I OWN NOTHING BUT THE STORY LINE AND THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW FROM THE ANIME/MANGA!

Chapter Seven

Debts

"Where is it that you said they were going?"

"Oh, not far at all. To Shiroishi castle. I...I didn't tell you this but I overheard Lord Date and Lord Shigezane talking about it the other night. Lord Date is planning on giving it to Lord Katakura and his family."

Natsumi was currently walking with Umeo through Yonezawa. All staff of Date's home had been given a vacation, seeming as how the Lords all left for a trip. It was only a few days after Date's horrid fever had broken and so Natsumi found herself worrying about the young Lord. Umeo was the only one left at the home to help take care of Natsumi while Date and the others were gone. The young woman had insisted on walking around today, unable to take the silence of the halls any longer.

"He's giving him a castle?" Natsumi raised a brow. That was a big notion; it proved just how much trust Date held for Katakura. "His family...is Katakura married?"

"No, not yet, but he does have an older sister and others. The Katakura Clan has served the Date Clan for many many years now. Lord Date tells his retainer that finding a wife soon would be a good idea, seeming as how he's getting on in years, but the man is strong headed."

Natsumi gave a smile. "Very. It'll take an equally strong-headed woman to subdue the Right Eye of the Dragon."

Umeo gave her a look. "Someone like you, perhaps?"

Natsumi blinked at the other woman, pausing in her steps in shock. "What?"

"You don't think it would be cute?" The other woman giggled. "Sota thinks that you and Lord Date would be good together after you subdued him like you did but I disagree; you and Lord Katakura have much more in common. And you're the only one I've ever seen beat him in a chess match before."

Natsumi gave a frown. "You've been watching me more than I thought you were."

"You are an unknown woman staying in my Lord's home. Lord Katakura insisted upon it. You've been under heavy watch since your arrival." Umeo gave her a smile. "Though I'm sure you have no desire to attack us; not like this. I do not sense ulterior motives from you."

Natsumi nodded. She should have known she was being watched; honestly, she should have felt them. The wounds were taking a toll on her worse than she thought; that or Date's men were just that good. She almost gave a snort. After seeing those men in the fields, some with those ridiculous haircuts, she couldn't take that comment seriously.

"So, which is it?"

Umeo's words made her blink. "Which is what?"

"Your choice?"

She frowned again; she was talking about the men still. "Neither," She continued to move. "I am only here until I finish healing and then I'll be on my way again."

Umeo moved to catch up with her. "It seems that...you are more angry at something than hurt. I don't know what happened but hiding from it won't help the healing."

Natsumi gave a smile. "I know that but hiding is all I know how to do."

Umeo's step faltered at her words. She opened her mouth to speak again but children swarmed around the other woman, laughing and asking her to play.

Umeo gave a small smile. She had been worried about this woman staying with them, and in Lord Date's own home, but she had come to like Natsumi. In reality she had been hoping that Lord Date would reprimand her for trying to tell the Lord of the Castle what to do but when Date succumbed and did what she said, even had him change her bandages, her thoughts began to change. Was it really a good idea to trust this woman just yet?

Umeo trusted Date and Katakura more than anything and both claimed that they didn't believe this woman was here to do any harm; she had to trust in their words, didn't she?

"Umeo!"

At her name, the maid turned her head from Natsumi and the children to find one of the older men of the town hurrying to her on a horse. His face was pale; she recognized him as one of the men that Sota took with him to the fields for what was left of the winter harvest earlier.

"What's wrong, Kazuo?"

"It's...it's bandits, Umeo!" The old man seemed to lose the strength in his arms and Umeo rushed forward to catch him as he fell. "Sota and the others...they're trying to hold them off. I came...hide the children..."

"Bandits?" Umeo bit his lip. Half of the forces went with Date and Katakura while most of the ones that were left were out on patrols right now. The ones that were left...it would take a while to-

"You said the fields, correct?"

Umeo and Kazuo turned to see that Natsumi had moved closer, a frown on her face. "Y-yes."

"You can't be thinking of going, can you?" Umeo asked the other woman; she watched as Natsumi grabbed the horse's reins. "You're still wounded, Natsumi."

"You're a woman," Kazuo added. "There's nothing that you can do!"

Natsumi gave a smirk as she glanced at the duo. "I don't know how it works here in the Date Clan but where I come from women are fighters. Was it not a battlefield that I was found in?" Natsumi swung up into the saddle, refusing to wince as she felt the wounds in her back strained. "Be ready with bandages and warm water, Umeo."

As the horse took off, Umeo gave a frown. Were the bandages and water meant for Sota and the others...or for her?

