Ieyasu
Roof top to Roof top Ieyasu followed behind Leone as they tracked their target down. The drug lord they knew they had to take out or he would go into hiding never to be seen again. Resting on one of the ornate roofs Leone sniffed the air thanks to her Tiegus power enhancing her senses. "I can smell it, the narcotic it's somewhere nearby" Leone said. Ieyasu nodded looking to see if he could get some sort of clue from the people below. Most of the brothels had guards outside as expected but they were uniformed rather regularly. Black shirts and pants, the guy they were looking for was flashy he flaunted his wealth freely so it was obvious that he would have better security. Ieyasu tapped Leone's shoulder and pointed below them to two guards in fine suits and wired ear pieces to their ear. Leone smirked and nodded running to the edge of the building leaping to the next one. Ieyasu followed close until they reached their target building. Taking her big furry hands Leone dug her claws on the tiles and with a grunt pulled off a chunk of ceiling.
"Ugh it smells terrible" Ieyasu said, the narcotic had an awful smell. No doubt the people smoking it inside had plenty of it just floating around. Leone was the first in crawling on all fours like a cat. Ieyasu followed closely behind trying not to stare at Leone's wiggling butt.
"You're doing that on purpose" he whispered. He heard her snicker as they continued. Passing by some rooms slightly see through ceilings Ieyasu blushed doing his best to ignore the moans and cries of pleasure from below. Getting to a big enough space where the support beams lifted the roof higher they found a main room with ceiling tiles that could be removed. On a knee Leone waved him over and they slid a tile away. A thick purple like smog filled the room and quite a bit of whores were in there doing, what Ieyasu had wet dreams about to each other. In the center was a furnace looking device that was spewing the narcotic into the room. Closing the panel before it activated Leone scowled with killing intent radiating off her.
"Those bastards doing this to them" she growled, so much so that it almost sounded like a lioness. Ieyasu put his hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry sis we can do this" he said assuring her. Leone took a breath and smiled kindly at him.
"Alright let's get this scum bag" Leone said and they moved to the room over to hear a conversation.
"So what do you think boss?" a goon if Ieyasu had to guess asked.
"If that blue haired bitch comes back here, she might try to shut down our operation" the boss in question said. Ieyasu hummed questionably at who they could be talking about.
"I don't think you have to worry about that" another more cool controlled voice said.
"Why is that?" the boss asked irritated.
"If she is coming back here it's because of those Night Raid guys, she will be put to hunt them down specifically, you can continue on about your business" the cool voice said.
"The hell do you know? Your just a sellsword so stick it where the sun don't shine" the goon said.
"I know more than you fool" the sellsword said.
"Oh yeah? You piece of shit!" the goon said and a scuffle was heard.
"Knock it off both of you!" the boss roared.
"I know more than you because someone in the ceiling has been listening to our conversation this whole time." Leone's ears twitched and Ieyasu felt the killing intent from the sellsword guy. Leone went left and Ieyasu took right as they rolled off from the ceiling as shots went by where were a second ago. Rolling to a stop and unsheathing Alastor Ieyasu stood at the ready to meet his opponents. The goon was in a black suit and was bald. He reached into his jacket. Like lightning Ieyasu closed the distance slashing upward he took the goons hand off.
"GYAAHHH!" He screamed Ieyasu followed up turning using the momentum for a full swing cutting the men in half at the waist. Leone herself punched a goon so hard his face was caved in and she turned delivering a powerful kick that decapitated the other man. Ieyasu went for the boss but that guy he heard stepped in. he was wearing a dark brown hat, and held two revolvers at his hip and a sword across his back. Revolvers out he fired with his right at Ieyasu with his left he fired on Leone, his training paying off Ieyasu was able to predict the killing intent and blocked the fired shots. He placed his sword in the right places blocking all six. Grinning the man threw his gun at Ieyasu who blocked it with his sword but the gun exploded in a flash.
"Damn it!" Ieyasu cursed the bright flash blinding him. Swinging Alastor before him the sellsword stood his ground as Leone attacked him. Leone yelled in pain and Ieyasu cursed opening his eyes with dark spots in his vision he managed to make out Leone holding her stomach bleeding. Ieyasu charged enraged at seeing his friend hurt.
"You bastard!" Alastor ready Ieyasu charged. The sellsword threw his other gun at Ieyasu.
"It won't work again!" the gun this time exploded with a concussive force that knocked Ieyasu aside. Rolling to a stand Ieyasu felt his head was killing him.
