Author: Nami-chan.
Pairing : :DateSana, MotoMoto, KoSasu, IeMitsu, and some other I won't spoil
Disclaimers : I think we all would like to have the on right Sengoku Basara, but it's not my case
Note : Still no beta.
Dragon Tales Book Two
Part 7
Yellowed Ginkgo leaves fell at his feet, whirling in the wind, a wind of victory. While he descended the large granite steps that led to the domain temple. Mitsunari knew it would be the same wind that would support him, the wings on his back only deployed for his Lord Hideyoshi and his lord had sought him for the greatest duty.
Mitsunari was proud, he felt almost like smiling if he hadn't forgot how to long ago, face full of confidence and honored by the trust his lord granted him. Many years he had hoped and fought for this recognition.
Tomorrow, he would march on Odawara currently under siege and will finally put an end to it, bringing with him the wind of victory and honor to his clan. He had nothing to fear, he would be victorious, he would step on the decadent Hojo clan who still refused to leave the time that was not theirs, it was the time of Toyotomi and Mitsunari would be a piece centerpiece of this new era.
"Mitsunari."
AS annoying as usual, Ieyasu voice took him away from his contemplation. The solar young man was making his way towards the temple, currently climbing the steps in the imposing direction.
"Ieyasu." the lunar young man greeted him with a nod.
Ieyasu at first seemed to want to talk with him but changed his mind, preferring to resume his ascent towards the temple. He passed Mitsunari now turning his back to him. It wasn't his strange attitude that piqued Mitsunari curiosity but rather the sad smile that he showed.
"You must be proud that the Lord Hideyoshi have entrusted to you and you alone the task of confronting your former mentor." it was more a given in the tone of an order than an advice or a statement.
Ieyasu froze and took a few seconds before this time turning a beaming smile to his friend. "It is a real honor. I should pray for a win." Ieyasu chose to go on this issue, knowing that it was very likely what Mitsunari had just done himself.
Mitsunari nodded and grunted in approval. "We are the elite of the Toyotomi clan, I'm glad you're one of his general."
Ieyasu found himself a little taken aback by such a compliment, Mitsunari in a good mood was something as rare as a solar eclipse. But his joy was quickly tempered by the idea that what made his friend so cheerful was the prospect of a new battle ... one more that would certainly be a bloodbath.
"Me too Mitsunari. And I am happy to be your friend." he said with more sincerity.
When a ghost of a smile flashed on Mitsunari lips, Ieyasu was like subdued by it, as he lost himself for a moment in the almond eyes of the silver haired youth, not perceiving in him the strength to open his mouth to continue to speak. Acting on impulse, he grabbed the edges of Mitsunari jacket and joined their lips. His kiss was neither urgent nor fiery, just a mere contact that wasn't sexual in any way, a loving exchange of the softest kind.
The silver haired general didn't ask for more, waiting without moving for Ieyasu to finish, he barely replied to the kiss and when the brown haired finally freed him he spoke.
"You will to will bring honor to Lord Hideyoshi name , I'm certain." he asserted, without further ado, he turned and went down the stairs.
Ieyasu would like to be so certain. He didn't dare lie to Mitsunari by saying he would pray for the victory because he was actually going to meditate in search of an answer. A response that his heart had long been found, a response that remained hidden behind a piercing olive colored gaze and a milky and soft body behind a compelling and intoxicating voice, so soft when it was mad with pleasure. A man with a personality so clear and so dark at the same time, a man he had pleasure in discovering a new facet in him every day that flowed.
Tomorrow, Ieyasu was going to go on Kai land and confront Shingen to show his strength and the fruit of his teaching. The tiger in him roared at that one perspective. In no way he was going there for the glory of the Toyotomi. Something, the earth, the wind, the elements around him shouted that everything was about to change, to shatter, he could no longer turn a blind eye.
The solar General mind had been asleep for too long, hidden behind comfortable ideals as they were worn by someone else.
He wasn't climbing stairs to the temple, he was sinking into a deeper abyss...
oooooooooooooooo
"Yukimura? Hey, Yukimura? Did you hear what I just said?"
