"You...do you have any idea what you've just done?!"
Hideyoshi's anger was rising fast, and everyone knew it. "Oh boy..." Ieyasu sounded extremely irritated, as if he couldn't be bothered. Akira kept her eye on Hideyoshi, as you could practically see the smoke coming off of him. Stubbornly loyal, is what she'd call him. "Lass?"
It was Masamune who called her that. It was probably her favorite nickname that she had gotten today. "You should apologize to Hideyoshi." At this point, Akira had completely turned her back on Nobunaga, not a particularly smart move, but right now, Hideyoshi posed the greatest threat.
"Why should I?"
That just pissed him off even more. He grits his teeth and barks out at her, "A thousand deaths couldn't atone for your crime!" To this, Akira stayed silent. It may have been a 'crime' and completely illogical but she wouldn't let a man she just met put his hands on her. Not answering also set him off, but I doubt giving a response would have helped. The bias was extreme.
He took two steps, and Akira discretely slid her feet under her, ready to move, and ready to dodge. Before that can happen however, two people grab Hideyoshi by the arms and push against his rampage. Mitsuhide has his right side, and surprisingly, Ieyasu has his left. She certainly didn't expect Ieyasu of all people would react first for her.
"Let me go!" "Come on Hideyoshi, it's her first day." Mitsuhide's voice is the epitome of calm, even though he's holding back a 5'8 man. "People would kill to be in the presence of Lord Nobunaga! What are you hiding, woman?!" Akira hid a lot of things, but she hated politics. She wouldn't spy on anyone for anyone, much less work under some stuck-up lord. Even though Nobunaga was grabby and cocky as hell, he was one of the better ones.
"Whatever would I be hiding? You've been stalking me ever since I got to Azuchi." "Then I'll force the truth out of you then." Akira's eyes narrow and Hideyoshi throws off his shackles, sending them back. He draws his longsword as Akira stands, pointing it at her throat.
And she chuckles. Hideyoshi's eyes widen, as do the others. Akira can feel Nobunaga's eyes at her back, but she continues. "Don't just threaten me." The piercing magenta eyes seem to glow, and it makes Hideyoshi slightly adjust his grip. "If you want to kill me,do it. Don't draw your sword and leave it hungry for my blood." She pressed her neck up to the sword, but it wasn't hard enough to draw blood.
That was when Nobunaga gave his order.
"Enough of this!"
The words rang out like a bell, and Hideyoshi seemed astonished, not only at the words of his lord, but the words of the woman who stood before him. "This woman is to remain by my side, unharmed. Whether you find her suspicious or not." His meaning was clear. Sheath your sword.
So Hideyoshi apologized. Not to Akira, the woman who so brazenly met his threat with defiance, but to his lord, whose orders he had disobeyed. He dropped to his knees, kneeling before Nobunaga in deep apology.
Then it is Akira who turns to Nobunaga. "Protecting your assets?" She was amused, and he could tell by the sound of her voice and her expression. But to this, he doesn't respond. Her delight calmed down, and left a small grin on her face. The room is quiet. Without another word spoken, Akira walks out of the war council, leaving behind six startled warlords.
The sunrise was warm, Akira decided as she sat up in her futon. The journal sits on the desk, next to an ink-stained brush. Humming to herself, she gently rolls her futon, and places it in the corner out of the way. When she sits down at her desk, she stretches her back, letting it crackle. Her fingers brush past the pages of the book, ever so delicately, as if it might crumble at her touch.
She was glad that she had just started a new journal. Just because she kept it on her at all times, and that she was wary of pick-pockets, doesn't mean they wouldn't have seen what was in it. A diary might have been a better word for it, but she didn't quite like how it sounded. Each day she would write what happened, or at least the important details. She left out anything time travel, especially since she wouldn't know who would have if after she died.
A gentle greeting from outside her door broke her morning thoughts. It sounded like a woman, younger than her. Probably a maid. Wasn't it her job to watch over them? Keeper of the house meant superior to those who kept in it shape. So she called back to the woman, telling her it was okay to enter.
A pale blonde haired woman slides the door open. Her eyes were a bright orange, her traditional kimono covered in red flowers. She bowed towards Akira, and judging by her tied up sleeves she was a maid. Akira turned, and waited for the woman to speak.
"I am Kinu, and I have been assigned as your attendant."
Attendant? Like a personal maid she supposed. Similar to a vassal, but not a soldier. She assumed that Nobunaga gave Kinu to her. Gently she told her to raise her head. "I'm Akira, newly appointed chatelaine. And please, before you say it, I'm not a lady. Don't address me as such." Her words were stubborn,but not unkind.
