ERIA LOUIS
"We're sorry to keep you waiting, my lord." Masamune spoke as he and Eria entered the audience chamber. "Everyone is here then," Nobunaga spoke. As Eria had taken one step inside, she immediately wanted to turn and run back out. She felt so incredibly out of place here. What was she even doing in the same room as all these men, dressed in their armor? Of course, Lucille was here too, but she was Nobunaga's wife- Was it normal for a man's wife to sit with him at council? Eria wasn't sure.
Eria thought back to what Masamune had said. She'd been too intimidated to tell him no, but now she was thinking that may have been better compared to facing this. "You all know why we are gathered here," Nobunaga smiled, "The Tiger of Kai and the Dragon of Echigo have returned from the dead to challenge me." "...Excuse me, who are we talking about?" Eria mumbled. "Shingen Takeda and Kenshin Uesugi. Nobunaga's greatest foes. We thought they died years ago," Ieyasu explained, his annoyance clear in his voice.
"Hm... That's why they sounded familiar." Eria muttered. "...Are you serious? Until recently they controlled almost the entire east and south. They should be a lot more than 'familiar.'" Ieyasu stared at her, a look of disbelief in his gaze. Eria laughed awkwardly, brushing a hand against her neck, "Haha. My hometown was... really behind. Thanks." Eria stared back down at her hands. Blurting out that they were familiar because she met them last week probably would have resulted in some sort of chaos.
The cheap flirt and the blonde from the cliff really were famous rival warlords who'd graced everything from book covers to monster-collecting spinoff games. And now, they were coming to attack the Oda forces. The fact both of their nicknames were animal related spelt trouble. Furthermore- ...Sasuke had been with them. '.He knew about the war because he works for them. He's an enemy ninja. Oh fuck.' Eria realized, '...That means Yukimura and Yoshimoto are enemies, too.'
"Eria? You're looking a little pale. Are you ill?" Mitsunari's concerned voice broke Eria away from her thoughts. "I... I'm perfectly fine. Thank you for your concern, Mitsunari." she tried to smile, but it came across as awkward. But really, she was fine. …She was just friends with an enemy spy, that's all. Eria's blood ran cold as she realized that anyone could've seen them together that afternoon. A chill crawled up her spine as she thought she'd spotted Mitsuhide looking at her. But she didn't dare show it.
"Reports state that they're already on the march. Their destination is our garrison on the eastern border." Hideyoshi reported, "Their troops number under 10,000. Less than they'd need for a full-blown invasion of Azuchi." Nobunaga's smile widened to one of condescending amusement, "Then this is but a greeting? A bloody handshake from the battle-crazed God of War." "Give me the vanguard, my lord. Unless anyone else thinks they can take it from me?" Masamune challenged. "Could you wait for him to finish, at least? You're not the only one who wants to lead this battle," said Ieyasu, exasperated.
"If you really want it, we could have a friendly contest here for it? What do you say?" Masamune suggested, the challenge gleaming in his one blue eye. "...Does the word ally mean nothing to you? But if you want a fight, you'll get one." Ieyasu responded. "As much as our lord appreciates the enthusiasm, that's enough posturing from both of you." Hideyoshi interrupted, looking back to his lord, "Lord Nobunaga? Your orders?" "We depart tonight. I will allow no squabbles to delay our preparations." Nobunaga decided.
Both Ieyasu and Masamune gave an affirmative response. Suddenly, Eria felt Nobunaga looking at her, and he smiled once more when she met his gaze, "Eria, as my lucky charm, you will accompany us. See that you fulfill your task well." Eria grit her teeth, frowning, she'd had a small inkling that'd been the reason he asked her here. "...I don't believe I'll be of any use. If anything, given my current situation, I'm bad luck." she replied.
