Masamune walked in through the door, as he looked over Luciel was sitting up looking around confused. She had been out of it for a few weeks now, her fever had finally gone down. A guard had found her with a fever and Masamune had been taking care of her since. A sly smile crossed his face as he walked towards the bed she was sitting in. "You're finally awake," he said as he sat down next to her, checking her temperature," I will make you something to eat, and don't even think about telling me no. You need to regain your strength now that you are awake," he told her stubbornly as he tied his sleeves back with some rope and began to prepare some porridge for her. All she could do was nod at him, being as he gave her no room to argue. As he was cooking she looked around taking in the sights, she did this where she was since even his staff wouldn't allow her to get out of bed. She let out a sigh, she felt so restless though a smile crossed her face as she saw her bow and satchel set nearby. Masamune had been watching from the corner of his eye, he finished her food placing it on a tray and placed it on her lap," You should smile more kitten, it's a beautiful smile," he told her as he smirked at her shy expression.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about, and why are you calling me that? My name is Luciel, not kitten," she snapped defensively a little embarrassed. Masamune smirked at her," But you remind me of one, I even have to take care of you like Shogetsu," he told her with a teasing smile. Luciel looked at him confused," Shogetsu? Who's Shogetsu?" Just as the words left her mouth a tiger cub came running in and jumped on her. Her eyes widened in surprise," THIS is Shogetsu?!" she asked with a bit of shock and fear at the same time.
"Yep, that's Shogetsu. She's the cutest little thing," he told her affectionately. Luciel was trying to comprehend why he had a tiger cub as a pet. Once bigger, she could become very dangerous. Despite her thinking that, she couldn't deny that the tiger cub was cute. "You can't just let her run around as she pleases, you never know if something will trigger her to become defensive which can get people hurt," Luciel explained sternly. Masamune chuckled," You seem to be quite the worry wort," he picked up Shogetsu so that Luciel could eat her porridge.
As she took a bite, her eyes widened she had not expected it to taste so good. She had always been told that porridge was bitter, but his had, in fact, tasted sweet. She looked up at him as he played with Shogetsu with a smile not thinking he had seen it. Unbeknownst to her, he had been pretending to not look and had seen her smile. He hid his sly smile behind Shogetsu's body.
Realizing that it was getting later, he put the tiger cub down. He looked over at Luciel," I have to go out for a bit, you stay put. I don't want you getting lost or hurt. This place is full of soldiers, it's not a place for a school girl from the future to wander around," he told her sternly as he patted her on the head and walked out the door. Luciel sighed as she finished her porridge and looked at Shogetsu," You're bored too huh? I have an idea that we can both have fun with," she told the tiger cub with a mischievous grin. Shogetsu tilted her head to the side seemingly curious about what she had in mind.
Checking that none of the staff members that Masamune kept around were paying attention, she got dressed and grabbed her bow and motioned for Shogetsu to follow once she put her special gloves on for her archery practice. She had put her hair in a ponytail so it wouldn't get in the way, then the two of them snuck out. Smiling to herself she looked around," This place is pretty big," she muttered to herself. She then saw the archery field, it was the largest she had ever seen. Her eyes had gone wide, like a child that had seen her favorite candy bar. Looking back at Shogetsu, she rushed onto the field to check it out not thinking anyone would be there.
The tiger followed close behind her just as excited as her, " Ok Shogetsu, you have to stay behind me so you don't get hurt ok?" she told the cub sternly. The tiger cub let out a small sound as if to say ok. Smiling, she took her bow out of the case and then her quiver of arrows soon after. Getting into the same stance she had been taught since she was a child, she took an arrow and pulled it back holding the string steady until she was ready and then she released it; the arrow hit the middle of the target.
Around the corner, Ieyasu was watching with interest. Arrow after arrow, it hit the middle. It was clear to him that she had a lot of practice," she has to have been practicing for quite some time to have accuracy like that," he whispered to himself so that he would not be heard. Hearing footsteps approaching, he turned around to Masamune and Nobunaga walking towards him. He rushed over to meet them, holding his finger to his lips to motion for them to be quiet. Confused, the two of them looked at Ieyasu's odd behavior and decided to just follow him. Crouching, the three of them snuck back to where he had been watching Luciel. Shogetsu was laying by her feet a few inches away sleeping like there was nothing in the world to bother her. Luciel, on the other hand, was practicing her archery. Every target across the field had an arrow in the middle of it. Each of their jaws dropped a little, they knew that she knew archery but they had not expected her to be this good at it.
