For an entire year the siege had been in fruition with the Tokugawa forces unable to break the castles defences but the Toyotomi forces had also been unable to break the siege and whilst food was plentiful the supplies of grain could not sustain the army nor the occupants of the town housed with the defences.
Yukimura Sanada though over this problem, he was revered as a great general and excellent strategist all in his life time but he was also a warrior of unprecedented skill; alongside his father he'd defended his home against a force that greatly outnumbered his own and despite him being captured his spear claimed many lives, as it had during the time he served alongside Shingen Takeda… including the legendary master of shadow Hattori Hanzo.
Yukimura smiled remembering the victory that had not only killed Hanzo but also two hundred strong band of Iga ninja's the warrior commanded. Hanzo's eighteen year old son had poorly succeeded his father so the ninja's disbanded into four groups each led by a low ranking samurai, Yukimura often wondered if Hanzo Masanari (Hanzo's son) would have been an opponent on par with his father, but Yukimura let the thought pass.
"Even though they shared the same name the sons failure to master ninjutsu would always mean he lived in his fathers shadow"
Yukimura sipped his tea however as he tried to think of a scheme that would secure more food he found his mind kept slipping back to the subject of the defeat ninja, unable to conceive a plan other then a midnight raid on the Tokugawa grain store he gave up.
"What troubles you Sanada?" a voice Yukimura didn't recognise asked.
Looking behind him the young samurai noticed a ronin samurai approach before seating himself next to Yukimura.
"Pondering the current situation regarding food" Yukimura responded to the ronin, and whilst Yukimura didn't recognise the dark-haired individual it was hardly unusual as hundreds of unknown unemployed samurai's had been trapped within the city walls unable to escape past the Tokugawa army.
"The cities supplies seem plentiful in my opinion master Sanada" The ronin responded whilst plucking as his bowstring testing its durability and flexibility.
"I do not argue the supplies are well stocked but if we are to feed both the army and the peasants from them for another year then the supplies shall soon dwindle"
The dark haired ronin nodded at the superior samurai's words understanding the pressure Yukimura was enduring it trying to find a solution. For an hour the pair talked of schemes and plans before Yukimura excused himself to bathe and further ponder the dilemma.
"What news Genhiso?" Ieyasu Tokugawa asked of the ninja that appeared before him.
"Yukimura fear the cities grain supplies will dwindle leaving too little for both people and warriors" The ninja summarised his earlier meeting with Yukimura.
"Then we shall offer an offer of 100, 000 koku of rice"
"Lord? Won't such an offer further advance this siege?" Genhiso asked whilst loosening his sash revealing the double-sided clothing he'd earlier used to infiltrate the enemy camp that had made the intelligence-gathering mission such as success to be disguise as a regular ronin.
"If that were all the offer consisted of but I shall only grant the relief if the Toyotomi army allows our army into the grounds of the city and Sanada opens the gates of the city personally"
"An excellent plan my lord that shall certainly crush both their moral and fighting spirit but do you believe Sanada will agree?"
"I doubt Sanada will agree without discussing the offer with his advisors. I also doubt Sanada will agree straight away but in six months when the winter storms come the offer will be hard of refuse"
Summoning an assistant to fetch paper, a brush and ink Ieyasu began writing the offer immediately then handed it to Genhiso.
"Whom do you want it delivered to my lord?" Genhiso asked tying the rolled up paper to the shaft of one of his arrows.
"Yukimura himself, it's a shame I cannot see his face when he reads it" Ieyasu said breaking into laugher as the image formed within his mind.
Drawing the arrow on his bow, Genhiso faced the sky before releasing the message-laden projectile into the sky despite the glow of the full moon without hesitation.
Both warriors watched as the arrow disappeared from view as if the nights sky itself had swallowed it.
"How do you know Yukimura will intercept the message?" Ieyasu asked
"Sanada bathes in the evening then maintains his armour while talking with his bodyguard" Genhiso answered
"I see" Ieyasu stated his curiosity now satisfied.
Closing his eyes Yukimura let the warmth of the natural hot spring engulf his senses. Part of him felt fear as not wearing his famous armour in case an attack or raid were about to be inflicted upon the castle. He let this fear drift aside, today had been a normal day in the siege; each forces frontline troops testing how far they could advance before resistance became too thick and retreated…a normal day.