~Bring me out

Come and find me in the dark now

Everyday by myself I'm breaking down

I don't want to fight alone anymore~

"Thirty of them and seven of us," Sota gave a growl, clenching his fist. "They had to be waiting for this chance."

"They must have been watching us, waiting for the Lords to leave and the patrol to be sent out," Another man nodded. "They're sneaky."

"It's life," Another man commented. "But how do we get out of it?"

"Hopefully Kazuo made it back to get the others," Sota replied. "Until then the objective is to protect the wounded and the other elder ones."

Sota and nine others currently stood around a group of elder men and young boys that had been working in the fields with them when the bandits attacked. Three of the soldiers were wounded in the surprise, leaving only seven eligible for any kind of fight. Unfortunately all they had was farming supplies to fight with. Sota had taken his hoe and smashed it into the face of the man that had attacked him, leaving the dead body at his feet, allowing him to take the bastard's sword.

He gave another sigh. "To think that we were caught like this. Lord Katakura will be so ashamed of us."

"Let's try to survive first before thinking of what the Lord's will say," Another commented.

"Agreed," Sota looked back at the bandits; the group was standing there with smug looks, shooting out comments that fell on his deaf ears. He had to be smart about this. Protecting the others until help came was the first choice. If not for the wounded and the elder and children then he wouldn't be worried. Any fault amongst the seven of them could result in a death that he didn't want. He had to think; and fast.

"Is that...the assassin?!"

The voice made Sota turn; he felt his face pale as he watched the horse come to a halt beside them. "L-Lady Nakura?!" He couldn't keep his voice from cracking. What was she doing here? She was a woman, let alone wounded. "What are you doing?!"

"Th patrol left, leaving little support to help," Was her cool answer as she slid from the horse to stand beside him. "Kazuo is with Umeo. Get the wounded to her quickly."

"And just leave you here? Impossible."

"Stand back, Sota," Natsumi told him, taking the blade from his hands. "If they get past me...just make sure that they don't reach the others."

"But, you're wounded," Sota tired to argue but she walked forward, leaving him behind with the others.

One of the men looked at him. "Can we...just let her do this?"

"It was told that she was found in the battlefield, having slaughtered multiple opponents. It's also said she's an assassin. I say we leave her to do her work."

"But she's wounded," Another argued. "Lord Date will be furious if we let her fight like this."

"If you want to stop her, be my guest; I'll see you in Hell."

Sota swallowed, fists tight. This woman...

Natsumi gave a frown. "I like my own sword better but...this will have to do." She lifted her eyes to the bandits. "We give you one chance to leave now before you all die. Take it and do the smart thing.

The men laughed at her; her frowned deepened.

"I do like a challenge," The leader grinned. "Did Date leave his bitch to take care of things?"

Natsumi felt her eyebrow twitch. "Only scared fools run their mouths."

Never once, in her life, had she been called that. At least, not to her face. The audacity this man had...he would have been slain on the spot if she were home.

But she wasn't at home. Not anymore. She had to remember that..

Holding the blade to her face, she opened her eyes, keeping them narrowed as she began to run forward towards the bandits, not even giving them a chance to talk anymore.

~I'm borrowing your technique, brother.~

Sota watched, the men beside him left in awe just like he was, as a red light seemed to radiate from the woman's blade. She jumped her step and turned into a spinning technique, zipping through the bandits like a wheel and cutting down the men.

Tossing the sword away, Natsumi grasped the handle of a Naginata before slamming her elbow into the face of the man holding it, acquiring the long weapon just before using it to slice off the head of another poor bastard. She gave a growl as she felt a blade meet her back and she turned, returning it with a stab through the gut. Another roar escaped her mouth as she felt a blade piercing her left arm, trying to make her drop her weapon. Instead she grasped the Naginata in her right and twirled it around her head, clearing the space from her; she instantly regretted twisting her back around; the blood was beginning to color the snow red around her.

The space around her was clear but unfortunately there were at least ten men left and all were staring at her hungrily. She didn't want to think about what could happen if they were allowed to get their hands on her.

"Not bad for a woman," The leader grinned. "To think that the dragon was to catch you...I may just have to steal you."

"When was I claimed by anyone?" The woman growled, clenching her teeth. "It's amusing how you men think; never with your heads and always with your-"

Sota cut the woman off as he slid in front of her, holding another blade from a dead man, his face serious; furious. "This woman is under the protection of the Date Clan; attacking her is insinuating the slaughter of those left. Escape is no longer an option."

"Get out of my way."

Sota glanced over his shoulder at the woman. "You've done enough. Any more blood loss and I can't guarantee your life. I refuse to let Lord Date's work of preserving your life go to waste due to a group of lowlifes. Leave the rest to me."

