Halfway through my conversation with Master Katakura, Hanzo poked his head around the door, ducking out of sight when he realised we were still talking. I thought he'd gone elsewhere, but when our discussion finally came to an end, his face appeared again. Spotting him out of the corner of his eye, Master Katakura gave him a small nod, before turning back to me, "Thank you, Sayomi."
"It's the least I can do." I nodded back, keeping my face impassive for now, "I'll speak to Ieyasu as soon as I can."
Catching the tightness of my words, Master Katakura made one final promise before letting Hanzo slip past him, "I will ask her first, to see what she wants."
They weren't meant to make me feel terrible, but somehow the words pushed me enough to force a partially genuine smile onto my face, "No, your idea would…it would suit her better."
"It is still her choice." The false smile couldn't hold after that, but thankfully only Hanzo saw. Reading my expression, he cast an accusatory glare at Master Katakura's back before cupping my cheek.
"What happened? What did he want?"
Sighing to myself, I gestured to the other cushion, making him sit down before I started, "He heard you talking about the adoptions, and wanted to talk about it. Thankfully he didn't think it was stupid, or that we were too young, and gave me some advice." Like putting the adoption under my name rather than Hanzo's, since my status was less likely to be questioned in the future. The perk a Lady before your name could have, even at my low level. "In return, he asked that we withdraw the request for Hotaru."
"What? Why?"
I gave a small, stupid laugh, "He wants to put in his own request. When they get back to Oshu, he'll visit his sister and if everything seems alright, he'll formalise the details. Hotaru would go as well of course." In a way, the offer made sense. It was always Master Katakura that she ran to greet, or tugged out into the gardens with her. It was always Master Katakura who she sat next to at meals. Once I even caught him holding her on his shoulders, helping her to sniff the fresh sakura that had just bloomed.
What had we given her? A stay in a castle with only a baby and a drunkard to give her regular company, while the rest of us fought a war that she probably didn't even understand. No, even if Master Katakura left her with his sister, she'd at least have someone to talk to. And Kami forbid, if he was killed, the orphan's stipend for a general of his calibre was far higher than anything my children could be expected to get.
I didn't realise I was thinking aloud until Hanzo gave a sad sigh, "It's for the best." Then he gave a quiet scoff, "Guess that's why they say that to assume makes an ass of you and me." I reached to take his hand, holding it tight to make him look at me again.
"It's not the end. Kotone and Yori can still come with us if they want."
Something inside me shattered at her answer. I'd managed to catch Kotone at a rare, non-training moment while Satoshi was in the village stocking up on his vices. She listened to the offer with an unreadable expression, even managing to keep her aura quiet somehow. She laughed at the sarcasm I inserted to hide my nervousness, waiting patiently for the end. And when it came, she nodded once before looking me right in the eye, "I can't. It's not that I...I'm really thankful for the offer, but I just can't."
"It's alright. We aren't going to force you into anything."
Glancing down into her lap, Kotone tucked a bit of hair behind her ear, before speaking again, "I know. Besides," She snorted quietly, "Aren't I a little old to be your daughter?"
"Well, it would raise a few interesting questions." Hiding her laughter with her fist, Kotone was still giggling when Mizu found us, Yori propped on one hip, and one eyebrow raised.
"Well, clearly I missed something. Sayomi, Ieyasu wants to talk to you." Giving Yori a bounce to get him further up, the huntress only smiled when he stretched out his arms towards me, "Come on kiddo, there's a bath with your name on it." The stretching just got more desperate as she began to walk away, Yori wearing a face that just begged for a rescue.
Waving with an apologetic shrug, I pulled Kotone to her feet, watching the pair until they were out of sight, "When do babies start talking?"
"I don't know. Why, is there another betting pool?"
"No, but don't tempt us." Rolling her eyes, Kotone left to go see if Satoshi was back from the village yet, and I started for Ieyasu's. Her comment, meant as a joke, stirred something though. Once Lord Uesugi joined our side, Ieyasu had become almost complacent, especially when I compared it to his earlier, panicked rush to get people on his side. The only action I heard about now were brief border spats, and to be honest, that was expected.
Well, I was already on my way to see the man, perhaps some answers were in order while I was there.
I tied my hair back as I walked, and by the time I was knocking on the doorframe, only a few stubborn wisps were hanging around my ears. Ieyasu looked up from the pile of paper he was picking me up, waving me in, "You got here fast. I only asked Mizu to find you a minute ago."
"I was by the baths and it's time for Yori's wash. She's the only one who volunteers to get drowned on a regular basis." I shrugged, taking a seat on the edge of his desk,
"Anyway, I wanted to ask you something too."
"Nothing serious I hope?" Ieyasu asked, straightening with the sheets in his hands.
"I wanted to know when we'll be making a move against Mitsunari."
"Ah." Clearing his throat awkwardly, Ieyasu set the paperwork on his desk, not bothering to put that back into any order they might have been in previously, and kept his eyes on them, while his fingers tapped out a quiet rhythm. It seemed like he was intent to stay that way for eternity, but with a nod to himself, he turned so he was leaning alongside me, "Have you heard of Tsuruhime?"
"I'm assuming you mean the oracle?" I folded my arms, "What does she have to do with this?"
"Well, before...before the future of a Toyotomi rule went south, we enlisted her services, so we could be assured of the peace the victory would bring. She predicted almost the exact opposite."
I could've told him that. A prediction from Tsuruhime was very rarely wrong. If she said peace wasn't in the cards, then you made sure the armoury was still stocked up. But they still tried to conquer the country?
I said as much to Ieyasu, and got a smirk in return, "Everyone thinks they can change the future. Very few actually manage it."
"Perhaps. But you still haven't told me what Tsuruhime has to do with the sudden lull."
"That's just it, she has everything to do with it. Or at least the prediction does." I quirked my head, asking for more. "According to her vision, the forces of light and dark will clash during the next solar eclipse, and the land's true ruler will rise above the rest to claim victory."
I nodded, taking in the gravity of the prediction before carefully selecting my first question, "Is that the one where the moon covers the sun, or the blood moon one?"
"Moon covering the sun." Ieyasu smiled. "After the Toyotomi's fall, we wondered, rather vainly if the prediction referred to us. And since there's to be a solar eclipse next year, the timing does seem to fit."
"You're right, it is vain." I frowned, shifting off the desk, "More to the point, you're hinging a lot on Mitsunari not realising that and launching an attack while we're unprepared. What guarantee do we have?"
"His word." The tone was grave, allowing no argument. "We have his word, Sayomi." He let a silence hang between us, to give me time to argue or to make sure I got the message. It didn't matter. After a few minutes, he nodded, all gravity vanishing with his next breath, "Anyway, did Mizu tell you what I wanted you for?"
"No, she left that part out."
"Well, we have a more certain location for where our missing men have been taken. I need you and anyone else available to get to Kanegesaki as soon as they can."
"Consider it done." I nodded, turning to leave, making a list of just who was available.
