Daimyo: Honorific for a Japanese feudal lord.
Kodachi: Small or short tachi (sword).
Spoiler alert! - Masamune's route
Masamune
Their ride becomes much more amicable after Masamune manages to redirect the lass' distress elsewhere, racing under the twilight sky and the sparkling stars, offering quite a memorable display for the two of them alike. Basking in the fact of being able to make Mai relax around him, he keeps a casual and easygoing chatter on the rest on their way north; the noticeable fresher air from the region reminding him of home.
For some reason, the farther they ride and closer they get to the intended destination, Masamune can't help thinking more and more about his people up in Oshu, even more so as they pass through a couple of familiar roads he'd been wandering about with Kojuro and the rest twice or thrice in the past.
Could mother be still troubling her maids with more of her extravagant requests? Hopefully his cousin isn't sleeping on the job just yet, and keeping a watchful eye on what remains of the construction of Aoba Castle as Masamune's left it before departing to Azuchi. He better would be, although it's been some weeks since I left. And Shigezane even has two eyes!
A delicate hand waving in front of his face prompts him out of his reverie. "Ah, good, you're still here," The Princess sighs in apparent relief, tucked in his arms, "For a moment I feared you might have dozed off and we'd be riding to the middle of nowhere,"
"Mmh, that doesn't sound so bad, kitten," It's almost impossible for him not to tease her a little, with those feline amber eyes staring at him so curiously, "Weather's certainly nice for a quick nap, and you look like you'd make a very pretty pillow…"
The lass gives him a blank stare, clearly trying to figure out whether he's kidding or not. "I was just about to ask if you're okay in the head for even considering sleeping atop a horse, of all places," She snorts in disbelief, "But then I remembered you have a tiger for a pet, so…"
"Yeah, I know. I can't help being too cool," Masamune guffaws, leaning down and rubbing his face against her copper mane, turning a darker shade of red and brown where the faint light of the sunset doesn't reach it. "But mmh, this is a very soft spot, it's so tempting. Why don't you wake me up when we get there?"
"Wha—? Masamune! Are you for real?"
The Princess' face turns into a clear picture of utter panic, "Alright, alright, it was just a joke!" He opts on to take some mercy of her, "It's a shame though, but we're here already,"
The residence of daimyo Yoshitoshi comes clear to view, yet suspiciously there's closer to no people around to meet them, the clattering of hooves the only source of noise. Not a single worker around. This man must be expecting us, for sure. His small troop lead by Kojuro is a shadow further past the twilight horizon, catching up not long after as expected, despite Masamune's intense pace.
Hideyoshi and Ieyasu take some time, though, arriving with matching scowling faces. "Damn it, Masamune! I told you not to go off ahead on your own!"
He shoots an apologetic smile, not truly reaching his eye, "Hah, sorry, sorry, force of habit."
"You're so lying about being sorry." Ieyasu rolls his eyes in feigned annoyance but doesn't bother mentioning any further.
At his side, Mai seems to hesitate for a moment, "Um, don't want to point out the obvious but, is this place supposed to look this… empty?" Concern narrows her face, appearing to shrink and sink further into the saddle.
The hairs at the back of Masamune's head start to itch, watching Kojuro and his soldiers glance suspiciously at their surroundings, hands on their scabbards and ready for anything. Guarding the sides of his two associates, they all stop before the gate to the palatial residence.
"We're not leaving this place until we get him to confess. Agreed?" Hideyoshi says firmly, waiting for the rest to agree before dismounting and making their way inside.
With some luck on their side, they manage to find an attendant, being led into a spacious hall where the daimyo in question appears to be awaiting them. The arrangements and decoration remarkably contrast the view outside, prompting a disapproving frown on Masamune.
The farms are empty, but the palace reeks of incense. This daimyo better has some good explanation for that…
Despite being in charge of the mission, he opts for Hideyoshi to do the talking for the moment. "Now tell us, Yoshitoshi, is what you wrote in this letter true? If this is all a misunderstanding, we can pack everything up and leave your place right now."
To upscale their annoyance, the daimyo keeps his lips pursed tight. "We've got reports that you're exploiting the populace by seizing their funds. What were you doing to do with all that money?" Ieyasu steps forward, face hard as stone, "Buy weapons for your revolt, maybe?"
And yet, Yoshitoshi remains stubbornly silent.
Masamune huffs, "This is taking forever. I say we kill him." He puts on a deadly serious look as he goes for his sword.
His threatening jab appears to work, the daimyo immediately breaking his silence. "It's all true! Everything I wrote in that letter is true!"
Hideyoshi curls his hands into fists, knuckles going white with indignation. "That's a start. Now tell us, why have you betrayed our lord?" He snarls.
