Chapter 1

The morning air was crisp and hurt the young general's lungs if he inhaled too deep. He stood arms crossed atop the apex of a hill overlooking a small village. The crescent moon on his helmet gave off a glow in the rising dawn, a symbol to all the townsfolk that could see it the One-Eyed Dragon Date Masamune was here. Since the death of his father-in-law, the land of Mutsu had come under bandit rule; a problem if Date wanted to keep his home safe. Masamune told his troops they were there to take it back and to rule it. What he didn't tell his army was he had other motives.

o o o

Two years earlier…

Masamune stormed through the castle of Yanezawa. The news that Mego had been abducted had just reached him. He hastened to get to the stables were he would meet up with his retainer Katakura Kojuro and his cousin Date Shigezane, the two men he trusted most in this world, and personally see to it these bandits would pay. If one hair on her head is out of place then Kami-sama help them, he thought to himself.

To his surprise his father was waiting outside the stable for him.

"Father?! What are you…"

Date Terumune raised his hand to stop Masamune. "I am here to stop you, my son."

Masamune shook his head, confused. "Why shouldn't I… ? We were to be married today! I promised her I would protect her!" Masamune said, frantically raising his voice to his father.

"Masamune, look at yourself," Terumune snapped back at him. Masamune glared at his father, anger welling up inside him. "You are a man in crisis. The decisions you make at this point would not be from here," he tapped Masamune's head, "but from here." He put his finger on Masamune's heart. "And that will put her and the men who went after her in more danger than they are now. You will wait for their return." Terumune put his arm around his eldest son. "If I know Kojuro, he will not rest until she is back. We have nothing to fear, you will see." Masamune was led back to the castle by his father, unable to disobey.

His father's words did not comfort him as he paced outside the castle walls, straining to see off into the distance for any sign of Mego and his men. What on earth could be taking them so long? Then he spotted them Kojuro and Shigezane returning from out of the south. It looked like Kojuro was carrying something in his arms, but Masamune couldn't make it out. Masamune raced toward the south entrance of the castle. The Date troops started arriving before he got there. Each one had a solemn look on their face and wouldn't meet Masamune's eye.

He searched the crowd and found Kojuro and Shigezane. He walked toward them, noticing a bundle being passed from Kojuro to Shigezane. A hand slipped out of the carefully wrapped body. Shigezane motioned in the direction of Masamune, and Kojuro walked toward him. Shigezane began to slowly carry the body toward the Date Mausoleum.

"No…!" Masamune shouted. "NO! That's not her! Don't you dare put that person in there!" Kojuro grabbed his lord and pulled the man inside, away from other eyes before he could embarrass himself further. Masamune was sweating and panting heavily.

Kojuro looked at Masamune and said in a deep calm voice "My lord, we return to you as failures."

"NO!" Masamune screamed. "That's not her damn it!" He turned to storm out when Kojuro grabbed him and slapped Masamune across the face.

"Masamune snap out of it." Masamune blinked and stared Kojuro in the eyes.

There was a knock on the door. "Enter," Masamune said, not taking his one good eye off Kojuro. The head retainer for the Tamura clan walked in and bowed. He was well dressed as usual. For once Date was pleased to see him. "Master Takumi. Good. Please tell this man that the body he brought back is not that of Mego. He seems to think I am in some sort of hysteria."

Takumi bowed. "My lord, I am sorry but it does seem to be her."

Masamune broke his stare with Kojuro, walked up to Takumi and punched him solidly in the nose. The unsuspecting retainer hit the floor hard enough to rip the tatami mats beneath him. "You lying son of a bitch!" Masamune reached down and grabbed his collar, his right fist clench to hit him a second time, but Kojuro held him back. Takumi rose unsteadily to his feet and said in a quivering voice, "Without a head it is hard to be sure, but Lady Mego had a birth mark on her right calf just below the knee. The mark is on the body," Takumi explained with a hint of fear in his eyes. He grabbed his nose in obvious pain.

Masamune was not aware of losing all strength in his legs until he actually began to fall. Kojuro caught him and set him down. "It can't be her…" Masamune whispered, more to himself then to either man in the room. He then looked up at Kojuro and said, "I want the ones responsible dead."

"And I Kojuro will aid you in this; I swear we will not stop till all who are guilty have paid," Kojuro said kneeling to Masamune.

o o o

From that day on Masamune worked relentlessly to track down the men accountable. He paid off men who would cooperate and tortured those who would not. He was ruthless in his pursuit of Mego's murderers and this ruthlessness scared each village they went to conquer, so they fell easily. He knew his actions concerned Kojuro and Shigezane, but he didn't care. All that mattered was to find them and make them pay.

