman piped up. “He would thank you if he could.” “I do not wish to be rude, but why were you out on the road at night?” Soma asked, unable to subdue her curiosity. The woman mulled over the question as if the answer, at one time obvious, eluded her now. It was unlikely that their errand was worth the murder of her husband. “They were on their way back from selling goods at a nearby village,” Francisco stepped in, first in one language, then the other as he realized they would not understand him. His gaze lowered, and he looked embarrassed. “I am so sorry, Makoto.” The woman’s eyes filled with tears, and though they continued to stream down her face, she looked up proudly at the priest, who still appeared confused. Soma could not fathom being in a strange land and not knowing the language. “Riku volunteered,” she said, her voice full of resolve. “I wanted to come along. My sister lives in the village and I wanted to see her. She had yet to meet little Taro, you see. I thought we’d make it back before nightfall, but…” Francisco took her hand, and she attempted to calm herself. Luis leaned in again and the two men exchanged some more words. “Please, eat,” the priest said in his heavy accent when he turned once again to his guests. The five of them sat together at the ornate, heavy oak table and sampled fresh-baked yeast bread and new cheese. Soma thought she had heard animals noises during the night. The meal was filling; it was no wonder Europeans could get to be so large. She wondered whether the other people living on the commune ate this way, too, or if they preferred their own cooking. “We will be gathering for Riku’s service later this afternoon if you would care to join us.” Crumbs burst forth from Francisco’s maw as he voiced his invitation through a mouthful of bread with cheese smeared over it. Though quite posh in appearance, he had unbelievable table manners.Soma agreed that they would attend, and it was her turn to feel Hanzo’s gentle kick underneath the table. “It would be only right for us to honour the man we could not save,” she said, looking at him. He narrowed his eyes at her, but nodded his head regardless. Just before dusk, the commune gathered together in a small graveyard by a wooded area at the edge of the property. A couple of the men had spent the day digging a grave into which they lowered Riku’s body, wrapped in a tatami. Luis approached solemnly with Francisco at his side, holding one of the bibles they were talking about. He opened the leather-bound book to a specific page and began to perform his service.The widow looked on from a bit away, anxiously trying to silence a screaming baby Taro. She paced back and forth making shushing noises behind the priest who was trying to speak. It was distracting, to say the least. After deciding she’d had enough, she quickly approached Hanzo and offered him the child. “I saw you with him last night,” she said. The dark circles beneath her eyes were enough to get lost in. “You must help me!” Hanzo, though a bit shocked, said nothing as he took Taro into a cradling position and began to gently bounce him in his arms. He fell asleep immediately, as if by magic. Makoto inhaled and exhaled a deep breath before taking her place near her husband’s grave. Hanzo continued to soothe the baby mindlessly as he observed the ritual taking place before them. Soma fancied that The Lord Babysitter of Iga was a nickname he could have actually earned. “Luis is wondering whether you two are planning to have children of your own,” Francisco said to them while the others offered their respects. Luis joined him, and gazed at the couple with bright, hopeful eyes. “Of course… Right, Kiyo-kun?” Soma replied tactfully, and looked to her partner in crime. Hanzo was staring right at her, his expression one she could not decipher. “Of course…” The Europeans exchanged some words, and Luis became excited, clutching his bible to his chest as though he was thinking of something romantic. He spun back around to the couple with a big grin on his face. Francisco cleared his throat. “Brother Luis would be honoured if you would allow him to perform a wedding ceremony for you here,” he explained, rather officially. His inflection indicated that this was not so much an offer as an obligation. “He believes it will boost the morale of the commune after such a terrible tragedy.” Soma did not think that a wedding was an appropriate response to poor Makoto’s husband dying, but figured they had no choice in the matter and politely agreed. Hanzo nodded, trying hard not to show his apprehensiveness. This was all very embarrassing. He felt obligated to help maintain the illusion the woman had created, but intended to discuss this with her later in private. She leaned her head against his shoulder, and his heart began to race furiously. It woke Taro up, and prompted Makoto to come and take him back. “It must be dinnertime,” she explained, and offered Hanzo a reverent bow before running off to feed her child. His arms felt a bit empty now, and he crossed them over his chest. Taro only woke up because of the shinobi’s rise in stress from their conversation. Soma had definitely done something to his brain. He suspected her Art of Seduction was weakening him. No wonder Saizo went away… He thought, though he knew that was far from the truth. As he watched her linger thoughtfully at Riku’s grave long after everyone left, he understood that his old rival had cut ties with her partly because he could not stand to leave her a widow. Whether or not that was the right thing to do, Hanzo did not know. Inuchiyo had abandoned her, too, and that’s when that corrupt magistrate swooped in. He tried hard to reel in his wandering thoughts. He did not understand much of them. “You stare longingly at a woman who stares longingly at a grave,” Luis said to him as he approached. His fluency had somehow improved considerably. “There was another before you, I am guessing. Is he no longer with us?” “So you can speak…” “I believe you have much more to hide than I do,” the priest countered, though in a kindly manner. “I looked through your belongings. I’m sorry, but I have to keep my people safe. You understand.” He held out one of Hanzo’s throwing darts, caked with dried blood, and perhaps some brain matter. The shinobi scolded himself for not thinking to clean them, and hoped they were not taking on rust. “We did not want to cause you any problems,” he calmly explained. “Danger seeks me out, not the other way around. Do you understand?” “Are you being hunted by some authority?” The priest asked, intrigued. Hanzo scoffed and shook his head. “Oh, I see… You are one who conceals himself. Shinobi.” Luis took a step back to assess his dangerous visitor, possibly weighing himself against him in a fight. Hanzo couldn’t help but to be slightly offended. He knew he was small, but he was deceptively strong, and agile; the lumbering European would be no match for him whatever. “How much do you want for your silence?” He cut to the chase, returning his gaze to the woman in his charge. His mission was all that mattered. “I do not want your gold,” Luis explained, shaking his head as if he did not think he should have to. “I have divine purpose, driven by God’s will.” He was being completely serious. Hanzo reminded himself of the true power of faith, despite his own lack of it. Believing in himself had always been good enough. “Then what do you want, Luis-san?” He asked the priest, who extended a hand towards him in a friendly gesture, but thought better of it and arranged it again at his side. “Just your cooperation. All who wander to this place seem to be drawn by need, though what they seek is more than just food, lodging, and work. They seek confirmation that they are loved by the one and only God of Heaven.” Hanzo chuckled, lowly. Luis was a bit taken aback by this, and cleared his throat so that he could finish his thought. “One glaring truth resonates to me…” He continued, a little more pointedly. “You do love that woman, there, whoever she is. Many who come here are victims of great trauma, affected by war, poverty, and abuse. Would it be such a terrible thing to help them believe that there are such things as happy endings?” Hanzo paused to ruminate over the man’s strangely wholesome machination. He actually felt a little moved by it. His knowledge of love, however, was lacking; only a strange kind of stupidity in him whenever the woman was near. “Have your Christian wedding,” he said, finally. The priest smiled.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The Christians’ tradition dictated that the couple not be allowed to spend the night together before the ceremony, and so Hanzo did not get his chance to speak alone with Soma until they were walking together towards the altar. “Are you sure about this, miss?” He asked her, quietly. It would be disastrous if anyone at all suspected them of conspiracy, but he just had to make sure. The Christians had built a temple-looking structure behind the barn where they could congregate for prayer. All residents of the commune were in attendance; about thirty or so men, women, and children. As the couple passed, they were greeted with smiling faces. Soma seemed nervous, despite being the one who agreed to it in the first place. Twisting her free hand through her hair like she was intending to hang herself with it, she for some reason had trouble looking him in the eye. “Of course,” she whispered, smiling in an attempt to hide her trepidation. “I didn’t want to be rude… Listen, this is strange for me, too, okay?” “We are neither of us Christians,” he reassured her, but could not help but feel a bit hurt by her aloof response. He had been nurturing a curiosity; one that secretly pondered whether something like this had any chances of occurring between them in real life. After all, she was the one to initiate their impulsive relationship, both the fictional and the real. She could have named him as her cousin, or even a servant, but she seemed eager to agree with the priest that they were lovers. “I know… It’s so embarrassing, isn’t it? Look at all these people… They’re staring at us like we’re…” She trailed off. She seemed so confident before, but it was difficult for her now. He wondered if she was thinking about Saizo. “We are gathered here today to witness the joining of Soma and Kiyohiro in the sacred bond of holy matrimony,” Francisco began, translating for the priest. “If anyone has a reason that these two people should not be married, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace.” Luis looked directly at Hanzo, and the latter bit his tongue. No one else said a word, of course, completely unaware that the wedding was just a ruse