Revelry and Fealty
By Saltwater Romance


Chapter One


The air was so thick, it was suffocating me. When my mouth opened, a violent coughing fit escaped. My nostrils tingled and burned; my eyes snapped open when it finally registered to me. Fire! My vision blurred as I blinked back tears caused by the streams of billowing hot smoke.

Wait.

What?

My skin felt damp from a light mist falling from the sky. I was outside?! How did I get here?

I covered my nose to keep myself from inhaling this poison. Where was Hotaru? I frantically searched for her with my distorted vision, but the smoke was becoming unbearable. I'll never be able to reunite with her if I continued to stand here like an idiot! After being in many unfortunate life-or-death situations with her, I knew that my top priority was survival, and later when it was safe, to regroup with her.

As I struggled to my feet, I caught a figure sprawled out as if slumbering about 15 yards away. I crept closer as I made out that he was wearing a suit of ancient Japanese armor. From the corner of my eye, I could see another figure approaching with some sort of walking stick… That was now being held high over the owner's head… No! It was a sword! I was about to witness a murder!

Sparks from the flaming paper walls illuminated the sharp edge of the raised metal blade.

"Hey you! Look out!" I screamed frantically, hoping to wake the man on the floor. Although, dread filled me because if a fire couldn't wake him up, it was inevitable that a yell wouldn't either. Despite not rousing him, the attacker with the sword froze in his tracks. Then, as suddenly as he came, he fled.

Relief filled me as I ran over to the armored man and shook him urgently. He finally woke, eyelids fluttering lazily.

"Who are you?"

Are you joking? I woke up immediately distressed! How is he acting like everything about this situation was normal? If a burning building wasn't enough, he had a whole person out to kill him! I rose to my feet and implored urgently, "No time for introductions. Come on, let's get out of here!"

He didn't move an inch. Impatient from his lack of danger evaluation, "C'mon! Take my hand!"

At last! A reaction! He grabbed my hand. I held tight and hauled him to his feet. I ducked to be closer to the ground, and we ran for our lives through the blaze.

Seven minutes later, and I was amazed; we made it out! I'm not too sure how, but we made it out! The building behind usthough engulfed by uncontrollable flamesstill retained the silhouette of a temple.

This felt so surreal. I had to be dreaming, right? Any moment now, I'll wake up, embarrassed to have passed out at the bar, to Hotaru's concerned face.

The man next to me finally spoke, albeit more to himself than me, "Someone tried to do away with me while I slept? Audacious, but foolish."

A cruel smile played on his lips, "Killing my guards and getting that close to me is another matter."

Now, he turned to me and demanded in a deep timber, "You there. Woman! Let go of me."

I stared at him blankly until he gestured to our connected hands. I fought in vain to keep my cheeks from flushing as I pulled my hand back, "Oh. Sorry."

"You saved my life."

It was a statement, not a question. A thoughtful expression splayed across his harsh features, "You may just be some girl that the monks snuck in for amusement, but I owe you my thanks."

"Really?" taken aback, I snorted, "I must have missed all the amused monks in that massive fire we just escaped."

Who exactly have I just saved?

He was dressed like a star in a samurai drama and spoke like one too. His crimson eyes were proud and brutal. But I could tell by the make of his attire that it was authentic—as authentic as the sword hanging on his belt.

Noticing my appraisal of him, a frown twisted on his lips, "What are you staring at? Surely you know who I am."

"I really don't."

There was no point in lying.

With an arch of an eyebrow, "You saved me without knowing who I am? You're not expecting a reward or favor?"

"It's called being a good samaritan," I muttered under my breath and rolled my eyes. It's a crime to just loiter around and let someone get murdered right in front of you! That would make you an accomplice! I've gotten it this far without a criminal record; I wasn't about to start now!

Taking my reply as a negative, he smirked, but his eyes remained chilly, "So be it. I shall tell you my name. I am the man who will rule all under the sun—"

I held up a hand, a headache suddenly overcoming me. This sounded like I was about to hear a villainous monologue from Team Rocket, "Actually. You know what? I'm not interested. Like at all. You really don't need to tell me."

"What?"

The dumbfounded look on his face transformed into one of amusement, "You're a curious one, woman. No one has ever spoken so impudently to me before."

Then he barked out a loud laugh that echoed far into the night.

