Yukimura (SLBP PART 2)

Chapter Twenty-Two

First photo is of Yuki.

Below it is Shigezane.

Last photo is Nobuyuki.

*~*

It was midnight and the main hall of the Ueda castle was abuzz with the voices of the Takeda's, Sanada's and Date's warriors...

Lord Shingen was seated at the dais as Masamune stood before him with Kojuro and Shigezane by his side...

"I... honestly... am speechless..." Lord Shingen sighed as he crossed his arm and turned to Yukimura.

"How could you not have realised there were intruders?" he asked calmly as Yukimura clenched his fist, but he maintained eye contact with Lord Shingen.

"I... I let jealousy get in my way and was confronting Masamune... I... think that could have been when the intruders snucked in..."

"I told you that woman will be your undoing!" Lord Masayuki's voice boomed as the main hall fell silent. "At least marry a woman who is a samurai so she can protect herself! Not a frail woman like your wife!"

"Father stop!" Yukimura suddenly raised his voice back at his father. "Enough! I've been listening to your bidding since young! For once just let me choose a path for myself! I love my wife and that's that!"

The Kirigakure siblings were silent throughout the whole exchange until Yuki sighed with a wry smile.

"Then we better hurry and find Lady Lina and Sasuke... Lord Masayuki does have some truth in his words. Lady Lina can't fight to save her life..."

"Don't say that!" Yukimura yelled out in panic. "Sasuke is a ninja right? I'm sure he can buy time till we find them!"

"Err... Well let's hope Sasuke remembers his training with nii san..." Hotaru muttered but Saizo remained silent...

Shigezane's eyes rested on Yuki and he gave her a big grin as he approached her.

"Mistress of Poison, you are lovely and deadly in your looks... One look at you and my heart almost stopped." Shigezane flirted smoothly as he took her hand in his and raised it to his lips, kissing it.

Yuki gave him a smirk as she let her hand drop gently to the side of her hip..

"Well I got your marriage proposal Lord Shigezane if that's what you wanna ask..."

"However she's not interested." Nobuyuki suddenly butted in as he shoved himself between Yuki and Shigezane. "She's already taken."

Shigezane raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Oh I have no idea. Masa was so sure Yuki Kirigakure is a single lady. By who may I ask?"

"By me." was the swift reply from Nobuyuki.

"What?" Shigezane asked with a dumbfounded look. "You serious?"

"Nobuyuki sama... We aren't even dating..." Yuki said in a sweet voice dripping with venom. "Please stay out of my love life..."

"I honestly don't think this is the time to be discussing about marriage proposals when Lady Sanada's life is in danger." Saizo suddenly spoke up and everyone's eyes whipped onto him.

Yukimura's crystal blue eyes never wavered as he stared the ninja down.

"You never refer to her as Lady Sanada... So what gives..." Yukimura spoke in a low tone as Saizo's crimson eyes burned into his blue ones.

"That's because she's not only carrying the title of Lady Sanada but its role and responsibility too..."

"I don't get what you mean..."

"It's not my place to say. I'm sure she wants to be the one telling you." Saizo said curtly as he ended the conversation and turned to Lord Shingen. "Milord, please tell me when you're ready for us ninjas to move out. My crow and Momofuku has already located the trail of the rebels. Kansuke has agreed to be the bait for our enemies before we ambush them."

Yukimura was about to force Saizo to talk more but he kept his mouth shut when he heard that there were leads on his wife and Sasuke...

"Please Lina chan... Please I beg of you... Please be safe with Sasuke..."