Kinu's eyes widened, but she masterfully hid it by dropping her gaze. "Very well, Lady Akira." Akira sighs. It was worth a shot, but she obviously knows how not to upset her lord. She might drop the lady if she warmed up to her, but for now she was 'Lady Akira'.
"Lovely. Let's start."
The vase was heavy, but to Akira it was pretty light. She was carrying it to one of the guest rooms for one of the maids, as it was too heavy for her to lift. Her memory was good, and she was very glad for it. The castle was big and most of the halls looked the same. As she walked, she passed maids cleaning and organizing-it was interesting to Akira to see the inner workings of a castle, even though she had been in one before. Even though her stay was less than welcomed.
Ah, the poor souls. Akira turns a corner only to face Hideyoshi and Masamune, who were evidently discussing business. And Hideyoshi's face twisted in distaste. "Hey there, Akira." Masamune gave her a proper greeting, and she returned it with a polite smirk. It only made his grin grow.
"What are you doing?" Hideyoshi was staring at the vase in her arms. "My job." The answer was quick and blunt, something to satisfy him so she could be on her way. Masamune snorted in the background, although Akira had her focus mainly on the man who tried to kill her yesterday.
Before their staring contest could have a victor, behind them a maid stumbled, carrying a vase similar to Akira's, and clearly just as heavy. She only saw it out of the corner of her eye, but she was quicker than both lords, and wrapped an arm around her waist to stabilize her.
"Are you okay?!" Hideyoshi comes rushing over to the maid, taking the vase from her. He obviously didn't expect it to be that heavy, as he almost dropped it himself as he took it. Masamune hangs back, knowing he couldn't do much if Hideyoshi was there first. The maid regains her footing and bows to Akira, apologizing. She waves her off. "It's all right. Besides, you're not too heavy." The maid blushes, mostly due to embarassment. Akira smiles lightly, mostly to comfort the woman. Reaching out, she takes the vase from Hideyoshi, and cradles both in her arms.
"Hey-"
"Where is this going?"
Akira completely overlooks Hideyoshi and his complaints. The maid indicates towards the eastern wing of the castle, and Akira sighs. "Next time you need to move something heavy, come and get me, hm?" The maid nods in agreement, before turning away.
"Excuse me."
The wanderer pushes past the warlords, ignoring Hideyoshi's stunned expression, and Masamune's unhinged laughter.
"Today's been quite the day..."
Akira's mumbling to herself as she walks through the late-day rush in Azuchi's castle town. She had made her way to where the vassals were quartered, as her last task for the day was to get a package to Ieyasu, who was at a strategy meeting in Hideyoshi's residence. She was pretty sure it was only a few documents, and maybe a book, but according to one of the vassals, Nobunaga himself had sent for papers in order to get them to his lords at top speed. And that was her. Top speed. Someone who didn't know how to get from point a, to point b.
She was grateful for the chance to explore though.The more she could memorize now, the less lost she would be next time. With the guidance of a few passing vassals, she eventually arrived at the manor. The maids there recognized her, and led her up to Hideyoshi's room. She clutched the package in her hands as they walked. Going into enemy territory was not fun.
"Hideyoshi? It's Akira. I'm coming in."
The sliding door opened, and to Akira's surprise Hideyoshi, Ieyasu, Masamune, and Mitsunari were inside. "Quite the party you're having." Hideyoshi glares at her. "It's not." She walks in, and takes a seat next to the green-clad warlord. Then, she pulls the package out of her yukata, and holds it out for Ieyasu to grab, which he does.
He mutters out a thanks, which makes Akira smile. She goes to stand, but Masamune grabs her arm. The motion stops her from leaving, but she twists off his grip. Looking down on him, she raises her brow. He grins. "Stay for a bit, would ya? We don't bite." "One, I've shown you I don't like grabby little lords. Second, you most certainly bite. And three-" Akira jabs her thumb at Hideyoshi.
"-you guys are working so if Hideyoshi is more focused on me than his work, you'll never finish."
To their speechless expression, Akira grins. "Exactly. I'll be off." She waves them off as she exits the room.
"What a strange woman."
The cold night breeze rushed through Akira's open door. It was pleasant, the dark and cool. The candle on her desk flew back, as if it was about to go out, and the open ink jar rippled. A little scroll was in her hand, and she stared into the stars. Then, a black shadow ran across her view. Beckoning it closer, it landed on her forearm. Stroking it lightly, she slides the scroll into the pack,and shuts it tight. "Fly fast." She whispers to it, before it launches into the sky above, moon a sliver above.
Published November 13th, 2020