From the cloud of smoke the sellsword charged with the sword he had on his back. It was a long sword, simple in design but it cut all the same. Ieyasu clumsly parried the attack and was pushed back before being forced into a sword lock.
"Not bad kid, guess Night Raid has some strong people" smirked Ieyasu's opponent gritting his teeth Ieyasu pushed the man back.
"A'll show you strength!" roared Ieyasu and swung Alastor with great strength clashing swords. The two danced a deadly dance of parrying and avoiding lethal cuts.
"Max-HAGH" the man the sellsword was hired to protect choked as Leone smirked recovered and choked the life out of the boss.
"What!? You should be dead!" Max said distracted long enough for Ieyasu strike. Max had good instincts apparently as he blocked the attack but Ieyasu pivoted at the waist and brought his elbow to the side of Max's face disorienting him. Pulling Alastor back Ieyasu stabbed the sword through the Sellsword's heart.
"Guh…" the man spewed up some blood and then went limp against the sword. Ieyasu slid the sword out watching the body fall.
"H-hey come on now" the boss tried prying Leone's big furry claws off him.
"I-I can pay you good! Night Raid always needs some cash right! gah can't fight a revolution without cash" Ieyasu was disgusted if he thought he could buy his way out of this. Leone shifted her eyes at him and Ieyasu simply nodded.
"N-no!" Leone broke his neck with a sickening snap.
"Target eliminated" said Ieyasu with cold professionalism. Leone was silent for a moment.
"Ah come on you starting to sound like Akame!" she said finally putting him in a head lock.
"Gak! Hey I still need my head!" he complained, Leone only laughed patting his head.
"Come on let's get out of here!" she said they climbed up the ceiling again. Outside from a different roof top Ieyasu and Leone watched as local CDF forces closed down the brothel.
"You think they will be okay?" Ieyasu asked concerned for the whores. He couldn't help it they might not like the job but it was a job they could feed themselves.
"Chances are they will just go work at another brothel don't worry about them" Leone said but Ieyasu could tell it was bothering her. He lifted his hand and reached to pat her shoulder but he noticed her grin and shift her body so his hand landed on her breast.
"Pervert" she said, and Ieyasu pulled his hand back like he just touched a hot pan.
"Hey you moved!" he accused blushing turning from Leone. Who laughed and hugged him from behind her ears twitching excitedly. She purred as Ieyasu felt her breast pressed up the back of his head.
"You're so easy! Now come on treat big sis to a drink!" Leone said.
"I don't think the boss will want you delivering the report drunk" Ieyasu said patting her furry paws as Leone pouted her ears folding flat against her head disappointed.
"Fine lets go home then" she said and they made the trip out of the capital.
Making it to their hide out Ieyasu and Leone reported to their leader Najenda, she was a former Imperial Army General before she had chosen to rebel. Humming Najenda lit a cigar taking a long puff and exhaling.
"Well good job you two, but I need to call a meeting concerning something with your report" Najenda said and Leone and Ieyasu looked at each other Leone shrugged and they sat in the meeting table at the center of the room. A red flag of Night Raid hanging in the room behind the boss chair where she sat smoking with a few papers in a file before her. The rest of Night Raid joined them sitting down in their chairs. Akame, Mine, Sheele and, Ieyasu and Leone. A chair remained empty which belonged to this person Akame had been closed too and died. He promised her though he almost died once and he wasn't about to do so again he promised he would bring peace for them all.
"Well it seems we aren't the only ones to know now but, General Esdeath is coming to the capital" Najenda said. Everyone looked startled by revelation but Ieyasu himself didn't know who that was, so he lamely raised his hand.
"Who's that?" he asked Mine rolled her eyes at him.
"An Armature and a hick, now you can add clueless to that" Mine said leaning on her open palm on the table.
"What!? We can't all have been assassins forever!" Ieyasu growled, he and Mine always argued over something or other.
"Enough both of you" the boss said with an edge to her voice. They both quieted down.
"To answer your question Ieyasu, Esdeath is known as the Empire's Strongest. She has led few campagins but all of them end in the utter defeat of the enemy." Najenda's one good eye narrowed as she spoke of this General.
"She is a sadistic woman, who loves to torture and make her enemies watch as she destroys all that they love. She then lets them go in hopes of instigating further rebellion against the empire" Najenda finished and Ieyasu felt his fist curl up in anger. How can someone be so cruel, people like that deserve to die he thought darkly.
