Revelations
(Riko and Nozomi)
"I'm not waiting!" Riko growled in frustration at Lady Minami "I'm going weather you give permission or not!"
"Riko, calm down!" Nozomi said raising her voice slightly "I understand your feelings, but please take a breath everyone will be here soon, tell us what you know and then we can come up with a plan, rushing in head long in a panic won't help anyone, especially Yo."
Riko let out a strangled growl in surrender before glaring at Lady Minami again 'If Yo suffers because of you then so help me…' Riko growled in her head.
"What is this news that is so important you insisted we all had to have a meeting tonight anyway, I don't see why it couldn't wait till tomorrow." Lady Minami said with a glare that Riko met as Nozomi sighed.
"Firstly I feel everyone should hear it and second I don't plan to be here tomorrow." Riko growled.
"I don't believe I gave you permission to leave."
"And I don't believe I said I was going to listen."
"That will do." Nozomi said standing between the two to stop them saying anything further "Everyone will be here soon so let's all take a breath before then."
Riko just let out a growl before storming off to the corner of the chamber where Tsuki and Yoshiko had remained silent the whole time and glaring daggers at Lady Minami who resolved to simply do the same.
'This is not going to go well.' Nozomi thought as she thought on the message Eli had sent her about the situation at Tatsumi's castle.
(Umi)
Umi walked to the chamber quietly with Kotori next to her the thought of what had happened a few moments earlier still vivid in her mind and making her mind and heart race 'What was that?' Umi asked herself.
'That was shameful.' Her honour growled but Umi found she was a little annoyed by the voice. As the pair came to the chamber Umi did her best to try and compose herself before they entered.
As they entered Umi could feel the tension in the room, Nozomi and Lady Minami were discussing something in a whisper, Maki and Nico were sat to the left also whispering to each other, on the right Honoka, Tsubasa, Rin and Hanayo were all looking near the entrance with concerned looks, near said entrance were Riko, Tsuki and someone who Umi wasn't aware who they were all staying quiet, Riko's party seemed to be confused by Umi's presence.
'Do they not realise it's me?' Umi thought as she remembered Dia's surprise at realising Umi was alive.
Umi's attention was quickly brought to Kotori pulling on her arm, Umi turned to look and Kotori pointed at Nozomi who was beckoning to the two to come over to her.
"Is something wrong Lady Nozomi?" Umi asked once the pair had reached twin tailed girl.
"Not yet, however Umi would you be kind enough to sit next to Kotori this time?"
"Why?" Umi asked confused "I'm of a lower rank I should be near the end, plus I should be on your side of the room, shouldn't I?"
"Normally yes, however this is not a normal meeting and Lady Minami requested that you do so and I agreed that for this one you should, it's just this once if that's what's concerning you and it is a request." Nozomi said.
"If that's what you wish Lady Nozomi then I shall do so." Umi said though her heartbeat picked up as she thought about earlier.
"Right everyone!" Nozomi said bringing the room to attention "Now that everyone is in attendance that needs to be shall we all take a seat." Nozomi said, Umi got the impression the twin tailed girl was reaching a limit with her patience.
Nozomi and Lady Minami sat at the head of the chamber with everyone taking their usually places with only two noticeable Umi standing out as she was now side of the chamber and Riko's group who were sitting on Nozomi's side.
'What's going on with them?' Umi wondered before Nozomi brought the room to attention.
"Now before we hear what Riko has to say, I would like to make you all aware that Eli has informed me that she is unable to strike at Tatsumi's castle, so we will have to think of a new approach." Nozomi said before sighing "Now Riko I believe you have a rescue plan to tell us."
"Yes, we do." Riko said fixing Lady Minami with a glare before turning to the person Umi didn't recognise "Yoshiko, if you would."
Umi could faintly hear the person say "It's Yohane." Before she dark dressed person stood up to speak.
"We have in our possession some of the armour and clothing used by the troops besieging us, our plan is to sneak our way to Yo's castle and infiltrate into it disguised as some of Kira's troops and then escape."
"And how do you plan to get there?" Lady Minami asked, "You have to cross the Sonoda lands and the only bridge on this side of the effective island is blocked by our forces and they will likely have guards on the other bridge where Umi's castle is." Lady Minami pointed out.