put on to amuse and distract them. The priest smiled at him, good-heartedly, as if this entire thing wasn’t supremely odd. Their lie was also, ironically, a sin.The woman looked divine, dressed in a white bridal kimono that trailed behind them across the grass. It was a look he had seen her in once before at her fake wedding to the Uesugi lord. She made a lovely bride. It was impossible not to stare at her contrastingly pink lips that puckered and pursed with each of her conflicting thoughts. He knew how soft these were from experience, and found himself eager to hear the priest prompt them to kiss. Soma was nervous. In each glimpse she got of Hanzo there was something else that made her want to look again. His shiny black hair was combed, his face shaved; his delicate features were deceptively sweet and gentle. He had even chewed herbs to make his breath pleasant. What’s more, seeing him with that baby had filled her heart with such joy that she almost completely forgot that he tried to kill her once. “Now, will the couple recite the vows?” Francisco directed. Each were given a document to read from, and they needed only to recite the words in a convincing enough way.Hanzo cleared his throat and turned to her. “I have written my own, actually,” he announced. He appeared resolute. He took her hand in his, and the scene quickly melted away from her focus. Suddenly, it was only the winsome Hattori Hanzo with his night-black hair and that flirtatious little mole by his handsome mouth. “I do not have much in this world to offer you,” he began, and she unintentionally squeezed his hand. To her surprise, he squeezed back. “But if you accept it, Soma, everything I have is yours from this day forward. I give myself to you, mind and body. That is my vow.” “Will you accept, Soma?” Luis said in his broken Nihongo. “Oh… I do accept, Ha- Kiyohiro…” She stumbled through, and felt a warm tear run down her cheek. She was overwhelmed. She almost said his real name, he was so convincing. “I accept you, and everything you are. I promise that wherever the road takes you, I will always welcome you, and comfort you… As long as you will have me.” It was slightly vague, but it was the truth. She didn’t think it appropriate to read off a page after the lovely things he said, though her feelings for him were still relatively fresh. She was hesitant to act on what was surely just another case of infatuation. “Will you accept, Kiyohiro?” A funny little smile cracked the side of the shinobi’s mouth, and she felt her heart jump into her throat at the sight. He was actually enjoying this. “I do.” She gulped. “Then, by the power vested in me,” Brother Luis recited, having apparently memorized this part in Nihongo quite well. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.” Though they had kissed before, this was somehow vastly different. They had an audience, and it made it that much more visceral. He remained still, forcing her to be the one to lean in. When she closed her eyes and gently fit her lips to his, she felt him exhale out his nose as if in relief; and when she pulled away, he quickly yanked her back for another sneaky peck before letting her go. She gave him a questioning look, and the crowd erupted in emphatic applause. They were instructed to walk back down the aisle together, hand in hand, and join everyone in the main house for a party. “Typically one would present the bride with a ring,” Francisco explained as he sat down at the table. “And place it on the fourth finger of her left hand.” “There is an artery that runs along that digit, leading directly to the heart,” Hanzo replied. He thought he was just making conversation, but the Portuguese man looked very impressed. “I have heard that, too, Kiyohiro-san!” He said, and clapped his hand on his back. Hanzo winced. “Are you perhaps a doctor by trade? That would certainly explain your need to travel for work.” He did not know the backstory of their characters, and immediately looked to Soma for assistance. She was busy, however, chatting with a group of women who were fawning over the new bride. “That is correct, Francisco,” Luis chimed in, to his rescue. He gave the shinobi a little wink. “A student of Menase Dosan, no less.” “Impressive!” They ate and drank well into the night. Hanzo had expected the priest at least to abstain from alcohol, but he was quite proud of their European grape wine. It was very good, the shinobi having developed a bit of a taste for it, as well.Soma was glowing, her face enveloped in a rosy hue that centred around her cheeks and grew outward to her ears. She caught him looking at her, and smiled. He perked up immediately, and suddenly felt warm. He set down his cup in order to pace himself. His stomach ached, though he had eaten, and his throat felt dry, though he was drinking. As the night went on, his head began to swim with the knowledge of what was anticipated of them once they were left alone. As if reading his thoughts, Brother Luis sidled up to him once Francisco got up to relieve himself. “Are you ready to perform your husbandly duty tonight?” He asked him quietly so that only he could hear. “You are now one in the eyes of God, after all.“ “Her heart belongs to another,” Hanzo reminded, perhaps trying to convince himself more than the priest. “You are a virtuous man,” Luis replied with a shrug. “She cares deeply for you, though. I do have a sense for these things.” He finally offered the show of kindness he’d alluded to when they spoke the previous evening as his hand cupped Hanzo’s shoulder in an almost fatherly way. He then laughed and gestured behind him at the group of women. “What do you think they’re all talking about over there?” Sure enough, as Hanzo began to eavesdrop on their conversation, Makoto was mid-way through explaining to Soma how babies are made, as though the latter was completely ignorant on the subject. He wondered how the silly woman from Kyoto would navigate them through this predicament. It was finally time for the couple to retire, and when they returned to the space they shared in the barn it had been transformed into a charming sleeping area with a proper futon surrounded by burning incense and oil lamps.The door closed them inside, and they immediately turned to each other. “Are you tired?” Soma asked after an awkward pause. “No. Are you?” She shook her head. “Hanzo-san… I’m sorry. I kind of dragged you into all of this, didn’t I?” “Is it that bad, miss?” He asked. She clutched her little hands together against her bosom in a nervous way. “No… I actually had a really nice day today.” “As did I,” he agreed, and gestured for her to join him for a seat. “Does your leg still hurt?” He made to show her, and she averted her eyes for a moment, embarrassed, as he lifted his yukata to expose his thigh. Her attention slowly found focus on his injury, and she moved to kneel down beside him on the futon. She extended one of her delightfully pudgy digits to graze the thick, bright pink scar left by the bandit’s throwing knife. The look of shock on her face was almost completely worth it. “It’s healed!” She gasped. “Almost.” Quick healing was another technique he had mastered during his training. It was the difference between being laid up for a day or a week in a world where time is always of the essence. “That’s…” She muttered, then narrowed her eyes at him. “Then why did you still need my help walking today?” He pointed towards the outside. Shadows of feet shuffled across the crack in the bottom of the door. Luis was right; the Christians were intent on the couple consummating their union and were gathered outside the barn, trying hard to be quiet and failing miserably. “By the gods,…” She muttered. “There are people outside…” He leaned backwards onto his hands and looked at her, expectantly. “What do you suggest we do, now, miss?” He asked, perhaps teasing her just a bit. He had never before been in a more ridiculous situation, and judging from her perplexed expression neither had she. “Oh, yes… Touch me there, Kiyo-kun…!” She quickly gasped in a loud voice, feigning a sweet-sounding moan. “What is happening?” He whispered, startled, and she motioned for him to just be quiet. She was looking towards the door, and sure enough, the shuffling of the feet suddenly paused. “Your hands are rough, but they feel so good!” She cried, and cupped her hands around each of her breasts. He raised an eyebrow at the woman. He looked at his hands, having never thought of that before, and slid one covertly across his exposed thigh. The texture of his palm was a bit like fine sand, but he could think of no other way to protect them than to train them, as gloves could only do so much. He never clued in that a woman might find something like that unpleasant, but he supposed it made sense. “Oh, Kiyo-kun… Yes…! Do it!” She continued, in an unsettlingly convincing manner. “I want it so bad! Fill me up… Ohhhh!” The faces she was making were illicit as she gasped and moaned at the things she was imagining were being done to her; by him, no less. He felt himself become quite taken in by her performance.She noticed him staring, and it broke her concentration. Her face reddened, and he impulsively moved in to silence her oncoming laughter by pressing a single digit against her soft lips. Francisco’s voice began to chastise the audience for lurking, and the shadows outside slowly dispersed. Hanzo lowered his hand, leaving Soma gazing at him with heavy eyelids. Their faces were mere inches apart, and the strange feeling began to course through him like the one brought on by the brothel’s tonic.He was about to commend her on her ruse, but she leaned in to him, unexpectedly. Her little fingers enlaced in his hair, loosening it from its tie. She straddled him and pulled his yukata away from his shoulders, eliciting from him a soft moan that made her body quake when she heard it.As she rocked her hips over his lap and continued to paw at him, his clothing fell loosely away. Soon, he felt himself pressed against something wet and warm. He gasped. “You’re drunk…!” “If you want this…” She replied in a hot voice by his ear. “Don’t say another word.” He remained decidedly silent. He allowed himself to fall backwards against the bedding, relenting to the beautiful woman’s sensuous ministrations. She grabbed his hands and moved them along the ties that fastened her garments, eluding that she wanted him to undress her. He did so, and began to massage the cushiony flesh of his own volition as it revealed itself to him piece by piece. Immodest noises came from the place where they were connected, skin on skin. He raised his hips up at her involuntarily as if to reinforce it. Both panted and moaned intermittently with each