I'm sorry. What is happening right now that's remotely funny? There was a burning building behind us that could easily spread fire at any moment. A man just attempted his life, and I have no idea where I am. But he is laughing like I told him the world's best joke? I glanced at his face and shivered; one thing's for surethat wicked smile of his could kill a kitten.

Once his laughter died down, his crimson eyes bored into mine, "You intrigue me, which is almost as worthy of praise as saving my life. I am the Lord of the Azuchi Castle and the Daimyo of Owari, Natsume Hyuuga."

Natsume Hyuuga. He just said his name was Natsume Hyuuga! Though my mind was scrambled from the smoke, his name nonetheless registered. My mouth hung open.

I slowly turned toward the gate of the desecrated temple. A sign on it was engraved with the unmistakable name "Honno-ji."

"Um… W-what year is it?" I managed to stammer out.

Bemused, "It's 1582. Why?"

Knowledge that had been beaten into me since elementary history classes came to mind: in 1582, betrayed by Mochiage, Natsume Hyuuga committed suicide in the temple of Honno-ji.

This had to be a dream!

Wordlessly, I lifted my hand up to my cheek and slapped it. Hard.

Ow. Wincing, I realized that this couldn't be a dream… Unless… It was a super realistic one.

I guess I went back to the past to the precise night of Natsume Hyuuga's death.

I stared at him, horrified.

He lifted an eyebrow in response, "Why did you strike yourself?"

"..."

I couldn't do anything except stare at him. I could feel the blood draining from my face. Maybe I was just drunk. Please, God, tell me that I'm just drunk. But, waking up to the acrid smell of the burning temple had sobered me up. I wasn't drunk. Not by a longshot.

He crossed his arms against his chest, peevish, "I gave you my name. Now, it's your turn."

The Natsume Hyuuga—if he were to be believed—strode forward and took my chin in his hand, forcing me to look him in the eyes.

I shivered. So cold.

His eyes, though crimson like the flames dancing behind us, were devoid of all emotions.

"Give me your name."

Gulping, "Sumire Shouda."

"Sumire huh? It's a beautiful first name," his sneer belied true sincerity.

"Glad you like it. Now let go of me," I barked, his rudeness jerking me back to reality. Five centuries or not, I wouldn't let myself be manhandled if I could help it! I brushed off his hand and put some distance between us. Escaping death? Meeting Natsume Hyuuga? Being launched into the past? My head was spinning, and I was starting to quake. And that was before I heard a large group stomping towards us.

"Natsume, my lord, you're safe!" a voice rang out from a distance.

Who is this now?

A man arriving at the front of a unit of soldiers rushed toward us. His honeyed locks curled prettily around his face, and his hazel eyes were wide with concern.

"Yuu? Why are you here? Where is Koko?"

"Lord Kokoro sent me ahead. He should be here shortly," the man called Yuu took in the sight of the burning temple with a frown, "We received information about an assassination attempt. It appears to have been true. I had my men search the grounds, but whoever it was had already fled."

Without a pause, he gestured to me, "If I may ask, who is this? I saw the two of you leave the temple together."

"Sumire, present yourself to my subordinate," Natsume indicated Yuu with a nod and then waited.

I glanced sideways at Natsume with a scowl. I don't care if he almost united the country or what. Major achievements did not negate major attitude, and I let him know exactly that, "I'm sorry, did I miss the part where I became a subordinate too? I don't have to follow your orders."

"Then you're choosing to disobey me?" a dangerous glint in his eyes.

I swallowed. Hard. My pulse quickened. Well, it was too late to back down now. My sneer matched the coldness of his glare.

"Please, this is on me," Yuu interjected, and with a gentle smile, he dismantled the growing tension, "It was rude of me not to introduce myself first. My name is Yuu Tobita. I serve at the side of Lord Kokoro Yome, Lord Natsume's right-hand man."

Finally, I tore my gaze from Natsume and gave Yuu a grudging smile, "Nice to meet you, I am Sumire Shouda."

This honey haired man seemed kind, which was a welcomed contrast from Natsume. And his name seemed familiar too… But I couldn't delve into that further; his bone structure entirely captured my attention. He was gorgeous-like a model! My fingers started itching, wanting to already sketch designs of clothing for him.

Interrupting my thoughts, Natsume informed Yuu, "I don't know who she is, but she woke me up and saw me to safety."

"She did?!" Yuu then bowed gratefully, embarrassing me, "I can't thank you enough for protecting our lord's life."

"Oh, I just did it without thinking," I waved my hand in front of my face bashfully.

