A restless life

Chapter Three

She woke when he bent down to place her on her futon. He had let her sleep on his lap for a few hours when he gently lifted her and carried her to her bed. She needed to eat more he thought as she weighed next to nothing. She sleepily mumbles something as he drew the covers over her and stood. He watched her a few minutes more and then went to his own futon.

She woke from her slumber when she heard a loud noise coming from his main room. It sounded like a yell. She moved closer to the door and wondered had someone found out what he did? Did the people who initially wanted to kidnap her find her? She heard the call out again and gently and quietly opened the door. The room was in full darkness of midnight. No lights were burning so she let her eyes adjust and she heard it again coming from the corner. He was yelling out in his sleep. She smiled with the sweetness of knowing he was indeed a caring man even if he never showed it. She had realized over dinner how much he knew about her and the fact he remembered it at all. He had gone to her favorite place and again gotten her favorite meal. He had looked at her like he had just done something ordinary but instead the way he watched her told her so much more. She was beginning to understand him in a way she never thought possible, and she had moved to his side to touch his shoulder to wake him from his dream she looked upon him with new eyes. Her hand brushed his pure white hair off his slumbering face, and his eyes opened wide. His arm jerked to grab hers then realized who was there. "You were yelling Mitsu, in your sleep." She gently said.

"I was?", He replied trying to focus on the vision in front of him. He wanted nothing more to reach up and touch her but didn't trust even his own hand.

"You woke me.", she said nodding.

"I will try not to wake you again, Princess.", he said trying to dismiss her concerns and away from her before he did or said something he would regret.

"I think that I will watch over you for a bit.", she said not moving from her spot next to his side.

He internally groaned at his weakness for her, normally he would dismiss her with teasing and play on words but his lack of sleep was dulling his mind, and he honestly wanted her close. He wanted her much closer, and he could feel that beginning to show. He groaned again as he lifted his covers and said,"If your going to be stubborn and stay you should at least be warm."

Her smile was glowing in the darkness, and he lowered the cover around her as he tried to keep her at a slight distance so she wouldn't realize the extent she affected his body just by being near. He was growing accustomed to the aching whenever she was near. However, she had other ideas and moved dangerously close to him in her pursuit to find a comfortable spot. Her hip brushed his hand as she squirmed about and he did groan out loud then. She was so close he couldn't help it, and her eyes snapped to his face as he made the sound. Instantly she knew the problem he was facing, and he again groaned again when he looked into her eyes which now flooded with so much emotion. She moved even closer to him slowly. When she placed her tiny hands on his now bare chest he lost all reason, all hesitation, all reason was gone. He grabbed her and moved her, so she was now under him. She looked up, and he thought he would see fear or shock, but he saw a smile and a tenderness he had never seen before. He lowered his head to met her lips, and she answered the need with her own. He pulled back and as he did she reached up to place those tiny hands around his face to bring him back to her, the one place in the world he wanted to belong. His head went down but not to her lips but her neck. He again groaned as he reached it and he rested his head there feeling her pulse, "You will be the death of me, Princess." He said softly mostly to himself. She chuckled low and soft. "Who needs sleep anyway?" He asked not expecting a response.

He had the woman who had stolen his heart and melted it now willing beneath him not even his more weak side was going to stop him. He raised his head looked again at her face in the darkness and lowered his lips to meet hers fiercely and wildly.

He woke with her in his arms. It was now morning, and he knew he had to go to the castle again to pretend she was missing. He wanted nothing more than to stay here with her safe in his arms. He woke her with a kiss, and she slowly opened her light eyes and smiled at him, and he knew she was the one who had stolen his hardened heart. "I have to go to the castle Princess." He said softly. He started to get out of the futon when he noticed she did as well. He reached for her and brought her to him. He then lifted her in his arms, and she gave a small squeak in response. He carried her to the soft futon in her new room, and he laid her down. She was barely covered from the night before, and he could see all the marks he left on her beautiful porcelain skin. He began kissing the marks.

"I thought you had to go?", she giggled out.

"I am following a lead on to where you are, My Princess." He quickly replied in between his slow kisses on her love bitten skin.

"Oh, you are? And where exactly will I be?" She asked playfully.

"Oh it will prove to be a dead-end I am sure, but until that, I will make sure I thoroughly pursue this lead as he moved slowly down her

body with his mouth."Now princess do not make any noise remember no one knows you are here."

He left the house feeling unbelievably sated. His smile wasn't the normal brittle one he showed the world it was a real smile for once. He had left her slumped on her futon to sated herself for words and sleep had found her quickly. He had shut the door and walked out of his manor and started toward the castle. He would school his features when he got closer, but he felt so much better then he had in a very very long time. The two nights of little to no sleep had taken a toll on his features as he did have darkened circles around his eyes. He looked much like the other warlords who looked like none of them had slept since her disappearance. "Where have you been?" He heard the voice of his imperious lord in back of him.

"I was checking on a rumor. A sighting of the princess.", he replied.

"And?"

"While I don't believe it to be true it is being followed.", he waved his hand to distract from his face as he might give something away.

"Why do I feel you know something Mitsuhide?", nobunaga asked.

"If I do know anything, my lord, it is that the Princess is smart enough to handle any situation. She would probably wrap any captor she has around her tiny fingers." Mitsuhide responded knowing it was the truth.

"Are you not concerned for her safety? She is but a woman.", Nobunaga said looking at the man who was his left hand in his conquest to unite the country and the one who often was the one who drew the ire of the entire force on himself to protect him from plots of his death from his enemies. Though often unreadable Mitsuhide was trying to tell him something he felt.

Mitsuhide looked at the man he swore allegiance to years ago and replied, "For the foreseeable future, my lord, she is in no danger." He looked into the devil kings eyes as he spoke hoping his message would get across.

"I see.", Nobunaga replied. He did see. He looked again at Mistuhide and saw all. "I expect after all this," he motioned his hands in the air,"you will have a good explanation."

"In time I will. All in due time.", Mitsuhide replied. Nobunaga chuckled to himself and said,"I guess we should continue not to find the princess now?"

"We should, my lord." Was the response he received.

As the two were going to part, Nobunaga quietly said," Do tell our Princess that if your charade is to be believed not to scratch you in places that are visible." He began to chuckle even more," I always knew she would be a fireball." And he walked away again with his scowl back in place. Mitsuhide knew it was going to be a long day, but he readjusted his kimono and smiled knowing she had marked him as well as he had her.

To be continued...