"Without special strategies this stalemate may never be broken" he muttered aloud to himself
Opening his eyes he smiled seeing his armour still remained where he'd placed it twenty minutes ago along with his lunar spear and if an attack were indeed implemented he could easily don it and be at the forefront by use of his nearby steed within minutes. Sinking lower into the water Yukimura tried to remember a time before the chaos had engulfed Japan; before his body acquired its many scars.
Something worried Yukimura, opening his eyes he silently waded through the waist deep water to his spear, eyes alert for whatever disturbance he sensed, ears constantly on the alert as his lifetime of training kicked in.
Dismissing his paranoia as partaking of too much sake he replaced his spear next to his armour, upon which a single naked female balanced playfully amongst the crimson stack.
"I should get you to wear a bell" he said fighting back the laughter.
"Only kitty cats wear bells Yukimura" the female said jumping into the hot spring.
"Speaking of wearing things where are you're clothes Kunoichi?" Yukimura never knew the female ninja's real name and after a length pursuit of trying to find out he'd given up and merely referred to her by her title.
Wading through the hot spring Yukimura tried to find where the ninja hid submerged beneath the water, as he approached Kunoichi childishly splashed him in the face; his long black hair sodden and clinging to his features.
When the chaos first began Yukimura had tried in vain to get his bodyguard to act more mature and womanly…he failed, now after knowing her for over a decade he'd grown use to such childish behaviour and the samurai knew that she'd never change within his lifetime.
"Quiet day on the western front ah Yukimura?" Kunoichi asked sitting opposite the samurai.
"Did you do as I asked?" Yukimura questioned the ninja; his voice stern and commanding.
"Yeeesss already, you're no fun always, war this war that…"
"But you did complete you're mission?" he interrupted her childish complaint
"Yeeesss I poisoned their food supply soon they'll be seeing double"
"You were undetected?"
"I'm a ninja"
"You were undetected?" Yukimura asked again ignoring the statement.
"Yeeesss Yukimura, nobody saw this naughty ninja"
"You're missions have certainly been easier following the demise of Hanzo"
"Why you bring up that meanie?"
"Just remembering previous victories earlier"
"That's where he should remain Yukimura, in the past rotting in hell with the Demon Lord"
"Yes…we all owe Mitsuhide Akechi a lot for lessening that chaos"
"Do we respect traitors now Yukimura?" Kunoichi asked crossing her arms above her breasts
"Well…Um" Yukimura couldn't formulate a reply for a ninja she certainly understood the concept of the way of the sword.
"What if I were to defect? Would I still be respected?"
"Who says you're respected?"
"I know you respect me samurai I've saved your butt too many time for me to count of my fingers and toeseys" the female ninja stated lifting her fingers and toes into view.
"You're the one who gets me into such deadly situations accursed ninja!" Yukimura jokingly reprimanded his bodyguard.
Without speaking a word Kunoichi leaped into the air with a flip and grabbed a passing arrow out the air before landing on the surface of the water and remaining walking on water.
Both the ninja and samurai's eyes were drawn to the letter attached to the arrow:
"Sanada" was written on the side clearly addressing it to the samurai
"Oohh who's sending you love letters Yukimura?" the ninja teased skipping on the waters surface forcing the samurai to swim to catch her up to claim his letter; his eyes avoiding looking at her naked body.
Climbing out the spring Yukimura wrapped himself in a towel and opened the document that contained Ieyasu's offer.
Cursing the impossibility of the deal the samurai slammed his fist against his armour in anger before the irony of the situation occurred to him.
"They'll be giving us poisoned rice if we submit" he muttered aloud totally ignoring the female ninja who honestly wasn't interested in such matters of government or politics.
"Kunoichi fetch my advisors…"
Clothing himself in his black undergarment he squeezed through the side of his already constructed armour then began attaching his gauntlets and shin guards before finally picking up his spear.
"…We strike at dawn" Yukimura declared
Authors Notes: Whilst I'm Far From Happy With Writing In Third Person (I Normally Write First Person) I Felt I'd Have To For This Paticular Story, Anyhow R & R My Third Attempt At A Third Person Story And My First Attempt At Samurai Warriors Fanfiction