movement, until the woman fell over onto her back, taking him with her.As if propelled by instinct, Hanzo continued to move his hips, using his hands for leverage as they gripped the futon on either side of her. He was relieved back in Kai that he’d found this activity with another person very pleasant, despite his previous reservations. The faces he had witnessed people making during sex were oftentimes confusing, and hers were no different.When she looked at him, her eyebrows creased with a desperate kind of worry. It was torturous, begging. It made him want to give her everything; things that were not his to give her.As the strange heat within him grew ever more fervent, however, his lips craved occupation. He lowered his face to her neck and began to lick and bite down on the supple flesh. She cried out excitedly, and he continued to maw at her with a renewed fervour, moving to her breasts. He took each nipple into his mouth in turn, and she arched her back to force more of her flesh past his lips. Each time he pulled away, more bright-red rounds were left on her skin; marks of ownership and lust. “Hanzo…!” His real name tumbled from her gaping mouth in an amorous whisper. It was enough to push him over the edge, and he slid against her in one final offering. A cry forced its way past his gritted teeth, almost animal in its ferocity. He felt himself quiver and shake involuntarily in her embrace as wave after wave of intense pleasure pumped through him, unknowing and uncaring of his shyness and inexperience.Giddy, he leaned in to nuzzle the woman’s neck with his nose. He trailed his lips across her soft skin, and she gasped and cooed in reaction to his touch. He wondered whether this was enough to quell the woman’s tortured expressions, but dared not go further. He was almost unbelieving of the awkward situation he was in with his rival’s lover, as she lay naked beneath him, covered in his seed. He hoped to never have to explain it to Saizo himself.He helped her clean up and lay down beside her. Ejaculating always made him feel clumsy and tired. He even tended to refrain from masturbation. Soma snuggled against his chest, and peered up at his fine, deceptively innocent-looking face as he slept. She felt his arms close around her, and one corner of his mouth twisted upward in a devilish sneer. She supposed she wouldn’t have to ask him later if he had found this experience to his liking.She awoke the next morning alone in bed. Her eyes found her escort a few metres away, half-dressed, silently performing katas with a renewed exuberance. His hair fluttered about him like a feathered cape as he spun and kicked in the air, night-black and sparkling in the dim light. His well-defined muscles flexed with each skillful movement, his physique perfectly symmetrical, and fiercely strong. When he spotted her, he landed another high kick to his invisible sparring partner before twisting his body around and bending backwards. He executed an acrobatic flip and stood poised before her, not at all out of breath, as if he’d simply strolled over. His violet eyes searched her form, remembering. “We’re losing daylight, miss,” he said, and suddenly averted his gaze. “You’re certainly feeling better,” she replied, matching his tone. She couldn’t tell in the dim light, but she thought she saw him blush. “If you’re so eager to get going, why didn’t you wake me?” He made a funny face she couldn’t decipher, but said nothing. Their belongings were already packed and ready by the door; he was intent on making things easy for her, as though he knew how tired she was. Their night together had not exactly been uneventful. She feared that things would be awkward, now, between them. The Jesuit priest insisted that he transport them by cart himself as far as the next town. That suited Hanzo just fine, since there was little forest cover along the way; it was mostly farmland where they would be exposed. Soma bounced around in the back as the horses flew down the dirt road. Uninterested in the bible Luis lent her to keep her occupied, she closed her eyes and tried to get some rest. “You put on quite the performance last night, shadow-man,” the priest chortled, assuming Soma could not hear. He was mistaken. “Yes… Well…” Hanzo started to reply, but trailed off. He had somehow been discovered, and yet still decided to go ahead with the ceremony. He must have felt it was the right thing to do. She remembered the happy people at the wedding, eager to find some enjoyment in the mundanity of their existence, and after being affected so negatively by the death of one of their own. What happened between them afterwards was all her doing, instigated by grape wine and romance, and he once again restrained himself as best as he could for Saizo’s sake. “What will you do now?” Luis continued after an extremely pregnant silence. “I don’t think you were lying about the capital. We’re heading in that direction now, after all.” “I have been tasked with returning the woman to her home,” Hanzo replied, matter-of-factly. “That is what I will do now.” He was being a little cold. The priest sensed it, too, and clicked his tongue to indicate his displeasure. “As I have told you, Luis-san,” the little man from Iga continued, seemingly impatient to block off this vein of discussion. “She belongs to another.” Soma gaped silently at the back of his head, a little disjointed by his foundation-less comment. “I will say one thing…” Luis pressed on, and silenced Hanzo’s oncoming protest with a petulant finger wag in the face. “In all my experience witnessing matrimonial vows, yours were the most convincing. That is all.” Hanzo appeared somewhat shocked by this revelation. He then tugged at his ponytail in a sort of bashful way Soma had never seen him do before. “I see…” He said in a low voice. “Thank you, Luis-san.” The cart suddenly hit a rock in the road and flung Soma upward so that for a split second she hovered weightlessly in mid-air. Then, her backside hit the floor again with such force as to cause her to yelp in pain. Hanzo immediately started choking, and Luis smacked him hard on the back. “Goodness! Are you alright?” “Yes!” The shinobi squeaked. “Ahem. Just caught a little off-guard.” He turned around to look back at Soma, who quickly pretended to be asleep. He and Brother Luis seemed to have come to some understanding despite the shinobi’s mistrust of religion. When it was time to say goodbye, they were made to promise to visit the commune again someday. Once the cart disappeared back down the dirt road from whence they came, Hanzo insisted that he carry Soma on his back at least until they reached Nagoya. There, they sought shelter, settling on the inn she remembered staying at once before. “Don’t I know you from someplace?” The innkeeper asked, squinting at her. She quickly shook her head. “Funny. I never forget a face. A young woman came in here a few months ago… From Kyoto, I think she was. Looked just like you, except she had a pair of strong, young bucks on her arm. Ha! Kids today are so liberated.” He looked over Hanzo with the same scrutinizing gaze, and the shinobi just took it, though his mysterious eyes burned with an unspoken resentment. “Who is this, then? Your servant?” “My husband,” Soma retorted, slightly annoyed. He immediately stumbled over an apology, and Hanzo seemed to take pleasure in seeing the man squirm at her words. Wringing his pudgy hands together nervously, he showed them to a modest room; the very last one in the house. The good weather meant the trade route was ripe with travellers, and they were very busy. Soma soon realized they were given the same room she had occupied with the young lord and his assassin. What transpired all between them during their stay would have been spicy gossip for this man, and she could not exactly blame him. Her eyes drifted to the futon laid out for them in the centre of the floor, as did Hanzo’s. He appeared hesitant to move much past the threshold of the door. “I will hire a reliable transport to take you the rest of the way,” he said. “I should not stay here with you, miss.” “You’re tired,” she offered as she quickly went to work retrieving a second futon for him from the cupboard. ”I must be pretty heavy to carry…” She asked a passing attendant to bring them tea. When they came back with a tray, Soma brought it to where Hanzo was now sitting on the floor, though still in his cloak. He was staring at the closet on the other side of the room as if it housed something only he could see. “Tell me,” she said, as she poured for them. “About your family. Do you have any siblings?” “A brother,” he replied, finally looking at something other than the closet. He analyzed his teacup out of habit before blowing on it and taking a sip. “Oh, I should like to meet him someday!” “I would never wish that upon you, miss.” His tone was dour enough that she decided not to press the issue further. Iga was home to whole societies of shinobi warriors, each serving their own individual clans. It was very likely that his brother also trained in these arts. She imagined that any brother of Hanzo’s would be just as impressive as he, but she felt somehow inclined to doubt that they shared the same gentility. She understood well that she would need to lead the conversation if it was to continue. He was so much easier to talk to when she was a little drunk, and she struggled with it now, his curious gaze weighing heavy on her. “How did you charm that baby so easily?” She asked, settling on a much lighter topic. “Have you cared for children before?” “I have never,” he informed her, with a raised eyebrow. “In Iga, infants are mostly left to themselves to cry. I simply employed a mind-control technique. Miss, what is the purpose of these questions?” “I just want to get to know you better,” she said, sensing a pout coming on. “Mind-control, huh. I don’t suppose you’ve used that on me before, then? I guess you wouldn’t be the first…” “Is this all to do with yesterday?” He asked, tilting his head to the side. “We were just acting… No?” “Nothing about any of that felt like acting to me…” He mulled over her words for a moment, very seriously. “I admit that I have never been eager to nurture these kinds of emotions, miss,” he revealed. “But you cause me to behave… irrationally.” “You should stay, Hanzo-sama,” she said. “Rest yourself in the room you paid for. If you choose to leave me in the morning, I won’t hold it against you.” Suddenly, he was kneeling beside her, his mysterious eyes set on hers so intently, they were spellbinding. She gasped, her voice caught in the back of her throat. “I really do not mind carrying you…” He brushed his lips across her cheek. At the same time, a flurry of red