The following days were long, lonely ones for Misao.
She didn't see much of Aoshi as he was preoccupied with Okashira affairs-but she wasn't sure if she felt relief or disappointment at his growing absence.
Then one night at dinner, both Aoshi and Okina delivered the news that they would be housing some very important guests over the next month.
Lday Kagerou Shira and Tenma Yorihisa, both of the Kouga ninja clan.
Apparently over the past several months, Aoshi had been laying the groundwork for a future alliances with them and when he had taken council on the matter with Okina, the older man agreed that it was extremely important for them to strengthen their ties with other ninja clans and considering more than half of them were loyoal to those of the kouga, ensuring an alliance with them would be crucial.
The members of the Oniwaban were surprised to say the least, since tensions with the kouga clan had always run high but their Okashira assured them that he and the Kouga leader-Gennosuke-had been in correspondence and had come to the decision that an alliance was in the best interest for both their clans.
"He is sending Lady Kagerou and Tenma who are his two most trusted comrades as an offering of peace; they will stay with us over the course of a month in which we will begin the negotiations and terms of the alliance. I trust that you will all do what is best for the clan and put your personal feelings aside. We must treat them with the utmost care and respect if this treaty is to be a success-I trust I do not have to remind you what the ramifications could be if we do not succeed."
Aoshi spoke with conviction as his steel blue eyes surveyed the faces of his comrades and family seated around him.
"Forgive me, Okashira but-an alliance with the Kouga-would that not entail some form of familial connection between our people?" Omasu had the sneaking suspicion that there was more to this ''peaceful visit'' from the Kouga embassadors.
Aoshi was silent for a long moment and he looked to Okina expectantly.
The older man nodded in affirmation and Aoshi redirected.
"A familial alliance-such as a marriage-would strengthen the bonds of this treaty, yes."
"Then what would that mean for-"
Aoshi straightened his posture, his expression grew solemn but he spoke with authority. "It would mean that an eligible member of the Kouga would be required to take to him or herself an equally eligible member of the oniwaban. That being said, I know of only two of our members who would be equal to the task-and that is myself and Misao."
Gasps sounded throughout the room and for the first time, Misao's eyes snapped and locked with Aoshi's.
"But-that would mean-"
"However, considering I am the Okashira first and foremost, my duty is to the clan and therefore-the responsibility of fulfilling such a duty would fall immediately to me."
All air left Misao's lungs as she stared at her Okashira, dumbfounded. How could he speak of this so lightly? As if it was such an easy feat?!
And what of her?
What of all the things he had told her?
What of...
"No decision has been made." Now it was Okina's voice echoing through the deathly silent room. "Aoshi is correct; an alliance through marriage would be the easiest and surest way of securing this treaty-however we are not leaping to any decision lightly until our guests have arrived and we have had a chance to discuss both sides. There is certainly a great need on their side for us just as much as there is on our side and perhaps-that alone will be enough for this matter to be resolved and put to rest. There is no need to worry over nothing-be calm, my children." His aged eyes had drifted to Misao and he knew that she was perhaps struggling with the news, more than anyone-not to mention that the possibility of a marriage alliance was doubtlessly distasteful to her.
He stroked his beared thoughfully and took a sip of his tea.
If only Aoshi and Misao would end their stubbourness and abandon their fears-everything would be so much easier for the two of them and much less painful for him and the rest of the oniwaban! Afterall, they had to look on and helplessly endure the all the drama those two brought with them and for himself, Okina could more than do without the daily headaches.
Misao had stayed silent for the duration of the meeting and after her initial shock, she had kept her eyes trained in her lap, refusing to look at Aoshi or anyone else.
She needed to get away.
# # # #
And so the day arrived when the Oniwaban-shu were to great their guests. It was a painstaking arduous process; they'd spent the entirety of the day before scouring the Shofuso and the Inn from top to bottom and then almost all night, the women had spent laboring over the hot ovens, preparing only the best of cuisine to lay before their guests upon their arrival.
And now, it was finally here. At Okina's instruction, they had all lined up outside to greet their guests, dressed in their most pristine uniforms.
Kagerou and Tenma both arrived on horseback, also dressed pristinely and Misao couldn't tear her eyes away at how regal they both looked. Lady Kagerou doned a scarlet kimono with a buttery gold-hued obi and her long brown hair was partially pulled up and away from her face by an elegant filigry hair comb.
She had subtle shades of red and cold painted over the lids of her eyes and Misao was breathless at how stunningly beautiful she was!
As for Tenma, he was adorned in a dark blue and black ninja uniform that brought out the stunning sky blue of his eyes and his long midnight hair was pulled back in a high ponytail with wild bangs that framed his face and accentuated his strong, handsome features.
