Long Way Home

Fandom: Samurai Warriors 2 (Sengoku Musou 2)

Pairing: Nagamasa x Oichi

Rating: PG

Author's Note: My first Warriors fic and I might have taken some liberties with the events as I did not follow them exactly. Thanks to surealistic_des for the prompt =3

Summary: (post-Kanegasaki) The battle is over, but Nagamasa still has to face the biggest challenge of all...

The chance they'd win was slim, but somehow they had defied the odds and won the battle. Yet as the Azai army set out on homeward bound journey, grey still shadowed over the skies and Nagamasa's heart. Many lives had been lost for the sake of dream, and frankly, if they hadn't come out victorious he would have no idea what he'd have done. Not to mention he was already carrying the biggest burden of all.

Oichi, he thought miserably. How can I face her after this.

His ever enduring wife had been so supportive throughout the entire campaign that often Nagamasa wondered if he had truly woken up from that dream. Sometimes he wondered if he was stuck in one of Nobunaga's dungeons awaiting his fate and having hallucinations - but he closing his eyes he could remember the feel of his lance sliding through flesh and bone. The once feared overlord had looked at him with that infamous penetrating gaze of his, a mixture of both amusement and disbelief in them. Until his last breath, Nobunaga still had a wry sense of humour.

"It would have been a great thing, to have ruled Japan with an ally such as you."

Then those very eyes that had once seen an entire country united under one banner, closed forever. For a long while, Nagamasa had knelt before the still body before him and stared numbly. He had no idea how to feel. Despite that he should have been celebrating at having stopped the needless slaughter of many people, he had also killed his brother-in-law and former ally; a man who was responsible for introducing him to the love of his life.

It was going to be a long way back…

- A few days later-

Nagamasa was pouring over a huge map on his desk, trying to figure out how to divide the lands amongst the remaining lords and how to send out help to rebuild the towns and villages that had been destroyed during the battle. He had spent the past week working on how to clean the damages, and had spent nearly every waking hour in his study. So caught up in his new mission was he that he didn't even notice the servant who that had come to refill his tea.

"My lord, I have brought your tea… Lord Nagamasa?"

"Hm…?

"Your cup my lord, shall I refill it?" the voice was feminine and soft.

"Oh, um… thanks." He replied, not looking up, "By the way, can you tell everyone in the castle that I wish not to be disturbed today?"

"Everyone my lord?"

"Yes, everyone, including visitors. And I'd like to have my meals brought in here."

"But my lord, you can't lock yourself up here like this."

"I've survived perfectly so far." Nagamasa retorted, his patience thinning. What was with this servant?

You at least need some fresh air, let me open the windo…"

"I said I am fine. Now please leave."

The servant gave a resigned sigh. "As you wish. By the way, remember that you have the support of those who love you. Don't turn them away. Have a good day my lord."

It was a good hour before Nagamasa actually tore himself away from his work to stretch. It was then he realized the servant girl had left a small bundle wrapped in a silk handkerchief on the corner of his desk. Strange, he thought, how did someone like her manage to afford such a fine cloth? Maybe a present from some admirer. Come to think of it, she was oddly outspoken for a servant, and was it just him or had her voice sounded almost like…

"Oichi…"

A sprig of familiar pale pink flowers lay in the middle of the white cloth. Nagamasa had never felt such a strong impulse to head-desk before. He couldn't believe he had been so engrossed that he failed to even realize the presence of his own wife.

She must really hate me now…

Quickly he rose and ran outside his office. Of course she had gone by then, so he accosted a passing servant who was startled at seeing the head of the Azai household in broad daylight, and in such a dishevelled state.

"Where is she?" Nagamasa demanded.

"Wh…Who my lord?" The servant was trying his best not to shake as his master held both his shoulders in a firm grip.

"Lady Oichi. Where is she?"

"Ah, I saw my lady walking towards the outer gardens a while ago." The servant breathed a sigh of relief when Nagamasa released him and walked in that direction like a man possessed. "It's true," the servant muttered, "Our lord has gone mad… God help us."

It didn't take long for Nagamasa to find Oichi in the gardens. She was in the special spot they shared in a glade shaded by a circle of trees. She was looking into the distance though he could not see her expression as her back was turned towards him. Nagamasa suddenly felt awkward and extremely guilty, she must have been crying over his rude treatment of her.

"Oichi…" he began, "I…"

Whatever he was expecting, he surely did not think that his wife would even want to touch him, let alone turn and run to embrace him.

"I knew you would come." She said into his chest.

"Oichi… I thought…"

"What, that I'd hate you? How many times have I told you to get that silly notion out of your head."

"…but I turned you away, I ignored you."

"Yes, but you came didn't you."

"And if I did not?"

"Then I would have had to resort to more desperate measures."

"What could be more desperate than masquerading as a maid?"

"Hm, that I'll leave to your imagination. But it would probably involve me asserting my rights as your wife."

"You were going to seduce me?" Nagamasa was practically gaping.

"Well, as I said, that would have been the last resort. You have no idea how many ideas Hidetake-san and I came up with to get you out of that room."

"Hidetake…" Nagamasa sighed, "I should've known. I swear that bodyguard of yours is a bad influence. I'll have to look into replacing him someday."

"Hush, you know he means well. Plus he's the only one besides you who can protect me so well, Lord Nagamasa." She lifted her head to look at him, a twinkle in her eyes.

"Who are you and what have you done with my wife." He murmured, drawing her closer to him.

"She has been waiting hear all along my lord."

They stood like that for awhile, and Nagamasa felt like the spark in him that he thought had died was slowly coming back to life once more. He should have gone to Oichi all along instead of shutting her out. Overcome by her kindness, he felt himself getting a bit teary.

"Oichi, I'm sorry."

"Don't be, that is all in the past now."

"No, not that, I mean… I'm sorry about your brother."

"You did what had to be done. He died honourably at least?"

"He was a true warrior till the end."

"Then stop fretting over the past." Oichi smiled and gently cupped his cheek.

Suddenly, there was a soft rumble in the distance and droplets of rain started fell from above and onto their faces, startling them.

"Ahh, it's raining!" Oichi gasped.

"We should go in before we get wet." Nagamasa commented, and was about to lead her back to the main building when she suddenly broke free of his embrace and walked further out into the rain.

"Isn't this refreshing?" She grinned, spreading her arms and tilting her face to the sky as he stared at her, dumbstruck. Perhaps it was not he who had gone mad.

"We're going to get sick if we stay out here any longer." Nagamasa warned.

"But isn't it pretty? This rain has been waiting to burst for the past week. We should enjoy this moment. It is a whole new beginning." She laughed as she twirled around. With the rain sluicing down her being, she looked like something out of a fairytale.

Nagamasa sighed, not really having the heart to chide her. He had not seen her smile like this for a while. He looked at the rain falling over the hills and beyond. She was right; this rain would put out the fires that help would be too slow to reach. It was aiding their first steps to recovery.

He approached his wife and stilled her moments by wrapping an arm around her and pulled her against him. She was so warm, so real. "Oichi…" he breathed into her ear.

"Y…yes, Lord Nagamasa?" A shiver passed through Oichi's body, but it was not because of the rain. It was the way Nagamasa had said her name, and the way he was looking at her, with a longing hunger they were both familiar with.

"Oichi…" the corner of his mouth turned upwards in a smirk. "Race you back."

With a playful wink, he let go of her and starting running back towards the castle.

Oichi stared at him for a moment, surprised, then smiled and started chasing after her husband. "Lord Nagamasa! Wait up!"

For the first time in a long time, Nagamasa laughed. It was good to be back.