"You sealed your own fate last night," said Nobunaga. "You will move into Ieyasu's palace so he can keep a constant eye on you."

I'm moving in with Ieyasu? Oh boy, he is not going to be happy about that. I turned to look at Ieyasu, and I knew I had learned the reason for his especially bad mood. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse. I had a feeling my new roommate and I will soon be at each other's throats.

"Now," I began. "Wait a minute! You don't need to go that far! I mean, I wouldn't want to inconvenience Ieyasu.."

"That's none of your concern," Nobunaga cut me off.

"But it's clear he's not happy about it.."

"Ieyasu's wishes are irrelevant. He will do his duty, as he is the best man for the job."

How exactly is Ieyasu the best person to watch me? I took in Ieyasu's icy expression. Out of all the warlords in Azuchi Castle, he had been the most unwelcoming to me. Even when he saved me from that man, he was only doing his job. Would he have stepped in if he hasn't been ordered to? I really don't want to force someone to care when they so clearly don't. What was Nobunaga thinking?

"It's not polite to stare," Ieyasu glared at me.

Quickly, I turned away after noticing I was staring at him."Sorry, I didn't mean to."

"You don't have any objections," Nobunaga began. "Do you Ieyasu?"

"No, none. It's not like I've never dealt with pests before."

Well I have an objection! I don't want to be put in close quarters with someone who despises me.

"It's settled then," Nobunaga said. "You will do as you're told, Chizuru."

"But.."

"You heard him," Ieyasu cut in. "Go pack your things."

"Ieyasu, I.."

"I agreed to guard you, but I don't have to humour your grumbling. I'll be waiting at the castle gate."

That's it? My fate is sealed just like that?

Ieyasu got up and marched out of the room without looking back. I turned back to Nobunaga, hoping to plead with him one more time. But he was already back to work, reading a document on his desk and pretended I didn't exist. Yep, he's not going to change his mind. I guess I have no choice but to accept it. I begrudgingly returned to my room to pack, not bothering to say goodbye to Nobunaga. Then I met Ieyasu at the gate.

"That's all you have?" He was surprised to see how little I had.

"Yeah, everything I own in this world."

With only the purse I brought from the future and a small cloth bag, I trudged down to the gate. The bag contained one change of kimono the maids had found for me. It would be nice to have a couple more outfits, but I didn't want to impose on their kindness more than I already have. As long as I have something to put on my back and my precious purse. I can deal. To my surprise, Ieyasu held out his hand.

"Give it here."

Huh? He can't seriously be offering to carry my bags for me. Without waiting for a reply, Ieyasu took the bags from my hands.

"Thank you for the kind offer, but I'm fully capable of carrying my own bags."

"I'm not being kind. I just can't have you trying to slip away in the crowd."

So, he's holding my belongings hostage. I should have guessed.

"Taking advantage of a crowd to make my escape. The idea never crossed my mind. Thanks for the tip."

When you live in a time of constant turmoil, I suppose you always have to be looking for an escape route. I couldn't help being impressed with his sharp mind. I nodded to myself. Tucking the advice away in case the need to use it arose.

"Seriously," he questioned. "That's survival 101. Don't you know anything?"

"I know some things..I think."

I guess from the perspective of a Sengoku warlord, I am shockingly oblivious to how the world works.

"Wow, she actually has the guts to deny it," he mumbled to himself.

After I heard him mumble something under his breath, I shot him a suspicious glare.

"What did you just say?"

"Nothing. That's enough useless chatter."

With a bored expression on his face, Ieyasu started walking. In that moment, I felt like I had just lost another verbal sparring match. A few moments later, I hurried after him.

Once we got into town, the streets were packed. It was very different from the last time I was here in the early hours of morning. I stuck close to Ieyasu, since I didn't want to lose him in the bustling crowd around me. I had no idea Azuchi was such a bustling place. He was right, it would be easy to hide in a crowd like this and escape. We passed by a fabric shop, and I got distracted and looked at it for a minute. But when I turned around, Ieyasu was already gone. My heart started racing and I was at loss at what to do. Should I try to find him or go back to Azuchi Castle and explain what happened. Just as I was pondering what to do, Ieyasu quickly found me and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Quit gaping and walk straight. Unless you're really plotting your escape?"