Kagerou was modest and demure but she still had the hint of a pleasent smile touching her lips as she greeted them. Whereas Tenma kept his face expressionless and his steely gaze was focused straight ahead, though he did greet them with the utmost respect and a deep bow.
Misao was drawn to this stoic young man who appeared to be closer to her age.
He reminded her a lot of Aoshi however, especially in the manner he carried himself; always erect, serene countenance and very few words.
"I am honored to receive you into my home, Tenma-sama and Kagerou-sama. Your master, Gennosuke is a fine man and I have had the honor of meeting him once along time ago when I was in Aizu."
Kagerou nodded and smiled. "Yes, Gennosuke has spoken very highly of you as well, Aoshi-sama; he has told us many great things and I am certain that you are a man of honor."
Kagerou raised her brown eyes to meet Aoshi and she smiled radiantly.
Misao was stunned at her boldness for meeting Aoshi's eyes so openly-and she caught something in Kagerou's gaze and the way she was smiling, that put her instantly on edge.
She's never laid eyes on Aoshi-sama before! So she hears a few good words about him and now all of a sudden she's swooning over him and batting her eyelashes at him?!
Misao was seething but her brooding thoughts were cut short when she felt eyes on her and turning her attention back to the group, she was stunned to find Tenma Yorihisa staring right at her.
She swallowed a glup of air, unnerved by how penetrating and sharp his eyes were-like they were burning into her.
She knew it was improper for her to stare back so quickly, she diverted her eyes to the ground, blushing in embarrassment.
Dinner followed but Misao's uneasiness never faded. Several times she would notice Kagerou's lingering stare on Aoshi's profile as he spoke and she felt a bitter taste rise in her throat.
Then, she would find Tenma giving her furtive stares from across the table and she couldn't resist the urge to squirm. She ached for the meal to be ended and once Okina suggested that they take their tea out on the engawa, Misao was only too thankful for the opening this gave her to escape.
She was in the kitchen preparing the tea trays when she felt a presence enter behind her.
The aura was unfamiliar and right away, Misao was on guard.
The presence came up behind her and in a flash, Misao had drawn a dagger concealed beneath her robes and had her intruder pinned to the wall with her arm across his chest and the dagger to his throat.
Her eyes widened however when she saw it was Tenma.
"Forgive me, I was told to come here for a bit of water and a bandage." His voice was steady and his eyes calm, dispite feeling the cold point of Misao's dagger pressed to his jugular.
He should have known better than to venture into her space unannounced; she was a ninja afterall.
"You..." She breathed, instantly releasing her hold and backing away from him. She pulled back the flap of her kimono and resheathed her dagger at her thigh.
Tenma gulped and forced himself to look away.
"Sorry but you didn't announce yourself, Yorihisa-sama." She wasn't rude but she was definitely direct with him.
Something he wasn't at all used to from anyone, much less from a woman so tiny in stature as she was and he was instantly intrigued with her.
"It was entirely my fault, forgive me, Makimachi-san." He bowed at the waist, his hand resting on the hilt of his katana and it was then that Misao caught sight of blood runnind down his hand.
"You're bleeding!" Without a thought she had lunged towards him and grabbed his hand in hers.
Tenma startled at the sudden contact. It wasn't a ninja woman's place to touch a man uninvited even in her own clan, much less one she had just met! It was considered highly improper and rude but this little woman didn't appear to realize her own actions. Her wide ocean-green eyes were soley focused on his bleeding hand and the tone of her voice-so filled with worry-left him speechless and he couldn't bring himself to pull his hand away.
"Is this why you needed the water and bandage?" She turned her wide eyes up to his stoic face and the blue-eyed ninja gasped at her innocence and informal way of speaking to him.
It was unsettling but also refreshing and for the first time in years, Tenma felt the ghost of a small smile turning the corners of his mouth upwards as he looked down at her face.
"Yes-despite what most people may think, regarding us ninja, I am unfortunately a rare breed of the more-precariously clumsy variety." His blushed in embarrassment as he admitted this, afterall the thought that a skilled ninja could be so careless as to trip and cut his hand, was absolutely absurd!
But then, he found himself utterly astonished when he heard laughter bubbling up in Misao's throat and when he looked at her, her eyes were positively dancing as she attempted to supress her laughter by clamping her hand over her mouth.
"M-Makimachi-san?"
Just then, Misao couldn't hold it in any longer and bending over, she burst into a fit of laughter.
Tenma was aghast but all he could do was stare at her as she continued to giggle.