"I only swore to lord Nobunaga because I believed my true lord was dead! But Lord Shingen Takeda is still alive!"
A tense silence falls over the hall, the three warlords stammering in sheer surprise at the statement. Ieyasu's hand goes for his kodachi in a clear act of reflex at the mere mention of the dreadful name of his rival, Masamune struggling to keep a straight face and Hideyoshi all but utterly failing to do so, going white as a ghost.
"Not just him, but Kenshin Uesugi as well. He's been sheltering Lord Shingen." Yoshitoshi continues, his words escaping him one after another, "I was loyal to him before Nobunaga! I'm simply siding with my proper side!"
Lost for any coherent sentence, Masamune first glances at Mai—most certainly the less stunned of them all; why is that?—before fixing his eye on Ieyasu; the more knowledgeable among the group regarding ominous rumors about the Takeda clan. One of his emerald green eyes twitches ever so slightly, gaze unfocused, appearing to ponder the severe implications of the daimyo's confession.
"So it is true…" Doubt lingers in Ieyasu's murmur, a hard frown narrowing his face.
"You may be shocked, naturally, but it's the truth," The daimyo insists on his version of the events, growing more confident for reasons unbeknownst to Masamune. "Perhaps it's time you three reconsider where your loyalties lie. Nobunaga is weak! He's no match for the two of them!"
Even with not facing them on the battlefield, Masamune's no stranger to the battle prowesses of the Tiger of Kai and the Dragon of Echigo in the past, deeming the two of them among the fiercest rivals in the land. Regardless and despite Yoshitoshi's claims, this isn't particularly the first time they've heard said murmurs of Takeda or Uesugi coming back from hell, leaving it so far to one of many ghost stories, with little space for some credibility.
To some extent, Masamune genuinely wishes for those stories to be true—the mere thought of dueling such bold commanders stirring deep into his soul. On another hand, having two of Nobunaga's opposers arising once more on such close regions to his homeland makes him grow concerned for Oshu's current welfare.
Not long after, Hideyoshi's composure comes to a dangerous breaking point, "… Are you satisfied with those being your parting words?" Standing up, his face is hard as iron, and Masamune struggles to recall the last time he's seen him just about to burst in rage, "Because nothing else you will say matter when you're executed in front of our lord for treason,"
"N-not if he and you are utterly crushed first!"
And then he whistles, signaling dozens of armed men and swarming in from every entrance, surrounding the room. The invigorating feeling previous to facing a challenge course through Masamune's veins, pumping in anticipation as a lopsided grin narrows his face.
"Um, guys? I have a bad feeling about this." Concern laces Mai's voice, tucking herself closer between him and Ieyasu.
The small number of troops Masamune's brought leaps to their feet and draw their own weapons, Kojuro showing himself at the front. It's clear they're outnumbered, yet no northerner would find that troubling in the slightest, blazing determination burning in each one of his men's eyes—a fact Masamune takes sheer pride of.
"Nothing to worry about, lass," He says casually, fingers itching on one of his katana.
She seems to find his words hardly reassuring, though. "Shouldn't we, I don't know, run?" She mumbles anxiously, low enough for only him to hear.
"Don't be ridiculous, there's no reason to run." Flanked by three commanders and a fearless troop backing them up, Masamune doesn't have any qualms for the Princess' wellbeing, "But watch your head, though. Wouldn't want it to go flying off your shoulders…"
Yoshitoshi comes to a stand, more poised after most likely considering himself at an advantage. "I've been told you would be coming here, so I prepared to deliver your heads to Lord Shingen as a gift." The group of armed, angry soldiers inch toward them, threateningly closing in.
However, the evident hesitation plastered all over the daimyo's men makes Masamune grow skeptical, his brows knitting into a frown. "You there! Yes, you," He nods towards one of them, a lean and short young boy. "You're cowering. Are you in this fight to win or not?" On his periphery, Hideyoshi shoots Masamune an alarmed glare, but he ignores him, "You're holding your sword all wrong. You'll die too fast that way. Is that what you want?"
The mention of death makes the boy alarmed, stammering. "W-who'd want to die for a man like Lord Yoshitoshi?" His voice quavers, sword visibly shaking in his hands, "I was forced to come here! He said I needed to fight for him or he'd take my land and kill my family!"
Several heads turn to the daimyo, all but demanding an explanation to such preposterous act. At Masamune's side, the Princess' face scrunches in sheer indignation. "He takes the whole rice crop too, leaving us with nothing to eat." A taller enemy soldier follows, "He torments our women and children, and lets thieves steal whatever little we have left!"
"Y-yeah, some daimyo! You're the worst!" Spits a third man.
