I hold no claim to any of the original characters!

Chapter Two

Proper Introductions

"Are you sure that you have to go?"

"Yes. Are you sure that you won't come back with me?"

"Yes. I…I can't return. You and I know what'll happen if I do."

"Take care, Natsumi. I'll come by sometime in the Winter so still be here, okay? Don't do anything stupid and try to run off until you're completely healed."

"You know I'm not that foolish, Keiko, though your worry gladdens me. At least someone still cares."

"And always will."

"Take care, Keiko."

"You too." As Keiko slid to the door to the room shut she glanced over her shoulder at the two men standing on the walkway. "It is not polite to eavesdrop."

"No," Date gave a smile. "But when it is my house I believe that I can do anything and all that I please."

"Hmph," She glanced at the man beside the one in blue. "You are the one known as Kojuro, aren't you?"

"Yes," The man nodded.

Keiko gave him a short bow. "I thank you for saving us. If you had not stopped then I am sure that both of us would be dead. We both owe you our lives."

"I did what any other honorable soul would have done in that position," Kojuro told her.

"Are you truly planning to leave?" Date asked, arms crossed. "It is almost nightfall, you know."

"I know," Keiko straightened up. "But if I am gone for too much longer I believe there will be a panic caused at home."

"What are you, the leader's daughter or something?"

"No," Keiko shook her head. "My husband just doesn't like it when I'm not by his side for more than a day. He'll cause an uproar, which I'm sure he already has. There's no need to go into detail," She glanced back at the door before lowering her voice. "I leave Natsumi in your care. Please take care of her; she's very important to me. If she were to die after all of this," She glanced at the look on Date's face. "If you need payment to do it then I can bring you some when I return to check on her in the winter."

"It's not that," Date frowned. "I'd rather have answers onto why you were attacked. Am I bringing in a convict to hide in my home?"

"No, not at all!" Keiko shook her head. "Natsumi is anything but. Despite how rude she can be she upholds justice more than anything. That's one of the reasons why…" Her voice fell for a moment. "It matters not. If you wish to have answers, then you'll have to get them from Natsumi. I will tell you nothing more." She turned to leave but paused, glancing back. "A bit of warning. Natsumi is not going to be very nice at first, maybe not ever to you, but don't hold it against her. She has her reasons, just don't try and make things worse; for your own sakes."

Date still wore a frown on his face as she walked away to a horse that they had waiting for her. It turned into a soft grin. "This could be fun."

"My Lord," Kojuro glanced at the other man. "Is this such a good idea? This could be a trap from the enemy."

"I don't think it's that," Date glanced at the room before them. "If it was, I doubt they would have tried to kill the two of them like they had. There's something much deeper going on here and I intend to find out." He took a step towards the door. "Go and bring the woman some soup, will you?"

Kojuro didn't like the thought of leaving Date alone with the woman, but nodded and did as asked. Date went to open the door before catching himself and giving a knock instead.

"You may enter."

Entering the room, Date had to admit that he was pleased that the wounded woman was sitting up against the border of the second door, staring out at his garden in a white robe. Her face and regained some color and she didn't look like she was knocking on death's door any longer. He grinned.

"I can see that you're healing well. I have to admit that I was worried there for a while."

"You shouldn't be," Natsumi turned her eyes back to the garden. "I will not fall to some wounds given by trivial bastards."

Date continued to smirk as he moved closer and took a seat himself. "Your friend, Keiko, has just left. Why did you not go with her?"

Natsumi glared at him, her green eyes alight with fire. "Do I possibly look able to ride a horse, let alone walk? Don't ask ridiculous questions."

"Now, you and I both know that that's not the real reason, now don't we?" Date's grin wider as she turned her gaze back to the garden. "I will not rip into you for answers while you're still this badly wounded but I do expect answers from you before you leave if I am to keep you in my home while you heal."

"I didn't ask to be brought here so just keep your nose out of my business," She growled at him. "I don't even know who you are so I'd like to keep it that way, if you don't mind."

"Young women such as yourself shouldn't have so sharp a tongue," The voice made them both turn to see Kojuro return with a tray of soup and bread.

Natsumi watched him in silence for a moment. "You're Katakura, right?"

"Kojuro, please," The man nodded, setting the food before her.

"I thank you for finding us," She then glanced at Date. "Both of you, I suppose."

"You suppose?" Date raised a brow. "Let's see if I carry your bleeding ass anywhere again."

She glared at him. "And just who the hell are you?"

Kojuro cleared his throat, clearly seeing the fire that Keiko had been talking about earlier. She knew right away that Date and Natsumi would buttheads. "May I introduce Date Masamune, Lord of the Date Clan and-"

"The One-Eyed Dragon," Natsumi let the name right in her head. She had heard often of this man in her home. For him to be the one to save her…

"So, you have heard of me," Date grinned.

"I thought you'd be older," She shrugged as she turned to the food sitting before her. "For a brat your age to do what I have heard the One-Eyed Dragon to be capable of…"

"I can prove it to you if I need to," Date told her, his eye twitching.

"No need," She shook her head, tearing into the bread. "It wouldn't be worth it."

Date wasn't taking this much longer. "Hey, remember whose home it is you're staying in! I could just throw you out so at least show me a little respect!"

"Fine," Natsumi jumped up to her feet. "I didn't ask for your help anyway. Thank you for the last few days but I refuse to stay here and be yelled at by some idiot!"

"Some idiot?" Date stood to his feet. "And who's the one yelling here?"

Kojuro sat there and watched as the two of them argued back and forth. He was in total shock. Never before had he seen Masamune act like this; with anyone. Not even when he was a child. It was like they were a pair of time-bombs with each other and if they had been any two other people, Kojuro would have been laughing his ass off.

Date and Natsumi glared at each other as they both came to a stop, breathing hard. Natsumi turned to leave again when the pain in her side caught her and she stumbled. If Date hadn't of moved, she would have fallen to the floor.

"I gotcha," He told her, pulling her up in his arms.

"Put me down," She grunted, holding her side.

"Shut it and just deal with it," Date told her, moving towards the bed that had been set up with her. "You got fire, tiger," He grinned as he pulled the covered up over her. "But wait to use it until you're completely healed, understand? I'd hate to see all that go to waste, Nakura."

Natsumi frowned at the name before turning her head from her to glare at the wall. Date gave Kojuro a nod. "Get some rest. I'll send someone in the morning to help you with a bath."

Natsumi didn't say a word and didn't move until the door shut and the two sets of footsteps moved away from her door. Wiping the small tear from her eye, she sat back up and crawled to the soup again, ignoring the twanging pain in her body as the smell of the food led her across the room. She sat there and ate, pleased that she was left alone for the remainder of the night.

As she stared up at the night sky, she felt her tears swell up. Tears over the pain she had endured. The hatred she felt. The dishonor she was sure she was to be given. And even worse, the pain from the guilt she now felt upon her shoulders. She had just left him there without a word, without a thought or farewell. The moment that he had agreed to take… she had left him to what fate would give him.

Sitting there, she gave herself a silent promise. After winter she would be gone from here and away from Japan; overseas to try and get as far away as possible from the life she wanted to leave behind. Never again would she face any of those that had betrayed her; never again would she have to look at him and face the outcome of what she had let happen…

"I couldn't stop them. Stop him. I couldn't save you… Azai," She mumbled, closing her eyes as she leaned her head back. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

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