The young tiger blinked rapidly, suddenly brought back to reality, he met his ninja scowling face.
"You still think about the Dokuganryu ?You were very absent minded today." asked the russet haired, scratching the bridge of his nose.
"Huh? No!" Yukimura quickly shook his head in denial. "I mean, yes, I often think about him, but it isn't the point here, my heart is a little more at peace after our conversation." Yukimura asserted in defense.
"So what? That's five minutes I tell you to prepare your weapons! Tokugawa army awaits us on the south side of Ueda, on the other side of the plain. Oyakata-sama is already there."
Yukimura went up, catching his spears in the way, he twirled them to warm his wrists. "Forgive me Sasuke! I actually got distracted." Without further ado, Yukimura rushed into the courtyard, but before walking out the door, he turned one last time to his comrade.
"I don't know Sasuke... I feel like... I have a bad feeling." he shared the sudden change that affected his heart and mind, practically turning off the flame of passion that usually ignited in him.
The ninja just shrugged. "This is a fight between rival of the same kind that those which regularly oppose Oyakata-sama and Lord Kenshin. What could be worse than a defeat?" Sasuke reassured .
Finding some semblance of a smile before the truth of Sasuke assertion of, also supported by the idea that a real battle would do the greatest good for his warrior soul. Yukimura rushed out, waving his spear above his head.
"So what are we waiting for! Oyaaakaaaataaaaa-saaammmmaaa" he cried, rushing into the castle courtyard.
"Yare, yare." Sasuke said when he could do nothing but to follow, shaking his head.
Oooooooooooooooo
As far back as he can remember, the ocean has always held an important place in Motonari heart . He loved the soothing sound of the ebb and flow of the waves, the pitch of a ship launched in the wind, the dry rustling of the sails when they were stretched, the smell of polished wood attacked by sea salt, sea air, navigation in a whole. So, for him to build a palace that stretched over the sea had become his greatest desire if it hadn't been a need for his heart.
But right now, he was unable to appreciate the little pleasure he had to be on a exceptional ship, as was often the case when Motochika was involved anyway. Because it was entirely the pirate fault if he couldn't come out of his cabin and enjoy the sea breeze, because it was entirely due to the large, blue-eyed oni if he was worried at the time. Well, mostly because of what happened in Oshu ... and because Motochika seemed to avoid him too. He had lent him his cabin and returned to sleep well after Motonari fell asleep just to be gone before he wake up, it became annoying after a while. And all this Motonari knew it was only because he spent all his time with his guest, one that Motonari could be better without.
Motonari didn't like many people anyway, no one could not tell he held Keiji Maeda dear to his heart. Yet he usually liked honest and frank people, they never stab you in the back without it being clearly written on their face. The fact was that everything diverting Motochika of his person when they were supposed to be alone together was something on his bad side.
Standing facing the large wooden desk that was in the captain's cabin, his booted heel regularly hitting the ground in a nervous gesture, he had nothing better to do than watch some plans and strangely designed constructions that had been left here by his host. He narrowed his eyes at a particularly inventive weapons scheme that could pose problems for him if he continued to confront his lover about who could have rights on the use of the sea separating their territories.
Someone suddenly knocked on the cabin door, caught in the act he quickly returned to sit on a couch next to the bed, picking up the uninteresting book he had pretended to read until then.
"Come in," he finally answered.
The door hinges strongly protested when the door was opened with a kick.
"Such rudeness. Well, I should consider myself lucky that you knocked before entering your own cabin." Motonari couldn't help but commenting crossing his arms over his chest, open book still in hand.
"In case you have not noticed yet, for one my hands are full and two since the time I know you'd hit me if I didn't knock first and I'm pretty gallant enough to you to do it. "Motochika simply replied, showing the two silver plates he held in his hands. "His lordship meal." he added with a false reverence.
Motonari held his chin up, watching the pirate push his plans away from his desk to lay the trays on it, not caring that half of the rolls finished on the ground.
