A sadistic Princess should have a sadistic knight.

Ease.

Sougo kicked open the doors to the throne with all the respect of a conceited nobleman. He entered unceremoniously, his intentions flying over the king and queen's heads. He drew an obnoxious yawn before nodding his head that he surmised was appropriate in place of a bow. His impolite persona remained. However, his behavior took a sudden change. It's as if the dormant thoughts that resided in the back of his mind awoke;probing and prodding at his patience and conscience in one simultaneous action.
What were those thoughts? He asked himself placidly as he elevated his gaze to stare at the perplexed king and queen.
"I'm not satisfied with how smoothly we retrieved the princess."
There was a prolonged silence.
"Ha? Would you have preferred it to be difficult?" Gintoki remarked disbelievingly.
"Over this, your majesty, yes. It was too easy." Dubiously, he added, "I'm almost certain the princess' captors will return."
"Well that's obvious," Tsukuyo stated evenly. "Kagura isn't the type to let someone she isn't familiar with touch her. These opposing... pirates, you called them? Must be quite strong. We made a mistake. We'll learn from it, and this won't repeat itself. Kagura is doing poetry which she undoubtedly needs assistance with. Help her, would you? You are dismissed."
With a slightly imperceptible bow, Sougo left the large hall and started down the corridor, his concerns not even a little subdued. It was too easy, it was too easy, it was too easy. Why did they leave the door unlocked? Why were they lingering in the middle of the sea? Why were there only two people in their crew? And if there were more, why weren't they watching Hime?
His heart couldn't stifle its incessant pounding, nor could it slow the racing of his heart. Without knocking, he entered Otose's office and glanced round. Half searching for the princess and half searching for... What? Even he didn't know.
     "I'm here."
He turned to the rather distant voice. Kagura sat at a rich-wooded chabudai*, hovering over various scrolls and ink(somehow maintaining that proper posture princesses were required to have)and didn't react to or acknowledge his entrance. With her left hand, that, much to Sougo's chagrin, was still splayed with pink cuts, she held her right sleeve back as she dipped the brush into the ink. Still refusing to look at him, she said:
     "Sit down and help me, would you? What is the meaning of this one?"
Reflexively, he grabbed her hand into his own, and he awed at how fragile and small they were cupped in his own. Forcing that thought aside, he began to write for her.
     "See, it's a romance poem. The creator indicates that here, and here. He's comparing his lover to cherry blossoms..."
...
Shinpachi stirred. He sat up in his futon and stretched languorously, this morning pleasure was immediately halted due to a throbbing pain in his elbow. Disturbed, he attempted to flex the joint, but rescinded his actions upon experiencing the shrill pain. It was obdurate-locked in place. Frantically, he tried to remember what he did to strain it. He settled with: I'm clumsy, inexperienced, and naive. I've never been in a real fight despite all my training, and now look what I've done to myself. I don't see Okita-san, Hijikata-san, or Katsura-san limping or hissing at sore muscles. I might as well face it now; I'm useless.
"Oi, Shimura."
He jumped. "Okita-san? Come in!"
"Shinpachi!"
He felt at ease hearing that voice. All tension left his body as she flew into his room and jumped up and down.
"I heard you fought to get me! You're amazing!"
He scratched his head sheepishly, reminding himself to use his right, uninjured arm.
"W-well... I didn't really do anything..."
"The hell are you talking about?" Sougo interrupted harshly, "You rowed us the entire way home. Hijibaka fell asleep, and Zura kept muttering stuff to himself. Do you seriously not remember? How blanked out were you? You just volunteered out of nowhere."
Shinpachi twiddled his thumbs and chuckled timidly. "Th-that's right. I'm afraid that's all I did. That's about all I could do."
Kagura tilted her head questioningly at him. Inadvertently, slipped on her kimono and collapsed onto him. Sougo sputtered and laughed as they fumbled to detach themselves.
"Kagura-chan! What are you doing? Are you alright?"
Shinpachi stood up and walked her over to Sougo, who was wiping away the tears from his eyes as his waves of hysteria ebbed away. Kagura kneed him in the stomach and announced she was going to eat.
Shinpachi eyed her depart and noticed Sougo stayed in his room.
"Okita-san?"
"Shimura," he said serenely, "I have something I want to discuss with you."
He's going to reprimand me, Shinpachi thought sullenly, he's going to forbid me from ever going on an expedition again.
"Shimura. We got her easily, didn't we?"
"...eh?"
"Hime. Think, idiot. There were only two of them. And not one of them was watching her. The ship was pretty big. Other people must have been on board."
"W-well, you should ask Hijikata-san, or Katsura-san. I-I'm not well suited for-"
Sougo gave him a perfunctory slap on the head.
"I don't have the damn time for your self-made drama, Megane. We're going to leave tonight."
Dumbfounded, Shinpachi asked, "Wh-where are we going?"
As if the answer was plainly obvious, Sougo scowled at him.
"To confront the people who took Hime."

*a traditional short-legged table