fabric grazed the ceiling as he threw off his cloak in such a deliberate way that she could imagine it landing perfectly folded. His warm breath pulsated by her ear, and she felt herself begin to quake with excitement. As if to stabilize her, her grasped her by the shoulders and offered his lips to hers.She felt him release her hair from its casement and it cascaded down her back. He pulled his fingers gently through it, loosening each strand before grabbing the back of her head to deepen their embrace. When they finally parted, she said nothing for fear of ruining the moment. The tension between them was palpable as ever. He began to undress her, slowly. While he peeled her clothes away, his mouth was always on her, kissing, biting at her as though she were a delicacy. As more of her skin was revealed, she noticed many of his love marks from the previous night. They burned on her like brands, each placed as a reminder of their passion play. He slowly traced his nimble fingers across them, as if admiring his handiwork, and looked to her for approval. She simply nodded for him to continue, trusting his intentions unreservedly. He lowered his face to her chest and trailed his open mouth along the flesh until one of her breasts presented itself. He sucked on it hungrily, squeezing and fondling the other with a gloved hand. “I want to feel your skin,” she sighed, and heard a faint ‘tsk’ emanate from below. He peeled off his gloves, and tossed them aside.When he resumed his ministrations, she felt the rough skin of his hands explore the map of her body, each long digit stretching greedily across it to conquer it completely. He was behaving differently this encounter, as if he was trying to make up for all of his previous passivity. “You’re so soft… It feels so good…” He guided her onto one of the futons and pulled her legs apart. He nuzzled and kissed in between her thighs, down to her feet, and back up again, sparing no effort to any part of her exposed skin. She looked down at him and his jewelled gaze locked with hers before he lowered his face to her mound. Embarrassed, she tried to push him away, but he remained steadfast. “I want to make you feel good, too.” With those words he dove in to taste her, his gentle mouth enveloping every part of her secret to suck on it delicately. She threw her head back. “This is agony…” She moaned, reaching down for him. “I want to feel you inside me…!” “Is that so?” He continued to tease her with his tongue. She felt it push into her and wriggle around, exploring her depths. She had to cover her mouth to keep from crying out. Encouraged, he replaced it with a finger and resumed his attentions to the other sensitive areas. She felt it pump slowly in and out, bending somewhat at the knuckle to hit some tender spot within her that ached with a dull, warm desire. Executed at the same time, the movements of his finger and his tongue together caused her to climax very quickly. Her hips bucked upwards, unintentionally, and he pushed her back down with his free hand on her belly. “Hmm…” He moaned. “You taste like that manju you fed me in the kitchen at Yonezawa. What was it called again?” “Wagashiii…!” She whined as he inserted another finger. It was a ludicrous thing to be said aloud at that volume, but she supposed that the perverted innkeeper would only have more juicy gossip to entertain himself with. “How do you suppose my manhood would feel in there?” He asked, as if he actually wanted her to answer. She couldn’t believe his dirty talk.
He almost sounds like…
Suddenly, she was pulled up onto her knees to face him, like he was reminding her of who he was. He kissed her, long and intensely. She felt her entire body melt into his embrace. “I want to feel your mouth on me again first,” he intimated once he released her. She felt herself blush, recalling what she had done to him in her room at Tsutsujigasaki Castle. He stood and began to undress. When she looked up at him his impressive physique dominated her view. She pulled away his fundoshi to reveal his very erect phallus. It curved upward slightly like a tachi blade. He grazed the side of her face with it. She grabbed it with both hands, and he whipped his head back to let out a stuttered gasp. He was very sensitive. A bead of liquid evolved at the head of it like it meant to drip onto the floor. She took it into her mouth and started to tease him, indulging in the rude, salty taste. “I’m already on the edge, miss,” he said. Unheeding his half-hearted plea for gentleness, she grabbed his muscular thighs and pulled him closer, until he hit the back of her throat. He choked back a gasp and widened his stance to stabilize himself. She felt him place his hands on the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her hair. He throbbed in her mouth, and a thick shot of semen burst forth without warning. He groaned and tried to pull away, but she held him fast and allowed it to spill down her open gullet before she continued as if nothing happened. His entire body shook, until she pulled away of her own volition. “Are you finished already?” She asked, teasing him. He brought one hand to her face and wrapped it gently underneath her jaw to ply her mouth open before pushing his length past her lips again. It was unbelievably even harder than before, and twitched wildly as though his orgasm was still ongoing. She let him hold her in place so he could make love to her mouth. The gentle sway of his hips ensured that the tip of his length hit her throat with each pass. Just as she felt like it might start to choke her, he intuitively stopped and pulled out so that she could swallow and take in a breath. “What was it that you said you wanted again, miss Soma?” He grunted, a naughty sneer edging at his lips. “I want to feel you inside me, Hanzo-sama…” Her voice sounded weak to her ears. Her jaw muscles had been worked extensively. Her lips felt fat and raw, and were covered with drool. He traced them with the pad of one thumb. “How do you want it?” He asked her. His dark, too-calm voice made her crazy. He stood before her, holding his resilient erection in his hand, awaiting her instruction. His chiseled abdominals and chest rose and fell with intense breath, beaded with sweat. She wondered what position might excite him most.She pulled him down onto the futon, and he relented to her completely. She climbed atop him and started kissing his face, his forehead, cheeks. His lips chased hers until they finally met; he was suddenly greedy for her kisses. She grabbed his arms and pinned them to the mattress over top of his head. She sightlessly guided him inside of her with a quick turn of her hips, and he moaned hard into her mouth. She spent the next several minutes edging him on and stopping just as she felt his breathing become more erratic. The upward curve of his length rubbed along the same spot his finger had. The pleasure felt intense and forbidden. Soon, he began to buckle upwards in order to reinforce their connection. He wanted to release, but she would not allow him. She thought he could handle her teasing, but when she looked up, she saw that he had torn up a portion of the mattress he was gripping. She let go of his arms, and he grabbed her and pulled her close. “Soma…!” He moaned and shook, clinging onto her so tightly she though he might break her in half at the waist.It was the first time that he called her simply by name.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“Will you not consider coming with me, instead?” Hanzo asked Soma rather spontaneously when they reached the outskirts of the city. “I must report back to my village. It would be foolish to tarry any longer.” “I suppose you have a home of your own there you need to attend to,” she reasoned, sad to part with him. He shook his head. “I was not lying when I told you that I do not have much to offer. Although… I never much cared before our meeting.” She somehow never put it together before that the man carried his whole life on his back. To the ignorant, he might appear as free as a man can get; but she knew very well that he was tethered down in other, far more serious ways. “Don’t worry, Hanzo,” she said. He brushed a gloved finger along her jawline, and she reached up to squeeze his hand. “We will be together again someday.” “Yes… I will find a way.” He leaned in and kissed her gently.It was a whisper; a ghostly thing as if she’d imagined it. When she opened her eyes, he was gone. In her hand was a purse full of gold that he had left in the place of his own hand. Does he mean to leave this behind for safekeeping? She wondered, staring at the bulging silk pouch. It had a little embroidered tanuki on it sitting in lotus position. She peered down at it curiously before quickly stuffing it in her bodice. Just then, a note fell from her breast and landed open on the ground. It said:
Use this when the time comes.
She did not know what he meant by this, but trusted his intentions. It was a hot summer afternoon, and the humidity made the strands of her loosened hair cling to her face. She struggled to wipe them away with the back of her hand as she made her way quickly through the marketplace. None of the vendors recognized her nor greeted her on her way by. She felt different than when she last navigated these streets; older. She wondered if she looked different now, too.It had been a while since she was last able to write her mother, and she worried that her sudden arrival would be inconvenient in some way. She tried hard to think of some story to tell about why she suddenly decided to return, but could think of nothing. She had to hurry along so that she would not run into the magistrate and his men, and feared that her decision to come back to her family’s restaurant was actually a terrible mistake that might put them all in danger. “Soma!” Several surprised and happy voices filled her ears as she passed through the entranceway. Her jaw dropped instantly. Seated at the bar was none other than Inuchiyo. He was the same as the night he attacked her in her room, only cleaner-cut, and sober. Just as before, he was dressed in fine clothing, and her father’s sword was strapped to his hip. She recognized the woven pommel-grip she made for it years ago, now warn to the point of nearly falling off. She froze, not knowing what to do. “Welcome back, little lady,” Keiji said in his usual, playful tone as he sidled up next to her. He embraced her, which he never did out of respect for her mother, only so he could whisper into her ear. “We seem to have a visitor.” “Soma! Don’t just stand there like a stranger,” Mother said, looking a little stressed. “Look who’s back…” She went to stand next to Inuchiyo, and put a hand on his shoulder. He