"No, just taking in the sights."

I quickly shook my head and turned my attention back to Ieyasu. I guess now that we're stuck together, I should try a bit harder to get along with him.

"So, Ieyasu? What did Nobunaga mean when he said you were the best man for the job?"

"Huh?"

Just trying to break the ice, buddy. "I know you're not exactly happy I'm here. And there must be countless other ways to keep me from running again."

"Yes, well…"

I was expecting another barbed reply, or at least a show of contempt, but Ieyasu trailed off. Struggling for words, he averted his gaze.

"I can't agree with Nobunaga's assertion that I'm the best man to guard you. But when assignments were handed out, I got the short straw." With an irritated sigh, Ieyasu deigned to explain it to me. "The Oda forces are facing many threats at the moment. As you heard, we are in the middle of a campaign to expand Nobunaga's territory."

Oh yeah, I remember them talking about that the day I arrived at the castle. I nodded and waited for him to continue.

"In order to solidify our control in the west, we need to send in more troops. At the same time…we must catch the ones behind the assassination attempt at Honno-ji so they can't become another obstacle toward expansion. And then there's the man who attacked you yesterday. We need to find out how he got his hands on so much information about you and what he's planned to do with it. You've only been here a few short days. So, if someone already knows about your ties to Nobunaga…"

"Secret information about the Oda forces are being leaked somehow?"

"That's right. We don't know if there's a spy in our midst, or if someone's watching our every move from the outside."

A spy? That was a frightening thought. Things kept getting more complicated. Between quitting my old job, getting a new one, and travelling to Kyoto, my life had been full of big events lately. But the things that happened to me since coming to the Sengoku period were on a completely different scale. I feel like I'm in the middle of a samurai melodrama full of danger and intrigue..except it's all real. Despite the shocking events unfolding around us, Ieyasu remained as cool as a cucumber.

"Masamune is leading reinforcements west," he said. "Mitsuhide is investigating the Honno-ji incident. Hideyoshi and one other are acting as Nobunaga's personal guards." Who was this other person he's talking about? Sounded like he was leaving something out. "And, because I saved you, I've been tasked with discovering the identity of the ronin who attacked you. As well as keeping you safe along the way."

"Well, I do appreciate that."

So, that's the whole story. We've both been put in this situation against our will. On the other hand, this is the most Ieyasu has ever spoken to me. I'm glad I decided to play nice. Maybe he's not as cold as I first thought. Maybe he's just shy?

"Thank you for explaining all that to me."

"Better to tell you now so you don't bother me with a bunch of questions later."

The conversation died out after that, so we walked along in silence until we arrived at a grand building. Ieyasu's palace.

"Welcome back Lord Ieyasu," a maid said as she greeted us. "And Lady Chizuru, we've been preparing for your arrival."

"Thank you. It's a pleasure to meet you." The maid who met us at the door, welcomed me with a warm smile.

"If you ever need anything at all, please let me know."

"You don't need to pamper her," Ieyasu cut in. "Just make sure she doesn't leave the palace." After scolding his poor maid, Ieyasu handed my luggage back to me. "The maids will take care of you. You're free to do anything you like as long as you stay inside the palace walls. So, bye."

Ieyasu turned his back on me and started marching away down the corridor. He wasn't going to give me a tour.

"Hey," I said. "Um, thanks. I'm sure I'll see you later."

Ieyasu froze and glanced back over his shoulder. "Don't get the wrong idea. I have no desire to be friends with you." And just when I thought we were starting to develop a rapport too. "I have to let you live here, and I have to keep you guarded. But I have no intention of dealing with you beyond what my duty entails. The next day we meet will be the day I return you to Nobunaga."

His cold words and his icy gaze felt like a dagger in my chest, leaving me speechless. "You know you don't have the strength to escape on your own. So just accept your role as a caged bird."

This time when Ieyasu turned to go, he did not look back. I thought it was bad enough when I was dragged to Azuchi Castle. Now I'm beginning to miss those simpler days. But I wondered if there was a reason Ieyasu kept himself so closed off?

"Lady Chizuru," the maid began. "Please. My name is Rieko. Allow me to show you to your room."

"Thanks. But please. Just call me Chizuru,"

The maid just nodded and showed me to the room that I would be staying in.

