Picaresque
' (adj.) involving clever rogues or adventurers especially as in a type of fiction.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Samurai Warriors franchise, nor do I write this for any type of profit. This is just for fun. Duh. Also, as a warning, this fanfiction will heavily revolve around Gracia and Magoichi's little relationship. No haters, please. Don't like it, don't read it. I'd love comments as well, so review if you have the time \o/ Enjoy! Ah, and additional notes explaining some inconsistencies I tried fixing are found at the end of the story. Damn you KOEI and your weird timelines. And at the risk of rambling any longer, you would be stupid to think that this had no spoilers for Gracia's story line.

CHAPTER ONE
The Familiar Taste of Freedom

"But you're going back, aren't you? To that world of politics and power."

She didn't have to. Maybe somewhere in him, soulless and cold as he was, he wanted her to say no. There was going to be trouble, though. And like a true Saika, he knew that trouble had a way of kicking your ass and handing it back to you in pieces. He didn't want that for her. She had enough to go through as it is (and, perhaps some of it was his fault, if he didn't leave her behind). Plus, wasn't she married now? He mentally counted how many responsibilities that gave her as the lady of the household; bearing the heir, taking care of the system, attending court sessions with lords...

She would say yes. She'd go back. And quite frankly, he was prepared for that answer. They had their fun. It was time for grown-up things now, and boy, did she grow up well.

"I missed you."

He glanced at her silently, unblinkingly. He felt the same. She was, by far, the only real friend he'd ever made (considering Hideyoshi as part-real friend part-backstabbing traitor) all throughout his life. Mercenaries had it tough. You get hired for a job, you get paid and then you leave. You didn't have time for trivial relationships. Visit a brothel, hire a whore; that was Magoichi's life before he met her. So he admitted it, he missed her.

"...I should go before troops come in and recognize me." He chuckled without mirth and moved to walk away from the aftermath of the battle. Sakon put up a huge fight to capture his little lady. He wouldn't have expected veteran warriors like Yoshihiro Shimazu and Motochika Chosokabe to come just to take her hostage. He could feel it in the air - there was a bigger fight coming up soon. Sekigahara was inching in, drawing as much dirty tactics and low blows from both sides as possible. Japan was on the line. Of course they wouldn't feel remorse for capturing a woman just so her husband could switch sides. He wondered how desperate Hideyoshi's successor was, until her voice broke him free from his thoughts again.

"Mago."

He stopped mid-step, and turned to her. She refused to face him, and instead opted to stare at the smoke and rubble stacked together through endless layers. She said his name, his personal nickname from her, and yet he felt there was something deeper. He was missing something. It was as if she was commanding him to stay. To listen. Quirking an eyebrow in curiosity, Magoichi walked over to her and placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong? You hurt?"

She shook her head. There was no other sound heard, other than the dwindling crackle of the fire and the falling debris. He was getting worried. What the hell was wrong if she wasn't injured? Why was she so quiet?

"Little lady, this isn't the time for any surprises or jokes. You gotta tell me what's up." He slung his gun more comfortable over his shoulder and moved to look at her face, which was downcast the entire time. She was lost in thought, eyes glazed over the seemingly uninteresting pile of rocks at her feet. When he managed to stand directly in front of her, Gracia looked up with a face fresh of war, dirt on her cheeks and eyes gleaming with...something he couldn't place.

"I've decided."

"So you finally spoke up, huh? Okay, what did you decide on?" Magoichi wondered how hard it was to just say she would stay behind. Really, he wouldn't mind! Again, he was more than prepared for her to stay and return to their life before all of this happened. Back to how things should be. ("Should" being a working term that was to be taken lightly).

Needless to say, her next response got him completely off-guard, to the point of widening eyes and the literal taking a step back.

"Mago, take me with you again. Please?"

Word spread quickly about the tragedy of the Hosokawa mansion. Messengers left and right hurried their horses to the camp of the Lord Tadaoki, praying they weren't too late to give the news. The surviving retainers his wife had managed to save also fled the scene to report firsthand, about their lady's bravery and withstanding courage in the face of grave danger. Right in the middle of the meeting, Tadaoki Hosokawa was greeted by a somewhat entertaining sight of a horde of people greedily taking up air after their long journey, attempting to relay the same message.

"Calm yourselves. One at a time. Excuse me, my lords, for the interruption. I'm certain this is urgent news, since under regular circumstances they would not barge in so recklessly." He gave some of them the evil eye, subtly, and walked out with a bow and a flourish. As the tent's flaps covered the group of people, with their lord in tow, he frowned and crossed his arms. However, at the sight of a certain Shosai Ogasawara, he paled immediately and his hands went straight back to his sides. He clutched his fists tightly, mentally preparing himself for their terrible news.

News they wouldn't have to report to him, should he have ignored his honor and refuse to give out the command.

"Forgive us, my lord!" one of the messengers bowed.