stared at Soma from his perch, looking just as shocked as she was. “It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?” He said, finally, and a thousand emotions shocked through her like static. His expression suddenly hardened. “I guess you went and got yourself kidnapped like an idiot…” “Idiot, huh.” He always had some way of making her feel small. She hated it. She hated him.She stormed off towards the living quarters in the back. When she passed Inuchiyo, she stopped and glared at him. Hard. “I’d like a word with you,” she whispered to him. “In private.” She felt everyone’s eyes on her, but she didn’t care. He was terrible and handsome as ever, his stern brow clenched like a little fist. His black hair fell in messy strands to just about past his ears. He pushed it back sporadically to keep it off his face as she led him to her old room. Keiji joined them. He lived there now, and her things had all been pushed into a corner. “Do you know who this is, Keiji?” She asked him. He nodded. “He is Lord Maeda Toshiie,” he replied, matter-of-factly. “He is one of Oda Nobunaga’s top-ranking generals, known by some as The Spear of Sengoku.” Soma locked her eyes on the man she once knew as a brother. He averted his, suddenly very uncomfortable. He was a mud puddle of a man compared to the beast who attacked her in this very room only a few months ago. “I know him only as Inuchiyo,” she said with a defiant shrug. She felt angry and betrayed. “Now he is working for the very men who killed my father? How fitting. I always knew you were a cowardly bastard. Now you have the balls to call me an idiot…” Toshiie clicked his tongue and raised a hand to her. Before he could make another move, Keiji was on him, restraining him. It was the fastest Soma had ever seen him move. “You truly are a coward if you choose to hit a woman,” he chastised him. “Don’t you dare lecture me on cowardice, Maeda Keiji!” Toshiie hissed. Keiji pushed him hard against the wall. The flamboyant layabout towered over him now, made irate by his insolence. “Pardon me, cousin,” he growled into his face. “But I kindly advise you to stand down, before you fall down.” “Maeda…” Soma muttered. “Cousin…?” “You really are an idiot.” Toshiie narrowed his eyes at her, unfazed albeit rendered immobile by Keiji’s hold. This one quietly reminded him to behave himself. “It just so happens that Keiji is also a runaway from the Maeda Clan,” Toshiie continued, and his cousin sighed, apparently a little embarrassed of his origins. “Why did you come back here, Maeda Toshiie?” Soma asked. She was too confused to be frightened of him anymore, and too angry. “I heard about what happened. That magistrate deserves what is coming to him.” She fingered the collar of her yukata, feeling for the purse of gold. She was surprised to find that enemies of Kai had infiltrated her family home, and wondered if Hattori Hanzo had anything to do with this, his escort just a little too altruistic for her taste. “Let him go, please,” she said, and Keiji did so. Toshiie readjusted himself and pushed his cousin aside. He approached her, visibly trying to calm himself for her sake. “There is a fighting competition in a few days,” he said. “Sanada Yukimura will be here soon, and I intend to challenge him.” Keiji sighed and shook his head. Soma was speechless. She recalled Inuchiyo as a competitive and confrontational youth. She found it endearing once, but not so much as an adult. She doubted he would have really hit her, but was aware that people do change over time, for better or for worse. He was just as eager to intimidate her suitors, however. That had not changed one bit, despite his recent success. Remembering her place, she could think of nothing else to do but offer the lords her respects. Before her knees could even touch the floor, however, Keiji scooped her up and back onto her feet. “You bow to no one,” he reminded her quietly, words he repeated to her from the day they first met. She found him drunk, loitering outside the restaurant on the rainy night that Inuchiyo disappeared. He was grabby and emotional, mumbling about some mission he had to fulfill in order to redeem himself. She pitied him and took him in. She bartered with her mother to allow him to work for lodging, and somehow got her way. Grateful, he vowed to protect her and her family. He did not do much actual work, but they were never robbed, and Soma only ever feared the magistrate when she went out to run her errands. It was nice to have him around, though he drank too much and flirted with the customers. After a while, everyone just got used to the silly, young vagabond. He simply became a part of the family.As he gazed down at her now, his violet eyes embodied some maturity they lacked before. His brow was serious, troubled. It made it more obvious that he and the man she called Inuchiyo were related. “Go to your mother,” he said. “Leave this one to me.” “I wondered whether this day might come,” Mother sighed when Soma found her in the room she shared with Yahiko. She was going through an old chest filled with keepsakes from when her father was still alive. Inuchiyo’s presence was obviously making the woman feel a bit nostalgic. “Did you know all this time who he really was?” Soma asked. The woman shrugged. “Some men came around here looking for a boy once. You were probably too young to remember. When they described him, it sounded like Inuchiyo, but I didn’t like the look of them and turned them away. He was out on some errand with your father at the time… They carried the Maeda Clan seal.” “This is incredible,” Soma gasped, unable to believe what she was hearing. Her mother clicked her tongue at her. “I’ll tell you what’s incredible, little lady,” she declared, and wagged a finger in her face. “Do you mean to tell me that you’ve abandoned your post as Lord Yukimura’s attendant? May the gods have mercy on us…” Soma decided to tell her mother as much of the truth as she might be able to palate. The old woman sat back on her heels as a look of surprise evolved on her wrinkled face. By the end of the story, she was almost completely beside herself. “Does this mean that old Genji was really a shinobi in disguise?” “It’s best if you don’t think too hard about it, mother,” Soma advised her, shaking her head. The woman’s face suddenly soured. “Soma… I have to be truthful with you about something, as well,” she said after an awkward pause. “Lord Yukimura paid me to let you go with him. He really is such a thoughtful, young man. Things have been difficult and I was forced to accept his offer… You are- this family is- in a debt of servitude to him.” Soma blinked, not knowing at all what to say. “Well I know he paid you a little more for the guest house than was owed, but-“ “A lot more,” Mother interrupted her, and prostrated herself at her feet. “I am so sorry. Please forgive your old mother!” Soma stood quietly for a moment, considering her plight, and the circumstances that led them all here. They were never well-off as a family, and when her father died things only seemed to get worse. Many scrutinized her mother’s ability to keep the restaurant afloat without him, and those voices were only silenced when Soma finally came of age and took over. She was always her father’s daughter. “I forgive you, mother,” she said. She knelt down and helped the woman onto her knees. They embraced, and Mother started to sob violently into her shoulder. “What in hell’s going on?” Yahiko’s voice exclaimed from the doorway. “Soma! What are you doing here? I step out to buy garlic and I come back to the whole world on its head! Who is that man in Keiji’s room? We’re packed for dinner service, you know! I could really use some help!” The restaurant was the busiest Toshiie had ever seen it. The local community got word that he and Soma had returned and the place was bustling. “You really don’t remember me, do you?” He asked Yahiko while they worked together. “Nope.” The young boy was as quick and agile as he once was in the heat of the kitchen. After an hour or so, however, Toshiie fell back into the muscle memory of it. Before long it started to feel like he had never left. The list of items the restaurant served hadn’t even changed.No sense in messing with a good thing, he supposed, taking in a whiff of the delicious fish soup bubbling away on the fire. By the gods, I missed this place… His sentiment only deepened when he caught sight of the fully-grown Soma through the part in the curtain of the window that led out to the bar. She was smiling at a customer who was telling her a story. Something made her laugh, and she tossed her head back. She raised one of her cute, pudgy fingers to push a stray bit of hair behind her ear. She was as sweet and lovely as he remembered. “Soma, your order is ready!” Yahiko interrupted Toshiie’s daydreaming. The young woman dashed her gaze through the window and their eyes met, briefly, before she scowled and looked away. He sighed. “What is going on between you and my sister?” Yahiko asked. “Nothing, unfortunately,” he replied. The boy scoffed. “She’s got a lot of men on her heels, you know. I’d be careful if I were you.” “I’m the one they should be careful of.” “You’ve never met Sanada Yukimura, have you?” Yahiko said, seemingly egging him on. It was Toshiie’s turn to scoff. “Are you trying to intimidate me?” “I don’t like men messing around with my sister,” the boy replied, turning red. “I don’t care who they are. Lords, magistrates… whatever.” Toshiie got the point, and turned back to his work. He was a little hurt that Yahiko was so dismissive. He recalled reading to him many nights, and rocking him to sleep. They were at one time as brothers. “You’re a good man, Yahiko,” he said. He didn’t care if he heard him or not. “Thank you for taking care of her for me all this time.” After the excitement of the dinner rush was over, the awkward tension set back in. Toshiie went out to the bar to get a drink. He figured they owed him that much for throwing him back into kitchen work almost as soon as he got there. Mother had given him one of Father’s old yukatas to wear so that his kimono wouldn’t get soiled. He never imagined the big man’s clothes would ever fit him, but they were almost too small for him now. He fingered the fabric of his collar thoughtfully. “It looks good on you, Lord Toshiie,” Soma offered as she poured him a cup of sake. He was surprised to see that she was having one, too. He looked her over, trying not to make it obvious. Her long hair was down. It parted starkly in the middle, and both sections hung low, covering each breast. The ample mounds rose and fell with her breath, and bounced slightly as she whipped her head back to take her drink in one