Chapter Twenty-Six: New Year, New Start


Even though the breeze had gotten stronger and their voices quieter, I didn't quite register that I was running until I finally reached the forest, and the branches began to grasp at me.

Breathing slowly, I let myself slump against a trunk, sliding down until I was curled up amongst the roots. Nagashino had slowly killed something in all of us, my faith in Oda, Master Katakura's belief, and Ieyasu's safety. For the first time, I wondered if anybody had really won, and if in the endless years of war, we'd finally found one that just wasn't worth it.

Ignoring my heaving shoulders, I gave my eyes a stubborn rub, cursing Nobu's homebrew. If I hadn't been drunk, I could've stayed upright and played off my refusal as sheer nerves. Instead, I'd hurt Hanzo as a result of my own bloodstained past. New Year, new start my ass, I thought, fingering the twists of my dishevelled knot.

Maybe five minutes passed, maybe thirty died under the tree. Either way, my head was resting on my knees, still watering when there was the snap of a twig from the path I'd abandoned. Only one person would bother coming after me after something like that, and I wasn't in the mood for her attitude, "Go away, Mizu."

"Last time I saw her, she was close to passing out." Saburo laughed, kneeling slightly in front of me, his voice tinged with worry, "Are you okay?"

"Everything's fine."

"I wasn't asking that." Without lifting my head, I heard him sit down, putting the lantern between us. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about." I heard Saburo snort slightly, so I lifted my head just enough to glare at him, "Go back to kissing Asuka or whoever, I'm fine."

"Unfortunately you can only get so many New Year's kisses before the girl brains you. So back to you."

Tucking my head back in, I sighed, knowing that he wouldn't go away. "You saw what happened."

"Can I hear your side?" Dumbstruck, my head surfaced again, the streaks running down my face freezing suddenly. A brief flash of concern flickered across his eyes, vanishing when he produced a small cloth and held it out. Taking it with a grateful hiccup, I quickly dabbed at my eyes and gave my cheeks a quick clean. "Better?"

"Better."

"Good, pretty girls shouldn't have tears."

I gave a hiccupped laugh, "Back to normal, I see." Jokingly clutching his heart, Saburo fell back, bemoaning the cruel words of a woman. After a few moments filled with his last words, (He'd most likely keep his reaper waiting for several hours) he finally straightened up, tilting his head in a questioning manner. Finally I could see how he continued chasing Asuka, he never gave up.

Shifting into a more comfortable position, I directed my words at my lap, "Back when I served Oda, I got…close with one of the other generals. Last New Years, it was me he kissed at midnight." Drawing a breath, I forced the rest of the words out, unwilling to let their taste linger in my throat, "He was killed this year, by the same man who arranged things so that it'd appear I was a traitor. Having Hanzo so close reminded me of Ieyasu, and I felt like I'd truly betrayed his memory."

Having stayed quiet so long, I knew Saburo was inches away from asking something. And sure enough, "So you ran away?"

"Yes," I squeaked, feeling the crying start again. Honestly, I expected him to chew me out for hurting Hanzo, but instead Saburo leaned forwards to take my hand, wiping my eyes with the cloth still coiled in it.

"Have you told Hanzo about any of this?" He asked softly.

"No, I thought that it wouldn't hurt anymore."

"The people we hold close, it may seem like you'll deal with it." Gently pulling me, Saburo scooped his lantern up, "So when you can't it hurts. Especially when you try to do it on your own. Talk to Hanzo, okay? He'll understand, especially if you let him sober up first."

Holding the lantern ahead, we began to walk home. Saburo's arm never came off my shoulder, even as the roofs came into view. Spotting Asuka by the food table with Chihiro, I gave my escort a quick nudge, giggling when he blushed and quickly looked away.


After he supports Mizu home, Hanzo promises himself that he'll go back and help the women clear up. It's more likely that he'll just be helping more drunks, but at this stage, he can't bring himself to care.

His sister finds her bed easily enough, flopping into it with the kind of groan that indicates that there'll be hell to pay in the morning. Tucking her blanket around her, Hanzo brushes her face clear of hair before heading back into the cold.

His eyes are barely on the party when he sees them, Saburo's arm around her, even when she points Asuka out for him. Their eyes meet each other, and she slips out of the grasp, his friend watching her race towards Hanzo with a grin. Sayomi wraps her arms around his neck, reaching upwards slightly so her words, her breath can reach his ears. "Can we talk?"

From his spot observing them, Saburo barely registers Asuka until she gives his side an elbow, "So you are capable of being alone with a girl without turning into a lecher."

"Funny." Saburo groans, still watching Sayomi chatter, unable to hear, but Hanzo's actions give him enough information. He was carefully nodding, occasionally holding up his hand and asking a question.