"I'm-I'm sorry-Yorihisa-sama-I just-" More peels of laughter followed until finally, she'd quieted down just enough to straighten up and look into his eyes again.
Her eyes were dancing with laughter though. "You tripped didn't you." She didn't really ask a question and feeling embarrassed and exposed, Tenma scowled and scoffed through his teeth.
"I never said that..." He growled defensively. Then he felt tiny fingers wrapping around his wrist. He turned back to find Misao with a wet cloth in her hand, gently cleaning the cut along the back of his hand and wrist.
She was still smiling and he was speechless for he had never before seen a smile as bright or genuine as hers.
"It's alright, I do it all the time too."
"Y-You-you mean you've tripped?"
She met his eyes then, her fingers now nimbly wrapping strips of linen around his wrist and hand as she talked. "All the time! If there was ever a more perfect defenition for 'clumsy' I'd be it! Gramps says it's because I'm always running too fast but Omasu says its because I have uncommonly long legs and I never learned how to use them properly." She giggled to herself at this, returning her eyes to his hand where she was nearly finished with the bandage.
Tenma was amazed at her ability to talk and look at him while wrapping his hand at the same time. But he found himself much more intrigued by her little story, though he wasn't entirely certain why such a trivial tale held his interest.
"-and then this other time, I was following a lead during this one mission I had with Omasu and-I ended up chasing this boy over some rooftops and for some completely stupid reason, I lost my footing right when I'd reached the level part of the roof and I ended up falling off the roof, down probably two stories and I was-hopelessly stuck in this tree bramble-or something-and I lost his trail! It was so ridiculous though because it was a routine mission, I'd done dozens of them! But for some reason-that rooftop." She shook her head, snikering at the distant memory.
"I don't see the humor in admitting to failing a mission." Tenma observed, his expression once again stoic and serene.
"Well just because I'm laughing at it now, doesn't mean I was laughing then-I was furious with myself, believe me. Even though most times, my family told me not to be so hard on myself; I was nine at the time but I still felt that I should have-"
"You were on missions sent on missions when you were just-nine?"
She looked up at him. "OF course. It's-not costumary for children even younger than I was, isn't it?"
"Well yes it's-it's just that-most girls are not-sent out at such a tender age."
Misao's spray green eyes sparkled and she fixed Tenma with a somewhat proud smile. "Well, I wasn't like most girls." She tied off his linen bandage.
The room fell silent and Tenma could only stare at Misao intently as she finished bandaging his hand, then turned away to wash her hands.
"That should do well enough I think; it should heal in a few days..." Then she turned back to him. "But make sure you come back so I can change the wrappings, otherwise it won't heal as quickly." She was suddenly serious and all business with him and Tenma was taken off guard at how quickly her manner towards him had changed.
"I'm sure it will be fine. But I will be sure to return for a change of bandages..."
Misao nodded. "Good."
"Arigatou-Makimachi-san." He bowed at the waist, only raising his eyes to meet hers when he'd stood to his full height again.
Misao nearly choked on a laugh at how formally he addressed her; she wasn't at all used to someone treating her with such formality and she didn't much care for it; it felt too strange.
"Yorihisa-sama please call me Misao-I'm not at all used to such formality and to be honest I don't really care for it." She crinkled her nose but there was a smile on her lips as she looked up at him.
The tall ninja hesitated for a moment, clearing his throat awkwardly. "A-Alright, if that is what you wish Maki-Misao-san. But if I am not permitted to call you by your proper title then-I must ask that you also refrain from such formalities with me-please call me Tenma."
She stared back at him for a long moment, then a small smile touched her lips. "IF that is what you wish-Tenma-sama." She teased back lightly, mimicking his tone of voice and this caused Tenma to grin in spite of himself.
Misao was unlike any woman he had ever met before; she challenged him and unsettled him but she mostly intrigued him...
...He wanted to know more about her but as the days passed, he suddenly found himself yearning to know everything.
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Okay, I know some of you might hate me but I just couldn't resist throwing in a twist to my plot! It's an idea that just won't leave me alone so I'm gonna run with it-a possible love triangle between Misao, Aoshi and Tenma Yorihisa?*Gasp* Talk about a plot twister! This would definitely add tension and a very intresting dynamic between Aoshi and Misao...who knows though, maybe Misao could find herself free of Aoshi as she falls in love with another man? I'm curious to know what you guys think so I'm gonna put this to a vote:
At the end of your Reviews, I want to you to put in a 'yes' or 'no' vote for the Love triangle plot twist and also put in your votes for whether or not you want Misao to ultimately choose Aoshi...or Tenma Yorihisa! I'm looking forward to seeing what your thoughts are! Xoxoxo!