Chapter 46 | The Death of Kings XI
The Mikazuki shinobi transferred them from their imprisonment surrounded by rotting corpses to a castle that sat in the far north along the border. Nobody wanted to be near them and it was understandable. They smelled of decay, grime, and dried blood. Within the high walls of the castle, surrounded by their captors, they were introduced to its lord, a giant male with a wide muscular build and the rose-colored eyes of the Kuronuma clan. He introduced himself as such, Kuronuma Nishiki, and admitted to having used the alias of Muto Takezou, which placed him dead center in the war against the Sand Dome clans of the Wind Country and an ally to the deceased Uchiha Hikaku seemingly forever ago.
Kuronuma Nishiki welcomed them as his guests, informed them that they were under the protection of Uchiha Mio. When Tobirama asked for her whereabouts, he told him that she would likely find them once they settled.
Long after Nishiki was gone, Tobirama realized he could not shake a dark feeling. He likened the strangeness to their current circumstances, and once they improved, it would go away. Despite the fact that they remained prisoners of the Mikazuki clan, they weren't in that hole surrounded by death or its stench. He could appreciate the clean smell because he did not recognize it anymore.
Mio appeared hours after they had settled and thoroughly bathed. One of the servants told them the entire upstairs apartments of the south wing were theirs throughout their stay. They were standing in front of table when she walked in, food had been brought to them earlier, though neither one of them trusted enough to eat any of it. Four women in violet uniforms attempted to follow her in, but she politely asked them to stay outside because she wanted to have one private conversation.
"Our lord has forbidden we leave your side," an aging woman said sternly. She placed herself in the threshold preventing Mio from sliding the door shut. "Our lady would also disapprove your coming to the south wing without your husband."
"He is not my keeper," she said edgily.
The four women displayed their immediate disapproval, talking over each other and urging her to reconsider or think of the consequences.
Tobirama saw Mito advance towards the scene and opened his mouth to call for her, only he did not get the opportunity to formulate her name when she had already shut the door on the handmaids. She proceeded to break off a stem from the bamboo plant beside the entrance and pushed it between the wooden frames, successfully sealing the entrance shut. He did not blame her impatience after the Mikazuki's hellish treatment.
The uniformed women were banging on the doors, ordering that they be opened.
Mio stared at Mito in amazement, lips opened partially. "Thank you."
Mito inclined her head and walked back to Tobirama's side. "It won't be long before they remember there are other doors, so if you have come to say something, you must speak it now," she said, facing her.
Quickly, Mio crossed to them. "Did they take your belongings?" she asked in a hushed voice.
"Why is that important?" asked Mito.
Tobirama understood and went to retrieve his sphere. He held it out to her. "You want this?"
Mio took it from him. "I knew you would bring it."
"What are you saying?" he demanded, hearing an insulting emphasis in her words.
"You are thick," she answered, taking one of the cups from the table with her to the nearest window where she discarded its contents. "You did this on purpose."
Truth be told, he completely overlooked it. "It is a useless cup. It can do nothing."
She thrust it forward. "This useless cup used to belong to Kuronuma Nishiki," she informed him. "This useless cup is the reason he is showing his face because when I gave it to you I never anticipated he was alive and there can't be two guardians for one sphere."
"What does that mean?"
"The predecessor dies," she answered. "Do you think Kuronuma Nishiki wants to die? He doesn't, but he is. Do you know what he has been doing? He's been looking for his successor so he can kill him and take back the sphere."
"You should speak of such things from the start," Tobirama berated.
"You would not have listened," she remarked.
"It won't be long before Hashirama and the Uzumaki clan come," Mito said. "No doubt, the Kuronuma and the samurai of the Iron Country will assemble for you as well if they have not already."
"And the Uchiha clan."
There were more voices outside. The women panicked, pleading men to knock down the door. She switched their cups.
"You will come find me and bring me that cup," she said, putting his Universe Sphere into the hollow sleeve of her robe. "You say nothing of your artifact."