"But what brought you here tonight?" Natsume inquired me suddenly.

Yuu echoed his sentiment, bopping his head up and down, "You don't appear to be a nun. And your dress is unusual. Are you from abroad?"

I glanced down at my attire, wincing. Though most of it was smoke damaged and there were noticeable tears, the shimmering of my gold sequined skirt shone in the moonlight. If my ensemble was considered bold for the bar KNOWN as the place to hook up, I could only imagine what these men thought of me. The only positive thing? I could lie and pretend that my clothing got wrecked in the escapeand not purposely meant to be itty-bitty and micro mini.

"Actually, I'm from a different time than yours altogether."

"What?" both exclaimed, startled.

There was no lie that could possibly normalize my situation. Plus, I knew next to nothing about this time period; I would just slip up and get myself locked up or worsebeheaded! I might as well get everything out in the open, no matter how ludicrous sounding.

"I come from 500 years in the future."

They stared at me, flabbergasted.

Abruptly, Natsume chuckled, "She's a story-teller too. Although, I've never heard such an absurd tale."

Yuu gazed at me sympathetically, "You poor thing. The smoke from the fire was very disorienting, I'm sure."

I shrugged, accepting defeat. If some crazed looking person approached me with that line, I wouldn't believe them either. I guess, they were reacting better than I would; I probably would pepper spray that person in all honesty. Maybe even knee them in the groin and run. From my limited knowledge of movies and TV shows, if someone tells you that they're from the future, something bad was bound to happen. To you. Specifically.

I was probably a terrible omen for them then.

"Sit down over here and get some fresh air," Yuu ushered me to an open spot, "Someone will bring you a change of clothes."

Thank goodness for small favors.

"Once you're freshened up, you'll feel much better," Yuu assured me in a soothing tone.

"Thank you."

When I gave him a quick bow, Yuu took my hands in his, holding them until a soldier approached with a bundle.

"Now let's get you into these, shall we, Lady Sumire?" I really couldn't get enough of his smile. It was like angels were blessing me.

Once I'd finished changing, I stepped out of the tent. Yuu guided me to the center of the hastily assembled camp.

"Wait right here. I'll bring you a warm cup of water to clear your throat."

So thoughtful. Maybe, being here won't be as nerve wracking as I thought. But...With Yuu gone, the only other person nearby was Natsume.

"You clean up well."

Immediately, I tensed.

Not very good at complimenting, I see. The way his eyes appraised me brought a scowl to my face. I turned and kept my gaze on the entrance, waiting for Yuu. The smoke from the temple was starting to clear. Yuu's troops must have put out the fire. It's certainly easier to breathe now. I took a breath of the cool night air.

Someone parted the curtain and entered the camp.

It wasn't Yuu.

"My lord, I see that you are well," an imposing figure approached, though it was more his vibe than build that brought authority. When the two men stood side-by-side, Natsume was uncontestedly broader and taller. However, this man with cropped cocoa hair had eyes like two pools of bleak abysses. What was more disconcerting was his menacing aura-it was even more intense than Natsume's, if that was even possible.

"Mochiage?"

Mochiage? Mochiage! The person who staged a coup d'etat and murdered Natsume?!

"I hurried here when I heard about the attack, but it seems there was nothing for me to worry about," I shivered when I witnessed his smirk. Though Natsume's expressions were cold and harsh, it wasn't nothing compared to the cruel ones of Mochiage.

"You? Worry? Don't make me laugh. I've never even seen you break a sweat."

As I watched Natsume smile at the man that I knew to be his betrayer, another person burst through the curtain.

"Lord Natsume! Are you injured?!" a panicked voice greeted us. The newcomer had unruly sandy hair that shone in the lantern light. He had eyes the color of liquid gold, and his hysteriathough not pleasantwas like a balm to my nerves. Finally, another human being with normal humanand understandable-emotions.

"Koko," Natsume nodded in greeting before answering the question, "The only injury I suffer is the blow to my pride in letting my assailant escape."

"I see," a relieved smile.

Koko? As in Kokoro Yome?!

A yelp escaped from my lips, "And now Kokoro Yome shows up?!"

Oops. Did I say that out loud? Well, it's not like I ever expected to meet two of Japan's unifiersthey predated my time by centuries!and let alone in the same night!

"Aren't we outspoken? Have we met?" Kokoro Yome arched a sardonic brow. All gentleness displayed when greeting Natsume vanished. Now, he was on guard.

