Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Warriors or Nobunaga's Ambition. Koei don't own Sengoku Jidai records.
A/N: Hmm, I've always wanted to give Sengoku fics a go. However, being the more popular period over China's Three Kingdoms of Later Han there's one problem that's keeping me from writing one too long, between Uesugi Kenshin, Azai Nagamasa, and Sanada 'Nobushige' Yukimura, it's hard to choose either three to be the main focused male character I could write. Right now, I just wanted to write this one shot about Nagamasa's only mistake and the true failure of the Anti Oda alliance. This is my first Sengoku fic in a long time coming and Samurai Warriors 4 along with NA: Sphere of Influence finally got me on board.
Forgiveness
Four years, he remains defiance over Nobunaga for his honor to the Asakura. Four years, his heart stricken grief to fulfill Oichi's happiness led him to the point of no return. His retainers Endo Naotsune, Akao Kiyotsuna, and Kaicho Tsunachika had long warned him of this predicted disaster.
"Lord Nagamasa?" Oichi, the Owari princess of Oda was given to him as an arrangement to the alliance in order to help Nobunaga restore the Ashikaga Shogunate.
She repeatedly called his name and didn't pay attention to her briefly. His mind was on the very thing he could have done to prevent his clan's inevitable demise.
The sound of Oda forces outside Odani Castle down the hill were gun fire ricochet the stony gate walls of his castle. His brother in law demands his commitment to betraying him.
"Commitment…heh," Nagamasa chuckled.
It was his father and his retainers' persuasion into getting him to turn against Nobunaga. It was the genocidal slaughter at Mt. Hiei that made him continue to oppose Nobunaga after killing Oda's veteran retainer Mori Yoshinari, the father of Ranmaru. Nagamsa had trusted a monster over his retainers and now he's paying the price.
"Lord Nagamsa, I know this is hard on you and so it is with me. My brother is no longer my brother, but my enemy. We have different briefs and I'm willing to die for you," Oichi's words did not make him feel better themselves. He destroyed her happiness. He doomed his children's future as traitor's children.
"Tell me why, Lady Oichi? Why did you agree to be bethorted to me? You could have been bethorted to your brother's retainers and none of this would have happen. My clan would still be enemies before we even let Nobunaga get into the capital," Nagamasa stares at her with more grief than anger.
"I'm as much to blame for the clan's decline than you, my lord. I choose to be your wife, because I've learned much about your heroics against the Rokkaku, people of Omi chanted you as the Young Lion of Omi and have a promising talent to match your grandfather, so I've decided to marry an honorable samurai like you for the sake of my brother bringing peace," Oichi confessed.
"Your brother's 'peace' is not my peace…" Nagasama closed his eyes remembering his retainers' opposition over and over.
"You believed in my brother and now he's the one turning against us for having his way with his ambitions. I can no longer follow him. So let me share your burden as a warlord's wife?" Oichi said.
"Your brother's amazing. I mean, at least, he could make his own decisions. Most of my decisions were from my father and my retainers. I'm just a pawn to them..." Nagamasa turns outside the balcony still seeing those same Oda army surrounding his family's castle.
"So am I to my brother. We're not so different, my lord," Oichi smiled sadly.
"How's your health, my lady? You've just gave birth to our third daughter," Nagasmasa got up feeling alittle assured with his soon to be ex wife.
"I'm as strong as I've been with no signs of after birth fever. How many times had I given birth right now?" Oichi burst into a small laughter. After she gave birth to Gou, her willingness and devotion to the Azai continue to grow even as this clan is about to fall.
"I'm such a very lucky man," Nagamasa shrugged embarrassingly.
"As am I, the lucky woman. Our children are healthy and great looking," Oichi then ordered her nursemaid to bring their daughter Gou.
When the baby was brought before her father, he holds her gently. He adores the baby's quiet slumber after coming into this world. A pity, he will not see this girl grow up.
"It must have been very cruel to give birth during a siege. I'm sorry Oichi and I'm sorry Gou," Nagasama felt so much grief over everything because of war.
"I said, I'm a warlord's wife. I will endure everything even that," Oichi said.
"Will she forgive me; Our precious daughter Gou?" Nagamsa asked.
Oichi took the baby off his hands and returned her gaze at her hero, "If she survives this corrupted society, if she were to be married off well, not like with us, my lord."
"Yes, I can see beyond that. She and our other children will be safe. As for my son, I also wanted him to live not as a successor to a fallen clan, but as his own person. Maybe in the next century, no one has to live through a close minded society where they can't make their own choices," Nagasama's body exhaled and then a page came to inform them the news from the Oda.