"She is beyond strong, and is thanks to her I have this machine as an arm as well as my eye being gone" Najenda said with a vindictive tone. Ieyasu frowned thinking how they were going to fight this opponent that no doubt was going to be used to hunt them down.
Tatsumi
Tatsumi looked at the scar on his left hand and flexed it checking for any pain that might hinder the use of his hand. He found no such problems and grinned closing his fist standing up from his seat on the General's cot. Rather he should say their cot as the General or well Esdeath she insisted on being called by him. He wasn't sure what to think of his situation, on the one end he was now in a high position working with a high ranking General. After speaking with Esdeath she told him his regular commission as a soldier would double. With that much money he would save his family and village in no time, not to mention he had to send a letter about Sayo to her parents. The problem was whenever he tried to sit down and write it he would always break down and never get beyond 'Dear.'
Tatsumi put on his uniform Esdeath said she would get him one to match her Three Beast whenever they returned to the Capital. Speaking off Tatsumi was a bit tired from the long trip from the North. They left most of the army behind to finish subjugating the North. Not to mention Tatsumi had watched both the impressive and horrible power of Esdeath as she buried the capital and her inhabitants under an avalanche. Every now and then Tatsumi would still hear the scream of the people in his mind but the moment he had seen the eyes of those men. The eyes of the men that where defending Prince Numa Seika. Tatsumi understood one thing. There would never be peace so long as there was rebellion, so Tatsumi was sure the reason Esdeath was returning to the Capital had to do with that assassin group called Night Raid. Ieyasu thought Tatsumi a little gloomy.
"Hey man you seem down how about a fight to get your spirits up!" Daidara said coming up to him. The man had let himself into Esdeath's tent. Or well their tent, but Tatsumi was sure he was going to be hard pressed to get commutable with the idea. All protest against the move had been properly ignored by Esdeath and Tatsumi just decided not to get on her bad side by denying her.
"I think the General sent you here for other reasons Daidara" grinned Tatsumi. He learned early on a simple man had simple taste, Daidara liked fighting and not much else so both had found a sparring partner with each other. Tatsumi tried to stay away from that Nyua kid though when he learnt of his sick habit of taking peoples skin he wanted nothing to do with him. Worst Esdeath seemed to allow such a thing. He was glad to know Daidara didn't like that as well.
Then there was General Liver Tatsumi hadn't gotten the chance to talk to him yet. He wanted to tell him about his father, his father always talked highly of him and Tatsumi couldn't wait to get to know more from him.
"She did! The General said she wants me to test you out!" Daidara said bringing his axe out. Tatsumi smirked and picked up Incursio by the cot slinging the sheathed sword across his back.
Liver
The sword the boy wielded looked just as Liver remembered it. However why Bulat would let the boy join the military was beyond him. There seemed to be no reason for it when Prime Minister Honest could have the boy killed. Then again the boy was now Generl Esdeath's lover something the lad had been shocked to find out. He almost smiled when he had seen the lad react to his General calling him his lover without his input. But if there was one thing Liver understood about his chosen leader was that she always got what she wanted and she seemed to want the lad. He hadn't asked the boy's name and he still only had Honest's description of the lad. Liver was leaning on a tree in the clearing they had set up camp in a clearing of a Northern forest. The snow was behind them and Liver was thankful for that his old bones weren't as resistant as they used to be. He watched the boy and Daidara spar both of them with grins on their faces.
"Tatsumi, your potential to grow is immense" his General walked up next to him crossing her arms watching the young man fight Daidara with all his might.
"I believe so, he is strong can see it" Liver meant it. The way the boy fought he kept adjusting his fighting technique every time was similar to the Tiegu Liver was sure he possessed.
"So will you tell me what you know about him? Or will I have to make it into an order" Eseath grinned as she kept staring at Tatsumi fight. Liver was not surprised he was waiting for her to come to him about it, he knew she would ask and he wanted to tell her before she did but he had to be sure, he still wasn't.
"I'm sorry General Esdeath, but I believe he is a boy my old comrade took under his wing before he retired" Liver said. He felt his insides twist, while it wasn't a lie out right he wished to tell her everything. But that fat bastard might do something he was perhaps the only person he knew that wasn't afraid to act against General Esdeath. But he would do so and have someone take the fall as well he wished for the General to find happiness with the lad if she so wanted to. Esdeath felt he was holding something back but she knew her subordinates enough to know that they would in time tell her. Such was their respect for her and even love of a few who were bold enough to say it.
