Is it Fate?

Part 7 - Hey! I need that candy!

I'd now explored around the castle to familiarise myself with it though couldn't take much more of not doing something. I needed to keep myself occupied... needed something to do. Four days had gone by since I came to Azuchi Castle and I was fed up of not getting any answers to what my job entailed me to do. I decided to visit Nobunaga in his keep. I knocked politely and spoke through the closed door. "I need to speak with you, Nobunaga." It was Hideyoshi's voice that I heard speak, "Alana?" Followed by Mitsunari's, "What are you doing here?" I opened the door and stepped inside as Nobunaga spoke next, "Ignore her. Continue with what you were saying, Mitsunari." "Yes-" The frustrations were getting to me and I didn't appreciate being treated like I wasn't there. If he thinks he can just pretend I don't exist he's got another thing coming. He wouldn't even look at me so I stomped closer. I took advantage of the first break in conversation "Nobunaga. Will you please give me an actual job to do?" His hard voice was turned on me then, "No one summoned you here. You're interrupting our war council." Yikes! My knees locked as he pierced me with an icy gaze. "Stand down. If you insist I give you an order, then I order you to join me in my chambers tonight."

"Join you in-- Absolutely not! Hell will freeze over first!" There was no way I was going to become his bedroom 'plaything'. Unconsciously I fingered the handle of my hidden throwing blade. "Lana, here." Hideyoshi handed me a heavy coin purse. He had a weary look on his face, "Use this to buy some sugar candies. They sell them in town." I took the offered purse, "... That's my job?" He met my gaze as he told me, "Yes." With a curt nod, Hideyoshi went back to the council and did not spare me another glance. I doubted that he actually needed me to do such a childish task. I had the feeling he was trying to warn me not to step out of bounds. I really had to wonder if they did just bring me here because they thought I was good luck. I didn't like admitting it, but there wasn't anything else for me to do at the moment. "I'll be off then." I pushed down my irritation, quickly walking out of Nobunaga's room. "Wait, Alana!" Mitsunari caught up to me wearing a worried expression. "What's the matter?" I asked him. "Please be careful. Do not leave the confines of the town. The town surrounding Azuchi Castle is under Nobunaga's protection, so the populace lives in peace. But once you leave the safety of those walls, anything could happen." I gave a nod of understanding. It wasn't like I had anywhere to go in this time period anyway. Besides which, if I tried running away again they'd just come after me like last time. I nodded again, quickly heading back to my room to begin with to get another weapon and something warmer on before I set off for the castle town, still feeling dispirited. It was still quite cool during the days and the temperature dropped colder at night. I hoped that Spring would come early weather wise. I had half a mind to attempt another escape - with the warlords preoccupied with the war I'd at least get a good head start. I also got to wondering where Sasuke would be... maybe I could find him while on my sojourn through the town and he'd know where I could "escape" to.

Wow! After stopping to ask directions several times, I arrived in the bustling central marketplace. It looked like something out of a museum diorama, but it was all real. I was immersed in the bustling sounds of people hawking their wares, the sights of all sorts of things for sale, and the delicious scents of food stalls. Everything was so new to me, it was hard not to get excited. No, can't get distracted. I need to find a store that sells candy. A job was a job and I wanted to get it done and dusted. I better hurry before it gets dark. It wasn't that I couldn't protect myself - especially now I could walk freely in the modified kimono. I didn't need to explore too much of the market before I found an outdoor stall selling all kinds of colourful confections. Ah yes! They have the sugar candies I need! "Excuse me, I'd like those sugar ca--" I was cut off by someone talking over me. "I'll take the sugar candies." Before I could finish placing my order, a muscular arm reached across in front of me and grabbed the bag of candy. I spun around to see a familiar looking man dressed in red. He looked at me, "Hm? Aren't you--" I met his gaze, speaking at the same time, "Ah! It's you--" We both stopped talking at the same time before he spoke again. "You're that strange woman I found in the forest near Honno-ji!" "Strange" woman? How dare he-- I was just about to say something back when the owner of the stall looked at me with an apologetic frown. "I'm sorry, miss. That was our last bag." I almost rolled my eyes at my rotten luck, "Oh, I-I see. Is there another shop that sells them around here?"

