Juban: Undergarment.
Kunoichi: A branch of female ninja.
Spoilers: Shingen's route
Shingen
"Oh… we might have run out of sake,"
The beauty alongside him pretends to pout, slim fingers sliding off his and the cup both were holding up together, scurrying off to presumably look for more alcohol in his room. Regardless, what Shingen instantly misses is the warmth of her touch—as there are fewer things that can compare to.
"Does that mean I'm about to run out of your lovely company?" He coos softly, peeping at her through the corner of his eye, catching the way the lights of the fireplace accentuate the curves of her body through her juban.
Chiyome looks back through the curtain of her long hair, black as fresh ink, batting her lashes prettily. "I wouldn't dare, my Lord," She smiles, and yet her eyes say entirely the opposite.
She keeps her reassuring smile even as she saunters about the room, seemingly having a change of heart and picking up the rest of her clothing, piece by piece. Yet Shingen knows best than to underestimate one of his best Mitsumono, as some moments later he's pleased to find his cup refilled.
Another source of warmth embraces his shoulders, though, and Chiyome dutifully adjusts his haori in place. "It does seem I'm about to run out of yours, though," She tilts her chin towards the shoji door leading to the veranda, facing Kasugayama's city town.
The sun is about to settle past the mountains, but there's enough light to get a clear sight from his vantage point at the open fields, where two riders clad in red and green respectively are trotting up to the town gates. Shingen doesn't hide his genuine smile from his evening companion, eyes fleeting close and inwardly thanking the heavens for their safe return.
Not like he ever doubted of Yuki's capacities in the first place. "Are my eyes deceiving me? It's been a long time…" And yet, perhaps unbeknownst to his budding happiness for his vassal's homecoming, Chiyome can't seem to keep a skeptical hum to herself.
"They appear to bring no extra companions, my Lord…"
"Ah, so they seem," Shingen knows exactly why his kunoichi makes her point clear and brings the subject up, for she had been the very first to apply on his secret mission. "How unfortunate…"
He merely clicks his tongue at the fact, but doesn't concern himself with it just yet, opting on to hearing Sasuke's report before reaching a disappointing conclusion. Turning away and crossing the room, Shingen blows off the lantern, getting ready to head out and meet the Lord of Kasugayama Castle, positive that he must be as eager as himself and looking forward to reuniting with the newcomers after so long.
Arm resting on his, they head up the streets to Kenshin's residence, while Shingen silently savors the first tranquil breeze of the evening to come. "You should have let me go in Sasuke's stead," Chiyome can't seem to be coming to terms with the outcome, ever the most strong-minded of his Mitsumono—and to some extent, deeming her Shingen's favorite. "If not that so-called Princess, I would have brought the Devil King's still-beating heart before your doors…"
"And have you suffer the same fate as some of our women?"
"They were lesser women." She says through clenched teeth, nothing but most certain of it, gaze blazing with the strength of a thousand suns.
In the end, Shingen's quite aware that unbending determination stems from her fierce loyalty and love to him—one that pretty much matches the very same man he's about to reunite with. Truthfully, as for knowingly battling against time itself, Chiyome's on her right to make no room for failure whatsoever. Regardless, guilt and sadness always manage to tug at his heartstrings whenever she becomes too hard on herself, taking up responsibilities she shouldn't.
And on the other hand, there is no doubt that the same iron will from whether Chiyome or Yukimura is what has made himself get this far. Probably that's why Shingen can't find it within his heart to correct her.
As they come before the gates of the castle proper, he lets go of her hand, seizing it with both of his to drop a kiss upon her knuckles. His lips linger on the rough skin that has known decades of hardship, and couldn't ever be properly repaid for by him—just a simple, dying man—only.
"Keep calm, my dear. Our time will come," Through his lashes, Shingen meets her narrowed eyes, and shoots her a reassuring smile, "And you are exactly where you are meant to be."
Judging by the uncertainty clouding her eyes, mere words of comfort are far from enough for a woman of action such as her. Yet he trusts she'll come to terms with it, eventually.