"There are fords for both rivers that no one knows about, we can use them to sneak past those positions." Riko explained.
'There are no fords, the only places to cross are the bridges.' Umi thought to herself confused.
"Please continue with the plan Yohane," Umi heard Nozomi say breaking the Ronin out of her musings "I am curious as to how you plan to escape."
"Erm, yes, Lady Tojo." The dark dressed person said with a hint of surprise "Our escape plan depends on our situation, our first plan would be to try and sneak out the fort through the front gate, should that prove to be too difficult, our plan is to use the boat on their dock to effect an escape."
"That's doesn't sound like a very detailed plan." Lady Minami said quietly.
"We would need to see the situation on the ground to have a detailed plan." Riko countered "Besides, it's not your neck on the line if this goes wrong it's ours and we are going tomorrow anyway."
"On whose authority?" Lady Minami asked coldly.
"My own." Riko said back just as coldly.
Umi could sense an argument was about to erupt but thankfully before that happened Nozomi intervened "Riko, I understand you want to rescue Yo as quickly as possible, but you can't do this alone or recklessly, I'm willing to lend you aid in this matter but you must be a little bit patient with me understood." Nozomi spoke calmly, though Umi was sure she could see a flash of exhaustion in the twin tailed girl's eyes
"Yes, Lady Tojo." Riko said calmly, getting a confused looks from all but Maki.
"Good, Nico would you be so kind as to go over the plan with Yohane after this meeting and then report back to me tomorrow, I would like to hear your input."
"As you wish." Nico said with a bow.
"Now are there any questions before we carry on?" Nozomi asked.
'I need to know about those fords.' Umi thought before she raised her hand, getting a nod from Nozomi.
"Sorry Lady Riko I need to inquire; how do you mean there are fords?" Umi spoke up
"With Kira basically controlling everything we knew a war was coming and to be ready we needed supplies, but we couldn't get the needed supplies openly without alerting him." Tsuki replied "So Riko, Yo and I were using them to sneak extra weapons from the Ohara lands to our castles."
"I know there were no fords, so where did the fords come from Lady Tsuki?"
"And how would a Ronin know that?" Riko asked.
"That's not a Ronin, that's Umi." Rin shouted.
"Umi?" Tsuki and Riko said looking at each other before looking back to Umi, there was a moment of calm before Riko then sprung to her feet glaring at Lady Minami "You told us she was dead!"
Umi saw everyone looking at each other stunned by Rikos's words and then turn to look at Lady Minami who closed her eyes before letting out a sigh and opening them again "I wasn't sure who to trust." Lady Minami said calmy "I could only trust it too a few on the side closest to the Tojo lands, If Kira found out…"
"Yo and I are family and we didn't know!" Tsuki shouted standing up as well showing anger for the first time since the discussions had begun "How can you not trust your own family?"
"I couldn't trust my own husband." Lady Minami countered as she stood up to "If Kira knew he'd have started the civil war right away before we were prepared."
"We weren't prepared now either." Riko growled "You had years to prepare and all you did was sit and wait before blundering into a trap, you didn't even know who you could trust before you called on us to muster for you."
"You could trust us enough to stay with me and Yo, but not enough to let us know that Umi was alive, what else did you hid from us?" Tsuki shouted only to receive no response from Lady Minami.
"Girls, please!" Nozomi stepped in and Riko and Tsuki both held their tongues "I believe Umi is still waiting for an answer Tsuki?"
"We made them; your sister allowed them to be made to sneak the supplies through." Tuski said quietly.
"Thank you, Lady Tsuki." Umi said quietly as she did her best to push down her bubbling emotions emotions 'Why would you do that sister, that's completely underhand and dishonourable.' Umi thought as the others sat back down again 'Did I force you to do this?'
"Now if there are no other questions, I believe you have something else to tell us Riko." Nozomi sighed.
"Tsuki, would you mind?" Riko growled as she handed the dark-haired girl some paper.
"Once the siege…" Tsuki paused a moment before letting out a breath "was over we investigated their camp, while searching we found this." Tsuki held up the document with a resigned look before walking over to Nozomi and handing it over, before walking back Tsuki gave Umi and Kotori a glance before saying quietly "I'm sorry Kotori." Tsuki said before she walked away.
