Love again

Chapter Two

Once Hideyoshi and Masamune found her, she was brought back to the castle, and straight into a meeting with the six lords, she didn't want to face. She had been in the middle of a conversation with Sasuke the ninja who like her had traveled through time back 450 years. Though not afraid she was nervous, and she couldn't tell why. It wasn't where or even when she was at; she thought it was more how they looked at her.

She entered the room with the two at her back, and one stayed to block the door as if she would run again. Nobunaga raised his eyes to hers and "Are you done acting like a child and running?"

"I wasn't acting like a child. It was more self-perseveration.", she replied.

"Why would you need that? You are in no danger here.", he asked.

"I am in danger here. Everything about me being here is impossible. That's a danger."

"How so?", he asked calmly as the other lords took note, she did not back away from him or his questions.

"I am not from this time.", She replied. Sasuke had told her not to say anything about that, but at this time she couldn't think to remember his words. "This year is what 1582? I came from this place but in 2018."

"Nonsense.", His word echoed throughout the room, but his eyes betrayed it. He could believe them and did. She looked around at the shocked faces, but none of them was disbelieving. They knew something she didn't that was plainly written on their faces as well. One man looked to be in pain, seriously in pain but she couldn't single him out while in this meeting.

"You don't believe that is nonsense.", she replied back. "None of you do."

"Perceptive Princess. That will be your cover while staying at the castle. You are a visiting princess.", Nobunaga said as he once again looked over the girl. "I don't care what you do to fill your time, do princess things."

"I want to go back home!", She nearly yelled.

"Well until we can figure out how that is possible you shall remain here.", he said now almost snidely. "Mitsuhide take her to a room."

The man who looked pained stood and glared at Nobunaga as he started out the door. He didn't wait for her to follow and he wasn't disappointed as she quickly caught up to him. He refused to look at her. He couldn't. A part of him wanted to take her in his arms and hold her there forever, the more rational part of his brain said NO. It would be opening that wound again, and he couldn't lose her again. It would kill him. So he kept his pace even though he wanted to run and didn't look at her nor speak.

He opened the door to an unused room in the royal area for her and walked in. She followed, in the bright light of day he watched the sunlight play on her soft skin and her features that were mainly the same as before. When she turned to him and smiled, his heart began beating again after two long years. Though his brain said no he reached out and touched her cheek softly, and she leaned into the touch without thinking. She looked up at it him and asked,"Are you alright?"

"Whatever do you mean?", He replied as he took his hand away.

"You look as if you are pained.", she looked again and saw a fake smile on his face. "I am sorry if my presence is what caused it."

"Your presence is neither here nor there to me.", He said as he stepped away. He turned out the door and down the hallway to make his escape but something in his expression was familiar to her, even the words he spoke brought on a feeling she couldn't explain.

Days would go by, and she had a few visitors in that time but not him. Masamune had brought a dish she loved, and she wondered how he knew. It wasn't until Hideyoshi and Mitsunari had brought her in town that she knew something was off, beyond off. They talked to her as if she was an old friend, not a 'visiting princess' she wondered at the why until they lead her down a road that at the end had a beautiful temple. She stopped in the middle of the road and panic filled her. She couldn't breathe. They both turned to her as they were now a good ways ahead and her vision went black. She hit the ground before either could get back to her.

When she came to, she was sitting up against a tree, and Ieyasu had his back to her as the other two faced her. None of the men saw that she was awake yet. "What the hell were you two thinking of taking her there of all places?", Ieyasu demanded.

"I didn't plan on it.", Hideyoshi replied," And I was thinking of that. It is my fault."

"Well if there was any doubt that it is really her that this incident proves it.", Ieyasu sighed. "She still remembers her death."

Death? How could I remember my own death? She asked herself, and she slowly stood up. "Who am I?", she asked in a shaky voice.

The three men now faced her. It was Mitsunari who spoke to answer you as he came forward to embrace you."You are you. Whatever came before doesn't matter to us, Princess."

"What does that mean?", she asked peeking her head out from his chest to look at the other two men.

"It means that if you remember more that doesn't change that you are now you.", Ieyasu replied. She knew they were not going to tell her any more than that. She let herself take comfort in Mitsunari's arms and she tried to will away the aching she now had throughout her entire body.

He stood far enough back so the four people couldn't see him. She had been slumped on a tree as Ieyasu and himself having both been alerted by the scamp Hideyoshi had sent back to the castle with the message that something had happened to her. He watched over her as she was unconscious and wondered what exactly had happened. When she woke up and stood, he realized his breath was finally not painful. He looked at the surrounding area and realized what had must of happened. They took her near the temple, and she collapsed. Did she remember? Was she in any pain? He let his thoughts take hold and let go of the watch for a few moments. When he refocused, she was now in Mitsunari's arms. The burning rage he felt instantly was out of his control. Why was she there? In the other man's arms? He could barely see the pair in the near blinding pain that lanced through his chest. She was his, even in this new body of hers, his and no one else's. He would speak to the bumbling fluff ball later; he began to walk closer as he forced his rage to a deep place and met up with the group.

She was standing by herself by the lake as the three began talking in hushed voices. They didn't even realize he had come up next to her. "I heard of your accident Princess, are you ill?", he asked.

"No," she replied her voice far off somewhere.

"Then you are fine now?", he asked again.

"No," she again said.

"What is wrong then?", he asked.

"I don't know, but I do have a question.", she said.

"What is it?", he asked.

"How did I die?"