She'll have to—as them all.
As lords and vassals alike swarm the audience chambers to greet and express their happiness for Yukimura and Sasuke's return in one piece, there's a certain lively atmosphere that makes Shingen have more appreciation for the small victories the general people don't give many thoughts of. Promises of feasts and drinks are voiced before any news are given, bringing a hopeful look for tomorrow.
And perhaps, he muses on it while standing far back from the cramped greeting circle, that is the only thing they ever will have to keep fighting for. A tomorrow and nothing more.
Time flies by—as it always does with the most relevant events in life—and soon there are down to four men on the chambers. Taking a seat and pouring some tea, Yukimura and Sasuke begin sharing their personal reports separately with Kenshin and him, dropping all very interesting details found in their short stay.
"None of the townspeople showed any signs of panic when we spread rumors about the war. They all expressed trust in Nobunaga." Yuki comments on with a natural skepticism in his voice, "Some even went on talking about his heroic deeds and greatness…"
Shingen can barely keep a disdainful snort to himself. Greatness, madness… what are those but two sides of the same coin? When such great men as Nobunaga Oda happen to arise, that only means the gods had to toss a coin in the air, and they—the people, the poor, the oppressed—had to hold their breaths to see how it'll land.
For all he knows, the Azuchi townsfolk might have a right to claim what they claim. And yet, it so happens the people of Kai and other borders beg to differ on that so-called greatness.
"Then we'll need to do something to shake that trust, won't we?"
Kenshin huffs, creating ripples on his cup. "Spare me from another one of your strategies. When can we fight him?"
"Don't get your furry cloak in a twist, Kenshin." For most of the years he's known him, Kenshin's cared for nothing but battle, up to the point of becoming fairly intimate with his beautiful katana. Instead, Shingen opts on going straight to the matter at hand, turning to the ninja, "So, tell us, Sasuke, how is Azuchi's Princess-chatelaine doing?"
Mai Mizusaki, the Oda Princess; now that is a far more interesting woman than Himezuru-Ichimonji in Shingen's honest opinion. Down to her absolute unknown background, he's witnessed her beauty and cleverness firsthand, deeming it nearly impossible not to have piqued his utmost interest.
"She's doing well. The Oda commanders have become very fond of her." Sasuke's known to be short and to the point, taking precious care with the subtle dangers of the spoken word.
"What about Nobunaga, most precisely? Does he love her?"
Deep down, a part of him hopes for a negative answer, and not to have but another innocent caught in the threads of war. If possible, he would be more than content to admire her from afar.
And yet unfortunately, he's already fighting a war against time, piling up a body giving up on him in a most precarious moment. In conclusion, if having to weigh the options, there's little to do but to resort using anyone and anything to take Nobunaga's head.
All lives are precious, that is a fact. However, how much worth has the life of one mysterious Princess in comparison to an entire province?
But if I get sick again before I finish this…
Shingen takes a shallow breath—taking more is just impossible at that point—keeping that train of thought down and locked where it should be. Meanwhile, Sasuke deliberates on his report.
"… He seems quite taken with her. His allies and vassals seem smitten as well." Sasuke says, adjusting his glasses, "That, paired up with a hardworking nature, appear to be the catalyst for her acceptance into the Oda's inner circle."
His brows quirk up in curiosity; that is more than what he'd formerly expected. And certainly, hearing of her diligence can't help but make the picture of her in Shingen's mind all the more appealing. What a pretty keystone we've found.
A thoughtful smile quirks Shingen's lips up, "You make it sound like she's quite valuable to his entire force."
Yukimura, on the other hand, doesn't seem as convinced to hear that, "She's got the Devil King and his subjects dancing to her tune? What is she? Some kind of enchantress?" He tries, unsuccessfully, to hide the alarm the idea appears to give him.
He may have a point, however, and there could be some magic at work there. Funnily so, that could even explain her strange apparition onto Nobunaga Oda's life out of nearly literal thin air. I'm intrigued to know what secrets that beauty has up her sleeve.