"I'm not hungry." affirmed the smaller man, decided to charge Motochika for his lack of attention toward him.
Motochika turned his blue eye right on him, "We will have you eat, you didn't take a single meal since we left Oshu. The cook prepared it just for you, look."
The pirate pulled the tray cover under Motonari icy stare, not approving of the use of any of these foreign dishes Motochika loved o much. "Your cook has no refinement, I don't want to suffer from intoxication." It was not until the aroma of a deliciously prepared meal reached his nose that his own body betrayed him and a gurgling sound came out of his abdomen.
Motochika chuckled, trying to hide his laughter, he took a chair and sat at his desk, opening the second dish. "Come, don't deprive yourself. I remind you that I took a cook of your own, you know ." the pirate took carved into chopsticks between his fingers .
The kitsune blushed hearing this statement, he had completely forgotten that one of the conditions for him to travel with Motochika to Oshu was that part of his own staff, including one of his cooks had to go on board. half-heartedly, he rose up, advancing to the food tray with a big sigh. The white haired oni flashed a wide smile and got up to find him a chair.
Motonari look deflected on one of the roll left on the desk top, it was precisely the plan he had observed just before being interrupted by the pirate. His gaze narrowed and he couldn't restrain not to share the depth of his thought. "It is with this you plan to repel my ships?"
Motochika frowned, following Motonari eyes. "It is necessary that I repel your ships as they continues to attack mine without distinction." he commented.
Motonari gestured back. "These are my merchant ships that your men plunder in my waters. It is not because you satisfy me in bed when it suits you that I will give free rein to your abuses, pirate!" the fox growled out .
Motochika suddenly struck his fist on the desk. Taking a deep breath to regain his composure. "Your waters? Since when all the sea of Seto belong to you? I learned to be patient with you Mouri, but you push me too far this time. This is the plan of a steam engine to irrigate cultures. My people also need to eat ... but obviously you ignore that since you rarely let ships that pass into your waters come to Shikoku. "
And without another word, he walked to the door, Motonari realized that if Motochika crossed the threshold, he would not hear a word from him for the rest of the journey, maybe even longer, it was not what he wanted, or was it ? Even if he wasn't sorry for what he had said. He grabbed the taller man biceps and opened his mouth, for the first time not knowing what to say to stop him, apologizing was out of question. Finally, he bowed his head, feeling his ears fox come to lie on top of his head before saying the first thing he had weighing his heart.
"Maeda was right, isn't it? When he said that you quickly lose interest in your catch after you have obtained them. It's been a moment since I had noticed it. It's not like before the two of us. Before you would have pressed me against the wall and kissed me to shut me up. "
Motonari felt his lover gloved hand come caress hi cheek, trying to make him lift his chin. Motonari let him do as he pleased, his brown eyes meeting the pirate azure ones.
"Is this how you see yourself ? A mere catch ? You know very well that you are wrong. I loved you from the first day I saw you in this garden, all day long I couldn't help but observe every detail of you. The way you put your silky locks behind your human ears when you were concentrating, how your adorable toes squirmed when you were reading something unpleasant, or on the contrary, how your eyes sparkled, and your little red ears straightened, showing up when you read a pleasant moment. I had over ten years to learn to love you, Motonari, it is not because you are finally returning back those feelings that I'll forget them."
Motonari rested in Motochika caress, enjoying the sincerity in his eyes and the sweetness of his words, yet a part of him screamed liar, saying that Motochika would again play with his heart and he was voluntarily throwing himself into the trap ... if only, if only he had the strength to permanently get rid of that hindrance, if only he could get rid of this man's life.
Scheme were already formulating quickly in his mind a world without the pirate in it, the rest his mind eventually would finally find, a way to get rid of him without getting his hands dirty ... because he knew better...
"It's not because of you Motonari ... I just have ... other concerns." Motochika went on.
Because the kitsune knew from the beginning that the pirate had won, destroying his plans even before they germinate and will still win because he was unable to give up his love for this man, unable not to believe him his foul words. Should he be responsible for his lover disappearance, his heart would die with him... but lords didn't need heart to rule, right?
