The executioner Astreanova has arrived in the land of Inazuma, highly likely due to a fair trade agreement between their nations, led by the Yashiro Commission.
As a warlord and the head of foreign affairs, an arrangement has been done to visit the...
A couple of days have passed since their last tryst at the office, due to the fact that Astrea has been prepping their troops to go to war. The executioner decided it was their last, to fight a war with the Fatui and defend Inazuma before they decide to go back to their home country.
Meanwhile, Ayato's expected date of marriage is near.
Ayato remembers the conversation he had with Ayaka that made her grew exasperated more than proud of her own brother. She protested against the marriage, although subtle at first, but it was shot down by himself, telling her that political relations comes first. He told Ayaka in a polite way that in the future, the Shirasagi Himegimi should be aware of her responsibilities towards the clan if ever she had to get hitched.
Ayaka didn't let the frustration towards her brother explode in front of him. She spoke, albeit still nicely,
"You have only one life, brother. As your beloved sister, I wish you would not throw your life away just like that."
"Ayaka...."
Then she immediately stormed off from his office. Ayato didn't know what to say or do to make his sister happy again. He sat in his office in silence while resuming with his work. Following his instinct, he wanted to ride a horse to visit Astrea's troops, however illogical that is.
He ditched his date with the candidate, most likely postponing the wedding discussion to another day. The Kamisato man was curious if he was ever to be caught going outside alone to see someone he might never have. But there's nothing to worry about since he has his own stealthy ninjas as a backup plan.
Marriage.
I don't have the right to say that I want it.
It's such a chore.
Ayato rode his pure white stallion to the outskirts of Inazuma. He saw a view he thought he would remember for the rest of his life. He witnessed Astrea being at the front of the field with the black horse, sitting majestically with her white cape and armored clothes; while the soldiers were practicing their battle skills.
"Why are you here.....?"
Astrea's piercing golden orbs met his lilac pupils. In that moment the Kamisato head knew he had no excuses left to save his dignity. Suddenly the evening breeze seemed stronger, scattering sakura petals surrounding the open field they were in. Ayato's eyes widened all of a sudden, realizing this was never what he planned, and things always go unplanned ever since their first meeting with each other.
Instead of expressing negative thoughts, the Yashiro commissioner looked down and smiled.
"I simply followed your advice, executioner."
Astrea raised an eyebrow, riding the horse closer to his so she could take a closer look at his face. He looked somewhat contented, less pathetic than before.
"What advice?"
"Following my heart. It brought me here, right next to you." Ayato spoke as a matter of fact.
"Isn't it dangerous to disappoint the Fujimoto clan? Word would get around fast." Astrea replied coldly.
"I've thought about it before, actually. It's not much of a big deal when I can get around the politics of things." He crossed his arms.
Little did they know some of the villagers who had connections with the Fujimoto family witnessed the encounter, even if it was situated a bit far from the city. Ayato summoned his trusted men aka the Shuumatsuuban to keep an eye on them firsthand. If word about his reputation gets out, he would simply ask to dispose of the fearmongers.
The executioner decided to let the troops rest for the night and they will move to the battlefield at the crack of dawn. Ayato was never informed of their next move, even though he already knew something was up due to his men providing crumbs of information. He felt the difference between the first month Astrea moved in to the estate, where they could always discuss everything together in peace compared to the coldness she possessed towards him.
The Yashiro commissioner has always been intelligent and conniving. But the executioner might have planned everything right after the Narukami shrine ritual happened.
"Where did we go wrong, Astrea? Was it because I drugged you?" Ayato spoke,
"There is no time for us to rectify that." Astrea shook their head, avoiding the question.
The two rode their horses somewhere else, beside the sea as the sunset was starting to fade across the skies. Astreanova watched the glow that was illuminating the skies for a moment, before the rays made its way to his beautiful face. Ayato stared at the executioner for a long while, his one hand slightly shielding himself from the sun rays.
He knew moments like these would be extremely rare, especially with the warmonger. He wanted to cherish it forever, in an unspoken way.
They made small talk over the war strategy and the troops, before Ayato dropped the bomb on her.
"If you'd come back from the battlefield by any chance, that means you still honor our previous agreement." Ayato spoke.
"What if I don't?" Astrea questioned, albeit nonchalantly. The executioner knew it was more of an order than a statement.
"I'll send the Shumatsuuban to pick you up and provide support. Either way, neither of us would lose the war."
"I see." The executioner scoffed, a small smirk across the lips were visible on that fateful day. Astrea used the last straw, which was to utilize the warmonger blood in a way that no one knows.
Ayato made a fatal mistake that day.
He never knew staring into her eyes was the last thing he would remember about her. Astrea made that particular decision despite the fact that he did followed his heart. But it was wrong for him to betray his lineage, as the head of the clan. While as the warmonger, Astrea couldn't agree to any marriage proposals, not even once that she did to other people of the same nation.
Altering his memories was a punishment the executioner had to make due to their first non-consensual tryst.
Despite his words, the executioner wanted to take the troops back home after the war. Astrea had a feeling that the Shumatsuuban was watching their whole move, knowing Ayato's tactics and deception by memory. Hence she immediately spoke,
"Ask Thoma to pick your master up."
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I want you to want me to stay Where did we go wrong? I know we started out alright Where did we go wrong? I swear I knew we'd last this time Where did we go wrong? Oh, did you, did you change your mind? How could you change your mind? Who got inside your mind?
-13, Lany
A/N: I just had to include the lyrics bcs of angst and I've been listening to it non stop since yesterday. Yes, there's more plot twists to the fic no one would ever expect. <3
