One Bright Day in the Middle of the Night

Chapter 14: Bad Choices

I was deep in thought when Ieyasu passed by me as I was mixing the ointment he had taught me to make. I had been working for the last few days alternating between training with the regiments and working with medicine. Today was my medical day, and I was spending it in Ieyasu's workrooms making antibacterial ointments for wounds. His dry voice made me jump when I heard it behind me.

"Humph! It appears even you can do something right." Ieyasu set down a clean set of jars to be loaded with the batch of ointment I was finishing. I raised an eyebrow in his direction. "But you aren't paying attention."

It had been a few days since I saw Kenshin in the market, and since then, every morning I put the handkerchief he gave me into the front of my Kimpo. It made me feel better for some reason, and I was trying to not dig to deeply into that. I had bigger problems. Specifically one problem that I was going to have to address tomorrow. I just wasn't exactly sure how to go about it.

"Sorry, Ieyasu." I set down the utensil I was using and picked up one of the jars as Ieyasu sat down at the table across from me.

"So. What's wrong?" I stared at him in surprise, earning myself a dirty look along with the irritable comment. "Your mouth is gaping like a fish. It's not like I care, but you are distracted and it's a pain."

I looked at him carefully, and figured what the hell? He's a Warlord, and he'd at least understand if I explained the issue.

"I've trained with different regiments a couple times now, and I have found a small issue that I wish to keep from becoming a big issue." I spooned the ointment into the jar carefully as I spoke. "I have noticed a few of the men, very few mind you, that have more of a problem with my being female than with my sword abilities." Ieyasu started to open his mouth to speak and I cut him off.

"Hang on, I knew this would happen and I am sure Nobunaga did as well, so it is no surprise. I'm just having a slight concern with how to solve it. We don't have the time it would take to win over such men before all of our resources are in combat."

Ieyasu picked up one of the jars and started filling it with the mixture I had made as he thought for a minute before looking at me.

"And? What have you come up with?"

"Nothing good, but most likely the fastest way would be to take the biggest bastard of the bunch and make an example of him in front of the others." Ieyasu's eyes widened a bit before narrowing a little as he paused in filling the jar.

"How is it you think like we do?" I looked at him curiously with a slight smile on my face. He's so damn cute. An asshole usually, but cute.

"'We' meaning men, or 'we' meaning the rest of Nobunaga's vassals and allies?" That earned me a disgruntled look from Ieyasu.

"We meaning his commanders." Ieyasu resumed filling the jar he was working on as I poured wax over the top of the jar I had filled, sealing it.

"I served my country for a number of years, and one of the first things you learn is in order to survive, you have to trust the man next to you to cover your back. Trust and respect is earned, and running to the company commander to solve your problems gets you neither." I grabbed a second jar, as Ieyasu gazed at me with his bright green eyes.

"I just don't like the idea of having to possibly kill a man in order to increase morale." I tossed down the spoon, splatting the ointment in the bowl, unable to keep from having some sort of reaction. "What the hell is wrong with me? I'm sitting here calmly discussing killing someone for something so trivial." I heaved a sigh, and hung my head in my hands for a second, only raising it when I heard Ieyasu snort.

"What?" My voice was cold and demanding, and I felt as if Ieyasu was laughing at me.

"It's not a trivial thing, and I'm surprised you don't realize that." Ieyasu's emerald eyes shone, hardening to diamonds. "We don't have time to let things work themselves out." I sighed again, not liking the whole situation in the least.