"She sure doesn't listen, I told her to stay in bed since she only just woke up today. Though it seems Shogetsu has taken a liking to her," Masamune whispered. Nobunaga smirked at the remarks Masamune made under his breath. Tired of hiding himself, Nobunaga stood to his full height and walked towards Luciel on the field," You must be restless, just woke up today and here you are taking up my entire archery field with a tiger cub," not hearing him approach Luciel slightly jumped in surprise. Turning to Nobunaga she bowed as he approached and stood back up," I didn't intend to take it over, I can leave if you don't want me to be here," she told him quietly with a little defiance in her voice. Nobunaga tilted his head slightly and despite having seen her put all of those arrows in the targets he wanted to tease her a bit," I want you to prove to me that it was you that put those arrows in those targets, hit each and every one of those targets in the center. Don't disappoint me now," he ordered with a playful smirk forming.
Luciel went wide-eyed at first but with a small sigh, she nodded and retrieved all the arrows she had shot previously and returned to the spot she had been standing. Getting into her stance she inhaled in order to focus, she held her bow upright and took one of the arrows between her finger and thumb pulling it against the string. She held it tightly as she tightened her focus on the target, then she released the arrow. Five times she did this and five times the arrow hit the center of the target. Masamune had been angry that she had not listened to him at first, though now he was entertained by the fact since he got to see one of her talents. Someone that was obedient was boring to him, he thought to himself.
Having done as she was asked, Luciel turned to Nobunaga, " Impressive for a young girl," he told her amused. The constant young girl statements from him annoyed her, she held her tongue as much as she could but she found that she no longer could.
" Will all due respect Nobunaga, I may be a young girl as you keep calling me, but I do have a name. I have told you my name more than once too. I was raised in an archery dojo, so it isn't any surprise to me that I can hit the bullseye each time I release my arrow. I show you the respect you are owed, so I want you to show me the same," she snapped at him angrily," I may not be a lord or some other high ranked person but I am still a person with a name." She then bowed, collected her arrows and put them back in her case with her bow and walked off angrily with Shogetsu following behind her.
They all stood there in surprise, she hadn't even waited for him to respond before she walked off. They looked at Nobunaga to gauge his mood to know if they should say something to her or not. He shook his head in disbelief, though he wasn't scowling about it in fact, he was grinning about it," What an interesting girl we have on our hands," he said so the other two could hear him.
Masamune couldn't help but agree with him, though he felt he had better find her before she finds actual trouble. It wasn't as safe as it seemed around where they were. Especially, outside of the castle walls and that is where he feared she may go. Excusing himself he ran after Luciel and his tiger cub, causing Nobunaga to only grin more.
"That one will have him caught without even trying soon enough," he told Ieyasu as he turned around. Ieyasu rolled his eyes, not caring much for Nobunaga's entertainment in watching Masamune and Luciel's interactions. "Lord Masamune, perhaps it would be beneficial to asking her to aid our cause against Kenshin, with accuracy like that..." Nobunaga stopped walking and turned to face Ieyasu," Do you think she could kill someone? Do you think she has a reason to kill? Asking someone her age to kill is no simple matter. Especially given that she is not from our time," Nobunaga told Ieyasu with a stern expression.
Ieyasu thought for a moment and realized that he was right, she was from a time of peace she could panic or worse if she had actually killed someone. He took in a breath and exhaled," You are right m'Lord. I had forgotten that she was not from our time. Her skills impressed and moved me," he admitted as he bowed his head.
Nobunaga nodded to him," Yes her skills are impressive, she is not yet eighteen though, I would not wish someone of her age to take a life," he closed his eyes for a moment as he said this and turned around and continued walking back to the castle with Ieyasu not far behind.
Meanwhile, under the cover of the forest trees, Masamune had managed to catch up with Luciel," Hold for a moment, Luciel. Though I am disappointed that you did not listen to me, I can understand why you did not at the same time. How about you come with me to see the town?" He offered with that same sly smile he always had.
