My Little Bride

Chapter 2

Hyakkimaru coughs and chokes, immediately putting the hot teacup aside, wheezing His mother hurriedly offers a glass of water and he gulps it in an instant. His eyes comically growing rewinding his father's words.

"What?" He mutters, blinking and staring at his father then to his mother.

"I've arranged a political marriage for the benefit of our clan. The girl is from a far-away land and will arrive here in a week. Your marriage is scheduled to be held in six months."

"What?!" Hyakkimaru stands, flabbergasted. He has the urge to slap his face just to make sure he's not dreaming. The young man came from a three week-long mission and when he returns, his parents decides him to get married? Of course, who will not be in shock.

"Hyakkimaru," His mother calls worriedly. Nui breathes in and out calmly before looking at her husband. She will never say it out loud but she hates the way Kagemitsu suddenly announce it to their son and his utter lack of introduction perplexes the boy.

"F-father?" Hyakkimaru stutters, which rarely happens. He hopelessly waits and waits, just in case his father miraculously learned how to crack a joke. But it doesn't come. And so Hyakkimaru starts to process his thoughts quietly, inwardly and by force, calmly. Although all he wants to do is to ask several questions simultaneously on how or why it came to this. Personally, he doesn't mind sacrificing himself for the land - their land. Hyakkimaru ever since when he was a child is taught that he will one day rule the Domain as his father's heir. That the task is his and it is his destiny to fulfill. It is like chains that tie him down to become not just the brain but also the heart of the clan.

After a while, Kagemitsu tells him the details pertaining the truce on the marriage. All the while leaving the most crucial part;

No one except his advisor and the Daimyo knows about the girl's real identity.

-xxx-

"The best thing I can do now is ask."

Tahomaru is walking alongside Mutsu and Hyogo in the alleyways, casually strolling around after their talk behind the shrubs when he decides to ask his mother about what he heard earlier. After all, his mother is the second most important person to know that his brother is getting married. He bid them goodbye before going to his parents' room not expecting to hear familiar voices ringing inside for the second time of the day.

"What?!"

He hears his older brother's voice. Tahomaru feels excitement first and foremost because his aniue is back in the village. But secondly, he's curious as to how will his brother take their father's decision to bethrot him.

Quietly, Tahomaru listens to the conversation. Heck, he is never the type to intrude someone's discussion yet this day, he discovers that he has a future in spying. He makes sure to tell Hyakkimaru about it. That is, after his older brother recovers from the bomb that's been drop right into his face. Tahomaru hears his mother comforting his brother. From the looks of it and as expected, Hyakkimaru is as shock as him.

"F-father?!"

He hears Hyakkimaru's voice again and after that is silence. Tahomaru presses his head closer on the fusuma, making sure that he's hearing enough. He catches his father's voice but it's like mumbles. Tahomaru grunts, realizing he's not hearing them well and pushes himself until the fusuma creaks in a noticeable sound.

Kagemitsu pauses and shoots a glare at the fusuma. Hyakkimaru and Nui follows his line of sight.

Tahomaru is sweating bullets behind the door while having a mental battle whether to flee or reveal himself. Knowing his father and brother's sharp senses, they already know that someone is eavesdropping from their chat.