The Daughter of a Madman
A/N: The story starts off from episode 11 of season 1 of the anime. Nobunaga has foreseen Mitsuhide's betrayal and has labeled Gracia a traitor's daughter. He then takes her hostage and locks her away to be later executed along with Kasuga. The story will follow the anime plot line directly at some points.
Background info on Gracia: Gracia is an argued translation of the Christian name of Mitsuhide's 3rd daughter Akechi Tama. She is famous for refusing to be taken hostage by Mitsunari before the battle of Sekigahara. She stayed true to her religious faith, opting to be killed by a soldier rather than committing suicide.
More A/N: Since Sengoku Basara is as historically inaccurate as it gets, I will just follow along and call Tama Gracia despite her getting that name later in her life (she's 17 in this story.) Also I will be making a softer side for Mitsuhide as well as making him a Christian. :D
Disclaimer: I do not own Sengoku Basara. The only thing I own is how Gracia looks and acts in this story.
Enough rambling from me, let's get started shall we!
Chapter 1: Guilty by blood.
A young girl sat on her knees in the cell, holding her hands together as she prayed to Christ. She was a prisoner of the Devil King Oda Nobunaga, locked up for being the daughter of the traitor Akechi Mitsuhide. Her sisters were nuns in a faraway place, so they were safe thankfully. She wasn't alone now however, there was another woman locked in the cell with her, Kasuga, the ninja guard of Uesugi Kenshin. According to the conversations the two had, Kasuga had been captured by Nōhime while she was trying to assassinate Oda Nobunaga alone.
The young girl knew Lady Nōhime very well. She once took part in a few of Nobunaga's schemes along with his wife. The one she remembers most is when she and Lady Nō were to travel to a strange land to pose as a mother and daughter who were affected by war and to promise themselves as brides to the lord of land. They were then to kill him, burn the estate, and return to the Oda. She was terrified at first, but was convinced by her father that what she was doing was right in the eyes of the Lord and that she will always be forgiven.
The young girl jumped up frightened when the guard came in and started to tie Kasuga with rope. She wanted to stop him, but she didn't want to be punished for her actions. When the guard left out, Kasuga immediately began whispering to her.
"Listen Gracia, as soon as I get out of here I'll come back with help to get you."
The young girl Gracia gave a sheepish nod in reply. And with that, the ceiling above them opened and the floor Kasuga was placed on began moving upwards towards it. Gracia clamped her eyes closed and resumed praying for Kasuga to escape as safely as she claims she will.
As the floor became the new ceiling Gracia remained in a quiet prayer. She knew the Devil King is extremely merciless and won't hesitate to harm anyone, not even his sister Ichi, who he has been tormenting after her husband's death.
Gracia could hear voices coming from above her, so she focused on them so she could hear clearly.
"O-Ichi, I kept her alive for you."
'That must be Lady Nō's voice.' Gracia thought silently to herself.
Ichi must be in the room above along with The Devil King and his wife, but Gracia could only assume that since she can't hear her voice.
"If you intend to serve the Oda… execute this woman."
Gracia's pink eyes widened at those last few words, she couldn't believe that Nō could be so cold.
It got extremely quiet up there for a moment…
"Do you not wish to be of use to your elder brother? To simply be dependent on her husband and wait for the war to end is not what a woman's duties consist of."
"Now, show your resolve… if you cannot do this."
Momentary silence….
"Then I have your answer…"
Gracia felt a cold chill pass through her whole body as she heard a gun being cocked. She winced and clamped her eyes shut again… waiting for the sound of gunfire to come.
But it never did, instead the sound of the wall being broken came through Gracia's ears. She instinctively looked to the small window in the cell and sure enough, Kasuga was what she seen jumping away. She appeared to be carrying Ichi as well.
"Thank goodness she got away…" Gracia said happily to herself.
"Nō!" The sound of the Devil King's voice caused Gracia to literally jump out of fright.
"Do not stain my castle walls with the blood of fools."
Gracia almost couldn't believe it. He was letting them go! She sighed in relief as she sat back down on the brick attached to the wall they called a bed.
"Come back soon…" Gracia said to herself.