"This is where you'll be staying. If you need anything, just let me know."

"Thank you."

After she showed me to my room, Rieko bowed and left.

After a few days, I was bored out of my mind from doing nothing day in, day out. The kind maids were taking care of all my needs as if this was a first class hotel, but I was going crazy with boredom. Reiko would come in with my meals prepared. She and I would talk a little bit at mealtimes, but then she would be back to work afterwards. At least I've finally had enough time to think and process all of this. I've given up on the idea of escaping. It just wouldn't make sense. Ieyasu's right, I'm not strong enough to take care of myself in this dangerous, war-torn time. In the present, I had considered myself to be a strong, independent women, but here I felt utterly helpless. I wish I could go to Sasuke for help, but now I realize that's too reckless. His life would be in serious danger if anyone on the Oda side caught us together. I've been dragged all around this land with no regard to my wishes. For once, I want to make a decision for myself, and I've decided not to run. The wormhole will open in three months. Pride be damned, I will do what I need to do to survive until then. Plus, there is something I find intriguing about Ieyasu. I do owe him my life. I tried to thank him with words, but that didn't go over well. Maybe there's some way I can pay him back while I'm living here. I think I'll go talk to the maids about it. With a determined nod, I stood up. But as I reached for the door, Ieyasu's cold words popped into my head. 'I have no desire to be friends with you.' Still, I don't want to get yelled at for my trouble. So I'll just pay him back in secret. He won't even know what hit him! Smiling to myself, I went to find the head maid.

The next morning, I started my cleaning duties with the maids. Rieko was surprised to see me helping them out.

"Chizuru," she questioned. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to start helping you guys out around here."

"That's really nice of you, but you really don't have to do that."

"I know. But I've been so bored lately with nothing to do, so I want to help."

Reiko gave me a look that was asking what are you really up to. "I hope you're not trying to impress a certain someone, because this won't…"

"I'm not. Where I come from, I kept myself busy somehow."

"Alright. Let's get started on the floor."

When Ieyasu stepped out of his room, he was met by the strange sight of me that froze him in his tracks.

"Huh? What are you doing crawling around on the floor?"

"Hm? Oh!" With a washrag in my hand, I looked up at Ieyasu like I had been caught redhanded. "No real reason!" I turned away in a fluster and ran off, pushing the rag along the wooden floor as I went, but still listened to Ieyasu when he stopped by a passing maid to ask what I was up to.

"What's going on," Ieyasu asked her.

"She asked if she could help us with the cleaning," she said with a bright smile. "She was very insistent, so I thought it best to let her."

"She's helping you clean?" Ieyasu shook head with an incredulous sigh. Then he started walking down the highly polished corridor.

I wanted to keep my work a secret from Ieyasu. I needed to be more careful from now on. I stopped running when I came to a dead end and let out a sigh.

"Hey, you."

Shoot, he followed me!

I spun around to face Ieyasu's stern expression. I quickly hid the cleaning rag behind my back and tried to act natural. "Good morning!"

"I heard what you're doing. Why, pray tell, are you doing the maid's work?"

So much for paying him back without him finding out. "Well because…I was hoping to repay you."

"Huh?"

"You saved my life, remember?"

"You're unbelievable." Great. It's just as I feared, he's not happy about this. "Don't you realize I'm basically your prison warden? You were so intent on escaping, you ran head first into danger. And now you've just given up?"

"I haven't given up. I thought about what was best for me, and I decided not to run away."

"Do I dare ask why?"

"Even if I ran, I'd have no place to go. And I definitely don't have what it takes to survive on my own out there. Besides, if I escaped, it would cause trouble for a certain someone. So, I've decided to make the best of living here."He'll probably think I'm just trying to lull him into a false sense of security so he'll drop his guard, but… "I won't try to escape again. You can trust me on that."

"I see."

For a moment, I thought I saw a sad look in his eyes. But Ieyasu turned his back on me before I could be sure. "Wait! I promise not to get in your way, so can I keep helping the maids?"

"Do as you like. I don't care." Good. Even if he won't acknowledge it, I can keep paying off my debt to him. "And just so you know, I also don't care if you've decided not to run away."

"Hey, I was just trying to.."

"Run, don't run, do as you please. I simply have no interest in weaklings like you."