Nobunaga let out an amused chuckle, "The woman who fearlessly drove off my assassin and pulled me from the fire balks now? Perhaps your true power comes out in battle. I cannot wait to see it." Eria scowled, but said nothing. '...Saving someone from a fire and heading into war are NOT the same. And just because I saved your life, doesn't mean I'm willing to lose mine to your cause.' "Our lord's right, don't be afraid, Lady Eria." Ranmaru spoke up, smiling, "Everyone in the Oda forces is really strong!"
"Strong? …Strong..." Eria mumbled, thinking back to Sasuke's words. She hated the idea of relying on someone else, but this was war. Finding a strong ally and sticking to them would be her best bet. "I understand. I will accompany you. But I'd like to ask something, if I may." Eria spoke up. "Speak," Nobunaga commanded. "I'd rather not be put on the frontlines. I'll be nothing but a burden there. I... I have some medical training from... a part of my education when I was younger, perhaps I can help with the wounded...?" she suggested.
"Very well." Nobunaga agreed. Eria felt relief, until it quickly turned to dread once she saw who Nobunaga's attention had turned to. "Mitsuhide, I am entrusting Eria to you." "As you wish, my lord." 'You have got to be fucking kidding me. I don't want to stick with Mitsuhide! I'd rather run from him!' All Mitsuhide needed to do was glance in Eria's direction to tangle her up in that stupidly alluring gaze, causing her to trip up.
He smiled, but nothing about his smile was reassuring in the slightest, "Do not fear, Eria. Nothing unfortunate will happen to you while you are under my watch. …As long as you are very, very good." "...Why do I doubt you?" Eria answered, not bothering to hide her displeasure. It seemed as though she had just dug her own grave. But little did she know, it wasn't even seven feet yet…
The next day, before she'd even had the chance to prepare mentally, Eria stood on the edge of a battlefield. 'Please, God, whatever's up there... I want to survive. I just want to go home...' Eria pleaded, possibly to no one, but the thought gave her comfort. "Have I not told you that prayer is meaningless?" Mitsuhide interrupted. "Have I not told you that your opinion is meaningless?" she bit back. But he only smiled, "Frightened? I already told you; we don't eat humans. You are under my protection. There's nothing to fear."
Eria scowled, 'Does he always have to know what I'm thinking?! Can't he just leave me alone?!' "Can't you stop with your 'mind-reading' trick? You know... Leave me alone for 5, 10 minutes perhaps?" "Have you considered schooling your expression to keep your thoughts hidden? Your face is so loud it's practically screaming." he told her. "Have you considered just- not paying any attention to me? Pretending I don't exist, maybe?"
As they talked- or well, bantered back and forth- Mitsuhide prepared his weapon. An old-fashioned- state-of-the-art flintlock rifle. Just from his movements alone, it was clear that he knew the gun, both inside and out. He was so calm. Like the rifle, attractive in his stillness; deadly once the trigger had been pulled. His graceful hands moved knowingly over the weapon, a blended contrast of both violence and beauty that Eria found mesmerizing. "I had not foreseen that you would volunteer for the rear guard." Mitsuhide spoke suddenly. And to Eria's relief, that was all he said, just offering a quiet observation.
"I had not foreseen that I'd be stuck with you-" she started her mockery again, but stopped, choosing to reply more honestly, "...I couldn't imagine being of any use in the fighting. I would only be a burden. I thought being in the back would be... better." "You think it's safe?" Mitsuhide questioned. "...Hypothetically. ...If they only come from the front, that is." she answered, not realizing just what exactly she'd said. Or what war was truly like. "...You'd think so, wouldn't you?" Mitsuhide said.
"Can you stop answering me with even creepier questions?" Eria hissed. "Eria. You've seen how the castle operates. Who would you say is Lord Nobunaga's right-hand man?" Mitsuhide asked, his question seeming out of the blue. It was a rapid change of subject. "...I believe that would be Hideyoshi. He's always at Nobunaga's side and barking out orders for him." she answered. Mitsuhide smiled, "Very astute of you. Now, who would you say serves at Lord Nobunaga's left?"