She turned her head to face the window and she could've sworn she'd just seen Kasuga flying through the air. She didn't seem to have Ichi with her anymore, though.
Meanwhile at Honnoji….
"Lord Masamune!" Kojuro called out as he came running towards his lord and the Tiger cub of Kai.
"So you've come, Kojuro." The One-eyed Dragon of Oshu replied upon seeing his Right-eye running towards him.
"The Devil King is at Mount Azuchi. A trusted ninja from Echigo has informed us."
Kojuro then turned his attention to Akechi Mitsuhide, Gracia's father.
"From a great fortress built atop a mountain blanketed by ominous clouds he is preparing to put his finishing touches on his world under warrior rule."
"There will never be another opportunity like this. Please lead the army waiting outside to the Devil King! You too, Sanada Yukimura."
Yukimura, the Tiger cub of Kai, was quick to interject Kojuro's proposal.
"But I must settle things with this man!"
He was of course, talking about Akechi Mitsuhide, whose eyes still remained covered by his snow white hair as he stared down to the floor.
"Leave this to me! Don't let your personal grievances make you forget the greater cause!"
Kojuro is talking about Yukimura's lord Takeda Shingen, the Tiger of Kai. Who was defeated by Mitsuhide prior to this conflict and is out of commission, presumed dead.
"What you swore to do for the Tiger of Kai wasn't supposed to be some petty act of revenge!"
Yukimura just looked down to the floor, slightly disappointed that he cannot avenge his lord personally. However he knew that Kojuro was right, taking down the Devil King is top priority.
"Understood." Yukimura finally says.
"Okay," Masamune said as he sheathed his sword, "We'll leave this to you Kojuro."
"We entrust this to you, Master Katakura!" Yukimura says. The two turn to walk off, but Kojuro speaks to stop them.
"One more thing my lord," He says.
"What is it, Kojuro?" Masamune replies.
"The ninja has also informed me about a prisoner being held there. A young girl by the name of Gracia. She has blonde hair and pink eyes."
Hearing his daughter's name is more than enough to draw a reaction out of Mitsuhide.
"Gracia? My youngest daughter is being held prisoner by Lord Nobunaga!?" He looks up; his eyes are widened with shock and concern.
"Daughter!?" Yukimura and Kojuro say in unison.
"Alright, we'll see to it she gets rescued safely." Masamune says calmly before walking out of the burning building, signaling Yukimura to follow.
"I thank you…" Mitsuhide utters softly before watching the two young men leave. It was only him and Kojuro left now. Kojuro's eyes snap back to Akechi Mitsuhide as he draws his sword.
"So the construction of Azuchi has been completed and my youngest daughter is there. Wait for me, Gracia… I'll be there to help you."
"Too bad," Kojuro retorts, "You're not wanted there. As much as it pains me to separate a father from his child, you must fall here!"
And with that, the battle between the two began.
Back in Azuchi…
That sound of gunfire snapped Gracia out of her daydream. The sound of explosions going off in outside the castle walls soon followed. She just sat there, oblivious to the massive army outside that was contemplating on how to get inside of the castle.
"I wonder what's going on. Maybe Kasuga is back with the help she needs to rescue me!" Gracia said happily aloud.
She looks outside the window only to see three giant cannonballs flying towards the castle. She lets out a surprised scream.
"Isn't THAT a little excessive?"
The sound of the door opening almost scares her soul away, expecting to see a guard. However, it was Ichi who opened the door.
"Is it time for my execution, Lady O-Ichi?" Gracia asks glumly. Ichi shook her head in reply.
"No, Ichi is letting you out to escape. Hurry and run." The raven haired sister of the Devil King says.
"What about you?" Gracia asks, "You should leave too."
Ichi shakes her head again, "I have a promise to keep to my lord Nagamasa; I cannot leave."
Gracia looks down sadly before looking up to Ichi and giving an understanding nod.
"I'll pray for your safety, Lady O-Ichi."
With that, Gracia dashes past Ichi and begins to make her way out of the castle. However she got lost numerous times.
Finally I got this done! Idk why I can't finish any stories and keep jumping from fandom to fandom… maybe it's a curse. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this!