An Imperfect Science | Ikemen Sengoku

Chapter 2

「She has no hair,」said a sweet voice, 「Are you sure you heard correctly, Lord Mitsuhide?」

「She said she's not a boy.」came the answer.

「Oh. Perhaps she is a monk.」the first voice replied.

「Perhaps she is in disguise,」spoke the voice of authority.

「Has anyone checked her for weapons?」a fourth voice chimed in.

「Lord Hideyoshi, if she is a girl then...」the sweet voice replied again hesitantly.

「No, he is correct Mitsunari, girl or not,」spoke the calm voice again, 「We take no chances. We should see this injury in any case.」

The sound of the four men moving around her, talking quietly, gave her a familiar feeling of security. It was just like being at home. Although she could only understand a few words of what they were saying. Only when she felt careful long fingers unbutton her coat did she open her eyes and fix them on the man crouched next to her.

"Lord... Akechi?"

"Let us see your injury. Between us there may be something we can do."

He opened the left side of the coat but she was too afraid to really look at it. Pulses of pain went down her side as the pressure of the coat was released. She grimaced. She did not miss the looks they exchanged even if they spoke too quickly for her to keep up.

「I've never seen an arm at that angle before,」said the one they had called 'Lord Nobunaga'.

「I have,」said the phantom grimly.

"So... bad then?"

"We will take you to see somebody very soon."

Fuck. She had no sense of how long it had been before a strong pair of arms reached under her carefully from the right side, lifted her from the ground and cradled her small body as if she was fragile. Am I going to hospital now? What if he's looking for me there? She swayed slightly as the person carrying her began to walk. She was being carried by a man with brown hair. No. How did this...? How did he...? She immediately began to struggle in his hold.

"No! Let me go! I'm not telling you anything. Fuck you!

The man who carried her tried to keep hold of her as she wriggled desperately, kicked weakly and promised death to all comers.

「Please stop, my lady...」

"Goddammit you bastard, you call yourself a scientist! I'll show you a scientist!"

「Mitsuhide!」

Cool fingers took hold of her chin in a firm grasp. Extraordinary amber eyes filled her field of vision as his face stopped an inch from hers.

"Please do not struggle, Ness," he said.

"Please!"

"Please, what?"

"Please do not let him take me!"

"You are safe," he said calmly, "Lord Hideyoshi would never harm you. You have my word."

"Lord Hid..."

She looked at the man carrying her, really looked, for the first time. She flushed with embarrassment, closed her eyes, and sucked in a deep breath. Please just let the earth swallow me now.

"Fucking hell."

「She thought you were somebody else,」said Mitsuhide.

「She must not like this somebody else,」Hideyoshi replied thoughtfully.