The shoji screen was forced open by a disgruntled Mikazuki shinobi that reached out to grab her. He took her and shoved her harshly towards the broken entrance. Mio made it outside, but the shinobi went and took her by the arm. Her hand shot up to his wrist, a flash of pain in her face.
"Unhand her," Tobirama said.
The Mikazuki turned, eyebrow arched. "Did you say something?"
"Unhand her," he repeated.
The Mikazuki shinobi laughed, staring at Tobirama and then Mio. "Have you no shame, harlot? Is this one your lover too?"
"And if he is, that is not your business," Mito said, managing to look dignified as she said it.
Tobirama and Mio stared at her, their surprise nearly giving away her lie.
"I explicitly remember Kuronuma Nishiki saying you are not to harm us," Tobirama said, making it evident that he meant Mio as well. "Any of us."
"I do not serve Kuronuma Nishiki!" the shinobi spat.
Dissent within their ranks? Tobirama glanced in Mito's direction and she nodded, no doubt thinking the same.
"You serve my husband," said Mio strongly, though she spoke the word husband with disdain, "and if you leave so much as a bruise on me—"
He let go of her wrist and stormed away with a huff. The women in the violet uniforms ushered Mio away before she had a chance to say anything to them.
"We can play on their weaknesses," Tobirama said once they were alone. "We go before Hashirama thinks of engaging the Mikazuki clan in battle."
"It would be best," Mito agreed. "However, we need to take her from here."
Tobirama nodded. He crouched down to touch the floor; eyes shut, and sensed all shinobi near. They were surrounded by twice the number he had counted on the way through the castle, but noticed there were fewer numbers in the east. Going east would guarantee their way to the Waterfall Country's border. He told Mito this.
Mito called in one of the many Mikazuki now standing guard outside their door. Soon as he crossed the threshold, Tobirama attacked him from behind, knocking him unconscious to take his weapons and distribute them between them as theirs had been confiscated. Hearing the loud thud of the Mikazuki's fall, others quickly followed. These did not last long once there was a sword in his hand.
"I will go after Mio," Tobirama said. "Head for the Waterfall Country. We will meet you in the Ito village."
A servant was busily cleaning the blood off the floors when she entered. She took a step back, unsure of advancing; the man scrubbing lifted bloodshot eyes to her but dropped them quickly and resumed his duties. She moved forward, nonetheless, stepping around the ghastly amount of blood fleeing ill.
"Does it amuse you that everyone thinks you a whore?"
Mio startled, swiveling to find Gouki in the threshold leading into the bedroom. He was fastening his kimono top shut, meaning he had been guilty of the mess and had changed out of his stained clothing.
"One of my men claimed you were that Senju's lover," he began.
"And you killed him?"
"Well, yes, I killed him."
It surprised her to see Gouki for the man he was—detached and disinterested. He did as he pleased and rarely as others wanted, which made him a difficult person to control for the calculated plans of his mother. He had killed her parents on what she believed had been a whim and had only spared her life because he had been in the mood to listen to Ayuka. He had pretended to hunt her for many years to follow, amusing himself, until she had been captured and taken to him. He had killed her aunt, Konoe, when she had attempted against her life. He had accepted to marry her because he had liked the irony, but he had a wife, one he had killed to make it a possibility for them to marry not caring that there had been a child in the middle, one that needed his mother. He had given her the correct antidote when Ayuka had asked him to give her a fake.
She peeled back the layers of his intentions to realize his motives were his own and that it did not matter how hard she tried to understand, she would not. However, she had no desire to understand a thing relating to Mikazuki Gouki. She would be in the Earth Country temporarily. What she experience there, she hoped, would be a fleeting memory years from now in a world where Nishiki, Gouki and Ayuka were dead and their legacy buried.
"Would it not be strange? For an Uchiha and a Senju to be lovers," he continued. "Enemies from birth 'till death and, perhaps, beyond that. The irony is insurmountable."