go. She quickly poured herself another. “Call me Inuchiyo,” he said, craving to hear that pet-name on her lips once more for nostalgia’s sake. She said nothing, and slung back another cup. She hesitated before pouring another, as though she was debating with herself over how intoxicated his presence made her wish she was.The restaurant was empty, and the other family members were busying themselves elsewhere, giving the two former childhood friends space to reconnect. Soma was quiet, but he knew she wouldn’t be loitering with him at the bar if she did not want to be. “Come with me to the guest house,” he spontaneously requested, despite his better judgment. “For old time’s sake. You know… We can eat manju and read to each other from the Lover’s Guide. Just like we used to…” The woman’s eyes immediately narrowed at him, burning a cavity into his very soul. “That was a long time ago,” she said. It wasn’t exactly a no. “Five years isn’t such a long time…” He protested. As he looked at her, however, he realized that five years was all it took for clumsy Soma to grow into the beautiful, confident woman that stood before him. “Keiji told me that you’re married now.” He couldn’t tell if she was sad about that, but was thankful that his cousin had apparently filled her in. He didn’t have the guts to do it himself.He explained that his was an arranged marriage, to a lady from a clan the Maeda were courting for alliance. His reentry into noble society depended on this union, and so he went along with it. They were expected to produce an heir, but he could not bring himself to bed her. She cried for him in the night. It frequently kept him away from home.Soma seemed a bit shocked by his story, but did not allow it to sway her opinion of him. “You frequented the pleasure district, even back then,” she was quick to point out. “Please don’t try to appeal to my sympathies.” “Mother would have killed me if I touched you,” he argued, feeling slightly exposed. “You were still a child. What was I to do?” “Wait.” His heart fell into his stomach. “You were in love with me…” He said. The realization made him tremble like a frail old man. Soma’s eyes reddened and she quickly averted them from his. “At one time, perhaps…” She admitted. He felt silly, but could not help but to smile at this. “Don’t get excited. I have learned much about the ways of men in your absence.” “And…?” “Apart from Father,” she began, as a single tear ran down her cheek. “They’re all pretty much a bunch of bastards.” The sharpness of her point was almost enough to do murder on him. Her words rang true, however, as he stood up and leaned across the bar to steal a kiss. She did not move. She was the same way when he lost his mind to the drink and tried to ravish her the last time, frozen by indecision and fear.Her lips were sweet and soft, relenting to his though she wept, silently. He reached towards her and trailed his fingers along her collar. She shuddered. “Please stop…” She sighed into his mouth. He felt as an animal, unable to control himself. Her voice seemed distant, surreal, compared to the strength and urgency of his desire. He had dreamed of having her this way since she was barely mature enough to be bred. She was his; her father’s promise to him as he lay dying in his arms on the battlefield. Every woman he bedded had her face. It haunted him even in his dreams. Suddenly, he felt a tinge of cold steel against his neck. Soma gasped in shock and relief to see whomever was behind him. “The lady asked you nicely to stop,” a rather commanding voice reminded him. He held his hands up to show that he intended to cooperate. The blade was withdrawn, and he turned slowly to identify his threat.A young man stood before him, dressed as a noble, and brandishing a katana at the ready. A pair of intense, turquoise eyes shone at him, poised to shoot lightening. He recognized the bright-red headband that adorned his stern brow. “Lord Sanada Yukimura, I presume,” he said, his lips curling up into a sneer. Finally, his rival had come to meet his challenge. “Who is this brigand, my darling?” The young man asked Soma, ignoring him. “Tell me to do away with him and I will not hesitate.” “Inuchiyo…” Soma’s weak voice managed. He could sense her trembling behind him. “I am Lord Maeda Toshiie,” he announced, puffing his chest out to outweigh himself against the other man. He quickly realized that the two of them appeared to be equally matched in both size and weight class. He did not account for that when he started planning this contest between them. Yahiko was right to warn him. “The Oda attack dog! Finally we meet… Only I did not imagine it would be like this,” Yukimura commented. His strange eyes flashed at him once again. “Shall we duel?” “I have a better idea,” Toshiie said, pointing towards a poster on the wall nearby. It advertised the fighting competition that was being held the next day. Yukimura arranged his sword back into its scabbard and stepped towards the advertisement to inspect it, though his eyes never left Toshiie’s for a moment until he was right in front of it. “A fighting competition?” He read the words carefully, questioningly, as though he was unbelieving of Toshiie’s suggestion. “No kills, multi-event, last man standing.” “Both of our reputations precede us, Sanada,” Toshiie admitted, surprised he was having to sell the other man on the idea. The young lord had a well-known fondness for brawling. “We will surely be the last two, and then we can really see who is the better man.” “Why shouldn’t I just end this right here and now?” Yukimura chortled, looking back at him like his last nerve had just been struck down. “There would be no honour in that. Would there, Yukkin?” Keiji emerged from the back, rubbing his eyes as though all their big talk was keeping him awake. Yukimura’s face immediately turned as red as his headband. Toshiie knew his cousin’s habits and wondered if he had done something strange to the young lord. The thought made him laugh aloud, but Keiji ignored him, putting one of his big arms around the woman. “Where are you laying your head tonight, little lady?” He asked her, sleepily. “Your old room is big enough for the two of us. Yahiko and Mother have gone down. I arranged another futon for you if you want it. You are welcome to the guest house, Yukkin, as always.” He said this last part with a little wink at the young lord that made his eyes nearly pop out of his head. “Where will I stay, then?” Toshiie demanded, annoyed. He turned to Soma and she glared at him coldly. “I suppose that is up to the generosity of Lord Yukimura,” she said. “Sleep well, milords. You will surely need every wink. Come on, Keiji.” With that, she left the men alone in the empty dining room. Keiji chuckled, and extended his arms over his head in a big stretch. He yawned, and turned to follow Soma back to her room. No one dared stop him, not wanting to anger the woman further. “You won’t be allowed to marry a commoner,” Maeda Toshiie boldly declared as he set up his futon. “Your clan will want nothing of it. Believe me, I know from experience.” “And what do you intend to do with her?” Yukimura replied, as though genuinely curious. “I will keep her as a concubine,” Toshiie reasoned, having not quite thought it all the way through yet. It was very unlikely that Soma would accept his offer. “She will be given living quarters and an allowance, safe behind the walls of my estate.” “She is currently serving as my attendant and is receiving the same benefits,” Yukimura retorted, slightly taken aback. “And with a much nicer-sounding title. She is smart, and brave. She’d be wasted on you.” “What is that supposed to mean?” Toshiie hissed, now irritated with the argument that he started. The young lord just shook his head at him. “How can you lead others when you don’t know their true value? When you don’t know what they need from you, in exchange for their loyalty?” Toshiie blinked at him, made a little speechless by his wisdom. Takeda Shingen must have been a fantastic mentor to him. That one could apparently charm a wolf out of its own pelt. “I can’t tell you how much I look forward to breaking that smug, pretty face of yours tomorrow, Sanada,” he said finally as he lay down. Yukimura crouched down against the far wall on his knees, his hands on his scabbard. “Do you really intend to sleep, Maeda Toshiie?” He asked, a playful smile on his lips. Toshiie gulped, realizing his folly. Soma fastened her sleeping robe and lay down on the futon next to Keiji’s. She should be tired, but she wasn’t. Full of questions, her mind raced like a harem of wild horses. “Why didn’t you ever tell me who you really are?” She asked him. The man turned to face her, his movements slow and languid. It did make sense, she supposed, that he was of noble birth; his tastes just a little too refined, and his appetites just a little too greedy.He smiled at her, and his soft, violet-coloured eyes glimmered in the dim lamplight. “I didn’t want to be the real me anymore, you see…” He said, sleepily. “I’m sorry I hurt you, little lady. That was never the plan.” “Did you come here to look for Inu- For Toshiie?” He nodded, rolling over on his back to look up thoughtfully at the ceiling. “Toshiie and I are the same age,” he said, and stifled a yawn with the back of his hand. “I knew where he’d run off to. We both love this city, and he loved your family so much it killed him to leave you… But he had to do what he had to do. I was sent to collect him, and one thing kind of led to another…” He suddenly turned back around to face her, and propped himself up on his elbow. His fingers laced in his lilac-blonde hair, and he blew some rogue strands out of his face. “I admit, little lady,” he began, revealing his pointed canines in a devilish smile. “I envied what he had here with you. I feel very lucky to have been a part of it, too.” Soma blushed. She was used to Keiji’s flirting, but it was only ever directed at others. At times it actually annoyed her that she somehow always managed to avoid his advances. He was a fine-looking man, and his witty banter was a ready source of entertainment. “Would you have asked me to marry you?” She asked, curious. He smiled and took her hand in his. “I promised Toshiie long ago that I wouldn’t.” She laughed, and snuggled up close to him. He welcomed her with open arms, his broad chest oddly well-formed for someone so lax. When he disappeared, she usually thought he was out drinking and screwing around. It was more likely that he was sneaking off to train. He really was a good man, and a good friend. “Sometimes when two people cross the line,” he added, giving her a little squeeze. “It can ruin another kind of special thing they share