"Lady Nakura," One of the men hurried to her, pulling his coat from his shoulders. "Please, take this."

She glanced away. "You'll get blood on it."

"No worries, I can just get another one." She welcomes the warmth as the coat was placed around her and she turned from Sota, ignoring what happened next. It took all her concentration to walk straight as the man led her back to the horse that she had ridden in on. She knew that fighting would be a horrible idea but she couldn't just stand by. If anyone had died while she stayed there at Date's home...she wouldn't have been able to look him nor Katakura in the face again.

Why did that matter to her though? That was the hard question. She shouldn't care about anything that happened to these people and yet her body had moved for that horse before she could even spare a thought. She needed to get out of this village faster than ever now.

"I need..." Her feet gave way under her, making the man beside her lunge to catch her before she hit the snow.

"This is bad," The man moaned, lifting her up. "We need to get her back to the castle; now!" He stared down at her in worry. "Just hang in there."

~Bring me out

Come and find me in the dark now

Everyday by myself I'm breaking down

I don't want to fight alone anymore~

"Tighten the patrols. We don't want another event like this happening. And when you return to the fields take weapons and more of the soldiers. I doubt that we'll have another attack like this but it's better to be ready just in case."

"Yes, My Lord."

Kojuro gave a sigh as the soldier left to give out orders. He stood out in the hall of the castle, watching as Date paced beside him, a clear frown on his face. When they had returned and learned of the attack, Date had been pleased to hear that none of his men had died; his happiness turned to worry when he found out that it was Natsumi that had gone to battle and he had rushed to her room. Umeo and other women in there refused to let him in though, despite being the lord of the castle, and he had been pacing the halls outside of her room, waiting for any news. Apparently she had yet to awaken after the battle.

"We should have left more soldiers," Date spoke up, his voice dark. "I shouldn't have left the place as open as I did."

"Her being wounded like this is not your fault," Kojuro told him. "She knew how wounded she was and still chose to fight."

"But how many would have died if she hadn't?" Date shook his head. "I let my guard down because it was winter. That won't happen again."

"The fault rests with me," The voice made the duo turn to see that Sota had joined them. He wore a look of guilt on his face as he bowed his head to the floor. "I let her fight, knowing that she was as wounded as she was. If she dies..."

"She won't die," Date's voice cut the other man off and he glanced up at the Lord. "She's too strong for that. She'll be fine."

Kojuro closed his eyes. "If you're that worried, Sota, then start preparing her something to eat. She'll wake up soon and I'm sure that she'll appreciate food."

Sota bowed again. "Of course, My Lord."

Date watched as the other man left and Kojuro gave a silent sigh. "Do you insist on waiting out here until they let you in?"

"Yes." Date nodded. "She saved my people. I won't be able to do anything until I know she's stable."

"Then go get some sleep," Umeo's voice sounded from the door. Both men watched as the young maid exited the room, breathing a sigh of relief. The other women that had been in there also filed out of the room, giving bows to the two men before disappearing. "She's awake but still weak." She shook her head. "Her determination, or should I say pigheadedness, rivals even yours, My Lord."

"That is a relief in this moment," Kojuro let lose the breath he had been holding in. "How bad are the wounds this time?"

"Not as bad as the previous ones but there are new one now. The worst is the one in her left arm. Had the cut been any lower then she might have lost the use of it; at least that's what I think." She wiped sweat from her brow. "She needs to rest." She glanced at Date before giving a bow. "I...I ask you to keep her here in this castle with you; not to let her back outside until she is completely healed again. Her body is already covered with scars; she doesn't need more. I have a feeling that is all she will get if you continue to give her the chance for battle. A woman's skin should not be riddled with the memories of battle."

Date gave a frown. "It is her life, she chooses to do what she wants. If she wants to fight who am I to stop her?"

"Convince her otherwise, My Lord. I beg of you." Umeo felt her voice tremble. "I...I have a feeling that she's...she's trying to kill herself."

"Suicide?" Kojuro asked. "Why do you say that?"

"While we were working on her, she went into a fit. She was crying for forgiveness...asking someone to wait for her...that she would be with them again soon. And then there were words of betrayal. I fear..." Umeo lifted her head. "I don't know what's going on but I don't want to see her throw her life away."

Date was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "That woman is stronger than that. If she were throwing her life away she wouldn't have killed all those men; she would have let herself be killed." He turned from the hall. "Go get some rest yourself. Worrying yourself to death would be foolish."

Umeo gave a nod and a smile at his words. "Yes, my lord."

Kojuro glanced at the woman again. "I'll be sure to keep an eye on her tonight. Thank you for patching her up."