"I see was this friend of yours the original owner of that Imperial Arm?" she asked and Liver nodded.
"Yes Bulat the 100 man slayer. Granted it was 128" Liver said with a fondness of talking about that young man he had taken under his wing.
"The missing Tiegu from the vault that never got returned" the General said and smirked.
"According to your report he died in battle his Tiegu lost" Liver closed his eyes and nodded.
"He left in less than good circumstances from the Imperial Army, it was the least I could do for the man I called a son" Liver and his wife had one child. Maximus he was in the Western fronts right now a Lieutenant with his own command. When Liver had been taken prisoner he had demanded his release but the fake evidence presented to him had turned his own son against him. It was thanks to General Esdeath he lived and his son had been hostile against him since.
"I see, he raised a fine warrior, to be able to catch my heart with one smile" Liver saw the General blush and act more feminine that he had ever seen her his entire time under her service.
"I hope he meets your expectations General, I shall do my best help you realize his potential" Liver bowed before her and the General looked his way and nodded walking off to the fight that was dying down. Both Daidara and Tatsumi bent over sweaty and breathing heavy.
Tatsumi
"Do you give up yet guy?!" Daidara smirked.
"I was about to ask the same!" Tatsumi smirked one eye closed as he smirked Daidara's way. Both readied for another clash when Esdeath walked into their little makeshift arena.
"You will have to call it a draw Daidara, I'm taking Tatsumi to hunt Danger Beast for a feast!" the soldiers going about their business in the camp yelled in approval.
"General! Let us join the hunt! We can bring down a big Danger Beast" her men said. Esdeath smirked crossing her arms glad her men where all eager to join on the hunt.
"Very well! Let's see who can bring the biggest Danger Beast the north is rich in S class Danger Beast, so let's see what we can feast on!" Esdeath swept her hand out and the men yelled and quickly began setting up and forming huntring parties. Tatsumi himself felt a thrill from the words and he would not deny Esdeath was good at inspiring courage with simple words. He didn't get to see her fight in action during the Siege of the north but if he used that avalanche she caused as reference he could only imagine her power.
"Tatsumi let's go we will be hunting together" Esdeath said excitedly like a young girl going on a date.
"R-right" Tatsumi said scratching the back of his head sheathing Incursio he followed Esdeath to the edge of the camp to get horses from the horse master and they rode into the forest. He was glad he talked his father into teaching him how to ride now, otherwise he would have fallen and broken his neck now. Or worst Esdeath would have made him ride with her, he didn't need more embarrassed moments to have his comrade's laugh at. Riding through the forest for about an hour they came up to another clearing stopping at the center. He watched her stare at her surroundings before looking at Tatsumi.
"Do you see that?" Esdeath asked, Tatsumi looked around remembering how his father taught him to hunt Danger Beast.
"It's still even the bugs are still, something must have passed here" Tatsumi said. Esdeath smirked and he could practically see the thrill that went up her spine as she straighten out looking at him.
"Tatsumi you really are the perfect choice for me, you even know how to hunt Danger Beast" she said sighing dreamily. Tatsumi blushed despite himself, at the compliment.
"Well my dad and I used to hunt Danger Beast all the time it was the only way we could afford to keep the village fed." Tatsumi explained.
"So you and your father provided for the entire village? A bit like my own father" she mumbled. Tatsumi was about to ask her about that but she held her hand up to shush him.
"There!" exclaimed the General and her horse galloped after the noise she heard. Riding after her Tatsumi was low against his horse the forest brush got thicker as he followed Esdeath. Another clearing was before them but this one was different destroyed trees marked the land scape and muddy prints where by a cave against a cliff side.
"Whatever Danger Beast it is it must be hiding in that cave" dismounting their mounts Tatsumi drew Incursio as he stepped beside Esdeath, he found he was rather short next to her his eyes lining up just above her shoulders. Then gain her boots had heels so perhaps without them he would be about as tall as her chin. Holding her chin Esdeath looked expectantly at the cave, Tatsumi tried peering into the cave but it was pretty dark.
"Can't see a thing…wait" he felt a slight tremor nothing more than a vibration shaking pebbles in place but still felt. Tatsumi blinked as pair of blue eyes stared at him. A gust of wind hit them both Tatsumi and Esdeath put a foot back as the wind picked up. Tatsumi gritted his teeth lifting his arm as dust started to fly up from the cave emerged a blue scaled dragon. Tatsumi watched Esdeath stand tall her hair wiping about her hand holding her Generals cap down as she smirked into the beasts eyes. Tatsumi at that moment realize how powerful she really was as she stood tall and proud against the Danger Beast.