Luciel stopped walking and turned and looked at him," You mean you are not mad at me?" she asked quietly. Masamune shook his head, his smile not faltering. She thought for a moment," I wouldn't mind seeing the town. It is quite a bit different compared to places where I live," she said with a smile. Masamune felt his heart quiver from that smile of her's. He shook his head remembering that she was not from this time. Taking a breath in and back out he lead Luciel around the town to see all the sights there. It was like watching an excited child in a way, she seemed to know about their time at least a little bit since she made comments about certain items she saw.
When they had reached the fabric shop he stopped, she looked at him confused. He brought her to the shopkeeper," I want her to pick fabric out for the best kimono you can manage to make," the shopkeeper nodded swallowing hard. Without even asking her, he lead her around his shop. Giving in to the fact that she wasn't being given a choice in the matter, she looked at the fabrics. Only stopping when she saw a purple one with golden butterflies on it and then again for a fancier red kimono with black butterflies going up from the bottom. "Ring both of them up for me," Masamune told the man with a smile. Have two kimonos made for her using each of the fabrics she chose," he told the man. The shopkeeper nodded and thanked him for his business and the two of them went on their way.
"Why did you do that for me, Masamune?" Luciel asked once they were away from the stores. He smiled at her," Like I want you running around in such revealing clothes," he responded as he motioned at her skirt.
She turned away from him her cheeks puffing slightly," I can understand but just know it's a school uniform and I rather detest it," she informed him. Masamune looked at her confused," Not sure what this school is but they have bad taste if that is what they have you wear," he told her as he shrugged leading her somewhere else. She hadn't noticed until now but he had been carrying a bag in his hand this entire time.
"Masamune, what is that bag for?" She asked as they walked deeper into the forest. He simply smirked, " You will see soon enough," he teased. Not much longer and they reached what looked to be a checkpoint. Excited calls to him were heard as they saw him approaching.
"He brought the princess!" One of the men had been heard shouting excitedly. Confused by this Luciel turned and looked at Masamune. He shrugged, "it's what they call you since I have been taking care of you," he explained thinking nothing of it.
"Well, I appreciate you looking after me but I am no princess," she tells him as a look of mischief reaches her eyes. He smirked at her, handing the bag of food to one of his men, he chased her around the trees. Shogetsu enjoying the playtime as she saw it ran with the two of them.
"Luciel watch out for that ledge!" Masamune had called out to her, though she had not heard it in time and fell into the water below. Her case holding her bow flew upward and the strap got caught on a branch.
Seeing her fall Masamune rushed to the ledge to make sure she wasn't hurt. She looked up at him in amusement," I thought you said I was the worry wort," she teased. Shaking his head with a smile he slid into the water with her.
The moment he reached the water a splash fight had begun. The two of them jumping this way and that as they splash each other with water. His men could only watch the two, enjoying seeing their Lord seeming so at peace. With all the commotion, his eye patch had slid off of his face. It revealed a closed eye with a scar above and below it.
She gasped in surprise, though instead of being revolted by it she walked closer to him and ran her finger over the scar. This caused Masamune to flush red in the face, without thinking he had pulled her close and kissed her. Eyes wide, she pushed away from him and was soon running back up to the land. She jumped to get her case and was running in the other direction.
Having not expected that response Masamune sat in the water for a minute and then picked up his eye patch and replaced it. Tilting his head to each side to empty water from his ears, he made his way to the campfire his men were surrounding.
"M'Lord, I think she was just surprised," one of the soldiers said in an attempt to comfort him. Masamune shook his head," No, I think there is more to it than just that," he told the man with the sound of defeat in his voice. With that, he made his way back to Oda Castle.
At the gates, Hideyoshi was standing there as if waiting for him.
"Where is Luciel?" Masamune asked as he approached him. Hideyoshi looked at him as if he had just been punched, "What do you mean? She was with you I thought," Masamune looked at Hideyoshi bewildered," We have to find her before it gets dark," he declared as he ran off towards his estate to see if she was there. Hideyoshi nodded and ran in the other direction towards the town.