One Bright Day in the Middle of the Night

Chapter 46: To the Victor, the Spoils...

"Just everything." Kenshin shrugged. "And nothing at the same time. You see, Lady Alexis is of the Oda."

"Nobunaga's mistress is of no consequence." Sassa spoke as if his words would justify his actions.

"And there is your mistake." Kenshin growled the words, as if attempting to restrain himself. "Lady Alexis is a sworn vassal of Nobunaga Oda, the Sword Princess of the Oda..."

Sassa's eyes grew wide and Shibata's face went pale draining of all color as Kenshin spoke and turned slightly to Sasuke.

"What was her other title, Sasuke?"

"The Oda Phoenix, my Lord."

"Ahh, yes. The Oda Phoenix. Must be all that glorious red hair....." Kenshin trailed off as if lost in thought before coming back, his eyes cold and considering, a self-satisfied smirk gracing the cultured handsome face of Kenshin.

"You Bastard!" A shout from one of the four generals behind Sassa made everyone look at him. The man was young, not much older than Kenshin or Sasuke, and his face was a mask of fury.

"You told us nothing of this! You said Nobunaga was sending reinforcements, but you tried to kill one of his vassals? And a woman at that?? You just made us all traitors to our Lord!"

Every commander in Sassa's army blanched, the color draining from their faces in a flash as they realized the implications.

"Why do you think Nobunaga didn't send any men? Do you really think that he would be so poorly informed? Even with Mitsuhide Akechi, the Azuchi Fox, giving him information?"

Kenshin left his words sink in, and watched with satisfaction as the realization dawned on everyone present. No. Nobunaga Oda would never be so poorly informed. He most likely already knew the result of today's battle. By the look on Imasan Sassa's face, Nobunaga had already given him an answer, and Kenshin would bet that it wasn't that he was getting reinforcements.

Kenshin turned to Sasuke and pointed at the outspoken general behind Sassa.

"Bring that one forward."

The young man's eyes widened a bit before narrowing, Kenshin's words having rattled him more than a bit. He kept his composure, with only a slight drip of sweat from his brow to indicate his nervousness over his fate. He met Kenshin's eyes with his own, even as he was roughly shoved to his knees before him.

"Your name."

The demand slipped from Kenshin's lips with the arrogance of authority. The man didn't even flinch, and it brought a slight smile to Kenshin. The man has courage.

"Kojima Motoshige, Lord Kenshin."

Sasuke stepped forward, coming up behind Kenshin enough that he did not need to raise his voice to speak.

"This man led the troops stationed to the east of the castle."

"Oh?" Kenshin grinned, realizing that the man in front of him had given him the most problem during the battle. "You are skilled. There were a couple of times when your troops would have overrun my own if I were a lesser commander."

Motoshige didn't answer, choosing instead to stay silent, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"It would be a shame to see a man of your talent executed. Would you instead consider serving a new master?"

Motoshige's eyes grew wide as the implications of what Kenshin was asking set in. Most likely, he knew already that he was a dead man. If Kenshin himself didn't order it, Nobunaga surely would for just being a part of this fiasco. Kenshin was offering him his life, but at the cost of switching loyalties stretching for generations.