"Well, I suppose I'll find out once I fall under her spell myself." Shingen shrugs nonchalantly.
Anybody could always tell when Kenshin became disgruntled; the whole room appearing to drop in temperature as he shoots one of his coldest glares his way. "Gods, you still want to go after her, aren't you?" Kenshin grunts, disgust clear in his pristine face, "Yukimura, he's your Lord. Do something about him."
"You think I haven't already told him again and again not to get involved with women he doesn't even know?"
"I just think it's wrong to pretend something beautiful isn't beautiful." Shingen dismisses their subtle worries—not like they'd ever admit them vocally—with an apologetic smile, sipping leisurely on his cup.
Life's short enough as it is, it goes without saying one has to enjoy what's good about it. And thinking about Mai often reminds him of all the good things in life. At his age, Shingen has been privileged to know many women—once or twice, also on a deeper level to have fallen in love with—deeming him most certain that Mai Mizusaki is, without a doubt, a rare one.
"It saddens me she hasn't accepted my invitation to pay us a visit," In truth, he's been well aware his friendly approach was a long shot, yet regardless, it was a chance he thought he had to take before resorting to other more confrontational methods. "Which brings me, did something happen for you to return emptyhanded?"
Sasuke's gaze darts to the side, appearing to be making a proper recollection of the event. "While I informed her of the dangers of staying in Azuchi, I'm afraid I couldn't manage to sway her. Sadly, I happened to run out of time to persuade her as we were found by one of Nobunaga's allies."
"What?" Yukimura sends his friend an alarmed look, turning his way, "You just told me your cover was blown on our way here, not that you were actually attacked."
Kenshin's mismatched gaze, however, screams of nothing but retribution. "By whom." He wastes little breath, yet it's enough for the weight of threat to linger around the four of them.
"… The Dragon of Oshu, Masamune Date."
Yuki grunts, appearing quite offended over the situation, while Kenshin huffs, mulling it over. "Good. Then I shall have his head after I take Nobunaga's…"
Shingen, however, can't help chuckling low at that, finding the revelation not surprising in the least. That Dragon pet of Nobunaga's seems to have become quite protective of the Princess. How interesting. I wonder if he's going after her heart as well…
It's not like Masamune Date and his men pose further threats to Shingen's plans, though his constant presence in the Princess' life appears to bring another couple of ideas to put in motion. Perhaps, all it takes is to get closer to the Dragon's lair to lure her out.
"Regardless of the outcome, you did very well, Sasuke." Shingen chooses to praise him, "And I have to say, as far as it seems like, you're awfully good at reconnaissance. You'd be a very good fit for my Mitsumono."
Sasuke tilts his head appreciatively. "Well, while I respect them and their effortless ability to blend into crowds, I'm afraid I'm unable to transfer lords at this time." The guy is typically devoid of expression—something quite rare, speaking of rare ones.
And admittedly, it's not just that, but his uncommon sayings and strange quirks are something that makes the ninja stand out among the rest—such as, before departing to Honno-ji some months back, having grown the tendency of bringing Shingen moldy fruit with his sweets in the mornings. For a long time, the gesture had made him think the guy was just mad at him for some reason.
Pondering on that gives Shingen the playful urge to tease a reaction from him. "Of course, I totally understand. But no, you see, I was thinking of training Yuki to be a ninja." He flicks his wrist towards his vassal, looking utterly lost, "As someone new to the training, I wondered how you think he'd do?"
"I'm put on the spot. Firstly, I admire Yukimura and trust his physical abilities above most warriors. However, reconnaissance involving women seems beyond him…" Amusingly, Sasuke deflects his teasing attempts while simultaneously causing Yuki to blush.
"W-why are we talking about this? I don't want to be a ninja—!" One mention of the opposite gender and he's flustered. No one appears surprised, sure thing, but it's always fun to see. "Anyway, can we get back to work?"