"You butchered my mother and father," she reminded him. "You attempted against my life multiple times. I would have faster married a Senju than settle for you."
"Ah, but you do not hate the Senju." He grinned. "They are not your enemy nor will they ever be. Admit the truth, you would faster die that settle for me. I do not mind the truth."
"Do not treat my life so simply, I would not forfeit it."
"Go on. I know you are not finished."
"Forfeiting my life is giving up," she said. And I can be strong. She would not fall to that point. "I do not give up so easily."
"Of that I am aware."
Gouki walked around the remaining blood, the servant scrambling out of his way, and came to a stop in front of her.
"Who is it that you love? The Senju, as this man claimed"—and he waved a hand to the blood—"or Uchiha Madara? Is it his brother? There are so many rumors of Uchiha Mio, Shugosha of the Kuronuma clan. They say you are beautiful beyond words and that men fall to your feet in your presence—how else could they explain all the men that want you? Everyone wants to know the answer."
She hated his proximity. Standing so close to Gouki felt wrong. She did not like it.
"Am I expected to answer that?"
"The Uchiha is your lover, the Senju your husband," Gouki said. She did not understand the direction of the conversation. "Ayuka told me you chose your Universe Sphere's guardian over Uchiha Madara."
Her heart skipped a beat in horror.
"He is your Universe Sphere's guardian, is he not?"
"Who?"
"Senju Tobirama."
She did not breathe. "No."
He tilted his head. He did not believe her. "Hmm."
She steeled herself. "I won't let you have the Universe Sphere," she said, though admitting it would do her no favors. "I won't let you hurt him to get it either."
His grin faded and he turned his back to her. "We were speaking of my killing my subordinate," he said easily. "I am willing to go through these extents for you. You should feel grateful."
"Grateful? For what reason?"
He faced her, his expression telling as though it were the most obvious thing. "That I am defending your honor." He walked away and waved his hand, remembering something. "Nishiki wants to speak to you. About his condition and what you can do about it. Go meet him and return here."
Mio went to the entrance. His voice reached her a second time, startling her.
"I am not the one that wants the Universe Sphere," he said. "I want none of your spheres."
"I do not believe that."
"Good," he answered, sounding relieved. "I worried you were stupid enough to trust me."
Mio met Nishiki as he wandered underneath the wisteria trees where she had been married. He paused to have a look at her, but continued moving until he reached a verandah on the opposite side where a kettle and two cups of tea had been set out with warm snacks. He gestured for her to sit beside him, but she only moved forward to stand close enough for their voices to carry without being too close.
"Your handmaids tell me you have not been eating," he started, taking one of the mugs into his hand. "It is understandable. You do not trust the food. It may be poisoned. I promise you it isn't. I can guarantee your safety here until after you have provided Gouki with a son. What happens to you after is beyond my power."
He reached for the other mug of tea and took a sip as if to prove a point.
"You asked me here for a reason, so do not pretend you are concern about my wellbeing."
"You are not wrong," he admitted. His voice did not change, but his words were cutting. "I do not care for your wellbeing. You are not worthy of the Time Sphere. You are a weak child and it will not be long before you are dead. You bring death to all those that surround you. You are a curse and you have brought your curse here. The reason you are here, alive, is because by a series of unfortunate events my sphere, my birthright, is hanging from your neck instead of mine. You are useful to me. You are useful to my cause."
"And what is your cause?"
Nishiki stood. "I am in need of my strength," he said, advancing towards her. "I need to replenish my strength and the black water running through my veins. For that purpose, I need your blood."
Mio backed away warily as he continued walking. "What?"
"Ayuka failed to drain you of it completely in the Sun Country. She failed to turn it into a proper black water spring, but she will attempt it again." Nishiki reached out to take her by the shoulders. "It should be done now before you are with child."
She tried to wiggle free, but he clamped down harder, surprising her with his strength. She stared up at him, wide-eyed.
"You will help me regenerate, child," he said, "and then, you will return my Universe Sphere."
