Third POV
Within the dark cell in the nasty depths of Azuchi's dungeons, Mitsuhide waited.. "..Mealtime, prisoner. You'd better eat everything." The guard called as he approached. "Oh, I will." The guard, with his hair unkempt and covering his face, handed Mitsuhide a chipped bowl. Mixed among the grains was a tightly folded piece of paper. An amused smirk grew on Mitsuhide's face, "What delicious tidbits have we here?"
Mitsuhide opened the tiny letter, its message written in characters no larger than grains of rice. "That daimyo was executed..?" Mitsuhide whispered, a frown adorning his features as his eyes narrowed. There was also news of similar rebellions to the one he'd put down having occurred in Echigo. "What could their goal be..?" He closed his eyes, falling deep in thought.
Suddenly, an idea popped in his mind, "..That must be it." His eyes opened once more in a flash of burnished pale gold. "Better than yesterday's meal." He spoke to no one in particular, a smirk replacing his frown. Mitsuhide tore up the letter and swallowed it along with the meager handful of dried grains he'd been given. Within a moment, the guard was back. "Gimme your bowl." "Here." Mitsuhide tilted the empty bowl toward the bars to show the guard, who leaned close to inspect it-
..As Mitsuhide whispered his message to him, the guard nodded faintly, took the bowl, and left. "I am counting on you, Kyubei." His disguised vassal left, and Mitsuhide was once more alone in the drowning darkness and the suffocating silence. Time stretched on.. And on..
Finally, the sound of footsteps came to break the maddening silence, and the distant glow of a candle coming closer followed. "..At last." Mitsuhide breathed. The man approached the cell, holding up the candle so Mitsuhide may see and recognize him. There was no mistaking this man. Though he dressed more reserved than before, his clothes were of a quality unfitting for the dungeons. "It has been some time, Lord Mitsuhide."
Mitsuhide smiled, "Yes, it has. I was awaiting your arrival." It was the messenger. The same messenger Malachi had spotted Mitsuhide communicating with that cold night. "Am I to understand you expected me?" The messenger asked. Mitsuhide's smile fell to a dangerous smirk, "Why, of course. Are you and your lord not the ones who arranged to put me in these dungeons in the first place? ..In order to convince Nobunaga Oda that I had betrayed him to Kennyo, no doubt."
"Thus, drawing attention away from the one I truly serve.." Mitsuhide finished. The messenger stared at him, wide-eyed. "..How did you know?" "You could say I've had a lot of time to think. I imagine it was easy enough to frame me. I've earned no small number of enemies." The messenger's gaze hardened as he glared at the white-haired man, "Yes. And now you know what fate awaits you should you displease my lord in any way."
Mitsuhide smiled once more, "I am well aware. Really, there was no need for either of you to waste the effort on my behalf." Mitsuhide's smile was graceful, despite his condition. The messenger gave him a look of indifference. "You lingered too long with the Oda forces. Now that there is no place for you here, my lord requests your presence. It is time to prove your loyalty to his cause."
"..I have every intention of doing so." "..You may find your own way out." The messenger haphazardly tossed Mitsuhide the key as one would toss scarps to a mangy dog. "Your kindness is appreciated." The messenger turned away, only looking at Mitsuhide from the side of his gaze, "I will be returning ahead of you to my lord's side. You may find him in-" "..In Kyoto, yes?" "..H..How did you know?" "Dearest me. Did I get it right?" Mitsuhide smiled, "It was just one of several guesses. As I said before, I've had a lot of time to think."
"..I've heard rumors you are some kind of monster. A satori or a kitsune. It's not true, is it?" The messenger leaned close and peered at Mitsuhide's candlelit face, spellbound by the man's pale golden eyes. In the flickering dimness, there was nothing there to see. It was like looking into the darkness itself. "Fear not what I am. For any powers I possess are for the sole benefit of our lord. ..And they will be put to good use in quashing the ambitions of Nobunaga Oda once and for all."
Late that evening, just before bed, a loud bell began clanging in the castle. And it didn't stop.