"It's a dragon!" Exclaimed Tasumi as the dragon finally took off and began circling around them.
"Tatsumi over here!" exclaimed Esdeath and Tatsumi got ear her and she knelt on the ground putting her hands to it. Tatsumi got to see her Tiegu up close and personal as she formed a pillar of Ice climbing them over the tree bed. Tatsumi was neigh speechless as he watched the display of power.
Esdeath
Esdeath watched with bubbling glee as Tatsumi looked with that cute innocent face, eyes wide at her power. She knew she was powerful and she had flaunted her power around to her enemy's to receive the obvious praise from enemy and friend alike. But to see Tatsumi baffled by her exploit only made her blood rush more as she wanted to show more to Tatsumi! She wanted to show him how one day he would be capable of great feats like this and more when she finished training him. She would mold him into the perfect general he might even surpass her if she did her part right.
Tatsumi
Tatsumi watched the dragon come for them and he readied to activate Incursio when he felt a strong hand on his wrist. "No Tatsumi you will not need your Teigu, be prepare to fight with all you have without it!" exclaimed Esdeath. Putting her hands out like a triangle she called forth her power and Tatsumi watched as thousands of icicles formed around the air.
"WEISSSCHNABLE!" Esdeath called out leaning her back arching gracefully her hands spread she brought them forward and the icicles fired at their target. Tatsumi flipped Incursio once and spread his stance ready as he watched the projectile hit their mark. Most of the icicles smashed against the scales harmlessly but a few punctured the wings and the beast started to lose altitude but not before aiming for their pillar. The beast hit the pillar smashing it sending it tumbling down. Esdeath reached to grab Tatsumi, but Tatsumi instead rand the opposite direction as the pillar fell and became more even he ran on it. Esdeath cursed and created another pillar to meet her fall. She watched Tatsumi run along the pillar before jumping.
"I WILL GIVE IT MY ALL HYAAAHHHH!" Tatsumi jumped with all his might unto the Dragon's back. Stabbing Incursio through the scales he held on as the Dragon roared landing and bring some trees down with it. As soon as the dragon landed and was stunned for the moment Tatsumi pulled Incursio back red with the dragon's blood and he ran forward along the neck jumping up and bringing his sword down to slash at the dragon's head. Moving its head aside Tatsumi slashed the right side of its face severing the eye making it howl in pain and thrash around. Landing the dragon stood turned and reared jaws opened to take Tatsumi in one gulp. Tatsumi cursed as like a snake it struck fast but it was deflected as a jagged wall of ice appread before him. Turning to the side he saw Esdeath rapier drawn smirking as she had a hand to the ground. Tatsumi nodded his thanks gripped Incursio and ran to the side jumping over the Wall Tatsumi ran for the Dragon. The Draon lifted its claw and struck at Tatsumi who leaped over it. Esdeath used a pillar to propel herself skyward bringing her hand back she used another of her skills.
"GRAUHORN!" she declared making a huge ice horn stepping on the top she went with it as it stabbed down stabbing unto the beast claw nailing it to the ground. Tatsumi ran under the beast and with all his might gave a slash at the trapped leg with a mighty arc of Incursio. The beast cried in pain loud enough to make some birds resting on the trees some distance away take to the skies. With her long Rapier Esdeath jumped down and span giving the limb another cut severing it from the beast. Pulling the dragon was tossed on its back. I got it! Tatsumi thought he looked to Esdeath and an unmentioned message passed between them standing beside him Esdeath put her hand to the ground again another Ice pillar propelled Tatsumi up and he jumped off it tossed into the air flipping Incursio once for good luck, like a missile Tatsusmi dove for the Dragon's exposed chest to hit the heart.
"FALL!" Tatsumi roared and fell on the dragon driving Incursio to the hilt into the beast's heart. A mighty roar of pain echoed before the beast went limp its long neck falling. A moment of silence passed and Tatsumi grinned thrusting his fist into the air.
"Alright! We did it!" he looked on with a smile at Esdeath. The General grinned charmingly at him as they saw their prey dead before them.