"I don't know! Whoever sits opposite of Hideyoshi, I assume? And that's-" Eria cut herself off, gaze darting directly to Mitsuhide, "...That's you." she muttered. "Clever girl. Now, what impact would you say my position has on our current safety?" he asked. "...I see what you're getting at. And the closer I follow, the less I want to know." she bit her lip. But Mitsuhide shook his head, "It's not good to close your mind off. Not when you're so close. Finish your thought."
Hideyoshi was serving at the front, protecting Nobunaga. They were the biggest targets, the enemy's highest priority. They were also the best defended. Mitsuhide controlled the rear. Making him the third most vital target, and less defended... "...That means we're fucked," she answered, her heart racing. As if on cue, Eria could feel the earth tremble beneath her feet as a thunderous roar echoed over the plains. "Mitsuhide?! What the hell is that?!" she shouted. "Quiet, little one," was all he said, placing a finger to his lips. Eria shut up.
Clouds of dust covered the horizon, dark specs slowly taking shape within. Soldiers on horseback, riding under a pale blue standard. "Enemy attack!" one of the vassals shouted. ...This position clearly wasn't safe. "Leave enough troops at the front so as to not arouse suspicion while you stealthily send a strike squad to attack their rear," Mitsuhide said. Like it was the simplest information in the world. "It seems the God of War is blessed with both an excellent tactician and skilled troops," he commented.
'Is this really the time to envy him?!' Mitsuhide's smile remained unfaltering as he turned towards his own command and gave orders. "Is everyone ready for a little challenge?" he asked. "Yes, my lord!" "M-Mitsuhide! What should I be doing?!" Eria questioned, panic rising in her chest. "Nothing." he answered. "...Nothing?" she repeated. "Your orders are to stand behind me and cower like a frightened mouse in her very first battle. Do you understand?" he told her. Despite her annoyance with his tone of voice, she found herself okay with those orders.
Eria couldn't argue with sense. Especially when the fear was too much to speak another word. She nodded. "Very good, little one." Mitsuhide smiled as he gave her one of those mocking head-pats of his before lifting his flintlock rifle high. "...Let us give them a fitting greeting," he decided, his troops responding with an affirmative cry. The ground shook beneath Eria's feet as two armies pounded across the fields.
Within minutes, the place was unrecognizable. Gashes covered the ground; smoke choked the air. Ear-piercing steel screeched without any sign of an end. Men and horses screamed in crimson-soaked pain. Bloody faces; bloody earth. Eria watched it all from her relatively safe vantage point behind Mitsuhide- and she felt sick. But what could she do in this turmoil? The answer was nothing. Eria felt like she was just small and helpless, just like a little mouse. She really had no idea exactly what she was in for.
Mitsuhide watched the same scene she did, but he had the impassive gaze of an experienced observer. "There he is," he spoke. "Our goal is to take Mitsuhide Akechi's head! Press onward! Advance!" It was the enemy general who'd been unfortunate enough to catch Mitsuhide's eye. His command served to rally the troops. The troops turned to the Oda force; a dozen bows drawn. Then, and only then, did Mitsuhide move-
He positioned himself as if to block Eria from the arrows, then planted one leg down. He shouldered his rifle, and lit the fuse with his target fixed in the line of sight. "You might wish to cover your ears. But you must not shut your eyes." "...Are you telling me to watch?" Eria questioned. "You've been living behind a veil of innocence. This is the reality you must learn to face," he told her. Eria's eyes flashed open, taking in the next moments as if they were happening in slow motion.
An alabaster finger caressed the cold, black steel of the trigger, then squeezed. A crack resounded like the skies tearing open. Smoke bloomed like a deadly rose from within the barrel. And the smile that had remained unfaltering… for just a single moment, Eria saw that smile fall. Then, it seemed as though time resumed. A shout came from the enemy general as he clutched at his chest, right where his heart lay, before he fell like a stone from atop his horse. "My lord!" the enemy soldiers cried, racing to his side. ...The man did not get up again.