"Don't you know how rare candy made from pure sugar is? You won't find it just anywhere." What?! "It is where I'm from..." I muttered. It is so common place in modern times... but there was the crux of the matter. I was still thinking like a modern woman and not one from 500 years in the past - a difficult task since I was not only from 2018, I was from a different country that wouldn't be discovered for another 188 years from now. The shopkeeper was apologetic as he spoke to me again, "I apologise, but it will take quite a while until I can get more. Please come back another day." You have got to be kidding me! I can't of failed at the one job I'd actually managed to get them to give me, even one such as this! As I stood in culture shock and disbelief, Yuki paid for his purchase. "Thanks, I'll be sure to come again." He told the shopkeeper. As the shopkeeper thanked him back I watched as Yuki started to walk away. "Hey, wait!" I called out, soon walking after Yuki. I had to lengthen my stride to keep up and thanked my foresight that I had modified my kimono. Catching up to him I spoke, "Sorry to bother you, but would you sell that candy to me?" He turned to look at me, "What?" His expression showed he was surprised I had come after him, probably not used to forward thinking women. "I really, really need it! Please!" If I can't even complete a simple errand like this, they'll never give me anything else to do! "You're that desperate for a taste of sugar?" Yuki asked me. "No, it's not like that--" Before I could finish my sentence he again cut me off, "Okay then. Open up." What? I started to open my mouth to keep persuading him, but he was already reaching out with slender fingers-- "Happy now?" What the?! I couldn't believe it when his graceful finger brushed my lips and something sweet rolled across my tongue. The intimacy of it shocked me! No one had ever done this to me before. A blush tinted my cheeks as my thoughts went over the fact he had just fed me a piece of candy. "Pretty tasty, huh? No need to thank me." Yuki said, looking content. I spluttered a little, "I wasn't planning to! I barely know you! Why in the world would you think feeding me like that was okay?" He looked somehow innocently surprised by my reaction, "What're you mad about?" I met his eyes again, my face hot with embarrassment, "Because that was a really weird thing to do!" He looked at me mystified, "But you said you wanted the candy. You're a strange woman." I didn't mean it like that! And he's called me strange again! "Well, whatever. Bye." With a dismissive wave, Yuki turned and started walking away. Embarrassed as I was, I wasn't going to let him get away with this! My hackles rising, I stalked after him though somehow managed to keep my tone polite. "I really do need that candy -- all of it. So, please can I buy it from you?" He kept walking, saying over his shoulder, "Not my problem. I really need this too. My lord keeps moaning that he'll "die" if he doesn't get some of these." I shook my head, "Well, that can't be true."

"No, probably not." With nothing more than a shrug, Yuki continued to stride quickly through the streets. I'd always been told I was stubborn and now I lived up to it, not letting him out of my sight. I did not want to go back to the castle empty handed. The seller said he wouldn't have more for a while and no other shop sells it. This was a job I was given and it was the only thing I had control over right now. I refused to back down as I followed after him. It was a while before I realised we had left the town limits. When I looked around I discovered we were in a thicket. Mitsunari's words came back to me on leaving the confines of the town. I started to get a bad feeling, warily looking around where we were. "Yuki, how far are you going? Isn't it dangerous outside of the castle walls?" I was wondering if I should get a weapon ready and if I'd have to defend Yuki if we came across any bandits, though he did carry a sword. He turned to me, "You know - I've been trying to get away from you, but you just won't get the hint! How can anyone love candy so much?" I shook my head, "I don't love candy that much. I just-- have my reasons." I suddenly got a prickling up my spine, my eyes scanning our surroundings. He seemed to catch on quickly, searching the area as well.