Late Rescue
(Nico – Maki's army - three days after setting off)
"We should be there in an hour." Rin said riding up to Maki as Nico held onto to the pinkettes waist on the back of the horse they were riding on.
"Good, any sign of Kira's forces?" Maki asked.
"No, it seems they aren't watching the approaches." Rin replied.
But as Rin said this Nico could feel something was off, Nico took a deep breath and calmed herself a second, her sixth sense confirmed her suspicions, they were being watched to their right side.
Nico moved her face closer to Maki's neck while making it look like she was getting more comfortable.
"You're not falling off, are you?" Maki joked.
"Not going to get rid of me that easy princess." Nico countered before then tapping the pinkette girl's stomach twice with her ring and middle finger, it was part of the two's secret way of communicating they had developed over their training "Need to tell you something in secret."
Maki let out a cough, a counter sign to say she was listening.
Nico then tapped with thumb twice and pinkie once "We are being watched."
Maki then moved her head from side to side trying her best to make it look like she was just stretching "Where?"
Nico tapped her right middle finger to the samurai's side "To the right."
Maki then clicked her tongue "How many?"
Nico repleid with a single top of her forth finger "One."
Maki then scratched the length of her nose, doing her best to keep her palm over her mouth "Can you take them?" Maki whispered.
'Going to need to remind you of that signal I see.' Nico sighed in her head though she was thankful Maki tried to make look natural. Nico replied with a tap of her pinkie to the fourth finger "Yes, easy."
"Nico, I need you to check that wagon that was having trouble yesterday, I don't want a delay again." Maki ordered.
"Always giving me the fun jobs huh?" Nico grumbled as she jumped off and began to move back up the column.
"And don't take too long." Maki shouted after her, though Nico could hear the silent fear in the samurai's voice.
Nico waved back as her sign she heard her as she moved back through the column, as she came to the bend where she first started to sense the watching eyes, she saw a load of wagons coming around the corner 'Perfect cover.' Nico thought as she headed towards them, she walked past one and then as the second rounded the corner she darted off the road using a bush for the tall grass.
The rest of the troops ignored her, as she moved off into the bushes, she moved quickly through the tall grass on the side of the road using the sound of the army moving to cover the noises she made, once she was sure she was out of the range where the troops moving would cover her noise and the noise of the person watching them, she steadied her breathing and began to listen closely.
Nico could faintly hear some leaves rustle and crunch slightly heading towards a small rise, the movement of so many troops, were covering the sounds up for those in the army 'They are good.' Nico thought to herself as she began to move quietly towards the sounds trying to keep pace with slightly noisy wagons to try hide any noises she might have made.
Slowly she approached the rise she heard the movement head towards, as she got closer, she left the sounds of the wagon behind, making her move slower to not make a noise that would give her away.
As she reached the base of the rise she stopped and listened again, she heard a gentle rustle 'Got you.' Nico thought as she slowly closed on her prey, silently drawing her sword as she did.
As she reached the person watching the army, she could see a figure in dark clothing "Those aren't Kira's troops and Rin is with them, so they might be friendly." The figure whispered to themselves.
'Yoshiko, so the Sakurauchi forces might still hold.' Nico thought just before she made her move.
"I had better tell Riko either way." Yoshiko began to move; Nico took her chance and placed the blade to the other Ninja's neck.
"You were always better at infiltrating forts, Yoshiko." Nico said out loud.
"Its Yohane!" Yoshiko said turning, Nico saw the girl smile when she realised who it was "Nico, should have known."
"Are you here as a friend or foe?" Yoshiko asked her hand on her Tanto.
"Friends." Nico replied, "We are here to help the Sakurauchi's."
"How do you know I've not turned?"
"Because I know you." Nico said placing her blade in its sheave, "Well if you're here and you've mentioned Riko, the Sakurauchi's still stand then."
"Yeah, what's left of us."
"How bad?"
"Right now, it's stable but it was really bad before."
"I see, Maki will need to hear this." Nico sighed before she gestured for the other Ninja to follow her.
(Nozomi – Same day as Maki reaches Riko)
"There is no way!" Lady Minami shouted as she paced the room, making Nozomi sigh as she glanced at Kotori silently playing with her fingers, the younger Minami hadn't spoken a word since she had entered the room.
"You keep saying that, but what if he did?" Nozomi countered "It will make things very difficult if he has."
"I think I knew my husband better then you did." Lady Minami growled "And I would have thought you would know better than to believe the enemy."
"I am not, but just because Sakura is an enemy does not mean she was lying either." Nozomi said standing up "We need to know the truth, one way or the other."
"For what purpose?"
"The troops."
"What about them?"
Nozomi sighed as she pinched her nose "You led your troops to battle saying that you were protecting Kotori's inheritance did you not?"