Decided to prod Yuki by himself—with only the best intentions—Shingen goes on, "You don't want to be a ninja because of the women? Yuki, my boy, you need to get along with them. How else can you start a family?"
He shoots him a glare, brows knitting into a frown. "Shut up. I don't need one." Suddenly, his jab backfires, feeling like a blow to Shingen's stomach, his easygoing smile fading.
"Yes, can we shut up about women?" Kenshin cuts in with an irritated sigh, making it somewhat worse. Isn't it time you let yourself get over your disdain for them too, Kenshin?
A sense of frustration tugs at Shingen's gut. While he'd gladly comply with his vassal and ally, there are some things he just can't give in at the moment. Mai Mizusaki is, tragically so, one of them.
"Not this time, I'm afraid. Princess Mai is a key part of our plan. As we formerly discussed, we've all accorded to bring her here one way or another." A stern look makes way across his face, turning serious, "Sasuke's plan has sadly failed, so I suppose we've got to go through our second plan, and steal her from Azuchi."
The ninja pulls his glasses up to the bridge of his nose. "Do we absolutely have to do this, though?" Sasuke's attachment to the Princess hasn't gone unnoticed by his ever keen eyes—after all, he's been the one to propose being sent as an envoy to sway her into coming along willingly, confident he'd get her consent.
He's got a good heart. Maybe too good for this job.
However, he's quick to recapacitate. "No, I apologize. I withdraw my comment, Lord Shingen."
Kenshin appears to approve that, if his lack of a retort means anything to go by. "I assume you mean I can finally deploy my Nokizaru to get this Princess," He addresses Shingen with another of his sharp glares, "As you've agreed I could do, should your… poor initiative failed."
"I would rather not… but I've given my word." He believes none of them—not even Kenshin, on that regard—would be so barbaric as to agree to take an innocent woman by force, but perhaps they can still wring their way around it without reaching such limits. "And you, Yuki? Are you on board?"
Yuki stares at him for a moment longer than necessary, worry carving creases that don't belong on his youthful face. "My Lord, were you alright while I was in Azuchi?" He wonders instead.
As Shingen had predicted a mere moment ago, his vassal is just worried about him. He was with me that day, at Noda Castle, and he knows me best of all. Of course he is. "Yeah, I had a great time! Chiyome's been spoiling me lots!" He tries lightening the mood with a merry chuckle, "If you wanted to know if I missed my favorite vassal, well, of course I did."
"Lord Shingen, that's not what I—"
"Don't worry about me, Yuki." He silences him with simply a stare. "We've got a battle to finish with Nobunaga. That's our top priority. We can't leave our home in his hands, our people to wander and waste away."
A heartbeat goes by before he reconsiders pushing onto the tedious subject. "… Yeah. You're right, my Lord." A glance at Kenshin and Sasuke tells him exactly what they were thinking.
Come on, don't look at me that way! Who's the dying man here, huh?
His teeth grit in an effort to contain his words; even he can't laugh off at the cruel hand fate had dealt him. Shingen once wished he could have kept that a secret from them, but unfortunately, one by one they all figured out the truth. It would be easier for me if no one knew, so no one else will know. So they can move on without me…
To cut out with such a tragic topic, Shingen claps his knees, announcing in as mirthful a voice as he can, "Well? We've got a princess coming, people! We need to make preparations."
"Preparations for what?" Kenshin quirks a curious brow, "Is there going to be a battle? You should've said something sooner!"
Shingen rolls his eyes. "I meant getting her room ready. Something fit for a lady of her stature." Yuki and Kenshin stare at him in genuine surprise—Kenshin's look, though, naturally mixed with disappointment, as well as waiting for another addition. "I see that look, Kenshin. The answer is no. What kind of monster would throw a woman in a cell?" He frowns, baffled, "We're giving her a nice room, and that's final."
"Are you implying a cell can't be a nice room? What's wrong with Kasugayama's dungeons anyway?"
