It was late September 1600, and forces were mustering across the country of Japan. In a small fief of Kyushu, orders for the different units had just been given out to the several thousand soldiers under the Tachibana clan.

"Bad luck, Kazaki-san! The greatest battle in all history, and you've been ordered to sit it out and guard our Lady. You must be disappointed." A young voice, sprightly and cheerful, called to him. He sounded like he was filled with high hopes and romanticised dreams, like he had never seen the ugly side of war.

He hadn't.

The veteran soldier grunted in response. "The glory of war's all for you young people. We old men have seen enough of it." There was no point in telling the young recruit about the horrors he would face when he stared death in the eye – the kid would see it for himself when his time came. And if he survived the battle, he would come back to the castle, and pray fervently that he never had to do it again. He knew, because that was what had happened to him. "It's enough for me to guard the castle and the Lady."

Suisaka Kazaki had had enough of war. He wasn't willing to go out and bend his knee to someone he didn't consider his true master, in any case. The grizzled soldier scratched the stubble on his cheek thoughtfully. He would miss out on the chance to serve under that man's banner for possibly the last time, but it was fine. If his mistress could live with that thought, so could he.

The last of the Tachibana troops filed out from the castle gates orderly. Kazaki watched them go without regret. He and his unit were remaining behind on orders to keep the castle safe until their Lord's return. And so the days passed.

It was about a week after the troops had left, that she spoke to him.

Kazaki took his place outside his Lady's doors as was his custom, one hand near the hilt of his sword, the other held straight at his side. He stood there, still as a statue, he could still remember when he had been young. And foolish, he mused bitterly. He had marched into battle, dreaming of dances of steel and songs of honour and glory. But all that had awaited him was chaos, blood, and death. He considered himself lucky to have managed to escape that battle alive – there were those who had not, his lord being one of them. It was afterward, that Lady Tachibana Ginchiyo had taken over the clan leadership, still but a girl yet with the passion and the commanding presence of one ten years her senior.

And up till now, he still served her and her family's ideals, except that the person he served was no longer his mistress herself, but her – recently acquired – husband. It had been a marriage arranged by the elders of the clan, in a bid to join the bloodline of the late Lord Dosetsu with that of his adopted heir.

"Suisaka."

The softly- spoken command cut through his reverie. "My lady?" He silently cursed his momentary distraction. Had something untoward happened, he would never have been able to live it down. Such a lack of discipline would have cost him his life if he had been on the battlefield.

"... The battle would be in full flow by now, wouldn't it?" Her voice was mildly wistful, though the emotion was well hidden. If Kazaki had not spent most of his life by her side, there was no way he could have told. But... the resignation in her voice was something altogether too recent for his liking. She had used to be a woman full of fire and passion, inspired by a deep love for her clan, and in turn winning the loyalties of those around her.

"Probably so, my lady." Tachibana Muneshige, on the other hand... had less drive than her. Less fire, less intensity; Muneshige did not have the same charisma his wife did.

"I... wonder." Ginchiyo responded vaguely, her gaze trained on the window, yet remaining unfocused.

The conversation ended there, but the veteran soldier didn't immediately return his eyes to the spot on the opposite wall he had been staring at. His lady had been a force to reckon with on the battlefield, until leadership of the clan had passed into Muneshige's hands – he remembered well how the man's first order had been to instate himself as the commander of the Tachibana forces. The announcement had not sat well amongst the veterans, but their protests had died in their throats almost immediately, when Lady Tachibana herself had simply nodded at them to stand down.

The silent command, coupled with the dispirited look in her eyes then, had broken Kazaki's heart.

"My lady, if I may ask something?"

"Of course. Speak, Suisaka."

"Where is the Lady of the Tachibana I had sworn to serve years ago?" Her gaze snapped from the scenery outside her windows to his face, momentarily startled. Suisaka forced herself to meet her stare head on, and for an instant he felt triumph rise in his breast at the anger that had stirred in those amber eyes.

This was the woman he had been talking about! This was the woman who had walked alongside men like Lords Sanada and Naoe as an equal, whose strength had been admired by Lord Shima. The woman who had utterly captured his attention.

But as quickly as it had arisen, the spark died, leaving only resignation in its place. Ginchiyo's smile was slow, tinged with sadness. "Things change, Suisaka. Things have changed."

The old soldier let out the breath he hadn't realised he had been holding, as he turned back to face the corridors outside his mistress' chambers. "Yes, my lady. I apologise for my impudence."