Warlords of Sengoku (Ikemen Segoku)

Part 15

Mitsuhide POV

I slowly sat up from my position on the chair, stretching my arms out and stifling a yawn. I ran my hands through my tousled hair as I retrieved two trays of breakfast for Y/N and I.

She was still asleep when I found her so lightly kicked her shoulder with my foot. She stirred slugishly, blinking her eyes unsteadily as she looked around the room. I rested one of the trays next to her and said, "Eat."

She didn't say anyhing but tucked into the still hot food. Once we'd finished we packed up what little things we had and walked out the ryoken. Y/N stopped dead in her tracks, noticing that our horse was exactly where we'd left it.

"What about the private stables? I-I don't understand." She said looking up at me confusedly, then slowly realising what I had done.

"I couldn't risk you making stupid decisions to leave when I wasn't looking." I said.

"You mean escaping my captivity." She replied bluntly.

"I mean you'd end up getting killed if you went off on you're own."

She sighed, no doubt irritated of my intelligence. Y/N stomped off to untie the horse. And we set off again with a newfound speed that would get us back quickly. The closer we got to Azuchi there people we found on the roads, some even recognising me. But instead of just eying me suspiciously, they eyed me and Y/N suspiciously. And the closer we got to home, the more Y/N figited in my lap. She was probably thinking of any possible way to get of her situation, but we both knew there were none.

We entered Azuchi, trotting through the market places that were littered with stalls and shops, and filled with chatter. We turned off the main street, going into a quieter alley, where we approached a figure concealed by shadows. All we could see, were flickers of green and red.

"Aketchi Mitsuhide." He called out from the shade.

"Toyotomi Hideyoshi." I replied, dismounting the horse and leading it with Y/N still sat gloomily on top towards the man.

Hideyoshi and I shook hands firmly, smiling softly as old friends.

"Where did you find her?" He asked, indicating towards Y/N.

"Kennyo's castle of all places."

His eyes widened with concern, "Was she captured?"

"No. Even more obscure. She was there to rescue one of Takeda Shingen's vassals."

"What?! Why? How was she in contact with Uesugi Kenshin?"

"Not sure yet. She didn't seem to want to tell me anything. No matter, she'll end up having to speak to Nobunaga anyway."

Hideyoshi eyed Y/N carefully, "Can't imagine why she wouldn't want to talk to you." He said sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes, "Come on, let's get to the castle."

Hideyoshi nodded and left the alley and continued through the main street.

"So what happened in my absence?" I asked.

"Well Masamune is still improving. You left quite a deep wound." He said, indicating to the sullen Y/N being lead behind me.

"And I'll do it again if I have to." She spat harshly.

"Y/N, if you use that tongue with Nobunaga, he will not tolerate that. He's been anxious to see you returned to Azuchi and will not take lightly of your ungratefulness." Hideyoshi said candidly.

"What am I supposed to be grateful for again?" She replied.

"Y/N, we've had this conversation, haven't we? So you know what happens when you're ungrateful." I said threateningly. She looked away.

"You don't seem to want to be here." Hideyoshi said, eying Y/N.

"Well, I came here under, 'distasteful' reasons."

"Well then, why did you leave in the first place?"

She paused, "I was looking for a friend..."

"You seemed to hate us before you got to Azuchi though."

"Probably because, I suddenly found myself on a burning boat and having to save an unconcious man, who only minutes after being saved: declared me as his wife or something like that. I know things here are different here, but where I come from, you would actually know someone before you did something like that. Then when I tried to leave, you and Masamune chased me through a forest on horseback in the middle of the night. You took me back to Azuchi, eventhough I obviously didn't want to go! Does consent mean anything to you people??"

"Y/N-"

"And when I tried to leave Azuchi, Masamune chased me down again!"

"He was trying to protect you from the dangerous roads."

"And he," She said pointing at me, "He murdered two innocent men. He lied to me. He tricked me constantly. And he forced me to go back with him otherwise he said he'd kill the rest of my friends!"

"No man is innocent. You're an idiot if you think really believe that."

Tears brimmed her eyes, "I am just so tired of being treated like cargo. Like an object..." 

She was once again silent.

We approached the gate, which opened unobjectively. On contact with a group of guards near just beyond the gate, I handed one of them the reigns of the horse and comaned, "Take it to the stables. It's of decent breed, start training it tomorrow morning." The guard nodded and walked off with the horse once I'd lifted Y/N from its back.

Hideyoshi and I began to make our way to the castle, when I noticed that Y/N hadn't moved from where I'd placed her. I walked back to her, staring into her petrified eyes. I placed my hands on her shoulders, "Y/N. You can't stay here forever. Now just go in there, and don't anger him. You will regret it otherwise."

She didn't say anything but she started to walk in the right direction so I let her be. Despite being away for over two weeks, I didn't feel anything towards being back in Azuchi. I had no problem with being away or travelling alone. People weren't a neccessity in my opinion. However, I was intruiged to see Nobunaga's reaction to Y/N so I wasn't opposed to it.

I stopped outside the council room, giving one last glance towards Hideyoshi and Y/N. Then we entered.