Pairings: Caesar/Ichihime, Charlemagne/Joan, others will be revealed as they come.
Interesting Facts: In the Welsh Triads (a work of Celtic legends that includes historical figures; King Arthur appears in it too), Caesar invaded Britain for a woman, his lover Fflur. In it a British chieftain had abducted her and killed 6000 Romans in the process (he also had done a lot of bad things to his fellow countrymen). Also in legends Caesar is the son of Odin and started the English monarchy of East Anglia.
Disclaimer: I don't own Nobunaga the Fool.
Chapter 2
The next morning Ichihime awoke to the sun shining through her window. She blinked the haze away to get the world into focus. She had actually slept soundly last night, which was unusual as she couldn't remember the last time she did. And it was shocking too considering who she was with...
"Good morning, my dear Ichihime," came a deep voice to her side. She immediately turned to see Caesar with his head propped on his left hand. He was gazing at her softly.
"Caesar-dono!" she exclaimed, but then remembered her manners. "Good morning..." He smiled at her and when he said no more she spoke again. "Um, what are you doing?"
"Gazing at you. You are so beautiful while you sleep, my dear Ichihime," Caesar smoothly complimented.
Ichihime's face turned bright red and she turned away to hide it. "You really shouldn't talk about beauty so easily..." She clutched the sheets tighter as if to protect herself from his words.
Caesar chuckled. "Ah, you can be so adorable too."
Ichihime pouted. She was getting nowhere with him; in fact he was enjoying it! She gave up and looked out the window. "Oh! I wonder how much snow fell..."
"Do you wish to go out and see?" Caesar inquired.
Ichihime turned sharply to him. "You would allow me to go outside?"
Caesar shrugged. "Sure, you are my wife and this is your new home, you may go anywhere. I trust you won't run away."
Ichihime's face lit up which caused Caesar to smile again. She was excited to be able to explore the castle and grounds. The architecture here was so different than what she was used to, she wanted to study it. It wasn't known to many, but she was actually a very curious girl, it was just something she had to hide. As the Oda princess she had to hide her emotions and be the perfect picture of grace and beauty. But for some reason Caesar brought forth those emotions she had been a master at hiding...
"Come, let's get dressed and have breakfast, then go outside," Caesar instructed; jerking Ichihime out of her musings. She nodded eagerly and watched as he got up. He turned to her and smiled. "I shall get ready in another room. I'll send your ladies-in-waiting in to help you."
Ichihime smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Caesar-dono." Caesar nodded and she watched as he left the room. He really was a curious man.
After Ichihime got ready she stepped out of their room to see Caesar. He was leaning against a pillar as he waited for her. As soon as he noticed her, he pushed off of it and smiled tenderly at her. He then reached for her hand and gave a light kiss on her knuckles.
Ichihime immediately turned red again. "Caesar-dono?"
Caesar stayed in that position and looked up at her with smirk. "Ah, this is a traditional greeting, my lady."
"O-oh..." was all Ichihime could get out. This was very embarrassing.
Caesar chuckled as he straightened up. "Ready, Ichihime?"
Ichihime nodded as she tried to control her lingering blush. "Y-yes, Caesar-dono." She hated how she stuttered!
With a soft smile Caesar extended his arm which Ichihime blinked owlishly at it.
Caesar chuckled. "Ah, forgive me; I should have realized you don't know what this means either."
Ichihime looked up at him, but didn't have time to inquire about it. Caesar grabbed her hand and placed it in the crook of his arm, which caused Ichihime's blush to return. "Caesar-dono?"
Caesar smiled down at her. "This is also tradition on the Star of the West."
"I see..." Ichihime looked at her hand. "So, it's normal to touch so much? I'll never get used to this..."
Caesar led her to a close by room which was obviously a dining room. She looked around everywhere at the fine decor. The small table and chairs was entirely foreign to her. She then noticed food that she had never seen before.
Ichihime allowed Caesar to lead her to the table for two. He then dropped her hand and pulled out a chair. All he had to do was look up at her for her to figure out that she was to sit there. She did so and scooted up as he pushed her in. She watched as he walked around and sat down before her. He flashed her a smile; obviously pleased that she was watching him. In embarrassment she looked down at what was before her. She didn't know what was before her...
Caesar gazed at his wife as she studied what they were having. "I'm sorry, my dear, but where I come from we have light breakfasts. We make up for it at lunch and dinner though," he explained.
Ichihime shook her head. "It's fine. It looks quite appealing. I have never seen anything like this."
Caesar smirked. "Ah, that is pastries and cheese. I had them make soft bread for you as I figured crispy bread wouldn't be something you're used to or like."