"It is over," Mitsuhide spoke, with all the calm in the world. Like he hadn't just killed someone. "Their general is defeated!" the vassals shouted. With the announcement of his death, a chorus of cheers erupted from the Oda side. The enemy, in their leaderless panic, fled… But the flaming field of bodies stayed. "Eria, can you stand?" Mitsuhide asked, looking at her. Confused, Eria put one hand out, only to feel upturned earth. At some point, she'd sunk to her knees. "It seems you need a hand," he commented.
Mitsuhide bent down, putting his arms around Eria and raising her to her feet. The touch of another human felt so foreign yet so necessary. Eria wanted to cry. 'Mitsuhide had to shoot him. We would have been skewered by arrows otherwise. Someone… someone had to...' No matter how much she tried to explain and justify it to herself… Eria had just watched a man die. And now the very same man who'd killed him was holding her. That thought kept playing in her head, like a twisted record on repeat. She couldn't stop it anymore than she could come to terms with the dread that nestled in her gut.
Mitsuhide's eyes widened, "Eria, can you speak?" he asked. She felt cold, despite the warm arms that held her. And one by one, her senses dissipated until not even her thoughts remained. Mitsuhide held the unconscious Eria tight in his grip, picking her up and carrying her from the battlefield.
YOSHIMOTO IMAGAWA
Meanwhile, Yoshimoto stood in the midst of the enemy camp like a flower left in a scorched field. "We have word from Kenshin. The battle is finally over," he spoke, his expression dark and grim, "It was a draw. We are retreating." "A draw?! Grr! What are they doing?! If only we were allowed on the frontlines!" one of his vassals scowled. "How long do they intend to let that swine Nobunaga live?! His death is the only way to avenge the Imagawa's destruction!" another hissed. "I guess the tiger and the dragon were all talk!" a third insulted.
Yoshimoto simply listened as their heated voices reached a crescendo- but climbed higher still. His tempered voice almost unheard. "This is how it should be. Kenshin's goal was always to draw out Nobunaga. This battle is meant to judge their strength so as not to lose more than they gain." Yoshimoto explained. But his vassals only scoffed. "...Listen to our lord talk! As if he knows anything that's going on. He wouldn't, since he never joins our councils! All the better. Have him beg Lord Kenshin for a chance to prove himself in battle. Maybe then his opinion will mean something!"
"I have no intention of interfering in Kenshin's battles," Yoshimoto started, "We are lucky enough to be given sanctuary by him. But we are not equals. I beg you to remember that it took much to convince him to let us assist the rear guard. This is not a war of revenge. Not our war. Let the fallen Imagawa clan lay where they fell..." he pleaded. But they refused to listen.
? ? ?
Grumbling, the Imagawa vassals left Yoshimoto in camp. "We could have ruled this land! We had the power, the numbers. It's thanks to that weak-willed puffball we lost!" one of them growled, grinding his teeth in anger. "He doesn't even care about re-establishing our clan! There's got to be a way!" "...I hear you men speak of rulership. That is a topic of great significance to my lord." A strange man spoke, taking the vassals by surprise.
"Who are you?!" one of them shouted, his hand gripping the handle of his blade. Though the man appeared dressed for travel, it was evident that whomever he served spared little to no expense. "I serve one of great majesty and sense the same illustrious pedigree in you gentlemen of the noble Imagawa clan," the messenger said, "In fact, my lord sent me to seek you out after hearing rumors of your survival."
The Imagawa vassals shared a look, suspicion wavering in each of their gazes, "What does your lord want...?" they asked. The messenger smiled, "Something that I believe aligns closely with your own goals."