Umi saw Nozomi read the document before looking up at Riko and Tsuki "We had the document checked it's not forged, its genuine." Riko growled.
"What does it say?" Honoka asked the question all were wondering.
"Lord Minami has disowned Kotori and named Kira his new heir." Nozomi said quietly.
"What?!" was the collective response from all but Maki and Nico, out the corner of her Umi could see Lady Minami's face drop slightly.
"It has to be a fake."
"It's not." Nozomi sighed as she handed the document over before standing up and turning her back to the chamber "Though I wish it were."
Umi heard a faint sniff come from her side, the blunette turned to see Kotori with her head dropped looking at the floor. Umi could feel her heart twisting like thread 'What do I do?' Umi pondered, she wanted to just hug the ashen girl even if her honour was growling at that idea.
"You told us we were fighting to stop Kira from seizing your clan and protecting Kotori's birth right, we fought for that and bled for it and my parents died for it and it was all a lie!" Riko growled.
"Stand down Riko!" Lady Minami shouted.
"I'm not following or trusting a liar who got my parents killed and since Kotori is not the heir to your clan, I'm not obligated to listen to her either."
"I didn't lie!"
"You lied about Umi; how do we know you didn't lie about this?" Tsuki said her arms crossed. "Riko's right we can't trust you."
"How can we take you at your word?" Riko added with a glare.
"I'm still the Lady of the Minami clan."
"That proves nothing!" Riko snapped "You're the lady of a dead clan, at best you have around two hundred troops, none of which are your own and your husband already gave away your clan inheritance to Kira."
Umi saw Nozomi turn to face the chamber but before the twin tailed girl could speak, Umi heard Kotori stand up next to her "Excuse me." Kotori said quietly before rushing out the chamber.
Umi just wanted to run after her and it must have been clear to all as she soon heard Nozomi saying her name, the Ronin looked up and saw Nozomi looking at her with a sympathetic look, before giving the blunette a nod "Go to her."
Umi quickly bowed before rushing out the chamber and heading in the same way she saw Kotori run.
(Nozomi – After Kotori and Umi left the meeting)
"Right everyone that's enough." Nozomi said exhausted "It has been a long day, we have a lot of information to deal with so I suggest we all sleep on this and come back tomorrow, Nico go over that plan with Yohane and Riko tomorrow."
"What are we going to do about Lord Minami's decision?" Maki asked.
"We can't do anything about it right now, we'll discuss it further tomorrow." Nozomi sighed as she pinched her nose "However, this remains in this room no one outside this room must know for now, this could break the army and then we are all doomed, am I clear?"
Everyone in the room nodded before they all left, once she was alone Nozomi sighed and laid on her back staring at the ceiling "You really did come up with a headache this time Lord Minami." Nozomi muttered to herself as she started to hear rain falling.
(Umi – After leaving the chamber)
Umi ran after Kotori as the ashen girl turned a corner to one of the gardens, Umi wasn't sure where Kotori was aiming to go or if the ashen girl even had one.
As Umi rounded the corner she saw Kotori standing in the middle of the garden her head looking down at the floor, Umi tentatively walked up to Kotori confused 'Why did Lord Minami do this?' Umi thought to herself as she felt the rain lightly hitting her, just as she reached the ashen girl Umi could hear Kotori sniffing.
"Kotori?" Umi said quietly.
The blunette waited a moment and was about to repeat herself in case Kotori hadn't heard her but then the ashen girl spoken in a slightly broken voice "I guess you don't need to call me lady anymore."
"Kotori…"
"The only thing that made what I did bearable was the fact that I was protecting my family," Kotori spoke again not waiting to hear what Umi had to say, "but now, now I can't even claim that."
"Lady Nozomi can fix this, we can just beat Kira and it will all be back to how it should be." Umi said though she didn't believe her own words.
"Nozomi's good, but she can't undo the last five years Umi and I don't deserve it." Kotori said shakily "He always wanted a son." Kotori muttered, Umi could hear Kotori's voice trembling slightly as she spoke and it made her blood turn cold.
"Who?"