Ichihime whipped her head up as she stared in surprise at her husband. "You even thought of that?"
Caesar leaned back with a smug smile on his lips. "Of course, I wish to please my new wife after all."
Ichihime gave a smile. "Thank you for your consideration."
Caesar gestured to her plate. "Go ahead and try it."
Ichihime nodded as she picked up one of the pastries. She delicately took a small bite and instantly her face lit up. "How delicious!"
Caesar smiled in relief. "I'm glad."
Ichihime giggled. "Your insight and taste are impeccable, Caesar-dono."
Caesar expression turned prideful. "I'm glad you agree."
Ichihime looked at him in suspicion and wondered what he meant by that... She decided to shake it away and laughed. Caesar's expression turned soft; he was immensely pleased at how comfortable she was becoming.
The rest of the breakfast was spent with them talking the whole way through.
At Owari...
A mighty wind was blowing as a green, giant war armor flew in. Inside was Charlemagne at the pilot's seat while Joan was standing beside him. He had a purple flower in his hand that he held to his face. "Ma chérie, I believe it is time."
"Oui," Joan replied with a smile and raised her necklace to reveal a blue regalia. She then became serious. "Just don't be surprised when Lord Caesar turns his blade on us."
Charlemagne nodded in her direction and held up his green regalia. "I see... So, he has truly betrayed us?"
"I believe so." Joan's regalia then glowed as well as Charlemagne's.
The giant war armor was released and they started a dead fall to the ground. The shield on the left arm of the weapon glowed and instantly the lake was turned to solid ice. Soon after Charlemagne landed with a loud thud on the ice.
Inside the Oda castle, Nobunaga and da Vinci ran to the balcony to get a closer look at the intruder.
"A giant war armor from the West!" Mitsuhide called out as it appeared on the map.
"The Carolus Magnus," da Vinci stated. "Belonging to General Charlemagne, wielder of the Regalia of wind and water."
At Kai...
Caesar was looking at the clouds that had gathered over Owari. "I see. So those clouds were due to Charlemagne after all," Caesar stated aloud to himself. He then heard the laughter of children and looked up. Sure enough, Bianchi and Nell were on the roof of a building.
"It's because you've been dithering, Caesar!" Bianchi called out.
Nell lifted her leg up in the air. "Maybe they are going to one up you."
Caesar turned to them. "What do the two of you know?" he demanded.
"Who knows?" Bianchi replied impishly. "Maybe something you don't need to know?"
"Maybe something you don't want other people to know?" Nell added in the same manner.
Caesar narrowed his eyes. If the twins weren't willing to offer up the information then this definitely wasn't a good sign.
At Owari...
Nobunaga, Jeanne (Ranmaru), & Hideyoshi (or rather Saru (monkey) as he was called by Nobunaga) were out to greet their intruder. Nobunaga pulled down his sleeve as he gazed at his opponent. "So, Charlemagne, huh?"
"Hah!" Saru exclaimed. "It's not like the length of your name decides your worth!" And that came from the one who made up his surname...
"The Fool, Orleans, and Goku, advance!" Mitsuhide ordered.
All three of them confirmed the order given to them and jumped off a cliff of ice.
"Nobu-sama!" Saru called. "Please allow me to land the first blow!"
"Very well. You have my permission!" Nobunaga yelled out in his usual hot-blooded manner.
"It is an honor!" And with his signature yell Saru charged forward.
At Kai...
Caesar was on the radio with Kenshin. "The border on the Echigo side is also closed off by snow?" he inquired.
"Indeed," Kenshin confirmed. "The blizzard is such that even skilled scouts cannot cross it."
"The eastern shore of Biwa Lake is frozen over. So the Oda are completely isolated..."
"This is hardly an act of nature," Kenshin replied. "It appears your star is making its move upon this star in earnest."
"Hm..." Caesar mused.
"Caesar-dono," Ichihime's commanding voice suddenly came. Caesar looked behind him to see his bride with a naginata. "My homeland is in dire straits. If you will not go, Caesar-dono, I will go to Owari myself!"
Caesar walked up to his bride. "I cannot."
"Why!?" Ichihime demanded.
"Because it would mean opposing King Arthur."
"Then choose, right here and now! Me, or your master!" she demanded.
Caesar was shocked at first, but then gave a bemused smile. "...You," he finally said.
It was Ichihime's turn to be surprised. "Eh?"
Caesar smiled. "I said I choose you. I will go to your brother's aide."
Ichihime blinked and then smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Caesar-dono!" Caesar nodded and then walked past her to leave. She watched as he left. "Caesar-dono..."
At Owari...
"I am Oda Nobunaga's best retainer!" Saru called out. "Toyotomi Hideyoshi! I will strike the first blow!"