ERIA LOUIS
Eria woke up in her futon at Azuchi Castle. The entire room dark aside from a singular lantern. 'How did I get here...?' she pondered. "The sleeping princess awakens at last," a voice spoke, startling Eria. "...M-Mitsuhide.." she mumbled. He sat beside her pillow. She tried to sit up, but she still felt a little dizzy. "Drink this. There is time for talk after," he smiled, handing her a cup. "...All right," she replied, not giving much thought.
She drank the water he'd given her, the cooler head allowing her memories to resurface. She immediately put two and two together that she must've collapsed during the battle. "...What happened after I. passed out?" she asked. "Once both sides did their fair share of posturing, the battle ended in a draw." Mitsuhide explained, "Lord Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and all the others you're worried about are unhurt."
Eria tsked, "...When did I say I was worried about them?" "Good to see you are your usual self." Casting her gaze down, Eria thought back to the battle. Back to all she'd been forced to witness. '...What exactly is the right answer when someone tries to kill you, and your only option to kill them first? How do you deal with the weight of your sins...?' Eria hated the thought. She hated the thought that if she were to survive here, others would have to die for that.
"..I... I want to say that... I underst-" Not allowing her to finish her sentence, Mitsuhide frowned and touched a finger to her lips, shushing her. "Never thank someone for taking a life," he told her. Eria's eyes widened, but she found no words to reply. "I killed a man so that we might live. Did we come out unharmed, or do you find yourself changed by what you saw? Are our two lives worth more than his one? How many lives depended upon his?" Mitsuhide questioned. He drew his finger away, but the cold impression stayed with Eria.
It didn't feel like he was comforting her, but he wasn't exactly scolding her either. She couldn't say for sure what he was even thinking. Mitsuhide took the empty cup from her and set it aside. "Now for the important part-" "Wait." Mitsuhide raised an eyebrow, "Yes?" "...I just want to clarify... I never intended to thank you for killing someone. I know you think I'm foolish, but I'm not so foolish to thank someone for killing another. I was merely going to say that I understood the necessity, that's all." Eria explained, glaring slightly.
"..Very well. Now, back to what I was saying-" Mitsuhide began, "I have proposed something to our lord after witnessing your performance on the battlefield." "Is it an early retirement?" Eria joked. "Hardly," Mitsuhide responded, "Though your origins are a mystery, you seem to have lived in a frighteningly safe and… outspoken environment." '...I'm not sure that's how I'd describe the modern day... I may be half-white and cis but... I'm also a bisexual woman...'
"That's unfortunate for you," Mitsuhide continued, "as exposure to pain and fear is what builds our tolerance to it. There will be pain and there will be fear as long as you serve under Lord Nobunaga. Fainting is fine- fleeing is not." Eria stiffened, glaring at Mitsuhide, "...Are you suggesting you believe I'd turn traitor?" "I speak from experience. I've had to put dow- .ahem, deal with these matters. So, forgive me for not being as trusting as you." His grin held a wicked element to it.
"In order to spare you what would be a short and unhappy chase, I've decided to keep a close eye on you. Very close..." Mitsuhide said. "...Is this your way of admitting you're going to spy on me?" she asked, but he paid no mind to her question. "Though officially, I am to be your instructor. We mustn't bother Lord Nobunaga with fears of your potential betrayal." "Woah, woah, slow down. You said my instructor?" she questioned. Mitsuhide nodded, "Yes. I described it as an excellent opportunity to teach our chatelaine the skills necessary to serve our lord. Tactics, politics, equestrianism, self-defense, and firearms seems like a good start."
'Wow. So, he's going to spy on me AND turn me into a copy of him. Fantastic.' "Are you so pleased as to be rendered speechless?" Mitsuhide asked. '...No one plots a murder out loud, Mitsuhide. Surely, you know this?' "...Pleased? Why would I be pleased that you went behind my back and decided all of this for me while I was UNCONSCIOUS?" she retorted. "Don't frown, little one. Simply remain loyal and by the time I'm through with you, no one will be taking advantage of you like I have ever again."