One Bright Day in the Middle of the Night

Chapter 25: The Dragon and the Phoenix

Kenshin stalked to the top of the stairs, deep in thought, and almost passed by his ninja waiting in the shadows. Sasuke melted out of the darkness, moving to stand next to Kenshin, greeting him with a bow.

"The Nokizaru members who captured the Princess are in the main audience chamber awaiting your arrival, Lord Kenshin."

Kenshin glanced at Sasuke, wondering briefly about the sudden use of formality. One look into the face of his ninja told him copious amounts of information. Sasuke was bowed, with clenched jaw on an otherwise impassive face. It was unusual for Sasuke to have any sort of response or expression at all, a master at keeping his thoughts and feelings to himself. Unless drunk, of course. Sasuke was actually upset.

Kenshin nodded in response, cold tone washing over as he headed to the audience chamber.

"Let's see what our ninja have to say for themselves."

Kenshin sat at the dais, placing his sword next to him on the tatami mat floor. Sasuke positioned himself seated to the front and left of his Lord, his face once more schooled into an impassive mask. Five men currently prostrated themselves in front of their Lord, waiting his decisions.

"Rise up and attend your Lord." Sasuke's voice rang out into the silence of the room, and the men sat up, Captain Riku at the front, the others fanning out behind him.

Kenshin looked from one man to the other, and all were obviously disturbed. Kenshin's eyes stopped on the man who had knocked Alexis cold in front of him. Both his eyes were blackened, dark purple rings making his terrified face into a mask, his nose very obviously broken. He was visibly trembling, but attempting to keep from showing his very sincere terror.

It was with a dawning realization, that Kenshin looked from one man to the other. All were injured, not a single one spared. Was all that done by her?

"Answer me truthfully, each of you." Kenshin turned his frozen gaze to Captain Riku. "How were you injured?"

The captain knew he had answered already, but wasn't going to point that out. His Lord was in a most dangerous mood, and it was more than apparent that how they answered would affect if they lived or died.

"The Princess had chewed through the ropes on her hands, and when I went to get her from the Palanquin, she slashed out with her nails across my face." The captain's voice held respectful awe of the woman who marked him.

Kenshin turned to each, and they all spoke what had happened, all with the same tone, the same grudging respect for the woman in question.

"I went to restrain her and she broke my hand."

"I was kicked in the face, breaking my nose."

"She almost collapsed my throat with a punch."

"The Princess grabbed my arm and dislocated my shoulder." Kenshin's face slowly changed as he listened to each man's statement.

"And the man she said tried to kill her?" The soldier with the broken hand spoke up.

"My Lord, he was a new member to the squad, and we had not seen him before that day. He was the one who brought you the information about the Princess in the first place."

Sasuke spoke up from his place next to Kenshin.

"There were no additions to the forces prior to the battle, Kenshin, and I didn't give anyone any information to be delivered to you before I got back to camp myself."

"So, you are saying we had a spy among the spies?"

"It's possible." Sasuke thought for a moment, his analytical mind going over information in his head. "If those who gave you the information that she was Nobunaga's mistress believed that, they may have thought to put the blame of her death on your actions."