"Well I don't think I have ever eaten dragon but I hope it taste good" Tatsumi said. He cleaned Incursio with a cloth in his coat. Esdeath however seemed to be in her own little world as she was looking up into the air before blushing and throwing herself at Tatsumi hugging him smashing his face into her cleavage.
"Ah Tatsumi that was so romantic! We were so in tuned with one another's move so well it must be fate!" Esdeath gushed as Tatsumi blushed suffocating in between her ample cleavage.
"I ghant breath" the muffled words sounded from her chest. Esdeath pulled back holding Tatsumi at arm's length.
"What was that?" she asked still smiling.
"Couldn't breathe" gasped Tatsumi making Esdeath giggle behind her fist.
"Well let's return to the horses, I think it's fair to say we won this one" Tatsumi said. They walked back to the cave rather calmly by the beast as expected the horses had bolted. Giving a loud whistle Esdeath claimed they would return after hearing that. Tatusmi blinked once looking around for a second.
"What is it?" asked Esdeath, she couldn't sense any sort of killing Intent or a Danger Beast. Tatsumi looked around confused he could have sword he heard something.
"I thought I heard something" he said Esdeath using her sharper skills listened and she heard it. She pointed to the cave and Tatsumi turned to it, he walked to it and Esdeath allowed him to see what it was. He disappeared into it Esdeath debated going for a second until she heard Tatsumi exclaimed in pain.
"Ouch" he said as he walked out of the cave back facing her walking to him he turned as he was shaking a hand out. In his arms was a small slithering creature with tiny wings yelping about and snapping its tiny fangs at Tatsumi when he tried to pet it.
"Uhm looks like this little guy might need help" he said sheepishly. Esdeath smiled and offered her hand to the beast and it seemed to sniff it before clambering on it. The creature curled up in her arm nuzzling against her ample chest.
"Oh so you won't bite her eh? Smart guy" Tatsumi said with a grin.
"It's a she Tatsumi, and she doesn't bite me because she can smell my power she knows I am superior to it. Danger Beast are fascinating creatures able to tell their betters by one look" Esdeath explained.
"Man, I guess I have a long way to go then" Tatsumi said. He may not return the romantic feelings of his general but he did admire her strength and Tatsumi finally decided maybe it wasn't so bad to be her partner.
Now if he could only convince her to let him have his own cot he would be in business.
Have I mentioned why I ended up loving Akame Ga Kill so much? No? Well it comes from the one thing little to no anime does. They humanize the enemy, key example Captain Ogre to Siryu he was her mentor and he seemed to care for her genuinely. He was however a corrupt bastard and did some horrible things. Than there's Bols he was a criminal and did some horrible things and by all means one should hate him but he has a loving family and regrets deeply what he has done. So in case you didn't get my meaning the anime humanizes the enemy. We aren't suppose to root for this these guys! We aren't supposed to root for the people our protagonist fights against. But I find myself rooting for Esdese, Wave, Budou, and, Bols, Kuome and so on. They make this characters human they have emotions thoughts goals feelings regardless on which side of the war they belong to.
Which is why you guys see Tatsumi is more acceptant of Esdeath here. Not only does he have zero influence from Night Rai, as I said before he is a bit more wiser about the ways of the world. Bulat taught him about war and the things men are capable of doing. So Tatsumi here can to an extent get along with Esdeath and her army.
Also I noticed that a lot of the stories I read Esdeath rules her men by fear…that seems to simply be untrue. She inspire her men to follow her by her sheer strength she fights in the front lines she rewards her men and she even respects her subordinates. I understand she is kind of crazy, as is her quirk but the way she commands her army is because they respect her. They admire her and they fight for her because she fights with them. Remember Esdeath hates weakness and fear she would't command using it knowing men turn cowards under it. So she leads through sheer force of will power she exerts her will unto her men. She even openly wants people to challenge her will because she believes the strong can rule over the weak and she dares anyone to prove her wrong and defeat her to prove their way is the right one.
I do not deny her cruelty she does cruel things as I put here but she does them out of the fact that she can! She enjoys to torture because she can and that fuck up part of her developed from when she was a kid with her father.
I'm not trying to change hearts and minds here mind you, everyone can interpret the character as they see fit. The way I interpret her is a strong leader who commands the respect of her men through her power and will. Not fear, fear is a cancer on an army because it instills fake courage something Esdeath I believe would care little for.
Enough of me rants! Please do review guys I love al the favs and follows but I love to hear from you opinions be they dissenting or otherwise is always a treat to hear :D.