"But this is very urgent, indeed!" the other sat up and bowed again.

"Enough. Tell me, now." Tadaoki hardened his resolve. It was his order. He would see it to the end, even if it would cause him the greatest anguish in the world. "I am not telling you again. What news?" He spoke with a cold sneer, and perhaps, a certain sadness that pushed him to the lengths. Was she dead or not? He needed to know!

The messengers all knelt down and finally, gathered enough breath to tell the tale.

"Our Lady Gracia is alive, my lord! She was aware of your plan to have her killed if the Western Forces were to lay siege to the manor, and yet fought against the army anyway!" Tadaoki gaped, and in a mix of relief and confusion, he ordered them to continue with silence. Who spoke up next, however, was not a messenger, but the generals themselves. In a stark contrast to the messengers, they spoke with a soft, almost thankful, calm.

"It's true. Our Lady graciously saved our lives and ignored your order. She said, in her own words, that she would not give up the fight even if the odds were against us. My lord, she fought off the Ishida troops and forced them to retreat."

Tadaoki could feel the sting of the wind in his unblinking eyes. The dignified and prestigious warlord left speechless at the reports of his men...it could be funny to some. But to that same warlord, he was a tumble of emotions. She was alive? Was that a good thing? Of course it was, his wife was still with him! The pain, it didn't have to come! Yet, at the same time, Tadaoki felt a strong tug at his heart. He looked down and ignored the rest of the words the messengers sputtered out. She knew all along that he had planned for them to kill her...But not once did she tell him of her knowledge.

Guilt. Tadaoki felt the sharp pangs of guilt.

He loved her. Adored her. That was the reason why he had ordered them to kill her in the first place. He couldn't bare to see her struggle through the tortures of being a hostage for the other army. He'd rather see her peaceful in death, and so he had thought then that he chose the lesser of the two evils. Not once did he realize there was another possibility to his plan. Was he that easy to read? When did she get this information? Did she get it by herself, or did she have inside help? He shook himself free from his irrelevant thoughts and swallowed the lump in his throat. How could he dare face her now? What could he say or do to make her forgive him for his crime to her? He had dishonored her integrity and her strength of heart.

"...Thank you for reporting your findings. I don't need to hear anymore." He said calmly. Leading the men inside an empty tent, Tadaoki took a seat and rubbed his face with his hands.

"Where is Gracia now?"

Shosai spoke once more. He took the lead on the other side of the table, leaning with his palms down. "She is with the renegade who helped save her back at the manor's remains, my lord. It was her wish to stay behind with him."

Tadaoki's head snapped up before he could even finish his own train of thought and Shosai's sentence. A renegade? Could he mean that man she was so fond of, that she had to retell every living soul of their journeys together when she was younger; that renegade? Impossible. She said he was dead. Or rather, there was a high chance he was. Now that he thought about it, she never once said the exact words "He's dead now". It was always, "He's probably injured." or, "I don't know where he is anymore." Never dead. He only presumed her nature prevented her from saying it out right. Yet again, he underestimated his beloved wife. The guilt struck him more than he could have ever imagined.

But what he felt more than the guilt was the underlying worry. She was alone with a man he didn't even know was real. A man he hadn't given the grace of his trust. Gracia may have, but not him, and his gut was telling him what to do next. In a flash, Tadaoki stood and sent out the men, leaving only two messengers and Shosai's lieutenant.

"Set forth to go back to the manor right now, and take your lady with you. Tell her...to come here. With haste, gentlemen. With extreme haste!" Though his words were gentle, his demeanor was not. The feeling was growing stronger with every aching minute. Something was going to happen, and he didn't like the looks of it one bit. As soon as the men set out on their horses with lightning fast speed, Tadaoki stared out into the sky with a deep set frown.

He would not lose her again. He needed to redeem himself.

When the small army arrived back at the scene, it was nearing dusk. Shosai's men scattered across the area, calling out their lady's name in the hopes of finding her taking refuge somewhere in the broken buildings and temples. Their search was in vain. There seemed to be no other person in the area but themselves. Even the closest village to their manor had no clue as to where the Lady could have gone.

Hope was renewed when one of the soldiers ran up to the head lieutenant with a letter in tow. They almost tore open the paper, fearing for the safety of the woman who risked her own life so that they could escape. That was their job, not hers. What they read brought dread upon their doorsteps.

"...This is not good. We must report back to Lord Tadaoki at once."

Clutching the letter, he gave it one more good read before stuffing it safely inside his armor's pocket. The army left with the same speed they left the camp of their lord, the setting sun coloring the destruction behind them with appropriate bloodshed red.

'I'm going to have one last adventure. I'll promise I'll return before the fight begins. Please forgive me. And trust me.'

A/N: So, I think you've all guessed by now that this story is a "what-if" scenario. And since KOEI didn't give any personality to Tadaoki in this game, I'm going to take liberty with that and make it up myself.