"My father."
"What makes you say that?" Umi asked confused as to why Kotori would say that and the fact Kotori wasn't using her usual name for speaking about Lord Minami.
"I overheard him one time, talking to Kira, he said Kira was the son he wished he had." Kotori said choking back a sob.
"Kotori..." Umi muttered shocked by Kotori's words as her heart cracked.
"Why did father have to bring Kira back to our castle?" Kotori shouted as she turned to look at Umi with tears threatening to break past her eye's.
"I don't kno…"
"I lied to protect him, I…" Kotori paused before bowing her head meekly "I betrayed you to protect him and it was all for nothing!"
Umi's fist clenched at the sight 'Why couldn't I see what was happening and stop all this at the start, how could I let this happen?' Umi asked, angry at herself.
'Because you're a failure.' Umi's honour shouted.
"He disowned me, Riko hates me, everyone else is mad at me…"
"That's not true."
"It is, I saw it all time, the hint of disappointment in their eyes at what I did." Kotori let out a sniffed before continuing "And I can't blame them, I'm mad at myself."
"Kotori please come inside, it's cold, it's not good for you." Umi said quietly, hoping to stop Kotori making herself any sadder.
"I don't care!" Kotori shouted, catching Umi off guard "I just want things to go back to how they were, I want the most precious thing in the world to me back," Kotori said as her tears flowed freely as she dropped to her knees "I just want you back."
Umi's fists clenched tighter, so tight she could feel her nails dig into her palms and felt her insides burning, all she wanted to do was what she'd do in the past when Kotori was upset and crying, embrace her tight and tell her everything would be ok.
'You can't, your disgraced, it's shameful.' Her honour shouted.
'But your Lady is on the ground crying, it's shameful to not help her.' The mystery voice countered.
Umi waited for her honour to counter, but the words never came, all the time Umi waited her ear were assaulted by Kotori's cries, eventually Umi couldn't take the cries anymore.
Before she even realised what she was doing, the blunette knelt down and pulled Kotori into a tight embrace.
"Umi?" Kotori said quietly in surprise.
"I never could stand you crying." Umi whispered to the ashen girl, though the Ronin was just as surprised by her own action.
Umi heard Kotori gasp and she was about to let go in fear she'd done something to upset her only to hear Kotori choke "Don't let go!" before the ashen girl buried her face on the Ronin's neck and wrapped her arms around the Ronin's neck as she began to bawl holding on to the blunette like her life depended on it.
"I won't." Umi whispered as she gently patted Kotori's head like she used to when the two were kids as Kotori carried on crying into her shoulder.
'Stop that.' Umi's honour shout in a muffled voice at the Ronin's patting of the ashen girl's head 'It's not proper.'
'Letting her Lady cry without doing something to comfort her is improper, should she just leave her to cry alone?' The mystery voice shouted back.
Umi just carried on patting Kotori's head ignoring the two 'Its just to help you Kotori, just for tonight.' Umi said in mind though she couldn't but feel a burning disappointment at those words.
Umi wasn't sure how long the two stayed like that, but eventually the sobs were replaced by soft snores, Umi looked down and saw Kotori was fast asleep.
Umi was about to let go of Kotori and wake her up but as she moved, she could hear Kotori mumble in her sleep "No, you said you wouldn't let go."
Umi froze, unsure what to do, then an idea popped into her head that they used to do as kids when Kotori used fall asleep watching the stars.
'You shouldn't!' Her honour shouted.
'She can't leave her Lady in the cold can she or wake her up after the day she's had.'
Umi let out a sigh seeing no other option 'Just this once.' Umi said in her mind
As she moved to pick Kotori up though the ashen girl tightened her arms around Umi's neck.
"No, don't leave me." Kotori mumbled.
"Its ok, I'm just carrying you back." Umi whispered before she picked Kotori up fully in her arms, Umi was thankful the castle seemed quiet for the most part.
Just as Umi entered the corridor to the pairs chamber she heard Kotori mumble "My little Samurai." in her sleep which made the blunette stop a moment.
"It's been a while since I heard that name." Umi mumbled, though she could feel the lips pulling into a smile slightly at her old nickname, before she carried on back to the chamber.