Motochika pulled him toward his chest, pressing Motonari against his larger body, he buried his nose in his brown hair, running the hand which wasn't holding Motonari waist in those chocolate locks.
Motonari hand which he had removed the leather glove to feel the pages of the book under his fingers came in contact with the tanned skin of the pirate bare chest. Against his ear he could feel a heart beat, a distraught heart beating rapidly from love. A living heart, a vibrant heart ... Motonari let out a laborious and painful sigh, how could he come to wish this heart to stops beating?
"I only want to protect you." the oni murmured in an almost inaudible whisper, his words muffled by the his beloved hair.
Motonari was quick to understand that he wasn't meant to heard this phrase but his curiosity wanted him to learn more, he slightly pushed Motochika torso away.
"What do you mean?"
A pained expression suddenly disturbed Motochika features, because now knew he couldn't go out without telling the whole truth. Him and his loud mouth.
"Captain! Hostile ship in sight! They arming their canons!"
One look furtively exchanged between the two men and soon they rushed in opposite directions, Motochika on the deck, while Motonari was putting on his equipment and picked up his circular blade.
Motochika joined Keiji who stood at the ship back, hand placed over his eyes to give him the shade allowing him to better see their pursuer. "Their crest his a bird with thee legs" he stated seeing Motochika coming.
"The Saika." Motochika blurted.
Motochika's first mat face was as pale as death when he did report the situation to his captain. "Three ships, two on our flanks and one at the rear, captain, sir."
It seemed Motochika mind was quickly working, processing this. "Shit, they were hired by Toyotomi." he stated.
"Mercenaries?" Keiji asked.
"The best there is." Motonari continued when he arrived at their level. "That is what I feared. Looks like Hanbei don't like wasting time." he said, finishing to adjust its helmet on his head.
The Saika faction that was known for his great power in terms of firearm and gunpowder, they tend to follow the one lord who would put the price up to termination of the contract. He knew what everyone knew about them and knew they were especially feared.
"We will shake them off, this ship is built for speed, not to fight." Motochika soon came into action. "All the sails! We head south, prepare the rear cannons!" he threw.
With a rallying cry, the whole crew went into action to obey the orders of their captain. Operating as a single hand, a well-oiled operation, his men familiar with this ship by months of sailing aboard.
"They will never let us go in peace! So you want to be a coward and run away?" Motonari shouted, grabbing the inner edges of his blade.
In response, Motochika ever confident broke and he let out curses more colorful than the other in front of both stunned samurai, words that even Motonari had never heard come out of his mouth, a deep anger rising in him.
It took a deep breath for him to calm down, but a hint of rage was still shining when he answered Motonari.
He ran a hand through his hair. "You think it doesn't trouble me. Toyotomi had wanted my head for a while now and I never fled before an invitation like this. I know yet to see a lost battle when I see one, I may be reckless but I'm not suicidal. "
Motonari didn't find some smart thing to say. "I hope that you at least have an idea in mind. Don't count on me to find how to save your head."
"How did they know we would be here, Captain? Were left earlier than planed." the first mat intervened.
"They surrounded us so fast," Keiji added.
Motochika didn't have time to answer because a cannonball came whistling brushing their ship in it's fall, throwing a wave that washed down the deck. A shot to adjust, if they don't quickly reacted the next will be for them.
"Damn! Arm those fucking canons and shoot a line, motherfuckers! Where is the fucking wind , shit!" Motochika launched.
Motonari hissed before so much incompetence. "They'll shoot a burst from the side now."
"I know! Returns to the cabin if you only came to piss me off!" Motochika literally blew him over like a wind of anger.
Motonari never had seen him lose his cool like that, he no longer recognized Motochika, it wasn't the smiling pirate paying him each of his blows with great precision and who claimed to who wanted to hear the that he was unbeatable on the waves. Keiji seemed as surprised as him, it was not the first time he was involved in this kind of battle aboard a ship piloted by the oni, even if the opponent was usually Motonari. He had never seen Motochika like that, something was wrong and that something might cost them their lives, all of them.