together.” She had never heard a more sensible thing in her entire life. The next morning went by in a surreally efficient manner. Though Toshiie and the young lord looked exhausted, they pummelled every one of their competitors at every discipline; fists, bokken, staffs, until it was only the two of them left, half-naked and drenched with sweat. Soma didn’t want to come at first, thinking this all very stupid, but some primal part of her desired to see the two men battle each other. They were partly fighting over her, after all.Mother and Yahiko watched the restaurant while she and Keiji sat in the stands together, sharing a bag of konpeito. There wouldn’t be many customers anyway, as most everyone was attending the competition.They could hear comments from the other audience members as they quietly bet on the two remaining fighters. “You remember Inuchiyo, don’t you?” One man said. “He was reigning champion of this thing four years in a row! That other kid has no chance.” “Yeah, but do you know who that newcomer is?” His friend rebutted. “He is Lord Sanada Yukimura!” “The Sword of Nihon, himself! No way!” The more the people around them talked, the less sure Soma was of who she thought would win. She tried not to think about it at first, but found herself pitting them against each other in a variety of scenarios, knowing each of their fighting styles. The more she thought on it, however, the more she realized that they were equally matched in literally every possible way. The only real difference between them was in personality, and in that sense they were near polar opposites; except, they both loved a good fight. The two decided on staffs for their first round, both fond of the yari, and other long-range weapons. They were instructed to bow to one-another before they began. Neither lowered their eyes from the other as they did so, seemingly already sensing each other’s strength.Sure enough, every attack was met with an equal counter-attack, again and again, until their weapons broke under the sheer abuse they were being dealt. Each set of weapons met the same fate, match after match. Unbelievably, the fight was starting to get a little boring, though it was clear that the two warriors were giving their all.This went on for several hours, until the sun began to reach the horizon. They had officially been going at it since before lunchtime. Soon enough, only Soma and a sleeping Keiji remained in the stands. This one was actually snoring, and the referee had to jab him awake when Soma was unable to rouse him. “I don’t know what to do about this,” the man told them, upset. “This can’t go on much longer. I’ll have dinner waiting for me at home soon!” Keiji squinted at the fighters as they swung at each other clumsily with bare fists. They were both drenched with sweat, having already stripped down to their fundoshi by the fourth round. That kept a few people around for a little while longer, but neither man would go down, unable to pin the other with a direct hit. After a time, they just danced tiredly in a circle, grappled together, breathlessly swearing at one-another every now and then. “Oh, it won’t be long now,” he assured him, and yawned into the back of his hand. “Won’t be long until what?” Soma asked, but she barely got the last word out before Yukimura and Toshiie collapsed simultaneously, their huge bodies hitting the ground with a resounding thud. The referee ran to the two men, and checked their vital signs. Neither moved at all, save to breathe, completely unconscious. “In all my years…” He said with a laugh. “I think we actually have a tie!” Soma and Keiji, having to rush back to the restaurant to help with dinner service, were forced to leave them where they lay. The two men burst into the restaurant several hours later, however, completely soused. Arm in arm, they sang some rude drinking song about a fisherman’s wife. They spotted Mother, and both grabbed her, lifting her onto the bar to plant a sloppy kiss on each of her cheeks. The old woman giggled and pushed them away. “You boys stink to the heavens!” She cried, feigning to choke. “Soma! Get the furo ready for these fools!” Yahiko, grumpy beyond his years, shouted from the kitchen that he would do it himself. It was clear that he did not appreciate the kind of attention Soma was getting from these men, voicing his protests almost constantly. Mother, embarrassed, begged him to lower his voice. They were nobles, after all.She took over for him in the kitchen and started cleaning up. There wasn’t much left to be done, which allowed Mother to relax in her room with some tea and her keepsakes. Soma checked in on her when she was finished, intent on sneaking out to the guest house to see what the silly men were up to. After their near-duel in the middle of the dining room the night before, she was confused by this new joviality between them. Her mother had fallen asleep, hugging her father’s old kimono. She blew out the lantern and shut the door, leaving the woman in peace. “I can’t stand it anymore!” Yahiko grunted as he stormed back inside through the kitchen door. “They’re going to drown in there, they’re so drunk. And still they ask for more sake!” Soma couldn’t help but to giggle, picturing the state of the two lords. She knew Yukimura liked to drink, but she figured he had to be quite drunk indeed to be cavorting like this with one of his enemies. Yahiko didn’t seem to find any of this very amusing at all. “Lord Yukimura is your master,” he chastised, waving his finger in the air. “Talk some sense into him won’t you? And I don’t like the look of that other one. He thinks he knows me! I can’t remember him for the life of me, but he says he’s an old boyfriend of yours. Is that true?” “Ha! No,” she replied, grimacing, though it was true that she might have wanted that at one time. “He used to live with us when you were little, remember?” Yahiko scoured his brain for even a shred of a memory, scratching his head. “I think I recall some scrawny kid… He used to work for Father, right? He made really good onigiri!” “Yeah…” She sighed, finding herself longing once again for the past. “He did.” Things were not easy back then, either, but they were definitely simpler; as was the cute and ballsy Inuchiyo.He wasn’t scrawny like Yahiko remembered. He was cut and lanky, only just beginning to develop into the powerful man he eventually became. He had always been unnaturally strong, and never afraid to show it off. Soma was often sent to break up his fights. Her father was the one who encouraged him to focus his strength into battle training, teaching him proper sword technique and self-defence. She didn’t doubt that his teachings continued to serve him even now; he had won that competition once or twice, himself, in his youth. She recalled the day Inuchiyo carried her father’s body back to their house. They went off with a civilian posse to help defend Kyoto from invasion. It was his first real taste of blood. He was never the same after that, storing his pain within him, behind a stronghold of anger and rebellion. He disappeared from the capital shortly thereafter. He returned, now, a prodigal and prominent figure, seeking some perceived right. She felt sorry for him, really. “Yahiko!” He hollered at the door as Soma stepped over the threshold with a pot of tea for the lords to share. “Oh… That doesn’t look like sake.” Yukimura glided to the edge of the large bath. His whole demeanour changed immediately, as if he knew he had fallen out of her favour. “Hello, Soma-chan,” he said, softly. Toshiie scoffed at this, and muttered something under his breath. The bathing room was full of steam as a wood stove heated the large vessel of water the two men were soaking in. She could just barely make them out, though she knew they must both be naked.She wiped a bit of sweat from her brow as she quickly became overheated. “I’ll forgive you for trying to sober us,” Toshiie chortled as he swam up next to the young lord. “If you come join us in here. The water is nice and hot, enough to lose ones senses. Is that not right, Yukimura?” “Oh… Yes…” The young lord reluctantly agreed. His voice sounded slightly apprehensive, as though Toshiie was making a reference to some previous conversation that she was not privy to. “You two seem to be getting along now, milords,” she commented as she carried the tea tray over to set it on the platform at the edge of the bath. “Congratulations on your wins today.” “Lord Toshiie is a formidable opponent,” Yukimura offered, readily. “I admit that I am a little disappointed that you could not introduce us sooner.” Toshiie gaped at him, apparently surprised by his compliment. He obviously did not know Yukimura very well. The young lord just smiled at her from his perch, his golden skin glistening in the dim lamplight with perspiration. She could see him better now; the thick scars that marked the landscape of his muscular torso reminded her of the first night he offered her the use of his body for her pleasure. He was a pillar of bravery and resolve, with a hungry heart that yearned to be known. “I’m trying to get him to drop the nice guy act,” Toshiie joked, and flicked some water at him. “Speaking of which, I think you could have some real fun tonight, Soma… If you’re lucky, that is.” He was soused. She allowed herself a small grin at his expense. She sat down on the edge of the bath and tested the water. It did feel nice, that much was true. “With the two of you, you mean?” She attempted to clarify, and both men perked up immediately. “The two strongest men in Kyoto,” Yukimura added, and flexed his chest muscles at her. “At your service.” Toshiie turned around and stretched his arms out, flexing his back. The muscle formation almost formed a demon's face, intimidating and magnificent in both dimension and definition. She realized that this situation was a likely fantasy for some women, but she would not allow herself to be coerced. “How scandalous, milords,” she said to them, carefully. “But that water does feel good, doesn’t it? And I’m so sore from such a busy night…” They backed away from the edge of the tub to give her room to enter. She put her hands on her obi as though she was about to untie it. Their eyes followed her every move with great interest. “I’ll tell you what,” she said, placing her hands instead on her hips. Both men practically stopped breathing, anticipating her next move. “For every thing I ask you to do, I will remove one piece of my clothing. If you please me, I may end up in there with you after all. How does that sound?” They looked at each other and shrugged. “Fine with me,” Yukimura said. “Yeah, okay,” Toshiie agreed. “I want you to wash each other while I watch,” she