Nobunaga had a meeting with the warlords but for some reason he called it a "war council". He was acting kinda mysterious lately. Eventually, I got bored and took a stroll. When I got back to our room, I found him pacing around restlessly.
'Where have you been?' He threw his arms me around and held me so tight, I couldn't take a breath.
'Did you worry about me?' I nuzzled his chest, taking in his familiar scent.
'No.' He buried his face in my neck. He was obviously lying.
'Okay.' I chuckled.
'If you fly away again, I'll have to put you in a cage, my little dove.' He growled and bit the ridge of my ear.
...
The next day, Nobunaga ordered Hideyoshi to escort me while he was doing his business. So we walked around the market place. He was on alert the whole time. He was still Nobunaga's right hand man no matter what.
'Are you alright, Hideyoshi? You look nervous.'
'I promised Lord Nobunaga I'll return his most valuable asset unharmed.' He glanced around one more time. 'I can't let him down.'
'He called me what?! I can't believe that man...' I scoffed.
We went to a tea shop to have some tea and desserts.
'Uhm... Hideyoshi? There is something I would like to ask from you.'
'Tell me, what is it?'
'As Nobunaga's closest friend, I can't think of a better person for this task...' I looked deep into his eyes. 'Lord Hideyoshi, would you do the honour and walk me to the altar at the wedding ceremony?'
Hideyoshi was at a loss for words. He even got emotional. It took him some time to collect himself.
'Ahem.' He cleared his throat to steady his voice. 'I-I am honoured, my lady.'
'Thank you!' I smiled at him and bowed with gratitude.
Suddenly, a commotion occurred nearby. Two men were having a brawl.
'Wait for me here! Don't go anywhere! I'll be right back.' Hideyoshi hurried to break up the fight.
'Be careful, Hideyoshi!' I yelled.
'Are you Lady Saori?' A brown haired guy approached me.
'Well, technically, I'm not a lady.'
He looked past my shoulder and nodded. I got a bad, bad feeling. I started to back out, keeping my eyes on the guy. After only one step, I bumped into something. More like someone.
'Hide-' Before I could cry for help a hand covered my mouth.
I can't believe this is happening... The damsel in distress is not a role I ever wanted. Nobunaga will be so pissed.
They tied me up and put me on a horse. The brown haired guy was sitting behind me.
'Hah, idiots! You are so dead! My boyfriend is coming for you.'
'Where are you taking me?' I squirmed and struggled. 'I demand you to tell me where you are taking me!'
'You are so annoying.' He sighed. 'Can't you shut up for a minute, you wild boar woman?'
'No, I can't. And you are rude. Fear your life because you unleashed a demon's wrath, peasant!'
'I'm not a peasant.' He sulked. 'And why are you talking like a lunatic?'
'Oh really? Who are you then?'
'Sanada Yukimura.'
'You...' I was taken aback.
'Finally...' He rolled his eyes. 'I was about gag you.'
We've been riding for hours and I was racking my mind to find a way to escape. Unfortunately, I had to realise that even if I managed to break free I had no clue where I was and where to go.
The sun has already set when we arrived to a clearing deep in the forest. I saw some tents and a handful of soldiers. Yukimura halted the horse and dismounted. Then he pulled me off the saddle. Even though he was rude and brusque, he handled me surprisingly gently.
Suddenly, every person at the camp jumped to their feet and stood up straight. A man emerged from one of the tents and I swear even the birds stopped chirping in the woods. He was pale and blonde, looking like a sculpture. He walked up to me. He stopped right in front of me and sized me up with his heterochromatic eyes. A shiver ran down my spine.
'You look rather mediocre for a concubine.' He walked around me, his piercing cold eyes never leaving me.
'Excuse me?!' I grasped. I was personally offended.
'How dare you talking to me?' He drew his sword in a blink of an eye and pointed it at my chest.
Holy fuck, he is a psycho! Nobunaga was right, this place is not an amusement park... I was terrified.
'The former Oda commanders were seen gathering in the same inn as you and that devil. Is this how he strengthens his alliances? Sharing his woman?'
I realised that if I reveal my true relationship to Nobunaga they would use me against him. I had to play along. So I pulled on my haughtiest expression and shot him a disdaining glare.
'How dare you?!' I squinted.
'What is Nobunaga up to? How is he not dead?'
'You can kill me now because I won't tell you anything!'
I heard a low and velvety chuckle from behind my back.
'Kenshin, mind you manners when you are talking to such an extraordinary lady!' He put his hand on the sword being pointed at me and pushed it down with ease.