"Motochika?" the wanderer tried. He moved to put a hand on Motochika shoulder.
The pirate suddenly exploded in a roar of pain as brief as it was intense, falling to his knees in the aftermath. He put his hands to his face hiding his one visible eye. His body shook with tremors as he kept grunting and moaning plaintively.
"Fuck... not now. Hijiki my medication, in my cabin, now." he growled between breaths.
The kitsune suddenly felt the adrenaline flow in his veins, seeing this force of nature that was Motochika collapse. At a time when he should have feared for Motochika life, he didn't allow himself to be overcome by fear and immediately began to assume a fighting position.
"Maneuver to escape the to the left. Use the rear canon as propulsion to earn some speed." Motonari launched quick and concise orders that the men followed without thinking after they too were suddenly paralyzed by their captain fall. It was only through Motonari intervention they forgot any concern for their captain health and because the lives of the entire crew was at stake now.
Another cannonball missed the ship, making it sway dangerously, forcing Keiji to put his hand on Motochika not to lose his balance. Vaguely, through the hum of his ears, the pirate could hear his beloved run on the deck, shouting orders to his crew, relying on those he called boorish and uncivilized without intellect. Motochika was almost tempted to smile if he wasn't hurting so bad.
He heard equally vaguely the increasingly present cries of his struggling men suffering under the repeated assaults, Keiji screams trying to get an answer from him. He couldn't do anything about it ... more and more, those outbreaks took over him, as he had feared, the most violent he ever had happened in a moment such as this.
With his remaining eye closed in pain, sweat beading on his forehead, Motochika could feel the marking spread more and more on his body. He had once seen it in the mirror, those damn chaotic brown spots, should it look like something he would have said they were like leopards spots but they had nothing of the wild beauty such mark could have. They were ugly, disparate, faded, demonic...
"Motochika! Rise up! The boat it ...!" Motochika clearly heard Keiji this time, when the buzzing stopped for a moment.
"... Orochi."
Motonari's voice was serious, dry, devoid of any emotion. Motochika knew it was the voice that indicated that the Kitsune finally had to put the last piece of the puzzle together.
He wasn't surprised when he saw Motonari circular blade shine above his head, the silhouette of his lover blocking the sun, the expression on his face hidden in the shadows. At least the kitsune didn't hesitate to do his duty and that the oni felt proud for it, proud to have fallen in love with this man. He knew that it would be quick and painless. And if someone were to execute him, he couldn't be someone other than Motonari in the role of his executioner.
"Mouri no! "Keiji tried the stop the other.
When the blade didn't fell on him, he didn't understand it immediately, only when a cannonball finally reached the bridge, the force of the explosion throwing him violently against a railing. Motochika, somewhat tunned, blinked rapidly to regain some senses.
"Motochika!" the wanderer suddenly cried, avoiding the gaping hole and the many woody debris that littered the ship deck.
When he arrived at his side, he helped the pirate to rise up, trowing his arm around his shoulder to act as his support. "Hold on, once we past those rocks they couldn't follow us anymore."
"Motonari?" Motochika whispered, as if he wanted to shout to call him but unable to find his breath.
He saw the Keiji face change, the eccentric wanderer biting his lower lip. "He saved us, he deflected the ball with a shield of green light, but ..."
Motochika straightened himself, trying to escape Keiji hold any pain and headache forgotten, his blue eyes frantically searching for the little man. "Motonari" he loudly called.
Keiji had to wound his arms around his torso to restrict him. "Stop, you're hurt! Calm down! He must be somewhere else on the ship!"
But Motochika knew deep down, his heart let him know when it sank and even worse than the burning of the mark spreading on his body the pain was violent.
Seeing the pirate hand seizing his chest where his heart was, Keiji could only listen without being able to do anything when a cry of agony tore at the pirate vocal cords pirates. He lowered his head, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood, helpless in front of his friend distress.
TBC
Really thank you for all your support, your comment and fave helped me when I was really feeling down. It happen sometimes. Thank you again, I hope you enjoyed the chapter.