instructed. Her suggestion was immediately met with awkward cynicism from the other parties. “No? Alright, well just make sure you put the coals out when you’re done in here. I don’t want the place burning down.” She was about to turn to leave, when Toshiie suddenly cleared his throat. “Fine… Have it your way.” He grabbed a sea sponge and dunked it unceremoniously into the water before turning towards the young lord. This one just stared at him, motionless. Toshiie then began running the sponge along his shoulders, awkwardly at first, then eventually becoming engrained in the task in a bid to impress the woman. After a time, they traded places, their eyes drifting back to hers as they fulfilled her request, seeking validation. “Not bad, milords,” she said as she untied her obi and tossed her yukata aside. It was so hot in there, it was the only thing she could do to keep from fainting. Her juban clung to her body, already soaked with steam and sweat. The two men licked their lips, eager for her to continue, but she did not. To her surprise, Toshiie stood behind the young lord and wrapped his arms around him. He traced his fingers across his abdominals, and Yukimura leaned backward against him, relinquishing himself to his touch. He reached one arm up and pulled the other man’s head closer so that his chin rested on his shoulder. They peered up at her from their embrace, expectantly. They were godly, rippled with muscle, and full of male vitality.She raised a scrutinizing eyebrow, and gestured for them to keep going. Shedding their previous reluctance, the two lords continued to paw at and massage each other. Facing one-another, they ran their hands across the other’s chest. Ever the romantic, Yukimura eventually brought his face closer to Toshiie’s and began nuzzling against his neck. This one shuddered involuntarily from the sensation. “Why don’t you kiss him, Lord Yukimura?” She found herself encouraging her young master. “For such a tough guy, he is rather beautiful, isn’t he? That’s my Inuchiyo for you…” Toshiie seemed somewhat affected by her sultry words, his barrel chest heaving with a breath that was not the result of exertion, but excitement. She was rather enjoying this, pitting the two men against each other in this drunken, little game. Men of nobility were so self-indulgent. She wondered why she shouldn’t have a go with them after everything they had put her through. “And you, Lord Yukimura,” she continued as he gave her a sidelong glance from the crook of Toshiie’s neck. “You are truly a fine-looking man, and so well-endowed…” He blushed profusely. Toshiie took a quick gander downward and choked back a gasp. “She’s not kidding,” he remarked. He looked back at her and narrowed his eyes. “I’m not putting that anywhere, alright? That is where I have to draw the line.” Yukimura laughed, and Toshiie gulped. They had gotten themselves into a most precarious situation, and were seemingly only just starting to realize it. “It’s not funny, Sanada,” he protested. “You should need a permit to carry that thing around…” He barely finished his sentence before Yukimura silenced him with a kiss, soft at first, then deepening as their drunkenness continued to make shreds of their dignity. They parted, slowly, and looked at each other as though it could not be possible that their embrace felt as good as it did. As if they were reflecting in a mirror, both simultaneously raked a bashful hand through their hair. Soma did not anticipate things going this far. Even so, she had trouble tearing her greedy eyes away from them. “Well, then?” Toshiie’s gruff voice echoed through the little room, sobering her immediately. “We did as you asked. Now, strip.” Yukimura gave a disapproving click, but said nothing to defend her honour. It was fine; she already had a plan. “Will you not first have some tea, milords?” She asked, plastering on her most convincing smile. “It’s a special blend, to increase virility.” She was lying to them, of course. It was very clear that Toshiie especially would not be satisfied until he had her in some lewd condition, and so the tea she brought them was combined with a potent sleep-aid. In no time Yukimura was helping her carry him, naked and unconscious, out of the furo before he accidentally drowned himself. “I knew better than to drink something offered with that smile you gave,” the young lord commented, slightly irked by her actions. “I was taught by shinobi, after all.” She swore he brought the cup to his lips, but apparently he had only pretended to drink from it. “Why didn’t you warn Lord Toshiie?” Yukimura released the man they carried. Soma was not strong enough to hold him up herself, and he fell to the floor like a sack of grain. “Why, indeed…” “Oh…?” She choked back a gasp. The young lord stepped over Toshiie’s sleeping form and kissed her on the mouth. It was sweet and soft, his lips gently teasing hers at first until he ultimately succumbed to his passions. She unwittingly melted into the innocent habit of the man’s embrace; they had performed this same ritual innumerable times, as both friends and lovers.She wanted to tell him of her indiscretions. She belonged to him, as his property, but all he sought to do was care for her. This weighed heavily upon her heart, and were the man not there to support her, she knew she would be on her knees in tears. “I will be the one to protect you,” his low voice pulsated against the nape of her neck as he caressed her. She closed her eyes. She wondered how many times someone had expressed this desire in the past few months alone. She thought it only too fitting that after years of loneliness, all her life’s suitors should see fit to vie for her attentions at once. It was surreal, like something out of one of Kojuro’s storybooks; some ill-fated tale of prayers for kisses being answered by poison-laced lips. “Give yourself to me,” the young lord commanded in a tone that was far less sweet than before. “I’ve missed you. I want you now.” She wondered what Saizo would think of his uncharacteristic assertiveness in this situation. “But, milord…” She whimpered, trying to stall the inevitable. “What of your vow?” He ignored her, though he had heard her. He winced, perhaps feeling guilty, before he once again closed the gap between them and kissed her into silence.His body moved over her, controlling her balance as he tore her undergarments away. His lips never left her skin, even as the man behind them started to stir. “Ungh… What’s the big idea…?” Toshiie groaned, his voice hoarse from all their cavorting that evening. He became startled when he saw what the others were doing. “Soma!” He caught a glimpse of the woman’s naked form from behind his foe’s massive stature. The man’s back was turned, and he would have made a move to tackle him if not for the fact that his limbs felt weighted to the ground. He knew immediately that he had been drugged. “Oh, you’re awake, Oda attack dog…” Yukimura chuffed. He turned around and arranged the woman in front of him as if putting her on display. Toshiie’s jaw hit the floor. All at once his childhood sweetheart was full-grown, beautiful and naked before him. Long black hair cascaded over supple breasts, to just past her soft belly. She was feminine, but strong; muscular legs wobbled beneath her as the result of having her round backside fondled. He had to consider that the young lord was not quite in his right mind, and this assessment was only reinforced when he bent Soma down onto her hands and knees in front of him. The woman did not seem to mind much as he aligned himself with her opening and began to mount her. Toshiie felt disturbed by it nonetheless. Using Soma to get to him was low, but it was working. Unable to move his limbs, however, he was unable to do anything about it.Each one of Yukimura’s thrusts pushed Soma closer to him, until she finally collapsed on top of him in her exhaustion. His unwitting erection twitched impulsively, pinned between them. “Give him what he’s aching for, my dear,” the Sanada lord grunted, his cold blue stare boring holes into Toshiie’s flesh. “I’m feeling generous tonight.” Toshiie gasped as he felt something warm and wet take hold of his rigid length. He dared to look and found Soma’s soft lips coaxing forth his pleasure. She seemed to enjoy this play, despite the circumstances. She moaned while Yukimura resumed thrusting into her, making Toshiie shiver. He quickly lost his balance, and fell flat on his back again. “You didn’t have to drug me,” he muttered through gritted teeth. The woman’s fellatio was incredible. “You weren’t supposed to wake up,” the Sanada lord retorted. He paused for a moment to wipe some sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. “But now that you’re with us, you may as well take advantage. Doesn’t that feel good?” Toshiie gaped at him in shock. He never thought to share a woman before, least of all with one of his enemies. This, however, was not a story he could boast over; no one would ever believe him. “Yes…” He grunted, and her ministrations renewed in intensity. “Yes, Soma, you feel amazing… I’ve wanted this so badly…” “Shall we see who outlasts the other, attack dog?” Yukimura dared, and expelled a haughty laugh. He was so polite before, even while he was holding the edge of his blade to Toshiie’s throat in the dining room. Now that he was drunk, not on sake, but on something else, he was somehow far more intimidating. “I won’t last long like this, Sanada,” Toshiie replied, returning the cold stare with a cheeky sneer. “But it seems I have no choice but to entertain you.” Soma suddenly cried out. The young lord’s stamina was incredible. Surely, something of that size could only do more harm than good, and he was not being gentle.Once Toshiie regained some movement in his arms, his fingers found her face and he caressed it gently in an attempt to comfort her. He had entertained the thought of abusing her body in this way on many occasions, and felt suddenly very ashamed of himself. He awoke to the sound of birds outside chattering joyfully with the morning sun. His body hurt from his abuse of the drink, and from sleeping on the hard floor. He felt a chill and realized he was still nude from his bath. Beside him slept Yukimura, who was clothed, though his raging hard-on tented his yukata in a most offensive manner. Soma was nowhere to be found. “What in all the hells…” He wondered aloud, causing the other man to stir and turn over. At least the rigid weapon was no longer pointing in his direction. He rose and dressed himself quickly before anything more could happen. He left that morning, saying nothing, aware that the next time he met Sanada Yukimura it would more than likely be on the battlefield.