'K-Kenshin?' I gasped. It can't be...
'My spies reported that Nobunaga resides with a beautiful woman. They were wrong. You are beyond beautiful. You are breaking my heart with a mere glance. You must be the goddess of love.' He hooked his finger under my chin and made me look him in the eye.
He was so unrealistically handsome, I didn't even mind his horribly cheesy antics. With voluptuous auburn hair, chiselled features and stunning physique, he was a charmer and the breaker of countless lady hearts for sure.
'Who are you?' I was kinda hypnotised by his grey eyes.
'Takeda Shingen, at you service Lady Saori.' He shot me a disarming smile and I was swooning in an instant.
'Oh my goodness! More famous warlords?!'
'You've heard about me, I see. Good. I'm planning to get to know you too... Deeply.' He stroked my cheek.
I was speechless. Shingen's gaze shifted to my tied up hands.
'Yuki, what did I teach you about treating a lady properly?' He looked at his vassal, frowning.
'She is not a lady.'
Shingen stared daggers at him.
'What? She said it herself.' Yukimura shrugged.
'Now, now. A refined lady like you should not be treated like a bandit.' Shingen untied me. 'Are you hurt?'
'No, I'm okay.'
'Let me make sure!' He took my hands and laid a kiss on each of my wrists.
I was legit shocked by his smoothness.
'Why did you set her free?' Kenshin complained behind his back.
'She won't run into the woods at night. She knows better than that. She is clever.' He kept holding my gaze and I couldn't look away.
'What are you going to do to me?'
'Don't worry, princess, we won't hurt you.' He ran his fingers through my hair, smiling. 'Not even a hair.'
'Speaking of hair...'
Kenshin pushed Shingen aside. He lifted his sword and cut off a piece of my hair.
Then he turned to one of the soldiers. 'Send this to Nobunaga.'
'Please forgive him, princess! Let me make it up to you!' Shingen pouted and pulled out a small box from his kimono.
There was some sort of dessert in it and, to be honest, it looked delicious. He picked it up and brought it to my lips.
'It's not poisoned.' He chuckled teasingly.
I took a small bite. Okay, I ate the whole thing. I was very hungry. Shingen cracked up laughing and I felt embarrassed.
Later, I sat with them in the main tent and we had dinner.
'You!' Kenshin barked at me and held out his cup. 'Pour me a drink!'
'I beg your pardon.' I huffed.
'You are an entertainer by profession, aren't you? I command you to amuse me!' Kenshin said nonchalantly.
'He means that we would be more than delighted to hear one of your stories, Lady Saori.' Shingen squinted at Kenshin then smiled at me.
'Very well.' I nodded gracefully and sat up elegantly like a proper lady.
I kept filling up Kenshin's cup and his piercing cold eyes eventually softened as he listened to me reciting a chapter from my book.
'Boring!' Kenshin downed another cup of sake and started telling war stories.
That was when Shingen scooted next to me and leaned closer.
'Let me whisk you away!' He whispered in my ear alluringly.
I held on to Shingen's arm and he led me to a river bank where thousands of flowers bloomed under the moonlight.
'Wow! This place is wonderful!'
'I hoped you'd like it.' He chuckled.
He made a flower crown and placed it on my head.
'You look gorgeous.' He stroked my hair gently as he pulled back his hand.
He didn't move away, instead he started leaning in slowly.
'Shingen...' I put my hands on his rock solid chest to keep the distance between us. 'This is inappropriate. I mean you are really sweet and all but my heart is already taken.'
'That is going to be a challenge fit for me... Conquering the devil's lover.' He smiled and let me off the hook.
I was rather spoiled for a hostage. I had my own tent with a soft futon and a change of clothes. I even got makeup and fragrant oils and oitments.
I was exhausted. I lied down and closed my eyes. He is on his way to save me. I can sense it.
...
Like a prowling tiger, a figure wrapped in darkness sneaked into the camp without making a sound.
'Intru-!'
A flicker of silver and the lookout fell down, groaning and clutching his arm.
'Kenshin!' Nobunaga's roaring cry shook the forest. 'Where is she?'
I was sitting in the main tent again with Kenshin, Shingen and Yukimura. They sprung to their feet, weapons in hand and ran out.
Is's him! My hero came to save me!
At last I managed to stumble out from the tent. And there he was, my prince charming, my knight in shining armour. Almost literally. He looked stunning as ever.