For a lack of proper decorum or knowledge of the opposite gender, at least Yuki agrees to disagree on that regard, subtly rolling his eyes. "That aside, why do we need to get ready? A room is a room, my Lord. Or are we supposed to leave a bunch of pink kimono and kittens and sugar candy in there for her?"
Whatever blossoming hopes he had for his vassal fade as fast as they come. "… I keep wondering where I went awry in your education, Yuki." Shingen sighs, "How did I manage to leave you with such a catastrophically poor understanding of women?"
To his luck, Sasuke does seem to have a sense of decency. "I believe there is an adequate room for Mai near my residence." He mentions, "Allow me to oversee the arrangements as a way to compensate my last failure, Lord Shingen."
"That's right, you are somewhat the most acquainted to her of all of us. You can,"
"In addition, I could modify Mai's room to be full of pit traps in case Lord Shingen tries something with her." The faintest of smirks seem to creep on the ninja's lips, "All she would have to do is pull on a cord and—Whoosh! Plonk!"
"That's perfect! Do it, Sasuke." Kenshin nods wholeheartedly, his pristine face lightening up as if he's already picturing the situation on his mind.
Shingen gasps, partially feigning to be deeply hurt at the implications, "No, don't! I don't want to fall into any pit traps, that sounds awful!"
"Isn't it the obvious solution to not try anything funny with her?" Yuki points out.
"I make no promises." Adding his teasing comment to the building cheer, Shingen finally laughs along with the others, and their planning continues long into the evening.
A couple of days later, Shingen hasn't fully come to terms with their agreement. And yet, there's not as much to do about it as it is, overseeing the dispatching of Kenshin's Nokizaru from the veranda of his quarters, swift as the wind carrying them away from the Castle and onto Azuchi.
I know I can't ask for more, but please, let this happen while I still have time…
The faint sound of sandals seem to approach to his room, and quite suddenly, an unusual chill runs across his spine, turning his attention towards the door. They've all risen before dawn to set the plan in motion, so the town remains silent in their slumber.
"My Lord, may I come in?" The visitor announces himself, but despite the familiar voice, Shingen frowns harder all the same.
Sliding the shoji door open, Yukimura stands in attention on the other side, already in his casual robes regardless of the early time of day. "Yuki?" He tilts his head at his vassal, searching his face for a sign of trouble, "Not that I mind but, what's got you here so early?"
"Huh? What do you mean, my Lord?" Yuki imitates his posture, appearing lost.
He's quick to bring himself back from his stupor, standing aside to make way for his friend to come in. "Nevermind, I was simply expecting Chiyome…"
"How so?" However, Yukimura remains at the entrance, a skeptical look plastered all over his face. "I don't get it. It was Chiyome who sent me."
His breath hitches, growing concerned. "Did something happen to her?"
It's very unlike the kunoichi to send someone over—even less so, Yukimura, of all people—for whatever reason she couldn't make by herself. Besides, they were only set for tea and nothing more.
"Not that I know of, my Lord." Yuki hesitates for a moment, eyes dropping, appearing to be contemplating over something unbeknownst to him. "I just came to report Chiyome has departed safely alongside Kenshin's Nokizaru, as you requested."
Shingen freezes in his spot, eyes blowing wide, taking several moments to process what his vassal just said. A heavy weight settles onto his stomach.
Oh, no…
"I did no such thing…"
A-N: I'm sorry again for taking this long to update! Turns out it's not particularly easy trying to keep up with work - because I'm poor as hell, again, and this noodle person needs to eat eventually - this novel and another fandom that's caught me in its grips, hahaha.
But we're about to reach the 100k milestone with Stripes, and honestly I couldn't be any more glad or humbled there are people still putting up with my insufferable slow burn LOL. I bow down to all of you, really, thank you!
(Btw, to FFN users: I can't reply to your adorable reviews if you're not logged in and comment as a guest! Regardless, I want to thank you a damn lot for them, and know that I read you and I appreciate you *throws hearts and confetti*)