Slowly yet consistently, more men rally up to protest, "We're not going to give up our lives for you!" Concludes another soldier, inspiring almost half the group to join Masamune's envoy and turn on Yoshitoshi; their swords noticeably steadier as they point at their Lord.
Mai snorts darkly at the sudden turn of events. "You guys should meet my father. Never underestimate a worker if you know what's good for you…" She arches a brow, her lips curling into a sly smirk.
"Your father must be a very cool guy. I'm starting to like them as well…" Masamune agrees wholeheartedly.
Ieyasu can't seem to hold his grumbling any longer. "You know you made it harder to pick out whom to fight, right? You just had to step in…"
Technically, he's not wrong, but Masamune doesn't feel apologetic in the slightest, just shrugging nonchalantly. "All I did was giving these guys a little nudge in the right direction."
"Pah! What are peasants but tools for your lord!" Yoshitoshi glares at his subordinates, face scrunching in anger, "It's my decision when and where your worthless lives end!" And somehow, the man makes it even worse.
He thinks his people are tools, huh? The comment makes Masamune's blood boil in indignation, the coil in his gut tightening, threatening to snap in any moment. However, he does his best to remain collected, a dark chuckle leaving his lips as a cold smile finds its way to his face.
"Well, there we go…" He says low, his fingers finding purchase on the handle of his sword as he turns to the daimyo, a certain craving within him dangerously close to clouding what's left of his rational senses. "Looks like you're not fit to be a leader."
Through his periphery, Hideyoshi shoots him a dubious look, "Hey, Masamune—" But whatever protest he's about to voice doesn't stop him from finally drawing his sword, leaving its sheath with the same familiar noise that makes his blood pump excitedly.
The Princess takes a precarious step back at his menacing stance, gladly so. "He's just confessed to treason, right? And as he says, it's one's lord who determines whether you live or die. Those are his rules." Masamune points out, "And we were told to take whatever measures we deem necessary."
Truth is, he's been wondering if they could talk their way out of a conflict in the first place, yet the daimyo has just made it quite clear how that wasn't about to happen. If that pointless revolt would have been about protecting his people, Masamune would have no issues going easy on Yoshitoshi; but it's preposterous to consider having an honorable fight with such a bastard, who only appears to be looking to satisfy his personal greed and ambition.
I've got no pity for a man like that.
And so, to make it precisely clear, he points his sword at Yoshitoshi's head, ready to kill. "If you want to live, drop your weapons and go back to your farms now. As for everyone else, make one move and you die."
The hall falls silent, Masamune's threat sinking in; the only sound being from the lass as her breath hitches, stumbling upon Kojuro. Yet his single eye is utterly fixed on the daimyo before them.
"What are you doing!? Strike back!" Yoshitoshi's frightened call has little effect.
"As much as I'd love to take you all on—and I would win, mind you—it's time to choose a side," Masamune grins in a challenging manner, taking a step forward, "We don't have 500 years! Do you really want to die for this guy?"
"Don't listen to him! Go get them!"
One man takes a hesitant swing and Masamune parries his weak blow, knocking his sword away with ease before his elbow connects with his head. "Follow Lord Masamune! Don't fall behind!" Kojuro rallies the troops, not needing to glance at him to see the proud smile in his face.
"Y-yeah! Let's do this!" A farmer appears to grow more confident, joining the Date soldiers and raising his sword.
Another soldier rushes to Masamune and he knocks him out just as easily as he did with his first partner, his brows knitting into a frown. Any unnecessary deaths on either side are going to cause resentment once this is over. The conscripted fight those who're willing to serve Yoshitoshi, yet regardless, they're all from the same land. He had created an untenable situation, not caring about the pain it caused.
Masamune focuses his eye on him. The best way to end this is to capture him quickly.
"Prepare yourself, Masamune Date!"
"Out of the way." He growls menacingly, unwilling to budge. A taller man comes at him, and he could see he's prepared to fight and die. He strikes him in the leg—a fast, effective way of incapacitating anyone—the warrior collapsing to the ground in pain. Stay right there and you'll get out of this with no more than that.
One after another, enemies come at Masamune; Ieyasu and Hideyoshi stepping forward to assist in no time. However, after he manages to disarm and knock another man, he dares to throw a glance behind his shoulder, his breath hitching as concern courses through.
Where's Mai?
A-N: To make it known, I'm kinda starting to diverge from strict canon at this point and adding some more depth to some other arcs I think it fits better this 'verse. It's not a huge deal to me, but thought of making it clear just in case. Either way, feel free to ask me about anything you may find confusing! :D
2nd part of this scene is coming up next Thursday. I hope y'all have a wonderful Christmas! You certainly make it amazing and heartwarming for me with your support and encouragement, I can't possibly ask for anything else, so from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much!