"A messenger from the Oda clan has arrived. He wishes to speak with you my lord and he's alone. He also wanted to speak with Lady Oichi," the page reported.
The pair looked at each other unsurprisingly, what does Nobunaga want right now?
The hour before the tragedy at the Oda camp….
"My lord, are you seriously allowing Lady Oichi's life to be put in danger at that castle?!" Katsuie Shibata, one of the longest serving samurai of the Oda clan since Nobuhide's rise had become so emotionally frustrated since his lord started committing unnecessary ruthlessness oppressing peasants and the incident at Mt. Hiei.
"I killed my own brother, what difference does it make with my own sister?! She hadn't stopped that worthless imbecile from betraying me at Kanegasaki!" Nobunaga glared at his retainer wrathfully.
He's completely fed up with most of his officers pledge to save a traitor's wife. Oichi is no longer his sister, but a traitor's wife. What good will do to bring her back to the Oda? He doesn't give a damn about her love and devotion to a worthless 'brother' in law who's committed to betraying him.
"She's your sister…" Toshiie uttered.
"She's a traitor!" Nobunaga shot back at the man he once expelled.
"She's your sister! Think of what your mother would be if something happens to her!" Mitsuhide begged.
"Since when did you become so familiar with my mother, Mitsuhide? That's non of your damn business!" Nobunage kicked Mitsuhide hard to the ground giving an example of anyone who bothers putting their nose on his family affairs. He doesn't care if Mitsuhide was close with his mother because of Noh.
Hashiba Hideyoshi, who went from being a peasant sandal bearer into Nobunaga's most trusted officer had stayed silent throughout the commotion regarding to Lady Oichi's life. He should have opposed the marriage and shouldn't have gotten Nene into his life because of how beautiful she looked and how her mother opposed the marriage because he was a peasant and she was a daughter of a noble. But, to Oichi, she's like a goddess, a woman he want, but couldn't have because of social status and heaven knows what else that's plaguing this country into the old ways.
"Lady Oichi's devotion to the Azai is imminent. She will die along with the pride of a traitor," Niwa Nagahide, one of Nobunaga's advisors and childhood friends had remain neutral over the fate of Princess Oichi.
"Exactly! That's why I'm allowing it!" Nobunaga shouted ending the argument.
Hideyoshi grunted, between his loyalty to Nobunaga and his secret lust for Lady Oichi, he wanted the best for both of them, but now it's tearing apart. He must decide. Choose to remain quiet or allow Oichi to accept her pride. If he butts in on her pride as a traitor's wife because of his hidden feelings for her, then she will hate him forever.
"There's still a choice. Lady Oichi doesn't need to live like every samurai wife in shame! I'll have to remain silent in order to get Lord Nobunaga's persuasion," Hideyoshi thought.
Minutes after the council, Nobunaga called for Hideyoshi to talk about the matter.
"Monkey, you haven't argued with me since Mt Hiei. Do you also want to complain about Oichi? I know you; you have a lust for my sister since she was a teenager," Nobunaga slowly looked at his loyal servant sternly.
"Damn, he knew I was in love with Oichi before I had Nene! This is my fault!" he didn't shiver before the lord of darkness himself.
"It can't be helped…" Nobunaga sighed.
"Huh?" Hideyoshi thought he was going to get a beaten after Nobunaga found out about his liaison.
"You would cheat on Nene over my sister's beauty. It can't be helped. This too is the fate of women in this old, worthless era. My sister, a political tool because she's a woman and now she's loyal to a traitor. Monkey, I'm allowing you to save my sister, bring her daughters and…her son," Nobunaga ordered.
Hideyoshi can't believe it worked; his silent had persuaded his lord to save Lady Oichi! Now before he carry out his lord's orders, Nobunaga is not finished.
"One more thing, Monkey; tell her, I will spare Azai's life if she leaves," Nobunaga set a lie to get his sister to leave.
"Is he asking me to lie to Oichi?! I….I can't…no…, but how will she be saved if she's not willing to leave?" Hideyoshi gasped. As witty the plan is, he couldn't lie to the woman he felt for. Will he be prepared to endure her hatred for him if she found out her brother lied and he loyally obeys his lord's vile plan into saving her and her children?
"Am I clear, Monkey? You will bring my message to Azai and escort my sister and her children here," Nobunaga repeated his command to his most trusted retainer.
"Hai!" Hideyoshi bowed. Not a single look of panicking to oppose his lord's order to lie to Oichi.