"I will not give my guardian to you," she said, determined to keep her body from expressing the fear coursing through her veins.
"Do not think me a fool," he told her. "I was guardian of the Universe Sphere for decades. It is a part of me and I can feel its pulse coming from that Senju."
He reached for the sphere hanging from her neck and she sealed her eyes shut, flinching, erecting a barrier through the fake sphere that deflected his fingers. Amused, Nishiki laughed, but with a balled fist, punched through the barrier and took the sphere in his hand. "And this," he said, dropping his voice to a dangerous low. She heard the glass cracking under the pressure of his grip, her heart hammering in her chest. "I was the Time Sphere's successor long before you were born and I can sense a fake no matter how good the fake is."
He crushed it. Glass shards flew in all directions, falling to the ground with a chilling sound.
He unclenched his hand, and from the center, a crushed walnut dropped to the floor between them.
She dispelled a shuttering breath. His hand shot up to her jaw, forcing her to look at him instead of all around her. His eyes were ablaze. "You are a clever girl, I will not deny you that," he said. "How you managed to create a fake sphere is beyond me, but you have failed. I know there is a new Shugosha; I can sense them now without your fake masking their presence." He looked around as if he were sniffing out her chosen Shugosha, then his eyes went back to her, voice booming. "Where is the Time Sphere?"
Mio caught sight of Ayuka running out of the building behind him and heard the sound of her gasp. "Nishiki! What have you done?" she shouted. "You broke the Time Sphere? How did you-? This is blasphemous—"
"The Time Sphere would not shatter so easily!" Nishiki snapped, silencing her. "This is a fake!"
"A fake? Impossible!"
"Where is the real one?" barked Nishiki at her.
"It is useless," Ayuka stated. "She will not speak when it is demanded of her nor when she is tortured. Bring our prisoners. We will see how long it takes for her to break her silence. If she does not speak then, an army of Uchiha is coming this way." She smiled widely as she held a scroll out for her to see. "They say Uchiha Madara is leading it. I suppose Gouki's insubordination worked to our benefit."
"I will take care of him personally," said Nishiki, then turned to Mio. "I will bring you his body."
Mio laughed, feeling their wrath reach a pinnacle. "I dare you to try," she challenged. "Kill Uchiha Madara and the spheres will die with him."
"He is Shugosha?" Ayuka shouted, outraged.
Nishiki dropped her to the ground harshly, moving to take his wife before she launched an assault on her.
Mio landed atop several sharp ends. They embedded themselves into her skin, the pain harsh, but not strong enough to steal away her attention from the fact that Madara was coming to the Earth Country. It would be over soon. She continued to laugh, further angering them. Ayuka was thrashing.
"I will kill you! You are of no use to me!" the priestess threatened.
"How will you ever come to possess the spheres?" Mio asked. "If I am dead, the power to change the line of succession will die with me. My true successor is my son and he is the only one that will inherit that power."
A Mikazuki shinobi came running into the courtyard, battered. "The prisoners have escaped!"
Mio was shaking with laughter, knowing they hated the sound of mockery. She did not care. She had her victory. She would be rescued. Madara was here. She secured their lives. She could not be killed because she had the power to change the line of succession. They could not kill Madara because he was Shugosha and doing so would render them useless.
Nishiki walked to her, handing his thrashing wife to the shinobi, and with one swift kick to the face silenced her.
xl: There are two chapters left in "The Death of Kings" arc...and the next one is intense. Only one chapter next week. Expect it on Friday! :)
I wish I had something uber-interesting to say about these last two chapters, but they are what they are and I like them for it.
Thank you to these marvelous people for reviewing: amaya-tsuki-chan, Loteva, Anime93, crazyuser, Kettobase, and HushedFable. Many thanks for all the new favorites/alerts as well. I hope to continue entertaining you! :D
The chapter 47 preview has already been posted on my LJ. Go forth and have a gander, see what awaits you next Friday.
Thank you for reading! :)