He was staring at the village that would give him answers that would give him closure. This small village in his wife's family's territory, why was it important. It was a tiny farming hamlet, ramshackle houses of poorly framed wood covered in the same thatched hay that grew wild beyond the rice fields. A tavern and a smithy with a cold forge were the only evidence that this collection of huts aspired to more than a pile of lumber in the first place. His keen warrior eye noted the river and woodland around the village naturally created a single point of entry, but surely there were more tactically sound last stands than this dreary village. Why would they retreat here, unless...? Masamune shook his head. No, surely her own father couldn't have been behind her death.

The fact remained this village should have fallen sooner like the rest. There was someone helping these peasants. He had heard the rumors, he followed the clues. This must be the village that was hiding the cutthroats who killed his wife. But who were they? The question and the memory laid heavily on Masamune's mind as he awaited the scouts to return with information, any information.

The arrival of a tall, imposing samurai with a scar on in cheek brought Masamune back to the present the man bowed as he approached. "It seems, my lord, they left only one path into the village. All other roads and bridges have been blocked or torn down."

"I can see that." He cocked his head to the right, where, as always, Kojuro waited. "What about the outlining homes, Kojuro?"

"Empty sir. It seems they were abandoned and were used as decoy for us."

Masamune turned; Kojuro was still bowed behind him. "Any news as to the military mastermind behind this?"

"No sir."

"Damn it, Kojuro, we need those supplies before we take on Miharu. I can't order a charge if I don't know who we are fighting."

"Perhaps we can send someone inside to talk to them. Send up a white flag, get a man inside to talk to their leader convince these peasants how fool hardy it is to resist."

Masamune smirked. "I know just the man for the job."

o o o

As Shigezane approached the village he could hear the movements of men behind the barrier. He heard various voices asking, "Is that him?" Shigezane smiled to himself. It seems our reputation precedes us, he thought. He finally reached the main entrance where he came face to face with "guards". Each held a shaking spear at him.

"Hey guys, how's it going?" He smiled an incongruously charming smile. While looking at the spear still shaking in his face.

"What do you want?" one of the guards demanded, almost convincingly.

"I don't think that is him, no eye patch," another guard whispered.

"No, I'm not him," Shigezane confessed "So you can relax. My name is Date Shigezane and I wish to speak with your leader," he proclaimed loudly to no one in particular. He dismounted his horse and started walking into the camp. "Is it this way or that way?" He turned to the guards who were now just staring at him with jaws agape. "Or shall I find it myself?" He smiles again.

"It's this way," one finally offered and led him in the direction of a central hut.

Shigezane was led toward a small hut just inside the makeshift barrier of the village. He looked around nonchalantly taking in all he could. He entered the small dark hut and was met by a man sitting in front of a screen. The man had freshly dirtied hands, to make him appear more like a farmer, but Shigezane noticed the blisters he could have only received from sword play. So, a samurai for hire…and someone else present, too, He thought. Shigezane noticed a slight hint of white plum flowers in the room. He hoped fervently that it was not coming from the old man.

Shigezane bowed. "I am Date Shigezane." He waited for the old man in front of him to introduce himself but he didn't so he continued. "May I congratulate you on a fine job protecting this village, but you see, my lord Date Masamune will not give up. He will take what he needs no matter how well you resist." Shigezane heard a slight "tsk" come from behind the screen, but he pretended not to hear it. He continued, "The Date are not heartless. We will allow your people to live. But we will have our supplies."

The old man smiled. "Then, Master Date, you may as well kill us all," he said without ceremony. "What little we have is needed till the harvest." He paused and looked Shigezane in the eyes. "No, Master Date, I do not believe we will give in to you."

"I see," Shigezane said, staring back at the old man. "Then I will make my leave." He stood, bowed and left the old man seemingly alone.

When the man was sure the coast was clear he spoke. "Was that what we wanted?"

"Yes, Master Takumi, you did well." A distinctly female voice assured him from behind the screen. A young beautiful woman walked out from behind the partition. Her long raven hair was pulled into a tight pony tail, her soft features gave way to clear piercing brown eyes. The armor she wore fit her curves poorly, but well enough. She walked past the old man toward the door of the hut. "I expected just a simple scout. Surely he was here more for recon then for negotiation. Hopefully now they know this village will not fall easily."

"Yes, Lady Mego-hime," Takumi smiled.