Hideyoshi hurriedly race to the hills where the secret entrance into Odani castle is at. Thoughts of Oichi clouded his mind. Her carefree smiles, her purity, and her upright personality were the strong traits of a perfect ideal woman for Hideyoshi. But, he regret his cheating heart on Nene. Nene can't compare to Oichi, but he'll never get out of this wrenched plan of lying to Oichi. Not in a hundred years.
"Halt!" Azai guard notice his coming into the secret entrance and he showd the white flag to cease hostiles.
"I'm a messenger from Lord Oda! Please allow me to see Nagamasa Azai! It's urgent!" Hideyoshi shouted.
The Azai guard scanned him and then stepped back and allowed the secret entrance to open for Hideyoshi.
"You better kept your act together or we'll have you as a prisoner! Your monster of a lord caused so much evil, we will never regret opposing the Oda!" the guard warned him.
"Of course, I know most of you won't forgive my lord and will die for your lord's righteousness," Hideyoshi did his slimy smile making the Azai guard grunted.
"Go on…" the guard scoffed.
He entered Odani castle successfully and now comes the tragic part.
Odani Castle now…
As Hideyoshi's presence shown before the couple, Oichi started talking, "Why are you here Tokichiro…?"
"Your brother has allowed me to rescue you and your children, my lady," Hideyoshi answered with politeness despite his urging lust. She looks as glamorous as ever, his Owari Goddess.
"So this is his answer…." Nagamasa thought. His fist clenched and thoughts of once aiding Nobunaga became the image of his brother in law's wrath and vengeance. He doesn't want to forgive him and bringing his sister into despair ends their relationship.
"You can take the children and leave this castle, but I do not want to be rescued," Oichi then ordered the maids to bring the children to Hideyoshi.
"B-But, you must come with the children. It's your brother's command," Hideyoshi suttered.
"I'm the wife of Azai Nagamasa before I'm the sister of Oda Nobunaga," Oichi glared at Hideyoshi.
"Scold me all you want my Lady, but you know I'm a very loyal man to your brother, no matter what you say. Forgive me. You must leave this place for your safety," Hideyoshi protested.
Nagamasa's hand is on Oichi as he says, "I agree, you should send our daughters and son out of this castle. It won't be long before his troops begin besieging this castle."
Oichi turns to her husband with defiance, "I'm not leaving without you, my lord. I will fight with you to the death!"
"This isn't your battle…" Nagamasa shook his head.
"If I may speak, Lord Nagamasa; Nobunaga said if she leaves he'll forgive you and your clan can remain active peacefully," Hideyoshi started the lie.
Oichi couldn't believe what she was hearing. Is the monkey jesting?! Her brother, forgiving Lord Nagamasa after so many hardships in 4 years after the Anti Oda coalition was formed.
"Monkey, this better not be one of your jokes. You know my brother better than I!" Oichi shot a threaten look at Hideyoshi. As the sister to the Oda she is the superior while Hideyoshi acts as the servant.
"I'm not joking! Be it as it may, but I'm speaking on behalf of your brother. You can hate your brother for everything he did on starting this war, but he wants you back alive and is willing to spare Azai clan. The Asakura are no more so there's no more alliance between them and the Azai clan. Your clan is in a hopeless position, so I'm saying this, he will forgive Nagamasa in exchange you leave the clan, Oichi dono," Hideyoshi said with a sweat breaking his forehead. This is as low as it could get to lie to the most beautiful woman of his time.
"….." Nagamasa can see through the lie, but Oichi…she's been worried about his and the clan's fate and doesn't care if the other clan fell, the Asakura started it and not the Azai.
"Will he forgive him? My brother…?" Oichi's heart pounded and she slowly paced to the view of where her brother is outside the balcony.
"Lord Nagamasa, I believe your actions were for the Asakura and not yourself. Your clan had no power over the Asakura for more than 40 years and you were the little cousins to the Kyogoku, is my studying correct?" Hideyoshi hoped he get as much out of the clan's history and its founding to learn about this troublesome alliance with Asakura.
"Yes, Sir Hideyoshi. You are correct and it pains me to have to continue enduring that tradition. I'm too honorable and virtuous to break that tradition because of my father and my retainers. They never trusted me on allying with Nobunaga and now I'm paying for it. Please, take care of Oichi and the children," Nagamasa then waited for the children to arrive with the nursemaid. He looked at Hatsu and then Chacha.
Oichi grabbed Hatsu's arm while Hideyoshi went to get Chacha to ride on his back, but Chacha backed away from him and remain next to her father.
"I guess even little Chacha wants to die with her father. That's a strong daughter there, Lord Nagamasa!" Hideyoshi complied.
"Tokichiro…" Oichi glared at Hideyoshi again for getting creepy on her daughter Chacha.