Eventually though, just as he was thinking of leaving to help Chiyome cart Nobu home, Saburo sees Sayomi droop, her explanation having come to an end. Hanzo places his hand on her shoulder, murmuring something as her head lifts. Smiling, Hanzo gently kisses the top of her head, drawing her closer.

Leaving them to it, Saburo moves to aid the brew master, planning how best to use this opportunity to his advantage.

Unknown Source


There was no doubt in my mind now about who was holding me in an embrace. Whereas Ieyasu smelled like incense or Tadakatsu's engine, Hanzo smelt like the hearth and the spices he had been working with earlier.

But perhaps most telling was the lips on my head, far from my mouth, but far more personal. With Ieyasu, every embrace, every kiss was hurried or secret, lest people speculate about a marriage and Oda head about it.

However, Hanzo's kiss was in no rush, simply replacing his lips with his chin afterwards. "I love you." He whispered, the movement of his lungs stirring my heart. Turning so my mouth was close to his pulse, I smiled slightly, going up on my toes a little bit.

Before Hanzo could turn and ask what I was doing, my lips were on his, parting after a minute. Blinking a little, he looked at me, smiling in a dazed manner,

"What was that for?"

"Because I love you too." Keeping our gazes on each other, Hanzo carefully leant down, beginning the cycle again.


"Ew, Mama!"

"You'll understand when you're older." Sayomi laughed, pulling Isamu closer and kissing his cheek, only laughing harder when he squirmed away, furiously scrubbing the spot. Giggling along with her mother, Yumiko wiped at her eyes carefully, turning dreamy in an instant,

"I hope I meet a man like that one day."

"You're too young to be thinking like that." Hotaka scolded, "At least let me and Father get weapons ready for when Kotori brings a boy home."

"Hotaka!" Kotori fumed, turning away from her brother with a beautiful flush on her face, and a pout on her lips, "In front of company too."

Still smirking widely, Sayomi waited until Hotaka's teasing caused Kotori to flounce off, muttering darkly under her breath before nodding at Ryota, who had been in the house long enough now to expect these kinds of distractions. One of the kids would say something, food would arrive, and very rarely, Sayomi would pause long enough to send their audience away, only telling Ryota as part of their unspoken deal.

Taking a smug sip from her cup, the lady of the house met her other daughter's eyes, humming happily when she nodded. Watching the exchange, Ryota just blinked, looking back at his paper. The ride he and Kotori had taken the previous day was still fresh in his mind, stirring up a slight smile on his face.

"Why don't you go grab my daughter for me, Ryota?" Sayomi suggested, "The story is just getting interesting."

"M-me? Certainly, my Lady." Placing the brush back on the stand, he hurried out after her. As his voice echoed around, Hotaka took a sidelong glance at his mother, who innocently picked up the tea kettle, peeking inside with a frown.

"Please tell me I don't need to take a trip to the blacksmith's, Mother."

"I won't. Besides, we'll leave it for the man of the house to decide."

"As long as Father's away, I am the man of the house."

"But Mama rules the family." Isamu piped up, "So doesn't that make her the man of the house?"

"It means Shogun Tokugawa granted her the right to rule under her own name." Yumiko patiently explained. Nodding along, Sayomi looked back at her eldest son, fixing him with her stare,

"Kotori is too young to be thinking like that. However, shouldn't she be allowed to make friends her own age?"

"But by that same logic, isn't it more likely she'll fall for Ryota because she doesn't leave the house much?" Teruko butted in, her voice making the younger ones jump since they hadn't heard her enter. "It happened with you and Shogun Tokugawa."

Sayomi considered this for a second, chewing on her bottom lip while she did. Finally though, she hummed thoughtfully, "They both have fine heads on their shoulders. Shouldn't we respect that fact and let them make their own decision?"

As far as anyone else was concerned, the matter was dropped. But Hotaka was not just anyone else. He was patient enough to wait until Teruko left for town and Yumiko and Isamu decided to amuse themselves in another way. "Is that why you look after a simple province when you could've been sitting pretty in Edo? Why you look after Teruko and I, when you could've turned your back?"

"What can I say?" Sayomi shrugged, just as Ryota and Kotori returned, the latter looking far calmer, "I'm stubborn that way."

Looking between the pair, Kotori swapped a look with Hotaka, eventually taking her seat again. Just as Sayomi made to continue again though, Hotaka got back to his feet, "I'm going to meet Teruko, see if she needs help carrying anything."

"Is everything alright?" Kotori asked once her brother had gone. Waving a hand idly, Sayomi couldn't quite manage it without looking at the doorway.

"Your brother and I just need to have a small talk."