"You done ye-"

"YEAH I'M DO-"

His words were cut off as the shorter one of the two of them had accidently walked straight into brady's chest, pressing hers against his. Embaressment doesn't even BEGIN to describe what he was feeling. "Uh...sorry!" His pale cheeks turned a slight light rose colour as he felt his blood warm up and began to sweat. Was it hot in here or was it just him?

Before long the woman quickly stepped away and turned her head in a attempt to hide her embaressment from the scary looking but kind hearted briley. Even though the bright red colour blended into her tanned skin it was still obvious she was blushing just as much as he was...if not more so.

"L-lets just go!"

"Right! I got all my stuff ready!"

"You're holding two bags."

"Yeah! I made a ton of strategies!"

He just failed to mention that only a few of them were any good

"Lets go..."

'Man she seemed upset, guess she doesn't like to embaressed' Thought the thug prince

'I'm a bit embaressed myself...with her chest against mine. Cant say i didn't enjoy it though.' He thought shamelessly.

"Alright, I'll be right beside ya."

"Too close! Our hands are touching!"

"Gah! Sorry bout that."

'GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF BRADY, YOU'RE BETTER THAN THESE THOUGHTS. Yes her hand is soft and warm and she does look rather- GET IT TOGETHER MAN. You have to bluff your way into being a strategist! Oh gods anxiety at a time like this sucks.'

They carried on their journey across the castles hallways in silence, accasional glances to the other from both sides. 'She has pretty eyes...STOP STARING BRADY. I MEAN BRILEY.'

Their journey was interupted as they entered what appeared to be a...library? Hundreds- no thousands of books splayed all over the place! The floor, the tables, the shelves! Books everywhere...a strategists dream! 'If only i was actually a strategist.'

And sitting at the only table that wasn't piled by books was what looked like to be a middle aged man...perhaps a little older or younger he couldn't really tell. He seemed to have green or blue-ish hair and wore a pair of glasses that made him look...like an actual strategist...in his opinion at least. And his robes...well they were a little strange for his taste but distinguished none the less.

'He is totally a better strategist than me. I am so screwed'

"Yukimura, this is the kid ryoma told you about."

"Kid? I aint that young!"

"I'm still older than you"

"But you don't look that old."

"That old?! How dare yo- UGH. Yukimura just hurry up and test him already."

"Of course, now briley is it? Care for a game of chess."

'YES, CHESS. SOMETHING I CAN ACTUALLY PLAY. THANK THE GODS ABOVE.'

"Sure, I'd love a game."

"Rinkah why don't you play the winn-"

"No."

"Alright then."

Their game began and brady felt that he actually stood a chance at winning. But this guy was GOOD. No wonder he's a strategist. It was about 23 turns in and he'd already managed to take his knights, one bishop and one castle. But equally the thug prince himself had claimed a castle and a few pawns. 'What a strange strategy...i can't see how that would...wait a minute. Damned mind his queen is ready to take my pawn and put me in checkmate! The only way out of that is...' With one last move Brady moved his remaining castle in a position where it couldn't be blocked and the only empty space the king could go was...right in the path of his bishop!

'I won?!'

"I won!"

After a quick chuckle the male across the table began to speak.

"Well done Briley, truly a mind like yours will come in handy as an aprentice! I do admit i was taking a risk in that last move, and i was sure you had looked past it as well."

'I nearly did.'

"It was a good match, i can certainly see how you became the strategist for the hoshidan army. And why lord ryoma respects you so much."

"Now now, let us commence your training at once! I think a real battle should be best."

'A REAL BATTLE?!'

"A real battle? You mean like the war?"

"No no, a simple training excersice...with training weapons. No harm to anyone only to the losing side's pride."

"Thank gods..."

"What was that?"

"Thank gods...that no one will be harmed!"

"Ah yes, now let us make way to the training field."

"YES! Finally i get to show off my stuff!"

"It isn't like you to show off. Trying to get the new aprentice strategist's attention perhaps?"

'Yeah right. Like she would want my attention'

"Shut it Yukimura."

'Or judging by that blush...maybe i have a shot! Ha...maybe.'

"Just kidding Rinkah."

Now that the banter was out the way they made their way across the halls of the castle...only a few thoughts came to the prince.

'I ACTUALLY PULLED THAT OFF.'

'Now i have to command a practice battle oh gods no.'

'BUT RINKAH MIGHT ACTUALLY BE INTERESTED IN ME!'