Grimacing, I had an answer to my question. Yes. Yes, I did say that out loud. My bad.

"Let her be," Natsume dismissed my outburst, "Her name is Sumire. Oh. And yes, she saved my life."

"You saved Natsume's life…?" Mochiage frowned.

I had to bite my lip to hide a smirk. It looks like I obviously foiled his plan. But before I could think about the consequences of that action, he completed his thought with a tsk, "And you're such a slender thing. But it appears your courage makes up for it."

That was a creepy smile if I've ever saw one.

I'm willing to bet twenty dollars that I just got added to someone's hitlist.

I shuddered.

"Mochu, what are you doing here?" Koko scowled, the temperature dropping several degrees.

"I was wondering the same thing," Mochiage's insincere smirk never wavered, "I didn't know you were in Kyoto. What about the campaign?"

"When I heard about the threat on Lord Natsume's life, I dropped everything to come here," the frown on Koko's face deepened, "But I never heard anything about you being in Kyoto."

"Are you implying something?" Mochiage's voice remained even, his smirk widened in challenge.

"Can you swear before our lord that you weren't plotting anything?" Koko hissed.

Mochiage didn't answer him. The two locked eyes, tension filling the space between them. Discord between Natsume's ranks was palpable, though understandable, I suppose. Mochiage did succeed in killing Natsume in my time. I can assume that his betrayal was already suspected, explaining Kokoro Yome's behavior.

"All men have secrets in these chaotic times. Are you saying you act with no ambition of your own?" Mochiage answered enigmatically.

"Stop being evasive. Confess," Kokoro's nostrils flared. He gripped his sword, ready to draw.

Another normal human being? Scratch that. He's even quicker to murder than those twoand those two looked as villainous as you can get!

"If I find that you played any part in this attack on our lord, Mochu, I'll show you no mercy," Kokoro spat in his direction, and Mochiage's eyes flashed at that sign of total disrespect.

Looks like I need to stop another murder! It's already been an eventful night; let's not add any more complications.

"I don't think it was him!" I blurted out before any swords could be unsheathed.

"What?" both men gawked at me.

I guess they forgot all about my existence.

I straightened my shoulders and explained my reasoning.

"I caught a glimpse of the man who attacked Natsume, but the drape of his" I gestured over to Mochiage, "clothing is all wrong."

Plus, Mochiage's attire was spotless. Unless Mochiage had the forethought to bring an extra pair of clothing, hide it, escape the vicinity while Yuu's soldiers were searching for the attacker, change, and come charging back, then I highly doubt that it was him attempting to land the killing blow on Natsume.

I squinted my eyes at the man. Unless…. Unless he was more insidious than I was giving him credit for…

Before my thoughts could scare me any further, Kokoro scowled, "Sumire was it? Stay out of this."

He then pointed a finger at me accusingly, "We'll settle things with you later and learn why you've schemed to get so close to Lord Natsume."

"Excuse me!" I gasped indignantly, "I was there by chance! I am not the schemer here!"

"Enough Koko!" Natsume finally cut in and interrupted us before Kokoro went on a rampage-was it my imagination or was he frothing at the mouth?

"Regardless of what brings Mochiage here, I am alive and well," he waved a hand in dismissal.

"My apologies, Lord Natsume," Kokoro immediately let go of his sword.

Wow. Whiplash much?

That got through to him? I would hate to see Kokoro by himself, miles away from Natsume then.

"Koko, Mochu. Leave us. I have something to discuss with Sumire."

"With me?" I pointed at my chest. Really? Because I think that discussing the matters of an attempted assassination is more important than talking to me. In terms of accomplishments, I had nothing to bring to the table. Except… Except for the fact that I could lick my elbow. That's honestly my greatest feat in my estimation.

Kokoro and Mochiage stepped aside as Natsume approached.

"Your outlandish tales about coming from the future aside, you saved my life," his crimson eyes glittered, though his expression remained cold, "I'm intrigued by you. You're a woman who carries fortune's favor, of that I'm certain."

"I could definitely argue that"

He pressed a finger to my lips, and I silenced from surprise, "How would you like to rule the world at my side?"

Um.

What?

I stared at him as if he had grown three heads.

This. This was my breaking point to an endlessly weird night.

I started laughing. A maniacal sound filled up the silence. As I doubled over from my hysteria, I rasped out, "Not on your life."

And then I took off sprinting.