Chapter 3: It Came and Went-Aname

Aname was rudely awoken by the loud and worried Voice of Karia. Aname was still having a hard time controlling her breathing and opened her eyes slowly. When she had finally opened her eyes all the way she was looking straight at boss Masamune as he was carrying her. Masamune laid her down on one of the empty beds in the clinic house. Karia was next to her looking wide eyed at the blood that was now staining the sheets of the bed. As much as the gash on her back hurt there was only one thing she could think of. "Where's Master Katakura?"

She looked at the boss's face and saw only pain and sadness in it. She looked down to see master Katakura's sword tightly clenched in his hands. His knuckles were white and his body was shaking from the effort it took for the boss not to burst out. He took a deep breath and said, "Kojuro's been kidnapped by the Toyotomi army." Aname closed her eyes tight as the gash in her back sent another wave of pain down her spine. "Aname are you alright your crying?" Aname quickly bushed the tears onto her sleeve. "I'm fine Lord Masamune it just hurts."

One of the female medic came rushing over asking the boss to wait outside. Carefully Karia helped the medic take of her shirt. The back of the shirt was stuck to her back because of the blood. Then Karia asked, "You're not crying because of your injury are you Aname? Its master Katakura that has you all worked up am I right?" Her voice was quiet and Aname knew that she was really worried. Aname didn't hide the tears once the boss had left the room. She didn't care what the medic thought and Karia had seen her cry before.

"Karia I…I don't know what it is but master Katakura…" Karia shook her head and put a finger to her lips. "It's okay Aname I know what you're trying to say. Aside from me master Katakura is the first person you've shown any kind of affection for since you mother and your brother died. You have a right to cry Aname and you don't have to hide it. You don't even need to hide it from lord Masamune. Nobody will think your weak for crying."

"Karia I am weak. I was too weak to help him. That bastard Hanbe has him now and who know what he could be doing to him right now!" Karia just looked to the floor without a word. After the medic was done wrapping the bandages around the gash on her back lord Masamune was allowed back in. He came and sat down and just like Karia he was silent. Then lord Masamune held out his hand and still clutched in his hand was master Katakura's katana.

"Aname take his katana and use it as your weapon until we get Kojuro back." Aname was confused. Why wouldn't lord Masamune want to keep the sword of his Right Eye and his best friend. "Lord Masamune I couldn't take master Katakura's sword! If he isn't able to use it then you should be the one to hold on to it."

Lord Masamune shook his head. "There are two reasons you should have it; the first being the fact that along with Kojuro your katana went missing, and the second being that Kojuro would want you to have a good weapon at your side not just a couple of ninja tools." Aname nodded and took the katana gripping the hilt just as tightly as lord Masamune had. Then she took a deep breath and asked, "Lord Masamune as a shinobi I ask you to let me go after Hanbe and get Kojuro back?" Masamune shook his head. "No not in the condition you in at the moment. You need rest and the gash in your back looked pretty bad. I want Kojuro back just as much if not more than you do but….." Aname curled the hand not on the sword into a fist. "But what?" Karia put her hand on her shoulder and cleared her throat to speak. "Aname your injured you need to wait a few days before you go off on a rescue mission."

Aname sighed and leaned back against the pillows. She had to admit that they were right and even though she knew what Hanbe was capable of she knew that Kojuro was going to have to wait. Masamune stood up and walked over to the door. As he was walking out he turned his head back around to face Aname. "Oh and by the way when you are well enough you will be going to Kai and Echigo before you try going to Odawara. Aname knew exactly what he meant. Lord Masamune was telling her to go and ask for help from the Sanada and Uesugi ninja's. Did he think she was not capable of doing this herself or was he worried about her? She laughed to herself there was no way Lord Masamune was worried about her he just isn't the type.

"Wow Aname Lord Masamune actually gave you master Katakura's sword! Either he likes you or master Katakura dose." She looked over at Karia who was looking excited and suspicious at the same time. "Oh please Karia this is serious! And what the hell gave you the idea that either of them liked me! I'm just an officer of the Date nobody special!" Karia could be so ridiculous sometimes it made Aname want to hit her in the back of the head. Karia rolled her eyes and grinned. "Come on Aname I know you're blonde but you're not blind." Aname smacked the back of her head and regretting it two seconds later after her back wound reminded her it was still there. "Ow ow ow ow ow shit!" She laid back down slowly and then regretted her actions even more once lord Masamune entered the room. "Aname are you alright in here?" She nodded her head but didn't dare try sitting up again. Karia who was still rubbing the back of her head replied, "Yea I just got hit in the head which wasn't one of her more brilliant plans of action."

Lord Masamune looked at the two girls with an eyebrow raised. His mouth opened slightly as if he were about to speak but then she just shook his head and walked out laughing. Aname caught the last thing he said before he completely left. "I will never understand some people." The comment made Aname smile. Of course he would never understand The two because Her and Karia were two of a kind and that was for sure.

Aname slept uncomfortably that night due to the pain in her back and her constant worrying for Kojuro. She wanted to go after him so badly but she was stuck confined to this bed while she recovered. Aname also hoped that Kojuro wasn't worried about her. She remembered the shock and fear in his voice as he ran to catch her before she hit the ground. She also remembered hearing one soldier mention that she was as good as dead while she was slipping in and out of consciousness. She also felt a twinge of awkwardness as she turned to see Kojuro's sword still laying in her lap since she hadn't put it down after lord Masamune gave it to her. She pulled the blade out of the sheath and looked at the blade. She saw her bedraggled self reflected in it. Her hair was all kinds of a mess and she could see hints of blood still on the sheets from her attempt at hitting Karia.

Aname couldn't help but think of the way he looked at her when they sparred earlier that day. He seemed to be completely focused on her but not the fight itself. And then she wondered if Karia was right and Kojuro did have feeling for her. You idiot don't think like that! It's completely ridiculous! Master Kata- Kojuro would never let himself get distracted from a fight and he certainly would have any feeling for a girl he hardly knows! She shouldn't let anything like that get to her so easily. She sheathed the katana and laid it against the bed and pulled the covers over her head. She needed sleep but she had a bad feeling that sleep wasn't going to come. The only thing she could think about was him, and she didn't know if that was good thing or a bad thing.