"If you need me, I'll be with Sota," She told him. "And get some rest yourself, Lord Katakura. You're exhausted yourself."

"I will," Kojuro went silent for a moment before speaking again. "Who was she talking to? Did they have a name?"

"There were several. Azai was one of them, another was Akina."

"Nagamasa again, hmm?" Kojuro gave a frown. "Good work, Umeo. Get some rest now."

As Umeo walked away, Kojuro turned to watch as Date slid his door shut; he had been listening. It was made known that Natsumi was acquainted with Nagamasa Azai before but with this...it confirmed Kojuro's fears. This woman was from the Omni Province to the South; or around that area, at least. Close enough to know Nagamasa. He had a bad feeling begin to twist in his stomach. It might be a good idea to keep Date away from this strange woman after all.

Date couldn't sleep that night. Every time he closed his eyes all he saw was the bloodied clothes that he had caught sight of when he tried to enter Natsumi's room when he returned home. Guilt laid on his shoulders. That woman had been wounded, again, in his home; she was wounded protecting his people while he had gone off with his men. He had left his people open; that would never happen again.

Sleep was evading him and so he had slipped outside to get some fresh air, thinking the cold night would help him.

Instead he was stopped in his tracks. Natsumi was sitting out there herself, staring at the bright moon, clothed in nothing but a white robe; it made him think of the first time he had spoken to her. It was a similar scene.

Taking a calm breath, Date moved forward and took a seat opposite of her, keeping his eyes off of her.

"Are you sure you should be out here?"

"I'm a big girl; I can handle it."

"Can you..." He gave in and glanced at her. She kept her eyes trained on the moon. Her left arm was in a sling, making him frown. "You arm...is it movable?"

"Yes," She finally glanced away from the moon and down at her arm. "Umeo said to keep it in a sling for now; she'll check it in a few days."

Giving a soft nod, Date swallowed. Why did he feel nervous about asking her something?

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"You know what. Why did you do that? You were already wounded. You could have died. Umeo said you could have lost your arm. You were reckless, rushing into battle like that."

"I was repaying a debt."

He stared at her. "A debt?"

Natsumi turned her head and stared into his face. Her green eyes seemed to glow in the night, hiding secrets that Date found himself wanting to find. "You saved not only my life, but Keiko's as well. You have been caring for me since you found me and I had nothing to thank you for it. Consider this as my way of thanking you." She finally closed her eyes. "My debt is repaid."

Date found himself voiceless. "Is that...what you think?" she glanced at him again. "That I wanted you to repay me? Why would you think that? You have repaid nothing; I asked for nothing. If anything, it is I who owe you. I owe you for every life that you saved today. If those bandits had gotten past Sota and the others..." His voice halted, not wanting to think about what he and the others would have returned to. "I'm the one that owes the debt, Nakura."

"Then...do me one thing."

"What's that."

"Don't leave your people like that again. Don't...don't leave your people, the people you care about the most, in the hands of...of death..." He watched as her shoulders trembled, her right hand clenching to the robe over her leg. Was she...trying not to cry? "Not like...like I did..."

Date stared at her for a moment longer. This woman was driving him crazy. The longer he spent around her the more he wanted to know about her. He wanted to dig inside and just find everything that she was hiding. Her walls were beginning to break. Would his chance come soon?

He didn't know why it mattered so much but it did. The thought of her being wounded again infuriated him, and not just because she had done so in saving his people. It was something else.

"Allow me to take care of you tomorrow," He found himself telling her. "I'll take care of your wounds."

"Again?" Her voice had settled down, her grip loosening again. He almost smiled when he heard the teasing tone in her voice seeping back in. "If you keep treating me this way you're men are going to get jealous."

"Let them get jealous," Date replied. "It doesn't matter to me."

"What kind of Lord changes bandages?"

"One of a kind," He laughed. "Why not make it a day thing? You can come out here and watch me practice too. You won't be leaving the halls for a while anyway."

"Yes, I figured as much," She leaned her head against the post. "I probably won't make it out of this place until spring after all."

He glanced at her again. "That's not a problem, is it?"

She chuckled. "No, I guess not. It's...actually pleasant here, save for the swords I keep getting impaled with."

His face hardened. "I won't let that happen again. As long as you're here then you're part of my Clan. I refuse to let anyone lay a hand on you again."

Natsumi closed her eyes. "Then I'll take you up on your practice viewing. You can show me just how you can use six swords at once; thought I'm still convinced that you're just compensating."

Date had to tighten his jaw to keep from replying. Even wounded this woman was a tiger. "Then I'll just have to prove you wrong, won't I?"

She smirked. "You can try."

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