"You are acting like a wild monkey," Charlemagne replied and calmly deflected him. Saru immediately struck some more, but wasn't getting anywhere.
"Mon capitaine, let's end this," Joan instructed and held out her regalia.
"Oui, ma chérie," Charlemagne replied.
"Corde du arroser!" Joan called out. A cord of water shot out from Charlemagne's axe and incased Goku, which caused the monkey to scream.
"Lame du glace!" Charlemagne yelled and swung down with his axe. The water on Goku immediately turned to ice.
"What?" Saru was stunned as he tried to move, but couldn't.
"Monkey!" Nobunaga yelled.
"Goku was immobilized!" Mitsuhide exclaimed.
"Yes this is..." da Vinci started with his hand on his heart. "Adiabatic expansion!" he exclaimed in a dramatic flair with his arms thrown out wide and his head back.
"So, who is next, bon ami?" Charlemagne taunted.
Jeanne rushed forward ignoring Nobunaga yelling out her name "Ranmaru".
"Again, mon capitaine, her banner shan't hold," Joan instructed.
"Lame du glace!" Charlemagne yelled out once more and sent ice in Jeanne's direction. She waved her banner which was instantly incased with ice.
"What!?" Jeanne exclaimed as she stared at her frozen banner. Everyone else on the Oda side were shocked as well.
Charlemagne smirked. "So, that banner is only good at deflecting blows, not against something that incases it."
"Once more should do it, mon capitaine," Joan informed.
"Oui," Charlemagne acknowledged and struck again. But before it could reach Jeanne Nobunaga stepped in between with his fiery sword. The ice overcame the fire and incased the Fool's right arm. Before Nobunaga had time to react Charlemagne swooped in and axed the arm off.
"Nobunaga!" Jeanne called out.
Nobunaga gritted his teeth and went to make another attack, but before he could Charlemagne axed the Fool's other arm off. The Fool went flying to the ground.
"Know your place," Charlemagne demeaned.
"My betrothed!" Himiko called out as she lowered her telescope. "Bah! If only Azuchi was ready in time..."
Inside da Vinci studied the holographic map. "It appears this dome of clouds is amplifying his Regalia's powers."
Mitsuhide immediately turned to his subordinates. "Shred these clouds, now!"
"Our cannons are not strong enough to reach them!" the man replied.
Mitsuhide grunted and looked up at the clouds. "If only I could wield a Regalia, myself!" he lamented.
Joan turned her attention to somewhere off in the distance like she could see something that no one else could. She then looked down at her superior. "Mon capitaine, it's time."
"J'ai le plaisir," Charlemagne replied and raised his axe to deal the final blow. But before that could happen...
"Veni, vidi, vici!" Caesar exclaimed and shot his cannon at the clouds. The clouds immediately evaporated into nothing. Charlemagne stopped and looked up at the new arrival.
"I, Gaius Julius Caesar, am here!" Caesar exclaimed from the cliff he was perched on.
"Caesar..." Charlemagne started. "You will turn against a Brother of the Round Table?"
"I need no reason to save the life of my brother-in-law," Caesar replied. "What husband will not listen to his new wife's pleas?" He then thought of what happened not too long ago with Ichihime.
Caesar lifted his hand to his mask. "I, Caesar, will gladly turn my blade against my former comrade-in-arms, for love's sake.
At the Oda castle, everyone at the balcony was staring at him in disbelief. Mitsuhide lowered his head as he closed his eyes. He seemed to be in pain. "Caesar!" he yelled in a strained voice.
Charlemagne's and Joan's reaction was a bemused one. "Of course..." Charlemagne muttered.
Joan turned to her superior. "Well, it is romantic..."
Charlemagne nodded. "Oui, and I can appreciate that side of it."
"Let's pull out. We have come to prove what we have set out to. It would be best to face Lord Caesar in a different setting."
"Oui," Charlemagne agreed and then turned to Caesar. "Prepare yourself, bon ami! We shall square off in battle again soon enough." He then raised his axe and struck the ice. "Lame du glace!" A cloud of ice and mist was created which concealed them. When it had settled they were nowhere to be seen.
Caesar stared at where they once were. "Very well, Charlemagne, we shall finish what we never had the chance to those few years ago..."
A/N: Well, that was the last of the copying. Don't worry, Kenshin will get in on the action later, him showing up now was too unnecessary. Also, calling Hideyoshi Saru as it's just fun. XD
French Translations:
Corde du arroser: Cord of (the) water (in the anime it was Corda due, but that doesn't make sense here.)
Lame du glace: Blade of (the) ice
J'ai le plaisir: I have the pleasure (he said it in the anime)
Bon ami: good friend