"Yes." Lady Minami replied confused.
"Well your troops are tired and beaten all to hell, if they hear their Lady led them into battle under a lie that will break them for good and then mine."
"Then I will merely kill the rumour before it begins."
"With what proof?"
"My word should be enough."
"You clearly don't know the common soldier then; they don't want their family to die or suffer needlessly, they need to know they can win, which is why your leaving broke the army so badly."
"Is there a point to reminding me of this fact?"
"Yes, your leaving has put a black mark over whether your troops will trust you now, they are uncertain as to your loyalty to them and if they think you are not loyal to them then they will not be loyal to you and without loyalty there is no trust." Nozomi sighed before speaking again "Now, our arrival has given them the hope they will win, but they will not fight for a lie either, no matter what you tell them without proof of what you are saying rumours and doubts will remain and then eventually your troops will desert and then mine will along with them."
Lady Minami growled before she turned away and looked out over the castle, Nozomi saw the older woman pinch her nose and sigh heavily before she spoke with her back to purple hairs girl "There were rumours all over the place in the days before my husband passed, we didn't put much stock in them and so ignored them."
"What kind of rumours?"
"That in his will he had taken Kotori out of the line of succession, but we ignored them, as even if he was angry at her he would have had no heir and the clan would have died and no mention of an adoption was made at the time so this reinforced it for us it was a lie."
"Did you not see it?" Nozomi asked confused.
"No," Lady Minami said as she sat down "Me and Kotori were staying in the Watanabe lands after Umi was forced to leave, we were in a small fort at the time so we never got to see it."
Suddenly Kotori stood up "Excuse me." The ashen girls said in a near whisper as she bowed, before turning to leave.
"Kotori!"
"Don't," Nozomi said stopping the older woman "This is hard on her, she needs time to take this all in, besides, I think someone else can comfort her more than we can right now."
"Curse you, Kira!" Lady Minami hissed.
"Do you mind if I ask you something?" Nozomi asked as she poured her herself a drink.
"What is it?"
"Why has Kira done all this?"
Lady Minami let out a sigh and pinched her nose "I wish I knew, he just appeared one day and my husband immediately took him in and before I knew it Kira had worked his way into a place of confidence with my husband so there was no ousting him, my husband always wanted a son and while he loved Kotori, I guess he saw Kira as the son he never had." Lady Minami sighed.
'That makes some sense but it's still very strange.' Nozomi thought to herself.
(Riko and Maki)
"What do you mean Kotori is not the heir anymore?" Maki asked as the pair walked up to the keep.
"Exactly what I said, her father disowned her and named Kira the heir."
"Why?"
"Look I don't know and right now I don't care, I'm more concerned for Yo right now." Riko growled as the pair entered the keep, only for Riko to stop as she saw the two graves, Maki turned to look at the two graves.
"Is that…?"
"Yes, we were still riding to help Lady Minami when Kira forced her army over the river, Tsuki came and warned us but the enemy was right behind her, we were smashed and forced to retreat, mum and dad died trying to hold this castle." Riko said a silent tear rolling down her cheek and burning in her stomach.
"I'm sorry." Maki said quietly.
"Thanks, what will Nozomi do now?"
"I'm not sure, we control this side of the river now that you took out the last of Kira's forces on this side, but Tatsumi's castle is now in their hands and blocking our way."
Riko let out a sigh as she moved on further into the keep with Maki following behind her "What will you do now?" Maki asked quietly.
"Right now I'm not quite sure, my original plan was to rescue Yo and now I know she's there Ruby as well and then to escape to either the Ohara or Tojo lands." Riko sighed rubbing her forehead.
"That plan sounds awfully close to desertion."
"What if it does, I have no loyalty for a clan that lied to me and abandoned us!" Riko shouted "The Minami's clan is dead, I'm not about to see the Sakurauchi clan go the same way!" Riko took a breath to calm her frayed nerves "Look, myself, Tsuki, Hanamaru and Yoshiko will follow you to meet Nozomi, but my troops will remain here, they have done enough and I will not ask more of them."
"What do you intend to do after you've saved Yo?"
"I will need to see once I speak to Nozomi" Riko sighed pinching her nose "Maki I'm tired and need a rest can we talk about this tomorrow?"
"Of course."
"Thank you and thank you for coming as well its appreciated." Riko said before entering her chamber.
"Don't take it personal." Maki heard Tsuki say behind her "She's not had a proper chance to grieve and with Yo and the siege it has taken a toll on her."
"I understand, what about you, where do you stand?"
"Ask me after speaking with Nozomi, I'll tell you then." Tsuki sighed with a smile though Maki could see the exhaustion behind it.
As the two stood outside the room they could muffled sobs coming from the sole occupant inside the chamber.