'If you laid a finger on her I will kill you and descend to the netherworld to find you and kill you again.' Nobunaga was shouting.
He disarmed the soldiers one after another single handedly. He was fighting like a raging bull. Kenshin and Shingen were the last men standing by the time I got there. They were circling around each other. Nobunaga looked alarmingly determined and calm but I knew he was just faking it. However, what was more concerning that Kenshin was actually smiling for the first time.
'Nobunaga!' I shouted his name at the top of my lungs and ran to him.
His eyes flickered for a moment when he saw me. I jumped between the three of them.
'Stop!' I was panting. 'All of you!'
Nobunaga grabbed me and pulled me against his his chest with one arm. He held me so tight, I could barely breathe.
'Saori...' He whispered my name so only I could hear his voice trembling.
Ignoring our surroundings, he kissed me. He has never kissed me so desperately.
'Shameless!' Kenshin yelled.
Nobunaga kept kissing me and pointing his sword at Kenshin at the same time.
'Did they hurt you?'
'No, they were very nice.'
'Good. So I only have to kill them for kidnapping you.' Nobunaga narrowed his eyes.
'I don't want you to kill anybody.' I cupped his cheeks.
He didn't budge.
'Darling, please!' I made the best puppy eyes I could possibly do.
He searched my eyes then finally let down sword with a sigh.
'What is the meaning of this?' Kenshin couldn't believe his eyes.
'There is a huge misunderstanding. Nobunaga is not here to rise to power again. We came to get married.'
'Lies!' Kenshin yelled.
'There is no lies here, Kenshin. The devil lost his horns to an angel...' Shingen's expression was grave but his eyes were kinda heartbroken when he looked at me.
Then his eyes shifted back to Nobunaga again.
'I'll never forgive what you had done to my people but I would be damned if I made an angel cry.' Shingen smiled but this one was cold as ice. 'You don't deserve a miracle like her, you lucky bastard. You better be a good husband to her or I'll take her away from you.'
Nobunaga tightened his arm around me. 'Over my dead body!'
'Fine by me.' Kenshin grabbed his sword.
Shingen stopped him. 'There is no need for bloodshed. We got what we wanted. Let them go.'
Kenshin lowered his sword, grinding his teeth.
When we were finally alone, Nobunaga pulled me into his arms again.
'It's okay, my love. I'm fine.' I comforted him because I knew he was worried.
He mumbled something with his face buried in my neck. Finally, he looked into my eyes. His eyes were red and teared up.
'Oh, Sweetheart, what's wrong?'
'I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep. I was losing my sanity with worry.' He sighed and rested his forehead against mine.
'I'll tell you a bedtime story and spoil you rotten when we get back.' I cupped his cheeks in my hands. 'Did you get hurt, Darling?'
'I never get hurt.' He said smugly.
'Your wrists are bruised. Did they tie you up?' Nobunaga took my hands and laid kisses on my wrists.
'Yes, but Shingen let me go.'
'Shingen...' He frowned.
'Why didn't you run away?'
'That would have been foolish. And I knew you were coming for me. I wanted to gather as much information as I could. They thought I was your concubine. I was afraid they would use me to blackmail you.'
'My little dove...' He narrowed his eyes and looked at me with pride. That look...
'Wait a minute... You bastard!' I clenched my hands into fists, banging on his chest.
'You were very brave. I expected no less from you.' He laughed and wrapped me in his arms so I couldn't struggle. 'I had to make sure those idiots won't ruin the wedding.'
'You used me again!' I was so mad. 'Let me go! I'm going after Shingen.'
'No!' He squeezed me. 'You are mine.'
'Shingen would never use me or trick me into things like you do. And he said really nice things too.'
'I say nice things to you all the time.'
'He offered me his dessert. The whole thing, not just a crumble like you do.'
'Tsk!' He rolled his eyes.
'He even made a flower crown for me.'
'A flower crown?!' Nobunaga gasped. 'You never said you liked those things.'
He let go of me and pouted. He actually looked like he was about to cry.
'So... You want to be with him now?' Even his voice was choked-up.
'Maybe I do.' I crossed my arms and looked away.
'If that would make you happy...'
'What?!'
'So be it. Your happiness is the most important thing to me.'
'You donkey!' I yelled at him. I was overwhelmed and just started sobbing instantly. 'You are not allowed to let me go! Never! Never ever!'
'I was just kidding. I would never let you go. Not even if you wanted to leave. You bound my heart and you'll have to live with the consequences for the rest of my life.'
He stole my words and my lips in a wild and passionate kiss.