"I'm just giving her a piggy back on the way out, haha," Hideyoshi shrugged.
"Is my brother really going to forgive the Azai? I must find out myself until then…" Oichi takes one more glance at the man she loved. She never blamed him for turning against her brother's side, but what if he's given a second chance?
As the group makes their way out of Odani castle from the secret entrance, Nagamasa followed them with Chacha walking next to him. He couldn't bear to see her emotionally distressed because of Nobunaga. He can't tell her the truth that it was a lie, he wanted her to leave with the children, he wanted the blood of the Azai to survive with his children and not the clan itself.
Essentially, his daughters will have to grow up without him. His daughters will understand his sacrifice when the time comes especially Chacha, she's only seven years old.
"Papa? Don't leave me!" Chacha started to cry as the maid dragged her from his grasp.
"I'm sorry, Chacha," he kneed down his oldest daughter only his son is older than her. Chacha's birth was special because it was her mother's birthday present just having her being born 20 years after her mother on the seventh year of the decade.
"It's alright, dear. Come on, your father will be fine," Oichi said. Still she's not certain that her brother will forgive him, but Nobunaga must answer to her for the life of Nagamasa.
The Azai will have a leverage to become vassals to the Oda, but for Nagamasa, he will abide to the horrendous acts her brother committed at Mt. Hiei. She hopes this will do for the punishment of betraying her brother. This society she lived as a warlord's wife has now reached its breaking point in her life.
"Oichi….this is the way of the samurai. I know you despise seeing good people like myself ending up like this, but it's my way of life, not yours. As for you, you must live and protect our children," Nagamasa thought.
Hideyoshi can see the strong bond between Nagamasa and Oichi, such a bond, he was aroused. Nagamasa is a very lucky man. He was born a noble while the monkey had to use hardwork and effort to reach the top, but he failed to earn Oichi's heart. This man, however, earned it.
"Hey, Sir Hideyoshi, can I have a moment in private? There's something I must discuss with you before you leave," Nagamasa called Hideyoshi out before he left behind the maids and Oichi's children.
"Yeah, what is it?" Hideyoshi crossed his arms and ever show the same slimy smile he's famous for.
"About Nobunaga's message, I can see through the lie, Tokichiro…" Nagamasa said. Hideyoshi raised his mouth and if necessary, started to shiver abit. This guy can kick his ass in a duel and not even Shibata can outmatch Nagamasa's valour and intensity in battle. He handled the best of the Oda alone, it's a pity to have such a talented man to die over family issues with this Asakura alliance.
"I swear I didn't want to lie to Lady Oichi, but it's the only way to get her to leave without incident. She'll be stubborn to live without your presence in her life. Well, we all don't want Oichi to die. She'll hate me for it, your children too when they grow up," Hideyoshi confessed.
"So you felt in love with her before me. Hahaha, we both loved that woman. She was so selfless until now. I regret never giving her true happiness. My goal was a land where people like my children can be happy…" Nagamasa said.
"I'm not the only one. That idiot Katsuie too," Hideyoshi smirked.
"Well, I expect the both of you to watch over her and my children. Farewell, Sir Hideyoshi the Monkey," Nagamasa bowed to Hideyoshi.
"Farewell, Lord Nagamasa. I'll take all the anguish and hatred from your children and her…maybe I'll inheritance your goals," Hideyoshi bowed in return.
"Hey…and when Chacha grows up, I want her to marry a guy like me. If you try to ruin her true happiness, Monkey…." Nagamasa then threaten to point his lance at the torso of the Monkey.
"Ahhh…y-yes, I will find her a good husband for her! Don't worry about it,"" Hideyoshi nervously agreed.
"She should be or if she ends up in the same fate as I, I will hunt you in the depths of hell….Monkey," Nagamasa turned around slowly and walked back inside his castle leaving Hideyoshi to pause a minute and think about what Nagamasa said and slowly leaves the castle before it gets besieged.
"First it's lying to Oichi and now Nagamasa warning me not to ruin Chacha's life when she grows up. What if…no…now that he'll be dead, I have every justification to take care of them and even make Oichi become my concubine. Hmm, I'll have to work even harder to make Nobunaga allow it," Hideyoshi thought. However, on the way back into Nobuanga's camp…it's highly unlikely.
At Nobunaga's Camp…
The men of Oda saw the appearance of a group of females and a boy escorted by Hideyoshi. He has successfully rescued the sister of Nobunaga.
"Well done, Monkey…." Nobunaga was at his seat unsurprised to reunite with his traitor sister.
