White Fox

Trust and Belief

Mitsuhide came back from the battle as a hero, and laid out his report in the council. Mitsuhide said the army belonged to Kenshin. Stunned faces followed the words, and Aiko didn't understand why. She matched the name with the heterochromatic eyes she'd met the other day, wondering what he'd been doing in Azuchi.

Aiko headed over to the library as soon as that was done. Grabbing scrolls from the shelves, she started reading up on war and war tactics. In an era of battle and death, Sun Tzu was ever famous.

"Know your enemy, know yourself, and you need not fear the results of a hundred battles," she muttered under her breath as Nobunaga's face popped up in her mind. She took a deep breath and laid the scroll down, wondering why she hated him. He disrupted the quiet city life she'd gained after her transmigration, dragged her forcefully into his castle, and then ordered her around like a servant. No wonder.

"Well, he won't even have my loyalty," she hummed, reaching for another scroll.

"Who were you talking about just now?" Hideyoshi walked into the library, his eyes glowing like a tiger's.

"You should know who, Lord Hideyoshi," said Aiko, who had the self-preservation skills of an ant. She stood up, consciously placing distance between them. He didn't have the same sentiment. Hideyoshi backed her up against a shelf, and Aiko had to do her best not to topple it over.

"You. Are you studying up on war to help Lord Nobunaga or to find a way to destroy us from the inside out?"

"If I were a spy or an assassin, I'd already be equipped with that knowledge!" She ducked out of his way. "Knock it off. I'm still an honored guest of the castle."

"And I'm a vassal of the castle's lord."

Aiko bit her lip. "Listen, I have plenty of reason to hate Lord Nobunaga, but I haven't plotted against him. I'm studying because I've been dragged into your little battle and I want to live!"

He reached a hand out, and Aiko stumbled backwards. She slid down the wall as someone else grabbed Hideyoshi's outstretched hand.

Aiko looked up. It was Mitsuhide, who was wearing his characteristic smile. "If you're trying to romance her, maybe ask if she likes choking before you do it."

Aiko wasn't sure whether she was supposed to glare at Mitsuhide or thank him, so she settled on pouting. Mitsuhide hid her from Hideyoshi's sight, perhaps unconsciously.

"Please tell him to leave."

"Well, you heard Aiko."

"Are both of you working together now? I hardly trust either of you," said Hideyoshi, grabbing Mitsuhide's shirt. Mitsuhide just smiled, and Aiko tensed up, wondering what to do if a fight broke out.

He brushed him off. "That's hardly my problem."

Aiko glanced at Mitsuhide. He wasn't put off by the situation at all. Hideyoshi cursed under his breath as he left, and Aiko looked up at Mitsuhide. "Thank you."

He lifted her up, his hands lingering just a second longer on her waist. He walked over to the scrolls she'd laid out on the table. "War, hmm..." he said, looking through each of them.

Aiko tilted her head, and watched as he put them down. Thinking nothing of it, she sat down to read again, as Mitsuhide moved to the shelves. He pulled down some more scrolls, and Aiko watched the elegance and grace he exuded as he pulled out each scroll with precision—almost as if he already knew where everything was.

"I can feel you staring, little one."

"I was not," she said, looking back at the scroll in front of her. "I was just wondering—"