Chapter 1: The Devil King Rises
The moon's gentle rays peered in through the bars that aligned the window, casting a dim light around the holding cell. Ryoku groaned rolling onto her side, her body moved sluggish as it was still under the effect of the tranquilizer. Maroon colored eyes peeled open slowly as if molasses surrounded them. Though the light wasn't much, it was enough to recognize the diamond shaped crest plastered to the wall.
No.
Her torso shot up, heart hammering in her chest. She was in another clan's territory, Takeda Clan's territory…
..the enemy..
She covered her mouth, muffling what came out as a weak cry. She could feel the ground shaking beneath her, hands unconsciously grabbing the thin fabric covering her arms and legs. The sound of footsteps echoed in her head, along with a string of curses she spewed silently.
Failure.. failure...failure.. She scolded herself, unaware that the footsteps had halted at the door of her cell.
"I-is she awake?", Her shoulders tensed, heading straining to look over her shoulder.
There were two darkened silhouettes that she could clearly make out as males. One only slightly shorter than the other..
"Who are you?" she hissed, hoping the string of worry in her tone was unheard.
One of the figures set down a lamp, before lowering to the ground, head bowing in sign of respect. The other followed, yet reluctantly, bowing in the same manner.
The orange glow from the torch gave her a semi- clear view of what his face looked like. He looked no older than she was, in fact, maybe a little younger.
"I am Sanada Genjiro Yukimura, Young Tiger Cub of Kai."
"And I am, Sarutobi Sasuke, head Shinobi of Takeda Shingen's ninja corps." the other male spoke, lifting a hand to scratch his cheek, or at least that's what she presumed he was doing. It was too dark to tell.
"Are you alright?" Sanada asked snapping her back into reality.
She brought a hand up to line of vision, it hadn't been the ground that was shaking but her the entire time. Her embraced herself, letting out a shaky response.
"I am fine...now, I would like to know as to why I am being held behind bars?"
The Sanada boy dropped to his knees again, bowing his head profusely.
"I apologize deeply for putting you in a place of discomfort but, please consider we had to take precautions."
She laughs, "Why? Do you think I'll go on a murderous rampage as my father has done?"
Yukimura grasped the bars, much less startling the girl on the other side. "No, that is not at all what we intended to say! It's just, during the time of war, one's behavior can be proved rather unpredictable-"
She scoffed, tossing her head back to stare at the ceiling. "It is easy for you to speak such rubberish, you are not the one in chains." Sanada frowned.
"I shall make a request to Oyokata-sama to see that you are placed in a more comfortable space." Yukimura bowed, sliding open the slate at the bottom of the bars meant for food and other various items to transferred through.
"You must be famished after all these events so I have brought you some food, and something to replace your tarnished clothing." He continues, referring to the filth covered yukata she wore. It's beautiful pattern was defaced by stains of blood and gunpowder.
"And do you expect me to change into this when I am still covered in filth?"
"Oh-um.."
She shook her head, letting out a sigh of irritation.
Are all men this dense?
Meanwhile...
"How could I let this happen?" Kojuurou groaned watching his superior writhe in his sleep.
"It's not your fault." Hinada placed her hand on his shoulder. "You can't keep blaming yourself for his mistakes."
"Well, this one could have cost him his life." He says shrugging her hand off
The right eye didn't delay in rising to his feet and leaving the room. She frowned, eyes following his retreating figure out the door.
The vassal promptly sighed. " And there he goes, off to chide himself."
She looked down at her daimyo, pain marring his face to the point a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Her hands balled into fists, teeth biting her lower until it bled.
Why did she feel so useless? All she could do was wait here by his side, for signs that he was recovering when she so desperately wanted to go after the bastard who did this to him.
An hour had passed, and the night had found the young vassal passed out on ther floor. Her eyes shot open not a second later, panic settling in as she found no one inhabiting the bed she was watching over.
"Idiot." She groaned running for the door just in time to see Kojuurou striking Masamune, sending him to the ground, knocked out cold.
"Kojuurou what is your reasoning for striking down our lord when he is already so battered ?" She inquired lifting her leader so he now rested in her arms. Kojuurou's back was to her, eyes focused on his blade.
"Soldiers of Oshu have been taken hostage for ransom. Masamune was adverse to the idea of sacrificing his men and had clear intention to go after them." He tightened his hand into a fist. "I had no choice but to..."
"Kojuurou..."
"Please see that he is taken care of, I shall go in Masamune's place."
"What- you mustn't-"
"No, I shall honor his wishes and vow to save them!"
Promptly, he leaves on horseback, Yukimura following in tow after a few words of encouragement from his lord again there is silence, Hinada frowns, holding the unconscious body of her master.
"Come now, have faith in them." Hinada looks up at the Great Tiger of Kai himself,arms crossed, and a pleased grin on his face.
"That is all I have to offer them in the ttimes of chaos, even though I have trained my hardest to be of use in battle...I still feel so useless." She says subconsciously stroking her Lord's face with her thumb.
"Ms. Hinada, sometimes all we can do is have faith."
"Perhaps you are right..." She mutters, before gently tossing one of her superior's arms of her shoulder, wrapping on her own around his center. Silence accompanies the pair as they go back inside.
An hour ago...
Yukimura waited patiently on one side of the door, there was silence save for an occasional splash of water. Lady Ryoku had seemed so insistent on bathing, he, of course didn't want any trouble so took it upon himself to show her the way.
"U-um, Lady Nobunaga, I do not wish to intrude your personal life, but-"
"What is it you wish to say?" She cuts him off, another splash following.
"It is...about your father..."
"Are you perhaps wondering if capturing me has sent my dear father into a state of depression?" A high chuckle comes from behind him. " Or is it how I could possibly be the heir to the notorious Devil King?"
"I was actually wondering if...your father would actually care if you were to die."
All previous sounds had stopped. " When I was nine, I had fell ill from a fever. As I lay there in pain, he took one glance at me and scoffed. His gaze was filled with such hatred, such shame all because I was weak and couldn't avoid getting sick." She embraced herself. "I tried my hardest from that point on to make him see me in another light, but he was never the same man I once looked up to. Perhaps, it was only I who was still naive at my age, maybe he always looked at me with such contempt."
"..."
"I'm just a pawn in this game, my death will just be brushed off as another casualty."
Yukimura jumped to his feet at sound of movement on the other side of the later, she opened the door clad in the fresh clean yukata given to her.
She held out her hands expectantly, raising a brow." Aren't you going to put me back in chains?"
He shook his head, absentmindedly placing his larger hands on hers.
"There is no need."
Flashback End
"You are indeed a strange one." She smiled remember the warmth of his touch.
"Young Cub..."
UPDATE 06/30/15: Oh my god I feel so much better about this now. I have avoided re-editing this for the longest of times! Four years have passed bro! I will now most likely continue this story. I hope it is to your liking now.
Please review,that will be like totally awesome!