"Brother…is it true? Are you going to spar the Azai of their fate in exchange for mine?" Oichi slowly motion towards Nobunaga ignoring the sight of Katsuie who was relief to see her safe and the rest of the Oda retainers.
"Why should I….?" Nobunaga stared at his sister coldly.
Oichi turns around slowly and saw the flames erupt at Odani castle along with the sound of Oda troops moving to besiege Odani Castle. As she felt into her knees watching the sight of the castle ablaze, she was lied to by her brother.
"No….brother, it was all the Asakura's doing! Nagamasa was only obeying!" Oichi loudly protested.
"Are you saying he's not committed to betraying me?! Why didn't you stop him from following an old tradition from that worthless alliance?!" Nobunaga shouted at his sister.
"Why couldn't you forgive him!?" Oichi screamed back at her brother. She can't hold it any longer as she burst into tears. The wailing of her daughter Chacha been heard sharing the same sadness losing her father.
"He's weak! A weak minded fool who chose to follow a useless alliance over mine! And you, you still supported it! You still bear his brats! Tell me, do you support the Azai or mine?! If so, I will have his son take his own life," Nobunaga throw the knife into the ground.
Oichi shakes her head grieving harder over this deception, "He had nothing to do with this!"
"His blood had a lot to do with it and you reared him. The Azai bloodline ends here," Nobunaga got up fiercely and tower his fearsome presence over the boy, Nagamasa's son Manpukumaru and turns away from the traitor's blood.
"You will not take this boy's life!" Oichi stood up opposing the order and took the knife to keep the men away from escorting her son to his suicide.
Hideyoshi quickly went to Nobunaga to beg him to spar the boy and make him adopt him, but Nobunaga ordered him to put the boy out of his misery or he'll tell the entire Oda army about his feelings for his sister. With no other way to persuade his lord, he must once again do something that will make Oichi hate him more.
Hideyoshi kept a distance away from Oichi while she shield the boy as their eyes met. He was bearing the guilty to taking away Oichi's happiness and this won't change their unrequited relationship.
"My lady, I tried…" Hideyoshi muttered.
"You lied to me, Tokichiro. Do you know how I feel when someone I thought I could trust betrays me?!" Oichi hissed.
"It was the only way…" Hideyoshi pouted.
The rest of the Oda retainers decide to not involve with the Lady as she has chosen to be a traitor's wife over a Lady of Oda. Katsuie wants to comfort Oichi, but Toshiie mentioned him about Nobunaga's inciting mood if he opposes him again. Katsuie couldn't believe the Monkey gets all the guilty to be the one to do the deed. If it were Katsuie, Oichi won't forgive him.
"Loyal dog to the end, Tokichiro! I can't believe you out of all the men I know would follow that monster I couldn't afford to call him my brother anymore!" Oichi hissed, she could feel the pain of losing everything to this man.
"Oichi dono…Nagamasa's last words before he left were to have me watch over you and the children. I didn't know your brother would want your son to be put to death too," Hideyoshi said.
"Doesn't matter, you lied to me too. I thought you were different from Nobunaga, Tokichiro, but you are greedy. You want the glory; you want to take everything from Nagamasa because I was married to him!" Oichi cried.
"No…that's not why I saved you my lady," Hideyoshi shook his head.
Nobunaga's men soon took her daughters along with her maids while the two men were coming in front of her to take her son.
"You won't take him away from me! He's all that's left for the Azai!" Oichi took out her chakrams ready to defend the only heir of Nagamasa.
"Oichi…I didn't know, please I don't want to hurt you," Hideyoshi begged. Then he saw his brother Hidenaga sneaking behind Oichi and hits her in the back of her head. Her eyes widen and she slowly felt to the ground as her son watches and called out his mother.
"Damn it, Hidenaga! I don't want her harmed!" Hideyoshi scolded at his brother.
"She was going to kill you if you're going to execute her only son," Hidenaga then carried Oichi taking her back to Kannoji castle where her daughters will be staying for a time.
"Damn…, Nagamasa, forgive me," with only Hideyoshi and Oichi's only son alone at the camp, he stare at the boy and felt sorry for this boy's fate to die with his father and the entire Azai clan. He wanted to protect the heir, but his Lord demands the execution of the boy, ultimately becoming Oichi's son's killer. He watches the fires at Odani castle continue to luminate the cruel night of the Azai clan's demise.
After the Anti-Oda coalition defeat, Oichi and daughters lived with Nobukane, she never made contact with any of the Oda retainers nor Matsu and Noh. Hideyoshi had the remaining Azai retainers, who were sparred after the battle, to serve him. Nagamasa Azai will never see the future of his children's fate, but each daughter had carried his dream of a land where everyone can be happy.