'Wait but how do i feel about her?'

'DOESN'T MATTER I'M ON A HIGH RIGHT NOW'

Eventually they entered a large room with sets of swords, axes, some kind of weird lance? ,He feintly remembered one of the guards mention a naginata so that was his best guess, and armour displayed on the walls made out of various materials like bronze, iron, silver and some he did not know the name of. In the middle of this large room stood several pillars and walls clearly meant to be some sort of training ground clearly. Probably used only for small battles rather than the large scale ones you hear about in history books

"You will be leading the diviners and samurai, I shall lead the archers and sky knights."

'Samurai? Diviners? Sky watsits? What even is one of those? Well a samurai is probably some kind of sword user if i remember correctly...a diviner...aint that a magic lady or something? Ok so they use magic. Archers...something i actually recognise, and sky knights? Well pegasus knights fly in the sky...'

"Orochi shall lead the group of diviners, your orders go to her and she gives your orders to the other diviners."

"Oh! So you're the new aprentice strategist everyone is talking about?"

"Uh...am i really that well known?"

"Of course! Rumours have been spreading like wildfire. Some say you descended from the sky to lead us to victory!"

"That's...not true, I'm just a normal guy! Next thing you know they'll be saying ima prince or something."

"Now that you mention it that does sound quite silly, still it's a pleasure to meet you."

Orochi...vibrant purple hair that matched with her eyes, some kind of hair accesory that, in his opinion looked a bit tacky, and rather...loose clothes? 'Do all diviners wear clothes like that? I hope not...'In any case he could see the tactical advantage to magic users wearing such clothes! Certainly he didn't like it for any other reason!

"Hmm..."

"Uh...is there a reason that girl is staring at me?"

"Oh that's Hana, lady Sakura's retainer."

"Lady sakura is ryoma's sister right? But what's this about retainers? We never had anything like that back home."

The brown haired sword user came up to him, it didn't matter that she was short compared to him...that glare could freeze anyone in place.

"I am lady Sakura's retainer, her trustful and loyal friend and guard."

"So they're like...royal guards or something?"

"Basically yes. And the reason i was staring at you...is to decide weather lady Sakura should be allowed around you."

"Umm...thanks?"

"I don't think that was a compliment Briley"

Chimed in the purple haired beau- lady. The purple haired lady

"Lady Sakura is a rather...delicate flower, i simply cannot let a brute such as you anywhere near her!"

Again said the samurai.

"B-brute? I mean i aint the prettiest looking guy in the world but i didn't think i was a brute."

Brady recieved what he could only describe as a death glare from the brunette, now the he took the time to notice she wore apropriate clothing for a sword user. Light, easy to move in yet provides some defence. Like the other woman just a few seconds ago her eyes seemed to match her hair, a hazel brown.

"Hmm...fine, but I'm watching you. Make one wrong move to lady Sakura and that's it!"

"Speaking of lady Sakura."

Finally, Yukimura started talking again.

"We each will have a healer with us. You will have lady Sakura, who generously volunteered"

Turning behind him the somewhat tall blue haired fake strategist saw her, lady Sakura. She was rather small, wore clothes that didn't show off her body, which seemed to be rare in this army, seemed to carry a staff around like he did, had soft peach pink hair and what seemed to be brown eyes if only tinted slightly pink-ish. She seemed to cower away from his glance, she really did resemble a delicate little flower. In that regard she reminded him of Noire.

"So-" 'Brady what are you thinking she's a princess! And as far as they're concerned you're just some thug!'

"It's a pleasure to be graced by your presence lady sakura!" And with that act, he bowed.

"Hmph, at least he knows his manners."

"I-It's nice to meet you!"

Even those words were shaken and forced out. She seemed so afraid...afraid of him. Not like he wasn't used to it, part of his daily routine used to be convincing the townsfolk he wasn't a thug of some sort. Even as a prince he was doubted...it was honestly a tad disheartening.

"Anyway Briley, i shall leave you to organise your troops. It shall be a battle to see who can capture the other's flag. What troop has the flag or where they're placed is completely up to you."

With that, the green...blue...green-ish blue-ish haired strategist was gone to the other side of the large room. With a worrying about of soilders...

(Soooo...is this ok? This chapter was going to be longer but i ran out of time due to exams coming up. Let me know what you think!)
(Another note, this will be the last update on previous chapters. Sorry it's still short but I think you'd all rather have a brand new chapter than have me spend a day fixing this.)